Douluo: I am the True Master

Chapter 1: Dreams Begin in Saint Soul Village 

In the year 2607 of the Douluo Calendar, in the southwest of the Heaven Dou Empire, in the Fasuno Province, there was a small village called Saint Soul Village.

It was an unremarkable village named after a Soul Saint who had once lived there.

A six-year-old boy was lazily lying on a lawn covered with Blue Silver Grass, his eyes unfocused as he stared at the sky, a tender Blue Silver Grass stem in his mouth.

"So boring," he mumbled to himself. "The old world was much better. It's just that I didn't sleep for three days and three nights because I was writing a thesis for my postgraduate exam. Why did I suddenly die? The older generation could stay up for seven days and seven nights. Sigh, I'm embarrassing the ancestors of our country."

Yes, this boy was a so-called transmigrator, a former academic who had been studying for his postgraduate degree in medicine. Unfortunately, his body was weak, and he died after three days and three nights of overwork, transmigrating to the Douluo Continent.

As a well-known domestic IP, even a bookworm like Ye Wen had read this novel.

It's worth mentioning that Ye Wen, like Tang San, was a soul transmigration, but unfortunately, after six years of living here, Ye Wen realized that he was probably much more unlucky than Tang San.

First, Ye Wen confirmed that this was indeed the Douluo Continent, but the time was probably decades earlier than Tang San's birth. As for why Ye Wen could know this even in a remote village, it was because he occasionally went to Notting City with the village head for business. Even in a remote town, the reputation of the three great sects was still prominent, and the Pope of the towering Spirit Hall was named Qian Xunji.

Furthermore, Ye Wen was a standard person from the end of the Dharma Era in his previous life. He didn't have any cultivation methods like the Xuan Tian Gong in his mind. He could only rely on basic physical training and eating well to make himself stronger. As for innate full soul power, don't even think about it.

Then there was his family background. Tang San had a full-level family background, with his mother being a 100,000-year soul beast and his father being a direct descendant of the Clear Sky Clan, one of the three great sects.

Ye Wen, on the other hand, was miserable. His mother died in childbirth when he was born, and she was just an ordinary person. His father was a Soul Venerable, but he was also a self-righteous fool. Three years ago, he went to the battlefield with some Soul Master friends during the war between Heaven Dou and Star Luo, hoping to become a military noble.

Unfortunately, he died on the battlefield. After all, in the Douluo Continent where Soul Venerables were as common as dogs and Soul Saints were everywhere, a support Soul Venerable on the battlefield was basically like throwing pork into a meat grinder, destined to be minced.

As for the war compensation, don't even think about it. Although the original work didn't specifically describe the social situation of the first Douluo Continent, it was basically based on the Western Middle Ages and the Eastern feudal dynasties. After all, the original work mentioned that even a primary academy had nobles bullying ordinary students. In this even more chaotic era, it goes without saying.

Therefore, Ye Wen was now living with the village head, who was actually Ye Wen's grandfather, not the old Jack in the original work.

The village head, named Ye Buyi, was a one-ringed Soul Master, whose current combat strength could be ignored.

So, Ye Wen wasn't optimistic about his future. First, his destiny-determining awakening of his martial soul was today, and Ye Wen felt that his chances of becoming a Soul Master were about 50/50.

Because Ye Wen had been flipping through the family genealogy in his spare time, he discovered that his ancestors were descendants of the Soul Saint mentioned in Saint Soul Village.

However, no matter how good the bloodline was, if it didn't have corresponding high-quality bloodlines to reproduce, it would eventually become diluted. However, there were rare examples of mutated martial souls on the Douluo Continent.

Unfortunately, there were too few good examples. For example, the fart martial soul of a certain famous Master was ridiculous.

"Xiao Wen, it's time to go," Ye Buyi said, walking over with trembling steps.

"I know, Grandpa," Ye Wen patted the Blue Silver Grass on his body and quickly walked to Ye Buyi's side to support him.

Ye Buyi was wearing patched-up, worn-out clothes, and his whole body exuded a sense of twilight, as if he could disappear with the wind at any moment.

This situation, coupled with the end of the war between the two empires and the fact that his son hadn't returned, had made the old man heartbroken. If it weren't for Ye Wen, his grandson, he might have already passed away.

