The First Ring of the Love Goddess's Martial Soul

Footsteps fell soundlessly as he stepped onto the lakeshore.

Clear tears from the Goddess of Love dripped, drip, drip, onto the Dragon Emperor's new body.

Having passed the Divine Trial through his own heart, the Dragon Emperor felt as though a connection had formed between himself and this valley.

It was as if he had become the very foundation of the Universe Asking-Love Valley.

Yet, he did not seize this opportunity to offer the Goddess of Love comfort or counsel; instead, he looked up at the hollow, withered stump on the bank.

When he completed the Goddess of Love's trial, he had already witnessed—through the life of the decaying wood—the spring blossoms and autumn harvests once experienced by the pair beneath this tree.

The final answer to the Goddess of Love's trial was recited bit by bit, in the manner of the Dragon Emperor's own life realizations:

"True love does indeed exist in this world, but in the end, it is nothing more than a chronic, lethal poison."

"Only a hatred that does not rest even after death is the finest medicine."

"Is it... truly so?" The Goddess of Love lifted her face, stained with bloody tears.

Her soul had been stirred, prompting her to ask, "Are you a heartless one only because you were poisoned by love and hate?"

"Sigh..." The Dragon Emperor offered no further response, leaving only a sigh—the very same sigh he had breathed before his death in his previous life.

The artistic conception contained within this sigh struck the flower, which had been frozen before its withering, like a sudden enlightenment. Her eyes, flowing with bloody tears, gradually showed signs of "life."

The Dragon Emperor was more than qualified to judge.

In years past, his own twin brother had succumbed to this very poison, leading to fratricide and the collapse of the dragon race.

The Dragon Emperor bowed slightly and picked up the wrist of the Goddess of Love, who lay limp by the lake.

Seemingly out of the habit of an emperor, he spoke in a commanding tone: "Come with me. You and I are both companions in misfortune, two wanderers at the ends of the earth."

"Where can one find a soulmate? Perhaps only one like me, who has endured similar experiences, can truly understand the pain you have suffered."

"Come with me."

As their hands touched, the will of destruction connected through her wrist to her soul body, and the Goddess of Love successfully witnessed the scenes of the Dragon Emperor's past life.

Under the impact of tens of millions of years of memories, the red and white light clashing upon the Goddess of Love ceased its endless, meaningless entanglement. Love and hate, these two emotions, began to coexist as her state of mind broadened.

"Very well... heartless one." A trembling response came in reply.

The Goddess of Love was pulled to her feet, leaning her body against the Dragon Emperor's new form.

With that "very well," the soul contract was successfully forged.

The Goddess of Love, who had been trapped in a desperate situation, was finally plucked. Like the red flower drifting from the withered tree in the legend of the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, she was swept into a grave that could finally grant her rest.

That grave was the sea of consciousness known as the "Dragon Tomb."

The divine trial concluded, and the heavens changed color.

The withered stump that the Goddess of Love had been leaning against seemed to have fulfilled a lingering obsession; it crumbled on the spot into a pile of ash... and scattered.

The previously gray Universe Asking-Love Valley began to brighten, as if veiled in a layer of tranquil purple light.

The entire graveyard had become a gift for the Dragon Emperor passing the divine trial.

The Dragon Emperor surveyed the valley that now belonged entirely to him and sighed, "Sigh, taking over another tomb."

He did not spend time exploring this secret realm further, but instead turned and stepped into the Lake of Tears.

Outside, the stars were sparse.

Councilor Xu, his figure now a full circle broader, squatted between the corpses of his son and nephew.

Feeling the power brought by his martial soul's secondary awakening and lateral mutation, he could only sigh softly, "These are all the growing pains before a rise."

Councilor Xu looked toward the pale light of dawn on the horizon. He and the core members of the Xu family had finally endured the darkest, most uncertain moments before the dawn.

A subordinate brought white cloth to cover the two bloodless, pale corpses, preparing to store them in a specialized Soul Tool...

Suddenly, the surface of the lake not far away emitted a "splashing" sound.

