The excitement and clamor of the Martial Soul awakening gradually subsided, and life in the Li residence returned to its usual order, yet it was fundamentally different from before. The earth-shattering light and resonant bird cry in the quiet room seemed only like a beginning—the true transformation unfolded in the daily cultivation and exploration that followed.
For Marco, the world after his awakening became unprecedentedly clear and rich. The Azure Flame Phoenix Spirit had perfectly merged with his soul, not only granting him the powerful foundation of Innate Full Soul Power but also elevating his perception of himself, energy, and the world to an entirely new level. He needed time to familiarize himself with this sudden surge of power and to comprehend the mysteries contained within this unique Martial Soul.
The exclusive training ground in the rear courtyard of the Li residence became his most frequented place. Li Zhaoyan personally instructed him, starting from the most basic Soul Power circulation, Spirit Summoning, and possession. Marco's learning speed was astonishingly fast; often, after Li Zhaoyan demonstrated once, he could perfectly replicate it and even extrapolate further, raising deeper questions.
Marco quickly mastered the possession state of the Azure Flame Phoenix. With a mere thought, a faint azure flame would emerge across his body, primarily converging on his arms to form dazzling yet perilous Flame Armguards. The Flame Markings at the corners of his eyes added a touch of mystery. He discovered that this azure flame seemed like an extension of his will, as easy to control as moving his own limbs.
When attacking, without any deliberate effort, the azure flame would naturally wrap around his fists and feet, flowing out with each strike. He had tested it—a single punch on the hard Testing Stone not only caused physical impact but also left behind scorch marks. The azure flame clung like a persistent plague, difficult to extinguish, continuously burning and draining the target's energy. It inflicted both physical and energy damage, its power far surpassing that of ordinary flames.
What astonished both him and Li Zhaoyan even more was another aspect of this azure flame. During one training session, Marco accidentally cut his arm on the edge of a training apparatus, and blood seeped out. Instinctively, he channeled Soul Power to stop the bleeding, but to his surprise, as the Soul Power flowed to the wound, the azure flame spontaneously and gently enveloped the injury. Like the most dexterous weaver, it swiftly cauterized the blood vessels and flesh. The pain quickly subsided, and moments later, the wound healed completely, leaving only faint pink new skin without even a scar!
"Self-healing ability?!" Li Zhaoyan stared in shock at the scene, then erupted into ecstatic joy. "As expected of the 'Phoenix'! Marco, the restorative power of your Martial Soul is likely even more formidable and rapid than the effects of many healing-type Spirit Abilities!"
After numerous experiments, they confirmed that this Azure Flame indeed possessed incredibly powerful healing properties, especially showing remarkable effects on Marco's own injuries. It seemed capable of greatly stimulating cellular activity and accelerating regeneration. Of course, this healing required the consumption of Soul Power, with more severe injuries demanding greater expenditure. But for a Soul Master, this was undoubtedly like gaining an extra life! Simultaneously, Marco's physical constitution had undergone comprehensive enhancement after his Martial Soul awakened, with his strength, speed, endurance, and reflexes far surpassing those of Soul Masters at his level, even approaching the standards of some Soul Grandmasters above level twenty. This was undoubtedly due to the bonuses from his Innate Full Soul Power and top-tier Martial Soul, but it was also inseparable from his two years of uninterrupted foundation training and the strength of his soul's origin.
However, not all abilities could be realized as desired. Marco had attempted to see if he could fly—after all, the legend of the phoenix was always associated with soaring through the skies. When he fully activated his Martial Soul, with azure flames boiling around him, he could leap extremely high and glide for a short distance, but it was still far from true flight. It was as if this world's rules were suppressing his flight ability from another world, or perhaps it required a higher Soul Power level and specific Spirit Rings to unlock. Li Zhaoyan speculated that perhaps when he reached level thirty and obtained his third Spirit Ring, his Martial Soul would develop further, making it possible to truly condense wings of flame and gain the ability to fly.
