Four Choices, Three Options Each: A Heavenly Start

Notting City.

Spirit Hall Branch.

As he watched child after child awaken useless martial souls and leave in disappointment, Lu Yuan felt somewhat uneasy.

He had been transported to the Douluo Continent for six years.

His parents had both been low-level Soul Masters in their twenties or thirties, serving together as teachers at Notting Academy.

They had possessed ordinary talent. Without a golden finger or a mutation in his martial soul, he too might have lived out his life in mediocrity.

Thinking of this, Lu Yuan silently sighed.

When he was three, his father had broken through Rank 30. His parents had entered the Great Star Dou Forest together and never returned.

Such was the sorrow of low-level Soul Masters.

Only by relying on the meager savings his parents had accumulated through years of teaching had he avoided starving to death on the streets.

"Next, Lu Yuan."

After sending off the child before him, Su Yuntao called his name.

"Okay, Uncle Su Yuntao."

Lu Yuan pushed aside his thoughts and walked straight to the center of the awakening formation formed by six black stones.

"Don't be nervous. Close your eyes and feel carefully."

Su Yuntao, now in his wolf-man form, guided him patiently.

As soon as he spoke, Su Yuntao thrust out both hands, and six faint green lights swiftly flowed into the black stones on the ground.

The six black stones suddenly released a layer of golden radiance, forming a barrier that enveloped Lu Yuan.

Warm energy surged into his body. Just as Lu Yuan anxiously awaited his martial soul, an icy, mechanical electronic voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

[Detected that you are undergoing martial soul awakening. Activating four choices, three options each.]

[Choose one of three martial souls and character talents.]

1. [Sky-Propelling Spear: Yun Ming's talent, Sky-Propelling Nine Styles.]

2. [Spirit Eye: Huo Yuhao's talent, Haodong's Three Ultimates.]

3. [Clear Sky Hammer: Tang Chen's talent, Chaos Cloak Hammer Technique, Clear Sky Nine Ultimates, Great Sumeru Hammer.]

Looking at the three options appearing in the void, Lu Yuan froze for a moment, then excitement welled up within him.

So he had a golden finger too!

He looked over the three choices.

He could forget about the Clear Sky Hammer.

Although the Clear Sky Hammer paired with Tang Chen's talent was decent, it might bring trouble from the Clear Sky Clan. Besides, he did not like using hammers.

The crucial choices were the first two.

Huo Yuhao had been the protagonist of the second part. His innate martial soul was powerful as well, and he had Haodong's Three Ultimates, those sinister self-created soul skills. It truly looked quite good.

But why was there no Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion?

Then again, the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion had been a martial soul acquired later, not one he had been born with.

In that case, this was Huo Yuhao's basic template, without all his adventures and cheats.

If he chose it, it had better not give him innate soul power of only Rank 1.

Lu Yuan's expression turned strange as he quietly shook his head.

Without the favor of the plane, he had better not blindly copy Huo Yuhao's basic template.

The first option was the Sky-Propelling Spear and Yun Ming's talent.

Yun Ming had been the Sea God Pavilion Master in the third part, an unparalleled genius who had created a demigod-level position. This was the only reliably safe choice.

"I choose one."

Lu Yuan made his final choice.

[Choose one of three powerful martial souls.]

1. [Boundless seas, embracing all rivers: Sea God.]

2. [Become the earth itself, shake mountains and rivers with strength: Mountain Dragon King.]

3. [The ice dragon spreads its wings, freezing the mortal world: Ice Dragon King (Rock Kingdom version).]

"Did something strange get mixed in there?" Lu Yuan's eyes lit up.

He had no idea how powerful the Rock Kingdom version of the Ice Dragon King was, but it should be more tempting than the other two.

"I choose three."

After hesitating for only a second, Lu Yuan made his choice.

[Choose one of three external soul bones.]

1. [Eight Spider Lances.]

2. [Dark Gold Terrorclaw.]

3. [Ice Dragon Wings.]

"I choose three."

