"Gah— that hurts!"
Lin Huai rubbed his head, feeling a strange set of memories in his mind.
Only then did Lin Huai realize that he had actually transmigrated.
In his previous life, just before he died,
he had been about to ask out a curvy upperclasswoman
to play in the snow atop a mountain and explore the depths of a gorge.
He hadn't expected a truck to send him on his way.
But he'd lived in Douluo for six years before finally awakening the memories of his past life.
"Damn, the King really is the King. Not only did I transmigrate painlessly, but I also got six years of free warm-up."
"It's just a shame about that sexy upperclasswoman of mine. I wonder which lucky bastard got to enjoy her."
Lin Huai wore a sorrowful expression.
He looked toward the magnificent palace, where people were filing inside.
"At least I lived long enough to awaken my Martial Soul. With the memories from my past life, as long as I don't get a world-ending start, maybe I can experience even more mountains and gorges in this life!"
He followed the crowd into the Holy Temple.
The person in charge of the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony was a red-robed cardinal with a stern expression.
He looked at the little boy at the front of the line.
"Let's go in order."
The boy clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and stepped into the center of the formation.
The cardinal gave a low shout. "Demon Cat possession!"
The cardinal's body changed, and then two yellow, two purple, and three black Soul Rings appeared.
Clearly, the cardinal was a Soul Saint powerhouse.
"Beast Martial Soul: Dazed Duck. Innate Soul Power: level three. Go register over there."
"Tool Martial Soul: Hoe. Innate Soul Power: zero."
As time passed, it was finally Lin Huai's turn. He was so excited he could hardly contain himself.
He walked into the awakening formation, full of anticipation.
I wonder what Martial Soul I'll awaken.
I'm an orphan in this life, too. I grew up in Holy Tree Village on the charity of others.
As the cardinal channeled Soul Power into him, Lin Huai felt warmth fill his body.
As Lin Huai watched in excitement, a tall figure appeared beside him.
She had waist-length crimson hair and wore an intricately designed Winged Helm, adorned with wings on either side.
Her right arm, left leg, and the lower part of her right leg had all been replaced with prosthetics made of a golden-looking metal.
A long, slender, hiltless blade etched with complex patterns was attached to the armor on her right arm.
Much of her exposed skin bore scars that looked as though they had been seared by flames.
"An actual humanoid Martial Soul! That's a rare sight. Quickly, put it away and let's test your Soul Power!"
The cardinal hurriedly handed him a crystal ball.
Unlike the cardinal, who was thrilled, Lin Huai felt his heart sink.
That figure was none other than Malenia, the popular boss from the game Elden Ring in his previous life—the Valkyrie.
It wasn't that she was weak. On the contrary, as a Martial Soul, Malenia was absolutely no inferior to a divine Martial Soul like the Six-Winged Angel.
But the Malenia from the game had a terrifying curse that even the gods couldn't deal with—
Scarlet Rot!
Lin Huai's chest heaved faster. It took him several tries to put away his Martial Soul.
The moment he placed his trembling hand on the crystal ball, it burst into dazzling light.
The red-robed cardinal stepped forward and carefully examined the crystal ball.
"Innate Full Soul Power! It's been six years. Since the three children, including Miss Hu Liena, we finally have another gifted child!"
Damn it! What a world-ending start.
Lin Huai stared at the burn-like marks appearing on his right hand. His heart pounded faster and faster. Suddenly, his vision went black, and he collapsed straight to the floor.
"An unfamiliar ceiling. What is this place...?" Lin Huai slowly opened his eyes.
"This is the infirmary. You fainted after awakening your Martial Soul." Lin Huai sat up.
He looked at the handsome, middle-aged man beside him, with golden hair and golden eyes.
"I am the Grand Elder of Spirit Hall. During my examination, I discovered a strange power inside your body. It was this power that made you faint, and it was likely the cause of the sudden scars on your hand as well," Qian Daoliu continued.
"I don't know what that thing is, either. It appeared after I awakened my Martial Soul. My Martial Soul has many similar scars."
