Martial Soul Grey Wolf?!

Shrek City!

The City Defense Office in the south of the city!

On the bustling streets, the City Defense Office seemed like a restricted zone. Whenever people came near, they would unconsciously slow their steps, then hurry away with reverence on their faces, not daring to linger.

But just then, a six-year-old boy walked over. He was tall and slender, with neat, short white hair and sharp brows above bright eyes. He had not yet grown into his features, but it was already clear he would be handsome.

He was dressed very simply, in a white shirt and black pants, without any unnecessary accessories. He gave off a clean, refreshing impression.

His black eyes held a maturity beyond his years. Look closely, and beneath that maturity, you could also see a hint of indifference.

It was as if he had already seen through the future and had no expectations for it at all. There was none of the youthful vitality one would expect from a boy his age.

The child lifted his head and looked toward the gates of the City Defense Office:

"Today's my sixth birthday. I can finally awaken my Martial Soul. But there's nothing much to look forward to. It'll probably be the same as my dad's: a Gale Demon Wolf Martial Soul, with Soul Power somewhere between level four and six."

"With talent like that, I'd still have had a chance to rise to prominence by snatching Immortal Herbs during the Douluo I era. But this is Douluo II."

"At the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the Jade Phosphorus Seven Absolute Flowers guard the outside, and a bunch of hundred-thousand-year-old Immortal Herbs are inside. Anyone ordinary who goes there is just serving themselves up as a meal."

"Sigh! I can't see a future for myself. I'll stay in Shrek City from now on. If I get the chance, I'll join Shrek Academy, then apply to stay on as a teacher after I graduate."

"As a descendant of the Shenfeng Lineage from the Four Elements Academy, my ancestors even invested in Shrek Academy and helped it out. They shed blood for the academy, too. It's only right that I coast along there until I die."

"That Little Scumbag in the sky... no, God King Tang. He watches Douluo Continent, his own backyard, every single day. He definitely won't let anything happen to Shrek Academy, so Shrek Academy is the safest place."

The child with these unusually mature thoughts was named Feng Tianyu.

A six-year-old child could have thoughts so mature only because he was not a native of this world, but a transmigrator from Blue Star.

In the six years since transmigrating, he had learned that this was Douluo Continent, and that it was the Peerless Tang Sect era. But even though he knew the plot by heart, it would still be difficult to make a name for himself in the Douluo II era.

One important reason was that, on Douluo Continent, a person's awakened Martial Soul and Innate Soul Power basically determined their future ceiling.

As a descendant of the Shenfeng Lineage, Feng Tianyu had inherited a Gale Demon Wolf Martial Soul. It was a moderately strong Martial Soul, and those who awakened it usually had Soul Power between level four and six.

In short, he had some talent, but not much.

Without a system descending from the heavens, unless his Martial Soul mutated—like his ancestor Feng Xiaotian's, which had changed from a Gale Demon Wolf Martial Soul into a Gale Two-Headed Wolf Martial Soul—it would be hard for him to make a name for himself on Douluo Continent.

That was why Feng Tianyu had that indifferent gaze, as if he could see the future but was powerless to change it.

Feng Tianyu continued forward, reaching the gates of the City Defense Office. Two City Defense Army soldiers, clad in armor and armed to the teeth, stepped forward and stopped him.

Seeing that Feng Tianyu was only a child, they did not give him a hard time. They simply urged him to leave.

"The City Defense Office is off-limits to unauthorized personnel!"

"Kid, this isn't a place for you!"

A fierce, battle-hardened aura washed over him. The two soldiers on guard at the City Defense Office had clearly seen blood.

After Feng Tianyu was stopped, he steadied himself and looked at the two soldiers, speaking in a clear voice:

"I'm here to apply for a Martial Soul Awakening."

The two soldiers exchanged a glance. It was true that the City Defense Army offered this benefit: the descendants of any City Defense Army member could have their Martial Souls awakened for free at the City Defense Office.

This was a genuine benefit!

Ever since the Spirit Hall had fallen, the days of free Martial Soul Awakenings for children had never returned.

Awakening Stones were rare minerals, tightly controlled by the upper echelons: the great sects, clans, imperial family, nobles... Even some ordinary Soul Masters had no chance to obtain one.

One of the two soldiers softened his tone. After all, if Feng Tianyu had come to the City Defense Office to apply for a Martial Soul Awakening, he was almost certainly the descendant of a City Defense Army soldier.

