After deciding on the direction his Martial Soul would take, Huo Si was summoned by the highest-ranking commander at the Douluo Plane Research Institute.
The moment Huo Si saw the commander-in-chief, his heart jolted violently once more.
He knew that submitting an entire world would earn him serious attention, but he had never imagined the commander-in-chief would be this man.
"I know the road through Douluo World will be extremely difficult, and the Martial Soul Evolution path you've chosen is fraught with countless risks."
"But, Comrade Planar Pioneer, remember this: behind you stand your motherland and 1.4 billion fellow citizens."
"The motherland will never abandon you, and the Dragon Kingdom will never abandon a single one of its people!"
The commander slowly rose to his feet.
"In the Douluo Plane, be bold. The organization and 1.4 billion fellow citizens will be your strongest support. We'll take care of every problem for you!"
If anyone else had said that, Huo Si would have thought he was making empty promises.
But facing this man... a wave of reverence suddenly surged through him.
The five words "Planar Pioneer" were brief, but they were the greatest affirmation he could receive.
Under this man's command, the entire organization would become his backing.
"Yes, Commander-in-Chief!!!"
After hesitating for a while, Huo Si finally voiced the thought he had been keeping to himself.
"With my current Soul Power, I should be able to take two people with me in a single trip, in addition to myself."
When Elder Long heard Huo Si's words, golden light suddenly blazed in his eyes.
"Good, good, good! I was worried you wouldn't be safe after returning to Douluo World."
"But it looks like we can do much more and integrate into Douluo World much faster!"
"Don't worry. I'll carefully select the candidates to help you—and help the Dragon Kingdom conquer Douluo World as soon as possible!"
An hour later, a man and a woman in military uniforms appeared before Huo Si.
When Huo Si saw the woman, he couldn't help but freeze for a moment.
"It's you."
Chu Youwei gave a crisp military salute.
"Honorable Planar Pioneer, Officer Huo, we meet again."
"I'll handle your affairs in Douluo World, including economic and intelligence matters, and take care of all the little details for you."
Chu Youwei wore a military combat uniform and carried everything from a rifle to a pistol.
The young man beside her wore the same kind of combat uniform. A specialized sniper rifle was slung across his back, an assault rifle rested in his hands, a pistol was holstered at his waist, and a military dagger was strapped to his leg.
"My name is Long Weiguo. I'm responsible for your security, Officer Huo, Planar Pioneer. Anyone who poses a threat to you—I'll deal with them!"
Huo Si nodded. Their duties were clearly divided: one would handle security, and the other would take care of money, intelligence, and other miscellaneous affairs in Douluo World.
Huo Si bowed to Elder Long, then turned to Chu Youwei and Long Weiguo.
"We haven't tested whether I can take you into Douluo World. This is only a guess based on my abilities, and I don't know if it'll work reliably."
"So before we enter the Plane Star Gate, I have a responsibility to tell you that there's no guarantee you'll make it into Douluo World. There may be a risk of death. Are you still willing to go with me?"
Hearing Huo Si, Chu Youwei's gaze remained resolute.
"The Planar Pioneer has bled and wept for the Dragon Kingdom in that world, enduring countless hardships. Now the country's help is needed—how could we retreat? Chu Youwei is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice at any moment, even if it means being left behind in another world. Please rest assured, Planar Pioneer!"
"Following orders is a soldier's duty. Please rest assured, Planar Pioneer. If the day comes when I must lay down my life for my country, it will be my honor, Long Weiguo's!"
After hearing Huo Si lay everything out, Elder Long nodded in satisfaction.
"Another world is bound to be full of uncertainty. I'll be here at the command center, waiting for you to return in glory!"
After making his final statement absolving them of responsibility, Huo Si nodded.
Soul Power circulated within him, and a star-shaped gate appeared in his mind.
Boom!
As the gate swiftly descended, the entire Douluo Command Center shook.
Under countless expectant gazes, the gate slowly opened.
A dazzling white light flashed, and the three of them vanished on the spot.
"Place the entire Douluo Command Center under lockdown! Stand by for the Planar Pioneer's return!"
"All combat units, enter Level One Combat Readiness!"
In an alley in Nuoding City, within the Heaven Dou Empire.
A white light flashed, the Plane Star Gate appeared, and the three of them materialized in the alley.
Whoosh!
Huo Si felt ninety percent of his Soul Power vanish in an instant. His face paled, and his legs went weak.
"Pioneer!"
Seeing his condition, Chu Youwei and Long Weiguo paled with alarm.
