Awakening in Dire Straits, the System Descends

Skywood Village lay roughly a hundred li east of Heavenly Phoenix City. It had once been a peaceful village that made its living by harvesting the unique "Ironheart Wood" from the Blackwood Forest behind it. Ironheart Wood was as hard as iron and an excellent material for crafting low-grade soul tools and furniture. It was also a modest but steady source of income for the Li Family.

However, three days earlier, the Li Family steward team sent to Skywood Village to collect the quarterly tribute, along with a Soul Elder clansman from the village who had been sent to Heavenly Phoenix City to report the news, had all vanished without a trace. This abnormal situation immediately alarmed the Li Family's upper ranks. At such a sensitive time, with the Qiu Family watching them like tigers eyeing prey, even the slightest disturbance could signal a greater conspiracy.

In the end, after the family reached a decision, the young master, Li Xuansheng, personally led the investigation. On one hand, it was meant to temper the family's future heir. On the other, Li Xuansheng's strength as a level 49 Soul Ancestor, combined with his mutated top-tier martial soul, the Divine Phoenix Halberd, was enough to handle most unexpected situations. To ensure nothing went wrong, the family had also sent Gu Yi, an offering of the Hall of Offerings, along as protection.

Gu Yi was a level 87 Soul Douluo with the Gale-Splitting Eagle martial soul. He excelled in speed and offense and was one of the more reliable outside experts recruited by the Li Family. He was fiercely loyal to them.

The group of more than ten people, led by Li Xuansheng and Gu Yi, rode at full speed and arrived outside Skywood Village around noon the following day.

Before they even entered the village, an ominous premonition settled in Li Xuansheng's heart. It was too quiet. It was midday, yet there was no cooking smoke, no barking dogs, and even the birdsong was pitifully sparse. Only the mournful howl of the wind blowing through the Blackwood Forest made the place feel especially desolate.

"Careful. Something's wrong." Gu Yi's expression was grave. Far more experienced than Li Xuansheng, he keenly sensed a faint but pervasive killing intent in the air. He signaled for the group to spread out into a defensive formation while positioning himself in front of Li Xuansheng, quietly circulating his soul power.

Li Xuansheng nodded and took a deep breath as soul power slowly flowed through his body. Though his Divine Phoenix Halberd had not yet been summoned, a scorching, razor-sharp aura had already begun to emerge around him. He waved a hand, and two Li Family guards cautiously stepped forward, pushing open the heavy village gate made of Ironheart Wood, which stood slightly ajar.

The sight beyond the gate made everyone's hearts sink instantly into an abyss.

Dozens of corpses lay scattered across the open ground within the village. Some were Li Family stewards sent earlier, dressed in standard Li Family uniforms. They had died horribly, most killed in a single blow, with chilling soul power fluctuations lingering around their wounds. Even more were villagers from Skywood Village—men, women, the elderly... even several children. Terror and despair had frozen on their faces. Clearly, they had been slaughtered without any ability to resist. Among them was the level 35 Soul Elder clansman who had come to report the news. He lay closest to the village entrance, as though he had tried to fight his way out to send word, only to be mercilessly intercepted and killed.

Blood had soaked into the earth, and a thick, nauseating stench of blood filled the air.

"Bastards!" A young Li Family guard's eyes nearly split with rage as he cursed aloud. Those who had died were not just villagers. There were also clansmen who shared his bloodline.

Li Xuansheng felt an icy chill shoot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, rage and cold interweaving within him. He had experienced family strife and sparred with others before, but this was the first time he had personally witnessed such a brutal massacre targeting commoners and clansmen alike.

"Young Master, it's the Qiu Family's Bone-Eroding Force!" Gu Yi crouched to inspect the wound on one of the Li Family stewards, his expression turning exceptionally ugly. "This is a sinister soul skill cultivated only by core Qiu Family disciples. We've fallen into a trap. This is an ambush!"

The moment his words fell, a sinister voice, like the cry of a night owl, rang out from every direction in the village, carrying a teeth-grinding mockery.

"Hehehe... Not a slow reaction, Old Eagle Gu. Unfortunately, realizing it only now is far too late."

