Stupid.
That's the word that comes to mind every time I think about how I ended up here.
How could I have been so dumb?
Given the chance to choose everything—the world, the bloodline, abilities, even a background and family—I somehow managed to pick the completely wrong world.
I was just a depressed and lonely guy who died early and then at some point while drifting in the void, I came across something unbelievable.
It called itself "The Life Selector" and gave me a bunch of options to choose from.
I was stunned at first, but then I recalled my dream.
My dream was simple: to marry Kushina Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga, to play around in the ninja world.
So,I meticulously choose everything in the virtual screen in front of me. So certain about meeting the 2 people I love.
Instead, I woke up on the so-called "Love Continent," where hypocrisy thickens the air. And of all people, I have to see the face of the God of Hypocrites himself—Tang San. Sigh.
Should I be glad I get to slap his face?
Like those reincarnated MC's in the novels I read? Are you kidding me? There's literally a God King behind that guy. What could I possibly fight with? The Shinigami Summon of the Uzumaki Clan? Hello, They are "Gods".
Ah, this is irritating. Better to focus on gathering information about my current situation before blaming myself any further.
Let's see. According to my memories, I'm the only son of Marquis Wu Tian, who manages the lands along the Tianlong River. We live in Liangjing City. My mother, Han Mei, was a former student of Tianshui Academy and currently one of its teachers.
My grandmother, Xue Li, is a former princess and elder sister of the current Emperor Xue Ye.
Wow. I chose a noble family background in Naruto, but I still got it in Soul Land? Lucky me. Wait, the current Emperor is my jui-ye(grand uncle) so why do I have no memory of meeting him ?
Did my grandmother not want to take me to the palace for its intrigues? Or something happened that strained the relationship between them so she is keeping her distance? Maybe i should ask her later. She loves me so much, she wouldn't get mad at me, right?
Anyway, with a family like this, I could walk sideways in the Tiandou Empire and no one would question me.
I mean Just look at their levels:
My father is a level 65 Soul Emperor with a Flame Sword martial spirit.
My mother is a level 69 Soul Emperor with a Sea Dragon martial spirit, soon to be a Soul Sage.
My grandmother is a level 89 Soul Douluo at 51 years old, with a White Swan spirit—a martial soul not typically known for cultivation or combat power.
After all, even Emperor Xue Ye and Prince Xue Xing share that same martial soul and are only a Soul Emperor and Soul King respectively. My grandmother is truly a genius, and she dotes on me. Hehe.
Although they are not titled douluo, with a soul douluo and 2 soul emperors as a family does feel reassuring. Not to mention the royal connections.
As for the timeline,I met Shui Bing'er yesterday as it was my 4th birthday. She seems to be about a year younger than me. That means hypocrite Tang San is also a year younger.
I have mixed feelings about him. On the one hand I am disgusted with his actions. On the other hand, I feel he is misguided and has no one to teach him what is right and what is wrong,so I'm not particularly interested in dealing with him, but I will have to see how it goes in the future I guess.
If I have a System, I'll definitely steal that rogue rabbit from him, though.
It's not that I'm lustful or interested in her. It's just that I feel pity, and recall Kaguya Otsutsuki, and then inevitably recall my Love, Hinata. Sigh, my lavender-eyed Princess— I miss thee.
Xiao Wu is average compared to women like Zhu Zhuqing, Shui Bing'er, Zhu Zhuyun, Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, Liu Erlong,Bo Saixi, and Tang Yueha . There are others, but I forgot, so shrugs.
The point is, I'm not lusting after that rogue rabbit, I just feel pity at her fate.
Weird, why do I feel like I'm explaining myself? Even if I were lustful, so what? She is a Legal Loli. Sue me .
Anyway, let's go back to the topic at hand. Until my Martial Soul awakens, I can only rely on Chakra—I can sense Chakra clearly, but no soul power. If I'd known I would reincarnate in soul land I would've gotten a cultivation pack.
Well it is what it is I guess. So, let's take stock of what I have.