Lin Huai lowered his head and stared at his right hand, which was clutching the bedsheet. Then he cautiously looked up at Qian Daoliu.
"Grand Elder, do you know how to deal with this power?"
"Summon your Martial Soul. Let me take a look."
Lin Huai circulated his Soul Power, and Malenia's Martial Soul appeared again.
Qian Daoliu furrowed his brow. "Your Martial Soul is very powerful. Especially that hiltless blade in her right hand. Just looking at it, I can feel its razor-sharp edge. It's quite extraordinary. And yet, I can't sense the specific nature of this Martial Soul."
"But I can say for certain that the strange power inside you came from your Martial Soul. It manifests very fiercely on her."
Qian Daoliu looked at the prosthetics of Malenia's Martial Soul and the rot-eaten parts of her face, then sighed. "If nothing unexpected happens, you may have only ten years to live. That's assuming you don't absorb Soul Rings or cultivate Soul Power."
Lin Huai pressed his lips together and looked at the rot-eaten marks on Malenia's face.
Of course he knew how terrifying Scarlet Rot was. It was something even the gods couldn't do anything about.
But when he thought that he could only live into his teens in this life, a bitter smile appeared on his face.
Qian Daoliu looked at the poor boy and held out a palm-sized golden token.
"You can stay in Spirit Hall. I'll arrange everything for you. Spend plenty of time reading in the library. Combine what you find with existing theories and see if you can find a sliver of hope."
Then Qian Daoliu disappeared from the infirmary.
Lin Huai lay back down and pressed his arm against his forehead.
"This is so damn unfair!"
The law of causality behind tempting fate was actually this powerful. What a world-ending start!
Lin Huai turned to look at Malenia's Martial Soul, still standing beside the bed.
He looked at the parts of her face that Scarlet Rot had yet to consume, then noticed her prosthetics and eyes already eaten away by the rot.
"No. I'm going to survive!"
Lin Huai abruptly sat up and clenched the token in his hand.
He dismissed his Martial Soul and headed for the library with determination.
After Lin Huai showed the token to the person in charge of the library,
he was given a place to stay and permission to consult any book he liked.
Lin Huai began his daily journey between the two places, searching for a way to survive.
After the first month, he had found nothing.
After three months, he still had nothing.
After half a year, Lin Huai had roughly read through all the existing Martial Soul theories, but he still had nothing to show for it.
So he began browsing obscure books, such as collections of strange tales and personal biographies.
Over those six months, Lin Huai discovered that he had an incredible memory. He could remember almost everything he read.
Lin Huai had tried cultivating, but each time he did, the rot power became unusually active. He had to give up on cultivation.
During those six months of studying his Martial Soul, aside from discovering that Malenia would be very beautiful if she weren't rotting—and that the parts untouched by rot were quite soft—
he also discovered a domain that came with her: the Scarlet Rot Domain.
The domain was powerful. The Soft Bone Rabbit he used for testing lost its life instantly when he activated it, and it could also infuse the Prosthetic Blade he conjured with Scarlet Rot when he attacked.
But when he activated the domain, the rot power ran wild like a husky let off its leash, a wild horse bolting out of control.
"Nothing, nothing! Do I really have to just sit here and wait to die?" With bloodshot eyes, Lin Huai set Douluo Travelogue down on the table.
Lin Huai leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, beginning to sort through the information he had gathered.
Should he take a gamble on Ice and Fire Golden Body Refinement?
Forget it. Immortal Herbs mainly improved talent and Soul Power, and his Scarlet Rot wasn't poison.
Besides, unless he had no other choice, he didn't want to face that unpredictable Poison Douluo.
A divine trial?
No matter which one, he couldn't obtain it right now.
I've lived two lives, and I still haven't experienced a snowy mountain peak or a deep, secluded gorge. I can't accept this!
Lin Huai slowly sat upright and looked at the rot symptoms that had spread to his forearm. Determination filled his eyes. "Damn it, I'm doing it. How can a transmigrator die such a pathetic death?"
Lin Huai left his seat and headed toward the Worship Hall.
Before you continue