A powerful soul power pressure surged in like a tide, instantly enveloping all of Skywood Village. The sky itself seemed to dim, and the air grew viscous, making it hard to breathe.

Li Xuansheng grunted, feeling as if a massive boulder were crushing his chest. Even circulating his soul power became sluggish. The guards around him fared even worse. Several of the weaker ones went pale at once, blood spilling from the corners of their mouths.

Gu Yi suddenly stepped forward. His level 87 Soul Douluo soul power erupted in full, azure soul power gathering behind him into the phantom of a massive eagle as he tried to withstand the terrifying pressure. He stared fixedly at the crown of the largest Ironheart Wood tree at the village entrance, his voice carrying a hint of incredulous horror.

"Qiu Wanhe! It's actually you!"

An old man in a dark-purple robe had appeared atop the tree canopy at some unknown moment. His face was withered, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. Nine soul rings revolved around him—two yellow, two purple, and five black! The nine soul rings of the optimal configuration slowly pulsed, and the terrifying aura of a Titled Douluo emanated from him.

Qiu Wanhe, one of the Qiu Family's core elders, a level 94 assault-type Titled Douluo, known as the Bone-Eroding Douluo!

"For a mere Skywood Village, you actually had the Bone-Eroding Douluo personally lay this ambush?" Gu Yi's heart sank to rock bottom. He knew there would be no peaceful resolution today. The other side had deployed a Titled Douluo. Their target was certainly not just this small team; they had most likely come for Li Xuansheng, the Li Family's young master!

"The Li Family brat has decent talent. I hear he even has twin martial souls?" Qiu Wanhe licked his lips, his greedy and cruel gaze locking onto Li Xuansheng. "Strangling a genius, especially one from an enemy family, is always delightful. As for you, Gu Yi, you're merely an ant I'll crush in passing."

"Take the young master and go!" Gu Yi roared, immediately burning his own soul power. His aura surged again, and his seventh soul ring suddenly shone. "Seventh soul skill, Martial Soul Avatar!"

The enormous Gale-Splitting Eagle gave a shriek that pierced metal and stone. Its body expanded further as it charged toward Qiu Wanhe atop the tree with a desperate resolve. At the same time, the eighth soul ring behind him lit up as well. Clearly, he was prepared to risk everything to buy Li Xuansheng a sliver of survival.

"Grandpa Gu!" Li Xuansheng cried out.

"Go!" Gu Yi roared without looking back, his voice hoarse. "Remember this—live! Tell the family head that the Qiu Family... has torn away all pretenses!"

"Trying to leave? Too late!" Qiu Wanhe gave a cold laugh. His figure moved, vanishing from where he stood like a ghost. In the next instant, he appeared before Gu Yi's Martial Soul Avatar, his fifth soul ring flashing. "Fifth soul skill, Bone-Eroding Ghost Hand!"

A gigantic purple-black ghostly hand formed from chilling soul power appeared out of thin air, carrying an aura that corroded everything as it clawed toward the Gale-Splitting Eagle.

Boom—!

The two powerful figures collided in an instant, their soul power exploding outward and destroying all the surrounding houses and trees.

Li Xuansheng's eyes reddened. He knew Gu Yi was using his life to buy time for them. Suppressing his grief and rage, he grabbed the guard beside him, who was still standing there in shock. "We're leaving!"

The remaining seven or eight Li Family guards came to their senses as well. They surrounded Li Xuansheng and fled for their lives toward the Blackwood Forest beyond the village.

However, the moment they rushed out of the village and entered the edge of the Blackwood Forest, dense sounds of air splitting and battle cries rang out from both sides.

"Kill them! Leave none alive!"

Dozens of soul masters wearing Qiu Family attire charged out of the forest. At their head were two Soul Sages, while the others were mostly Soul Emperors and Soul Kings. They had clearly been lying in ambush here for quite some time.

"Protect the young master!" The Li Family guards charged forward with red-rimmed eyes, fearless in the face of death.

Battle erupted in an instant. The light of soul skills flashed wildly among the trees, while explosions, clashing weapons, and screams rang out without end.

