In the modern-looking white villa inside the Sea of Consciousness, the air carried a faint scent of sea salt. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the Nine-Colored Divine Light wove together, forming a splendid backdrop.
Ao Linxi lounged lazily on a leather sofa, her long legs crossed. In her hand, she toyed with a glistening fruit condensed from spiritual power. She looked up at Gu Tian, who stood before her and had yet to fully recover, and a meaningful smile touched her lips.
"Xiao Tian, did you feel it?" She took a bite of the fruit, her voice sweet and clear. "Your total Soul Power has now surpassed the threshold every mortal dreams of crossing. You've officially reached Level 20."
"Level 20?" Gu Tian jerked his head up, disbelief filling his eyes. "Sister Lin Xi, are you saying I skipped past Level 10 and went straight to the Soul Grandmaster realm? But as far as I know, isn't Level 10 the upper limit when your Soul Power awakens?"
"That's true, but your Martial Soul was bestowed upon you by me, and I'm a god of the Divine Realm. Naturally, you gained an additional ten levels of Soul Power." Ao Linxi rose and walked barefoot across the polished marble floor, each step carrying an elegant rhythm.
Gu Tian seemed to realize something, and his eyes lit up. "God-bestowed? So the Martial Souls in Spirit Hall were bestowed by a god too, passed down by the Angel God. No wonder Qian Renxue also had Innate Level 20 Soul Power."
"The Angel God? The one with the Six-Winged Angel?" Ao Linxi looked a little surprised. She hadn't expected Gu Tian to know other gods. "That's right. The Angel God was once a First-Level God, but as far as I know, I grievously wounded him during the war in the Divine Realm. I heard he fell not long afterward."
"No wonder!" Gu Tian clapped his hands. He suddenly understood why Tang San, that child of destiny, had often received help from Poseidon during the Sea God Trial, while Qian Renxue had received nothing. It was because the true Angel God had already fallen!
Ao Linxi didn't quite understand, but she didn't probe further. She continued, "As I taught you before, human Soul Masters need a catalyst to absorb the energy of heaven and earth in order to cultivate. That catalyst is Innate Soul Power. Innate Soul Power can be accumulated through training after birth. During the six years before Martial Soul Awakening, you can continually absorb the energy of heaven and earth by practicing certain techniques."
"The more Innate Soul Power you have, the more energy of heaven and earth you can draw in during cultivation. Before a Soul Core forms, those with high innate Soul Power absolutely crush those with low innate Soul Power in cultivation speed."
Gu Tian nodded and rested his right hand against his chin. "I know, Sister Lin Xi."
"However, a God-Bestowed Martial Soul has another advantage: it breaks the traditional restrictions on obtaining Soul Rings. Even if you haven't obtained a Soul Ring, you can still continue raising your Soul Power Level."
At the words "Soul Ring," Gu Tian's eyes lit up at once. As someone who had transmigrated, he knew what Soul Rings meant. They marked a leap in strength and were the source of new Soul Skills.
"Then should we go hunt Soul Beasts right now?" Gu Tian asked excitedly, pumping his fist. "The Star Dou Great Forest? I can't wait to try out this Level 20 Soul Power."
Ao Linxi slowly shook her head and held up a slender finger, wagging it in front of him.
"Xiao Tian, remember: you inherited the Dragon God's divine position. Hunting the distant relatives of dragons or ordinary Soul Beasts for Soul Rings would not only sully your Martial Soul, it would also limit your future growth. You must obtain your Soul Rings in a special way—the Dragon God Trial."
"The Dragon God Trial?" Gu Tian froze. "What is that?"
"It's a trial tailored for you by the origin of the universe. The contents of a divine trial usually take shape according to the deepest, strongest wish the examinee has harbored over the past six years." Ao Linxi's expression grew serious. She waved her hand, and a golden curtain of light suddenly descended from the sky above the Sea of Consciousness.
"I haven't seen a divine trial begin in a long time—or rather, you're my first successor. Normally, though, the Dragon God's trials involve challenging some kind of deadly forbidden land or enduring a painful ordeal that tempers the body. After all, you've trained like mad for the past six years. Your deepest desire should be something like 'getting stronger' or 'fighting.'"
Ao Linxi drew a deep breath, her expression solemn as she struck out several divine runes that sank into the curtain of light.
"Come, let me see what ultimate trial of strength my successor desires most."
The golden curtain shuddered violently, and rows of large, nine-colored characters slowly appeared in midair. Ao Linxi raised her chin slightly, already prepared for a high-difficulty combat mission.
But when the words on the curtain finally became clear, the entire Sea of Consciousness fell into deathly silence.
[Dragon God First Trial: Build a Harem. Requirement: Form a bond with a female character and win her genuine affection.]
"..."
"..."
Silence spoke louder than words. Hearing the trial's requirements, Gu Tian's face instantly turned crimson all the way to his neck.
Ao Linxi's expression froze. Her gentle eyes slowly widened, her lips parted, and the fruit slipped from her hand and landed on the floor with a dull thud.
"Build... a harem?"
She stiffly turned to look at Gu Tian, who was awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
"Xiao Tian, is this... the deepest, strongest wish you've had for the past six years?"
