The Moment Before Becoming a Towering Powerhouse

"Mountain Dragon King?" Tuoba Xuan's eyes narrowed; this was something he hadn't expected.

As someone who had read the original work thoroughly, Tuoba Xuan naturally understood the significance of those three words.

The Mountain Dragon King was the leader of the nine great Dragon Kings, and the Dragon God had once decreed: The Mountain Dragon shall forever be King!

"That's right, I am the Mountain Dragon King, though only a mere wisp of a remnant soul..."

The Mountain Dragon King held his head high, chest puffed out, speaking with pride.

"You bastard!" Tuoba Xuan slammed a palm toward the Mountain Dragon King, who was only the size of his own head. It was this guy who had kept his soul power stagnant all this time.

"Do you have any idea how much ridicule I've endured over these years? How many cold stares and injustices my family and my grandfather have suffered because of me!"

Tuoba Xuan roared, his entire body trembling with rage.

The Mountain Dragon King wiped non-existent cold sweat from his forehead and said apologetically, "Look, I truly am sorry for what I've done to you, but rest assured, I will definitely make it up to you."

Tuoba Xuan's interest was immediately piqued; one had to remember, the Mountain Dragon King was once a true god.

Since the situation had already occurred, there was no point in dwelling on the past; he needed to focus on increasing his strength as quickly as possible.

"Fine then. Compensate me with a hundred or so Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones, or raise me to a Limit Douluo right now. Choose one of those two options yourself."

The Mountain Dragon King's vision went black. "I can't do either of those things!"

"Aren't you a Dragon King? You can't even manage that?" Tuoba Xuan demanded angrily.

"Oh, dear, oh dear, I am but a wisp of a remnant soul, clinging to your body. It wasn't until just now that I regained a sliver of my consciousness."

The Mountain Dragon King paused before adding, "However, I cannot help you right now. You must take me to the Dragon Valley first."

"Dragon Valley... compensation..."

Tuoba Xuan muttered to himself. In the original story, the Mountain Dragon King had given Tang Wulin a torso bone condensed from the Dragon Soul Origin!

"Fine, I agree!"

Tuoba Xuan didn't hesitate in the slightest. He agreed immediately; besides, he didn't know where else to go, and heading to the Dragon Valley seemed like a decent choice.

"A straightforward lad," the Mountain Dragon King chuckled.

Man and dragon began to travel in the direction guided by the Mountain Dragon King.

A month later, Skywater City of the Heaven Dou Empire.

Skywater City was located in the north of the Heaven Dou Empire, situated on the edge of the Far North Lands.

According to the Mountain Dragon King, the Dragon Valley lay on the outskirts of the Far North Lands.

At this moment, Tuoba Xuan was sitting in a carriage, waiting to enter the city.

Because the Mountain Dragon King was no longer absorbing his soul power, Tuoba Xuan's soul power had increased for the first time in ages.

His soul power had risen by a full level, reaching level 4.

At the same time, Tuoba Xuan had completely figured out everything that had happened to him.

It was likely that the disturbance caused by his transmigration had led to a homeless remnant soul of the Mountain Dragon King taking up residence in his body.

To recover his strength and return to the Dragon Valley, the Mountain Dragon King's remnant soul had been absorbing the soul power he had worked so hard to cultivate.

This was the reason why Tuoba Xuan's soul power hadn't improved for five whole years.

Not only that, but the Mountain Dragon King had also absorbed his Innate Soul Power.

According to the Mountain Dragon King, he had originally possessed Innate Full Soul Power, but it had dropped to Innate Level 3 because the Mountain Dragon King needed to replenish his origin.

It could be said that all the hardships and mockery Tuoba Xuan had endured over the past five years were entirely the fault of this one dragon.

However, the resentment in Tuoba Xuan's heart had already vanished.

Five years of time had made him accustomed to the warmth and coldness of human nature.

The tsunami of ridicule hadn't broken him; instead, it had allowed Tuoba Xuan to truly recognize the cruelty of this world.

Tuoba Xuan suddenly felt that he was very much like a guy from his previous life named Xiao Huohuo.

