More than four thousand years ago, a vast continent known as the Sun–Moon Continent drifted across the western seas and collided with the Douluo Continent. The landmass of Douluo expanded dramatically, but the clash also brought countless new races — and endless wars.
Ten thousand years before the rise of God-King Tang and the first generation of the Shrek Seven Devils, the continent was ruled only by two empires — Heaven Dou and Starro.
Ten millennia later, the Starro Empire still stood, but the Heaven Dou Empire had long since fractured into two: the Heaven Soul Empire and the Spirit Empire.
When the two continents collided, a massive war erupted immediately.
In the end, the allied forces of the three native empires of the original Douluo Continent defeated the invading Sun–Moon Empire, and from that point forward, the land was unified under a single name — Douluo.
Though defeated, the Sun–Moon Empire was never fully conquered. With its superior technology and the hidden rivalries among the three victorious empires, the continent settled into a fragile, uneasy balance.
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The Power of Martial Souls
Every person born on the Douluo Continent possesses a Martial Soul — a unique manifestation of spiritual power.
Even the Sun–Moon Empire, though different in its technological development, recognized Martial Souls as the foundation of power.
A child's Martial Soul awakens at the age of six. It can take any form — a beast, a weapon, or even an inanimate object. Beast-type Martial Souls are known as Beast Souls, while all others are categorized as Tool Souls or Variant Souls.
Upon awakening, a small portion of people gain an energy known as Soul Power. Only these gifted individuals can cultivate the most prestigious profession on the continent — that of a Soul Master.
Excluding the legendary gods, Soul Masters are ranked in ten levels of mastery:
Soul Scholar, Soul Master, Grand Soul Master, Soul Elder, Soul Ancestor, Soul King, Soul Emperor, Soul Sage, Soul Douluo, and finally, the Titled Douluo — beings powerful enough to destroy armies alone.
Soul Power ranges from level 1 to level 10 during the early stages, known as the Soul Scholar realm.
The higher one's innate Soul Power at awakening, the greater their potential and cultivation speed.
A child born with Innate Full Soul Power — level 10 at awakening — is considered a genius among geniuses.
Legends even tell of those born with Innate Level 20 — monsters beyond comprehension.
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Ethan, though born the son of Duke Whitlock, had not inherited the White Tiger bloodline.
This single twist of fate changed both his and his mother Yuna's destinies forever.
Ethan's Martial Soul was a rare anomaly — a mutation known as the Spirit Eyes.
According to ancient texts, there exists a class of Martial Souls neither Beast nor Tool — known as Body Souls — souls that manifest as a part of one's own body: hands, legs, eyes, or even the heart.
Such souls are extremely rare yet innately powerful, often surpassing ordinary souls.
But Ethan's Spirit Eyes were a tragic exception.
Located within his eyes, his Martial Soul possessed the elusive spiritual attribute, yet it was cursed with two fatal flaws.
First, upon awakening, his innate Soul Power was only level one — the lowest possible, a mark of mediocrity.
Second, spiritual-type soul beasts — those required to form compatible Soul Rings — were exceedingly rare.
To advance, a Soul Master must hunt and slay a soul beast aligned with their attribute, absorbing its ring to break through the next level.
Each ring not only allows advancement but also grants a unique ability — the very foundation of a Soul Master's power.
Even among the servants' children within the Duke's Mansion, most could reach level 10 within three years of awakening and attempt the trial to become a true Soul Master.
But Ethan's path was different — cruelly so.
---
When Ethan reincarnated, he inherited all of his predecessor's memories.
He understood everything — the nature of Soul Beasts, their ranks, and their rings.
Soul Beasts are classified by their years of cultivation:
Ten-Year, Hundred-Year, Thousand-Year, Ten-Thousand-Year, Hundred-Thousand-Year, and the mythical Beasts of Calamity.
The longer a soul beast lives, the stronger the Soul Ring it yields.
Just as the original story described, a Soul Master must personally kill the beast to claim its ring.
In the original timeline, Huo Yuhao — or rather, the boy whose body Ethan now inhabited — left home at eleven, consumed by hatred and weakness.
But this Ethan was different.
He knew the entire tale of Douluo Continent II.
And now, living it himself, he had no intention of repeating another man's tragedy.
---
Today marked Ethan's tenth birthday.
He had chosen to celebrate it by annihilating the entire Duke's Mansion — a birthday gift wrapped in fire and vengeance.
In doing so, he wiped away the last lingering resentment of the soul that once inhabited this body.