The explosive growth in strength and improvement in bodily control made Marco recall the principles of the Navy Six Styles from his previous life. That physical martial art that surpassed human limits seemed to have the potential for realization in this world possessing Soul Power. Especially "Paper Drawing" (sensing attacks, redirecting force and evading) and "Iron Body" (defensive hardening), which shared similarities with his concepts of Observation Haki and Armament Haki; the explosive speed of "Shave" was particularly appealing.
Leveraging his powerful bodily control and precise manipulation of Soul Power, he began experimenting with the principle of "Shave"—stamping the ground dozens of times at high speed in an instant to generate explosive reactive force. However, even with his current physical constitution, this burst beyond limits placed immense strain on his leg muscles and meridians. After one successful attempt at "Shave" that moved him less than three meters, intense soreness and a slight tearing sensation shot through his legs.
He immediately mobilized the Azure Flame for treatment, and the injuries quickly healed. But he understood that the essence of this technique was the extreme exertion of the body. Even with the Azure Flame's repair, frequent use would inevitably leave Hidden Wounds, affecting his foundation, making it not worth the cost. Perhaps when his Soul Power level was higher and his body stronger, he could attempt it again, or... he needed to find specific Spirit Abilities as substitutes. He temporarily set aside this dangerous idea, focusing instead on consolidating his foundation and developing the innate abilities of his Martial Soul.
In the quiet of the night, Marco sat cross-legged on his bed, not engaging in Soul Power meditation, but immersed in introspection and perception. His consciousness sank deep into his soul, carefully touching those three seeds that remained faint yet tenaciously present—Observation Haki, Armament Haki, Conqueror's Haki.
Arriving in this world with a new body and power system, he never forgot his true trump card. While Soul Power and Martial Souls were undoubtedly powerful, those Three Types of Haki were the strength that had accompanied his soul through transmigration—a power truly born of his own will. He could sense that with the awakening of his Azure Flame Phoenix Spirit and the growth of his Soul Power, these three seeds seemed to have absorbed some nourishment. Though their growth was so slow as to be almost imperceptible, they undeniably existed and had not vanished.
"The rules of power in this world may differ, but the strength of will should be universal," Marco affirmed inwardly. "The perception of Observation Haki, the defense and offense of Armament Haki, the intimidation of Conqueror's Haki... The essence of these abilities lies in the fusion of spirit, will, and body. Soul Power might just become the new soil to nurture them."
He attempted to focus a trace of mental energy on enhancing his perception during Soul Power meditation, simulating the cultivation of Observation Haki. During fist training, he tried to concentrate his willpower into his fists, striving for that defensive and offensive quality surpassing mere Soul Power hardening. Progress was extremely slow, negligible even, but he wasn't discouraged. He firmly believed that as long as the path was correct and he persevered, it wasn't impossible to restore the brilliance of the Three Types of Haki in this world. This would be his ultimate power—unique to him, surpassing any Spirit Ring or Spirit Ability.
While Marco immersed himself in familiarizing with his new powers and secretly honing his Haki, Ye Lingling's transformation was equally remarkable.
On the day of her Spirit awakening, her brother's decision to delay obtaining a Spirit Ring just to wait for her had deeply moved her. She didn't want to be a burden to her brother or hinder the progress of her prodigious sibling. That budding competitive spirit and her desire to stand side by side with him transformed into an unprecedented drive for cultivation.
The little girl who used to cling to her brother and occasionally act spoiled or lazy seemed to have grown up overnight. No longer needing repeated reminders from her mother, she proactively engaged in Soul Power meditation every day, her diligence both heartening and heart-wrenching to Ye Wantang. She also began following Li Zhaoyan in basic physical training. Though her Nine Heart Begonia Spirit offered little enhancement to physical fitness, she hoped to become stronger.
Watching all this, Marco felt both heartbroken and immensely comforted. When she grew weary from cultivation, he would use his controlled Azure Flames to ease her fatigue (he'd discovered his flames had a mild soothing effect on others). When she struggled to understand Soul Power circulation, he'd explain it in the simplest terms. When she felt like giving up, he'd silently stay by her side.
