I'm a Body Martial Soul?! Not My Body, but My Soul!

Xiao Shenghe caught the unfamiliar term.

According to common knowledge on the Douluo Continent, Martial Souls fell into categories such as Tool Martial Souls, Beast Martial Souls, and Body Martial Souls. But he had never heard of the "Three Souls."

This was clearly a unique mutation born from the collision between the Flame Emperor's bloodline and the Douluo system.

The figure of flame seemed to sense his confusion and explained:

"The Heaven, Earth, and Human Souls correspond to the three treasures of Essence, Qi, and Spirit."

"The Earth Soul governs 'Essence.' It bears the power of bloodline and flesh and commands the might of Heavenly Flames."

"Today, with me as the catalyst, the Earth Soul can finally manifest in this world of Martial Souls."

As those words fell, the entire Flame Star Illusion Realm began to shake violently.

Endless starfire converged on the enormous figure like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

The figure gradually shrank and solidified, finally becoming a strange halo, deep as the starry sky, with an Eternal Undying purple-black flame burning within.

The halo turned slowly, radiating vast energy and supreme majesty that made the soul tremble.

"Focus your mind, still your breath, and open your soul!"

The fiery figure's final words branded themselves directly into the depths of Xiao Shenghe's consciousness.

"Accept my source and endure the agony of Flame Soul Tempering."

"This process is both devouring and fusion."

"Succeed, and your Earth Soul will awaken, your First Soul Ring will form on its own, and you will formally set foot on the Douluo path that belongs to a descendant of the Flame Emperor;

fail, and your soul will scatter. My Core Flame will seek another host."

Xiao Shenghe hesitated no longer.

Fear gave way to the pride and longing deep in his bloodline.

As Xiao Yan's descendant, how could he retreat before a Heavenly Flame?

He thought of his ancestor and the others who had become emperors: their refusal to yield when faced with overwhelming adversity, and their will to endure grueling cultivation for a clear goal.

At this moment, his own goal was perfectly clear—inherit this power!

He sat cross-legged and circulated every scrap of his pitifully faint Soul Power, which carried a trace of an unusual fire attribute. At the same time, he completely released his suppression of the scorching power deep in his bloodline.

"Come on!"

The starfire halo gave a hum that seemed to come from ancient times, became a streak of light, and slammed into the chest of Xiao Shenghe's soul.

Boom—!

"Ugh..."

"Ah..."

"Cough..."

"Ugh, ah! Hold on! I have to... hold on!"

Indescribable pain swept through every part of Xiao Shenghe's consciousness.

It was not physical pain. It felt as though his soul had been cast into the core of a star to be burned, torn apart, and remade.

Purple-black flames burst from within his soul, furiously tempering everything.

His consciousness struggled again and again on the brink of collapse.

Within the illusion realm, stars flared and faded. It felt as though ten million years had passed, yet also as though it had all happened in an instant.

Just as Xiao Shenghe felt his consciousness about to vanish into the flames completely, the pain ebbed like a receding tide.

A warm, immense power brimming with boundless vitality surged from the depths of his soul.

The purple-black flames became gentle and familiar, flowing through his soul as readily as he could move his own limbs.

He "saw" a slowly rotating purple-black flame mark where the heart of his soul should be. At its center, a dazzling point like a star burned quietly.

At the same time, the phantom of a Soul Ring marked with three circles of strange purple-gold patterns rose from beneath his feet, pulsing.

Within the Soul Ring, stars were born and died and Heavenly Flames flowed, holding the twin visions of destruction and new life.

The Earth Soul had awakened!

The First Soul Ring had formed!

In the real world.

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves of the old tree in the courtyard, scattering dappled light across the flagstones.

The little courtyard was quiet. Only the rustle of leaves in the breeze could be heard, along with...

A child's breathing, deliberately hushed but still unable to hide its impatience.

"Hmm? The boy's finally stirring. It's been nearly two hours, hasn't it? He's still not done..."

A seasoned voice rang out, carrying a trace of helpless affection.

Chen Xin leaned against the stone table in the courtyard. He appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, but his spiritual awareness had remained fixed on Xiao Shenghe, who sat cross-legged nearby with his eyes shut.

An extremely faint purple-black glow lingered around Xiao Shenghe, almost too faint to notice. His aura waxed and waned; he was at some critical juncture.

"He's made our precious Rongrong worry herself sick waiting."

As Chen Xin spoke, he gently lifted Ning Rongrong, the little girl beside him in a pale green dress, onto his lap. Her face was scrunched up, and she kept stamping her feet.

He affectionately rubbed his slightly stubbly cheek against Ning Rongrong's soft pink one.

"Grandpa Sword!"

The stubble tickled Ning Rongrong, and she squirmed, but her attention immediately returned to Xiao Shenghe. She pouted so hard an oil bottle could have hung from her lip.

"Why hasn't Brother He woken up yet? He promised to help me feed the new koi in the pond today! He's breaking his promise!"

Chen Xin chuckled and ruffled Ning Rongrong's hair.

"Your Brother He isn't sleeping in. Didn't your father tell you? His constitution is special, and he's practicing a... well, a very unusual art. This is what happens when he reaches a crucial point."

He avoided terms like "Martial Soul Awakening" and "Soul Power mutation," which would only confuse seven-year-old Rongrong further, and put it in simpler terms.

In truth, even he and Ning Fengzhi knew little about the power inside Xiao Shenghe, which was scorching one moment and deep as the starry sky the next. They knew only that it came from his late, mysterious parents.

"An unusual art?" Ning Rongrong blinked her big eyes and asked curiously, "Is it even stronger than Grandpa Sword's Seven Kill Sword?"

"Well..."

Chen Xin paused at the question, then laughed.

"Whether something is strong depends on who uses it and how. Your Brother He's 'art' takes a wild path. It's nothing like the methods of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, or even the cultivation methods most Soul Masters on the continent use."

He recalled the flash of heat and pressure he had sensed a few days earlier, fleeting yet enough to make even his heart quiver. His eyes narrowed.

The son of an old friend, with a mysterious past and a talent more unfathomable still.

Just then—

"Ah!"

A short cry broke the courtyard's stillness.

It came from Xiao Shenghe inside the room.

"What kind of Soul Ring is that?!"

Chen Xin opened the door. Xiao Shenghe's body gave a violent shudder, and the purple-black glow around him suddenly contracted, sinking entirely into his body.

An unnatural flush rushed over his small, slightly pale face, then quickly faded. Calm returned to his features, though fine beads of sweat covered his forehead.

His long lashes fluttered a few times, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Deep in those once-clear black eyes, a tiny purple-black star seemed to flash and vanish, so quickly it might have been an illusion.

"Something's wrong!"

Chen Xin sprang to his feet, his white robes stirring without wind. He stared fixedly at the Soul Ring, open shock appearing for the first time on his usually unruffled face.

"A mutated Soul Ring? I've never heard of such a thing!"