Douluo Continent, Heaven Dou Empire, Greenleaf Village.
At dawn, the morning sun slowly rose over the eastern horizon, its gold and crimson blending together as a soft, fresh breeze dispersed the early mist.
The people of Greenleaf Village gathered in a crowd at the village center, making it unusually lively.
It was time for Greenleaf Village's annual martial soul awakening for children of the proper age.
Under the arrangements of the village chief, Li Mu, the children lined up in an orderly fashion outside the awakening room.
Of course, the so-called awakening room was nothing more than a larger wooden hut.
Among the crowd, the rather delicate-looking Li Mingzhu watched the martial soul awakening ceremony taking place before him, his nerves wound tight.
He was not from this world. In his previous life, he had been at home watching Tudou's livestream while catching up on the Douluo anime when his computer apparently malfunctioned and exploded.
When he opened his eyes again, he had appeared in Greenleaf Village in an infant's body. He had only survived these past six years thanks to the village chief's aid.
Ever since confirming that he had transmigrated to Douluo Continent, he had been filled with worry about his future. He did not know whether he even possessed a martial soul.
Before long, the village chief escorted a young man over.
The young man looked to be in his early twenties, with sword-like brows, star-bright eyes, and strikingly handsome features. He wore a fitted white outfit with a black cloak over his back. At the center of his chest was a fist-sized character meaning "soul"-the standard attire of personnel directly affiliated with Spirit Hall.
Without a doubt, this young man was Grandmaster Su, Su Yuntao, known as the "Blind Douluo."
"Mm, we don't have much time. Let's begin."
Su Yuntao calmly returned the greeting with a slight bow, then walked into the awakening room.
Li Mu nodded in agreement, then turned to address the children around him.
"Children, this is Grandmaster Su from Nuoding City. He will guide you in awakening your martial souls. You must cooperate with him throughout the martial soul awakening."
After entering the awakening room, Su Yuntao took six jet-black round stones and a gleaming blue crystal ball out of his bundle.
Su Yuntao arranged the six black stones into a hexagon on the floor, then gestured for the children to gather around.
Su Yuntao looked at the children solemnly. "My name is Su Yuntao, a rank twenty-two Soul Grandmaster, and I will be your guide. Now, I will awaken your martial souls one by one. Remember, no matter what happens, do not be afraid."
Su Yuntao shouted, "Martial Soul Possession-Lone Wolf!"
Li Mingzhu saw that Su Yuntao really had transformed into a werewolf, just as in the original story. Two soul rings, one white and one yellow, rose from beneath Su Yuntao's feet.
The werewolf's savage, menacing appearance still startled Li Mingzhu, despite his preparations.
After all, this was his first encounter with supernatural power across two lifetimes!
The martial soul awakening proceeded in an orderly fashion.
Before long, sigh after sigh sounded within the awakening room. Su Yuntao looked at the children who had failed to awaken any soul power, disappointment covering his face.
Although he had never expected the children in this village to awaken high-quality martial souls, surely they did not all have to be farming tools!
At this rate, I still have a long road ahead before I can marry Sisi.
Soon, it was Li Mingzhu's turn to awaken his martial soul.
He wiped the sweat from his hands, drew a deep breath, and walked into the center of the formation.
"Close your eyes and focus on what you feel."
Su Yuntao mechanically gave the reminder, then moved his hands swiftly.
Six faint beams of white light flowed into the six stones on the floor.
A hazy golden radiance emerged from the six stones, enveloping Li Mingzhu.
Warmth.
That was Li Mingzhu's first sensation. His entire body was wrapped in an inexplicable warmth.
That mysterious warmth soon surged through every limb and bone, as though something was about to burst out of his body.
As Su Yuntao continued pouring pale white soul power into the round stones, more and more golden light drifted into Li Mingzhu's body.
Bzzz!
At last, a rumbling sound came from within Li Mingzhu. He felt as though something inside him had shattered under the pull of the golden light.
Wisps of silvery-white light radiated from Li Mingzhu's body, gathering behind him to form a hazy, illusory figure.
That figure looked exactly like Li Mingzhu!
"A body?"
Su Yuntao studied the martial soul floating behind Li Mingzhu. This was his first time encountering such a beast martial soul. (Ordinary Soul Masters did not know what kind of martial soul this counted as.)
After realizing that he possessed a body martial soul.
At that moment, however, there was not a trace of joy on Li Mingzhu's face. Instead, his teeth were clenched, and his face was pale. He kept his left hand tightly closed, doing his best to look normal.
Just moments earlier, a powerful, domineering force had surged from his hand and rushed straight into his mind.
That power carried the aura of a savage primordial beast, as though it would tear everything apart, yet it had not actually caused any destruction.
Li Mingzhu did his best to remain calm. He absolutely could not let Su Yuntao notice anything amiss.
If his talent for twin martial souls were exposed, it would inevitably bring him enormous trouble.
Su Yuntao recorded the martial soul's name, then took out a crystal ball. "All right, little one, place your hand on this. Although your martial soul is very weak, you can still become a Soul Master if you awaken soul power."
Li Mingzhu nodded and placed his hand on it.
Blue light immediately burst forth, filling the crystal ball with a brilliant glow.
Su Yuntao froze for a moment, then looked at Li Mingzhu with a measure of shock. "It's actually innate full soul power!"
"Ah, what a pity."
Even if your martial soul were only a hoe or a sickle, it could still have considerable offensive potential. But this body really was such a waste.
Su Yuntao could not hide his regret. He had finally awakened someone with innate full soul power, only for the child to possess a trash martial soul.
He did not know whether this body counted as a beast martial soul or a tool martial soul. He truly could not think of any promising potential for its development.
"Thank you, Grandmaster Su Yuntao," Li Mingzhu said sincerely.
After Su Yuntao finished awakening every child's martial soul, the remaining children, as expected, all proved to have no innate soul power.
Su Yuntao considered for a moment, then asked Li Mingzhu, "Good child, would you be willing to join our Spirit Hall?"
Li Mingzhu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Grandmaster Su Yuntao, could you give me some time to think it over?"
"I can't make this decision on my own. I need to discuss it with Grandpa Village Chief."
"I was too hasty."
Su Yuntao sighed and waved his hand, leading all the children out of the awakening room. As soon as he saw everyone emerge, Village Chief Li Mu hurried forward and cautiously asked a question.
"Lord Soul Master, did any children awaken soul power this year?"
"Of course."
Su Yuntao glanced at him. "There was one, but it's a pity."
Surprise and uncertainty flickered in Li Mu's eyes.
He asked tentatively, "Grandmaster Su, what exactly do you mean?"
Su Yuntao said, "Of the dozen or so children who awakened their martial souls this year, only one possessed soul power-and it was innate full soul power!"
Before Li Mu could rejoice, Su Yuntao continued, "Unfortunately, his martial soul is a trash martial soul. It will be difficult for it to have any offensive power."
"Grandmaster Su, is there really no way for him to cultivate?" Li Mu asked, unwilling to give up.
"It's not that he can't cultivate. He'll simply find it difficult to achieve much." Su Yuntao's tone was flat as he glanced at Li Mingzhu, who had walked out of the room.
"All right, I still have to help children in other villages awaken their martial souls. I'll be leaving now."
With that, Su Yuntao turned and left, leaving Li Mu deeply conflicted.
Li Mu then dismissed the surrounding crowd and headed home with Li Mingzhu!
Before you continue