Chapter 1: Martial Soul Awakening

On Douluo Continent, in the western region outside Tiandou City, the mountains rise and fall in endless ranges. Simple, grand, ancient‑flavored buildings are scattered throughout, and this is the habitat of the world's number one beast martial soul family—the Lan Dian Ba Wang Sect.

Today is the sixth birthday of Yu Tianyun, the sect leader's grandson of the Lan Dian Ba Wang Sect.

At this moment, our protagonist—Yu Tianyun—is accompanied by his parents and his newly returned elder brother Yu Tianheng as they head to the great hall where the sect master Yu Yuanzhen resides. As sect master, Yu Yuanzhen's dwelling is at the summit of Yu Long Mountain, the core of the entire sect.

Upon reaching the summit, the first sight is a grand yet simple and austere great hall.

The hall's roof is golden; whenever a thunderstorm arrives, golden fireballs the size of basins roll around the hall, dazzling, and when they strike anything they emit a cataclysmic roar.

Sometimes lightning slashes the sky like a sword striking the golden hall; in an instant, Yu Long Mountain's golden summit erupts with countless beams of light that shoot to the heavens, and even dozens of li away one can see above Yu Long Peak a surge of red light soaring skyward, a scene like an erupting volcano—thrilling, marvelous, and spectacular.

At this moment, two elders are already seated in the hall. On the main seat sits an elder in a black robe, his face resolute, his eyes as mysterious and unfathomable as the deep starry sky.

He is Yu Tianyun's grandfather—Yu Yuanzhen!

Though advanced in age, the elder remains robust and vigorous, as if time has left few marks on him. He sits there like a mountain—steady and awe‑inspiring.

Seated to his lower right is a red‑cheeked, narrow‑eyed elder. This man is Yu Luomian—Yu Yuanzhen's younger brother, Yu Xiao Gang's second uncle, Liu Erlong's biological father, and Yu Tianxin's grandfather.

The two sit here to witness Yu Tianyun's martial soul awakening.

Since Yu Xiao Gang awakened the Luo San Cannon, becoming a disgrace to the Lan Dian, and after the Spirit Hall placed Tang Hao on the wanted list, Yu Yuanzhen stopped allowing direct descendants to publicly awaken their martial souls.

First, he fears another direct descendant might repeat Yu Xiao Gang's case; second, he dreads a prodigiously talented offspring that would attract the Spirit Hall's attention.

Yu Yuanzhen, though proud, is not foolish. He is now seventy‑seven years old yet still cannot break through to level 96.

He senses he may remain at this point for the rest of his life.

A Title Douluo can rise from level 91 to 94; as long as there are no serious hidden injuries, time alone will eventually push it to level 94.

Advancing from 94 to 95 depends mainly on the martial soul's quality; a Title Douluo with a top‑tier martial soul will certainly break through to level 95, but the gap between 95 and 96 is like a heavenly chasm.

To reach level 96, one cannot rely solely on martial soul talent; insight is also required.

Today the Lan Dian Ba Wang Sect's talent is waning; among the younger generation only Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin have the potential to break through as Title Douluo, yet their innate talent is still not top‑grade, both possessing innate soul power at level 8.

Among the middle generation, only Yu Xiaofeng broke through to Soul Saint three years ago; Yu Xiaofeng is Yu Tianyun and Yu Tianheng's father, 45 this year, and will likely become only a Soul Douluo, his hope of breaking through to Title Douluo being slim.

Yu Luomian turned to sect master Yu Yuanzhen and said in a deep voice, "Brother, this child Xiao Yun has been clever and diligent since he was young."

When Tianheng and Tianxin were his age, they only knew how to play and could barely recognize a few characters.

But Tianyun, two years ago, could already recognize all characters and often went to the Scripture Storage Hall to read.

The year before last, after Xiao Yun discovered that whale glue can improve physical quality, these three bratty kids kept clamoring for me to go to Han Hai City to purchase more.

Tianheng and Tianxin's second Soul Rings each have nearly nine hundred years of duration, their future limitless.

I don't know how many levels of soul power Xiao Yun will awaken, but he certainly won't be worse than those two." Yu Yuanzhen looked at his brother's increasingly rounded face, sighed, and said in a deep voice, "As long as Tianyun can safely awaken the Blue Electric Tyrannosaur Weapon Soul, that will be enough."

Yu Luomian, fully aware of his brother's worries and fearing the grandson might be like Yu Xiao Gang, said no more.

At this moment, Yu Xiaofeng entered the great hall with his family, saying, "Xiao Yun has arrived; you, Xiaofeng, will be responsible for the awakening." Yu Yuanzhen, seeing his most beloved grandson, showed a rare smile.

"Very well, Father." Yu Xiaofeng took six jet‑black stones and a bright blue crystal sphere from his Storage Soul Conduit. At the same time, Yu Xiaofeng's body flickered with electric light; a blue lightning sigil formed at his brow, followed by yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—seven bright auras rose from his feet.

He used soul power to arrange the six black stones on the ground around Yu Tianyun into a hexagonal pattern.

"Do not be afraid, close your eyes, and listen carefully." Yu Xiaofeng clapped his hands swiftly; six streams of blue‑white electricity poured into the six black stones on the ground, instantly releasing golden light that formed a golden shield enveloping Yu Tianyun.

Yu Tianyun felt as if bathed in sunlight, warm and comfortable, with a soothing warmth continuously seeping into his body.

Immediately thereafter, guided by that warm energy, something inside seemed ready to break out of its shell.

Suddenly, Yu Tianyun's complexion grew stiff and his body trembled slightly; the power within seemed too massive to control.

This is unavoidable; a martial soul awakening requires the latent martial soul inside to break its shell, which is far from easy for a six‑year‑old child.

Having never controlled a martial soul, the first experience is exceptionally difficult.

Suddenly, a chorus of dragon roars echoed in his mind, and electric currents surfaced on his body, finally converging at his brow to form a blue lightning sigil.

Seeing the lightning sigil, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and Yu Yuanzhen, seated at the head, smiled faintly as if a burden had been lifted.

Because his second son's martial soul mutated into a pig‑like beast, Yu Yuanzhen had constantly feared his grandson might suffer the same fate; fortunately the elder grandson is fine, and now the younger grandson has also awakened the Blue Electric Tyrannosaur without incident.

"Now let's test innate soul power; Tianyun, place your right hand on this crystal sphere," Yu Xiaofeng said.

Yu Tianyun, fully aware of the procedure, reached for the crystal sphere, and in an instant felt his internal soul power go out of control, surging entirely into the sphere.

Yu Tianyun did not stop it, allowing the flow; as the soul power kept pouring in, a glimmer of light blossomed inside the sphere, rapidly spreading until it filled the entire crystal sphere.

Gazing at the radiant crystal sphere, Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Luomian, seated in the chairs, suddenly rose, pushed aside Yu Xiaofeng, and firmly grasped Yu Tianyun's small hand.

"Good! Good! Good! My Lan Dian Ba Wang Sect finally has successors," Yu Yuanzhen laughed heartily.

"Brother, I told you this child Tianyun has been clever since childhood; his innate soul power could not be low. Sure enough, it is fully innate soul power," Yu Luomian said with a smile.

"Ha ha, second brother, you make a good point, but issue the order: publicly declare Tianyun's innate soul power as level eight, and you all must never disclose his full innate soul power awakening; anyone who does will be expelled from the family!" Yu Yuanzhen said after laughing, his expression solemn.

"Yes, brother/father/grandfather," the others bowed their heads in response.

(End of chapter)