Once his strength improved, he could hunt soul beasts for the Eight Spider Lances and Dark Gold Terrorclaw.

The Ice Dragon Wings clearly sounded like a matching set with the Ice Dragon King. The other two could not compare at all.

[Choose one of three absolutely loyal protectors.]

1. [Rank 97 Cyan Shadow Douluo Song Yunzhi.]

2. [Rank 97 Dragon Butterfly Douluo Tang Wutong.]

3. [Rank 97 Evil Phoenix Douluo Feng Ling.]

He could even choose a protector?

Lu Yuan was delighted.

Song Yunzhi was Elder Song of the Sea God Pavilion from the second part. Her martial soul was the Cyan Shadow Divine Hawk, and she was an old woman, so she was immediately ruled out.

Feng Ling was the vice leader of the Holy Ghost Church. Her martial soul was the Evil Phoenix, and she was an evil Soul Master. With Spirit Hall existing in this era, she simply could not gain a foothold. There was no need to choose her.

Lu Yuan silently muttered in his heart, I choose two.

Tang Wutong was the female lead of the second part and Tang San's daughter. Her martial souls were the Radiant Dragon God Butterfly and the Clear Sky Hammer. Compared to the other two, she was undoubtedly the better choice. At the very least, she looked younger.

The other two were far too old!

Women were not wine—the older they got, the better they became!

[You have made all four choices. Within two days, your protector will arrive to report in with the external soul bone.]

The instant the mechanical voice fell silent in his mind, a terrifying aura erupted from Lu Yuan's body.

Something seemed about to burst forth from his right palm and behind his back.

"No, I can't expose the Ice Dragon King for now."

Lu Yuan forcibly suppressed the phenomenon of the Ice Dragon King that was about to manifest, forcing that extremely cold aura back into his body.

As for the martial soul that had not been suppressed, it naturally appeared from his right palm.

It was a great spear flowing with a faint incandescent glow. Its shaft was nearly transparent, while its spearhead was exceptionally long.

"Th-This... what kind of spear martial soul is that? Its aura looks incredibly powerful."

Su Yuntao stared intently at the spear.

After awakening martial souls for more than a decade, this was the first time he had seen one so extraordinary.

Lu Yuan said, "Sky-Propelling Spear."

"Sky-Propelling Spear? Child, quickly test your innate soul power."

Su Yuntao hurriedly handed the crystal ball to Lu Yuan, unable to conceal the excitement in his voice.

Lu Yuan raised one hand and placed it against the crystal ball.

The next moment, the crystal ball erupted with dazzling light, illuminating the entire awakening room.

A sharp gleam flashed through Su Yuntao's eyes, and his face filled with wild joy. "Innate full soul power! And such a powerful spear martial soul too, completely different from Blue Silver Grass!"

He turned to Lu Yuan and sincerely invited him. "Child, are you willing to join Spirit Hall?"

"If you are willing to join our Spirit Hall, I can recommend you to Spirit City.

With your talent, you might even become the disciple of a legendary Titled Douluo.

You will no longer have to worry about money or resources, and your path ahead will be completely unobstructed."

Lu Yuan shook his head. "Sorry, Uncle Su Yuntao. I want to train at a Soul Master academy outside. I hope you can understand."

If he had not had a protector, Spirit Hall truly would have been a good place to go.

But now that he had a protector, would it not be better to live freely?

Joining Spirit Hall would only leave him constrained.

Su Yuntao stiffened, not expecting the child to refuse him outright. Still unwilling to give up, he continued persuading him. "Won't you really reconsider?"

"Uncle Su Yuntao, thank you for your kindness, but I truly do not want to join Spirit Hall right now."

Lu Yuan's attitude was extremely firm.

"Ah, fine. I'll issue you a martial soul certificate."

Su Yuntao sighed. "If you change your mind and want to join Spirit Hall, you can come find me anytime."

"Okay. Thank you, Uncle."

"What a fine child."

Su Yuntao quietly sighed to himself.