"Kid, what's your name? Where's your dad? Why didn't he bring you here to awaken your Martial Soul?"

Feng Tianyu lowered his eyes slightly:

"My name is Feng Tianyu. My dad died in the line of duty. He encountered an Evil Soul Master during a mission three years ago..."

At those words, the soldier who had asked the question froze. His face filled with regret, as if he wanted to slap himself.

Just then, the other soldier crouched down in front of Feng Tianyu. His tiger-like eyes were already full of sympathy:

"Tianyu, your dad was a good man. He was a hero, a martyr!"

"What about your mom? An occasion as important as your Martial Soul Awakening should have a parent there!"

Feng Tianyu lowered his eyes even further:

"After Dad died, Mom was consumed by grief. She passed away a year ago, too. Now I'm all alone."

As he spoke, Feng Tianyu pulled two small booklets from his clothes. One was an enlistment certificate; the other was a martyr's certificate.

"Uncle, these are my dad's enlistment certificate and martyr's certificate. Can I go in and apply for my Martial Soul Awakening now?"

The soldier who had asked the questions felt as if an invisible hand were squeezing his heart. His expression twitched, and he cursed himself inwardly for being a beast.

A descendant of the City Defense Army who had lost both parents had come to the City Defense Office to apply for a Martial Soul Awakening, only for the two of them to reopen his wounds twice in a row.

Those two soldiers probably wouldn't sleep well that night.

They should have realized sooner. If his parents were still alive, why would they let Feng Tianyu come alone to awaken his Martial Soul?

The soldier who had just crouched down stood and said to his companion:

"Brother, you keep watch. I'll take Tianyu inside to awaken his Martial Soul."

With that, he didn't even bother to check the enlistment and martyr's certificates in Feng Tianyu's hands carefully. He led him into the City Defense Office.

The interior was spacious, but there weren't many people around, so it felt quite empty.

The City Defense Office handled new recruits, the discharge of veterans, the distribution of military pay, and all sorts of other tasks.

It was an extremely important stronghold for the City Defense Army in Shrek City!

After leading Feng Tianyu into the lobby, the soldier turned left and followed a corridor to the end. He knocked on a door there.

Only after someone inside called, "Come in," did the soldier open the door and lead Feng Tianyu inside.

"Elder Ling, this child is named Feng Tianyu. He's the descendant of one of our City Defense Army soldiers, and he's here today to apply for a Martial Soul Awakening."

Once inside the room, Feng Tianyu avoided looking around too much, not wanting to leave a bad impression. Still, he glanced ahead from the corner of his eye at the figure known as Elder Ling.

Elder Ling looked to be in his sixties or seventies. His hair and beard had turned white, and the wrinkles on his face were carved deep by the passing years.

He was thin and gaunt, dressed in a neat black uniform. His left sleeve hung empty, and he gave off the iron-blooded aura of a soldier.

Feng Tianyu guessed that he was another veteran of the City Defense Army. Perhaps he had been assigned to an office job because of his age and his left-arm disability.

Elder Ling rose with a slight frown:

"Feng Tianyu, surname Feng..."

Then he looked at the soldier:

"You can go. I'll awaken this child's Martial Soul."

Hearing this, the soldier gave Feng Tianyu a reassuring look, then left the room and closed the door behind him.

Elder Ling walked slowly over to Feng Tianyu. With his remaining right hand, he took the enlistment certificate and martyr's certificate from him. He opened them, glanced through them, and let out a deep sigh:

"So it really was him. Feng Zheng'en, a genius who graduated from Shrek Outer Court. He didn't quite meet the standard for the Inner Court, but he was still one of the best in the Outer Court."

"After he joined the City Defense Army, the higher-ups had high hopes for him. What a pity that three years ago... Sigh, it really was a tragedy."

"Three years have flown by in the blink of an eye. Now his son is here to awaken his Martial Soul."

Elder Ling returned the enlistment certificate and martyr's certificate to Feng Tianyu. The stern look he had worn now softened, and a smile touched his lips:

"Tianyu, take good care of your dad's enlistment certificate and martyr's certificate. Under the benefits offered by our City Defense Army..."

"With the enlistment certificate, you can get your Martial Soul awakened for free. With the martyr's certificate, we can help you hunt a Soul Beast for the highest-age First Soul Ring you can handle. That'll be enough to set you on the path of a Soul Master."

"I'll help you awaken your Martial Soul today. Once you reach level ten Soul Power, come find me to apply, and I'll arrange for people to help you hunt your First Soul Ring."

