"My child, your mother has failed you."
"But you must remember, your father has his own difficulties that keep him from acknowledging us. You must never resent him..."
"If possible, when the time is right, take your father's surname, Dai, again."
"This White Tiger Dagger was the token of love he left me back then. Now, it is yours..."
Douluo Continent, Star Luo Empire.
Inside a dilapidated cottage in a small village outside Star Luo City.
With a complicated expression, Jiang Huai watched his mother in this life breathe her last before him.
Tragic news had arrived in the Soul Master World.
Yet another transmigrator had lost his dreams.
A missing father, a mother dead from illness.
Himself without a soul to turn to, and a shattered home.
Was this the price a legendary pilot paid for crashing after taking flight every day for a month without fail?
Had he not already heard that Spirit Hall deacons regularly came to help children awaken their Martial Souls once they turned six, he would have suspected he had transmigrated as Huo Yuhao.
An illegitimate son of the White Tiger lineage, plus a dagger inlaid with a white tiger design as his mother's keepsake...
Motherfucker, that goddamned White Tiger lineage really did pass down its traditions!
Even in this era of Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago, they already liked using this same old routine to deceive the women they had bedded?
By that logic, were there Blue Tiger Daggers, Pink Tiger Daggers, and Black Tiger Daggers scattered across other parts of the continent too?
Jiang Huai lowered his head to glance at the dagger in his hand, the corners of his mouth twitching wildly.
The White Tiger Dagger in Huo Yuhao's hands was at least a Class Five Soul Tool.
Yet when it came to his, it was just an ordinary piece of precious metal?
He dared not imagine what sort of bullying he would suffer if he awakened a White Tiger Martial Soul near Star Luo City and that evil Dai Weisi discovered him.
Dai Mubai was at least Dai Weisi's full brother, yet he had been bullied into that miserable state, let alone an illegitimate son like himself who could never be acknowledged in public.
As for taking a gamble on the Star Luo Imperial Family's kindness...
Please, give him a break.
How could a man born between heaven and earth remain beneath another, stifled and frustrated, for long?
Even though he actually had no particularly deep feelings for his mother in this life,
he still had to say this:
He would destroy the Star Luo Empire at any cost!
After only a brief moment of hesitation, Jiang Huai made the most important decision of his life!
He decided to take his talents to Spirit Hall!
"Ah, Mother, you had a bitter life too."
"Rest in peace."
As he stepped out the door, the village chief, Old Jerry, who had been waiting outside all along, came forward, his face filled with heartache.
Jiang Huai was such a good child. How had he become an orphan in the blink of an eye?
"Xiao Huai, try to bear your grief. The village will help arrange your mother's funeral."
"The Lord Soul Master from Spirit Hall has arrived and is helping the village children awaken their Martial Souls. You should head over first too."
Hearing this, Jiang Huai slowly nodded, then handed the White Tiger Dagger to Old Jerry.
"Grandpa Chief, sell this dagger too. The money will be just right for taking care of Mother's funeral."
If his mother's keepsake had been a Storage Soul Tool, or a Soul Tool with an attack skill like Huo Yuhao's, Jiang Huai would have held his nose and kept it.
But if this thing was just a useless dagger...
Then forget it.
"Xiao Huai... this..."
"Grandpa Chief, my mind is made up."
Looking at Jiang Huai's determined expression, Old Jerry could only nod and accept it, then lead him toward the place where the Martial Soul Awakening was being held.
The village was small. Before the two had walked long, they reached the little building used for awakening Martial Souls.
The door stood open, and children were already undergoing their Martial Soul Awakening inside.
"Go on, child."
Jiang Huai nodded, jogged inside, and joined the back of the line.
As the children completed their awakenings one after another, several kinds of farming-tool Martial Souls appeared in the room, but not a single child possessed Soul Power.
Before long, it was Jiang Huai's turn.
Unfortunately, this was the Star Luo Empire, and the Soul Master responsible for awakening Martial Souls was not that esteemed figure either.
He was a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster named Su Haitao.
Jiang Huai kept feeling that this awakening was missing a little blessing of fortune.
"Step inside."
Su Haitao beckoned to him, a hint of weariness in his voice.
Even a Soul Grandmaster powerhouse as terrifying as him felt as though his body had been drained after awakening so many children's Martial Souls in succession.
Jiang Huai stood in the center of the formation, and Su Haitao immediately poured Soul Power into it.
Specks of light rose from the formation and streamed into Jiang Huai's body one after another.
Jiang Huai felt warmth all over his body, then heard Su Haitao speak.
"Raise your right hand, feel carefully, and try to summon your Martial Soul."
Jiang Huai did as instructed, slowly raising his right hand.
Just then...
A voice suddenly rang out in his mind, and everything around him seemed to stop.
[Ding-]
Jiang Huai instantly snapped to attention on the spot.
Could it be...
[As a legendary pilot in your previous life, you unfortunately crashed after taking flight every day for a month without fail. As compensation, you may choose four of the following nine options as your rewards for the unfortunate crash.]
The next moment, a screen of light visible only to Jiang Huai slowly appeared before his eyes.
[Option one: recognition from the Mamba. Upon selection, your Martial Soul will undergo a miraculous evolution.] [Option two: a special character template. Upon selection, you will have a chance to draw a character template of one of the prodigies throughout Douluo Continent's history, including their corresponding Martial Soul and Innate Soul Power.] [Option three: the attention of the continent's number one theoretical Grandmaster. Upon selection, you will fulfill your wish of becoming a disciple of Yu Xiaogang, the future teacher of a god, and listen to his supreme, wondrous teachings!] [Option four: recognition from Third Brother. Upon selection, Tang San will believe you possess the heart of an innocent child and are a companion he can safely entrust his back to. Of course, if you attempt to pry into the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, he will still mark you down as having a way to court death.] [Option five: the Supreme Pontiff's tender pity. Upon selection, Bibi Dong will have a fifty percent chance of seeing in you the shadow of the white moonlight in her heart and giving you special care; there is also a fifty percent chance she will give you the secret-room treatment outright.] [Option six: caresses from Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang. Upon selection, Chao Tianxiang will fall in love with you at first sight. Proficient in all eighteen martial arts, she will leave you unable to stop even if you want to!] [Option seven: a God King's inheritance. You will attract the attention of a God King. After reaching a certain height, you may unlock the corresponding God King's inheritance.] [Option eight: Dai Tianfeng's attention. Your imperial father will notice your existence and may consider you among the candidates for crown prince!] [Option nine: the Shrek Seven Devils' favor. Upon selection, you will join Shrek Academy as the eighth Devil. In the future, you will also have a chance to receive Third Brother's grace and become a lofty Second-Level God!]