Martial souls

"There were twelve drops condensed from merit and ten from fortune. Twenty-two drops of soul liquid in total-not bad."

Jiang Dongjun rose from his bed, the corners of his mouth curving in satisfaction as he summed up his gains.

He carefully secured the stopper and shook the little metal bottle, thoroughly pleased by the crisp sloshing from within.

"Aside from what accumulated naturally, hunting Evil Soul Masters with fewer than four rings these past few years brought in quite a bit. I used plenty, too, but still managed to save over seventy drops of soul liquid... All of this will be my 'startup capital' after my martial soul awakens."

As for what he meant by "accumulated naturally"-

Here was a joke: as "Grandpa Shi," he received a sliver of Shrek City's fortune, enough to condense one drop of soul liquid each year.

His parents were both Soul Kings and Level 5 Soul Engineers, as well as lecturers at Shrek Academy, so they naturally possessed considerable fortune. As their only son, Jiang Dongjun shared in some of it, which the Light of Time and Space absorbed and condensed into soul liquid every year.

His years of developing the Light of Time and Space had confirmed that Jiang Dongjun could convert knowledge, fortune, and merit into Soul Liquid.

"Besides, I suspect faith is another source of nourishment! After all, faith from the Douluo Plane is essential for the Divine Realm's growth. There's no reason I shouldn't be able to use it."

Jiang Dongjun rubbed his chin, pondering to himself.

What could soul liquid be used for?

The answer was practically anything.

Its confirmed applications included nourishing his constitution, healing hidden ailments, modifying Soul Tools... and more.

After some research, Jiang Dongjun tentatively regarded one drop of soul liquid as a hundred-year spiritual treasure with neither an attribute nor an inherent inclination.

One drop = one hundred years.

"The seventy-three drops of Soul Liquid I have are equivalent to a natural treasure over seven thousand years old. If I gather a thousand drops, would their effect equal that of an attribute-free immortal herb? What about ten thousand... Would that be like eating a Sky Dream Ice Silkworm? Could I condense an ultimate authority?"

Jiang Dongjun could not help letting his imagination run wild.

Of course, that was only theoretical. The actual results would depend on how it was put to use.

As for these years before his martial soul awakened, the biggest consumer of soul liquid had been the Fantastical Fox.

It was that top hat adorned with a pair of fiery-red fox ears.

The Fantastical Fox had absorbed only ten drops of soul liquid in total before undergoing its initial transformation into something akin to a life-bound Soul Tool or an external Soul Bone.

Even with the external Milk Bottle and its accompanying control switch removed, Jiang Dongjun could use it in his yin spirit state by expending Spiritual Power rather than soul power, though its power would be diminished.

Having lived two lives, and blessed with innate gifts, he possessed strong Spiritual Power with great potential. But at this stage, he had yet to reach the outrageously domineering level of obliterating heaven, earth, and the entire world in an instant.

Reining in his wandering thoughts, he returned the metal bottle to his storage ring.

The Soul Tool workshop carried a heavy metallic smell.

Six black stones stood in a circle on the cold dark silver floor. Encouraged by his parents' gazes, Jiang Dongjun stepped inside.

Without even activating Martial Soul Possession, his mother, Diwu Ying, raised her hand and sent six streaks of golden-red light into the Awakening Stones. A pale golden barrier rose, enclosing Jiang Dongjun.

As the golden light shone, Jiang Ming and Diwu Ying held their breath, their gazes solemn.

This was the moment that would decide his fate!

Warmth!

That was Jiang Dongjun's first sensation. A warm aura seeped into him, spreading throughout his body, and then...

Deep within his mind, where the Light of Time and Space resided, an abrupt change occurred.

A hazy, clear radiance roughly seized that incoming warmth. It did not devour it, but interacted with it...

No, it analyzed it!

Jiang Dongjun understood intuitively that it was analyzing the special rules activated by the Awakening Stones.

The process was swift. In almost the blink of an eye, the Light of Time and Space released the warm aura.