The grandfather and grandson supported each other as they walked towards the small Spirit Hall in the village. Although it was called a Spirit Hall, it was just a slightly larger and cleaner wooden house. This was a small building specially built by the Spirit Hall to help civilians awaken their martial souls, and it was a basic infrastructure in every village.

"Go in, Xiao Wen. Your life will begin here," Ye Buyi said with a hopeful smile, his eyes filled with love.

Ye Wen nodded silently and walked inside.

Then, several other children from the village curiously walked in.

At this time, a burly man wearing the standard uniform of the Spirit Hall walked in and said in a stern voice.

"Silence! Everyone line up!"

There was no pressure coming from him, but his stern face and burly figure made the five children present tremble and quickly line up.

"My name is Su Zhenhua, a 26-level Great Soul Master. I'm your guide. Now, I will awaken your martial souls one by one. Remember, don't be afraid no matter what happens."

As he spoke, Su Zhenhua opened his package on the table beside him, taking out two things: six black, round stones and a shining blue crystal ball.

Su Zhenhua placed the six black stones one by one into the grooves of the hexagonal star formation on the ground. Then, he motioned for the first child to stand in the middle.

"Don't be afraid, close your eyes and feel carefully." As he spoke, Su Zhenhua's eyes suddenly lit up, and under the children's shocked gazes, he shouted in a low voice, "Lone Wolf, attach!"

Ye Wen, who was in the middle of the line, watched this scene and couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Wow, you guys are passing down the family business, generation after generation, right?"

Yes, hearing this name and martial soul, Ye Wen couldn't help but think of Su Yuntao from the original work, the one who helped Tang San awaken his martial soul, the blind Douluo with a funny role. After all, Tang San, who Su Yuntao didn't think much of, eventually became a god.

(Su Yuntao, "Damn it! (╬▔皿▔)╯!! I'm being slandered before I'm even born!")

The martial soul awakening and testing were very fast. Soon, it was Ye Wen's turn.

The two people in front of him had awakened a sickle and a hoe, unfortunately, both were useless martial souls without soul power.

"It's my turn, it's my turn. The success or failure of my life, the enjoyment of delicious food, all depends on this. Jade Emperor, bless me, the Three Pure Ones, bless me, Amitabha, bless me, Hallelujah, bless me!"

"Come forward," Su Zhenhua said calmly.

Ye Wen calmed his mind and slowly stepped onto the awakening formation. Su Zhenhua, following the same procedure, injected his soul power into the six black stones, activating the formation. A faint golden light enveloped Ye Wen.

However, this golden light was obviously much stronger than the previous children who hadn't awakened soul power. Su Zhenhua's eyes flashed with a hint of joy. Although he couldn't judge how strong Ye Wen's awakened martial soul was, it was certain that he had soul power. Now, he had a chance to get a bonus.

Ye Wen frowned slightly. A force surged uncontrollably from his right hand, and then a black shadow appeared, a black cloth one meter square appearing in front of him.

A silver ring pattern also appeared on the back of Ye Wen's right hand.

In the middle of the pattern was a twisted oblique square, and in the middle of the square seemed to be a vortex.

Looking at this pattern, Ye Wen immediately understood. This was the soul mark mentioned in the comic version of Douluo, an original creation of the comic. So, this Douluo world also has real-life armor, which is exciting. After all, what big boy can resist the temptation of cool armor?

But why didn't he notice it before in the village? Could it be that they all habitually hide it? Hmm, Grandpa should have this method. I'll ask him when I get back.

Su Zhenhua frowned, looking at this martial soul, he thought to himself, "A cloth? It's big, but a cloth doesn't seem like it can be used as a combat martial soul."

(PS: Martial souls are all kinds of strange, and soul marks are also diverse. Besides the widely circulated martial souls that are recorded, others are named by the Soul Masters themselves. So, Su Zhenhua didn't bother to check this unremarkable mutated martial soul.)

However, as a signboard of the Spirit Hall among civilians, Su Zhenhua calmly said, "Put your left hand out and let me test your soul power."

Ye Wen subconsciously did as he was told. Because of the formation, Ye Wen's head was still buzzing, but he felt that there was something in his left hand besides the cloth.

Just as his hand was about to touch the crystal ball, Ye Wen understood what was going on.

"Damn! My symptoms are those of a twin martial soul, and a twin martial soul means that both martial souls are at least top-tier, high-end martial souls. If I expose it now, I'll probably be taken to the Spirit Hall for training. Then, all sorts of messy things will happen around me. No, my goal is to develop secretly and stay away from unnecessary conflicts.

