Everyone has been so incredibly enthusiastic — we've already surpassed ten Alliance Masters before updates have even begun. I'm truly grateful for your support, so I've decided to start updating early this week, before the fire event ends. One chapter per day to start. Once the fire event wraps up, I'll immediately bump it up to two chapters. With both books updating simultaneously, that effectively works out to three chapters total. So hurry up and bookmark us and leave a recommendation! Send all your recommendation votes to our Dragon King's Legend.
Aolai City is a coastal city on the eastern seaboard of the Sun-Moon Federation, nestled beside the sea.
The city was unusually lively today — the annual Awakening Day had arrived.
On the continent of Douluo, every person possesses an existence known as a Martial Soul. The Martial Soul is a part of their body, and can take the form of any animal, plant, or object. At the age of six, one can awaken their own Martial Soul through an Awakening Ceremony. The annual Awakening Day is the day when Martial Souls are called forth.
If one's martial soul is a hoe, then that person's ability to till the land will be somewhat stronger than others'. If one's martial soul is an animal, that person may well possess some of the simpler abilities of that animal. Thus, martial souls have long since become an indispensable presence that shapes the very course of human life.
More importantly, people eagerly awaited the emergence of soul power. Soul power is an energy that nourishes and strengthens one's martial soul. Every person possesses a martial soul, yet even among a thousand individuals, there might not be a single one whose martial soul awakening is accompanied by the emergence of soul power.
Soul Power is synonymous with the future, synonymous with strength. When a Martial Soul manifests alongside Soul Power, one may cultivate that Soul Power to elevate their Martial Soul, thereby joining the ranks of Soul Masters—the noble profession that has graced Douluo Continent for countless centuries.
And so, even the most ordinary of commoners dared to hope that when their child's sixth-year Awakening Day arrived and their Martial Soul stirred to life, soul power might emerge alongside it — a blessing that could very well change the child's fate forever, and bring fortune to the entire family.
The streets in front of Red Mountain Academy were already hopelessly congested early that morning, filled everywhere with parents who had brought their children to attend the Awakening.
"Daddy, what will my martial soul be?" The boy, who had just turned six, gazed up at his father with barely contained excitement. More than anything, he loved the stories his father told him about spirit masters. His large, beautiful eyes brimmed with longing.
The boy had a head of short black hair and stood slightly taller than other children his age. Most striking were his eyes — large, with sharp contrast between the whites and irises, and lashes so long that many girls would have envied them. His clothes were plain enough, yet his exceptional looks still drew attention easily.
Father was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man — average height, average build, everything about him seemingly so utterly unremarkable.
"Daddy doesn't know either — it all comes down to luck." His father sighed inwardly. Awakening Day was, in truth, a dividing line — a day that cleaved a life in two. Whether or not one possessed soul power would undoubtedly determine the entire trajectory of a person's life. Fortunately, in this day and age, even those unable to become Soul Masters could still find a way to a decent future.
"I'll definitely have soul power, right?" The pretty boy's eyes were filled with hope.
Father patted his head and smiled. "No matter whether you have soul power or not, Daddy loves you."
Inside the academy, parents filed out with their children in a steady stream, the great majority wearing expressions of dejection or quiet resignation. Every so often one would emerge brimming with excitement and delight — no need to ask why; it could only mean that spirit power had manifested alongside the awakening of their martial soul. Such a child invariably drew every eye in the vicinity, gazes heavy with envy and jealousy.
As time passed, the sunlight grew increasingly intense, and the handsome boy's excitement gradually faded along with it.
"Tang Wulin!" A teacher emerged from Red Mountain Academy, eyes on the form in hand as he called out the name.
"I'm here!" The pretty boy's eyes went wide in an instant, and he leapt up with a joyful bound.
Tang Ziran felt her spirits lift as well. Looking at her excited son, she took his hand and walked over.
"Follow me." Perhaps it was the heavy workload of Awakening Day — the teacher seemed somewhat indifferent, turning and walking ahead. Tang Ziran hurried after him, Tang Wulin in tow.
Walking along the academy's paths, Tang Wulin gazed excitedly at everything around him — to him, it all felt so wonderfully new. Red Mountain Academy was an introductory comprehensive institution capable of accommodating two thousand students. The buildings within the academy had an ancient, understated style — white-topped with red walls — and the campus was kept immaculately clean. Awakening Day fell before the start of term, and compared to the clamor outside, the academy felt remarkably quiet; even Tang Wulin's leaping heart seemed to settle along with the surroundings.
The teacher led them to a circular teaching building and said to Tang Ziran, "Please wait here, parents."
Tang Ziran nodded and looked toward his son. "Follow the teacher's lead and do your best. Go get 'em, son! Dad will be right here waiting for you."
Tang Wulin nodded vigorously. "Dad, I will have a powerful martial soul."
Watching her son follow that teacher into the circular building, Tang Ziran's eyes betrayed a faint wistfulness, tinged with memory. Such circular structures could be found in any elementary school — they were also called Awakening Chambers, built specifically to help six-year-old children awaken their martial souls. On awakening days, the school would invite spirit transmitters from the Spirit Transmission Tower to preside over the ceremony. Dozens of years ago, she too had walked into an Awakening Chamber just like this, filled with hope.
The Awakening Chamber was not a single room for Spirit Soul awakenings — it spanned seven floors, each floor housing its own Awakening Chamber. Tang Wulin was brought to the Awakening Chamber on the third floor.
The moment Tang Wulin stepped into the Awakening Chamber, a dazzling sensation washed over him. The floor, the walls, even the ceiling — all were engraved with wondrous and resplendent patterns. Dimly, a strange feeling stirred within his heart, as though something inside his very body were beginning to stir and awaken.
Inside the awakening chamber stood a middle-aged man dressed in a plain, antiquated robe—orange in color, embroidered with subtle dark patterns depicting the forms of spirit beasts.
Tang Wulin had always loved listening to his father's stories. In those stories, Spirit Transmitters would appear — beings from the Spirit Transmission Tower, mysterious and formidably powerful. They were a wholly singular kind of spirit master, held in the highest esteem across the continent. But seeing one in person was something else entirely. This was his first time.
"Hello." Tang Wulin said timidly.
The Spirit Channeler wore a gentle smile. "Come, friend, stand in the center."
Tang Wulin blinked, then obediently walked over and stood at attention. Unable to hold back, he asked, "Spirit Elder, what Martial Soul will I have?"
The Spirit Master smiled. "I don't know either! Once you awaken in a moment, you'll naturally be able to see for yourself. Still, your eyes are so beautiful — if your martial soul happens to be connected to your eyes, that would be simply perfect."
Tang Wulin's eyes lit up. "The Spirit Eyes? I've heard of them. That was the first Tower Master of the Spirit Transmission Tower…"
The spirit medium cut him off: "Settle your mind and still your breath. I'm about to begin."