First, I reached within and drew chakra to the surface of my inner clothes, crafting a temporary weight seal for a quick test. The fabric instantly felt heavy, then light, confirming the fluidity of the Uzumaki Sealing Arts Mastery. Check.✅
I mentally dissolved the seal away, leaving no trace. Keeping this invisible and silent for now is crucial.
I sat cross-legged and closed my eyes, concentrating the chakra deep within. The ease with which I managed the flow was a pleasant affirmation of my Perfect Chakra Control. Check.✅
With that foundation, I extended my awareness outward, pouring chakra into my spiritual senses. Almost instantly, a clear, mental map snapped into existence: I could sense the life force of every person, insect, and plant across a full thousand meters. Kagura's Mind's Eye was awake and the range is not bad for my current Chakra and body.
Next, I pushed deeper, seeking the spiritual remnants of the bloodline's power. It took a moment of strained focus, but then I felt it—a colossal, silent force coiled and waiting in my core.
I channeled the power, attempting to breach the surface, and with a rush of chakra, a single, mighty Adamantine Sealing Chain erupted an inch from my palm, its links thick and heavy as iron pillars. I instantly felt the drain on my current reserves.
Satisfied, yet realizing the enormous cost, I forcefully retracted it. The Complete Uzumaki Bloodline was definitely here, though my four-year-old body could only manage one chain for a brief moment. Check.✅
I tested a few more abilities and confirmed I got the bloodline.
I also choose "Charm" ability just in case, so if I accidentally reincarnated as Naruto, it will help me with the situation without me having to do anything, after all memories are no memories i don't have masochistic fetish.
In the original Naruto was treated so badly, if i accidently reincarnated as him I don't want to go through what he went through, so the ability Charm works wonders.but it works extremely well in a Cultivation World like Soul Land, after all who doesn't have a dream of being a harem protagonist.
Charm—Check ✅
Come to think of it, that girl Hu Liena heavily relies on Charm. I wonder what will happen if she sees me. "Hahaha"
Anyway,with these gifts, I should already have a strong body but I can forge an even stronger body with my sealing arts. Hell, I can even train my own "ninshu sect".
Although this is a cultivation world and I don't have cultivation techniques, I can compensate for them later. As for the next step, it's obvious:
Train my body(i might not be able to replicate huo yuhao's Legendary first ring but i atleast want to start with a 1000 year soul ring)
Learn swordsmanship from my father(as a former sword enthusiast who didn't get the chance to train swordsmanship I'll try my best in this one, with all my heart)
dive deep into martial souls, spirit rings, spirit skills, and soul bones(while I don't particularly care for Tang san,I still can't help but want to kick yu scamgong. So I'll strip his grandmaster title with facts. For that i need to learn as much as i can, although this might put me against Tang san I'll deal with it as it comes.)
Let's set our goals straight, so I can work towards that.
My ultimate goal? Reach Kushina Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga.
Short-term? Rise to the apex of this world and become a God King.
With everything sorted out and the goals chosen,First, I crafted a gravity seal on my body—an intricate fusion of Uzumaki sealing arts and my own theories about spiritual pressure, designed to enhance my physical and spiritual fortitude.
The seal stayed active twenty-four-seven, strengthening every time I pushed past the limits of pain and exhaustion.
I wake up early, and do a Saitama routine before my father drives me for sword training.
Whenever training felt too easy, the seal forced me forward, but shortly after a week of training I had the brilliant idea to include a seal that would give me "instant recovery".
I just sealed self recovery of my Uzumaki Bloodline and stacked it's energy so it works like an instant recovery like those Systems do it.
Hehe, I'm a genius. But unfortunately it only works once a day, so I have to choose carefully when I use it.
Training quickly became brutal but rewarding. Each morning began with my enhanced version of Saitama routine then my father looming over me with his usual half-smirk.
"Again?" he'd say, tossing me a wooden sword.
I'd grin despite my aching arms. "Unless you're scared, Lǎodiē(old man)."
He'd shake his head, but there was always that glint of pride in his eyes.
More than once, after a particularly good round, he'd clap me on the back and murmur so only I could hear, "If you keep this up, I'll have to ask your mother for help next time."
