With the lingering warmth of the joy in Purple Blazing Dragon City not yet faded, Yu Yuanchen made his arrangements: he would take Yu Tianquan to the Star Dou Great Forest to find his first contract partner.
Relying on the friendship between Yu Yuanchen and the ruler of the Star Dou Great Forest, the Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena, this trip was more like "visiting a neighbor" to select a suitable "companion" for his descendant, rather than breaking into a dangerous place to fight. This privilege was one that, across the entire Douluo Continent, only the family of Yu Yuanchen enjoyed.
Star Dou Great Forest, the core forbidden zone of the Lake of Life.
The lakeside, usually quiet and mysterious, was a bit more lively today. On the branch of a towering ancient tree, Yu Yuanchen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calmly fixed on the surface of the lake.
Yu Yunting and the Snow Empress accompanied him, their expressions carrying a hint of anticipation. Before them, Yu Tianquan, who had only recently awakened his martial soul, was widening his unique heterochromatic eyes, curiously observing the Life Aura that was so dense it felt tangible, as well as the powerful beings lurking in the depths of the forest.
"Grandfather, is this the deepest part of the Star Dou Great Forest? There are so many powerful auras here!" Yu Tianquan whispered, his tone devoid of fear, filled only with pure curiosity and excitement. The newborn Silver Dragon Martial Soul within him seemed to have a natural affinity for the environment here.
"Indeed, this is the holy land of soul beasts." Yu Yuanchen nodded slightly. "I brought you here today to find you a partner."
Just then, ripples spread across the lake, and a jade-green silhouette emerged quietly. She wore a green dress, her temperament gentle and serene, and her entire body radiated a majestic Life Aura; she was none other than the fourth-ranked of the Ten Great Fierce Beasts, the Jade Swan, Bi Ji.
A gentle smile appeared on Bi Ji's face as she bowed slightly to Yu Yuanchen and the others: "Lord Yuanchen, Your Excellency Yunting, Your Excellency Snow Empress. The Master is already aware of your arrival and has specifically ordered me to welcome you. Hearing that Young Master Tianquan has awakened his martial soul, the Master is very pleased."
"Thank you for your trouble, Miss Bi Ji." Yu Yuanchen replied with calm courtesy.
Just as Bi Ji was about to lead the group toward the island in the center of the lake, a sudden change occurred!
Hum—!
A dragon might, far more vast, ancient, and filled with supreme majesty than Bi Ji's, descended without warning! The water of the Lake of Life boiled in silence, ten thousand beasts in the forest prostrated themselves, and even Bi Ji's expression tightened as she respectfully stepped aside.
Above the island in the center of the lake, space distorted slightly, and a stunning silver figure emerged quietly. With silver hair and purple eyes, her appearance was peerless, as if she had gathered all the beauty of heaven and earth unto herself; she was the true ruler of the Star Dou Great Forest, the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena!
However, at this moment, Gu Yuena's deep purple eyes were not looking at the familiar faces of Yu Yuanchen and the others, but were fixed directly on Yu Tianquan! Her gaze was filled with indescribable shock, inquiry, and a hint of... unbelievable excitement?
"This martial soul..." Gu Yuena's red lips parted slightly, her voice carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling. How powerful was her divine sense? Almost the moment she appeared, she had fully perceived the aura of the Silver Dragon Martial Soul on Yu Tianquan.
This aura originated from a silver dragon, yet it was completely different!
As the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena's perception of the Silver Dragon Bloodline was unmatched. She clearly "saw" that the origin of Yu Tianquan's Silver Dragon Martial Soul was indeed derived from the power of the silver dragon, but upon that foundation of brilliant silver light, it had integrated another supreme law filled with the artistic conception of creation and evolution.
It was precisely this law that caused the Silver Dragon Martial Soul to undergo an essential leap, as if it had broken through an invisible shackle and stepped onto a new path full of infinite possibilities—a path even she could not fully fathom!
This meant that the end point of this silver dragon's evolution would no longer be her, Gu Yuena, the "Silver Dragon King"! It possessed the potential to transcend the shackles of the Dragon King bloodline!
"How is this possible... the absolute suppression of the Dragon God Bloodline... has actually been broken?" Raging waves surged in Gu Yuena's heart.
