Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Awakening of Martial Spirit
Thunder rumbled, releasing hammers of unyielding slaughter and bloodshed.
Golden light scattered, petals danced around a chrysanthemum swaying in the wind.
Eerie black mist shrouded everything, casting shadows with a sinister aura.
Six wings stretched behind, radiating the holy aura of an angel.
A terrifying collision unfolded.
Blood spilled.
Every scene was painted in the crimson hue of battle.
...
Su Wen's eyes gently opened.
"Three years have passed, and I'm already five years old."
Upon entering this world, Su Wen initially enjoyed a happy and harmonious family, but a great war shattered everything.
"You can escape, you can pursue, but why drag my village into this? Why involve my parents who granted me a second chance at life?" Su Wen's gaze remained indifferent.
Closing his eyes to quell the anger within, he reopened them, filled with determination.
He rose from the bed and dressed himself.
"Grandpa, I'm heading out for a bit."
After informing the kind village chief who had adopted him, Su Wen hastened out the door.
Reaching a small riverbank, Su Wen paused, scanned the surroundings, found no other children, and began warming up in place.
"Twenty push-ups, thirty squats, fifty high knees!"
Just some swift warm-up exercises.
Soon, Su Wen's small body began to heat up.
A warm surge coursed through him, awakening every cell as if rousing from slumber. Under this stream's sweep, blood and energy were unleashed.
Su Wen contorted into peculiar poses, the warm stream in his body flowing through, guided by these unusual postures.
"I seek revenge!"
"To attain revenge, strength is indispensable!"
Lacking a potent Martial Spirit bloodline and support from any faction, all I can rely on is myself!"
After awakening a Martial Spirit and ascending to the rank of Spirit Master, Su Wen could only create optimal conditions for himself as much as possible.
"I lack the Mysterious Heaven Skill, I can't cultivate Internal Qi, and I can't compensate for the absence of Innate Soul Power with Internal Qi."
Luckily, Su Wen, who had crossed over, was not entirely without resources.
"Drawing upon my heightened perception, even though I lack internal martial arts techniques, I can focus on external training."
Su Wen could vaguely sense his still-forming Martial Spirit.
Perhaps it's the unique stage of his Martial Spirit that hasn't fully formed yet. Relying on his innate talent of exceptionally strong perception, he also sensed his feeble Innate Soul Power, similarly locked deep within his body like the Martial Spirit. 'Still can't mobilize it...'
"I can't push my young body too hard with excessive exercise, but even with limited external training, it proves effective."
With the aid of his heightened perception, Su Wen gradually discovered and guided the flow of heat circulating within his body. By sensing the changes in Innate Soul Power through his repeated, self-made movements, he began to unlock his potential.
These are all the movements he has discovered so far that proved effective in enhancing Innate Soul Power. All credit goes to his unique, strong perception.
In truth, it's not just the movements that are beneficial, but the body's nurturing through guiding that stream of heat with movements.
The Martial Spirit ultimately originates from the body, nurtured by it. As the body grows stronger, the Martial Spirit will naturally be influenced.
This is particularly crucial during the period when Su Wen's Martial Spirit has not yet awakened.
...
Spring passed, and autumn came, and a year slipped by in the blink of an eye.
"Xiaowen, wake up, today is the day you awaken your Martial Spirit." A gentle voice roused Su Wen.
"Okay," Su Wen responded, swiftly dressing and following Village Chief Old Jerry outside.
'Martial Spirit Awakening! It's finally here!'
This is one of the most exhilarating ceremonies in the Douluo Continent.
Because, whether your martial spirit is a dragon or an insect, they all reveal themselves at this moment.
"I definitely have Innate Soul Power; I just don't know what level it reached after all the training I did, and also, my Martial Spirit..."
Without an awakened Martial Spirit, Su Wen has always only vaguely sensed its existence but couldn't determine its specific form.
"Xiaowen, when you awaken your Martial Spirit later, listen to the arrangements of the steward carefully. You've been clever since childhood; you'll definitely awaken Soul Power," Old Jerry said, patting Su Wen's head and smiling.
"Yes, Grandpa Jerry, I will definitely awaken Soul Power. I want to become a Spirit Master. I want to stand at the pinnacle of the continent!"
I want to possess the most powerful strength in this world!
Weakness is a sin and this world that follows the rules of the jungle.
Su Wen refuses to be an ant, susceptible to inadvertent harm and death by others at any moment, much like what happened to his parents in this life. He is resolute in repaying their favor for giving him a second chance at life!
Having experienced it once, he absolutely doesn't want to endure it again!
That feeling of powerlessness is too overwhelming. Where your life is in the hand of someone else who doesn't even care about it...
Accompanying Old Jerry to the center of the village, they reached a sizable wooden house.
"Respected Spirit Master, sorry for troubling you," Old Jerry said to a proud young man, bowing respectfully.
Su Yuntao nodded faintly, returning a slight bow, and said, "Since everyone is here, let's begin."
Fifteen children participating in the Martial Spirit awakening obediently followed the steward of the Spirit Hall into the small wooden house.
In the faint golden light, one by one, the children completed the awakening of their Martial Spirits under Su Yuntao's guidance.
"Blue Silver Grass? Useless Martial Spirit!"
"Indeed, no Soul Power."
"A sickle? Test for Soul Power."
"Unfortunately, no Soul Power."
"A wooden stick? You should also test."
"Huh! Half-level Soul Power, not bad, at least it can be cultivated."
"Now it's my turn," Su Wen thought to himself.
He stood within a hexagonal pattern formed by six black stones, closed his eyes, and tuned into the changes in his body.
As the faint golden light streamed into his body, Su Wen sensed the barrier between himself and the Martial Spirit dissolving.
Su Yuntao gazed at Su Wen, with some anticipation in his eyes.
The light radiating from Su Wen was noticeably distinct, much richer than the previous half-level Soul Power of the chubby kid before him.
A dusty book materialized above Su Wen's right hand, silently hovering.
"Hmm? Book Martial Spirit? A seemingly useless Martial Spirit."
Although Su Yuntao thought the Book Martial Spirit wasn't very practical, he still handed the crystal ball for testing Soul Power to Su Wen.
"What? Level five Soul Power?"
Su Yuntao was astonished that a seemingly ordinary Book Martial Spirit could possess a level five Innate Soul Power!
"My Lone Wolf only has a level two Innate Soul Power."
'Level five?'
Su Wen remained indifferent.
He knew he had Soul Power; after all, he could sense it.
The Martial Spirit being a book, though...
"My father's Book Martial Spirit, huh?"
'This is all the more reason to seek revenge now...'
In any case, he could accept it all.
"Kid, since you have level five Innate Soul Power, don't waste this talent. Although I don't know what a Book Martial Spirit can do, not all Spirit Masters are necessarily combat types."
Su Yuntao stepped forward, patted Su Wen's shoulder, and said with a smile.
"Mm, thank you, Master." Su Wen also expressed gratitude for Su Yuntao's affirmation.
"Old Jerry, the quality of the children from your New Moon Village is impressive this time. Two of them awakened Soul Power."
"Two?" Old Jerry widened his eyes, his surprise evident.
"Yes, one has only half-level Soul Power, the other has level five Soul Power," Su Yuntao pointed to the chubby kid and Su Wen, saying, "This is the proof of awakening from the Spirit Hall."