Chapter 2: Bloodline Fusion - Martial Soul Mutation
Looking at the rewards in the beginner gift pack, Yu Zhantian's breathing quickened.
It all felt… unreal.
Could a starter reward really contain something this powerful?
Was he still dreaming?
He raised his hand and slapped himself twice.
Smack!
A sharp pain spread across his face.
"…It's real."
"The Saiyan bloodline… it's actually real."
Excitement surged through him.
No wonder he had felt dazed earlier.
Once a Saiyan grew to maturity, they could easily dominate the entire Douluo Continent.
This was like opening a beginner loot box… and finding a god-tier weapon inside.
Absolutely absurd.
"…Receive the Hybrid Saiyan Bloodline."
Without hesitation, he chose to accept it.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
A series of bone-cracking sounds echoed through his body.
Black, viscous fluid began seeping out from his skin.
Pain.
Unimaginable pain.
It felt as if his entire body and soul were being torn apart and rebuilt from scratch.
Bones, blood, muscles, organs—even his senses—everything was being destroyed and reshaped.
More and more black sludge oozed out, soaking the bed beneath him.
Half an hour passed.
Finally, the pain subsided.
Yu Zhantian gasped for air, as if he had just crawled back from the brink of death.
That half hour…
Had been pure hell.
"…Novels are all lies," he muttered weakly.
"They always make bloodline fusion look easy… but this…"
"…this hurts so much it makes you question your existence."
After catching his breath, he glanced at the black sludge covering his body and grimaced.
"…Is this… marrow cleansing?"
"This is way too much. How does a human body even produce this much filth?"
[Ding - No need to panic. Bloodline replacement is equivalent to complete rebirth. This substance is the impurities from your previous body.]
"…My previous body?"
Yu Zhantian froze.
So this disgusting sludge…
Was literally everything impure that had been inside him.
No wonder it hurt so much.
His entire body had been rebuilt from the ground up.
He quickly calmed himself.
After all, he had already experienced transmigration. This wasn't enough to shake him.
"Learn the Nine Yang Divine Art. Then use the Skill Mastery Card."
[Ding - Nine Yang Divine Art learned]
[Ding - Skill Mastery Card used]
[Ding - Nine Yang Divine Art has reached Perfection]
The moment the system finished speaking, a blazing stream of energy surged through his body.
Pure, scorching, radiant.
It flowed through his meridians, nourishing every cell.
His soul power began transforming—changing into a far more powerful form.
Nine Yang True Qi.
It was as if he was growing stronger with every passing second.
No…
It was the intoxicating feeling of gaining absolute power.
"AH!"
Yu Zhantian let out a shout.
A burst of energy exploded outward, shredding his clothes and blowing away the remaining filth.
"Hahaha!"
He clenched his fists, laughing.
"So this is power… It's only slightly addictive."
At the peak of perfection, the Nine Yang Divine Art granted him incredible traits:
* Immunity to disease
* Resistance to poison
* A body as tough as steel
* Automatic protective energy
* Rebounding force against attacks
* Rapid regeneration and healing
Even ordinary punches and kicks now carried immense force.
And with the Saiyan bloodline combined with the comprehension boost from the technique…
His understanding had reached a terrifying level.
Photographic memory.
Learning techniques at a glance.
Drawing connections between different systems and creating something new.
It was no longer human.
---
As the saying goes:
Power changes everything.
In this world, strength meant status, voice, and dignity.
And now—
Yu Zhantian was no longer the same poor village boy.
Confidence filled his gaze, his presence sharp and radiant.
"Xiaotian, are you alright?"
His grandfather's worried voice came from outside.
Yu Zhantian frowned.
"…Grandpa's here. I need to clean this up quickly."
He hurriedly got dressed and raised his hand.
A stream of blazing Nine Yang Qi shot out.
Whoosh!
The black sludge evaporated instantly.
Just then, the door opened.
Yu Jun stepped inside, only to immediately recoil.
"What is that smell?! It stings my eyes!"
"I've told you before - open the windows before you leave the house!"
He walked over and pushed the window open.
Only then did Yu Zhantian realise how bad it was.
It smelled like rotten eggs mixed with fermented tofu.
Absolutely unbearable.
He quickly used his energy to block his sense of smell.
"…I understand, Grandpa. I won't forget next time."
