The next day was the day of Martial Soul Awakening.
Ever since the Sun Moon Federation was established, the Spirit Pagoda had worked with it to organize free Martial Soul Awakenings for ordinary people. It gave them a way forward and helped promote the development of the entire Douluo Continent.
Lin Nuo got up early that morning and changed his clothes. Seeing Na'er wake up alongside him, he couldn't help saying, "Na'er, you can go back to sleep. I'm going to awaken my Martial Soul."
"No." Na'er shook her head. "I want to go with you, Big Brother."
Looking at Na'er's utterly earnest little eyes, he helplessly reached out and flicked the little one on the forehead. "Then let's get ready quickly."
"Okay." Na'er immediately got up too and went to change.
After dinner the previous day, Lin Nuo had taken Na'er to the mall to buy some clothes. He had to admit, those Soul Beasts had prepared a generous amount of money. Na'er could practically become a little rich girl in Aolai City.
Before long, they were both ready. They left the apartment and immediately took a bus to the Spirit Pagoda in Aolai City.
"Big Brother, what Martial Soul do you think you'll awaken?" Na'er blinked her big, adorable eyes at Lin Nuo beside her and asked with a child's curiosity.
At her question, Lin Nuo found himself at a loss for words. Honestly, he still had no idea what his Martial Soul would be like, though it should have something to do with time. But he didn't say that aloud. Instead, he smiled and said, "As long as I awaken a Martial Soul with Soul Power, that'll be enough. Then I'll be able to protect you, Na'er."
Maybe those people had arranged for him and Na'er to meet, but after spending the previous day together, he had grown quite fond of the girl.
"Then when Na'er awakens her Martial Soul, she'll protect Big Brother too!" Na'er replied like an innocent little child.
"Then I'm looking forward to the day you awaken your Martial Soul, Na'er." Lin Nuo smiled and patted her little head.
The bus soon arrived at its destination. Lin Nuo immediately led Na'er off, but the moment he stepped down, he suddenly felt someone watching him.
He immediately followed the direction of that gaze, but saw only passersby coming and going. Did I imagine it?
"Big Brother, what's wrong?" Na'er noticed Lin Nuo's strange movement and asked curiously.
Lin Nuo shook his head. "It's nothing. Let's go."
After Lin Nuo led Na'er away, Zi JI emerged from the shadows. Watching the tall and small figures walking off, she couldn't help sighing, "You haven't even awakened your Martial Soul, yet your spiritual power is already this terrifying. As expected of you." As soon as she finished speaking, she slipped back into the darkness and followed the two.
The passersby coming and going had no idea she was there.
As Lin Nuo led Na'er toward the Spirit Pagoda in Aolai City, doubts still lingered in his mind. He could think of two possibilities for the owner of that gaze: either someone from the Soul Beast side, or the gaze of some old geezer.
Looks like I'll probably run into an old acquaintance today, Lin Nuo thought as he and Na'er arrived at the Spirit Pagoda in Aolai City.
A staff member was arranging Martial Soul Awakenings for six-year-old children. Seeing Lin Nuo and Na'er outside, he immediately walked over and asked, "Are you two here for a Martial Soul Awakening?"
"Big Brother, only I'm here to awaken my Martial Soul. My little sister came to see what it's like," Lin Nuo answered politely.
"All right." The staff member nodded. "Then please follow me."
"Okay." Lin Nuo immediately took Na'er's hand and followed.
The staff member led them to a corridor, then stopped and turned to them. "Kid, I'll register your name. When Lord Soul Master calls it later, you can go inside."
"Okay."
After registering his name, Lin Nuo led Na'er to sit off to one side. Everyone around them was about the same age, and they had all come to awaken their Martial Souls, but each of them had their parents with them.
Seeing this, Lin Nuo felt no change in his mood. Or rather, transmigrating into an orphan was something he had long since gotten used to.
"Big Brother, I'm a little sleepy." Na'er was a child, after all. Before long, she started to doze off and rubbed her big eyes as she spoke to Lin Nuo beside her.
Lin Nuo glanced at the already drowsy Na'er and smiled helplessly. "I told you not to come along. Look at you, you're sleepy already." Even as he spoke, he leaned his shoulder toward her.
"Rest your head on my shoulder and take a nap."
"Mm-hm."
Na'er readily lay down on Lin Nuo's shoulder.
Looking at Na'er resting against him, Lin Nuo smiled and shook his head. He glanced at the people waiting in line ahead and realized it would be a while before his turn. So he closed his eyes and entered his Sea of Consciousness.
In the Sea of Consciousness, Lin Nuo didn't see Lin Xiu. Instead, he saw Lin Fan, who was standing in front of his Throne and seemed to be observing something.
Lin Nuo walked over curiously and asked, "What are you observing?"
"Getting familiar with the Sea of Consciousness so I can prepare to seize the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm," Lin Fan replied without hiding anything. "If it's not there, then Electrolux will do."
Hearing Lin Fan's explanation, Lin Nuo couldn't help giving him a thumbs-up. "You've got ambition."
"In my era, I'll have to face the guy with the most cheat-like abilities in all of Douluo. I have to prepare for the worst. That's what a subject ought to do. But..."
"But what?" Lin Nuo asked curiously when Lin Fan trailed off.
Lin Fan's gaze slowly fell on the Throne of Life, and he said helplessly, "I can't get in touch with that guy at all. He seems like an ultimate glutton."
"Isn't he in the Heaven Dou Empire?"
"He is in the Heaven Dou Empire, but I don't know his exact location. It's a real hassle." Lin Fan sounded helpless. "I'm still far too weak right now. I haven't even awakened my Martial Soul, so I can't connect with him yet."
"I thought I'd try my luck in the Sea of Consciousness, but unfortunately, he isn't here."
After listening, Lin Nuo nodded. "That is a bit of a hassle."
If Lin Fan couldn't get in touch with Lin Rui, then the two of them would probably have to fight alone for a while. It shouldn't cause any major problems, but it would still be worse than having a companion to watch their backs.
"By the way." Lin Fan's gaze fell on Lin Nuo, the monarch. "What about you now?"
"I'm awakening my Martial Soul today." Lin Nuo shrugged.
"The best perk of the Dragon King era is free Martial Soul Awakening."
"That does seem to be true." Lin Nuo nodded in agreement.
The Dragon King era was the worst era in all of Douluo Continent. If you asked what perks it had, sure, there were some: you got a free Martial Soul Awakening, and if you had Innate Full Soul Power after awakening your Martial Soul, they'd even give you a Soul Spirit for free. As for anything else, there was nothing.
Suddenly sensing something, Lin Nuo immediately said to Lin Fan beside him, "Something's come up on my end. I have to go deal with it."
"All right." Lin Fan nodded. He watched Lin Nuo leave in silence, then looked at his Throne of Destiny a few more times before leaving too.
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