Origins (Part Two)

Mo Lin turned to the second page, which detailed the background of the Mo Family.

The Mo Family's ancestor, Mo Zhai, had wreaked havoc across the heavens five hundred years ago... No, no, he had misread that. Five hundred years ago, he had also lived on the Douluo Continent. Though exceptionally gifted, he held ideals of universal love and refused to become involved in the struggles of soul masters. Mo Zhai's beliefs were undoubtedly difficult to put into practice in that era, so he gave up entering the world. He led the more than one hundred members of the Mo Family at the time, along with other families who shared his ideals, out to sea, eventually finding an island where they secluded themselves.

A hundred years ago, descendants were permitted to leave the island to travel or even live elsewhere. However, Mo Zhai had set up a special barrier around the island. Only those carrying a specially made Mo Family compass and dripping it with the blood of someone who had left the island or one of their blood relatives could find it.

Mo Lin hurriedly searched through the box and, sure enough, found a compass. Then he picked up the family genealogy and flipped further ahead, where he found his father's diary.

He learned that after applying to the clan head for permission to travel, his father, Mo Di, had returned to the Douluo Continent. He had been the first blood relative of the Mo Family to choose to travel in the outside world; those who had gone out before him had all been descendants of the other families that had secluded themselves alongside them. He had been twenty-five at the time and was already a level seventy-three Soul Sage. During his travels, he met Mo Lin's mother, Yu Yuanling. The two fell in love at first sight, and his mother planned to leave her family and elope with his father, returning with him to the Mo Family's island.

However, Mo Di had been hunted because of his martial soul—the Mo Family's inherited martial soul, "Non-Aggression." (To clarify, this is not the Non-Aggression from The Legend of Qin. I just wanted to let my imagination run wild a little.)

Before obtaining soul rings, Non-Aggression took the form of a box. However, as soul rings were acquired, it could transform into four forms: sword, spear, bow, and shield. Each form possessed two soul skills. Five hundred years ago, before ancestor Mo Zhai left the Douluo Continent, Non-Aggression had once been hailed as the number one tool martial soul. But after Mo Zhai and the Mo Family went into seclusion, Non-Aggression came to be regarded as a legend and gradually faded from public knowledge. Mo Di had only seen records concerning "Non-Aggression" after infiltrating a large tool martial soul sect.

Mo Di initially believed that he had been discovered while infiltrating that tool martial soul sect, and that they had come to hold him accountable. But every move they made was intended to kill him, and he realized that his martial soul had brought him trouble. They did not want "Non-Aggression" to appear before the public, so he fled with Yu Yuanling, who was already pregnant.

The handwriting afterward differed from that of the preceding text. It was probably written by Mo Lin's mother, Yu Yuanling.

During one escape, Mo Di had his heart meridians shattered. He gave the Mo Family genealogy and compass to Yu Yuanling. Yu Yuanling did not write in detail about the escape that followed, but Mo Lin could guess. She had likely suffered fatal injuries just like his father, Mo Di, and was eventually discovered by chance by a woodcutter from Holy Soul Village. Around that time, his soul had entered the body of their child, becoming the Mo Lin he was now.

After finishing it, Mo Lin searched through the box again and unexpectedly found a bracelet and a ring. The bracelet bore the three characters "Yu Yuanling," while the ring had the character "Mo" engraved on it. With Divine Machine Craft, Mo Lin immediately recognized it as a soul tool. He poured his soul power into it, "This is... a soul bone!"

Inside the ring was a purple left leg soul bone. Judging by its quality, it had at least been dropped by a soul beast over fifty thousand years old, though Mo Lin could not determine its exact quality.

Master Yu Xiaogang had said that a soul bone had to suit its user. Therefore, Mo Lin did not fuse with it and instead stored everything in his wristband.

Mo Lin walked out of Old Jack's house and looked up at the sky.

"Father and Mother did not identify the people pursuing them. That means they did not want me to throw away my life for revenge. But among the major tool martial soul sects in this world, aside from that sect, what other sect is renowned for tool martial souls?"

"Mo Lin? You're back too."

As Mo Lin pondered, a voice reached him. Looking down, he saw Tang San. The two had actually returned to Holy Soul Village on the same day. Behind Tang San followed a little girl wearing rabbit ears and a pink dress. She had to be Xiao Wu.

"So it's Tang San. What a coincidence."

Having learned so much all at once, Mo Lin's mind was in turmoil. He spoke listlessly.

Tang San immediately noticed that something was wrong with Mo Lin.

"Mo Lin, are you alright?"

"Of course I'm fine. Hurry home and take a look."

Mo Lin wanted to find somewhere quiet to calm himself, so he left the village and headed toward the sea of flowers.

Xiao Wu asked, "Little San, who is he?"

"He's sort of my friend. He's also a soul master. Right after his martial soul awakened, he was invited to train at Spirit Hall," Tang San replied.

"Spirit Hall..." Xiao Wu clenched her fists.

After paying respects to his mother, Mo Lin found a small clearing amid the sea of flowers and lay down. He had learned too much today. The powerful impact on both his emotions and memories left him unable to think about any so-called plans. Nor did he want to think about why his martial soul was neither the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon nor Non-Aggression. Right now, he just wanted to empty his mind and sleep without thinking of anything.

"Xiao Wu, would you be willing to be my little sister? I really hope I can have another family member."

"I..."

"Hm? Who's talking?" Mo Lin, who had no idea how long he had slept, seemed to hear voices.

He slowly pushed himself up and cautiously raised his head. It turned out Tang San and Xiao Wu were being all lovey-dovey. Mo Lin had seen this scene in the novel, manga, and anime before, and now that he had stumbled into it, he was watching the live version once again. However, perhaps because he had only just woken up and had not adjusted properly, his left foot kicked backward onto a dry leaf, making a rustling sound.

"Who's there?!"

Tang San instantly heard the sound and looked toward where it had come from.

Mo Lin sighed and could only get up.

"Mo Lin?" Tang San could not understand why Mo Lin was here.

Mo Lin dusted off his clothes.

"Me? I'm not interested in other people's relationship matters. I'll be going now!"

"Stop!" Xiao Wu suddenly called out to Mo Lin.

"What else is it?" Mo Lin asked.

Xiao Wu's face was somewhat red, though it was probably from anger.

"Y-you, when did you start eavesdropping?"

Mo Lin cleared his throat twice.

"Ahem! First, I need to make something clear: I got here before you. I've been lying here for half the day. Second, as for when I started hearing things, the first thing I heard was the part where Tang San asked to make you his 'little sister.' That's all. See you!"

"Wait!" Xiao Wu called after Mo Lin again.

As everyone knew, when this sort of thing happened, it generally meant the girl was simply annoyed. Mo Lin turned around.

"Miss, could you at least be reasonable? I answered what you asked, and it already happened. What else do you want? Do you want me to restore the mood for you?"

"I don't care! Little San finally stopped acting like a block of wood, and you ruined everything!"

"Are you kidding me!? I was sleeping perfectly well here, and you two woke me up by flaunting your relationship and flirting. It's already good enough that I'm not pissed off!"

"You know we're dating, so why is a third wheel like you still hanging around here!"

"Didn't you stop me from leaving! Can you at least be reasonable!"

Tang San stood to the side, watching the two of them argue back and forth.

"No, you two, I just wanted to acknowledge a younger sister!"