Chapter 1: The Ritual That Decides Fate
Douluo Continent – The Heaven Dou Empire – In a private estate.
A young boy with jet-black hair and bright eyes sat quietly in the courtyard, staring at the sky, lost in thought. His delicate features gave him a look of fragile beauty, but his expression was solemn.
"Today's the day I awaken my martial soul... I wonder what kind of talent I have. Hopefully, it's something strong," he murmured to himself.
His name was Li Changan. His parents had given him that name hoping he'd live a long and peaceful life. But fate had other plans.
In truth, Li Changan wasn't an ordinary child. In his past life, he had lived on a blue-water planet—Earth. He was a traveler, reborn into this world as the only heir of a declining noble family.
But his new life had been anything but easy.
His mother, gravely injured during childbirth, became weak and sickly. She passed away when he was just three years old. His father died on the battlefield last year, fighting in the Xingluo Empire's war. He had only been five.
Now, at six years old, Li Changan stood alone.
Today, he would awaken his martial soul. If he was lucky, and inherited a powerful soul spirit—perhaps his father's sword martial soul—and showed decent innate soul power, he might still have a chance to salvage the family legacy.
But if he inherited his mother's weak green snake spirit and ended up with no innate soul power like she did...
Well, best case? He'd be stripped of his inheritance and tossed out penniless. Worst case? One of the vultures circling his estate might make him disappear quietly.
He clenched his fists.
"This day decides everything."
In this world, greed could be deadly. Without strength or support, noble blood meant nothing. Expecting justice from a corrupt empire? That was a fool's dream. No one cared that his father had died for the empire. Plenty of noble sons had died. Who would stand up for a powerless boy?
A voice broke the silence. "Young Master, the carriage is ready."
An old man approached—it was the family steward, a loyal servant who had been with the household for decades.
"Alright. Let's go," Li Changan said with a nod.
He followed the steward out to the carriage, heading toward the noble children's martial soul awakening ceremony. Unlike commoners, nobles didn't go to the public Martial Soul Hall. The empire had special arrangements for its aristocracy.
When they arrived, several children were already gathered with their families. Boys and girls, all accompanied by parents or guardians. Only Li Changan stood alone—his only company the aging steward.
The other nobles cast glances his way, but said nothing. Nobles usually maintained a certain level of decorum among themselves. Open mockery was rare unless there was history or orders behind it.
After a short wait, more families arrived. When the group was complete, the presiding elder appeared—a solemn old man with an authoritative presence.
"Children of the nobility," he said. "Your families should have explained the awakening process. I'll keep this brief."
All the children nodded.
"Good. Let's begin."
He called the first child forward. The boy stepped into the awakening circle. Light flared around him. A moment later, a gleaming knight's spear materialized in his hand.
"Not bad," the elder nodded. "Test your soul power."
The boy placed his hand on the crystal orb. It lit up.
"Innate soul power: Level 3. Martial soul: Knight's spear."
The elder made a note on his scroll.
In this world, soul masters were rare. Even a level 3 soul power was respectable among noble children. With hard work, the boy might reach the level of Soul King one day.
Child after child stepped into the array. Most awakened weapons—swords, spears, axes. Nobles tended to produce martial souls with higher combat value. Not like the countryside, where children often awakened hoes, sickles, or hammers—low-tier martial souls with little to no innate power.
Even when two people had the same soul power and soul skill, the weapon mattered. A sword might slice through steel. A sickle? Maybe just a log.
Of course, there were exceptions. Legendary martial souls like the Seven Killing Sword or the Clear Sky Hammer were in a league of their own.
At last, it was Li Changan's turn.
He walked calmly into the center of the circle, though his heart pounded. Light surged from the formation, and a strange warmth spread through his body.
His eyes closed involuntarily.
Suddenly, his mind was no longer in the hall.
He stood in a primeval forest, deep and wild. Before him was a hidden stone cave. Inside it lay a large, ancient-looking egg etched with strange patterns.
Crack—
A triangular snake head burst through the shell. Its eyes—unnervingly human—looked around, confused.
"Did I… travel again?"
"Where is this place?"
"Wait... No, I'm still in the awakening ceremony. What's happening?!"
Back in the hall, Li Changan's eyes flew open.
A sword had appeared in his hand.
He exhaled slowly.
It seemed… luck was on his side today.