As a clone of the Dragon God, she knew better than anyone how terrifying the suppression of the Dragon God Bloodline was over subordinate dragon clans. It was an absolute rule derived from the level of life, a shackle engraved deep in the soul. Ordinary dragon clans, even if they cultivated to the god level, would still be suppressed by their bloodline in the presence of a true Dragon King or the Dragon God.
This was also one of the roots of her subconscious belief that even if she merged with the Golden Dragon King, she might not truly surpass the Dragon God, and might even lose herself—because she had never been able to shake off the constraints of being "a part of the Dragon God."
But this child before her, his martial soul, had actually begun to transcend the Dragon God lineage on the basis of the silver dragon! Although it was still faint, that "possibility" was real!
This discovery was like a thunderbolt, clearing away the fog that had troubled Gu Yuena for so long!
In recent years, she had discussed the Dao with Yu Yuanchen, and Yu Yuanchen had once used the metaphor of "water in a cup" to enlighten her: a cup of water poured into two cups, added with red and blue ink respectively, and then mixed—the result was no longer the original water, nor was it simply red or blue.
He meant to point out that after splitting, it was almost impossible to return to the original state, and forced fusion might result in a brand new, unknown existence.
She understood the logic, but she had always lacked definitive "proof," a catalyst that would allow her to completely sever her obsession with "returning to the Dragon God."
And today, Yu Tianquan's mutated Silver Dragon Martial Soul was that catalyst!
"Since a dragon can break the bloodline shackles and step onto a new path, then why can't I, Gu Yuena?" An unprecedented thought ignited in her heart like a wildfire.
"Why must I be obsessed with merging with the Golden Dragon King to become that 'incomplete' Dragon God? Why can't I, as the Silver Dragon King, walk a path that belongs to me, Gu Yuena? A path... that transcends the shackles of the Dragon God?"
Once this thought emerged, it could no longer be suppressed. Her gaze toward Yu Yuanchen became incredibly complex. She naturally attributed the mutation of this martial soul to the nourishment Yu Yuanchen's mysterious "Primordial Star Law" provided to his grandson, not knowing the true source was even deeper.
But regardless, the existence of Yu Yuanchen, the path he had pioneered, and the possibilities displayed by his grandson were like a beacon, illuminating the darkness of her path ahead.
"Senior Gu Yuena?" Yu Tianquan felt a bit uneasy under Gu Yuena's gaze and called out timidly.
Gu Yuena came back to her senses, a rare, heartfelt smile appearing on her beautiful face. She slowly descended from the air, walked to Yu Tianquan, crouched down, and gently touched his silver hair: "Little one, your martial soul is truly remarkable."
She looked up at Yu Yuanchen, her eyes now clear and firm: "Yuanchen, thank you."
This "thank you" carried profound meaning. She thanked him for the Immortal Spiritual Qi he had provided for years to help her heal, thanked him for his guidance back then, and even more, thanked him for using his grandson today to let her see true hope.
Yu Yuanchen saw through her heart like a mirror and smiled slightly: "The path is beneath your feet; how you walk it ultimately depends on yourself."
In fact, decades ago, after Yu Yuanchen condensed his God King Rank, he could easily see through her true nature, but he had simply chosen not to expose it, having known Gu Yuena's identity in secret all along.
Actually, Gu Yuena was also quite helpless. She had seen that Yu Yuanchen's inner ambition would never be satisfied with the strength of a First-level God, but in her view, although Yu Yuanchen had the potential to reach the God King Level, he should have needed to cultivate at the First-level God realm for tens of thousands of years before breaking through.
Even after Yu Yuanchen obtained the origin of the Planar Spirit of the Saint Demon Continent, Gu Yuena was not overly panicked, because she knew that the God King Rank was not a realm that could be reached simply by piling up energy origins.
The core of creating a God King position was to create one's own law, and the reason Gu Yuena believed Yu Yuanchen had the bearing of a God King was because he had created the path of Martial Dao, a system with immense potential.
In the future, when Martial Dao flourished and reached its peak, Yu Yuanchen could also use Martial Dao as a foundation to condense his own Martial Dao Law. However, under normal circumstances, a new cultivation system would also require tens of thousands of years of accumulation to reach its peak.
But she never expected that Yu Yuanchen would actually use the phenomenon of constant renewal and change—which he had promoted step by step during his growth in the Douluo Plane—as a foundation to create his own Primordial Star Law and achieve the God King Rank.
