The System Ran Away

"Your Highness, the Ninth Prince is awakening his Martial Soul tomorrow. Should we kill him?" A guard asked the young man in the wheelchair before him with utmost respect.

Xu Tianran set down the book in his hands and replied calmly, "Enough. Yanli is much younger than the rest of us princes. Besides, Father has always despised him, and he grew up in my mansion. We might as well raise him well. More importantly, he's my younger brother."

"But what if his talent is exceptionally high? Wouldn't that threaten Your Highness?" A strategist sat to one side, playing chess against himself. At that, he suddenly spoke up.

Xu Tianran paused, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop. "He won't."

What they had no idea of was that Xu Yanli was sitting just outside their door, listening to their conversation.

But he didn't care about any of that. He was more concerned with the voice that had suddenly appeared in his mind.

It was a system.

He had been transported to this world six years ago and had assumed he wouldn't get one. He hadn't expected it to appear the day before his Martial Soul Awakening.

What he found even harder to understand was why he had been reborn as a member of the Sun Moon Empire's royal family—and, on top of that, as a prince despised by the Sun Moon Empire's emperor.

He could only say he was lucky that his older brothers had more or less left him alone, considering how young he was and that his Star Luo Empire bloodline meant he had no right to inherit the throne.

After all, they hadn't assassinated him or tried to harm him. They had simply left him to grow up wild.

Still, he hadn't expected Xu Tianran to have a sudden change of heart and bring him to his mansion to raise him.

Xu Yanli had his suspicions. Perhaps Xu Tianran wanted to use him, a prince who posed no threat whatsoever, to show everyone else that he would treat his brothers well.

But perhaps not. After all, Xu Tianran's legs hadn't yet suffered serious damage back then. At the time, he could still be considered a normal person.

There might have been an ulterior motive, but he might simply have felt sorry for him.

Either way, it didn't matter. Given his status, he could never inherit the throne unless he staged a rebellion.

And as someone who knew about the Divine Realm's schemes, he also knew the Sun Moon Empire probably wouldn't meet a happy end later on.

Xu Yanli had planned to lie low for the rest of his life, then prevent Xu Tianran from marrying Ju Zi in the future and live a simple life under his older brother's protection.

But he hadn't expected there to actually be a system. Did that mean he might have a chance to become a god someday?

Xu Yanli's eyes lit up at once. As for becoming emperor, he'd pass.

He'd have to rise earlier than a chicken, sleep later than a dog, and work harder than a donkey.

More importantly, he didn't think he had the temperament to scheme against the whole world.

[Ding, system binding in progress. Welcome to the Peerless Tang Sect era on the Douluo Continent, host.]

[Oh no, energy depleted... Beep beep beep, system collapse. Host, sor...ry...]

[Reconnecting... Host, you have two Martial Souls. As compensation, I'll modify your other Martial Soul.]

[Ding, copied Saintess Douluo Ya Li. Congratulations, host! You have obtained the Prayer Angel. Your original Martial Soul's attributes have been retained and fused. Congratulations, your Martial Soul now has two sides. Have a pleasant journey across the Douluo Continent, and please leave us a five-star review, dear.]

[Here's a tip: in six years, go to the Star Dou Great Forest and snatch an Electrolux. Don't forget to leave a five-star review, dear.]

[Bye-bye!]

Xu Yanli stared in disbelief. The system had actually run off just like that, and the cheat it left him was a healing-type Martial Soul. What was he supposed to do with that?

Treat Xu Tianran's legs?

It should at least guarantee he could reach Limit Douluo, though. Maybe he could even make a run at the Life God King's position.

But snatching Electrolux sounded a little dangerous. He'd probably have to get close to Huo Yuhao.

Xu Yanli hugged his knees, his face full of despair. He felt like life was hopeless.

Why did it have to be the Peerless Tang Sect era? The Douluo Continent was practically Tang Buddha's backyard by now.

Unless he could earn the favor of Life or Destruction, it wouldn't matter even if another god chose him.

"Yanli, why are you sitting out here? Aren't you cold?" Xu Tianran wheeled himself out and spoke warmly when he saw Xu Yanli sitting on the steps by the door.

"Imperial Brother." Xu Yanli looked up and asked respectfully, "Will Father let me awaken my Martial Soul?"

Xu Yanli suddenly remembered that the system had said he had two Martial Souls, and one of them was apparently an Angel Martial Soul.

It seemed that Martial Soul had been inherited from his mother, who had died young.

His mother must have been rather pitiful—and terribly unlucky.

An Angel Martial Soul. The palace elders said she had been an unparalleled beauty, too.

Unfortunately, that old beast, the emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, had set his sights on her. In the end, she had met such a tragic fate.

"He will. Even if Father forgets, Imperial Brother will take you to awaken your Martial Soul." Xu Tianran smiled as he patted Xu Yanli's head.

The next morning.

A eunuch with a sharp, simian face waved his whisk and spoke in a high-pitched voice. "Ninth Prince, come with me to the Awakening Room."

Xu Yanli nodded and followed the eunuch to the Awakening Room, his steps a little heavy.

Perhaps they suspected his royal bloodline, so no outsiders were present for his Martial Soul Awakening.

Only the emperor, Xu Tianran, and an Awakening Master were there. That was everyone present for his awakening.

Xu Yanli was a little nervous. After all, he knew for certain that one of his Martial Souls was an Angel, inherited from his mother.

If his other Martial Soul wasn't one of the Sun Moon Empire's royal Martial Souls, there was a good chance he wouldn't make it out of the Awakening Room alive today.

Xu Yanli sighed and stood in the middle, watching the Awakening Master nervously.

The Awakening Master gestured for Xu Yanli to stand in the middle of the six black stones.

Xu Yanli stood between them, gripping his sleeves tightly with both hands. After taking a deep breath, he stepped into the center of the six black stones.

The Awakening Master slapped both hands forward, sending six faint beams of golden light into the stones on the ground.

In an instant, a layer of hazy golden light surged from the six stones, forming a pale golden barrier that enveloped Xu Yanli.

The pale golden energy slowly entered Xu Yanli's body. An indescribable power surged through him.

A wisp of dark purple energy wrapped around his entire body. At the same time, a tremendous dragon's roar rang out, and a figure appeared behind him.

Xu Tianran froze, staring at his frail younger brother in disbelief. He hadn't expected this younger brother to inherit the exact same Martial Soul as him.

The Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon!

The emperor, seated above them, instantly lost some of the severity in his expression. His gaze softened.

"N-no, this is bad, Your Majesty! It seems another Martial Soul is devouring my Soul Power!" the Awakening Master suddenly cried out.

A glimmer of excitement flashed through the emperor's eyes. This child might have no right to inherit the throne, but once he grew up, he could still become a pillar of the empire.