For a Better Tomorrow

It was August, and the scorching sun burned like fire.

The vicious sunlight felt like rolling magma, stinging the skin with every touch.

Heat waves that distorted the vision rose madly from the ground, while the sound of cicadas emanating from the shade of the trees grated against the eardrums like a saw.

Yet, in this unbearable weather that everyone sought to avoid, someone chose to go against the grain.

He was willing to brave the blistering sun, searching for the things he needed.

Martial Soul Hall, the undisputed strongest power on the Douluo Continent ten thousand years ago.

Under the diligent governance of several successive Pontiffs, it reached its zenith, boasting over a dozen Titled Douluos—a period of unparalleled prosperity.

Alas, fate was biased; during its glorious era, it unfortunately encountered two love-struck fools and one stubborn old man.

A series of blunders and disastrous decisions emerged one after another, squandering a magnificent situation and leading to total failure.

The magnificent palaces and jade towers that once drew the longing of thousands of spirit masters across the world were ruthlessly purged after the War of the Three Gods.

The empires plundered them like a swarm of locusts.

Countless spirit masters searched every inch of the ground with meticulous greed.

After being worn down by the relentless passage of time, it was eventually reduced to nothing more than a fleeting mention in history books.

As the primary battlefield of that war, Jialing Pass had also become a barren wasteland where birds no longer landed and no human trace remained.

Only a stretch of broken bricks and tiles, no longer resembling their original form, remained to silently recount the glory and vicissitudes of the past.

However, a steady, powerful, yet clearly frustrated voice suddenly shattered the stifling silence of the desolation.

"This cursed weather, it's like it's trying to turn people into jerky!"

Following the sound, one could see a handsome, sturdy-looking youth of about twelve or thirteen, complaining with a bitter face while hiding under a half-collapsed wall.

"Sigh, I wonder if those two relics I haven't excavated yet are still there."

As he spoke, the youth looked up at the ancient ruins before him, his eyes filled with a hint of anticipation.

"Please, don't let me return empty-handed..."

As his voice fell, the youth slowly closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, the worry and hesitation that had been there a moment ago had vanished entirely.

Immediately, his spirit power surged violently. He formed the Wealth-Summoning Seal with his left hand, holding it before his chest, and shouted softly.

"Seek wealth and find hidden treasures, Golden Mouse track the trail!"

A golden-furred mouse, the length of a forearm, round in shape and slightly translucent, suddenly appeared out of thin air.

It then prostrated respectfully before the youth, its mouse eyes flashing with intelligent light.

Looking at its ethereal body, it was clear that it was not a living creature.

"Jinbao, go, bring back everything I told you about!"

Receiving the order, the golden mouse nodded, then turned and darted toward the ruins.

Its four short legs moved with incredible speed.

Upon reaching the center of the ruins, it sniffed to the left and then to the right.

Suddenly, its eyes lit up; it had clearly made a discovery.

It then pinpointed the digging spot and began to burrow into the hard earth with its two front paws.

"As my strength grows, this golden mouse is becoming increasingly clever. Its spirit ring, which was originally just over a hundred years, is now approaching a thousand years."

Seeing this, Ning Huan couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle. He leaned back against the ruined wall, his thoughts gradually drifting into the distance.

Ning Huan, a university student majoring in accounting who came from an orphanage, lived a plain life, and loved peace and freedom.

His record was clean, and his background was suitable.

If nothing unexpected had happened, he would have undoubtedly been the perfect candidate for a scapegoat in the future.

Unfortunately, life is full of unpredictable storms.

A sudden, large-scale epidemic had wiped him from his original world with a mere flick of fate.

Yet, whether out of compensation or some other reason, his death also brought him a new beginning.

The Douluo Continent was one of the most unique worlds in every aspect.

So much so that the moment Ning Huan opened his eyes, he could easily confirm where he was.

There was no helping it; the incantations chanted in a low voice by the old man, the staff waving continuously in his hand, and the five light rings of yellow and purple circling around him.

Combining these three, he couldn't think of any other world that would be so distinct, aside from the spirit system of the Douluo Continent.

As for the timeline and information regarding himself, he received accurate answers on the third day after waking up.

The former goes without saying, provided there were no duplicate names within the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect.