He was the key to the Dragon Kingdom gaining control of supernatural powers and securing the resources of another world. Nothing could be allowed to happen to him.
The two of them caught him as Huo Si gasped for breath.
"I'm fine. It's just that ninety percent of my Soul Power was drained in an instant."
"Just as I expected: bringing one person through the Plane Star Gate takes about thirty percent of my current Soul Power. That means three levels of Soul Power lets me bring one person in."
"Complete the tasks the organization gave you as quickly as possible. And in this world, don't call me Planar Pioneer. It draws too much attention."
"You can call me Huo Si. Or, following this world's customs, you can call me Young Master!"
Hearing Huo Si, Chu Youwei and Long Weiguo exchanged a glance.
"Yes, Young Master!"
They hadn't forgotten their mission. In this world, the Planar Pioneer's word was an order.
They absolutely couldn't disobey him, nor could they reveal the Planar Pioneer's abilities or identity.
As Huo Si recovered his Soul Power, Long Weiguo kept his rifle raised, alert to their surroundings.
Once Huo Si had recovered about thirty percent of his Soul Power and could move without difficulty, he promptly led them out of the alley.
Nuoding City pawnshop.
The owner looked askance at the three oddly dressed people who had walked in.
"What can I do for you?"
Huo Si raised a hand, stopping Long Weiguo from lifting his gun, and smiled.
"Hehe, this young master's passing through Nuoding City and has run out of money. I'd like to pawn a few things..."
As Huo Si spoke, he shot Chu Youwei a look.
Chu Youwei understood and quickly took three gold bars from her clothes.
In Douluo World, you couldn't take a single step without money. Even a lofty Titled Douluo needed cash, didn't they?
The first step in conquering another world was to start with its currency system.
"High-quality gold bars, refined and purified?"
"Our pawnshop can only offer you half the market price. I hope you understand. After all, making Gold Soul Coins privately will get you arrested."
Huo Si nodded. When he walked out of the pawnshop, he had more than a hundred Gold Soul Coins in his hands, along with a large quantity of Silver Soul Coins and Copper Soul Coins.
These were the three currencies Huo Si wanted. They were also an important step for the Dragon Kingdom in conquering another world's currency system and reproducing more of its money.
"Officer... what do we do now?"
Ever since arriving in this world, Long Weiguo had been on edge, faced with its strange buildings and the people who seemed so out of place.
"Don't be so tense. The city's perfectly safe."
"Didn't you receive your primary assignment?"
Long Weiguo still gripped his gun tightly.
"My primary assignment—my only assignment—is to keep you safe."
At that, Huo Si turned to Chu Youwei.
"My primary assignment is to gather intelligence, meet your financial needs, and take care of all the miscellaneous matters."
Huo Si sighed, but understood the Dragon Kingdom's arrangements.
Right now, he was the most important person. The people brought along with him had just one purpose: to protect him and provide useful support.
"We've completed the first step. Now we have three main objectives left."
"Use the money we exchanged to buy this world's Soul Power cultivation method—the Soul Power Meditation Method."
"And buy books about this world's Soul Beasts, so the scientists at the Douluo Command Center can choose the optimal Soul Ring Configuration for me and help my Martial Soul evolve."
The next two objectives would be easy to accomplish.
They just had to go to Spirit Hall.
Spirit Hall awakened the Martial Souls of ordinary people across the continent for free, tested their Soul Power, and selected talented children to join Spirit Hall.
They were sure to have a Soul Power Meditation Method. As the largest Soul Master faction on Douluo Continent, Spirit Hall also had the most extensive collection of Soul Beast guides, built up over a thousand years.
The Soul Power Meditation Method was the most common cultivation method for Soul Masters, while Soul Beast guides and books were generally available to the public as well.
They could simply ask, and Spirit Hall would help them.
But Huo Si only wanted to transfer the materials back and let the Dragon Kingdom help him select the most suitable options. Buying them with Gold Soul Coins would be the safest choice.
Nuoding City, Spirit Hall Branch.
Looking at the familiar sign above the branch hall, Huo Si could still hear the mockery from the day before. But yesterday, he truly had nothing.
Now, his great motherland stood behind him, backed by the support of 1.4 billion people.
Even with a useless Martial Soul, even after missing the best time to cultivate Soul Power, he was destined to stand at the pinnacle of the world!
Huo Si strode forward and led Chu Youwei and Long Weiguo into the Spirit Hall Branch.
"Hmm?"
"Huo Si, you're back again?"
