"What the hell did you awaken for me, anyway?"
"A pavilion?"
At this moment, on the eve of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, in Heaven Dou City, Heaven Dou Empire, Douluo Continent.
The lone moon hung high, and stars blanketed the sky.
Li Jingzhe stared at the palm-sized building in his hand, his heart a mess... This was his Martial Soul?
He knew of building-shaped Martial Souls: the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. But theirs was the continent's number-one auxiliary Martial Soul. What the hell was his?
A... pavilion?
What use was it?
Could he throw it at someone to hit them, or live in it?
As a transmigrator—and one with a system, at that—he hadn't expected to instantly flatten the heavens, the earth, and the air. But what was he supposed to do with a pavilion?
Open a guesthouse in the Star Dou Great Forest?
That's right!
Exactly!
Li Jingzhe wasn't a native of this world. He'd just hit the jackpot and transmigrated here.
On his first day in this world, when he realized he'd come to the Douluo Continent, Li Jingzhe had been thrilled, honestly. Sure, people joked that the Douluo World was the sewer of fantasy realms, not even as good as the floor tiles, but... people here could become gods!
Become gods!
Live forever!
Surely no mortal could resist the temptation of godhood: transcendent power and endless life!
They were things he'd dreamed of possessing even before he transmigrated!
He'd thought he could use his foreknowledge as a transmigrator to make a name for himself in the Douluo World. Maybe he could even snag a divine throne for fun.
Never mind that the gods of this world were basically half-trucks. He wanted eternal life!
Who would've thought fate had other plans!
Damn it, his original body was a useless nobody without a Martial Soul...
As everyone knew, on the Douluo Continent, a Martial Soul could be useless, mutated, or fail to awaken—but you couldn't be born without one!
"What if it's a Body Martial Soul?"
Li Jingzhe clung to his last hope. After all, during the Douluo I era, the Soul Master World didn't know much about Body Martial Souls. It was perfectly normal for people who awakened one to be treated as if they had no Martial Soul.
As it turned out, he'd been getting ahead of himself!
No...
Was this right?
You're a native of the Douluo Continent, and you don't have a Martial Soul? How could something so absurd even happen?
Honestly, in that moment, Li Jingzhe didn't even know what to say...
He'd thought there was no hope for him in this life, but luckily, the system had descended from the heavens!
[Beep. Host's Martial Soul missing... Reshaping Martial Soul... Awakening Martial Soul...]
And then... the scene from just now had happened.
He'd awakened a Martial Soul, sure, but why did it feel so strange?
Li Jingzhe focused on examining his Martial Soul. At last, he made out three characters on the sign above the palm-sized pavilion's entrance. His pupils contracted, and the corner of his mouth twitched... S-Scripture Depository?
"No, is this right..."
"System, get out here!"
"Come on, tell me... What the hell is a Scripture Depository Martial Soul? How am I supposed to pair this thing with Soul Rings? What the hell is it even good for?"
[Beep. Host's Martial Soul has been activated. Martial Arts Grandmaster System binding complete.]
[Host: Li Jingzhe]
[Martial Soul: Scripture Depository]
[Current Realm: None]
[Soul Power Level: None]
[Martial Arts and Techniques: None]
Hah!
What a wonderful three-nothing system!
Li Jingzhe laughed in anger, but the next second, he seemed to suddenly realize something...
"Wait a minute. What kind of system did you say you were?"
[Beep. Martial Arts Grandmaster System activated... The Martial Arts Grandmaster System is dedicated to cultivating martial arts grandmasters. Break through the innate realm, cross into the grandmaster realm, condense a martial arts golden core, and shatter the void with your fists!]
"No, what the hell are you getting so fired up about..."
"Martial arts grandmaster?"
"This is the Douluo World, for crying out loud! Never mind not having a god-level Martial Soul—you want me to practice martial arts, too?"
"Even if this is the sewer of fantasy realms, it's still a fantasy world, the kind where people can become gods... Is it really appropriate—or even reasonable—for a martial artist like me to join them?"
"People practice immortal cultivation in high-martial worlds, but I'm practicing martial arts in a fantasy world? What, if Soul Beasts attack, I'm supposed to slide in with a flying tackle? Come on, take a guess—which of us dies first?"
[As a transmigrator, please do not think like a local native... Also, please trust in the System's abilities. Everything this System produces is top quality!]
[Basic gift pack issued. Congratulations, Host, you have received...]
[Muscle and Tendon Classic ×1]
[Dragon-Elephant Prajna Technique ×1]
[Lingbo Microsteps ×1]
Li Jingzhe: ???
No, you're really doubling down, huh?
Innate realm, grandmaster realm, martial arts golden core... Sounds nice!
Get a grip. This is the Douluo World. Sure, martial arts inner energy and this world's Soul Power are perfectly compatible, but the Douluo World has its own rules. To break through a realm, cultivators have to hunt Soul Beasts and obtain Soul Rings!
With all that to consider, how long would it take to reach the innate realm?
And a martial arts golden core... Would he even still be alive by then?
Sigh--
Transmigration wasn't easy. Jingzhe sighed, but then he thought it over... Forget it, forget it. It was better than nothing!
Since he was here, he might as well make the best of it. He had foreknowledge and a system at his side. What more could he want?
At least the system had one thing right: as a dignified transmigrator, he ought to think like a transmigrator, not like a local native.
He'd gotten so many techniques and martial arts skills, at least. He'd start training first and worry about the rest later.
Even Scoundrel had taken off using stolen Tang Sect Secret Arts. Surely he couldn't be worse than Scoundrel.
"By the way, System, what else can you do? Give me a rundown. Surely you didn't just give me these few martial arts and techniques? Don't I get a Nine Yin Manual or a Nine Yang Manual?"
"And since you gave me martial arts and techniques, shouldn't you give me some cultivation resources, too? Vermilion Fruits, Blood Bodhi, Lesser and Greater Restoration Pills—shouldn't I get some of those?"
"I'm not picky about things like the Heaven Reliant Sword or Dragon Slaying Saber. You can modify them into close-combat Soul Tools..."
Li Jingzhe was still talking when—
[Beep—]
The system chimed!
[This System is bound to the Host's Martial Soul. The Scripture Depository is the Host's Martial Soul, as well as the System's manifestation...]
[The Scripture Depository has nine levels. Each time the Host obtains a Soul Ring, a new level will open. The quality of the Soul Ring determines what each level contains. The higher the quality, the greater the chance of obtaining top-tier techniques and martial arts...]
[Martial Soul · Scripture Depository possesses the innate domain, Home Planet Protection]
[Home Planet Protection Effect 1: Martial Soul · Scripture Depository can manifest in any size and does not consume Soul Power]
[Home Planet Protection Effect 2: Inside the Scripture Depository, the Host is invincible, on par with the gods]
[Home Planet Protection Effect 3: Inside the Scripture Depository, the Host's comprehension is increased by 100%]
[Additionally, the Host may spread the techniques and martial arts inside the Scripture Depository for others to practice. When they master them, the Host will receive a power return multiplied several times over.]
Holy crap?!
It was as if thunder had exploded inside Li Jingzhe's skull, lightning flashing through his mind. His eyes locked onto Home Planet Protection.
It could manifest in any size. Wasn't that just a portable shelter?
Inside the Scripture Depository, he was invincible. Wasn't that basically Susanoo?
"I'm invincible!!"
At that moment, wild joy appeared in Li Jingzhe's eyes.
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