Li Xuansheng gripped the Divine Phoenix Halberd, its shaft burning with golden flames. With one sweep, he sent a Qiu Family Soul King charging toward him flying along with his martial soul. His strength far surpassed those of the same rank, and the Divine Phoenix Halberd was overwhelmingly powerful. For a short time, no one could get close to him.

But there were simply too many enemies, and their overall strength exceeded theirs. One Li Family guard after another fell, their blood staining the soil of the Blackwood Forest red.

Li Xuansheng fought as he retreated, several wounds appearing on his body as well. Anxiety gnawed at him. He had no idea how Gu Yi was faring, while the encirclement before him only grew tighter and tighter.

Just as he exerted himself to repel an attack from one Soul Sage, when his old strength had faded and new strength had yet to arise, a deadly sense of danger suddenly struck from behind!

It was the other Soul Sage. He had silently slipped behind Li Xuansheng, a poisoned dagger in hand thrusting straight toward Li Xuansheng's heart from the back!

"Young Master, watch out!" The nearest Li Family guard roared, throwing himself behind Li Xuansheng without hesitation.

Squelch!

The dagger pierced through the guard's chest.

"Li Tong!" Li Xuansheng's eyes nearly burst from rage.

The guard named Li Tong used the last of his strength to seize that Soul Sage in a desperate embrace, shouting at Li Xuansheng, "Go... Young Master... you must... live..."

Boom! The Soul Sage shattered Li Tong's corpse.

Watching his clansman die for him, Li Xuansheng felt his mind buzz. An indescribable sorrow and fury surged straight into the depths of his soul. At the same time, somewhere in the deepest recesses of his spiritual world, a shackle that had long been sealed away seemed to be struck by those extreme emotions and shattered with a resounding crash!

Countless chaotic, immense fragments of memory poured into his consciousness like floodwaters bursting through a collapsed dam.

That was... another world?

Skyscrapers, streams of traffic, a planet called "Blue Star," a nation named "Huaxia"... He had been a young man who had just graduated from university, driven by a love of history and joining the provincial archaeological institute where his mentor worked... His greatest hobby had been immersing himself in the bizarre worlds built by all kinds of web novels in his spare time... Douluo Continent... He had even joked with his colleagues about which character he would summon if he ever transmigrated...

Then came that archaeological accident... While exploring a newly discovered ancient tomb, the burial chamber had collapsed without warning... Massive stones fell, and everything went black...

And then... he had been reborn into this world resembling Douluo Continent, becoming the Li Family's young master and living here for fourteen years... Until this moment, at the brink of life and death, under that extreme stimulation, the memories of his past and present lives completely fused!

And at the very instant those memories fused and his consciousness wavered—

[ Ding! The host's mental threshold has reached the critical point. The soul origin is stable and meets the binding requirements... ]

[ Douluo Summoning System binding has begun... ]

[ 10%... 50%... 100%! ]

[ Binding successful! Hello, Host. I am the Douluo Summoning System. I am pleased to serve you. ]

[ It has been detected that this is the host's first binding. A beginner gift pack has been issued to the system space. Please claim it. ]

A cold, mechanical electronic voice rang clearly from the depths of his mind.

Li Xuansheng jolted. The memories of his past life and the circumstances of this life became clear in an instant. He did not panic in the slightest. As an experienced web novel reader, he understood his situation almost immediately—standard transmigrator package. His cheat had arrived! And there was even a beginner gift pack!

"System?" he urgently called out in his mind.

[ Present. ] The cold electronic voice replied.

"Open the beginner gift pack! Now!" Li Xuansheng inwardly roared as he instinctively swung the Divine Phoenix Halberd to block an incoming soul skill. This was his only hope!

[ Ding! Beginner gift pack opened successfully! ]

[ Congratulations, Host. You have obtained: ]

[ 1. Summoning Points: 200! ]

[ 2. Level 96–98 Summoning Card ×1! ]

[ 3. One free forced renaming/bloodline addition opportunity! (Limited to this summon only) ]

A level 96–98 Summoning Card! Li Xuansheng's heart shook violently! Qiu Wanhe, whom Gu Yi had only barely held back at the cost of his life, was merely level 94. With a Super Douluo above level 96, the crisis before him could be resolved in an instant!

"System, what functions do you have? How does summoning work?" He forcefully suppressed his excitement and asked quickly.