The news that "The Sect Master is blessed with a beloved daughter, named Ning Tian" revealed far too much information.

Looking at himself, on the other hand...

He was the three-year-old orphan of an outer sect deacon of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect.

Due to the chaotic state of his memories previously, he had long been known within the sect as a simpleton.

In a sense, one could say he was quite famous for it.

However, having lived alone for many years, he felt no strange impulses upon learning of his situation.

Ning Tian?

The pride of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect and its future successor.

Their statuses were worlds apart; only a ghost would fantasize about things that weren't meant to be.

Rumors of being a simpleton?

There was even less need to care about that.

As long as it didn't affect his life, it was fine.

Yet, talent is something that truly cannot be predicted by human effort.

Especially in this Douluo Continent, a world where the strong rely on inheritance and the commoners gamble on mutations.

Looking at his cheap parents, who had ordinary martial souls and were only at the level of a Soul Ancestor...

It would have been strange if he had awakened a powerful martial soul.

Therefore, having lowered his expectations early on, he had long prepared to live a mediocre life.

But after three years of living plainly, the martial soul awakening at age six brought him new possibilities.

[Spirit Bestowal Platform].

Its origin was unknown, and its form was unclear.

It was the last special term Ning Huan knew before he died.

After it manifested as a martial soul, it seemed only natural that it possessed no offensive, defensive, or auxiliary effects.

As a "tool" martial soul, it couldn't even be manifested outside the body; in the eyes of others, it was inferior even to Blue Silver Grass.

Consequently, it was immediately dismissed as a "useless" martial soul by that impatient Soul Ancestor deacon.

Even the measurement of his Innate Soul Power was deliberately ignored.

Yet, only he knew that the awakening of the [Spirit Bestowal Platform] not only brought him a total soul power volume and recovery speed over ten times greater than those at the same level.

It also granted him the ability called [Contract] and the corresponding [Summoning Technique].

The rare [Treasure Seeking Mouse], a soul beast nearly extinct on the continent that he had summoned earlier, was the first summon he contracted after absorbing his first soul ring on the way to Tianluo City, and it was also his first stroke of fortune upon arriving in this world.

As for his innate level...

The soul power within his body was quite full, yet no matter how he cultivated, he could not make an inch of progress.

Aside from Innate Full Soul Power, there could be no other possibility.

At that time, Ning Huan was truly excited for quite a while after confirming this.

This caused him to completely forget that a six-year-old child could not stay up late, and as soon as the excitement passed, he fell fast asleep without any defenses.

Who would have thought that the sect's administrative efficiency would be so fast!

He had only completed his martial soul awakening the day before, yet personnel assignments began before dawn the very next day.

The schedule was so tight that there wasn't even a basic notification!

Undoubtedly, as a "three-no" person—no background, no connections, and no "talent"—Ning Huan was naturally sent out as a common laborer to the sect's industries.

So much so that by the time he was jolted awake from his sleep, the caravan was already over a hundred miles away.

He couldn't go back even if he wanted to!

At first, he had intended to reveal his talent once he reached his destination.

However, the appearance of the [Treasure Seeking Mouse] completely disrupted his plans.

Ultimately, after a long internal struggle and much deliberation, he chose to remain obscure in Tianluo City for six years.

Not for anything else, but for safety.

Fortunately, by relying on the Treasure Seeking Mouse's bloodline ability to scavenge for treasures, Ning Huan was able to continuously obtain various resources within a certain area.

Even though he was located on the resource-poor border of the Heaven Dou Empire, by accumulating little into much, the resources he enjoyed could be described as massive.

Few of the elite disciples of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect could even compare to him.

Thinking of this, Ning Huan took a deep breath.

He raised his hand to gently stroke the storage Soul Tool hidden at his waist.

Inside lay over a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, a vast amount of wealth he dared not easily touch for the moment, and medicinal resources he had yet to utilize.

"I have no desire to make enemies with anyone, but experience tells me that some things cannot be decided by wishful thinking alone."

"Since that is the case, it is better to be prepared in advance."

As the whispers faded, a flicker of light suddenly darted through Ning Huan's eyes, shimmering uncertainly.

"What's more, I have a feeling that there is still some unknown ability hidden within this Martial Soul of mine."