Chapter 1: Martial Soul Awakening

Clang—

Swinging the iron hammer in his hand, he kept pounding the soon‑to‑be‑formed farming tool; Tie Li's tattered clothes were soaked with sweat.

Don't think he's just a child; he has a lot of strength.

He appears focused on forging, but his mind is mostly on the martial soul awakening ceremony.

Tie Li has a clear self‑awareness: there is no noble bloodline in his body, only the blood of an ordinary blacksmith.

He doesn't seek to awaken an immensely powerful martial soul; he only hopes to be born with Pre‑Heaven Soul Power.

Only with Pre‑Heaven Soul Power can one cultivate, become a noble Soul Master, and change one's family circumstances.

Six years ago he was born in this world, and at three years old he learned that he had been reborn onto Dou Luo Da Lu.

Back then he was full of curiosity about the martial soul awakening ceremony, and every few days he went to the entrance of the martial soul subhall, watching hopeful children enter to awaken their martial souls, but when they emerged, the color had left their eyes.

There was even a month when not a single child born with Pre‑Heaven Soul Power emerged from the martial soul subhall.

At this time he felt grateful for the existence of the Spirit Hall; without it, commoners would see no hope, and perhaps the martial soul awakening ceremony would be exclusive to nobles and sects.

Tie Li was slapped hard by the harshness of Dou Luo Da Lu, and his yearning for the future faded little by little.

If he awakens his martial soul without Pre‑Heaven Soul Power, will he be forced to remain a blacksmith for life? And then leave hope to the next generation?

He never prays to be an exception, awakening a powerful mutated martial soul; he only hopes to be born with Pre‑Heaven Soul Power, granting him the qualification to become a noble Soul Master.

Even if it's only Pre‑Heaven Level 1 Soul Power, that would be a decent result for him.

"Da Li, are you ready? We're about to set off."

"Ready."

The final hammer strike fell, and the farming tool's quality became a bit purer.

Tie Niu looked at his son, who had been sensible since childhood, and felt deep affection.

He plunged the red‑hot farming tool into water, producing a 'sizzle' and a puff of white smoke; the tool was more than half finished, with only the final touches remaining.

Taking the towel his father handed him, he carefully wiped it down, changed into fresh clothes, and a hesitation flickered in Tie Li's eyes.

This will be the dividing line of his future destiny.

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself; at worst you'll be just like your old man, a blacksmith," Tie Niu patted his son's shoulder.

Tie Li merely smiled at that—being an ordinary person on Dou Luo Da Lu?

Today, Tie Niu shut the blacksmith shop early, and brought his son to the entrance of the martial soul subhall.

Upon arriving, Tie Li saw several pale‑faced children leave under their parents' arms.

"Are you here to awaken your martial souls? If so, follow me," the staff of the martial soul subhall said upon seeing Tie Li, guessing his purpose.

The father and son followed; Tie Niu waited in the main hall's lounge, while Tie Li entered the exclusive martial soul awakening room.

"Another one? I hope you won't disappoint me this time."

"Relax, step in front of me."

Tie Li looked up and saw a middle‑aged man standing in the center of the room, dressed in the exclusive attire of a Spirit Hall Soul Master, with six black stones arranged in a hexagon before him.

Following his instruction, Tie Li stepped into the center of the hexagon.

"Don't be afraid; close your eyes and feel carefully."

The middle‑aged Soul Master's body suddenly swelled, becoming unusually massive, and a thick brown fur sprouted over him.

One white and one yellow, two Soul Rings floated beneath him.

Tie Li was also startled by the scene—this is a Soul Master?

His yearning suppressed the fear, and the leg he had lifted out of fright retracted.

The middle‑aged Soul Master nodded, a hint of a smile appearing at his mouth.

"This ability comes from the martial soul; if you become a Soul Master, you will possess this power."

The middle‑aged Soul Master's hands flicked rapidly, and six golden rays shot out from the six black stones, forming a pale‑golden light shield.

Clack—

It felt as if something inside his body shattered, a strange sensation rose from his core, accompanied by threads of warmth.

A rare excitement flickered in Tie Li's eyes.

Could this be soul power?

"Extend your right hand."

Hearing the middle‑aged Soul Master's voice, Tie Li instinctively extended his right hand.

In an instant, a Forging Hammer appeared in his right palm.

It resembled the Forging Hammer he used, almost identical, the only difference being weight; his hammer martial soul felt unusually heavy.

It seems he inherited his father's martial soul.

"It's a weapon martial soul, with offensive power; now we see whether Pre‑Heaven Soul Power is born."

A Soul Master's Pre‑Heaven Soul Power often depends on the martial soul's quality; the stronger the martial soul, the higher the Pre‑Heaven Soul Power, the two are symbiotic!

"Control the martial soul with your mind; you can release and retract it at will."

He tried it himself and easily retracted the martial soul back into his body.

At that moment the middle‑aged Soul Master produced a blue crystal sphere.

"Place your hand on the crystal."

Tie Li obeyed, his calloused small hand gently touching the blue crystal sphere.

It instantly emitted a faint glow.

"Huh? Not bad, it's actually Pre‑Heaven Level 2 Soul Power," the middle‑aged man said with a hint of surprise.

A hammer martial soul possessing Pre‑Heaven Level 2 Soul Power is indeed a rarity.

Usually farming‑tool martial souls rarely develop soul power; if luck is better, achieving a Pre‑Heaven Half‑Level Soul Power is already an excellent result.

Tie Li felt even happier in his heart, confirming that he was born with innate soul power, thus he had the qualification to cultivate, and could become a noble Soul Master.

"Go outside to register your information, and you can receive a basic meditation method for cultivation," the middle-aged Soul Master kindly reminded.

"Okay, thank you, Soul Master Great Sir."

Tie Li hurriedly left the room and immediately told his father the good news.

Upon hearing that his son could become a Soul Master, Tie Niu was so happy he couldn't stop grinning.

"Great, great! I'll buy some good meat and vegetables later and celebrate properly at home tonight."

After registering his information and receiving the meditation method issued by the Spirit Hall, Tie Li left the Spirit Hall branch with his father.

In the Pingmin District, a tile-roofed house with two adjacent thatched huts beside it is where Tie Li's family lives.

As soon as they returned home, father Tie Niu announced the good news, and the mother and two younger brothers were all very happy.

For a commoner family to produce a Soul Master is a glorious affair that brings honor to the ancestors.

Tie Li had already calmed down from his excitement and began to contemplate his future path.

His family was just an ordinary commoner household in Manuo City, without the qualifications of a work-study student; if they were to support his entry into the Junior Soul Master Academy, it would be a huge expense.

But if he gave up entering the Soul Master Academy, thinking he could rely on his past-life understanding of anime and novels to imagine building a Soul Master clan would be too naïve.

Yes, Tie Li's goal is to establish a Soul Master clan.

A commoner Soul Master has no right to choose his first Soul Ring; families slightly better off will opt to enter the Soul Master Academy, because the academy will help you obtain your first Soul Ring, although it will only be a ten-year Soul Ring.

(End of chapter)