The speed of this process was too fast; Gu Yuena had not reacted at all. She had originally intended to use some of the dragon clan's foundation to win over Yu Yuanchen after his failure, but she never expected him to succeed directly.
To be honest, upon learning that Yu Yuanchen had successfully condensed the prototype of a God King position, Gu Yuena was stunned. Hey buddy, you actually did it.
Although they had known each other for many years and were considered good friends, and Gu Yuena understood Yu Yuanchen's character and did not believe he would betray friends, she was still worried that Yu Yuanchen would expose her existence to the God Realm. She did not believe that Yu Yuanchen, after achieving the God King Rank, could not see through some of her secrets.
Fortunately, what she feared did not happen, and as Yu Yuanchen engaged in a secret game of chess with the three God Kings of the God Realm (Yu Yuanchen had not hidden the news of his discord with the three God Kings from Gu Yuena), Gu Yuena also guessed that Yu Yuanchen likely had the intention of cooperating with her, which put her mind at ease.
Because of this, the two reached a secret consensus on cooperation. Gu Yuena had also had her own thoughts under Yu Yuanchen's pointers, but she had never made up her mind.
And today, seeing Yu Tianquan's Silver Dragon Martial Soul, which had faintly transcended the Dragon God and Yu Yuanchen's lineage, she finally confirmed her heart and made her decision.
Gu Yuena nodded heavily, saying no more. She took Yu Tianquan's small hand and said softly, "Tianquan, didn't you want to choose a contract partner? I will take you to see a few good little ones."
Under Gu Yuena's guidance, the group arrived at a valley deep in the forest, shrouded by a powerful barrier. Living here were dozens of soul beast cubs of various forms, all of which radiated powerful bloodline fluctuations! They were the future hope of the soul beast race that Gu Yuena had carefully searched for and nurtured over the years.
Sensing Gu Yuena's aura, the cubs gathered around, affectionately rubbing against the hem of her dress. Among them, a small dragon covered in seven-colored scales, with crystal-clear jade horns and exceptionally lively eyes, was particularly striking. The dragon might on its body was pure and noble, faintly sharing the same origin as Gu Yuena; it was the very Seven-Colored Dragon that had inherited a trace of Gu Yuena's Silver Dragon blood!
Yu Tianquan fell in love with this beautiful and spirited little dragon at first sight. The Seven-Colored Dragon also seemed to feel an extreme closeness to the Silver Dragon aura on Yu Tianquan, taking the initiative to fly before him and rub its head against his palm.
"It seems they are a perfect match," Gu Yuena laughed. "This little one possesses my bloodline and has excellent talent; its future achievements will be limitless. Tianquan, are you willing to form a contract with it?"
"I am! I am willing!" Yu Tianquan excitedly picked up the Seven-Colored Dragon, and the little one let out a happy, soft hum.
Witnessed by Yu Yuanchen, Gu Yuena, and the others, Yu Tianquan and the Seven-Colored Dragon successfully signed an equal contract. An invisible connection was established between the boy and the dragon, their souls resonating and their auras blending. Yu Tianquan could feel that his Silver Dragon Martial Soul seemed even more active, and his perception of elements had become much sharper.
Watching his grandson playing with his contract beast, Yu Yuanchen's eyes were filled with smiles. He knew that Gu Yuena's inner knot had been untied, and the future Star Dou Great Forest, and perhaps the entire soul beast race, might welcome new changes. And all of this was within his expectations and under his guidance.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, two years passed.
In the southwest of the Douluo Continent, Fasno Province, Nuoding City.
This border town was as peaceful as ever. However, the Martial Soul branch hall in the west of the city was exceptionally lively today. It was the annual Martial Soul Awakening day once again, and countless children of the appropriate age, accompanied by their parents, gathered here with anticipation and nervousness.
Presiding over the awakening was one of the deacons of Martial Soul Hall, Su Yuntao, a level 34 Soul Elder whose Martial Soul was the common beast-type Martial Soul—the Lone Wolf. He was quite conscientious in his duties, but his talent was limited, making him only a low-to-mid-level member within Martial Soul Hall.
"Next, Tang San." Su Yuntao called out a name according to the list.
A small boy wearing plain clothes, with delicate features but an unusually calm gaze, stepped forward.
