Chapter 1: Xu Tianhao
Ten thousand years have quietly passed since the Sea God, Tang San, led the Shrek Seven Devils to ascend to the God Realm.
During these ten millennia, the Douluo Continent has weathered many storms, and its former landscape has changed beyond recognition.
The map, once dominated by two great Empires standing in opposition, underwent a massive transformation during an earth-shattering collision.
Four thousand years ago, the Sun Moon Continent, which had been drifting across the vast ocean, collided with the Douluo Continent.
The Sun Moon Continent brought not only new land and people but also a completely different civilization.
A technological system centered around spirit tools clashed with the Spirit Master system that had been passed down for tens of thousands of years on the Douluo Continent, creating intense sparks.
The Sun Moon Empire, this powerful foreign nation, initiated a war relying on spirit tool technology that far surpassed that of traditional Spirit Masters.
The Sun Moon Empire repeatedly launched northern expeditions, intending to annex the three great Empires of the original Douluo Continent and bring the entire continent under its rule.
In those years, the flames of war spread to almost every inch of the Douluo Continent. The roar of spirit tools and the clashing sounds of Spirit Masters' Spirit Abilities intertwined; blood stained the rivers red, and bones were piled high like barriers.
The iron hooves of the Sun Moon Empire crushed countless cities, but in the end, under the combined resistance of the three original Empires of the Douluo Continent, it failed to realize its ambition of unifying the continent.
After thousands of years of turmoil, the two merged continents continued to use the name of the Douluo Continent, but the seeds of conflict were sown from then on.
Today, the Sun Moon Empire has become the fourth largest nation on the Douluo Continent and is the undisputed strongest in terms of individual national power and strength.
...
Sun Moon Empire, Bright Capital, Imperial Palace, Sun Palace.
At this moment, the Sun Palace was silent.
This palace, specifically prepared for important imperial ceremonies, was decorated with extreme magnificence yet did not lose its solemnity.
A massive crystal spirit tool chandelier hung from the ceiling, looking like a blazing, formidable sun.
Portraits of past Sun Moon Empire Emperor Xu Jilongs hung on the walls, each one lifelike with majestic gazes, as if silently watching everything in the hall.
There was no extra furniture in the hall, only a circular platform made of obsidian placed in the center.
Complex spirit tool formations were engraved on the platform, with a faint purple halo occasionally flowing through the patterns.
This was a formation specially prepared for the Spirit awakening ceremony, capable of drawing out the Spirit and innate spirit power within the awakener to the maximum extent.
There were only four people in the hall at this time, yet the atmosphere was not heavy.
Seated at the head was the current Emperor Xu Jilong of the Sun Moon Empire, Xu Jilong. He was nearly fifty years old with a resolute face, his brow carrying the majesty and composure of one who had long held a high position.
His peaceful gaze fell upon the small figure in the center of the hall, his eyes filled with the expectations and concern of a father.
Standing beside the Emperor Xu Jilong was Crown Prince Xu Tianran.
He was eighteen years old, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe with silver cloud patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. He had an upright posture and a handsome face, his brow carrying both the nobility of a royal descendant and a hint of gentleness.
His eyes were clear, and when he looked at the young boy beside him, they were full of brotherly affection.
He was different from the Crown Prince in the original story, whose legs were crippled and who was left infertile due to a plot, leading to a twisted personality.
At this moment, Xu Tianran was still whole and healthy.
This was thanks to Xu Tianhao's secret intervention.
He had avoided that fatal assassination attempt from his royal brothers and remained the gentle, jade-like elder brother who doted on his younger siblings.
Beside Xu Tianran was the Fourth Princess, Xu Tianzhen.
She had just turned nine, with her hair in twin buns tied with pink ribbons. Her pink scholar's dress complemented her snow-white skin, and her curved eyes made her look like a doll carved from pink jade.
She had a lively personality and occasionally turned her head to lightly nudge her elder brother with her elbow, her face full of excitement.
And the one being focused on by the three was the protagonist of this Spirit awakening ceremony, the Sixth Prince, Xu Tianhao.
Xu Tianhao had just turned six this year. Wearing a small sky-blue brocade robe, his figure was slightly thin, but he had exceptionally bright eyes.
He stood there quietly, his small hands slightly clenched. On the surface, he appeared calm and wave-less, but his heart was already incredibly excited.
Because he was not a native of this World, but a transmigrator.
Xu Tianran's change was precisely because of Xu Tianhao.