I have to avoid this risk. Right, I must have innate full soul power, but what is the essence of soul power? Although I don't have the Xuan Tian Gong to sense the so-called internal energy, if I think about it according to the cultivation system of this world, meditation means that soul power cultivation relies on the extension of the mind. Then, if I want to control my soul power now, I can only use self-suggestion. Damn it, I'll do it."

Ye Wen subconsciously placed the black cloth behind him. The black cloth began to flicker, as if it would disappear at any moment. The soul power that had been surging out also became thinner, and the crystal ball in Su Zhenhua's hand began to emit a faint glow, but it seemed to flicker slightly.

However, Su Zhenhua didn't take it seriously. He subconsciously thought that the child in front of him couldn't control his soul power well.

Su Zhenhua's eyes flashed with surprise as he said, "Innate soul power level four, not bad, not bad. Boy, work hard, you have the potential to become a Soul Ancestor."

Su Zhenhua was in a good mood at this time. He had awakened the martial souls of several villages in a row these days, but none of them had the qualifications to become Soul Masters. His position bonus was closely related to the awakening of Soul Masters with soul power qualifications.

Fortunately, the room was already dim, and everyone present was attracted by the light of the awakening formation, so they didn't notice the faint layer of white-gold soul mark on Ye Wen's left hand. Su Zhenhua, who was presiding over the martial soul awakening, also didn't see it because of the angle, and Ye Wen deliberately hid his left hand afterwards.

It was a close call, but he managed to fool his way through the awakening ceremony.

As the ceremony ended, Ye Buyi outside the door eagerly walked forward and asked Ye Wen.

"How is it, Xiao Wen?"

Looking at Ye Buyi's expectant gaze, Ye Wen smiled happily and said, "I awakened a cloth, Grandpa, and I have innate soul power level four. Master Su said that I can cultivate to Soul Ancestor in the future, even stronger than Dad."

Tears welled up in Ye Buyi's eyes, his lips trembled, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "The legacy of our Ye family hasn't been broken, it hasn't been broken, it hasn't been broken."

At this time, Su Zhenhua, who had packed up his things, also walked out. Seeing the excited old man, he was used to it. For a remote village where a Soul Master might not appear for eighteen generations, having a child with cultivation talent was simply a gift from the gods.

"Old man, this is the child's test certificate. The Notting Primary Academy will start in a month. Remember to send the child to school. Don't worry, it's free. Our Spirit Hall has implemented a work-study program throughout the continent. As long as the child does some work within his capabilities at the academy, he can offset the tuition and board fees. And in the future, if the child cultivates to level ten and obtains a soul ring, remember to bring him to the Notting City Spirit Hall to register his Soul Master level. He will also receive a gold soul coin subsidy every month."

Su Zhenhua obviously treated Ye Buyi as an ignorant civilian old man, carefully instructing him.

At this time, Ye Buyi, who was excited, didn't want to interrupt him, but kept nodding his head, saying "Okay, okay" over and over again.

After Su Zhenhua left, Ye Buyi happily took Ye Wen back to their old brick house.

Even though he had lived in this house for six years, Ye Wen couldn't help but complain about the shocking wealth gap in this era. It was even worse than the feudal dynasties of ancient times. Even a brick house was the best house in Saint Soul Village. The other villagers lived in wooden houses or earthen houses, it was simply unbearable to look at.

Ye Buyi first let Ye Wen enter the house, and then he carefully looked around outside, then locked the door tightly.

Seeing this behavior, Ye Wen was surprised. It was obvious that his grandfather wanted to give him something very important, and it was something that should be kept secret.

Then, Ye Buyi walked into the inner room and moved a dilapidated cabinet, revealing a hidden compartment on the ground.

Seeing this, Ye Wen was also surprised. He didn't expect that his ordinary home would have such a place to hide things. But thinking about the fact that his family was a small Soul Master family, it wasn't strange to have some assets that needed to be hidden.

"Grandpa, what is this?" Ye Wen asked curiously.

Ye Buyi didn't answer Ye Wen's question immediately, but looked at the small box, which was only a foot square, with affection.

He slowly opened it, and inside, besides a small booklet, there was a large bag of gold soul coins and a rough ring.