I recoil at that as my mother is more brutal in sword training than my father who had the sword spirit for some reason. But still couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect of pushing my father to ask for her help.
After training, I bathed and joined my grandmother, Xue Li, for lessons. Her knowledge on martial souls, spirit beasts, and soul rings was impressive to say the least.
She loved to quiz me, and sometimes I shot back questions of my own, just to see her smile.
One afternoon, elbow-deep in scrolls, I caught her off-guard. "Nǎinai(Grandma), absorbing a soul ring and soul bone of the same origin, soul beast enhances the effect, so what if a person absorbed a soul bone of a higher age of the same/similar origin of soul beast of the soul ring he just absorbed? Wouldn't that push enhancement further?"
She tapped her chin. "That is a brilliant theory, Rui'er. But your model overlooks the core truth: no two soul beasts are truly identical. Even within the same species, the spiritual resonance between the ring and the bone will vary.
While your idea holds merit, the unpredictable nature of the soul is a powerful factor you haven't accounted for."
I never just memorized—always analyzed. "You're right. I was thinking only of the species lineage. I failed to account for the individual spiritual imprint. That changes the calculation entirely."
Nai nai(grandmother)," I continued, pressing the point, "I think we prioritize soul skills too heavily. We often sacrifice a valuable ring age just to get a 'suitable' skill. Most people only get a few chances to truly evolve their spirit. For top martial souls, that's nine rings, but for most, it's far less."
She laughed softly, a sound of gentle wisdom. "Sometimes, it takes new eyes to see the old truths, Rui'er. And you are correct: Age equals foundation. But the truth is, the world is not a peaceful place. For millennia, immediate combat utility has been more valuable than a slower, stronger foundation. That is why skills are prized."
"Unless, of course," she paused, meeting my gaze with a glint of amusement, "it's a Hundred-Thousand Year Soul Ring. Then the skills are a bonus. Because a Red Ring is more than just skills; it's a massive, guaranteed cultivation boost and a soul bone—an immediate generational leap."
Days passed like this and one day I proposed the soul ring age limit theory.When I decided to test the soul ring age limit theory, it was my mother who helped.
She brought one of dad's subordinates who just reached level 30, glancing at me. "Are you sure about this, Hanrui? It's risky."
"If his body's ready, Mom, the ring's age won't matter." I said as we already prepared the subordinate by training him for a year. At present he can absorb a 3000 year soul ring.
She patted my shoulder, eyes serious. "I trust you. Let's change his fate."
The 20 year old subordinate looked nervous but because of the effect of my inexplicable charm he chose to place his trust in me. Biting the bullet he killed the 3000 year old soul beast and started absorbing the soul ring.
Initially he showed pain but shortly after he relaxed, like this few hours passed before the absorption was completed. And the subordinate, the 20 year old soul elder, reached rank 31 on the verge of breaking through to level 32.
The subordinate profusely thanked me and pledged his loyalty to me but I just brushed him off and sent him back to father.
When the experiment succeeded, my father called me into his study. "You're changing things, son," he said, quietly.
"You have to be careful of the attention you will get, do you understand what I'm talking about" he asks in a gravely serious tone. Seeing me nod solemnly he drops it and continues with a lighter but a prideful tone.
"You have my permission to choose and train your own subordinates."
I bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Father. I won't let you down."
From the orphanage, I picked two girls and —with average spirits but fire in their hearts.
"The next year won't be easy," I warned them. "I'll never give up on you if you don't give up on yourselves."
They each nodded, determination clear in their eyes.
At four years old, I started tending to the garden which became my escape. It wasn't a manicured space but a controlled explosion of life, a place where the familiar Blue Silver Grass tangled with rare, potent herbs.
I spent my long hours tending to the fiery Fire Ginseng and its cooling counterpart, the Glacial Lotus. The air in this small sanctuary was usually a gentle balance, a subtle warmth that grounded me. Despite having a loving family, it's not easy to escape from the scars and chaos brewing deep within my soul from my previous life.
I found myself speaking to the plants, as if they were my only confidants. "You're tougher than you look," I'd whisper, my fingers brushing against a tender leaf.