Now, the Spirit Eyes within him were devouring the remnants of nearly three thousand souls — servants, guards, and nobles alike — all within the ruins of the Whitlock estate.
Ethan shivered as an unfamiliar exhilaration coursed through him.
> Am I… becoming an Evil Soul Master?
He tried to resist, but the surge was unstoppable.
His Soul Power, stagnant for years, skyrocketed — rising to level ten in mere minutes.
And just as panic began to set in—
> "Evil Soul Master!"
A sharp female voice sliced through the air.
Ethan turned toward it, his pupils contracting.
Seven brilliant lights streaked across the horizon —
the Shrek Inspection Team had arrived.
> "By order of the Shrek Academy Inspection Team, Evil Soul Master — surrender immediately!"
"Evil Soul Master?" Ethan chuckled coldly. "That's what you call me?"
He knew this world's hypocrisy all too well.
In this empire ruled by divine power and noble blood, Evil Soul Masters were treated like plague rats. No one ever cared about their suffering — only the label they carried.
Even the original Ethan — the "canon" version — had been destined for darkness, yet swayed by gods and pity, he became nothing more than a lovesick pawn.
> "The so-called God of Emotion," Ethan thought bitterly, "was just another broken soul on a leash."
---
The leader of the Shrek team arrived first — a blur of red flame streaking through the sky like a burning phoenix.
Within seconds, she hovered before him.
Up close, Ethan saw her clearly:
A tall woman clad in crimson uniform, her long hair the color of blood. Even her eyes glowed red behind a matching mask. She radiated ferocity — more like a beast than a human.
> "She looks more like an Evil Soul Master than I do," Ethan thought dryly.
Shrek Inspection Team — that meant these were the elite students of Shrek Academy's Inner Court, just as in the stories.
Behind her, the air rippled and shimmered. A faint Fire Phoenix silhouette unfurled from her back, and the heat warped the very air around her.
> Fire Phoenix Martial Soul… could it be her?
"Evil Soul Master, huh? You've got the wrong man," Ethan said quickly, taking a step back. He knew he couldn't match a powerhouse of this level — she was likely a Soul Emperor.
"If you're not guilty," the woman replied coldly, "then why are you running?"
She extended a hand. A surge of invisible force gripped him instantly, yanking him through the air toward her.
> "I'm done for," Ethan thought, heart pounding.
He knew her — this was Eva, the fiery Shrek inspector whose Phoenix Soul often lost control in violent bursts of Evil Fire.
She was known for being reckless — and deadly.
With no external help, no divine spirits, no Iceworm power-ups, Ethan had no choice. He gathered every ounce of Soul Power in his Spirit Eyes and unleashed it.
A pale-gray Soul Ring flared beneath his feet — his first, newly formed.
A strange, alien sensation flooded him as power erupted from his gaze.
Eva's red eyes met his — and in an instant, her mind plunged into chaos.
The world spun violently around her.
Her soul felt trapped in a maelstrom, her body a fragile boat tossed by waves of destruction.
> "A–ahh!" she screamed, clutching her head and collapsing.
Black flames ignited around the phantom phoenix behind her —
and everything those flames touched melted, even solid granite.
> "Not good! Eva's Evil Fire is breaking loose!" shouted her comrades as they arrived.
They surrounded her, channeling Soul Power to suppress the raging phoenix.
> It really is her, Ethan realized. If I'm going to escape, it's now!
Without hesitation, he turned and fled.
The six remaining inspectors struggled to contain Eva's outbreak — none could spare attention for him.
But Ethan didn't know that he wasn't the only hunter tonight.
From the shadows, several Cult Acolytes emerged — the same black-robed figures who had witnessed the explosion earlier.
The leader raised a pale hand, and Ethan froze mid-stride, suspended by invisible power.
Behind him, his men unleashed their Martial Souls —
Soul Rings flashing, their power aimed straight at the distracted Shrek team.
> "Evil Soul Masters! They're all Titled Douluo-level!"
> "Help!—"
The cries were drowned by the roar of Soul Power.
The leader approached Ethan slowly, licking his pale lips.
Then he bent slightly, one hand over his chest in a gesture of reverence.
> "We greet the Holy Son of our Cult. The Holy Son has descended — and brought with him our long-awaited Saintess.
Glory to the Holy Spirit Cult!"
---
> The world line has shifted.
This time, the Holy Spirit Cult will have its wish fulfilled.
For ten thousand years they've sought a Holy Son in vain — until tonight, when Ethan becomes their destined heir… and the Saintess awakens beside him.
(End of Chapter 2)