"Xiao Wen, although your father and I don't have good cultivation talent, our ancestors were a prominent family that produced a Soul Saint. We still have some assets. But a commoner without guilt is a person with a treasure, so for so many years, we've always shown ourselves to be relatively poor.

This booklet is the meditation method left behind by our ancestor, the Soul Saint. It's the most suitable meditation method for our family's Willpower Headband martial soul. Although we only awakened the martial soul of a support Soul Master, as long as we have this meditation method, our cultivation speed will definitely not be inferior to that of other weapon Soul Masters.

But unfortunately, I only have half a level of innate soul power. Even with this method, I won't be able to reach the Great Soul Master level in my lifetime. Your father's talent was better than mine, but he was unfortunately taken to the battlefield by this damn empire at a young age. Sigh."

Ye Buyi was narrating the glory of his ancestors, but he was also lamenting his own bad luck and the tragedy of Ye Wen's father. If he had been a strong attack martial soul, he might have been able to escape forced conscription. Unfortunately, their family had inherited a support martial soul. By the time they received the news, it was too late to run.

However, hearing Ye Buyi say that he only had half a level of innate soul power, Ye Wen couldn't help but think of the useless Master Yu Xiaogang. He also had only half a level of innate soul power, but he was able to cultivate to level 29 relying on his family's resources. The difference between nobles and commoners was truly vast.

But Ye Wen then remembered that his martial soul didn't seem to be the Willpower Headband. He awkwardly interrupted Ye Buyi and said, "That's, Grandpa, my awakened martial soul doesn't seem to be the Willpower Headband you mentioned."

Ye Buyi, who had been thinking about it and wanted to talk endlessly, suddenly froze. He looked at Ye Wen in disbelief and said.

"What? Isn't your martial soul a piece of cloth?"

"It's a piece of cloth, that's right, but I feel like it doesn't have anything to do with the Willpower Headband you mentioned. I can't explain it for now. I'll summon it and you can take a look."

As he spoke, Ye Buyi summoned his martial soul again.

Looking at this martial soul, Ye Buyi's eyes narrowed. He could clearly feel that this cloth was not the same as the Willpower Headband that had been passed down in their family. It seemed to contain a more mysterious power, and the Willpower Headband that hadn't been summoned in his body felt a subtle suppression.

"Xiao Wen, does your martial soul have any special abilities? After our family's Willpower Headband awakens, as long as we tie it on our head, our spirits will become slightly excited." Ye Buyi said.

Ye Wen scratched his head. He hadn't examined his martial soul carefully before. After all, he had used up a lot of brain cells trying to escape the soul power test. Now, Ye Wen began to carefully sense his martial soul.

"It seems like there's a space inside my cloth, and I can put some inanimate objects in it? I should call this martial soul the Storage Cloth now."

This mysterious feeling made Ye Wen uncertain for a while. Ye Buyi, on the other hand, was more decisive. He directly picked up a water cup on the table and threw it towards the cloth.

The moment the cup touched the black cloth, there was no feeling of impact. It disappeared as if it had been swallowed by the cloth.

Seeing this, Ye Buyi suddenly realized. After all, he had been to school, unlike other villagers who were ignorant and thought that if a child's martial soul was different from his parents', then the child was a bastard. He knew that there was a very rare special existence among martial souls called a mutated martial soul.

It was obvious that his grandson hadn't awakened the Willpower Headband that had been passed down in their family, but he had been blessed with a mutated martial soul.

Perhaps it was because he had been living in the countryside for too long that Ye Buyi had forgotten a lot of Soul Master knowledge. He pondered over the content about martial soul mutations for a long time. Finally, his memories from decades ago resurfaced.

Ye Buyi said in a deep voice, "Xiao Wen, your innate soul power shouldn't be only level four, right?"

Ye Wen was curious how Ye Buyi knew about his soul power, but his long-standing trust made him subconsciously nod and say, "Yes, Grandpa. You also know that I'm afraid of trouble, and you often told me about the cruel methods of those big powers on the Douluo Continent when it comes to geniuses. So, when I was testing my soul power, I subconsciously suppressed it, so it only showed level four."

Hearing this answer, Ye Buyi smiled with relief. Although his soul power was low, he had also traveled the continent in his early years. He could be considered knowledgeable.

He had also seen countless times how those big powers used cruel methods to gather geniuses.

Ye Buyi was very relieved that his grandson had learned to hide himself instead of showing off.

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