"Mountain Dragon King?" Tuoba Xuan's eyes narrowed. This was completely unexpected.
As someone who had read the original story thoroughly, Tuoba Xuan knew exactly what the name Mountain Dragon King meant.
The Mountain Dragon King was the foremost of the Nine Great Dragon Kings. The Dragon God had once decreed: "The Mountain Dragon shall reign as king forever!"
"That's right. I am the Mountain Dragon King, though only the tiniest wisp of a remnant soul..."
The Mountain Dragon King puffed out his chest and spoke proudly.
"You bastard!" Tuoba Xuan slapped at the Mountain Dragon King, who was no bigger than his head. This was the culprit who had kept his Soul Power from advancing.
"Do you have any idea how much ridicule I've suffered over the years? How many cold stares and injustices my family and grandfather have endured because of me?"
Tuoba Xuan roared, his whole body trembling with rage.
The Mountain Dragon King wiped at his nonexistent cold sweat and said apologetically, "Well, I really was in the wrong. But don't worry, I'll make it up to you."
Tuoba Xuan immediately perked up. After all, the Mountain Dragon King had once been a true god.
Since it had already happened, he couldn't keep dwelling on the past. He had to improve his strength as quickly as possible.
"Then how about this? You can compensate me with eighty or a hundred Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones, or raise me to Limit Douluo right now. Pick one."
The Mountain Dragon King's vision went dark. "I can't do either of those!"
"Aren't you a Dragon King? You can't even manage something like this?" Tuoba Xuan shouted angrily.
"Goodness, goodness. I'm only a wisp of a remnant soul, and I've been living inside you all this time. I only regained a sliver of consciousness just now."
The Mountain Dragon King paused, then continued, "Still, I can't help you yet. You'll have to take me to Dragon Valley first."
"Dragon Valley... Make it up to me..."
Tuoba Xuan murmured 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 agreed without hesitation. He didn't know where to go anyway, and Dragon Valley seemed like a pretty good option.
"You're a straightforward kid." The Mountain Dragon King chuckled.
Man and dragon set off in the direction the Mountain Dragon King had indicated.
A month later, Skywater City, Heaven Dou Empire.
Skywater City lay in the northern part of the Heaven Dou Empire, at the edge of the Far North Lands.
According to the Mountain Dragon King, Dragon Valley was on the outskirts of the Far North Lands.
Tuoba Xuan was sitting in a carriage, waiting to enter the city.
Since the Mountain Dragon King had stopped absorbing Tuoba Xuan's Soul Power, his Soul Power had, for the first time in ages, begun to increase.
Tuoba Xuan's Soul Power had risen by a full level. He was now at level four.
At the same time, Tuoba Xuan had finally pieced together everything that had happened to him.
Perhaps the commotion caused by his transmigration had led a homeless remnant soul of the Mountain Dragon King to take refuge inside him.
And since the Mountain Dragon King had been absorbing the Soul Power he painstakingly cultivated in order to recover his strength and return to Dragon Valley, he had kept at it all this time.
That was why Tuoba Xuan's Soul Power hadn't risen in a full five years.
Not only that, the Mountain Dragon King had also absorbed Tuoba Xuan's innate Soul Power.
According to the Mountain Dragon King, Tuoba Xuan had originally possessed Innate Full Soul Power, but when the Mountain Dragon King replenished his own source, Tuoba Xuan's innate Soul Power had fallen to level three.
It could be said that every hardship and every mocking remark Tuoba Xuan had endured over the past five years had been the Mountain Dragon King's doing.
Still, the resentment in Tuoba Xuan's heart had now faded.
Five years had been enough for him to see the full range of human warmth and coldness.
The tidal wave of mockery hadn't brought him down. Instead, it had made Tuoba Xuan truly understand how cruel this world was.
Tuoba Xuan suddenly felt a lot like someone from his previous life named Xiao Huohuo.
"Too bad I don't have a childhood betrothal. Otherwise, I'd have to make a three-year pact."