According to the trajectory of the original story, Xu Tianran was supposed to be assassinated at eighteen, just as he was about to be officially invested as Crown Prince, and his personality would change drastically after becoming disabled.
But Xu Tianhao's arrival changed all of that.
Relying on his memory of the original plot, he cleverly guided Xu Tianran to prepare in advance.
Although that assassination attempt eventually happened, Xu Tianran had already laid out countermeasures. Not only did he not lose his legs or suffer a twisted personality like in the original story,
But he also took the opportunity to clear out the opposing forces in the court and consolidate his position as Crown Prince. The relationship between the two brothers had become even closer because of this.
Internal troubles were resolved, but external threats remained.
Because only Xu Tianhao knew that although the Sea God Tang San had ascended to the God Realm, he had not completely let go of his control over the Douluo Continent.
The Douluo Continent was still under Tang San's surveillance, and he was planning his ten-thousand-year grand scheme!
Fortunately, the change in his elder brother Xu Tianran made him certain that there was still a chance to change things for now.
So while Xu Tianhao was a bit worried about the future, he was full of anticipation for the present.
Especially now, because he was about to awaken his Spirit.
In the Douluo Continent, everyone possesses a Spirit, and the Spirit awakening at age six is the key that decides a person's lifelong destiny.
As long as one can awaken innate spirit power, they can step onto the path of a Spirit Master and become a respected Spirit Master.
If there is no innate spirit power, one can only be an ordinary person, living like an ant in this World where the strong are revered.
Xu Tianhao knew very well that his ambition would never allow him to be just an idle prince.
He longed to carve out a World of his own in this magnificent World, even wanting to challenge the authority of the God Realm and escape Tang San's control.
But the premise of all this was built upon him being able to awaken a powerful Spirit and sufficient innate spirit power.
Without strength, everything is empty talk.
If he couldn't awaken innate spirit power, he would have to give up all his ambitions and be an idle prince who just waits to die.
Spending a life peacefully in the imperial palace, avoiding a direct confrontation with Tang San in the future.
But in Xu Tianhao's bones, the words 'accepting fate' never existed.
He had transmigrated here with knowledge of this World; how could he be content with a mediocre life?
"Even if I only have level one innate spirit power, I have ways to change my destiny against the heavens," Xu Tianhao thought silently to himself.
In the Douluo Continent, as long as one has perseverance and opportunity, even the most ordinary Spirit has a chance to burst forth with startling brilliance.
The most typical example was Ji Juechen, who had level three innate spirit power but forced his way onto the path of a Titled Douluo.
If the Douluo Continent weren't being monitored and controlled by Tang San, perhaps Ji Juechen might have even received a Divinity inheritance.
So Xu Tianhao felt that as long as he could awaken innate spirit power, no matter how high or low, he would have a way to rise.
Furthermore, he had the foresight of a transmigrator, which was his greatest trump card.
However, the result of the Spirit awakening was, after all, unknown.
On the Douluo Continent, the Spirits of the vast majority of people are ordinary farm tools, objects, animals, or plants.
Less than one in ten thousand can awaken innate spirit power, and those who can awaken a powerful Spirit are even rarer.
Although Xu Tianhao was a prince with the blessing of the imperial bloodline, this did not guarantee that he would definitely awaken a powerful Spirit.
He couldn't help but think of his elder brother, Xu Tianran.
Xu Tianran's Spirit was the Purple Bright Heaven Extinguishing Dragon, the rarest and most powerful of the three imperial inheritance Spirits, and his innate spirit power was level nine and a half.
Now only eighteen years old, his cultivation had already reached a terrifying level sixty-eight. His talent and strength were unique among all the Crown Princes throughout history.
In the original story, Xu Tianran even broke through to the Titled Douluo realm around the age of thirty. One could imagine how terrifying Xu Tianran's talent was.
Coupled with his shrewd and calculating mind, now that his body was intact and his personality was stable, his future achievements would definitely far surpass the original story.
Then there was Xu Tianzhen, whose awakened Spirit was also the Sun, one of the three imperial inheritance Spirits, with level nine innate spirit power. She was also a genius!
As a younger brother from the same mother, Xu Tianhao felt there was a high probability he wouldn't be too bad.
The three imperial inheritance Spirits were the Purple Bright Heaven Extinguishing Dragon, the Sun, and the Moon.
All three were top-tier Spirits in this World. As long as he awakened one, it would be enough.