An Unusual Beginning

Bai Cai had transmigrated, his soul occupying another body.

Soul Power, Martial Souls—oh, the Douluo Continent.

Heaven Dou Empire, Dou Ling Empire, Star Luo Empire, Sun Moon Empire, and so on. Wait, Peerless Tang Sect?

Huo Gua, a blue-silver grass enthusiast, a monster with several big shots backing him, Body Martial Soul, Ultimate Attribute.

In Douluo I, Titled Douluos were the pinnacle of combat strength. In Douluo II, Super Douluos were a dime a dozen. In just a few years, the continent would be thrown into turmoil, with wars breaking out everywhere. The Holy Spirit Cult, the Sun Moon Empire, and the super Soul Beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest would take turns on the stage.

Bai Cai knew full well that without the strength of a Soul King, or even a Soul Emperor or Soul Saint, he wouldn't be able to protect his parents or save the villagers' lives.

If he wanted to take control of his own fate, he had to become a Titled Douluo, even if he ended up as a Titled Douluo more useless than Poison Douluo Dugu Bo.

However, for some reason, every villager in the village where Bai Cai was born had a Martial Soul that was either a vegetable or a farm tool.

His father in this life had the surname Bai and a cabbage Martial Soul. His mother's Martial Soul was a white radish. Thus, Bai Cai's name was Bai Cai.

According to some Grandmaster, descendants inherited one of their parents' Martial Souls. The stronger their parents' Martial Souls, the stronger the descendants' would be, though a small number underwent Martial Soul Mutation.

All the villagers' Martial Souls were vegetables or farm tools. His father had a cabbage Martial Soul, and his mother had a white radish Martial Soul. Unless Bai Cai was the child of Old Wang next door—no, the child of Old Wang in the neighboring village—his Martial Soul should be a vegetable or a farm tool, most likely inherited from one of his parents.

The chances of a vegetable Martial Soul possessing Soul Power were even lower than those of a farm-tool Martial Soul.

If he awakened a sickle or a hammer, at least he'd be able to defend himself if the villagers got into a brawl. But if he awakened a cabbage Martial Soul or a white radish Martial Soul, he'd practically be delivering himself on a platter.

"Bai Cai, Lord Soul Master's here! The village chief wants us to gather. Did you hear me?" his chubby childhood friend, Luo Ba, shouted.

"The wind is rather boisterous today." Bai Cai fell into thought.

If he awakened a cabbage or white radish Martial Soul, he could find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and get his hands on some Immortal Herbs. He should still be salvageable.

"Lord Soul Master's going to the neighboring village soon!" The little fatty dashed off in a flash.

"Wait, I haven't awakened my Martial Soul yet!" Bai Cai scrambled to his feet and hurried after him.

"Luo Ba. Martial Soul awakening: radish. No Soul Power."

Zhao Jin waved a hand and recorded the awakening results with an expressionless face. "Next, Bai Cai from Cainong Village."

When the Soul Master in charge of the awakening called his name, Bai Cai squeezed past the other village children and stepped into the Martial Soul Awakening Formation.

"Concentrate and relax."

Zhao Jin set down his record book and took Bai Cai by the right hand. "Don't be nervous. Breathe, breathe."

A brilliant light suddenly burst forth. A warm, Limber power gathered into a little fellow with a bowl-shaped head.

Its body was white, as though it wore clothes that were much too long. Its blue hair resembled a bowl-shaped head covering and seemed to hide most of its face. Two flat red horns, sunken at the middle, parted the hair; the larger one pointed forward, while the smaller one was at the back. Its eyes were hidden beneath its bowl-shaped hair, with only a hint of pale red visible.

"What is this?" Zhao Jin was baffled, trying to recall the Martial Soul knowledge he'd learned at the academy and almost forgotten.

Judging by the light, the child before him definitely had high Innate Soul Power. However, there was no Martial Soul phantom behind him, nor was there anything in his hands.