A youth with purple hair and golden eyes walked slowly toward the shore, supported by the lake water itself.

Councilor Xu and the black-clad phalanx of the Xu family watched the newcomer from the lake with vigilance.

"It is done. Let us go," the youth commanded in a flat tone.

Influenced by this dragon speech, the "Purple Imperial Heaven-Extinguishing Dragon" martial soul that Councilor Xu had just acquired vibrated with excitement.

Councilor Xu's purple eyes widened. He hurriedly led the phalanx of men in black behind him to kneel, shouting loudly, "Congratulations to the Divine Ancestor on your rebirth!"

"Congratulations to the Divine Ancestor on your rebirth!"

The Dragon Emperor raised a hand, stopping the pilgrimage of his believers.

He glanced at the two corpses covered in white cloth on the shore and offered a reminder: "In truth, most of those who possess a sun-type martial soul carry the bloodline of the Purple Imperial Heaven-Extinguishing Dragon; it is merely too thin."

"Therefore, you could have drawn blood from both simultaneously to gather enough; there was no need to sacrifice two lives, for I do not hold the divinity of death."

"Ah? This..." Councilor Xu was dumbfounded.

The hundred-odd men in black looked at one another in dismay.

"The bodies are still warm; it is the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot..."

Dragon Emperor waded out of the lake, walking straight toward the two corpses.

Amidst gazes filled with confusion, yet still maintaining a sense of piety and anticipation, Dragon Emperor slowly raised his left wrist.

A blood-stained white peony manifested at his thought, and simultaneously, a translucent woman in ancient attire appeared abruptly to his rear right, looking much like a vengeful spirit.

Her red and white silk robes traced the undulating curves of her figure.

Though she wore a veil, the resentment of love and hate intertwined echoed in the ears of everyone in the valley like a ghostly whisper.

Fortunately, the destructive will of Dragon Emperor kept her in check; otherwise, at least half of those present would have been lost in the chaotic divine consciousness of love and hate.

She was none other than the first soul spirit of Dragon Emperor's innate martial soul, his life-bound soul spirit: Goddess of Love.

As the soul spirit Goddess of Love appeared, a magnificent red-gold halo rose and swirled behind Dragon Emperor.

The first soul ring of the Lovesick Heartbreak Red martial soul!

Dragon Emperor plucked a peony petal and scattered it toward the two corpses while activating his first soul skill...

First Divine Skill: Lovesick Heartbreak Red, Blooming Undying Fall!

The petal transformed into a streak of red and white blood-light, passing through the white shrouds and sprinkling onto the two bodies.

The next moment, two sharp gasps rang out!

The two bodies, outlined beneath the white shrouds, sat up abruptly, their faces etched with the shock of being startled from a dream.

"Tianji? Tianyi?" Councilor Xu was also taken aback by the two men, who were as pale as corpses.

The brothers raised their somewhat numb and stiff hands, frantically stroking their chests, which were now perfectly intact and devoid of even a single scar.

"Father?"

"Uncle?"

Looking at the equally bewildered Councilor Xu, they asked in unison, "I... I thought I was dead?"

"It is the Divine Ancestor! The Divine Ancestor has resurrected you both!"

Overcome with the joy of recovery, Councilor Xu's eyes welled up with tears as he embraced his son and nephew, laughing heartily.

As the first divine ring and life-bound divine spirit behind Dragon Emperor faded, he looked at the Lovesick Heartbreak Red on his wrist, which looked a bit wilted from the missing petal. He nodded, then shook his head and said, "The performance is decent; it almost possesses the effect of reversing life and death. It is a pity, however, that this body only has an Innate Soul Power of level ten, and the divine skill consumes too much soul power."

"To carry the Amethyst Dragon martial soul... we shall speak of that once this body has grown for a few more years."

As his low murmur faded, Dragon Emperor collapsed face-first onto the ground, his body shrinking at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In mere seconds, he regressed from the appearance of a youth into a purple-haired boy.

"Divine Ancestor!"

"Divine Ancestor!"