My immense vitality—a constant, thrumming force from my bloodline—seemed to infuse the entire garden. It was a silent, peaceful form of cultivation that I didn't even realize I was doing.
Watching a single blade of blue silver grass that I'd nurtured break the five-thousand-year mark, settling at 5,500 years, became my quiet victory, a silent testament to the extraordinary power coiled inside me.
But I couldn't help but wonder sometimes, am I really an Uzumaki or a new version of Hashirama Senju? But quickly dismiss the thought.
At five years old, after my father and I faced each other in the courtyard without soul power, he dropped to one knee and I called out, "Yield?"
He huffed, chest heaving, and laughed. "Fine! I yield. You win, Hanrui." A pause, then a proud ruffle of my hair. As his son, in just 1 year bested him, in Sword Play without soul power.
"Don't tell your mother; she'll want a spar next." I smiled slightly and hugged him as I fell asleep exhausted.
But some of my best memories formed at my mother's side. In her study full of sea charts and scrolls, we brewed tea and pored over tales of ancient soul beasts.
"This Arctic Qilin, here—its aura matches both water and ice. It's dangerous, but the potential is immense," I excitedly pointed out.
Mother's eyebrows rose. "A brilliant find. If we journey to the Extreme North, you will come with me? It will be extremely dangerous, though—are you really sure?"
"Always, I have to keep an eye out for my mother, after all." I promised as she smiles warmly and hugs me tightly.
The expedition itself was a trial. We crossed frozen lakes, shivered in blizzards, and whispered strategy by flickering campfires.
When Mother finally subdued the ancient soul beast, I noticed its age, which seems to be higher than 50,000, around 60,000 if I'm not wrong.
Growing worried I stopped my mother but she just reassured me and started absorbing the soul ring while initially blood leaked from her body.
Gradually her breathing calmed and shortly after the dazzling 7th ring circled her, shining with a black luster and she woke up with a smile, and she whispered to me, "We did this together."
Ignoring my deflated father, my mother hugged me tightly, praising me as the family's lucky star.
"I'm just glad you'll be home safe," I whispered back, fiercely proud.
At age six, just before Martial Soul Awakening,as it is my birthday —my family decided to throw a small celebration, but perfect in its simplicity.
Father roasted duck, Mother made sweet rice cakes, and Grandmother joked about never aging.
Shui Bing'er shyly presented me with a handmade charm.
One of my subordinates looked up, grinning foolishly, "Will you train us even harder now, master?"
I grinned back. "Just be glad there's cake before the next round."
After the laughter faded and only the lanterns flickered, Grandmother drew me aside. "Ready?" she asked, voice low but kind.
My heartbeat thumped in my ears. "Let's do it."
Shortly after the birthday, she began the ritual. Lights spun, warmth and anticipation buzzing in the air.
my grandmother stood in front of me and released her martial soul, White Swan.
"Beautiful" I muttered subconsciously as I looked at her martial soul for the first time. As she infused her soul power into my body with the formation, while smiling proudly at my comment,I closed my eyes and felt its warmth as something in my soul broke free. I sensed my martial soul.
As I extended my right hand forward, the shadow of a massive and majestic "Azure Dragon" nearly 100 meters in size manifested behind me.
its mighty roar echoed through the nine heavens with flames licking one side of its wings and frost shimmering on the other, while its horns shimmer with life energizing the nearby plant life before shrinking down to 10 meters and gain a corporeal form as if it's not just a mere soul energy projection but can be touched and felt.
Just like Yu Xiaogong's Martial Soul, Luo San Po, this season seems to have a mind of its own.
As the dragon looked at me it shrunk to a baby size dragon and nestled in my arms. Cooing like a child.
Frozen in disbelief, my grandmother, father, and mother could only watch in awe. Seizing the moment, I quickly checked my soul power—it revealed an astounding Level 10.
That was when it happened. That damn sound I never wanted to hear—soft, clear, unending.
"Ding."
"Really? I spent two years without you and you had to crash my party?" I thought inwardly as exasperation hit me like a tidal wave.