Douluo Continent – Tiandou Empire, Shuofeng City, Qinghe Village.
Spring had arrived. The earth thawed, the flowers bloomed, and life stirred once again. On this vibrant day, the village gathered for its most anticipated event of the year—the annual Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony.
"Hoe. Innate soul power: Level 0. What a pity—you can't become a soul master."
"Wheat. Innate soul power: Level 0..."
"Blue Silver Grass. Innate soul power: Level 0..."
One child after another returned from the platform in disappointment, their dreams dashed. Among the crowd, a young boy's hands tightened slightly, his heart racing. He had clear, bright eyes and a pair of sharp, sword-like eyebrows.
This boy wasn't from this world. He had been reincarnated.
Abandoned by his parents shortly after birth, he was fortunately taken in by the village's elder, the kind-hearted village chief surnamed Gu. So in this life, he took on the name Gu Han—a name as ordinary as any.
"Next."
It was finally Gu Han's turn.
At the martial awakening altar, six stones hummed faintly with soul energy. Hearing his name called, Gu Han stepped calmly into the center, his nerves held steady.
"Close your eyes. Feel the soul power in your body. Then, extend your right hand."
The speaker was Lu Rentao, a soul master dispatched by the Martial Soul Hall. He wore two soul rings—one white and one yellow—representing his strength and experience. As he channeled his soul power, Gu Han felt a strange pull from within, as if something long dormant was beginning to stir.
It wasn't anything extravagant like golden light filling the room, as it had been for Tang San. His awakening was quiet.
In his outstretched hand, a long blue sword shimmered into existence.
At the same moment, a strange book materialized within his consciousness. When he closed his eyes, he could clearly "see" the contents of the book. Even though he had never studied meridians or internal cultivation techniques, the knowledge came naturally to him.
He gave it a quick try—and as expected, the soul power inside him began flowing through the meridians marked in the book, circulating properly before settling into his Lower Dantian.
"It's a sword… a good weapon-type martial soul. Let's check for innate soul power."
Lu Rentao's eyes lit up slightly. A proper martial soul! Perhaps this year wouldn't be a complete disappointment. If this child had any soul power at all, his own performance report would improve—and with it, his chances for promotion.
He quickly brought out a crystal ball.
"Place your hand here and inject your soul power."
"Okay."
Gu Han nodded and touched the crystal ball. A soft blue light spread within it, filling half the sphere.
"Innate soul power—Level 5!!"
Lu Rentao's eyes widened in disbelief.
This was a rare talent—a genuine genius! With Level 5 innate soul power, he could easily become a Soul King, and perhaps even reach the Soul Emperor level with proper training.
If he could recruit this boy into the Martial Soul Hall, it would mean a huge opportunity for his own future as well.
Without hesitation, Lu Rentao crouched down and spoke warmly, "Child, congratulations. You have the potential to become an excellent soul master. Our Martial Soul Hall has the best teachers and resources on the continent. Would you be willing to join us?"
Gu Han thought for a moment and replied politely, "I want to ask Grandpa Village Chief first."
He didn't see any problem in joining the Martial Soul Hall.
From what he'd learned over the years, the current Pope—Qian Xunji—had only recently taken the position. It would still be quite a while before the original plotlines of this world would unfold.
Besides, the Martial Soul Hall was powerful and well-respected, and its resources could be immensely helpful to a commoner soul master like him. And since they had helped him awaken his martial soul, even if he didn't join them, there would be no animosity.
But he still wanted to talk to the village chief. Partially because he respected the old man—but also because he had plans to attend the local academy first before heading to the big cities.
"No problem. Old Gu is waiting outside. Let's go find him."
Lu Rentao smiled. Gu Han was the last child to awaken, and with the ceremony over, it was time to wrap things up anyway.
"Alright, children. The awakening ceremony is finished. Follow me."
He led the children out of the hall. The moment they stepped outside, the village chief hurried over, his eyes filled with hope.
"Soul Master, were there any children with soul power this year?"
"There was one. This boy here—he awakened an Ice-attribute Iron Sword and has an innate soul power of Level 5."
Lu Rentao's tone was noticeably more respectful now. He looked at Gu Han with pride, as if already envisioning his glorious future.
"Xiaohan! I knew it! I just knew you'd become a soul master!"
The village chief was overwhelmed with joy. When he'd taken the child in, he hadn't dared to hope for much. He was just offering encouragement at the time. But now, hearing it from a soul master's own mouth, he couldn't contain his excitement.
"Grandpa, don't get too worked up. Lord Soul Master still has something to discuss."
Seeing the old man's misty eyes, Gu Han quickly changed the subject.
Lu Rentao cleared his throat. "Yes. I invited the child to join the Martial Soul Hall, but he said he wanted to seek your advice first."
"Of course! Absolutely! How could I refuse?"
The village chief nodded eagerly.
Even though the village had work-study quotas at the academy, joining the Martial Soul Hall made those unnecessary. Not only would they cover tuition, but once Gu Han reached Level 10, they'd even help him hunt for a soul ring.
It was an incredible opportunity.
Gu Han, for his part, didn't object. He held no hatred toward the Martial Soul Hall. In fact, it was the most convenient path forward. And involving Grandpa Gu in the decision gave the old man a sense of purpose and pride.