At that moment, Jiang Dongjun felt as though something inside him had shattered, and the warmth flowed down into his palm.

And what had the Light of Time and Space gained?

Taking a moment to look inward, Jiang Dongjun discovered that its radiance was no longer dim. It was full and vibrant, no longer looking weak and depleted, as though the energy it had expended bringing him here had been completely replenished.

He could study his cheat later.

Right now, awakening his martial soul mattered most.

Jiang Dongjun opened his right hand, and a "red sun" slowly rose.

A sun?

Across from him, Jiang Ming looked constipated, unsure whether to feel gratified or regretful.

"Hiss... A fireball martial soul?!"

That bright-red thing had accompanied Jiang Ming for most of his life. How could he mistake it?

"The flames aren't very hot. It seems our son really did inherit your martial soul, without the slightest mutation."

Diwu Ying was also a fire-attribute Soul Master, with keen senses. She immediately assessed the temperature in the air and spoke gravely.

She held the blue crystal ball out before her beloved son.

"Son, let's test your innate soul power. Your awakening caused quite a stir, so your innate soul power shouldn't be low."

Jiang Dongjun nodded and pressed his palm against the blue crystal ball.

Instantly, the crystal ball seemed to ignite, erupting with dazzling blue light. Not a single part of it remained dim.

Diwu Ying covered her mouth and cried out.

"Heavens, this is... this is innate full soul power? How could..."

Jiang Ming reacted even faster, thrusting a hand into the basin-sized fireball Jiang Dongjun had yet to dismiss, sensing its internal temperature and density.

"The flames aren't very hot, and the density isn't high. That's right, it's the most basic fireball martial soul." Jiang Ming looked bewildered. "How could a martial soul of this quality support a Soul Master's aptitude reaching innate full soul power?"

Suddenly, Jiang Ming recalled an ancient theory. His eyes brightened, and even his breathing quickened.

"Dongjun, Dongjun, do you have twin martial souls? Is there something in your clenched left hand?"

With his little secret discovered, a smile broke across Jiang Dongjun's deliberately solemn face.

He dismissed the fireball martial soul hovering in the air and opened his left hand.

On his left palm sat an illusory boy three inches tall, cross-legged.

His face was identical to Jiang Dongjun's, youthful yet bearing an immortal's grace, with a profound air of unfettered freedom. He looked like an exiled immortal child left behind by the immortal realm, ready to soar back to immortality at any moment.

As Jiang Dongjun closed his eyes...

The little figure on his palm abruptly opened his.

He stood and performed a boxing routine within the tiny space of the palm. At the end, he clasped his hands in salute, flashed a cheeky grin, and sat cross-legged again.

Jiang Dongjun's parents watched, utterly dumbfounded.

They soon recovered, realizing that their son's consciousness had been controlling the body martial soul just now.

It achieved much the same effect as the Yin Spirit Excursion he had displayed before.

The couple exchanged a glance and, as highly educated people, began filling in the blanks themselves-

They believed it was precisely this heaven-defying body martial soul that had given their son such extraordinary innate gifts even before awakening.

The difference was that most martial souls only began influencing their owners after awakening.

For example, the bright eyes of those with a spiritual eyes martial soul, the forceful dominance of dragon Soul Masters, the explosive tempers of fire-attribute Soul Masters, the cold faces of ice-attribute Soul Masters...

According to Shrek Academy's records, only exceptionally powerful, heaven-defying martial souls caused Soul Masters to display remarkable abnormalities from childhood, before awakening.

Jiang Ming asked directly, "Dongjun, what martial soul is this? A soul? A mental entity?"

Jiang Dongjun scratched his head and spent a while organizing his words before saying, "Dad, let's keep calling him a yin spirit. The yin spirit martial soul. His effects aren't much different from before."

Hmm... I wasn't telling the truth.

Still, his parents did not need to know too much.

Other transmigrators kept their secrets much more tightly guarded than he did.

