"Uncle Meng, what time is it?"
"Young master, the timing is just right. Our carriage only needs five minutes to reach the Martial Soul Awakening Hall, so there's plenty of time."
A man dressed as a butler spoke respectfully to the little fellow lying in a rocking chair.
"All right. The sooner I finish the awakening, the sooner I can come back. I arranged to play ball with Little Rongrong today..."
Hearing that, Wang Xiaoming yawned absentmindedly, sat up in the chair, and headed for the door.
Today was the day of his Martial Soul Awakening.
But he could hardly muster any interest.
There was no other reason: he had been born in Heaven Dou City, a hereditary viscount whose parents were both dead.
The final battle had nothing to do with him. He was a complete freeloader.
His fief and the like existed in name only. The empire had taken over its administration long ago, paying him forty percent of its total income each year, not counting taxes.
He now lived happily in Heaven Dou City on the rent he collected, without a worry about food or clothing.
He wasn't particularly looking forward to his Martial Soul Awakening.
Unlike other transmigrators who were orphans and didn't even know who their parents were, he knew exactly what ran in his family.
His father's Martial Soul was a pair of arm guards, while his mother's was a small card. Their Innate Soul Power had only been at level three or four.
According to the laws of parental inheritance, he would be roughly at the same level, the sort who lived off others while waiting to die.
By the time of the final showdown, he might not even have reached level forty.
As for the Ice and Fire Mandarin Duck Pot... he'd think about that later.
Without strength, he couldn't even get inside.
Luckily, though, he had once met Ning Rongrong at a palace banquet after she had snuck out, and the two had become friends.
With a start like that, he didn't even know how he could lose.
When Wang Xiaoming stepped through the main gate, a luxurious carriage was already parked outside, waiting for him.
As he approached it, he keenly sensed that something seemed amiss.
His gaze swept over the carriage, and he thought, The scent in this carriage is different today...
He thought for a moment, then said, "Rongrong, when did you get here? Why didn't you come inside to find me? Why hide in the carriage instead?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the person hiding inside seemed to be startled, and the carriage jolted violently.
Then the curtain was lifted, and a delicate little face appeared before Wang Xiaoming, looking thoroughly bored.
It was Ning Rongrong.
"Couldn't you have pretended you didn't know I was in the carriage?"
Wang Xiaoming promptly shook his head.
"No can do. This is the four hundred and ninety-ninth time I've found you. You've lost to me again."
"Hmph."
Ning Rongrong turned her little face away, looking unconcerned.
"So I lost. What's the point of keeping count?"
She held out her hand to Wang Xiaoming. "All right, hurry up and get in."
Seeing her act like she owned the place, Wang Xiaoming's mouth twitched. He took her hand and climbed into the carriage.
The two went into the carriage and sat down.
"What exactly did you come here for today?"
Hearing that, Ning Rongrong proudly rubbed her fair, delicate nose.
"Hmph, of course I came to accompany you to your Martial Soul Awakening. Well? Are you surprised? Moved? Doesn't it feel like an honor bestowed upon you by Her Majesty the Empress?"
Hearing her say that, Wang Xiaoming hurriedly leaned forward and covered her mouth.
Fortunately, they had only just set off and hadn't reached any busy streets.
She was probably the only Little Demoness who dared call herself an empress in Heaven Dou City.
If anyone else had said it, there probably wouldn't be a single intact earthworm left at their home the next day.
He then gave Ning Rongrong a earnest warning.
"This is Heaven Dou City. Saying things like that... be careful, or His Highness the Crown Prince might hear you and go to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to propose a marriage alliance. Then you'd be cooped up in the palace every day, learning all sorts of things you don't want to learn and attending all sorts of social gatherings you don't want to attend..."
"Drop dead! Do you think I'm that kind of person!?"
Ning Rongrong rolled her eyes at him, then slapped his paw away, pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped her mouth twice in disgust.
"Hmph, you can put your heart back in your pelvis. There's no way I'd marry the crown prince. He's Daddy's disciple... Besides, even putting that aside, who could marry me if I didn't want to?"
Wang Xiaoming nodded, agreeing with her wholeheartedly.
"I thought so too. Little Rongrong probably won't be able to find anyone to marry her..."
Ning Rongrong: "Wang Xiaoming!!!"
And so, on the bustling streets of Heaven Dou City, a howl like a pig being slaughtered rang out.
But when the pedestrians passing by saw the noble's carriage, they all lowered their heads and spat inwardly.
Pah, damn perverted nobles, abusing a child like that in a carriage in broad daylight...
They could never have imagined that such a melodious, soul-stirring howl had come from two six-year-old brats playing around.
The carriage soon reached Spirit Hall. By the time Wang Xiaoming got out, a glaring set of teeth marks had appeared on his wrist, making him bare his teeth in pain.
Ning Rongrong, meanwhile, walked beside Wang Xiaoming with her arms folded, head high and chest out, like a rooster that had won a fight.
With Wang Xiaoming's butler leading the way, the two entered Spirit Hall with ease.
Ning Rongrong had originally only come to play with Wang Xiaoming.
But then she had remembered that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect held its awakenings earlier, and that Wang Xiaoming happened to be going for his Martial Soul Awakening today.
That was why she had come to Wang Xiaoming's residence so early.
She had long since grown tired of seeing the Martial Souls in the sect. There was never anything new.
She wanted to take this opportunity to come to Heaven Dou City and see what was going on.
If she could find someone impressive and bring them back to the sect... Daddy would have no reason to restrict her anymore!
Of course, the most important thing was...
She turned her gaze to the back of the boy walking ahead of her.
If he could awaken a combat-type Martial Soul and had Soul Power above level seven, they could still play together and be friends in the future.
Ning Rongrong hoped for that from the bottom of her heart.
Wang Xiaoming had none of the arrogance and rudeness of a noble, nor did he regard her with the awe the other children in the sect did. He could be friends with her normally.
If possible, she didn't want to lose this friend just like that.
"Xiaoming, what kind of Martial Soul do you think you'll awaken?"
Ning Rongrong quickened her pace, walking up beside Wang Xiaoming and continuing shoulder to shoulder with him.
Wang Xiaoming naturally saw what was on the girl's mind and said leisurely, "Probably the same Martial Soul as my dad..."
Right now, he didn't dare imagine having his mother's Martial Soul at all.
What kind of Martial Soul was that little card, and what could it even do?
He had no idea, and he didn't want to think about it.