More than sixty li outside Star Luo City lay a valley with treacherous terrain that few people ventured into.
Hidden within the valley was a manor. It had neither a name plaque nor any distinctive markings. If a stranger stumbled in by mistake, they would have no idea what this place was or what it was for.
But everyone in the manor knew that this was Angel Mountain Manor, and that its great hall was called Angel Hall.
After being resurrected by the Plane Consciousness ten years ago, Qian Chen had easily slain his opponents thanks to the Angel Martial Soul's absolute suppression of Evil Soul Masters. Not only had his Soul Power increased, but all the wealth of the slain Evil Soul Masters had also fallen into his hands.
Later, following the clues left by the Plane Consciousness, he had found his three brothers, Feng Luan, Bing Ling, and Pan Long, one after another.
Qian Chen knew that his most pressing task was to keep a close eye on the child of destiny. After amassing considerable wealth, he had bought the entire valley directly from the Star Luo Empire's authorities and built this manor within it.
Back then, Qian Chen had chosen this location for Angel Mountain Manor precisely because it was close to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion. From the mountaintops on either side of the valley, he could overlook the entire White Tiger Duke's Mansion. This made it convenient for him to check on things whenever he wished and find the child of destiny whose eyes would awaken as soon as possible.
At that moment, four youths stood on the dais inside Angel Hall. They were Qian Chen, Feng Luan, Bing Ling, and Pan Long, who had just returned from the Star Dou Great Forest.
More than thirty people stood below, all members of Angel Mountain Manor. They were all commoner Soul Masters who had once lacked the money to awaken their Martial Souls. After meeting Qian Chen and receiving his help with their awakenings, they had voluntarily chosen to follow him.
Ordinarily, they followed Qian Chen's instructions, traveling between villages far from the cities to help locals who could not afford to awaken their Martial Souls. They then secretly brought back to Angel Mountain Manor any newly awakened Soul Masters willing to join. They did this to avoid conflicts with noble factions and sects, keeping as low a profile as possible.
Qian Chen was listening to the reports from below when a middle-aged man's turn came. He stepped forward and bowed. "Reporting to the First Manor Lord, half a month ago, while helping people awaken their Martial Souls in a village over a hundred li north of Star Luo City, I encountered a strange child."
Qian Chen looked up and asked, "Tell me. What was strange about him?"
"This child is called Yan Feng, and he's eight years old. I wasn't the one who awakened his Martial Soul. It awakened on its own last year. His Martial Soul is a Bone Dragon. When I tested his Soul Power, his innate Soul Power was actually rank nine and a half, nearly innate full Soul Power. But because his Martial Soul is sinister and strange, the villagers all dislike him. He wanted to come with me, but I couldn't be sure about the nature of his Martial Soul, so I didn't dare make the decision myself."
Qian Chen asked, "Has he killed anyone, or cultivated his Martial Soul through any other crooked methods?"
"Probably not," the middle-aged man replied.
Qian Chen nodded and instructed him, "Good. Then I'll trouble you to make the trip and bring him back."
"Yes." The middle-aged man accepted the assignment and left Angel Hall.
After hearing everyone's reports, Qian Chen dismissed them all. He turned to Feng Luan, Bing Ling, and Pan Long and said, "All right, we're back from Soul Hunting, and matters at home are settled for now. Focus on your cultivation. I'll be heading out again in a few days."
"Yes, big brother!" the three answered in unison.
A few days later came the White Tiger Duke's Mansion's monthly Martial Soul awakening day for the children in the household. The White Tiger Duke's Mansion occupied an enormous area, resembling a small city.
By then, Qian Chen had already slipped into the mansion and hidden himself inside the Martial Soul awakening hall.
Seeing him sneak in like a thief, Bibi Dong immediately mocked him from within his Sea of Consciousness. "Qian Chen, what are you doing? Instead of being a proper Soul Master, why have you taken to this sort of business, sneaking into someone else's home to spy?"
"Quiet. Otherwise, I'll shut off perception from the Sea of Consciousness and cut you off from the world," Qian Chen threatened.
"You dare lock me up?" Bibi Dong immediately shot back.
"Want to try me?" Qian Chen retorted without the slightest fear.
While the two bickered, more than a dozen children had already gathered outside the hall, brought there by their families. Qian Chen glanced over them. Their clothing varied in quality, some fine and some poor. There were cooks, coachmen, and guards from the Duke's Mansion, as well as members of the White Tiger Duke's collateral family branches. They had all brought children of the appropriate age to awaken their Martial Souls.
With a soft creak from the bolt, the awakening hall's doors were slowly pushed open.
The people outside filed into the hall. A Soul Master walked to its center and was just about to begin awakening the children's Martial Souls.
Just then, a booming voice rang out. "The Duchess has arrived!"
As the voice faded, a middle-aged woman entered with a six-year-old child. The woman wore luxurious clothes. The child had golden hair and differently colored eyes, bearing quite the resemblance in bearing to Dai Mubai, one of the Shrek Seven Devils from ten thousand years ago.
Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed to the woman and child. "Greetings, Madam. Greetings, Second Young Master."
In the crowd, a frail woman suddenly trembled. After seeing the Duchess, the child beside her kept shrinking backward until he hid behind his mother, only then seeming to feel a little safer.
Ignoring everyone, the Duchess led her child straight to the dais in the awakening hall and sat down, looking at the mother and son who had just trembled with a mocking gaze.
She turned to her own child and said, "Dai Huabin, remember this. It was this lowly maid who climbed into your father's bed while I was pregnant with you and ruined my relationship with him."
Dai Huabin gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Don't worry, Mother. If this Huo Yuhao doesn't awaken the White Tiger Martial Soul, I definitely won't let them off, even now. Even if he does awaken the White Tiger Martial Soul, if I inherit the title of White Tiger Duke someday, I'll make sure to send him to the front lines in the Ming Dou Mountain Range as cannon fodder!"
Hearing her son's words, the White Tiger Duchess said proudly, "I believe in you."
The awakening ceremony continued, and soon it was Huo Yuhao's turn. He gritted his teeth and resolutely stepped into the awakening formation.
The awakening official channeled Soul Power into the formation, and countless motes of Soul Power light surged into his body. Huo Yuhao felt his eyes grow hot. The next instant, the entire world became incomparably clear.
He saw his mother's expectant expression, the other children who had yet to awaken laughing and playing, and the hideous faces of the Duchess and Dai Huabin as they hoped he would turn out to be trash.
Huo Yuhao suddenly looked up, seemingly catching a golden figure flashing past. But when he looked more closely, there was nothing there.
Having just changed positions, Qian Chen silently marveled that the child of destiny was extraordinary indeed. He had nearly discovered the presence of a Soul Douluo like him.
Just then, Huo Yuhao's heart lurched. Oh no, I didn't awaken the White Tiger Martial Soul! Anxiety filled his heart.
Seeing that no white tiger phantom had appeared behind Huo Yuhao, the Duchess and Dai Huabin both breathed sighs of relief. At last, they could deal with this mother and son without worry, starting now.
When Huo Yun'er saw no white tiger phantom, her legs went weak, and she nearly fell. She dared not imagine how the Duchess would intensify her persecution in the days to come. She did not care what happened to herself, but Huo Yuhao was still so young!
"Martial Soul: eyes. Innate Soul Power: rank one." Having finished the test, the awakening official announced Huo Yuhao's results loudly.
Dai Huabin turned to the Duchess, his face brimming with excitement. The Duchess said, "Huabin, go ahead. Mind your limits. Don't kill them on the spot. I want to torment them slowly."