"In that case, the child's tuition and living expenses will be handled by the Martial Soul Hall. Pack your things—within a few days, report to the Martial Soul Hall in Shuofeng City."
Lu Rentao's tone relaxed now that everything was settled. There were still other villages he needed to visit, so he couldn't escort Gu Han himself. But the distance to Shuofeng City wasn't far; an adult could easily accompany him.
The village chief quickly agreed, nodding again and again.
After sending Lu Rentao off with deep gratitude, he returned home with Gu Han, practically glowing with excitement.
"Grandpa, what are you looking for?" Gu Han asked as the old man rummaged through old boxes.
Without a word, Grandpa Gu lay down under the bed, moved aside a hidden brick, and pulled out a small wooden box.
From it, he took out a cloth bag and opened it on the table.
Inside were several gold soul coins and a white jade pendant, carved with an intricate small sword—eerily similar to Gu Han's martial soul.
"Xiaohan, these were found with you when I picked you up. I've kept them safe all these years. It's time you had them."
The old man placed them in Gu Han's hands, his voice warm.
Gu Han looked at the pendant in silence. It was the only clue he had about his past—possibly left by his birth parents.
He gently set the soul coins back on the table, keeping only the pendant.
"Grandpa, please keep the money. The village has been good to me. Use it to help everyone."
Then, with a smile, he summoned the Xuanshuang Sword, twirling it a few times in his hand.
"Besides, I'll be a soul master soon. This kind of money will be nothing to me in the future."
"You brat… That's the future. For now, just take it. You'll need it for school."
The old man ruffled his hair with a chuckle.
Gu Han's heart softened. To not disappoint Grandpa Gu, he finally took five coins, just for show.
"Grandpa, five is enough."
"Sigh… you really are a good kid…"
Gu Lao shook his head, his eyes full of both pride and heartbreak. He knew how sensible Gu Han had always been.
Though he didn't insist, he still planned to secretly keep the rest of the money in case Gu Han ever needed it.
"Grandpa, it's still early. I'm going to finish today's training."
"Go on, then."
The old man waved his hand with a smile as Gu Han stepped outside, sword in hand—ready to begin the path of a soul master.
Hearing the village chief call out, Gu Han simply waved his hand in response.
He said he was going home to pack up—but truthfully, he had nothing to prepare.
Since last year, he had developed a habit of running daily. Though the physical benefits weren't astonishing, his body had become leaner, stronger, and more resilient than most children his age. He rarely got sick anymore.
Leaving home quietly, Gu Han jogged through the village, his footsteps light, until he reached a familiar place—the stream at the edge of the village.
There, he sat atop a large flat stone shaded by an old willow tree, the same spot he often used for rest and meditation.
Then he turned his focus inward, onto the strange nameless technique imprinted in his mind—the one that had appeared during his martial soul awakening.
He still had no idea where it had come from.
But he knew one thing for certain: this technique did not belong to the Douluo Continent.
The references within it—the meridians, the aura of heaven and earth, the concept of cultivating through dantian energy flow—none of these were native to this world's soul master system.
This… this was likely his golden finger, the cheat-like advantage often gifted to transmigrators in the stories he'd read in his previous life.
Taking a deep breath, Gu Han closed his eyes and began to circulate the technique once more, following the pathways detailed in the mystical "book" within his mind.
Soon, something miraculous began to happen.
He could faintly sense countless streams of mysterious energy—pure, gentle, and vast—slowly being drawn from the surrounding environment. They flowed into his body like a quiet river, gently nourishing his limbs, muscles, and bones.
Then, as guided by the method, they flowed through his meridians and gathered at his Lower Dantian.
The sensation was unlike anything he had ever felt.
Warmth spread through his entire being. It was as if his soul was being bathed in light.
His breathing deepened, his thoughts quieted, and his mind slipped into a tranquil meditative state.
Time seemed to disappear.
When Gu Han finally heard the voice of the old village chief calling his name, it took him a few seconds to pull himself out of the blissful trance.
He slowly opened his eyes—and to his surprise, the sky had already turned golden with sunset.
"…Is it already dusk?"
He blinked in disbelief. To him, it had only felt like minutes had passed. But in truth, he had been cultivating from noon until twilight.
"Xiaohan! Don't sit there too long. Come back and eat!"
The old man's voice drifted in again from afar.
"I'm coming, Grandpa!"
Gu Han leapt down from the stone with energy, the fatigue he expected nowhere to be found. Instead, his body felt light and refreshed.
As he jogged back toward the village, he turned his attention inward—and was startled by what he found.
The soul power within his body had increased. Not just in quantity, but in quality.
It flowed smoother than before, denser and more vibrant. He could feel it—his foundation had become sturdier.
"This technique… It not only helps me cultivate faster, but it also purifies my soul power?"
A small, confident smile appeared on his lips.
Even if his innate soul power wasn't as heaven-defying as Tang San's, with this mysterious cultivation method, what did it matter?
He could still reach the peak of the continent.
Douluo?
Godhood?
Just the thought of it stirred something deep inside him—a spark of bold ambition, rising like a flame in his heart.
He clenched his fists silently.
So what if he started low?