Martial Soul Awakening Illuminates the Road Ahead

This discovery plunged Yan Zu into thought.

"Civilization Vow Power..." he murmured to himself. "Does it refer not to personal strength, but to one's contributions to the entire world?"

In his previous life, he had read the original story thoroughly and knew the course of the Douluo Continent's development like the back of his hand. Yet in this world possessing the extraordinary power of Martial Souls, civilization had progressed at a bizarrely slow pace.

Ten thousand years ago, the Douluo Continent had been in an agrarian age.

Ten thousand years later, when Tang San became a god and ascended, it was still in an agrarian age.

Ten thousand years after Tang San became a God King, it was still in an agrarian age. What was more, Evil Soul Masters ran rampant, and in terms of civilizational development, it was worse off than before.

Although Soul Tools existed in a rudimentary form, everyone used them for combat, and few had thought of using Soul Masters' power to improve people's lives.

Food System Soul Masters could make sausages that restored physical strength, yet no one researched how to make sure ordinary people had enough to eat;

Support-type Soul Masters could boost combat strength, yet no one considered how to improve production efficiency.

The entire continent's superstructure revolved around the word "combat."

Spirit Hall wanted to unify the continent, relying not on economic development and improved livelihoods, but on conquest by force.

The nobles of the two great empires fought for power and profit, thinking not of benefiting their countries and people, but of nurturing stronger Soul Masters.

The Upper Three Sects each dominated their own territory, relying on the deterrent power of their sects' experts.

This was a world where the strong took all, but also one where civilization had stagnated.

"Ridiculous." Yan Zu shook his head. "They possess extraordinary power, yet confine it to killing. If they used these powers for production, construction and research, the Douluo Continent would have entered another age long ago."

He thought of Blue Star. In that world without extraordinary powers, wisdom and cooperation alone had carried humanity from the Stone Age into the Information Age in just a few thousand years. Humanity had used science and technology to transform heaven and earth, culture to nourish the spirit, and institutions to safeguard fairness.

The Douluo Continent, on the other hand, possessed the heaven-defying existence of Martial Souls, yet had squandered ten thousand years in endless fighting and killing.

Yan Zu found it somewhat ridiculous, and somewhat regrettable. A world possessing the extraordinary power of Soul Power should have had far greater room to develop, yet it had been shackled by the notion that "strength reigns supreme" and brought to a standstill.

To advance the growth of civilization and become an existence beyond godhood... The goal was too grand, too heavy a burden. Yan Zu was only a six-year-old child now. Even with Twin Martial Souls and the Check-in System, he knew full well how insignificant he was. He needed to keep growing even to protect his family and Xiao Wu, let alone shoulder the development of the entire continent's civilization.

He shook his head and pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind for the time being. For now, the most important thing was to grow steadily, increase his strength, and protect the people around him. As for civilizational development, that was a long process, and the present Yan Zu was not yet qualified to consider it.

Just then, a system notification sounded in his mind:

Just then, the system notification sounded again:

[Host has completed Martial Soul Awakening. Special reward triggered.]

[Congratulations! Obtained: Blue Star Literary Anthology: Enlightenment Volume.]

[Reward description: Contains three works of civilizational enlightenment, laying the foundation for the growth of civilization.]

At a thought from Yan Zu, the contents of the three works flooded into his mind.

The Song of Roland: The story of the knight Roland and his unicorn companion, who fought to protect civilization.

The Legend of King Arthur: The legend of King Arthur drawing the Sword in the Stone, founding the Knights of the Round Table, and pursuing equality and justice.

One Thousand and One Nights: A collection of short stories filled with exotic flavor, wisdom, and fantasy.

"This is..." A glimmer of understanding flashed in Yan Zu's eyes.

The system was paving the way for him.

Directly advancing civilization's progress would be too difficult. But he could start with culture, using captivating stories to knock on the doors of people's hearts and subtly plant the seeds of civilization. When the time was ripe, they would naturally blossom and bear fruit.

