Douluo Continent, Sun Moon Empire.
In the east, Rock Mountain Village.
The afternoon sunlight spilled lazily over the hillside. A breeze brushed through the grass, carrying wafts of earth and wildflower fragrance.
A boy in coarse hemp clothes, who looked five or six years old, lay sunning himself on the hillside with his hands behind his head.
His eyes were half-closed, and he held an unknown blade of wild grass between his lips, muttering to himself.
"Ten thousand years ago, Spirit Hall sent people everywhere each year to hold free Martial Soul Awakening ceremonies for children around six years old. Now we can't enjoy that policy anymore. Talk about turning back the wheel of history."
"But why can Martial Souls only awaken at around six? I really don't know what that's based on. What would happen if someone awakened theirs early?"
"I should be almost six too, right?"
"Ptooey!"
Kong Xuan spat out the blade of grass and slowly opened his eyes.
His eyes were large and bright, but the gaze that should have been innocent and clear looked somewhat complicated and lost instead.
Kong Xuan was not from this world. He had transmigrated here.
In this world, he had neither father nor mother, only a younger sister with whom he depended on each other for survival.
The chief of Rock Mountain Village had found them in the mountains and brought them back. They had grown up eating at a hundred different tables, so he did not even know his exact age.
A body of five or six housed someone in his twenties, making him seem mature beyond his years.
News rarely reached the village. Even after making roundabout inquiries, he had only learned that it should be ten thousand years after Tang San became a god. He still had no idea of the exact point in time.
But the world war had not begun yet, so Old Huo presumably had yet to rise. He just did not know whether Huo Yuhao had been born yet.
"Kong Xuan, I'm here!"
While Kong Xuan was still letting his thoughts wander, a familiar voice came from the distance.
He sat up and saw a boy running toward him from the foot of the hill.
The other boy was probably the same age as Kong Xuan, but stood a head taller.
Compared with Kong Xuan's somewhat scrawny frame, he was sturdier.
Moreover, none of the materials of his clothes and accessories were ordinary, enough to show that this boy came from an extraordinary background.
"Fuliu, why did you sneak out again? Aren't you afraid of being confined again?"
The boy planted his hands on his hips, looking as though he feared neither heaven nor earth. "Let them lock me up. I'm not scared!"
Kong Xuan smiled and shook his head, knowing that was simply his nature.
The boy's name was Qiangu Fuliu. Just hearing that name was enough to suggest he was no ordinary person.
Qiangu Fuliu lived in Heavenly Ancient Village, tucked away in a mountain hollow and something of a neighbor to Rock Mountain Village.
Kong Xuan had known him for over a year and had already confirmed that Heavenly Ancient Village was the Qiangu Clan's secluded home.
Qiangu Dongfeng, the master of the Spirit Pagoda during the Legend of the Dragon King era ten thousand years later, came from the Qiangu Clan.
Although he still did not know how powerful the Qiangu Clan was now, with a top-tier tool Martial Soul like the Coiling Dragon Staff passed down through the clan, they probably were not weak.
Qiangu Fuliu plopped down on the grass beside Kong Xuan and said, "I'm going to awaken my Martial Soul in a couple of days. Want to come with me?"
Kong Xuan shook his head. "Your village doesn't welcome outsiders. I won't go."
It was not that Kong Xuan refused to take advantage of the opportunity. He knew it would not work.
The Qiangu Clan currently remained secluded from the world. Outsiders entering Heavenly Ancient Village was simply impossible.
Qiangu Fuliu had known that would be the answer. He then took a small pouch from inside his clothes and tossed it into Kong Xuan's arms.
Hearing the clink of metal, Kong Xuan knew what was inside without looking.
He opened his mouth, wanting to refuse, but could not get the words out.
There was no Spirit Hall in this world. If the villagers wanted to awaken their Martial Souls, they could only travel to a larger city, and they had to pay for it.
How could an orphan like Kong Xuan have any money? What lay in his arms now was more than mere money. It was a chance to change his fate!
Seeing Kong Xuan's silence and inner struggle, Qiangu Fuliu put an arm around his shoulders. "I hope you can awaken a powerful Martial Soul too and become a Soul Master."