"Didn't I tell you? Spirit Hall doesn't take on clerks with less than twenty levels of Soul Power."
Su Yuntao spotted Huo Si as soon as he entered the branch hall.
Chu Youwei and Long Weiguo frowned at once.
Chu Youwei's hand instinctively moved to her waist.
Long Weiguo raised the muzzle of his gun slightly, scanning the people inside the branch hall who wore the same uniform as Su Yuntao. If Huo Si were in danger, he'd be ready to respond at once.
Even if a fight broke out, he could get Huo Si out safely without delay.
"Haha, Deacon Yuntao, I'm not here to apply for a job at Spirit Hall today."
Su Yuntao paused, then walked over slowly. His gaze lingered on Long Weiguo before shifting to Chu Youwei's face, and his eyes immediately lit up.
"Then what brings you here today...?"
After hesitating a moment, Huo Si decided it wasn't something he needed to hide and stated his purpose.
"I'd like to buy a cultivation method for Soul Power, along with some books and guides on Soul Beasts, so I can choose a Soul Beast for my Soul Ring."
At that, a smile instantly spread across Su Yuntao's face.
"Haha, so that's what this is about."
"I was in a hurry the other day. The Soul Power Meditation Method is public knowledge in Spirit Hall; you don't need to buy it... Just go to the instruction hall when you have time, and someone will teach you."
"As for Soul Beast books, some of Spirit Hall's books are available to the public. Spirit Hall can also advise you on choosing a Soul Ring, but you'll have to buy the books if you want to take them away."
Hearing Su Yuntao, Chu Youwei was quietly astonished. Though she had already learned some basic information about Douluo World, it was still surprising.
She knew Spirit Hall was the largest Soul Master faction in Douluo World.
But she hadn't expected the leading Soul Master faction to be so magnanimous: awakening Martial Souls for free, making its Soul Power cultivation method public, even opening some of its Soul Beast books to the public and offering advice on Soul Rings.
"Heh, a beggar with Innate Full Soul Power still missed the best time to cultivate. What a waste of that talent."
"You think he can afford a cultivation method and Soul Beast books?"
"He should just make do with what Spirit Hall gives out for free."
Just then, a young woman in a flamboyant outfit emerged, her face full of scorn.
"Sisi, don't say that."
Su Yuntao looked at Chu Youwei and gave her an awkward smile.
Huo Si's smile didn't waver, but his fists were already clenched tight.
"Hehe, to be honest, I awakened my Martial Soul so late because my village is deep in the mountains, far from Nuoding City."
"Before this, we were self-sufficient. Then our village chief heard I had Soul Power and could become a Soul Master, so he specifically sent me to buy some Soul Master supplies."
Sisi looked disdainful.
"Heh, so you're a hillbilly."
Sisi turned and left. She had initially wanted to snatch away the customers Su Yuntao had brought in—staff earned commissions on these purchases—but once she heard they were just hillbillies from a village, she promptly walked away.
"How much money could villagers have?"
Long Weiguo narrowed his eyes and etched Sisi's face into his memory, provisionally classifying her as a threat to the Planar Pioneer.
"Deacon Yuntao, we don't need the free materials. I want to buy them and take them back to the village."
"After all, no matter what, I'll be the first... Soul Master in our village."
Su Yuntao nodded.
"Then come with me."
Inside the branch hall's library, Huo Si looked at the tightly packed shelves.
"You only want information on snake-type Martial Souls and Soul Beasts?"
"How much do you want?"
Looking at the shelves of books, Huo Si considered how much money he had.
Buying all the information on every Martial Soul and Soul Beast was probably impossible, but he should have enough for snake types alone.
"We didn't bring much money this time, but for snake-type Martial Souls and Soul Beasts... all of it!"
Whoosh!
Su Yuntao turned around in delight.
"What did you say?"
Chu Youwei frowned. Remembering what Sisi had called Huo Si earlier, she decisively took out most of the money.
Afraid it wouldn't be enough, he took out two more gold bars.
"Is this... enough?"
Su Yuntao hurriedly nodded.
"More than enough. To be honest, we earn commission when you buy books. The more you buy, the more of my commission I'm willing to give up to get you a discount."
How could he not be excited?
The commission from selling this many books alone was nearly a year's salary.
After buying the Soul Power meditation cultivation method, as well as all of Spirit Hall's illustrated guides to snake-type Martial Souls and Soul Beasts,
he thought of the items needed for Martial Soul Awakening and Soul Power testing.
