Jiang Che

Lanhe Village, north of Nuoding City, Fasinuo Province, Heaven Dou Empire.

By the river, the setting sun spread across the winding water, rippling like shattered gold.

A figure lay on the riverbank amid interwoven green and pale yellow-a child with fine, dark hair, coarse hemp clothing, and wheat-colored skin.

The child's name was Jiang Che.

Jiang Che was not a native born and raised on the Douluo Continent, but someone reincarnated from Blue Star.

At first, Jiang Che had not known where he had been reincarnated. Only as he grew a little older did he gradually hear about Soul Masters, martial souls, and the like from the adults' conversations.

Only then did Jiang Che realize that he had actually been reincarnated into the world of Douluo Continent, a novel he had read in his previous life.

So Jiang Che had completely given up trying.

On the Douluo Continent, only by becoming a Soul Master could one gain status and a voice.

On the Douluo Continent, everyone could awaken their martial soul and innate soul power through a martial soul awakening ceremony at the age of six.

The reality of the Douluo Continent was cruel. An ordinary person's chance of being born with innate soul power was about the same as winning a million in the lottery in his previous life.

His parents had died of illness not long after his birth. He had only survived to this age thanks entirely to the support of the village chief, Grandpa Old Gavin.

Jiang Che had asked Grandpa Old Gavin and learned that both his parents had awakened Blue Silver Grass martial souls with no soul power.

This meant that Jiang Che's martial soul would most likely be Blue Silver Grass as well.

He had no grand ambitions. He did not want to contend for dominion over the world or stir up storms. His goal was simple and pure: to live a peaceful, stable life.

In the six years since his transmigration, apart from having the same "both parents dead" orphan buff as so many predecessors, he had not unlocked even a decent cheat.

As the sky darkened, Jiang Che did not go straight home, but first made a trip up the mountain.

The firewood he had carried a few days earlier was still piled up in the mountains, and he had to bring it back today.

With the heavy firewood on his back, he jogged toward home. The last rays of the setting sun fell over him, stretching his small shadow long.

Before Jiang Che even entered the house, he caught the aroma of fish and hurriedly pushed open the door.

A fragrant bowl of fish soup sat on the wooden table, and Old Gavin was coming out of the kitchen carrying a plate of vegetables.

Seeing Jiang Che staring fixedly at the fish soup on the wooden table, Grandpa Old Gavin smiled. "Little Che, there's no rush. Go wash your hands."

Before long, Jiang Che had finished washing his hands, and his small, tender hands impatiently picked up a piece of fish to eat.

"Watch out for bones," Old Gavin said cheerfully.

As Old Gavin ladled out the fish soup, he told Jiang Che, "Grandmaster Su Yuntao will come to our Lanhe Village tomorrow to awaken the martial souls of the six-year-old children. Little Che, you're six today, so you've reached the age for martial soul awakening too."

"If our village could produce even one Soul Master, it would be an immense honor for the village!"

Hearing this, Jiang Che could not help feeling a little anticipation.

Although he would most likely awaken Blue Silver Grass without soul power, now that the moment had truly arrived, he could not help hoping for that one-in-a-million possibility.

It was like buying a lottery ticket. Even knowing that the chance of winning a million was so small as to be almost impossible, one still hoped, betting on that tiny chance.

That's right. What if!

What if I'm that one in a million?

"Grandpa, I'll be satisfied as long as I can awaken innate soul power. I believe that as long as I can cultivate, no matter what martial soul I have, I'll work hard at it. Then I'll repay the village and let you enjoy a peaceful, comfortable old age." Faced with Grandpa Old Gavin's hopes, Jiang Che spoke his mind.

"Good. I'll be waiting for you to become a Lord Soul Master." Listening to Jiang Che's words, Grandpa Old Gavin felt a swell of gratification.

The night sky hung low, its ink-blue canopy studded with stars. Clouds resembled crumpled silk, and moonlight scattered flecks of silver foil into the murmuring of flowing water.

The next day, stretching and yawning repeatedly, Jiang Che was dragged by Grandpa Old Gavin toward Lanhe Village's Spirit Hall.

The building constructed of blue stone in the center of the village was the Spirit Hall Branch.

By then, villagers had already crowded around the Spirit Hall Branch. Martial soul awakening was an extremely important matter anywhere and could not be overlooked. For commoners, it was their only chance to turn from a lowly chicken into a phoenix and rise beyond their social class. For sects that already possessed formidable strength, it was the foundation upon which they consolidated that strength.

A young man standing before the Spirit Hall's entrance immediately caught Jiang Che's attention.

He was a handsome young man dressed in the white uniform of a Spirit Hall deacon, with a black cloak over his shoulders. This was none other than Su Yuntao.

Seven or eight children surrounded him, all preparing to awaken their martial souls that day.

Upon seeing Su Yuntao, Grandpa Old Gavin hurried forward, bending his stooped back even lower, his wrinkled face filled with reverence. "Honored Lord Soul Master, sorry for the trouble of coming all this way. All six children in the village who are of age this year are already here."

Su Yuntao merely nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the children standing nearby as his stern expression softened a little. "Go inside and wait."

His voice was deep and firm. "I still have to hurry to the next village. Time is short."

Jiang Che filed inside with the other five children. The room was dimly lit but very tidy; someone must have cleaned it beforehand.

Su Yuntao took six jet-black stones from the leather pouch he carried, a strange luster faintly flowing across their surfaces.

With practiced movements, he arranged the stones into a six-pointed star formation, each one landing precisely in its designated position.

Su Yuntao straightened, his gaze lingering briefly on each young face. "Next, I'll release my martial soul to awaken yours. Remember, no matter what you see, don't be afraid!"

Looking at Su Yuntao's stern face, Jiang Che felt that his chance of awakening soul power had increased by fifty percent.

"Lone Wolf, possess!"

Su Yuntao gave a low shout, and a vortex of soul power suddenly rose around him, its currents winding around his body like living things.

Under the children's terrified gazes, his body began to change drastically. His muscles swelled and bulged as though being inflated, grayish-brown fur rapidly covered his exposed skin, his fingers lengthened into sharp claws, and his canine teeth protruded beyond his lips.

Most frightening of all were his eyes, which had already become faintly glowing vertical pupils.

At the sight, the children turned pale and involuntarily retreated a few steps.

Su Yuntao immediately reassured the children awaiting their awakening. "Don't be afraid. This is my martial soul, Lone Wolf. I haven't really turned into a wolf."

Once everyone had quieted down, Su Yuntao began awakening their martial souls.

Going by their order of arrival, Jiang Che had come last, so he would be the last to awaken.

Following Su Yuntao's instructions, a thin, small girl stood somewhat apprehensively in the center of the six-pointed star formation.

As Su Yuntao thrust out both hands and circulated the soul power within his body, six rays of soul-power light emerged from him and drifted toward the six-pointed star formation.

Before long, the light enveloped the thin little girl. Then her body began to tremble, and her expression changed as she suppressed the instinct to cry out.

Watching the changes in the thin little girl closely, Su Yuntao said, "Hold out your right hand."

The thin little girl held out her right hand, and all the light gathered in it, forming a silver needle.