Of course, the worlds those other transmigrators went to had concepts like reincarnation and possession, so they had no choice but to be cautious.

The Douluo Plane had no such theories.

That brainless Third began practicing the Tang Sect Secret Arts, the Mysterious Heaven Skill, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, and so on practically from birth, as though afraid Haozi might fail to notice how special he was.

Jiang Dongjun, meanwhile, was perfectly unremarkable aside from his precociousness and his innate gift of Yin Spirit Excursion.

His so-called Yin Spirit Excursion had also developed right under his parents' noses. Resources had been expended to protect his fragile, newly born consciousness, and under their far-sighted guidance-consulting Shrek's records and seeking advice from the Soul Tool Department's dean-he had steadily explored and grown, one small step at a time. There was a clear trail to follow.

Jiang Ming did not dwell on it. After a little thought, he asked, "Dongjun, you've always been wild and had a mind of your own. Do you want me to reveal that you have twin martial souls and full soul power, and bring in one of the academy's Titled Douluos to guide you? Or should we keep it secret for now and let things develop naturally?"

Without much deliberation, Jiang Dongjun answered, "Dad, let's keep it secret for now and let things develop naturally. This martial soul of mine is a bit unusual. The academy doesn't even have a teacher who cultivates a mental martial soul. Am I supposed to go be their guinea pig?"

Shrek Academy's greatest help to Huo Yuhao had been that room full of Fear Demon Dragon skulls. But Jiang Dongjun did not dare enter the Golden Tree, afraid of being brainwashed and branded with the Tang Sect's ideological stamp.

As for everything else, Huo Yuhao had stumbled through one lucky coincidence after another to assemble his full set of Soul Rings.

Mental martial souls were simply too difficult to cultivate.

"Son, if you want to develop this martial soul better, you'll have to visit the Body Sect."

Diwu Ying offered her suggestion from the side.

"According to rumor, their headquarters is within the Heaven Dou Empire. The imperial family must have some information. Should I use your maternal grandfather's connections and try contacting the Body Sect?"

Jiang Dongjun hurriedly shook his head, refusing.

"Forget it, Mom. You've told me about the Body Sect, and I know they're famous for their unity and domineering ways. Since this involves cultivating a body martial soul, I'll definitely go. But I want to wait until I'm a Soul King or Soul Emperor before contacting them. That should give me more control over things. Besides, for my early cultivation and hunting Soul Rings, you, Dad, and Shrek Academy are more than enough to guide me."

Hearing this, Jiang Ming nodded in agreement.

And so, trading suggestions back and forth, the family settled their plans.

"Dongjun, cultivate your fireball martial soul first. Once you reach the Soul Saint stage, when a high-grade martial soul starts showing its limitations and your physique is strong enough, you can add Soul Rings to your second martial soul."

"We're taking our son to hunt a Soul Ring tomorrow. How about I come along too?" Diwu Ying suddenly asked.

"No need, honey. Stay home without worrying. I'm a mighty Soul King. Surely I won't botch hunting a single hundred-year Soul Beast?"

Jiang Ming patted his chest, brimming with confidence.

Jiang Dongjun lowered his eyes.

He could not bear hearing that. The old man looked like an old general with his back bristling with death flags.

His gaze searched the surroundings and settled on the safe in a corner of the workshop.

Jiang Dongjun raised an eyebrow and walked over.

Cast from silver metal, the cabinet stood nearly two meters tall and was embedded in the wall. It had a Soul Tool lock and opened automatically, with no handle to offer leverage, lest a powerful Soul Master wrench it open by force.

Within his mind, the Light of Time and Space, now restored to its full strength, stirred as it detected a peculiar aura.

It was inside the safe!

There was a treasure hidden in my own home?

Noticing his son's unusual behavior, Jiang Ming followed him over and asked in puzzlement:

"Dongjun, what's wrong? Why do you keep staring at the safe? There's nothing but some rare metals in there."