Douluo Continent, an unknown valley.
Colorful clouds drifted across the sky on the wind, while enormous skeletons towered over the ground below.
These skeletons radiated an ancient, domineering aura, as though they had endured countless ages.
In life, they had been divine beasts on par with gods.
"Waaah!"
Suddenly, a human infant's cry rang out, breaking the valley's silence.
A dazzling column of dark purple light shot skyward from the source of the sound, instantly scattering the colorful clouds overhead.
"Roar..."
A series of roars echoed through the valley.
Seven-colored light surged in from every direction, rushing toward the dark purple pillar.
Through the haze, a seven-colored phantom seemed to be swallowed by the phantom of an unknown nine-headed creature, which finally became a twelve-headed phantom.
At last, the phantom vanished, and the dark purple pillar gradually receded.
"Waaah..."
The human infant's cries still echoed through the valley.
Time slipped by, though there was no telling how much had passed.
Crack!
A spatial rift opened high in the sky.
Then silver light flashed, and a graceful silver figure stepped out of the rift.
She wore a long silver dress, her long silver hair flowing down her back to her waist, with a texture like silver crystal.
Though a sheer silver veil covered her face, it was still possible to glimpse a beauty beyond the power of words to describe.
Especially unforgettable were her beautiful eyes, like purple gemstones, clear and translucent.
The woman's beauty eclipsed the entire valley.
"A human?"
Her crimson lips parted slightly, her voice cool and melodious, with a hint of puzzlement.
Her purple gemstone eyes turned toward the valley's heart, immediately spotting the human infant lying there.
She fell silent for a long moment.
Then she raised her delicate hand and beckoned gently, drawing the infant through the air toward her.
He was a human baby boy, completely naked.
Surprisingly, the boy stopped crying when he saw her, staring straight at her with his dark purple eyes.
The two simply stared at each other, wide eyes meeting small ones.
"This is..."
The woman instinctively sensed the power within the baby boy, and a flicker of shock crossed her purple eyes.
Then she cradled him in her arms, and her figure flickered before vanishing from the valley.
With their departure, the valley returned to silence. It seemed completely intact, but in truth, it had lost some measure of its divinity.
Six years later.
Star Dou Great Forest, the Lake of Life.
On a huge, bare rock beside the lake lay a black-haired, purple-eyed boy, a blade of blue silver grass dangling from his mouth.
Sunlight spilled down, falling right across his face and accentuating his languid air.
"Six years..."
Gu Yunxiao raised his hand and looked at the sun through his fingers, thinking to himself, Before I knew it, six years had passed since I came to this world.
Yes, Gu Yunxiao was not a native of Douluo Continent, but a transmigrator.
Six years ago, his body had undergone a process akin to reversing age, regressing into an infant as he transmigrated to Douluo Continent.
He had been lucky enough to be adopted by the Silver Dragon King, whose wisdom astounded the world, and had lived in Star Dou Great Forest ever since, never wanting for food or clothing.
The good news: I transmigrated.
The bad news: this isn't the world of Douluo I. It's the world of Douluo II.
Gu Yunxiao sighed inwardly, helplessness written across his face.
Douluo II was a hellish starting point. Not only did evil soul masters wreak havoc on the world, but a lofty God King also manipulated the fates of all living beings.
Whether commoners or geniuses, everyone could only struggle to stay alive.
The Silver Dragon King probably adopted me because there's something special about me.
I just don't know how long that special quality can protect me, or whether it'll turn out to be a blessing or a curse.
From the moment the Silver Dragon King adopted him, Gu Yunxiao had known there must be something special about him.
That meant he was destined never to spend his life drifting through this world in mediocrity.
The only question now was just how special that "special quality" of his really was.
If it was merely somewhat special, he could only become a pawn in someone else's hands.
If it was special enough to defy heaven, he would qualify to become a player himself, likewise using all living beings as pieces to challenge a certain lofty existence.
I wonder if I can awaken a martial soul.
Gu Yunxiao rubbed his smooth chin, deep in thought. I should be able to, right? If I don't even have a martial soul, wouldn't I be completely worthless?
Since I caught the Silver Dragon King's eye, there must be something of value in me.
There shouldn't be any surprises with my martial soul awakening.
Gu Yunxiao was not particularly worried about whether he could awaken a martial soul.
What truly worried him was what kind of martial soul he would awaken.
Whether he became a fallen genius or stunned the world with his first cry would all depend on today.
Hum!
Just then, a spatial rift opened beside Gu Yunxiao.
Amid a flash of black light, a tall, powerfully built man standing two meters high stepped out.
His face was imposing, his presence commanding.
His black hair fell to his shoulders, with a single golden streak among the dark strands, making for a rather unusual sight.
"Uncle Tian."
Seeing the newcomer, Gu Yunxiao immediately sat up on the rock, a smile appearing on his face.
Di Tian nodded slightly and said calmly, "Yunxiao, it's about time. Come with me. I'll take you to awaken your martial soul."
"All right."
Gu Yunxiao answered and jumped down from the rock.
With a casual grab, Di Tian took Gu Yunxiao and teleported away, arriving in a secluded valley from which the surrounding soul beasts had already been driven out.
Gu Yunxiao vaguely remembered that this should have been the territory of a clan led by a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
Now Di Tian had commandeered it as the site of his martial soul awakening. That was extravagance indeed.
"Your martial soul awakening might cause quite a commotion, so I brought you here to keep you as far from human territory as possible."
Di Tian turned to look at Gu Yunxiao and explained.
"Oh."
Gu Yunxiao nodded.
Di Tian wasted no time. He casually took out six golden stones and guided them to circle Gu Yunxiao before slowly descending.
Finally, the golden stones shone, lines of light linking them to form a six-pointed star array.
"Rise!"
Di Tian shouted, an astonishing aura erupting from him. A black dragon seemed to coil into view, its golden eyes striking terror into the soul.
This was Di Tian's true form, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King!
As Di Tian activated the array, motes of golden light entered Gu Yunxiao's body, gradually awakening the power sleeping within him.
Here it comes!
Gu Yunxiao's eyes brightened slightly as he felt a strange energy erupt inside him.
Dark purple energy raged outward, filled with a terrifying aura of destruction. Everything around him that touched it rapidly perished.
Rumble...
Thunder rolled across the sky, dark clouds gathering thickly overhead, as though the entire world had dimmed.
An unusual gleam flared in Di Tian's golden eyes as he stared fixedly at Gu Yunxiao, visibly overcome with excitement.
Hum!
Dark purple light wreathed Gu Yunxiao's entire body, a power even more terrifying than the power of destruction.
For all the years Di Tian had lived, this was his first time seeing such a power.
The power gradually condensed into a dark purple beast, its overall shape resembling... a lizard?
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