Six thousand years ago, the Douluo Continent, deprived of the Divine Realm's protection, suffered an unprecedented catastrophe: the invasion of the powerful Abyss Plane.
Abyssal Creatures were species from the Abyss Plane. Ordinary Abyssal Creatures had no consciousness or intelligence. They feared neither life nor death and possessed only one thought: devour every trace of life in sight, carry it back to the Abyss Plane, and replenish the plane.
Back then, under the suppression of the Douluo Plane's will and the desperate, sacrificial resistance of several major powers, the Abyssal species were driven back into the Abyssal Passage and sealed away with countless barriers.
As time passed, the Douluo Continent and the Abyss Plane had been locked in conflict for more than six thousand years. That long stretch of time had been woven from blood and tears, with countless soldiers giving their lives to fill the gaps.
The Abyssal Tide that had appeared out of nowhere had stirred a trace of unease in Dong Zi'an's powerful heart. After all, he knew very well what it meant.
A new struggle was about to begin.
"Commander, fortunately, the Abyssal Creatures in this Abyssal Tide belonged to the Ant Emperor Clan, ranked seventy-sixth. And thanks to our timely rescue, we stopped them from spreading any farther."
Li Jie glanced at the rescue report coming through the Soul Tool in his hand. A trace of relief flashed through his eyes as he reported in a solemn voice.
The Abyss Plane had a total of 108 layers. The higher a species ranked, the stronger it was. The Ant Emperor Clan was above average in strength, with both offense and defense.
Their Western Legion was stationed on the western frontier and served as the Blood God Legion's staunchest ally. Snow City lay within their rescue range, so when the Abyssal Tide appeared there, they had immediately set out and arrived at the first opportunity to hunt down the Abyssal Creatures.
"But so many of the Federation's people have already died in Snow City. It's too late."
Dong Zi'an sighed regretfully. Then his eyes turned fierce, and he growled, "Those bastard creatures! When I'm nearing the end of my lifespan, I'll enter the Abyssal Passage and slaughter them to my heart's content!"
He had already been there during the hunt. A mere Ant Emperor Clan was no match for him, a Limit Douluo.
But when Abyssal Creatures died, they did not vanish. Instead, they carried away the life force they had stolen and returned to the Abyss Plane by some unique means, where they were remade. That was the fundamental reason the Abyss Plane could launch an endless stream of attacks on the Douluo Continent.
Earlier, he had followed the dead Abyssal Creatures to see where they returned to the Abyss Plane, hoping to find out whether a new Abyssal Passage had appeared.
Unfortunately, he had returned empty-handed. After drifting through the air for a short distance, the dead Abyssal Creatures had simply vanished into thin air. Even with his strength as a Limit Douluo, he had been unable to track them.
"Commander..."
Li Jie had just started to say something when Dong Zi'an cut him off with a wave.
"After I left, did you discover any new clues or anything unusual?"
Dong Zi'an asked with a hint of meaning. He was certain there had to be something special about the Abyssal Tide appearing above Snow City.
"Nothing that I've found..."
Li Jie shook his head thoughtfully. But then he seemed to remember something and quickly flipped through the Communication Soul Tool in his hand. The instant his finger stopped, the words suddenly burst from his mouth.
"Today was the day Snow City held its unified Martial Soul Awakening for six-year-old children!"
"Martial Soul Awakening?"
A glint flashed through Dong Zi'an's eyes. He surveyed the orderly activity in Snow City, pondered for a moment, then ordered, "Take me to see the children who survived."
"Understood! But, Commander, since today was Martial Soul Awakening Day, the number of child casualties was high...and many are still unconscious."
Li Jie hesitated, but reported it anyway.
Now that the Federation was unified, every city had established an institution to provide free Martial Soul Awakening for children.
Today, on the day of the awakenings, the sudden Abyssal Tide had struck. Even though Snow City had promptly activated its Defensive Soul Tools and deployed its garrison, the casualties had still been devastating.
Abyssal Creatures did not fear death, but Soul Masters did. They were individuals, with thoughts and emotions of their own.
"Let's see the ones who've woken up first."
Dong Zi'an closed his eyes, his expression heavy with pain. Today was supposed to be the day those children took their first steps into the Soul Master World, yet they had instead stepped toward death.
"You aren't hurt, but you still need to get plenty of rest, little one. Don't go running around for now. If you need anything, just call me."
At the Soul Guidance Emergency Center, the healing-type Soul Master examined Jiang Xiu once more, then gently reminded him.
"Okay. Thank you, big sister."
Jiang Xiu lay on the bed and thanked her. He knew she meant well, but what he wanted more than anything was to awaken his Martial Soul.
After coming face-to-face with death, he craved power even more!
"Tap, tap, tap!"
Steady footsteps sounded. The Soul Guidance Center's door opened, and Jiang Xiu's gaze shifted. Two soldiers in military uniforms walked in. Judging by the insignia on their shoulders, neither held a low rank.
"Are these military officers here to offer condolences after the disaster? Never mind. I'm just a kid, so they probably won't bother with me."
Jiang Xiu gave it little thought. He clearly couldn't leave just yet, so he might as well take a nap. He rolled onto his side.
