Douluo Continent.
Shrek City, Outer City.
Inside a Small Villa.
"Sigh, I haven't even awakened my martial soul yet, how could you both be gone?"
A young child sat on the floor, holding a photo frame, mumbling to himself in a daze.
Owning a small villa in Shrek City, where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold, indicated that the child's family was well-off. Yet, at this moment, it seemed a sudden calamity had struck. Overnight, Xu Yuan, who once had a harmonious and happy family, lost far too much.
Xu Yuan stared at the photo frame in his hands, gazing at the young couple within it, his vision gradually blurring with tears.
Having transmigrated into this world, he had lived under the care of this couple for five years. He had originally thought that experiencing everything from a near-omniscient perspective would make him cold and unfeeling. But at this moment, Xu Yuan had to admit he had fully immersed himself in these emotions.
People are not plants; who can remain heartless? Even reading novels could bring tears streaming down one's face—how much more so when truly living through such real experiences?
Noisy sounds erupted from outside the door.
Soon, a dozen soul masters, their bodies radiating powerful soul power fluctuations, stormed into the room, their attention fixed on Xu Yuan sitting on the floor.
"Xu Zhi defected with critical research materials and has been apprehended. Kid, the Spirit Pagoda is reclaiming this house too. Pack your things and get out now."
Xu Yuan sat on the ground, his small frame looking utterly helpless.
"My dad is the deputy director of the Spirit Pagoda's research institute. He's not stupid—how could he defect?"
"The Pagoda Master personally issued the order. Kid, are you questioning the Pagoda Master?"
Xu Yuan didn't continue to argue.
The Pagoda Master of the Spirit Pagoda was no saint. Under their watchful gaze, he couldn't afford to make a scene.
First, he needed to find a way to survive. If an opportunity arose later, then he could think about investigating the truth.
Xu Yuan was rational. He understood that in this seemingly peaceful and orderly world, strength still reigned supreme. The so-called order was dictated by the strong.
From the horizon, a crimson figure rapidly approached, landing outside the door in the blink of an eye.
The dozen soul masters stepped back, clearing a path for him.
This was a middle-aged man, his presence exuding authority. He looked at Xu Yuan, his eyes tinged with a hint of pity.
"I don't know what Xu Zhi did, but Xiao Yuan is only five years old—just a child. He knows nothing," Xu Shengqun declared, his tone brooking no argument.
The leader of the soul masters saluted respectfully and said, "Lord Xu, Spirit Emissary, the Pagoda Master isn't unreasonable. Xu Zhi has been executed, and we won't hold onto a child like this. However, we must reclaim this villa and any materials that might still be here. After all, Xu Zhi was the deputy director of the research institute—plenty of the materials he handled could be stored at home."
Xu Shengqun frowned and waved his hand impatiently.
Turning to Xu Yuan, his gaze softened. He sighed, stepped forward, and squatted beside him.
"Xiao Yuan, let's go."
Xu Yuan said nothing and followed Xu Shengqun as they left.
"I don't even know what your father did wrong. He was silenced so quickly I couldn't react in time. Don't worry, I'll demand an explanation from Qiangu Dongfeng," Xu Shengqun said as they walked, his voice growing heavy with anger toward the end.
Xu Yuan remained silent, listening as Xu Shengqun vented his frustration.
But he gained no useful information.
It was clear Xu Shengqun truly didn't know the full story.
Three Days Later.
Xu Shengqun stormed home again, brimming with fury.
"Xiao Yuan, let's go. We're not staying in Shrek City to be humiliated. Come with me back to Tianhai City!"
As a Spirit Emissary, Xu Shengqun governed Tianhai City, where he was a dominant figure. After days of pent-up frustration, he had no intention of wasting time with Qiangu Dongfeng any longer. He planned to return to his own domain and live freely.
As for Xu Zhi's situation, it could only be investigated slowly.
One Year Later.
Spirit Pagoda in Tianhai City.
"Xiao Yuan, today your uncle will personally awaken your martial soul."
Xu Yuan nodded. Unlike most children his age, he wasn't lively—rather, he carried himself with a calm composure.
Though Xu Yuan didn't show excitement, the anticipation in his eyes was unmistakable. Xu Shengqun could sense how much this martial soul awakening meant to him.
This was, after all, a world where strength was everything. Without power, one didn't even have a voice.
Even someone like Xu Zhi, deputy director of the research institute, had been struck down instantly due to his weak strength, without so much as a chance to defend himself. A man who seemed to hold such a lofty position had died so inexplicably—so insignificantly.
His death had come so swiftly that Xu Shengqun had no means to investigate or seek justice.
Thinking of Xu Zhi and his wife's martial souls… Xu Shengqun knew his family's circumstances well. The Xu family wasn't some grand clan with a legacy of powerful martial souls. His own martial soul had mutated, but even then, without Xu Zhi—a researcher deeply involved in soul spirit studies—mapping out his martial soul's development, providing optimal soul spirit data, and reinforcing its mutation step by step, he wouldn't have reached his current standing.
Xu Shengqun and Xu Zhi were cousins, not direct siblings. One pursued research, the other cultivation, and together they joined the Spirit Pagoda, supporting each other to achieve their respective successes.
Though their blood ties were distant, years of mutual reliance had forged a deep bond between them.
Having no children of his own, Xu Shengqun cared for Xu Yuan deeply. After Xu Zhi and his wife's deaths, he treated Xu Yuan like his own son.
The Xu family's martial souls… having soul power at all was already a blessing.
Xu Shengqun didn't want to dampen Xu Yuan's spirits further.
He released his soul power.
A gentle white light flowed from him into the soul guide array in the awakening room, instantly illuminating the space with dazzling patterns.
"Carefully feel the changes in your body. When you sense something stirring, don't suppress it—guide it out."
Xu Yuan closed his eyes, sensing the shifts within himself.
First, it was—
"My brain seems to be changing. Could it be my martial soul is my brain itself?" Xu Yuan's heart stirred, a faint glimmer of hope igniting within him.
The vengeance for his parents was a debt he couldn't share with the heavens. Even as a soul from another world, he couldn't fully dismiss five years of parental care. He wasn't set on clashing with Qiangu Dongfeng or swearing revenge—but if the chance arose, who would let it slip?
The prerequisite for all this was a powerful martial soul!
On today's Douluo Star, soul guide technology advanced at a breakneck pace. Even non-soul masters could wield formidable power, but such strength wasn't truly their own. And if ordinary people could harness it, what about fusing that power through research into the bodies of already mighty soul masters? They'd only grow stronger!
Thus, though times changed, the ones who ultimately wielded power remained the same group.
Xu Yuan sensed the changes in his brain, nearly certain it was his martial soul.
But then, another sensation stirred within him.
He extended his right hand, and a faint golden light flickered. It wasn't blinding, yet it was dense, enveloping half his body. After a long moment, the light faded, revealing a black-and-white brush in his hand.
This was his mother's martial soul.
The brush bore no remarkable traits—seemingly just an ordinary writing tool, distinguished only by the soul power it carried.
Yes, Xu Yuan was certain: he had awakened soul power.
When Xu Shengqun saw the rich, pale golden light during Xu Yuan's awakening, he sighed in relief. At the very least, it confirmed Xu Yuan had innate soul power and could cultivate.
But when he clearly saw the brush in Xu Yuan's hand, his gaze dimmed.
This was Xu Yuan's mother's martial soul. She hadn't lacked soul power entirely, but with only level two innate soul power, her brush martial soul held no extraordinary qualities.
The brush in Xu Yuan's hand looked identical to his mother's—practically carved from the same mold.
It seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary brush.
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