Kong Xuan tightened his grip on the pouch in his arms, turned toward Qiangu Fuliu, and said solemnly, "I will!"
Qiangu Fuliu stood up and patted the dirt from his backside, smiling. "Once I awaken my Martial Soul, I'll have to start cultivating. Getting out again won't be so easy."
"Don't let me leave you too far behind!"
With a bright smile on his face, Qiangu Fuliu turned and left, raising a hand overhead to wave.
Watching Qiangu Fuliu walk away, Kong Xuan knew he had made this trip specifically to bring him money.
The Qiangu Clan ten thousand years later were major villains, but the Qiangu Clan ten thousand years earlier-at least its young master, Qiangu Fuliu-was his friend!
Tucking the money pouch inside his clothes, Kong Xuan walked down the hill and followed the breeze back to Rock Mountain Village.
Rock Mountain Village was only a small settlement in the mountains, with just over thirty households in the entire village.
In the center of the village, right beside the village chief's home, stood a little thatched hut. This was Kong Xuan's home.
A wooden fence surrounded the hut. He had only just stepped through the entrance to the little courtyard when a tiny figure rushed out of the house.
She raced up to Kong Xuan in a few strides and plunged headfirst into his arms. Then a soft, sweet voice rang out. "Big Brother, you're back!"
Kong Xuan stroked her head, a gentle smile appearing on his face before he knew it. "Mm!"
He had always thought he was not someone who liked children. But after coming to this world and gaining a sensible, adorable younger sister, he realized that it was not children he disliked, only little brats.
The girl in Kong Xuan's arms was his twin sister in this world, Kong Ling.
Their faces looked almost as though they had been cast from the same mold, except Kong Xuan was a little taller than Kong Ling.
"Let's go inside, Ling'er."
"Mm!"
At his words, Kong Ling released her arms from around her brother's waist, and Kong Xuan took her hand and led her inside.
The house was small, and its furnishings were extremely simple. But for two orphans like them, even having a place to shelter from the wind and rain was no easy thing.
Not long after they returned, an elderly voice called into the house.
"Little Xuan, Ling'er, come over and eat."
That familiar voice rang out every day. It was Grandpa Village Chief next door, calling them over for a meal.
The two hurried out of the house. A little gate in the courtyard fence led straight to the village chief's home.
The door to Grandpa Village Chief's house stood wide open, and they could smell the fragrance wafting out from outside. Kong Ling could not help swallowing, looking like a little greedy kitten.
Kong Xuan led his sister inside. The furnishings in Village Chief Zhou Yan's home were much more plentiful, brimming with the feel of daily life.
"I cooked noodles today and poached two eggs especially for you. Come eat."
Zhou Yan beckoned them over with a chuckle, his wrinkled face glowing with kindness.
Kong Xuan and Kong Ling hurried forward, calling out "Grandpa Village Chief," then sat down at the simple square wooden table.
The noodles were only ordinary hand-rolled noodles, and only tiny specks of oil could be seen in the broth.
Yet even such simple noodles were a rare delicacy for the brother and sister.
Kong Xuan ate a little faster. After setting down his chopsticks, he looked at Zhou Yan, who sat beside him.
"Grandpa Village Chief, I want to take Ling'er to the city to awaken our Martial Souls."
Kong Ling paused in the middle of drinking her broth. With her little face hidden behind the bowl, she blinked her large eyes and watched her brother and Grandpa Village Chief, looking thoroughly sneaky.
At his words, the smile on Zhou Yan's face stiffened before his expression turned serious. He said earnestly, "Little Xuan, some people in the village may talk about how wonderful being a Soul Engineer is, but they're talking about those nobles. For commoners like us, becoming a Soul Engineer means danger more than anything else!"
Zhou Yan was in his seventies yet lived all alone because his son had successfully awakened his Martial Soul and become a Soul Engineer.
In the end, however, he had died in a small-scale war, leaving not even his bones behind.
Kong Xuan's gaze was resolute as he looked straight at Zhou Yan. "Grandpa Village Chief, I know the dangers involved, but I still want to try."