[ This system can consume Summoning Points to summon characters from the Douluo Continent series of novels and related derivative works. Summoned characters are absolutely loyal to the host. ]

[ The summoned character's strength is determined by the system. Their identity will be rationalized after arrival. ]

[ Summoning Points can be obtained through completing missions, increasing the host's level, killing, occupying territory, subduing forces, and other methods. ]

[ Current summoning level: Level 1. Summonable soul power levels: level 91–94 Titled Douluo. Cost per summon: 150 Summoning Points. ]

[ The host may use a Summoning Card for a designated-range summon, unaffected by summoning level restrictions. ]

[ Additional function: By consuming one-third of the Summoning Points required for the corresponding summoning level, the host may forcibly add the 'Li Bloodline' to a summoned character or change their name. ]

The system concisely introduced its core functions.

"Show me my attributes!" Li Xuansheng ordered without hesitation.

A pale-blue screen that only he could see instantly unfolded before his eyes:

· Host: Li Xuansheng

· Age: 14

· Soul Power: Level 49

· Martial Souls: Divine Phoenix Halberd (primary), Heavenly Heart Ring (secondary—hidden)

· Soul Rings: Purple, Purple, Purple, Black

· Summoning Points: 200

· Summoning Level: 1 (0/5)

· Items: Level 96–98 Summoning Card ×1, Free Forced Renaming/Bloodline Addition Opportunity ×1

· Missions:

· Main Mission · Family's Rise (Incomplete)

· Side Mission · Survival in Dire Straits (New): Survive Qiu Wanhe and his subordinates' pursuit. Reward: 200 Summoning Points.

In the brief moment he spent checking his attributes, every Li Family guard at his side had already fallen. Only he remained, surrounded by two Soul Sages and more than ten Soul Emperors and Soul Kings. Farther away, in the direction of the village entrance, a world-shaking explosion rang out, followed by Gu Yi's unwilling cry of anguish. Then, the powerful aura belonging to the Gale-Splitting Eagle rapidly extinguished like a candle flame in the wind...

Grandpa Gu... had sacrificed himself too.

Endless grief and killing intent welled up in Li Xuansheng's heart, but he forced himself to calm down. The keen observation and logical thinking cultivated through his archaeological work in his past life came into play at this moment.

"System, do you have any scouting skills? Can I view the enemies' specific information?" As he tightly gripped the Divine Phoenix Halberd and warily watched the slowly advancing enemies, he rapidly asked in his mind.

[ The host may use the basic scouting skill free of charge. ] The system responded.

"Activate scouting! Scan every enemy around me!" Li Xuansheng immediately ordered.

At his thought, data rapidly refreshed across the pale-blue screen, locking onto every Qiu Family soul master present:

· Target 1: Qiu Wanhe

· Identity: Core Elder of the Qiu Family

· Soul Power: Level 94

· Martial Soul: Bone-Eroding Ghost Hand

· Title: Bone-Eroding Douluo

· Soul Rings: Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Black, Black

· Status: Lightly injured (approximately forty percent soul power expended), killing intent locked onto the host.

· Threat Level: Extremely High (Fatal)

· Target 2: Qiu Lie

· Identity: Qiu Family Steward

· Soul Power: Level 78

· Martial Soul: Flame Blade

· Soul Rings: White, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Purple, Black, Black

· Status: Uninjured, battle intent high.

· Threat Level: High

· Target 3: Qiu Han

· Identity: Qiu Family Steward

· Soul Power: Level 76

· Martial Soul: Ice Palm

· Soul Rings: Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black

· Status: Uninjured, aura chilling.

· Threat Level: High

· Targets 4 through 17: Qiu Family Soul Masters (Soul Emperor and Soul King level)

· Soul Power Levels: Between level 58 and level 68

· Martial Souls: Various tool martial souls and beast martial souls

· Soul Ring Configurations: Uneven, mostly not optimal configurations.

· Status: Uninjured, forming an encirclement.

· Threat Level: Medium (High collective threat)

Looking over the scouting results, Li Xuansheng's thoughts raced. Though Qiu Wanhe was lightly injured and had consumed considerable strength, his level 94 power could still easily crush Li Xuansheng. The encirclement formed by two Soul Sages and more than ten mid- to high-level soul masters was likewise impossible for him to break through at his current strength.