But the next moment, two shadows fell across him. Their towering figures blocked the light.
Jiang Xiu opened his eyes to find two large faces looming over him.
"Don't be nervous, kid. We're both in the military, and we're good people. We just wanted to ask if anything unusual happened when you awakened your Martial Soul."
Li Jie asked Jiang Xiu patiently. He had already questioned several children, but still had nothing to show for it. After all, what could little kids possibly know? They were only asking while offering their condolences, on the off chance they got lucky.
Behind Li Jie, Dong Zi'an saw Jiang Xiu's unusual purple eyes and narrowed his own slightly. But when he noticed Jiang Xiu's thick eyebrows in the light, his brows shot up. He said nothing, though, and simply set his Soul Power circulating throughout his body.
"No. I passed out before I awakened my Martial Soul."
Jiang Xiu shook his head slightly and answered truthfully. For various reasons, he knew quite a bit about the Federation's military. Lying wouldn't do him any good.
Besides, he really had blacked out and fallen asleep.
"You haven't awakened your Martial Soul yet? All right, then. Thanks, kid."
After sensing with his spiritual power that Jiang Xiu wasn't lying, Li Jie thanked him and turned to leave. As a general and the Western Legion's third-in-command, he possessed the cultivation of a Super Douluo. Telling whether someone was lying came naturally to him.
"Wait. Since the kid hasn't awakened his Martial Soul yet, Li Jie, help him awaken it while you're here."
Dong Zi'an reached out to stop Li Jie, then gave Jiang Xiu a smile. But paired with Dong Zi'an's fierce face, it looked more like a grimace than a smile.
"Help me awaken my Martial Soul?"
Jiang Xiu's heart stirred, and anticipation rose within him. His parents in this life had both been Soul Masters, and not weak ones at that. They had both served in the Blood God Legion, too.
But four years ago, after they left on their final mission, all that came back were two small medals...
After that, he had been taken to a residence arranged by the Snow City Federal Branch.
That was why he yearned so desperately to awaken his Martial Soul. Born into troubled times, he could only keep others from carving him up if he had strength of his own!
And if he became strong enough, he wanted to try to avenge his parents in this life, too.
"Kid, do you want me to help you..."
"Yes!"
Jiang Xiu nodded before Li Jie could finish. Even if he left the center and went outside, he would still need the Federation's help to awaken his Martial Soul. Since the opportunity had presented itself, he might as well take it.
"Good. Then let's begin."
Li Jie didn't waste any time. Six Awakening Stones shot from his hand and landed on the ground in an unusual arrangement.
"Hum!"
A faint sound rang out, and Li Jie's eyes abruptly became the yellow-brown pupils of a dragon. His Martial Soul was clearly a powerful dragon-type Martial Soul. Then Soul Power flowed into the Awakening Stones, a hexagram array appeared, and the awakening ritual began.
"Don't be nervous. Even if your Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, you'll still have a path ahead of you."
Dong Zi'an offered a rare word of encouragement as he watched Jiang Xiu step inside. But Jiang Xiu's footsteps faltered, and the corner of his mouth twitched. This man really didn't know how to talk.
As Jiang Xiu stepped into the array, countless golden rays appeared within the hexagram and surged into his body, as if they had found their way home.
At that moment, Jiang Xiu felt as though warm sunlight had wrapped around him. His whole body was pleasantly warm. Then a rumble burst from within him, and, drawn by the golden light, something seemed to shatter.
"Roar!"
A clear dragon's roar rang out. A colossal dragon's phantom, covered in dark-purple scales and wreathed in blazing purple flames, flashed behind Jiang Xiu. Its eyes were a burning crimson gold, radiating endless majesty and savagery. Every scale exuded a terrifying aura of destruction.
In the next instant, faint, illusory dark-purple scales appeared on Jiang Xiu's body as well, and his purple eyes abruptly became dragon eyes that shimmered with crimson gold. Two surging flames of destruction rose from either side of his shoulders.
"This... What is this?"
Li Jie's pupils contracted in shock. He could feel a hint of suppression coming from Jiang Xiu. It had nothing to do with cultivation—it was suppression by Martial Soul bloodline!
His Martial Soul was a True Dragon, after all!
"It's the Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon! The Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon, with its ultimate Destruction Attribute."
Feeling that extreme aura of destruction, Dong Zi'an narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke each word in a deep, measured voice.
"The Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon? Didn't it disappear during the Sun-Moon Imperial Family's change of dynasties ten thousand years ago...?"
Li Jie's pupils contracted in shock as he remembered. But he stopped himself before he could finish speaking.
"Enough. Li Jie, go outside."
Dong Zi'an cut Li Jie off with a wave and gestured for him to leave with a grave look. Li Jie nodded firmly, walked out of the Soul Guidance Emergency Center, and stood guard outside.
Meanwhile, Jiang Xiu suppressed the excitement surging in his heart. As he felt the powerful Destruction Attribute of the Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon, his left hand clenched tightly, and a flash of ultimate darkness flickered within it.
"Kid, there's no need to be so nervous. You should have another Martial Soul, right?"
Dong Zi'an wore another smile more painful than crying and coaxed him gently.
"!"
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