Tuoba Xuan smiled wryly at himself.
The carriage entered the city. After settling the fare, Tuoba Xuan got out.
After sitting in the carriage for so long, Tuoba Xuan looked a little travel-worn. He ducked into the first hotel he saw.
"One single room."
Tuoba Xuan spoke to the girl sitting behind the front desk.
The girl looked up, somewhat surprised.
His face was as handsome as jade, his brows and eyes beautifully drawn. His bright eyes in particular shone like the sun.
Tuoba Xuan's features seemed to etch themselves into the girl's heart.
"One single room!"
When the girl didn't move, Tuoba Xuan spoke again.
"Oh, right... Room 201. Go up the stairs; it's the first room on the left."
The girl's cheeks flushed. She hurriedly handed him a room card.
Tuoba Xuan took the card, set down a Gold Soul Coin for the room fee, and turned toward the stairs.
The girl gazed at the boy's retreating figure, her mouth slightly open. In the end, she spoke up.
"Um, my name is Shui Bing'er. You seem to be a Soul Master too. The Shui Clan in Skywater City is holding a competition in ten months, and the rewards are really generous. Will you come?"
"Will you come?" Tuoba Xuan frowned and turned around. She was a little too familiar with him already.
There was a pleading note in Shui Bing'er's voice, along with a hint of someone desperately trying to seize a glimmer of hope.
Tuoba Xuan was puzzled. He knew the name Shui Bing'er: the captain of Skywater Academy, with the supreme Ice Phoenix Martial Soul.
Tuoba Xuan finally took a proper look at Shui Bing'er.
Her eyes were ice blue, flecked with crystals, but her face was a little pale. A barely perceptible trace of loneliness lingered at the corners of her eyes, and she looked terribly troubled.
The girl had a head of soft, smooth blue hair and wore a light blue skirt that fell to her knees. Her face was as cold as ice; she looked like an iceberg beauty.
"If I have time, I'll come."
Tuoba Xuan agreed to Shui Bing'er, then turned and headed upstairs again.
"Wait, wait! Here's your competition invitation. You don't have to pay for the room; it's on me. Also, what's your name?"
Tuoba Xuan caught the invitation and the Gold Soul Coin flying toward him between his back and elbow, then left without a word.
"Ah, what a cool, handsome boy."
Shui Bing'er gazed dreamily at Tuoba Xuan's retreating figure.
Tuoba Xuan took off his clothes and soaked in the bathtub. The warm water seemed to wash away all the exhaustion he'd built up over the past month.
Half reclining in the tub, Tuoba Xuan repeatedly examined the invitation in his hand but didn't open it.
"Ha, what if I'm about to become a Titled Douluo?"
Tuoba Xuan set the invitation aside and began to dream about the future.
Tuoba Xuan was nervous about this trip to Dragon Valley, but he was excited too.
Tuoba Xuan had no way back now. This trip to Dragon Valley was one of only two chances he had to turn his underdog life around.
There was no helping it. This continent was simply too small.
Opportunities were even scarcer. Without a cheat, the only thing Tuoba Xuan could think of was the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. Other than that, he couldn't think of any way to change his fate.
As for the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone in the waterfall in Suotuo City...
Come on! He was only a lowly level-four Soul Scholar right now.
Even running into Ah Yin as she was now would probably mean a brush with death.
And the Capital of Slaughter was out of the question. It was Asura God's territory to begin with. After all, even Tang San's transmigration had been part of Asura God's scheme.
"If not for the Mountain Dragon King, I'd probably have to risk my life to find Dugu Bo."
Tuoba Xuan grumbled to himself. With a gulp, he sank his head deep into the bathtub.
"Wait, without the Mountain Dragon King, I'd have Innate Full Soul Power and a top-tier Martial Soul."
Tuoba Xuan suddenly raised his head and shook it, sending droplets flying from his hair.
"Forget it!" Tuoba Xuan suddenly felt sleepiness wash over him. He let out a long sigh and fell asleep in the bathtub.