He couldn't exactly explain that, as someone who'd read countless Douluo fanfics, his greatest regret in his past life was that blockhead Tang San had wasted the lives of so many beautiful girls—or that their tragic endings had left him unable to let go.
For the past six years, he'd trained his body, but what he'd thought about most was how to build a huge harem in this world and give every girl a home.
That was all. What was wrong with a child having such thoughts?
"Ahem... Sister Lin Xi, this... I didn't expect it to be so perceptive." Gu Tian coughed awkwardly a couple of times and glanced every which way, anywhere but at Ao Linxi.
Ao Linxi covered her smooth forehead and sank back onto the sofa, looking utterly helpless. She'd expected some heroic mission like storming Dragon Valley or slaying demons, but instead, she'd gotten this... this lecherous trial?
"I thought my successor would be a lord with the whole world in his heart. I never imagined you'd be such a little pervert." Ao Linxi rolled her eyes at Gu Tian, but there wasn't much anger in her voice—instead, it carried a helpless, indulgent fondness. "But... now that I think about it, this is still easier than having you challenge a divine beast right away. Winning people's hearts is a way of wielding power, too. Since this is your divine trial, I suppose I'll have to let you do as you please."
Seeing that Ao Linxi wasn't angry, Gu Tian finally let out a breath and gave her an awkward grin. "Sister Lin Xi, don't worry. I'll do my best to complete the trial."
"Enough, enough. Hurry up and get out." Ao Linxi waved him away, sounding a little exasperated. "It'll be dawn soon, and the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony in your village is about to start. Remember, keep your aura under control. If anyone sees your Martial Soul, you'll be in serious trouble."
A flash of golden light.
Gu Tian's consciousness was instantly torn from the cozy villa, and he opened his eyes with a start.
In the outside world,
the faint light of dawn pierced the dense Purple Mist and slanted into the humble little house. The nine-colored phenomenon caused by his awakening the previous night had completely vanished, but Gu Tian could feel an explosive force filling his body.
It was like a flood dragon lying dormant in the abyss, ready to burst from its depths at any moment.
He jumped out of bed, moving as lightly as a feather. Looking down at his hands, he could almost still feel the sensation from the Sea of Consciousness on his fingertips. His Soul Power had reached Level 20. Although he hadn't added a Soul Ring yet, the fullness of his strength made him feel like he could smash the huge bluestone at the village entrance with one punch.
"Tian'er, are you up?"
Lin Ping's gentle voice came from outside, followed by the soft creak of the door opening.
Gu Hai and Lin Ping walked in. Their eyes were a little red; clearly, they'd been too excited to sleep all night. Gu Hai still looked like the same honest, simpleminded stonemason, but his eyes held a light they'd never had before.
"I'm up, Mom," Gu Tian said with a smile.
"Come eat breakfast. Afterward, we'll go to the village chief's." Lin Ping stepped forward and carefully straightened Gu Tian's collar, her fingers trembling slightly. "All the six-year-old children in the village are gathering there today. The Spirit Hall's official arrived yesterday afternoon. I heard he's a Soul Grandmaster, specially sent to help children in remote places like ours awaken their Martial Souls."
Gu Hai nodded and patted Gu Tian on the shoulder, his voice deep and steady. "Don't be nervous. Believe in yourself. Your dad knows you'll do great."
After breakfast, Gu Tian left the house with his parents.
The morning mist in Ancient Dragon Village remained thick. It blanketed the fields and hills, obscuring everything more than ten meters away.
Ancient Dragon Village wasn't very large. It had only two main roads, with villagers' houses built along either side. In the very center stood a small square where villagers usually gathered for meetings or group dancing.
By now, quite a crowd had gathered in the square. The farmers and their wives, who spent their days eking out a living in the mountains, had put on their cleanest clothes. A dozen six-year-old children stood in the middle. Some bounced around with excitement, while others nervously clung to the hems of their parents' clothes.
Standing among the crowd, Gu Tian listened to the children around him chatter away. But his thoughts had wandered far afield.
Building a harem... who should he choose as his first target?
"Xiao Tian, what are you spacing out for?" Lin Ping gently nudged him.
Gu Tian came back to himself. Not far ahead, the village chief's short figure had appeared. Beside him stood a young man dressed in Spirit Hall's standard white uniform.
The young man was well-built, with a silver badge on his chest. A trace of arrogance showed in his expression, but as he looked at this strange village shrouded in Purple Mist, a hint of wariness slipped into his eyes.
"Everyone, quiet!" the village chief shouted. "This is the distinguished disciple of Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo, who has traveled here from Fasinuo Province in the Heaven Dou Empire. He's the official in charge. Today, he'll oversee your Martial Soul Awakening!"
Gu Tian quietly watched the official, his heart unmoved. This cursed land had lain dormant for hundreds of years. Today, it would finally welcome its true dragon.
He quietly asked in the Sea of Consciousness, "Sister Lin Xi, are you ready?"
"Hmph, I'll just sit back and watch you, little harem king."
Ao Linxi's teasing voice echoed in his mind, making the corners of Gu Tian's mouth twitch.
The Awakening ceremony officially began.