Yu Jun opened his eyes again—
And froze.
"Who… are you?"
"Where is Xiaotian?"
"…Grandpa?"
Yu Zhantian blinked, confused.
"It's me."
Yu Jun stared at him in disbelief.
"…You're really Xiaotian?"
What was going on?
Why couldn't his grandfather recognize him?
Had something happened to him?
Without a word, Yu Jun grabbed his arm and dragged him outside.
"Look at yourself!"
He pointed at the water tank.
Yu Zhantian looked down.
…and froze.
His appearance had completely changed.
Gone was the ordinary village boy.
Now, his features were sharp and refined.
Smooth skin, bright eyes, straight nose, and well-defined features.
His hair had also changed—short, but styled in a wild, spiky manner, with a single strand falling over his forehead.
Very…
Saiyan-like.
He looked like a completely different person.
"…Is this really me?"
"I knew marrow cleansing could improve appearance… but this is basically a full transformation."
Still, this wasn't the time to admire himself.
He needed to explain.
"…Grandpa, I really am Xiaotian. My martial soul must have mutated."
"Mutated?"
Yu Jun frowned, clearly not understanding.
"It means it changed," Yu Zhantian explained. "Some people grow animal ears or tails after their martial soul mutates."
"This must be the same thing."
It was a reasonable explanation.
After all, he did now have a tail.
Yu Jun still looked doubtful.
Left with no choice, Yu Zhantian leaned closer and whispered:
"Grandpa… you secretly visit Grandma Xifeng from the next village sometimes…"
"And you even gave her flowers—"
"Alright, alright!" Yu Jun panicked and covered his mouth.
"I believe you! You're definitely Xiaotian!"
He coughed awkwardly.
"So… this mutation… it won't harm you, right?"
"Should I take you to Notting City tomorrow to see a healing soul master?"
Soul healers were extremely expensive.
The cost alone could take years to repay.
Hearing this, Yu Zhantian felt a warmth in his chest.
"…I'm fine, Grandpa. Really."
"If anything feels wrong, I'll tell you."
Yu Jun nodded.
"Alright. I'll go cook."
"I'll help!"
"No need. Just rest."
"…Then I'll cook for you in the future."
"Haha! By then, I might be too old to eat!"
"Impossible. You're going to live a long life."
"Hahaha! Good, good!"
---
Yu Zhantian stayed outside—the smell in the room was still unbearable.
Sitting on a small stool, he opened his status panel.
---
Loot System
Host: Yu Zhantian
Bloodline: Hybrid Saiyan
Martial Soul: Saiyan
Soul Power: Level 10 (Stored: 20)
Physical Strength: Level 20
Combat Rating: 1 Star
Technique: Four-Star Nine Yang Divine Art (Perfection)
Soul Rings: None
Soul Skills: None
System Space:
* Four-Star Ruyi Staff
* One-Star Turtle School Uniform
Main Mission: Enroll in Notting Academy
---
His strength had skyrocketed.
His innate soul power had risen from half a level… to full innate soul power.
And thanks to the Nine Yang Divine Art, his total energy had surged to level 20.
However, without a soul ring, his true soul power was capped at level 10.
The excess power was simply stored.
His physical strength was now comparable to a second-ring beast soul master in full possession.
And those types of soul masters could even contend with soul beasts of the same level.
Though…
Winning was another matter.
Soul beasts were naturally stronger.
That's why most people hunted them in groups.
Only true geniuses could fight them alone.
"…System, how do star ratings work?"
[Ding - Star ratings range from 0 to 23. The higher the star rating, the stronger the combat power or item value.]
Yu Zhantian nodded.
Combat power was simple:
* 1 Star - Destroy walls
* 2 Stars - Destroy buildings
* 3 Stars - Destroy streets
Beyond that, each level increased dramatically.
As for items—
The system simplified it using modern weapons:
* 1 Star - Firearms
* 2 Stars - Grenades, mines
* 3 Stars - Explosives (TNT)
* 4 Stars - Missiles, rockets
* 5 Stars - Nuclear-level weapons
Beyond that…
The scale became unimaginable.
Yu Zhantian smiled.
"Looks like…"
"I really hit the jackpot."
E/N: If you're wondering how the actual martial soul evolved, souls are deeply entwined with the person so any qualitative change in him is reflected in the martial soul. :)