Awakening Martial Soul

Zhao Linchuan ignored their wariness and the faint fluctuations of spirit power radiating from them. He pondered for a moment, seemingly weighing his words, before speaking in a tone that was still youthful yet remarkably steady.

"I am a god walking upon this world."

"A god?" The two women's brows furrowed slightly. "Does a god truly exist in this world?"

"Whether a god exists depends on how you define one."

Zhao Linchuan walked to the table and poured himself a glass of water. "At the very least, plucking you from your original destinies and casting you into this brand-new world—such a feat is not something a mortal could achieve."

He paused, looking at the two women, whose faces were now etched with even deeper suspicion. "It seems you have many questions. No matter, I shall explain briefly."

"This place is no longer the 'Legend of Qin' world you once knew. This is called the Douluo Continent, a realm where the foundation of power lies in spirits and spirit power."

Using the most concise language possible, Zhao Linchuan explained the basic concepts of spirits, spirit rings, spirit power ranks, and national factions to the two girls from another world.

"...Here, powerful spirit masters possess the ability to move mountains and drain seas, and their lifespans increase alongside their strength."

"And you, because of my existence, have been reborn here and have gained the foundation to adapt to the laws of this realm—a spirit."

"You no longer need to pledge loyalty to any specific person or organization, nor do you need to struggle amidst hidden currents and bloodshed just to survive."

"Here, you can rely on your own talent and effort to pursue the pinnacle of power, and perhaps... touch the gates of immortality."

Zhao Linchuan's gaze swept over Yan Fei and Yue Shen; their faces were a mixture of shock, skepticism, and a trace of undeniable agitation.

Yue Shen keenly seized upon a specific word, her voice cold. "You said we were 'reborn'? Does that mean we were not living people before?"

"In the trajectory of your original world, your endings were already set in stone, filled with constraints and strife."

Zhao Linchuan set down his glass, his tone devoid of emotion. "Here, you have a new beginning and the right to choose."

"As for whether this counts as 'living,' or what kind of life it is, you may determine that for yourselves."

Yue Shen pressed her lips together and remained silent, though her eyes were filled with turbulent thoughts.

Zhao Linchuan said no more. With a flick of his mind, he redeemed a General Knowledge of Spirit Masters from the system store, which covered the basics of the Douluo Continent, spirit classifications, a spirit beast encyclopedia, and cultivation precautions.

He casually handed the book to Yan Fei, who was standing closer to him. "This book will help you understand this world more quickly, especially regarding how to choose spirit rings suitable for your own spirits."

Yan Fei hesitated slightly but reached out with both hands to take it. As her fingertips touched the texture of the pages, it felt incredibly real. Is this not an illusion?

She looked down at the characters on the cover, and a strange feeling welled up in her heart—this was indeed a brand-new, unknown world.

Beside her, Yue Shen watched the heavy book that Zhao Linchuan had so casually bestowed upon Yan Fei, and a surge of inexplicable, intense bitterness and resentment rose in her heart.

Why?

Just because she stood a little closer?

This obvious "favoritism" made her feel extremely uncomfortable; her chest rose and fell slightly, and her teeth gently bit her lower lip.

Zhao Linchuan seemed not to notice Yue Shen's subtle emotional fluctuation, or perhaps he simply did not care.

He stood up. "Very well, the preliminary explanation ends here."

"Now, there is a small matter I need you to attend to with me."

"Follow me." With that, he pushed open the door and walked straight outside.

Yan Fei looked at the book in her hand, then glanced at Zhao Linchuan's back. After a moment of hesitation, she stepped forward to follow.

Yue Shen stood where she was, staring at Yan Fei's back. Her fingers tightened inside her sleeves, but eventually, she took a deep breath, suppressed the surging emotions in her heart, and hurried to catch up.

Arriving at the agency once more, Zhao Linchuan ignored the clerk who came forward with a programmed smile and briefly explained his intent to Yan Fei and Yue Shen—to purchase a quiet and spacious residence.

The clerk saw Zhao Linchuan return with two extraordinary, beautiful, yet strangely dressed girls and was about to ask a question or offer a perfunctory reply, but Yue Shen had already moved.

She stepped out from the group, her cold eyes staring directly into the clerk's. Deep within her pupils, a faint, icy-blue glimmer flowed, like ripples on a mysterious, moonlit pool.

The smile on the clerk's face froze instantly, and his eyes became vacant and submissive, as if he had lost his self-awareness.

He turned woodenly, like a puppet pulled by invisible strings, and respectfully led the three of them toward the inner hall, muttering, "Distinguished guests have arrived... the best residence..."

Yan Fei glanced at Yue Shen, her expression complex.

Yue Shen lifted her chin slightly, withdrew her gaze, and stood elegantly with her hands folded in front of her, waiting behind Zhao Linchuan's side in silence.

Yet, her slightly straightened back and cold demeanor made her look exactly like a prickly, stubborn "tsundere."

With Yue Shen's "friendly communication" technique and Yan Fei's well-timed display of a Spirit Saint-level aura, things went surprisingly smoothly.

In less than half an hour, Zhao Linchuan had signed the deed for a vacant, grand mansion in the western district of Nuoding City. It spanned over fifty mu and included gardens and a training ground, all for a price far below market value—a true bargain.

The original owner seemed eager to sell, which saved them a lot of haggling.

Although the newly purchased mansion was a bit old, the layout was grand, and it could be used after some minor repairs.

Inside the main hall, Zhao Linchuan took his seat at the head of the table without hesitation.

Yan Fei and Yue Shen stood on either side, surveying the empty and unfamiliar hall.

Zhao Linchuan's mind stirred again, and six pitch-black, rounded stones that pulsed with faint energy appeared out of thin air on the floor, arranged in a specific formation.

"This is?" Yan Fei's gaze sharpened. She could feel the strange energy contained within those stones; it was different from internal energy and closer to the power currently transforming within her own body.

"Spirit Awakening Stones." Zhao Linchuan tapped his fingers lightly on the smooth armrest. "Yue Shen, stand in the center of the formation."

Upon hearing this, Yue Shen subconsciously glanced at Yan Fei, and seeing her still clutching the General Knowledge of Spirit Masters, that same bitterness and resentment surged in her heart once more.

She let out a soft hum, suppressing her emotions, and stepped into the center of the circle formed by the six black stones as instructed, standing tall and straight like a green bamboo under the moonlight.

Zhao Linchuan channeled a sliver of soul power, injecting it into the Awakening Stones from a distance.

Hum—!

The six black stones simultaneously lit up with a soft golden glow, which rose upward to form a pale golden barrier that enveloped Yue Shen.

Inside the barrier, specks of golden light particles seemed to be drawn to her, surging toward Yue Shen's body.

Yue Shen instinctively raised her right hand.

In an instant, a jade-white disc phantom, as bright as a full moon with a pale blue halo flowing along its edges, slowly emerged from her palm, rotating silently and casting a clear radiance.

Almost simultaneously, a more abstract, strange phantom shimmering with blue-gold hues vaguely appeared behind her. Its outline resembled a human brain, radiating vast and pure mental fluctuations that made the air in the entire main hall seem to tremble slightly.