"Brilliant," Yan Zu said in admiration.

He stood up, feeling the surging fluctuations of Soul Power within him, then looked at the two Martial Souls before him. His heart, too, was in turmoil.

The Xuanyuan Sword slowly drew in its light, transformed into a streak of radiance, and vanished into his body. The little qilin, meanwhile, trotted over on its short legs and rubbed against his trouser leg, then vanished with a whoosh as well.

"Huh? Where did it go?" Xiao Wu looked around.

"Back inside me," Yan Zu explained.

Xiao Wu nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "Can it come out and play again later?"

Yan Zu thought for a moment. "It should be able to, I think."

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up. "That's great! I'm going to pet it every day from now on!"

Yan Zu: "..."

He suddenly worried a little that Xiao Wu might pet the little qilin bald someday.

Only then did Yan Hu finally recover from his shock. He stepped forward, crouched in front of Yan Zu, and looked at his son earnestly:

"A-Zu, listen to your father."

Yan Zu nodded.

Yan Hu lowered his voice, his expression grave. "Twin Martial Souls are an immense stroke of fortune, but they're also an immense hidden danger. Spirit Hall and all the major sects covet geniuses. Once your Twin Martial Souls are exposed, they'll surely bring endless trouble, and might even endanger the lives of our entire family."

Su Qing hurriedly agreed, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. "That's right, A-Zu. From now on, you must never reveal your Twin Martial Souls in front of outsiders. Just use one Martial Soul in ordinary circumstances. You must remember!"

Yan Zu nodded firmly. "Dad, Mom, I understand. I won't reveal them lightly. I'll protect myself and our family." He knew full well how cruel this world was. The secret of his Twin Martial Souls could never be allowed to leak out, or the consequences would be unthinkable.

Xiao Wu came over too and said, "Little Brother A-Zu, I'll help you keep the secret! If anyone dares to bully you, I'll beat him up!" As she spoke, she waved her little fist, looking especially serious.

Yan Hu and Su Qing looked at Xiao Wu, their eyes full of comfort. The girl they had taken in had long since become part of the family.

As the night deepened, the chirping insects in Five Souls Village gradually fell quiet. The illusory qilin in the little courtyard had drawn in most of its light, leaving only a faint, gentle presence lingering around Yan Zu. Xiao Wu lay on her little bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

She could clearly feel a stream of pure, auspicious vitality coming from Yan Zu's direction in the next room. It flowed into her body through the bond of the Auspicious Beast Same-Heart Talisman, making her damaged Soul Beast origin throb faintly and her Soul Power circulate several times faster than usual.

The feeling was so comfortable and reassuring that it brought to mind the warmest sunlight in the Star Dou Great Forest.

After hesitating for a moment, the little girl crept out of bed and padded barefoot to Yan Zu's bedside. Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating her flushed cheeks. She looked at Yan Zu's sleeping profile, summoned her courage, and gently nudged him. "Little Brother A-Zu, can I... sleep in the same bed with you?"

Yan Zu had not actually been asleep. He had been sorting through his thoughts after awakening his two Martial Souls. At her words, he opened his eyes, and there was not a trace of sleepiness in their dark depths.

Seeing the dependence and unease in Xiao Wu's eyes, and sensing how her Soul Power had grown more active as she drew close to him, he understood: the qilin's auspicious presence held a natural attraction for Xiao Wu, who had undergone Soul Beast Transformation, and could also speed up her growth.

"Come on up." Yan Zu shifted to the side, making room for her.

Xiao Wu happily burrowed under the covers and lay down close against Yan Zu. As soon as she drew near, she felt an even richer vitality envelop her. Warmth spread through every limb and bone, and her Soul Power, as if it had found an outlet, flowed merrily through her meridians.

She could not help rubbing against Yan Zu's arm. "Little Brother A-Zu," she whispered, "your presence feels so nice. I can feel my Soul Power growing."

