The Ling Family

The blue-haired beautiful woman beside him was his mother, Shui Wuyue.

Her martial soul was the Water-Congealing Soaring Luan, and she was a rank seventy-five Soul Sage.

As for the middle-aged man standing by the bed, silent all this time, he was his father, Ling An.

The lord of Tianshui City and head of the Ling family, his martial soul was the ice element, and he was a rank eighty-three Soul Douluo.

The couple seemed capable of using a martial soul fusion skill. In addition, the Ling family and Shui Family each had several Soul Douluo overseeing them.

With the two families having intermarried for generations, they could hold their own even against an ordinary Title Douluo. Naturally, they had become the local tyrants of Tianshui City.

Even throughout the Tianhun Empire, they could be considered a powerful faction.

Ling Tianchen nodded to himself. This background was not bad at all.

Thinking of this, he could no longer restrain himself.

Now that the Phoenix God King's bloodline had fused into his body, what kind of phoenix martial soul would he awaken?

He braced both hands against the edge of the bed and struggled to sit up, raising his head to look at the three of them.

"Dad, Mom, Sis, I'm fine now. Help me awaken my martial soul."

To prove that his body had recovered, he deliberately waved his pair of pale, chubby little fists, looking full of energy.

However, Ling An refused without a second thought.

"No. You were bedridden for half a year. Your body has only just recovered. Even if you've awakened, you still need a few days of rest. I'll bring Uncle Zhang back first and have him examine you carefully once more."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure flashed, and he vanished from the room.

"Ah..."

Ling Tianchen immediately deflated and lay back down on the bed, his face full of gloom.

He truly did not want to keep lying there.

Half a year of unconsciousness, coupled with the Phoenix God King's hundreds of rebirths and deaths, had already driven him stir-crazy.

"Tianchen, just listen to Father."

Ling Luochan sat by the bed and reached out with a slender finger to poke his cheek. A faint smile unconsciously curved her lips.

"You can awaken your martial soul anytime. There's no need to rush these next couple of days. Besides, your sister will stay by your side and take good care of you."

"Since it's Sister's order, of course I'll listen."

Ling Luochan could not help but freeze.

Since when had her little brother become so obedient?

In her memories, before he fell ill, Ling Tianchen had always been a mischievous little troublemaker who could never sit still.

But... this was nice too.

Whether he was the naughty little brother from before or the well-behaved, sensible little brother he was now, she liked him all the same.

Not long after, Ling An returned to the room with Uncle Zhang.

Uncle Zhang first carefully checked Ling Tianchen's pulse. Then he raised his right hand, and a healing scepter emitting a gentle white glow slowly appeared.

Six perfectly matched soul rings rose in sequence. Dense life energy turned into specks of white light and flowed continuously into Ling Tianchen's body.

As the treatment continued, fine beads of sweat appeared on Uncle Zhang's forehead. He hurriedly withdrew his martial soul, his eyes filled with shock.

Ling Tianchen's body seemed like a bottomless abyss.

No matter how much life force was poured into it, it was swallowed clean in an instant, without causing the slightest ripple.

"City Lord Ling, the young master's body has no issues whatsoever. He only needs to eat normally and rest for a few days to recover completely."

"However..."

Uncle Zhang paused, his expression becoming somewhat strange.

"The young master's ability to absorb life force is truly astonishing. Just now, this old man used nearly all of his healing soul power, yet the life force vanished the moment it entered the young master's body. If this old man had not stopped in time, even my soul power might have been exhausted."

A strange glint flashed through Ling An's eyes as well.

"As long as his body is fine, that is enough. Uncle Zhang, please keep this matter confidential for Tianchen."

Uncle Zhang solemnly nodded.

"Rest assured, City Lord Ling. This old man understands."

With that, he put away his martial soul, cupped his hands in farewell, and left.

"Tianchen, you've turned misfortune into fortune. Although I don't know why this happened, being able to absorb life force so easily at least means your body is far healthier than before."

Ling An smiled.

Ling Tianchen scratched his head and put on an innocent expression.

In truth, he had already formed a guess. It was most likely the Genesis Godhood.

The Genesis Godhood had originally been formed from the source of life itself, and its demand for life force was nearly endless.

The Phoenix Clan's famed rebirth, and even the Phoenix God King's authority to simulate any ability, were all founded upon the power of creation.

Unfortunately, only a small fragment of the godhood remained in his body now.

The life force Uncle Zhang had just supplied was not even enough to fill a crack in its teeth.

To restore it even slightly, he would need a life treasure on the level of Living Gold.

"Growl—"

Ling Tianchen's stomach rumbled at the worst possible moment, making his face flush with embarrassment.

Ling Luochan burst out laughing, and her eyes, red from crying earlier, curved into crescents once more.

"Tianchen, you could only eat liquid food for months on end. You must be starving. Sister will make your favorite dishes right away."

"Luochan, I told you, just have the servants make them."

Shui Wuyue reproached her, but the smile at the corner of her lips made it clear how pleased she was by the siblings' affection.

"I want to. Besides, Tianchen has always liked the food I make best, right?"

Ling Luochan tilted her head toward Ling Tianchen.

"Of course. Sister's cooking is the best."

"Then wait here. Sister will be back soon."

With that, she rose and headed toward the kitchen with light footsteps.

Watching her daughter leave, Shui Wuyue could not help smiling and shaking her head.

"This girl was never this diligent at home before. Only Tianchen can make her willingly enter the kitchen."

Ling An smiled as well.

The gloom that had shrouded the city lord's manor for half a year finally dispersed by more than half with Ling Tianchen's awakening, and the room regained some long-lost warmth.

After several days of rest, and under Ling Luochan's almost meticulous care, Ling Tianchen's body finally recovered completely. The pallor of his face had been replaced by a healthy flush.

Early morning.

Ling Tianchen stood before the bronze mirror in his room, moving his body that had gone so long without exercise.

The boy in the mirror was only six years old. His figure still carried the innocence unique to children, yet the outline of his handsome features was already faintly visible.

His soft, ice-blue short hair fell naturally around his head, its tips slightly upturned and gleaming faintly beneath the morning light.

What drew the most attention were his dark brown eyes.

Their color was deep and clear, like stars in the night sky. They were gentle, yet carried a calmness far beyond his age. Whenever his gaze shifted, a faint sharpness that was difficult to detect would occasionally flash within them.

His fair skin and delicate, well-proportioned features had not fully matured, but one could already imagine that in a few years, he would surely grow into an exceptionally handsome young man.

"Not bad."

Ling Tianchen nodded in satisfaction. It seemed he had inherited his parents' excellent genes.

At that moment, there came three soft knocks on the door.

"Come in."

"Tianchen, everything is ready. It's time to awaken your martial soul."

Ling Luochan poked her head in and waved at him with a smile.

Hearing those words, anticipation immediately flashed in Ling Tianchen's eyes.

It was finally here—the moment that would determine his future destiny.