Extraction, Ancestral Dragon Martial Soul!
The orphanage's dining hall was a dim, cramped space that smelled of old wood and dampness. A few worn, low wooden tables were surrounded by children, their eyes fixed on the simple feast of white steamed buns and eggs. To Yao Xuan, it was a meager breakfast, but for these orphans, it was a rare luxury, usually reserved for the most important holidays.
"Yao Xuan, why are you so slow today?" The voice of Aunt Li Mei, the matron, cut through the quiet chatter. Her hair was streaked with gray, her face lined with the weariness of managing so many children. "If you make everyone late, I'll have you on cleaning duty for a week!"
Yao Xuan snapped back to the present. "Aunt Li Mei, I was just... a little too excited about Awakening Day last night. I didn't sleep well."
Li Mei's stern expression softened a fraction. "I suppose that's understandable. Sit down, quickly." She turned her attention to the whole group, her voice taking on a grave tone. "Now, everyone listen carefully. When we go to test your Martial Souls and Soul Power, you must be on your best behavior. Do not, under any circumstances, offend the Soul Masters from the Spirit Pagoda."
As Li Mei droned on with her instructions, Yao Xuan let his consciousness drift inward, to the incredible presence now anchored in his mind.
'Yes, activate them now!' he thought, his inner voice fervent.
A wave of warmth, gentle yet profound, bloomed from his core and spread through his limbs. He felt a subtle restructuring within his body—the lingering weakness from malnutrition receded, replaced by a resilient strength. The minor scars and blemishes on his skin smoothed away, and a new vitality seemed to radiate from him. He didn't need a mirror to know the Enhanced Charm was at work; he saw it in the way the other children glanced at him with unguarded, instinctive friendliness. Even Li Mei's gaze held a touch more warmth, as if his improved demeanor was simply the boy she'd always known.
Simultaneously, a cool, clarifying energy flowed into his sea of consciousness. His thoughts, which had been a jumble of shock and excitement, suddenly crystallized. Concepts became clearer, connections between ideas formed effortlessly. 'This is the Enhanced Comprehension... it's like a fog has lifted from my mind.'
'Draw!' There was no hesitation.
Within his mind's eye, a magnificent roulette wheel materialized, forged from light and inscribed with runes that pulsed with primordial power. Each segment held a Martial Soul that shimmered with potential, their forms indistinct but radiating immense authority. Yao Xuan's breath caught. 'How amazing... truly extraordinary.'
The pointer began to spin, a blur of golden light. Yao Xuan's entire being focused on it, his heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. 'Slower... slower... stop!'
The pointer slowed, drifting past breathtaking possibilities, until it finally settled on a symbol that was not just an image, but an experience—a dragon. But not like any dragon he had ever imagined. This form was the essence of dominion, the progenitor of all that slithered or soared. A single glance at its form, woven from light and shadow, sent a primal shiver of awe and terror through his soul.
A flood of information followed, ethereal text scrolling through his consciousness.
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As the ancestor of all dragons, even the dragon gods of many mythologies only received a trace of its bloodline... as did the dragon gods of the Douluo World.>
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Your Ancestral Dragon Martial Soul is formed from the spiritual core of the Ancestral Dragon, inheriting its authority and will. Therefore, even the Dragon God of the Douluo World is far inferior to you, the inheritor.>
'Even the Dragon God... is far inferior?' The magnitude of it was staggering. He had not just hit the jackpot; he had been handed the authority to rewrite the rules of this world. A fierce, triumphant joy surged within him, so potent it was almost frightening.
But the System's enhanced comprehension allowed a thread of caution to weave through his elation. 'System, how long will the fusion take? Can I move? Is there any danger?'
"Alright, everyone, let's eat!" Li Mei's command broke through his internal dialogue. The children around him immediately grabbed for the food, but Yao Xuan remained still, his outward calm a mask for the storm within.
'Twenty minutes. No danger. Then there's no reason to wait.' He took a deep, steadying breath, the steamed bun in his hand forgotten. 'System, begin the fusion of the Ancestral Dragon Martial Soul. Now.'
As the command left his thoughts, a new sensation ignited deep within his bones. It started as a warmth, but it was quickly building into a profound, internal heat, as if a sun were being kindled in his dantian. It was uncomfortable, yet it carried no pain—only the unmistakable feeling of limitless power, slumbering no more, beginning its awakening.