Twin Netherworld Martial Souls, an Omen That Blotted Out the Sky

"Congratulations, host! You've hit the jackpot! This system is giving you two martial souls to help you conquer the Douluo Continent. Farewell—and we'll never meet again!"

"What the hell, system? What are you playing at? Come back!"

Fang Fan felt his blood surge.

He had finally gotten a system, only for it to hand him a welcome gift and run off the next second.

He shook his head helplessly and hurried to the Spirit Hall Branch, arriving at the martial soul awakening ceremony.

Ahead stood a young man in his twenties, dressed as a deacon. He said gently:

"Next, Fang Fan!"

"Yes!"

Fang Fan stepped forward and looked at the young man. Wasn't that Su Yuntao?

Rumor had it that anyone whose martial soul he awakened had a chance of becoming a god.

Tang San, for instance, who was always talking about "a path to death."

And countless transmigrators had had their martial souls awakened by him too.

"Don't be nervous, little one. Relax and stand in the middle of the black stones."

Su Yuntao lowered his head and instructed the wide-eyed, adorable little boy before him.

Fang Fan did as he was told.

The black stone formation suddenly lit up, enveloping him in light.

He felt warm energy flow into his body.

"Hum..."

Something seemed to awaken inside him.

Two streams of sinister energy shot into the sky.

"Roar!"

"Clang!"

A thunderous tiger's roar and a sword cry that seemed to split the heavens rang out together.

The sight frightened Su Yuntao so badly that he fell flat on his backside,

staring at Fang Fan in shock.

Several children outside burst into tears, and two turned and ran.

The entire village was stunned by the spectacle. Everyone looked up at the two black pillars of light soaring skyward.

The pillars pierced the clouds and became a dark-blue giant tiger and a blood-red longsword.

Both martial souls were enormous, blotting out the sky and radiating a terrifying aura.

"Whoa..."

Cries of astonishment rose all around.

"These... these two martial souls are far too powerful! Did they just cause a celestial phenomenon? Or is it an omen? Some kind of freakish vision?"

Su Yuntao stared blankly at the sky for a long while before he recovered.

He got up and brushed the dust off his backside.

He came over to Fang Fan, his voice trembling with excitement he could barely contain:

"Y-you're little Fang Fan, right?"

"Yes."

"You... you're extraordinary! You have Twin Martial Souls! In all my years as a deacon, you're the first child with Twin Martial Souls I've ever met. A genius like you is one in ten thousand! What are your two martial souls called?"

Su Yuntao was so excited that he stammered, though he kept his tone as gentle as possible.

Fang Fan was a one-in-ten-thousand genius.

As long as he joined Spirit Hall, Su Yuntao would receive a commendation from it,

and a promotion or noble title might even follow.

"One is called the Netherworld Evil Tiger, and the other is the Netherworld Sword!"

Fang Fan thought for a moment before answering.

"Netherworld Evil Tiger—as in 'evil'?"

Su Yuntao took out a pen and wrote it down. Why did both of this little fellow's martial souls have "Netherworld" in their names? They sounded a little sinister.

"That's right!"

Fang Fan nodded. He had never expected the two martial souls the system gave him to be so powerful that their awakening would trigger such a spectacle,

something unprecedented and unlikely ever to happen again.

He was excited too. The system might be gone, but its gift was still a tremendous help.

Farewell, system!

"Good. Next, let's test your Soul Power. Raise your hand, relax, and place it on the crystal."

Su Yuntao smiled, showing his white teeth.

Fang Fan did as instructed and placed his hand on the crystal.

"Hum..." The crystal blazed with dazzling light.

"I-Innate Full Soul Power!!"

Fang Fan's talent stunned Su Yuntao all over again.

Since becoming a deacon and awakening children's martial souls, he had never encountered a child with both Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power.

He had truly hit the jackpot.

Little Fang Fan was his lucky star,

and he had to treat him like one.

"Excellent! Little Fan, would you like to join Spirit Hall? With Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power, you'll definitely catch His Holiness the Pope's eye! You'll be given more resources than you can imagine. You'll soar to the top and become a legendary Titled Douluo, someone who stands above millions!"

Su Yuntao put away the crystal and clasped Fang Fan's small, fair hands tightly in both of his, as if they could lift him to greater heights.

"Hmm..."

Fang Fan paused at his words.

Join Spirit Hall...

Pope Bibi Dong was a lovestruck fool and an ingrate. The future saintess was the same. Like teacher, like student...

Even Bibi Dong's daughter, Qian Renxue, was blinded by love.

Birds of a feather really did flock together.

With those three lovestruck fools in charge, Spirit Hall would fall apart and eventually be destroyed.

Still, Bibi Dong treated her disciple well.

Even after learning Hu Liena had leaked information to Tang San, she forgave her in the end.

Becoming Bibi Dong's disciple wouldn't be a bad choice.

As for facing Tang San and his "path to death" someday, along with his advantages from the God King and Sea God,

Fang Fan wasn't afraid. They both had Twin Martial Souls. Tang San just had the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, hidden weapons, and the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes on top of that.

But Fang Fan had something Tang San didn't—knowledge of the Douluo Continent's future and countless opportunities.

If Tang San came after him, he'd be the one on a path to death.

Of course, Fang Fan would prepare in advance.

Once he was strong enough, he could cut down any enemy who came for him with a single sword stroke.

He wouldn't live a stifled life like the protagonists of other Douluo novels, afraid of this and wary of that.

Since he had transmigrated to the Douluo Continent, he intended to live happily and enjoy himself however he pleased.

"Master Su Yuntao, I'm willing to join Spirit Hall!"

At those words, Su Yuntao broke into a delighted smile and hugged Fang Fan.

"Wonderful! You're an amazing child. You're my benefactor!"

The other children, who had once looked down on him and mocked him, now watched him with envy.

Fang Fan left with Su Yuntao, and they traveled to Notting City.

Su Yuntao took Fang Fan to meet Ma Xiunuo, then sent a message to Spirit Hall by carrier pigeon.

Ordinarily, the message would first go to Heaven Dou Spirit Hall, which would then relay it by carrier pigeon to headquarters.

But regulations allowed matters of exceptional importance to be sent directly to headquarters.

Su Yuntao had even written "Genius with Twin Martial Souls" in red on the envelope.

The letter was quickly fast-tracked into the Papal Palace.

Every year, Spirit Hall sent deacons to villages across the two great empires to awaken children's martial souls for free, all to find talented recruits.

That showed how highly Bibi Dong valued talent.

At the heart of the grand, solemn Papal Palace, a breathtakingly beautiful woman in a purple robe sat on the papal throne, holding a scepter set with a violet gemstone.

She sat perfectly still, yet the invisible pressure she exuded made a temple guard who rushed in afraid to even raise his head. He dropped to one knee.

"Your Holiness, a deacon from the Notting City Spirit Hall Branch has sent a message by carrier pigeon. The envelope says: 'Genius with Twin Martial Souls discovered!'"