He had already awakened his Martial Soul and Soul Power, but the Dragon Kingdom hadn't. Its population was a full 1.4 billion.
He obviously couldn't bring everyone here himself. Having Spirit Hall awaken their Martial Souls would attract far too much attention.
What's more, if Spirit Hall investigated his arrival closely, he might be exposed.
"Deacon Yuntao, I wonder if we can buy the items used to awaken Martial Souls."
"Our village will need a great deal of information on Martial Souls and illustrated guides to Soul Beasts in the future."
"When the time comes, we can come to you, Deacon Yuntao."
In an instant, Chu Youwei understood what Huo Si was trying to do. She looked at Su Yuntao expectantly.
Su Yuntao was taken aback. He hadn't expected there to be more business.
"Right, right! I nearly forgot that your village is so far from Nuoding City, making Martial Soul Awakening a difficult problem for you."
"How about this? You've helped me earn quite a few Gold Soul Coins. When I have some free time, I'll come to your village and awaken everyone's Martial Souls for free."
The moment Chu Youwei heard Su Yuntao say this, her expression changed slightly, while Long Weiguo's pupils contracted sharply.
"There's no need for that, Deacon Yuntao. It's a good fifty or sixty li of mountain road. It would be quite inconvenient for you to travel back and forth."
"Besides, that would only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. We can't trouble you to go there every year, can we?"
At Huo Si's words, Su Yuntao pondered for a moment, then nodded. His gaze fell on Chu Youwei.
"That is a problem. We don't sell the Six-Pointed Star Array and Soul Power Testing Crystal Ball that our deacons use to awaken Martial Souls."
"This is to stop Soul Masters from exploiting loopholes by going to villages Spirit Hall hasn't discovered yet and charging people to awaken their Martial Souls without permission."
"It also prevents criminals from trafficking children and keeping children with Soul Power confined and under their control."
"But you have Innate Full Soul Power. Once you become a Soul Master, register with the Heaven Dou Empire, and gain its recognition, you can legally obtain these items by providing the required proof."
At that, Huo Si narrowed his eyes. So they didn't sell them—not that it was impossible, just that it wasn't legal.
"Deacon Yuntao, you mean they're not for sale, but that doesn't mean nothing can be arranged, right?"
"Your deacons travel long distances to awaken Martial Souls in various villages. Surely there have been cases where the items were lost or damaged?"
Huo Si gave Chu Youwei a look.
That look shook Chu Youwei, who was new to the ways of the world. It also made Huo Si revise his assessment of her.
When she caught on, Chu Youwei hurried forward and pulled out another large gold brick.
"Sorry for the trouble, Deacon Yuntao."
As Chu Youwei stepped forward, the scent of her distinctive perfume wafted over. Looking at her face, at once youthful and alluring, Su Yuntao thought she was far more beautiful than Sisi, the girl he was pursuing.
Almost without thinking, under Chu Youwei's expectant gaze, Su Yuntao accepted the gold brick.
"I see these two are from your village as well."
"Have they not awakened their Martial Souls yet? How about I awaken theirs today too?"
Profit was the strongest bond between friends. Huo Si was willing to spend, while Su Yuntao was young and ambitious.
The two reached an initial understanding without needing to say much more.
Nuoding City Hotel.
"Three rooms."
Hearing Huo Si, Long Weiguo stepped forward and spoke.
"Two will do, sir... Young Master, I still have to ensure your safety."
After a brief hesitation, Chu Youwei stepped forward too.
Then, under the hotel receptionist's strange gaze, two men and a woman slowly went upstairs.
Inside the room
"Chu Youwei, Long Weiguo, do you resent me for not letting Su Yuntao awaken your Martial Souls?"
Long Weiguo froze.
"No, sir. My duty is to follow orders!"
Chu Youwei stiffened.
"No, Young Master. We're not from this world. The less we interact with its people, the less likely it is that they'll become suspicious of us."
Huo Si nodded.
"We're not from this world. Martial Souls come in all shapes and forms. You understand that, and that's enough. I promise that once I obtain my First Soul Ring and get the items for Martial Soul Awakening and Soul Power testing, you'll be the first people I awaken."
"Our existence is too unusual. There's no telling whether our Martial Souls will be different from those of this world's people. You need to stay restrained and understand that."
"Long Weiguo, guard the room. Don't let anyone in. Chu Youwei, come back to the Dragon Kingdom with me."
With that, Huo Si summoned the Plane Star Gate.
"Planar Pioneer Huo Si, submit the Soul Power meditation cultivation method!"
Before you continue