Fighting head-on meant certain death.

His only chance of survival lay in the Summoning Card from the beginner gift pack!

He hesitated no longer. His consciousness sank into the system space and locked onto the card flowing with dazzling light.

"System, use the level 96–98 Summoning Card! At the same time, use the free opportunity to add the Li Bloodline to the summoned character!" Li Xuansheng roared inwardly. He had to ensure the powerful figure he summoned would be completely bound to the Li Family!

[ Ding! Level 96–98 Summoning Card used successfully! Beginning random summon... ]

[ Summoning... ]

[ Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have successfully summoned a level 98 assault-type Super Douluo—Chen Jianjun! ]

[ Identity rationalization: He is the protector of a hidden Li Family branch. He has traveled abroad for years in search of a breakthrough. Sensing the young master's crisis, he has come to rescue him! ]

[ Li Bloodline added successfully! Chen Jianjun has automatically acknowledged himself as a member of the Li clan! ]

Almost the instant the system prompt ended, an indescribably sharp aura erupted from the depths of the Blackwood Forest, like an ancient god awakening from slumber!

That aura was sharp, pure, and domineering! It seemed capable of severing every obstacle in the world, as though even space itself would be torn apart by it!

Qiu Wanhe, who had been steadily advancing in victory, abruptly changed expression. His charging figure came to a forced halt as he stared in horror toward the source of the aura. The Qiu Family soul masters surrounding Li Xuansheng felt as though invisible swords had been pressed against their throats. One by one, their faces turned deathly pale, their soul power circulation became uneven, and even the martial souls in their hands began to tremble.

Buzz—!

A clear sword cry rang through heaven and earth.

In the next moment, a figure appeared in front of Li Xuansheng as though teleporting.

He was an old man in blue robes, his features ancient and unadorned. His gentle eyes contained an indescribable depth of hardship and sharpness. He was not particularly tall, yet standing there, he seemed to be the center of the entire world. No dazzling soul rings appeared around him, but the restrained sword intent that was powerful enough to make heaven and earth lose their color already explained everything.

He first glanced at Li Xuansheng behind him, who looked somewhat bedraggled but still had determined eyes. He gave a slight nod, a trace of an elder's concern and gratification flashing through his gaze. Then he turned around and calmly looked toward Qiu Wanhe, who faced him as though confronting a great enemy.

"Li Family, Chen Jianjun." The old man spoke calmly. His voice was not loud, yet it entered everyone's ears with unquestionable authority. "Those who harm my young master will die."

As his words fell, a three-foot-long sword, utterly clear and seemingly condensed from endless killing intent and righteous force, silently floated at his side. Nine soul rings slowly emerged along its blade—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, and red!

The optimal soul ring configuration, especially that final blood-red hundred-thousand-year soul ring, delivered such a visual impact and spiritual pressure that every member of the Qiu Family present—including the level 94 Qiu Wanhe—felt their hearts skip a beat!

"Seven Kill Sword?!" Qiu Wanhe's voice trembled uncontrollably, the savage grin on his face long replaced by boundless terror. "Impossible! How could the Li Family still have someone like you..."

Chen Jianjun gave him no chance to spout any more nonsense. He merely held two fingers together like a sword and lightly slashed them toward Qiu Wanhe.

"Eighth Soul Skill, Move Mountains and Fill Seas."

There was no earth-shattering display, only an utterly condensed streak of black sword light that seemed capable of swallowing even light itself. It silently tore through space and appeared before Qiu Wanhe in an instant.

Qiu Wanhe was terrified out of his wits. Burning his soul power, he frantically activated his Ninth Soul Skill, expanding the Bone-Eroding Ghost Hand to its limit in an attempt to block it.

Sshk—!

Like a hot knife through butter.

His Ninth Soul Skill, containing the power of his entire life, was as fragile as paper before that seemingly inconspicuous streak of black sword light. It was cleaved in two, while the sword light continued onward without losing momentum.

"No—!" Qiu Wanhe let out a despairing, unwilling howl.

Blood burst forth!

(End of Chapter One)