Tang Sect... in this life, I will definitely make you regain your glory. Tang San clenched his fists secretly; the obsession he failed to complete in his previous life had found new soil in this one.
"Next, Tang San!" A shout came from inside the hall.
Tang San collected his thoughts and walked into the Awakening Room of the Martial Soul Hall with steady steps. The light in the room was soft, a complex Awakening Array was carved on the floor, and a large blue crystal ball was suspended in the center.
The person presiding over the awakening was a young man in his twenties, dressed in the standard white attire of Martial Soul Hall. He had an ordinary face but a capable look; he was the deacon Su Yuntao, Martial Soul: Lone Wolf, level 34 Soul Elder.
"Stand in the center of the array, child, no need to be nervous," Su Yuntao said routinely, his tone peaceful. He had seen too many children have their fates turned on this day and was long accustomed to it.
Tang San followed instructions and walked to the center of the array, placing his small hand on the cold crystal ball. He closed his eyes, focused his mind, and tried hard to sense the power that might exist within his body.
Su Yuntao channeled his soul power into the array. With a soft hum, the Awakening Array lit up with a gentle white light, and threads of soul power surged into Tang San's body like tentacles.
"Hum—"
Suddenly, a chilling, violent energy, carrying a nauseating, fishy sweetness, erupted fiercely from the base of his spine! This power was full of aggression, as if a sleeping fierce beast had suddenly awakened!
"Ugh!" Tang San let out a muffled groan, his body trembling uncontrollably. Behind him, light gathered, and a blurry phantom began to condense and take shape rapidly!
It was a phantom of a spider with a dark purple body! It was not large, but it was hideous and terrifying; its eight spear-like legs stretched out ostentatiously, covered in hard, stiff bristles.
What was most heart-palpitating was that a distorted, painful human face pattern appeared on its abdomen, as if it had condensed all the resentment and desire for slaughter in the world! The phantom emitted a dense, evil aura, making the temperature of the entire Awakening Room seem to drop by a few degrees.
"This is... a Man Faced Demon Spider?!" Su Yuntao's pupils contracted, his face showing obvious disappointment and a trace of imperceptible repulsion. As a deacon of Martial Soul Hall, he naturally recognized this notorious soul beast.
Although the Man Faced Demon Spider Martial Soul belonged to the category of high-level Martial Souls and was extremely aggressive, its possessor's temperament was easily affected by negative influences due to its evil and violent attributes. It had a poor reputation in the Soul Master World and was often associated with the potential threat of "Evil Soul Masters."
"Sigh, what a pity..." Su Yuntao sighed inwardly. Seeing Tang San's simple clothing and clear eyes, he had thought he might be a talent, but he didn't expect him to awaken such a fierce Martial Soul. He signaled to Tang San: "Test your Innate Soul Power."
Tang San opened his eyes and looked at the uncomfortable spider phantom behind him, his brows furrowing imperceptibly. The image of this Man Faced Demon Spider was truly quite poor. But his will was firm, and he quickly suppressed his distracting thoughts, once again placing his hand on the crystal ball and channeling the faint energy that had awakened along with his new Martial Soul.
Hum!
The crystal ball suddenly erupted with dazzling white light! The light was stable and full, instantly reaching the peak marked on the crystal ball!
"In... Innate Full Soul Power?!" Su Yuntao exclaimed, the disappointment on his face instantly replaced by immense surprise. An evil Martial Soul paired with Innate Full Soul Power! This was a one-in-a-million combination; it meant that this child before him, provided he did not die prematurely, was destined to become an extremely powerful Soul Master in the future, but the direction of his temperament was also increasingly worrying. He hurriedly recorded: "Tang San, Martial Soul, Man Faced Demon Spider, Innate Full Soul Power."
The surrounding children and parents also let out a burst of exclamations and whispers, looking at Tang San with complex gazes.
Tang San's heart was also surging with waves. Innate Full Soul Power! This was undoubtedly a huge surprise, meaning he possessed top-tier cultivation aptitude. However, the chilling sensation brought by the Man Faced Demon Spider Martial Soul hung over his heart like a shadow.
Just as he was about to withdraw his hand, the Man Faced Demon Spider phantom slowly faded, and Su Yuntao intended to call the next child, and everyone thought the awakening ceremony had ended—
Boom!