"Well, would you look at that. An external Martial Soul?" Zhao Jin marveled.

The most famous example of an external Martial Soul was Luo Sanpao, the Martial Soul of Grandmaster, master to Sea God Tang San, one of the original Shrek Seven Devils.

Of course, most external Martial Soul owners were about as strong as Grandmaster. They had low Innate Soul Power and cultivated slowly. As a result, modern Martial Soul Theory generally held that external Martial Souls were defective products caused by Martial Soul Mutation.

However, judging by the light emitted during the awakening, the child before him had high Innate Soul Power. Based on the records of the villagers' Soul Power after their Martial Soul Awakenings, the child's Martial Soul Mutation should have been beneficial. Unfortunately, it wasn't entirely beneficial.

"Does your Martial Soul have a name?" Zhao Jin asked.

"Ralts..." Bai Cai stammered, his mind completely blank.

A Shiny Ralts! An immensely popular Pokémon—and a Shiny one at that! Three evolutionary stages, Mega Evolution, looks and strength both at the peak!

"Bai Cai. Martial Soul Awakening... Ralts, an external Martial Soul." Zhao Jin sounded a little hesitant. That name was certainly quite unconventional.

Still, Grandmaster had named his Martial Soul Luo Sanpao, and the boy before him had named his Ralts. It seemed to be a traditional talent among external Martial Soul owners.

"Here, let's test your Innate Soul Power."

Zhao Jin handed Bai Cai a crystal ball, looking expectant. "Child, your Innate Soul Power should be quite high. Even if your Martial Soul is a little lacking, you can still become a powerful Soul Master."

That was the truth. With the development of Soul Guidance Technology, even support-type Soul Masters were gaining the ability to attack like Power Attack System Soul Masters.

Bai Cai picked up Ralts. The little fellow wasn't heavy at all; it was very light.

"Channel your Soul Power."

Following Zhao Jin's instructions, Bai Cai guided the unfamiliar current inside his body and slowly channeled it into the crystal ball. A gentle light shimmered across its crystal-clear surface.

"Innate Soul Power: level five."

Taking back the crystal ball, Zhao Jin encouraged him. "Cultivate diligently, and you may become a Soul Emperor, or even a Soul Saint."

Zhao Jin's Martial Soul was a thornbush, and his Innate Soul Power had barely reached level three. Before turning forty, he'd already become a level forty-three Soul Ancestor, with room to improve. An Innate Soul Power of level five was an exceptionally high starting point among commoners. It could undoubtedly change Bai Cai's fate and make him one of the elite.

"Thank you, Lord Soul Master." Bai Cai thanked him sincerely.

Level-five Innate Soul Power. No system, no absurdly overpowered Martial Soul. A normal start—and a much better one than Huo Gua's. If he found the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and got his hands on some Immortal Herbs, he might not become a god of the hundredth level, but at least becoming a Titled Douluo was within reach.

The million-year Soul Beast Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, the Holy Necromancer Electrolux?

Bai Cai knew that, first of all, he couldn't risk having his memories probed just to search for opportunities. Second, whether Sky Dream Ice Silkworm would believe him was beside the point; compared to Huo Gua, Electrolux definitely wouldn't choose him.

Bai Cai was cheerful by nature. He didn't have some pure heart that remained unstained by the mud. He'd crack crude jokes that were far too mature for his age, and he also comforted the village children and played with them.

The heirs Electrolux chose had either sworn deep-seated vengeance or shared vows of eternal love, ready to live and die together.

Besides, six years had passed since Bai Cai transmigrated. Who knew when Huo Gua would reach the Star Dou Great Forest, or when he would encounter Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Electrolux's divine consciousness fragments?

Should he head to the Star Dou Great Forest and try his luck?

Ten super Soul Beasts, countless ten-thousand- and thousand-year Soul Beasts, and hundred- and ten-year Soul Beasts everywhere. In a perilous place like that, trying his luck would probably get him killed.