"Go to sleep," Yan Zu said softly. "From now on, I'll have Little Jade cultivate with you every night."

"Mm!" Xiao Wu answered sweetly. Holding Yan Zu's arm, she soon drifted off to sleep. Her breathing was steady and long, and a faint, reassured smile lingered on her lips.

Yan Zu, however, could not fall asleep for a long time.

He lay with his eyes open, gazing at the pitch-dark rafters, his thoughts churning.

Awakening Twin Martial Souls today was indeed an immense stroke of fortune, but it also meant he had officially stepped into the center of the continent's maelstrom. Spirit Hall, the Upper Three Sects, the two great empires... These behemoths would not let any genius slip by, much less one with Twin Martial Souls.

And what put him even more on guard was Tang San.

According to the timeline, Tang San should have already awakened Blue Silver Grass in Holy Soul Village and begun cultivating under Yu Xiaogang. In the original story, Tang San's path of growth had been paved with the bones of countless Soul Beasts. In the name of being "pure as ice and clean as jade," he had acted in selfish pursuit of his own interests.

But before this, Yan Zu had never considered deliberately targeting him.

The reason was simple: everyone had their own ambitions, and this was a diverse world to begin with. Tang San could take his broad sunny road, while Yan Zu crossed his narrow log bridge; their paths need not cross. If he tried to eliminate Tang San merely because he disliked him, how would he be any different from a fanatic who used strength to bully the weak and drive out those who disagreed with him?

A true powerhouse should not let prejudice lead him by the nose.

But things were different now. He bore the Xuanyuan Sword and the qilin as his two Martial Souls, and carried the mission of civilization's legacy.

What had Tang San done after becoming a god?

He had become a God King, yet treated the Douluo Continent as his own back garden. The rules he established in the Divine Realm had all but severed the path of advancement for Soul Masters in the lower realm. The Tang Sect Secret Arts he inherited benefited only himself. In the ten thousand years since his ascension, civilization on the Douluo Continent had nearly stagnated, Soul Tool technology had developed in a distorted manner, people's livelihoods had withered, and Evil Soul Masters had run rampant.

What kind of God King was that?

Yan Zu recalled an anecdote he had read in his previous life. Duke Huan of Qi once asked Guan Zhong, "I love hunting, women, and wine. Will they hinder my ambitions of hegemony?" Guan Zhong replied, "Excess brings the loss of the people; a lack of diligence leaves affairs unattended. If you can keep hold of the overall situation and appoint the right people, these indulgences are of no great consequence."

The key was to "hold office and fulfill its duties."

A person could be despicable, selfish, or greedy. But once he became a God King, he should bear a God King's responsibilities. Tang San had taken that position, yet cared only about protecting his own interests. To covet Huo Yuhao's fortune, he had not even spared his own daughter. A complete bleep bleep (system muted)... He had accomplished nothing for the development of the entire plane. He consumed a world's fortune to sustain himself, yet refused to give the slightest bit back to its people.

That isn't being pure as ice and clean as jade. That's occupying a post and drawing a salary while doing nothing.

Yan Zu spoke coldly in his heart.

He wanted to advance the growth of civilization on the Douluo Continent, to build and develop, to put Soul Masters' power to use for people's livelihoods rather than killing. To do that, he would have to block Tang San's path to godhood. There was no possibility of compromise between them.

Since they were destined to be enemies, he could not afford to be softhearted.

"Tang San, your path to godhood... I, Yan Zu, will surely cut it off."

"This isn't a personal grudge. It's... a contest of Daos."

He murmured softly. Though his voice was quiet, it was as resolute as the ringing of a sword.

Xiao Wu's even breathing came from beside him. The little girl was sleeping soundly, a trace of drool at the corner of her mouth.

Yan Zu looked down at her, then at the bright moonlight outside the window. Suddenly, he felt that God King or no God King, it was more practical to take care of the rabbit right in front of him first.

He gently pulled up the blanket and covered Xiao Wu's exposed arm.