"From now on, cultivate hard. Carry on your dad's share, too. When you graduate from a Soul Master Academy, if you need a job, the gates of the Shrek City Defense Army will always be open to you."

"Your dad was one of us. I hope you'll be one of us someday, too."

Feng Tianyu tucked the two booklets back into his clothes. His voice grew a little subdued:

"Yes, Elder Ling. I'll remember."

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder Ling. I'll give it serious consideration."

Feng Tianyu was deeply grateful to the parents he had in this life. Although his father had died in the line of duty three years ago, the legacy he left behind would see Feng Tianyu through the most awkward stage: awakening his Martial Soul and obtaining his First Soul Ring, so he could become a Soul Master without a hitch.

His mother had had it very hard, too. After hearing the devastating news of her husband's death, she had been consumed by grief and grown thinner by the day. Even so, she had still mustered all her strength to raise him well.

She had taught him to read and write, and taught him about Soul Masters and Soul Beasts. Every day, she would find new ways to make him delicious food. She even bought Soul Beast meat and all sorts of rare medicinal herbs, then made medicinal dishes to nourish his body.

His mother had lived a life of constant worry and exhaustion. Her longing for her husband had finally taken her from him a year ago.

Meanwhile, Elder Ling wiped his remaining right hand across his waist and pulled six pitch-black stones from his Storage Soul Tool. They were Awakening Stones.

He arranged the six Awakening Stones on the floor in the shape of a hexagram.

Then he gave a loud shout:

"Martial Soul Possession!"

A shrill cry rang out!

A piercing eagle's cry burst from Elder Ling's body. Dazzling golden light enveloped him, making him shine from head to toe.

Behind Elder Ling, the golden light coalesced into the phantom of a golden eagle, its entire body covered in golden feathers. Its razor-sharp, icy aura seemed capable of tearing through the air, sending bursts of sound whipping through the room.

Seven Soul Rings rose one after another from beneath Elder Ling's feet: two yellow, two purple, and three black—the optimal configuration.

Standing not far in front of Elder Ling, Feng Tianyu felt every hair on his body stand on end. The sharp aura was like a blade pressed against his throat.

Noticing Feng Tianyu's discomfort, Elder Ling smiled and reassured him:

"Don't be nervous. I won't hurt you."

"This is my Martial Soul, the Golden Feather Divine Eagle. It's a Gold-attribute Martial Soul, so its aura is extremely sharp."

"Tianyu, stand inside the Awakening Array. I'll awaken your Martial Soul now."

Amazement shone in Feng Tianyu's eyes. Even an old man responsible for awakening Martial Souls was a Soul Saint. The Shrek City Defense Army really was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.

He stepped into the Awakening Array. Although he had guessed there was a good chance his awakened Martial Soul would be a Gale Demon Wolf, he still couldn't help feeling nervous.

That was the charm of Douluo Continent!

Different Martial Souls, paired with different Soul Rings, gave Soul Masters limitless possibilities!

Elder Ling raised his right hand, now transformed into an eagle's talon, and held it above the Awakening Array. He poured a surging stream of Soul Power into it.

After the Awakening Array transformed it, an incredibly warm energy passed through every inch of Feng Tianyu's skin and seeped into his body.

It flowed through his meridians, gathered, then surged toward his dantian.

Feng Tianyu felt incredibly comfortable. It was like soaking in a hot spring.

Soon, the warm energy flowed into his dantian. With a faint crack, it broke through a shackle inside him, and a power nurtured within his body burst forth.

Feng Tianyu's body trembled. His handsome little face scrunched up, and he furrowed his brows. Why did the energy in his dantian feel so wild and out of control?

In the next moment, gray light burst from his body. It did not spread out, but instead quickly gathered in front of him. In the end, it took the shape of a wolf-like creature standing upright.

Feng Tianyu stared at the wolf-like creature, his eyes wide, completely dumbfounded!

Grey...

Grey Wolf?!

The wolf-like creature wore an orange hat with yellow patches, and a yellow drool bib was tied around its neck. Its ears drooped, and its tail swished back and forth behind it. It wasn't especially tall, standing only about a meter high.

Even without seeing its face, Feng Tianyu recognized Grey Wolf from behind.

What was going on??

As a descendant of the Shenfeng Lineage, he hadn't awakened a Gale Demon Wolf Martial Soul. He had awakened Grey Wolf instead!!

This was something Feng Tianyu had never expected...