"Brother, I'll definitely reach level ten soon!" Ye Lingling often declared, clenching her small fists earnestly.
"Mm, I believe you. Let's work hard together," Marco would always reply with a smile, ruffling her hair.
The siblings motivated each other, progressing together. Seeing the children so sensible and diligent filled Li Zhaoyan and Ye Wantang with happiness and pride.
Time flew by amidst their diligent cultivation. In what felt like a blink, nearly two months had passed since their Spirit awakenings.
One evening, after finishing her meditation, Ye Lingling rushed to find Marco and Li Zhaoyan—who were studying the Spirit Beast Bestiary—her small face flushed with excitement.
"Father! Brother! I... I think I broke through! My Soul Power is full!" she exclaimed excitedly, palms facing upward as she concentrated on gathering Soul Power. A denser, brighter sphere of light materialized—though unchanged in size, its radiance was purer and more stable, the unmistakable sign of reaching the tenth-level bottleneck!
"Excellent! Truly excellent!" Li Zhaoyan was overjoyed. "Reaching level ten from level nine in less than two months—Lingling, your hard work has paid off!"
Marco looked at his sister, his eyes filled with admiration and pride. He knew how much sweat she had shed over these two months. "Lingling is amazing."
Ye Wantang rushed over upon hearing the news and, after learning what happened, was equally delighted, pulling her daughter into a warm embrace.
With both children now having reached the tenth-level bottleneck, plans to obtain their first Spirit Rings were immediately set in motion.
Over the following days, Li Zhaoyan practically buried himself in the study and the family's library, poring over numerous texts on Soul Beasts—including guides, illustrated manuals, and hunting notes left by predecessors. Ye Wantang also contributed from the healing perspective of the Nine Heart Begonia Spirit, offering suggestions about plant-type Soul Beasts or those with beneficial traits that might be suitable.
Marco actively participated as well. Leveraging his strong memory and comprehension, he quickly scanned and memorized information on various Soul Beasts—covering their habits, abilities, weaknesses, and potential Spirit Ability inclinations. He paid particular attention to fire-attribute Soul Beasts, those with powerful vitality, or ones possessing both traits, hoping to find the best match for the Azure Flame Phoenix.
"Marco's Azure Flame Phoenix combines both flame and life attributes, so the choice of the first Spirit Ring is critical. It must strengthen both aspects simultaneously, or at the very least, not neglect either," Li Zhaoyan analyzed, referring to his thick notes. "Fire-attribute Soul Beasts with robust vitality are inherently rare, and those below a thousand years are even harder to find... Perhaps we should consider those with strong regenerative abilities or unique flames."
"For Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia, the first Spirit Ring traditionally comes from plant-type Soul Beasts with tenacious life force or pure healing energy, to enhance the durability and strength of its healing effects," Ye Wantang added. "Alternatively, selecting Soul Beasts that grant purification or the ability to dispel abnormal statuses could significantly boost the Nine Heart Begonia's supportive value."
After repeated discussions and screenings, they shortlisted several candidate Soul Beasts and decided on their destination—the Soul Hunting Forest known as 'Sunset Forest,' located hundreds of miles from Heaven Dou City. This forest, moderate in size and home to a relatively comprehensive variety of Soul Beasts, offered potential options for Marco's need for special fire or life attributes, as well as suitable plant-type Soul Beasts for Ye Lingling. Its manageable danger level made it a common choice for acquiring first and second Spirit Rings.
The departure was scheduled for three days later. Li Zhaoyan began inspecting and organizing the necessary supplies, weapons, and medicines for the journey. Ye Wantang prepared appropriate travel gear for the children and patiently reiterated various precautions.
Marco and Ye Lingling felt both anticipation and nervousness. They looked forward to obtaining their first Spirit Rings and truly stepping into the world of Soul Masters, yet were anxious about facing unknown Soul Beasts and potential battles.
Marco gently took his sister's hand. "Don't be afraid, Lingling. Father and I are here."
Ye Lingling nodded firmly, her eyes resolute: "Yes! I'm not afraid!"