A completely different power erupted from the deepest part of Tang San's heart without warning!
This power was scorching, domineering, and filled with supreme majesty and a sense of power! It was like a sleeping volcano erupting, or a monarch awakening, instantly scattering the chilling aura brought by the Man Faced Demon Spider, as if it were a firefly compared to the bright moon!
"!!!" Tang San shook violently, feeling his soul trembling! This power was so vast, so noble, far beyond what the Man Faced Demon Spider could compare to! It had been lurking extremely deep, and only after the Man Faced Demon Spider Martial Soul had fully manifested was it completely triggered!
What was even more amazing was that the eruption of this power was extremely restrained; apart from Tang San himself, there was almost no energy fluctuation leaking to the outside. In the eyes of Su Yuntao and the others, Tang San just swayed, his complexion turning a bit pale, as if the consumption from the awakening was too great.
But in Tang San's "eyes," he saw a different scene! Deep within his consciousness, beside the Man Faced Demon Spider phantom that was about to dissipate, another phantom, more solidified, more majestic and sacred, was forcibly condensing!
It was a dragon! A divine dragon covered in crimson gold scales! The scales were shining brightly, like burning flame-gilded gold! Although its size was still small, its dragon head was held high, its five claws were sharp, and its eyes were disdainful, emitting a terrifying momentum that tore through the sky and suppressed all things! Its form was noble and powerful, forming a world of difference from the evil and hideousness of the Man Faced Demon Spider!
Crimson Gold Dragon! (A weakened version of the Golden Dragon, similar to the relationship between the Golden Lion and the Crimson Gold Lion mentioned in Douluo Dalu 2.)
Tang San instantly understood that this was his second Martial Soul! A Martial Soul that was hidden deeper and was even more powerful! Moreover, for some reason, the awakening process of this Crimson Gold Dragon Martial Soul occurred entirely internally, and no one outside could perceive it!
The Crimson Gold Dragon phantom let out a silent roar in his consciousness, its dragon might washing over him, making the trace of discomfort he felt toward the Man Faced Demon Spider lessen significantly. Immediately, the phantom slowly retracted and hid back into the depths of his heart, as if it had never appeared. To outsiders, the Martial Soul phantom behind Tang San remained only the gradually fading Man Faced Demon Spider.
Twin Martial Souls!
I am actually a one-in-a-million Twin Martial Souls!
A huge, wild joy hit Tang San's mind like a tsunami. He resisted the urge to cry out, but his slightly trembling fingers and rapid breathing exposed his inner excitement.
Seeing that Tang San's state seemed wrong, Su Yuntao asked with concern: "What's wrong? Is something uncomfortable? Although Innate Full Soul Power is good, it is normal for the body to be unaccustomed right after awakening; just take a rest."
Tang San quickly calmed down, realizing that this second Martial Soul was his greatest secret and trump card, and must never be known by anyone! He hurriedly lowered his head to hide the brilliant light in his eyes, replying in a slightly hoarse voice: "I... I'm fine, Deacon, just a little dizzy."
"Hmm, go and rest. Congratulations, Innate Full Soul Power, your future is promising." Su Yuntao nodded. Although he had reservations about the Man Faced Demon Spider Martial Soul, the talent of Innate Full Soul Power was truly astonishing. He offered his congratulations as a matter of routine, though his tone carried a hint of complexity.
Tang San bowed respectfully and walked quickly out of the Awakening Room. The sunlight was a bit blinding, but he felt as though his future was bright! Twin Martial Souls, Innate Full Soul Power! This was simply the best gift heaven could have bestowed upon him to revitalize the Tang Sect!
What did it matter if it was a Man Faced Demon Spider? Hidden Weapons were inherently arts of slaughter; if used for good, they were righteous! With Mysterious Heaven Skill to consolidate his foundation and Purple Demon Eye to clarify his mind, he was confident he could master this power! And that hidden Crimson Gold Dragon Martial Soul was the absolute guarantee for him to reach the pinnacle in the future!
He touched his chest, which seemed to still be burning faintly, feeling the dormant power of the Crimson Gold Dragon, his eyes flickering with the flames of determination and ambition. He did not notice that in the shadows not far away, an invisible thought swept over him, carrying a trace of cold satisfaction before quietly retreating.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan