A Life No Weaker Than Anyone Else

As soon as he got home, Qi Dao eagerly summoned his Iron Sword!

The sword was dull gray and looked utterly ordinary. Several cracks ran along its blade.

But the moment Qi Dao gripped it, that mysterious connection arose again.

After all, the Douluo World had concepts like Sword Intent and Man and Sword as One.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin and the sword fanatic Ji Juechen were examples.

Qi Dao looked at the Iron Sword in his hand and recalled the strange state he had entered outside the awakening hall.

Perhaps it had been something like enlightenment!

With that thought, he could hardly bear to put the Iron Sword down.

So what if he had Innate Half-Level Soul Power?

He would still become a god among swordsmen!

A young man's fighting spirit was something the world could never replace!

Qi Dao would live his life no weaker than anyone else!

At the dinner table, Qi Dao turned to Qi Father.

"Dad, could you buy me a scabbard tomorrow?"

Qi Father froze. "Son, what do you need a scabbard for?"

On the Douluo Continent, Soul Masters with Tool Martial Souls had no need to carry weapons. They only had to summon their Martial Souls when it was time to fight.

Qi Dao smiled. "I want to sheath my Iron Sword Martial Soul and carry it with me."

"What?"

Qi Mother was just as stunned as Qi Father. Neither could fathom how Qi Dao had arrived at such an idea.

Qi Father asked with a helpless smile, "Son, can you tell me why you want to carry your Martial Soul around?"

"Even if you don't use it, keeping your Martial Soul summoned will constantly drain your Soul Power."

Qi Dao answered earnestly, "Because I think it'll help me understand the sword's soul and will. It might even help me cultivate faster."

Qi Father and Qi Mother were still baffled.

What on earth was he talking about?

If holding a sword were enough to sense its soul and will, why hadn't Qi Father felt anything after more than twenty years?

The couple exchanged a look and shook their heads to themselves.

However precocious their son was, he was still a child. That was why he entertained such fanciful notions.

But that was all right. Perhaps he would come to see things differently in a few days!

Besides, seeing that their son hadn't grown despondent after awakening Innate Half-Level Soul Power was enough to satisfy them both.

Qi Father chuckled. "All right. Dad will buy you a scabbard tomorrow!"

"Thanks, Dad!" A smile spread across Qi Dao's face.

The next day, Qi Father did indeed bring home a black scabbard carved with intricate patterns.

Qi Dao took it and could hardly put it down. He immediately sheathed his Iron Sword, hung it at his waist, and rested one hand on the hilt.

That subtle feeling returned.

Qi Father teased him with a grin. "Son, can you feel the sword's soul yet?"

No sooner had he spoken than Qi Dao closed his eyes and raised a finger to his lips.

"Shh~"

He could feel it. His connection with the Iron Sword was gradually growing stronger.

The change was barely perceptible, but it was real!

Qi Father held back a laugh.

He certainly looked the part!

Not far away, Qi Mother watched with an adoring expression.

"Our son looks so handsome!"

Qi Father walked over with a grin. "Of course he does. He takes after me!"

That night.

Qi Dao sat quietly meditating on his bed, the Iron Sword laid across his lap. A hint of solemnity mingled with his usual calm expression.

After a long while, he slowly opened his bright eyes, and a smile appeared on his calm face.

"It really works. I'm cultivating faster than before."

The increase was so slight it was almost impossible to detect, but Qi Dao was certain of it.

The effect might show little result in a day or two, but over time, even grains of sand could build a tower!

Qi Dao picked up the Iron Sword from his lap and smiled. "Iron Sword, the path ahead reaches the heavens, and I've taken another step toward becoming a Sword God!"

As soon as he said it, a thought struck him.

"I can't keep calling you Iron Sword. One day, we'll both be famous throughout the world. How can you go without a mighty name?"

"Let me think~"

Qi Dao rubbed his chin and racked his brain.

After a while, his eyes lit up.

"One day, I'll stand unrivaled among men, and you'll reign supreme among swords!"

"I'll call you Peerless!"

"Unmatched in splendor, peerless in all the world!"

Hum~

In an instant, a hum rang through the room.

Qi Dao gripped the scabbard and felt a powerful vibration.

Somehow, he seemed to hear Peerless cheering with delight!

Qi Dao laughed. "I heard you! Looks like you love the name!"

"Let's strive toward our shared goal together!"

"That's the bond between us!"

Hum~

Qi Dao failed to notice that one of the cracks in the blade had miraculously healed a little.

Starting the next day, Qi Dao began studying swordsmanship under Qi Father.

Qi Father was merely an ordinary level twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster, not some master of Swordsmanship.

But in his younger years, he had fought in the Great Soul Arena to make a living and had plenty of experience facing opponents.

Even now, he and Qi Mother belonged to a regular Soul Hunting team that specialized in hunting soul rings for others.

His swordsmanship had been forged in life-and-death struggles. It was no celebrated school's style, but it was suited to real combat.

Simple, but practical!

"Most sword attacks fall into two categories: cuts and thrusts."

"When you cut, relax your arm. Let the sword's own weight and the turn of your waist and hips carry the blade down. Don't just muscle it through with your arm."

"Relax, relax!"

"Your grip should be firm, not rigid. You need to keep the sword from flying out of your hand while leaving your wrist free to move. What kind of grip is that?"

"How many Soul Skills do we Soul Masters get in total? Especially those of us with Tool Martial Souls."

"For sword-wielding Soul Masters like us, everything we can do depends on our swords. If we don't train our swordsmanship properly, our strength is cut by at least half."

Qi Father was extremely strict when teaching Qi Dao swordsmanship.

But that was exactly what Qi Dao needed.

And Qi Father really did know his stuff!

Qi Mother watched from a distance, a look of quiet pride on her gentle face.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

When Notting Academy opened for the term, Qi Father and Qi Mother took Qi Dao there and met Headmaster Hans.

The couple had once attended Notting Academy themselves, and they were among its more successful graduates. Both were likely to become Soul Elders, and they might even have a chance of reaching Soul Ancestor in their lifetimes.

Hans greeted them warmly. "Mingyuan, Wang Rou, how does it feel to be back at your old school?"

"This must be your child?"

"I can see steadiness and wisdom in his eyes—qualities most children don't have."

"Hello, Headmaster Hans!" Qi Dao said respectfully.

Hans laughed. "What a polite child!"

Hearing Headmaster Hans praise Qi Dao, Qi Father and Qi Mother couldn't help smiling.

Qi Father said, "I brought Qi Dao to enroll at Notting Academy. He awakened his Martial Soul two months ago, and he has Innate Soul Power."

As he spoke, he handed over Qi Dao's awakening certificate from Spirit Hall.

Hans opened the certificate. After reading it, he looked at Qi Dao again, this time with pity in his eyes.

An adverse mutation of his Martial Soul. What terrible luck.

With Innate Half-Level Soul Power, the boy would probably never advance beyond level twenty. After all, not everyone with Innate Half-Level Soul Power could reach level twenty-nine as his old friend Yu Xiaogang had.

At that thought, his eyes lit up.

Of course!

How could he have forgotten Grandmaster?

Their circumstances were so alike. Both had suffered adverse mutations of their Martial Souls. Wasn't it fate that Grandmaster should teach the boy?

Just then, the door to the headmaster's office opened, and someone strode in without announcing himself.

At the sight of the newcomer, Headmaster Hans clapped his hands in delight.

"Grandmaster, your timing is perfect!"