"It's a pity I don't have a childhood engagement, otherwise I'd have to declare a three-year pact."

Tuoba Xuan laughed at himself.

The carriage entered the city, and Tuoba Xuan left after settling the fare.

The long journey had left him looking a bit travel-worn, and he walked into a hotel at random.

"A single room."

Tuoba Xuan said to the young girl sitting at the front desk.

The girl looked up, staring at Tuoba Xuan in surprise.

His face was like jade, his features as delicate as a painting, and his bright eyes were particularly dazzling, like the sun.

Tuoba Xuan's appearance seemed to be carved into the girl's heart.

"A single room!"

Seeing the young girl remain motionless, Tuoba Xuan spoke again.

"Oh, oh... 201. It's the first room on the left after going up the stairs."

The girl's cheeks flushed red as she hurriedly handed over the room card.

Tuoba Xuan took the card, left a Gold Soul Coin as payment, and headed toward the stairs.

Watching the young man's retreating back, the girl parted her lips slightly, finally managing to speak up.

"Um, my name is Shui Bing'er. I noticed you seem to be a Soul Master too. In ten months, the Shui Clan in Skywater City will be holding a competition with a very generous reward. Could you come?"

"Could I come?" Tuoba Xuan frowned and turned around; this person was being a bit too familiar.

There was a sense of pleading in Shui Bing'er's tone, mixed with the feeling of someone desperately trying to grasp at a sliver of hope.

Tuoba Xuan felt a flicker of doubt. He knew the name Shui Bing'er—the captain of Skywater Academy, whose martial soul was the top-tier Ice Phoenix.

Tuoba Xuan finally took an interest in observing Shui Bing'er's appearance.

The girl's eyes were ice-blue, containing tiny, blooming ice crystals, though her complexion was somewhat pale. A trace of imperceptible loneliness hid in the corners of her eyes, making her look quite melancholy.

She had long, supple blue hair and wore a light blue skirt that fell just above her knees. Her face was as cold as ice, like an ice-mountain beauty.

"If I have the time, I will go."

Tuoba Xuan agreed, turned around once more, and headed upstairs.

"Hey, wait! Here is the entry letter. You don't need to pay for the room; it's on me. Also, what is your name?"

Tuoba Xuan caught the flying entry letter and the Gold Soul Coin between his fingers without turning back, continuing on his way.

"Sigh, what a cold and aloof little handsome guy."

Shui Bing'er watched Tuoba Xuan's departing back, murmuring in a daze.

Tuoba Xuan stripped off his clothes and soaked in the bathtub, the warm water seemingly washing away the exhaustion of the past month.

He lay half-reclined in the tub, repeatedly examining the entry letter in his hand without opening it.

Sigh, what if I become a Title Douluo soon anyway!

Tuoba Xuan set the letter aside and began to yearn for the future.

He was both nervous and excited about this upcoming trip to Dragon Valley.

Tuoba Xuan had no way back now; this trip to Dragon Valley was one of his only two chances to turn his life around.

There was no helping it; this continent was simply too small.

Opportunities were terrifyingly scarce. Without a golden finger, the only thing Tuoba Xuan could think of was the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. Aside from that, there didn't seem to be any other way to change his fate.

As for that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone hidden in the waterfall at Suotuo City.

Give me a break! He was currently nothing more than a lowly level 4 Soul Master.

He would likely face a life-or-death crisis just running into Ah Yin as she was now.

Not to mention the Capital of Slaughter; that place was the territory of the Asura God. One had to remember that even Tang San's transmigration was a scheme orchestrated by the Asura God.

"If there were no Mountain Dragon King, I'd probably have to gamble my life and go find Dugu Bo."

Tuoba Xuan grumbled inwardly, then let out a gurgle as he submerged his head deep into the bathtub.

"Wait, no. Even without the Mountain Dragon King, I still have Innate Full Soul Power and a top-tier martial soul."

Tuoba Xuan suddenly lifted his head, shaking it to flick the water droplets from his hair.

"Forget it!" A sudden wave of drowsiness washed over him. With a long sigh, he actually fell asleep right there in the tub.