Martial Soul Awakening

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, beside the training grounds.

A thatched hut where servants lived.

Sunlight streamed over the shabby door. It was warm, yet it could not bring the slightest warmth to the person lying on a pile of dry grass.

Bang!

The shabby door was kicked open.

A childish voice, dripping with scorn, rang out.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is—the bastard older brother of Yu Tianheng?"

"What? Still dreaming that you might awaken a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul and prove yourself?"

"If you ask me, the clan is far too kind. They're even letting a bastard born to a lowly maid awaken a Martial Soul. A bastard like you is fated to serve others for your whole life."

Hearing this, Yu Tianshuo lifted his head and glared at the fat boy who had barged in, fury blazing in his eyes.

"You little bastard, you dare glare at me!" The look in Yu Tianshuo's eyes sent an inexplicable fire burning inside the fat boy. He immediately ordered the two servants following him, "Beat him! As long as you don't kill him, I'll take responsibility for whatever happens!"

At their master's command, the two servants didn't hesitate. They rushed over and launched a flurry of punches and kicks.

"Hmph, what a nobody. He still dares glare at me." Watching Yu Tianshuo get beaten, the fat boy felt a rush of satisfaction.

Just then, a youth with short black hair and a cold, stern air walked over with an attendant.

Seeing him, the fat boy smiled and greeted him. "Well, if it isn't Young Master Tianheng. Have you come to take your older brother to awaken his Martial Soul?"

Yu Tianheng glanced at his "older brother," who was still being beaten, but did nothing. He merely said coolly, "Don't beat him so badly that you ruin his face. The elders will be watching the Martial Soul Awakening in a little while. Don't disgrace the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."

With that, he didn't spare another glance at the older brother his father had had with a maid. He turned and left.

Only after Yu Tianheng had gone did the fat boy's smile fade. He muttered to himself, "Tch, what are you putting on airs for? If the clan leader didn't favor you, I'd deal with you too."

He turned back to watch Yu Tianshuo being beaten, and his mood lifted again.

After enjoying the scene for a while longer, the fat boy said, "All right, that's enough. Go collect your reward from the steward later."

Then he turned and headed toward the clan's ancestral hall.

Hearing that their master had offered them a reward, the two servants stopped beating Yu Tianshuo and got up, ready to go to the steward for their money.

All that remained was the broken wooden door, the scattered pile of dry grass, and a youth curled up with his arms around his head, battered and bruised.

"Just two more hits, and Tycoon Armor will raise me another level, to level ten." Yu Tianshuo lowered his arms and murmured to himself.

He slowly got to his feet. Although he looked a mess, with Tycoon Armor protecting him, he had only suffered a few scrapes.

Tycoon Armor had appeared inside his body when his Martial Soul awakened on his sixth birthday. That was when he learned his Martial Soul was the Golden Scale Dragon, and that he had been born with a divine artifact. He simply hadn't been old enough to awaken it before then.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help remembering his mother in this world. Not long after she had helped him celebrate his birthday, someone reported her to the law enforcement hall for supposedly stealing ingredients from the family. They beat her to death.

Rage blazed in his heart. He punched the wall and swore aloud.

"Mother, when I rise to power, I'll avenge you. That damned Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, that damned Yu Tianlei, and that damned father of mine—just you wait."

After venting his anger, he had to begin his escape plan.

He hadn't fled before because the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's security was too tight. Today, during the Martial Soul Awakening, was the one time their defenses would be at their weakest.

His plan was to escape from the side of the clan grounds, follow the river, and cross the outskirts of Sunset Forest to the nearest town.

It was a little risky, but surely much safer than awakening his Martial Soul in the clan and ending up with a whole pack of enemies watching him.

He put the pendant bearing his mother's photograph around his neck and murmured, "Bless me, Mother."

Then he took the few Silver Soul Coins he had and ran toward the hole he had dug in advance by the side gate.

The clan's ancestral hall.

This was where the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had awakened its Martial Souls for generations.

They firmly believed that, under the protection of their ancestors' watchful eyes, each new generation would lead the clan to even greater glory.

At the very center of the ancestral hall sat Yu Yuanzhen, the current clan leader. On either side of him sat the family elders, all powerful in Soul Power.

"Clan Leader Yuanzhen, your fine grandson is about to awaken his Martial Soul today. We've been looking forward to it." The second elder, Yu Luomian, seated closest to Yu Yuanzhen on his left, teased his good older brother with a grin.

Hearing this, Yu Yuanzhen's face darkened a little. Of course he knew which grandson his "good" younger brother meant.

Yu Luomian wasn't talking about the grandson he favored most, Yu Tianheng, but the bastard his son had fathered with a servant.

He had brought it up just to needle him.

Seeing Yu Yuanzhen say nothing, Yu Luomian was about to dig in again, but the third elder beside him changed the subject.

"Second Brother, your Tianlei is awakening today too, isn't he? Do you think he'll inherit the Purple Lightning Demon Dragon like you, or evolve back into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon?"

At the third elder's words, Yu Luomian's face darkened as well. His Martial Soul had mutated from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon into the Purple Lightning Demon Dragon, a lifelong sore point. Having the third elder bring it up now made him furious.

Seeing Yu Luomian silenced by the third elder, Yu Yuanzhen's expression improved a little. But then he thought of what his son had done, and his face darkened again.

At last, the clan leader and the elders waited for the Martial Soul Awakening to begin amid this strange atmosphere.

When almost everyone had arrived, Yu Yuanzhen stood and announced, "The Martial Soul Awakening begins now!"

Afterward, amid a round of applause from those below, he sat back down and focused his gaze on Yu Tianheng.

The personnel in charge of the awakening began calling the names one by one.

"Yu Tianyu."

"Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Soul Power: Level Four."

"Next, Yu Tianling."

"Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Soul Power: Level Five."

"Next, Yu Tianlei."

The chubby boy who had ordered his servants to beat Yu Tianshuo stepped into the circle marked by Soul Stones, as instructed, and placed his hand on the crystal ball.

Black dragon scales, a sign of a dragon-type Martial Soul, appeared over parts of Yu Tianlei's body. Purple lightning flashed around him.

Seeing this, Yu Luomian sighed. He was a little disappointed, but it was what he had expected.

"Channel your Soul Power into the crystal ball," the awakening official continued.

"Yes." Yu Tianlei channeled his Soul Power into the crystal ball. It shone brightly, and finally the number eight appeared.

The awakening official announced, "Martial Soul: Purple Lightning Demon Dragon. Soul Power: Level Eight!"

Hearing the Soul Power Level, Yu Luomian grew excited. When he had awakened his Martial Soul, his Innate Soul Power had been only level six. With the clan's help, he was now still stuck at level seventy-nine.

But his son had awakened the same Martial Soul as him, and his Soul Power was even higher. He had a chance to become a Soul Douluo, perhaps even a Titled Douluo!

Ignoring the excited chubby boy, the awakening official continued calling out names.

"Next, Yu Tianheng!"