A special thank you to all my patrons.
The List of My "Wandering Reader":
-[ ]
-Cain
-Goha21
-Jacob Mooe
-Varun Madhu
-Paul Panzer
-Austin Levy
-Aziz Makda
You can read 30 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - p@treon.com/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
-------------------------------------------------------------
"A peerless genius, the Dragon Kings vie for supremacy—who will rise as emperor, and who will proclaim themselves king? Even I must tread carefully in this game, for every move is irreversible. The God King's millennia-long schemes, the revival of the soul beasts, the ambitions of the Spirit Pagoda, the unification plans of the Douluo Federation, and the Abyssal Plane's desire to devour all—the situation is intricate, yet strikingly clear."
Late into the night, the moonlight draped like snow over Bai Xu as he rested in the courtyard. The young man sat cross-legged, flipping through the pages of a book under the pale glow, his surroundings blurred yet distinct.
He gazed up at the moon, a faint smile playing on his lips, his eyes burning with madness and ambition.
Having been reborn in this world, who would willingly remain beneath others?
The Dragon God was no more, and the Golden and Silver Dragon Kings were indeed unrivaled. No martial soul could compare to those of the two protagonists.
The Sovereign of Soul Beasts, the Son of the Sea God—they were far too dazzling, eclipsing an entire generation.
And what of him? With nothing but a mere mental-type martial soul, the Heavenly Eye—how could he possibly compete with the Dragon Kings?
At this thought, Bai Xu lowered his gaze to the book before him. A gentle breeze brushed past the pages, as if an invisible hand were guiding him to uncover its secrets.
The paper seemed to record a fragment of history—weathered and ancient.
Six bold characters seared themselves into his mind:
"The Secrets of Human Body Cultivation."
That was right. The human body held boundless secrets.
As a transmigrator, Bai Xu possessed knowledge that no other soul master in this era could match. This was his true advantage, the foundation of his confidence to contend with his peers amidst the tides of fate.
The first page of the secret manual read:
"The hidden potential of the human body is infinite!"
---
Ding-a-ling!
The chime of the doorbell echoed softly through the small house, shattering its tranquility.
"Coming!" A middle-aged woman rose to answer the door, shooting Bai Xu a meaningful glance to signal that he should abandon his peculiar cross-legged posture and greet their guests properly.
The door swung open to reveal two Spirit Pagoda envoys in uniform, smiling courteously. "Greetings. Is this the residence of our colleague, Bai Tao?"
"Yes, honored Spirit Masters. Please, come in..." Bai Ying, Bai Tao's wife, immediately recognized the insignias on their sleeves and welcomed them with deference.
For Spirit Masters to personally visit meant that the Spirit Pagoda held great interest in her child's talent—likely intending to nurture him as a key disciple. Bai Xu had only undergone his martial soul awakening a few days prior, so their purpose was hardly a mystery.
"Honored Spirit Masters, have you come for Xiao Xu?" Bai Ying ushered them into the living room, hastily pouring tea while gesturing for Bai Xu to greet them.
Before the boy could react, one of the envoys chuckled warmly. "Young friend, it's only been three days since we last met. We're here to discuss your future—and to inform your family of our proposal."
The other envoy added, "After reporting Bai Xu's martial soul awakening to the East Sea Spirit Pagoda, the higher-ups took immediate notice. Rumor has it that even the sub-tower master personally attended the meeting. We sincerely hope Bai Xu will join the Spirit Pagoda, and we guarantee his training and resources. Here is the agreement—please review it."
Bai Ying accepted the document, her eyes widening in shock.
"Six years of tutelage under a Soul Sage, followed by an evaluation for advancement to the Spirit Pagoda headquarters... and the opportunity to become a disciple of a Titled Douluo above Rank 95... Heavens!"
To ordinary citizens of East Sea City, a Titled Douluo was nothing short of a legend—a figure one might never encounter in a lifetime. Yet now, her son had the chance to be personally guided by one. Was this not a meteoric rise to greatness?
Though inwardly ecstatic, Bai Ying maintained her composure. "Does Bai Tao know about this?"
The envoy nodded. "He does. He has entrusted the decision to Bai Xu, saying his son would know whether to accept."
This oddly phrased response instantly drew all eyes to Bai Xu, who had remained silent until now.
The envoys had naturally conducted their research beforehand. Bai Xu was an orphan, adopted by Bai Tao and his wife at the age of three.
Now, with his martial soul awakening—revealing innate full soul power and the Heavenly Eye, a spiritual-type martial soul eerily similar to the Spirit Eyes of the Pagoda's founder, the legendary Spirit Ice Douluo who ascended to godhood ten thousand years ago—it was no surprise that Bai Xu had garnered such attention.
"I accept. I will join the Spirit Pagoda," Bai Xu replied softly, his tone devoid of excitement or nervousness, as if this outcome had long been anticipated.
"Excellent. Congratulations." The envoys smiled. "Upon enrollment, Bai Xu will be placed in the most elite class. Further details will be relayed to Bai Tao's soul communicator. Ah, one last thing—his first spirit ring will be provided free of charge by the Spirit Pagoda. Here is the proof of authorization. Our task here is complete, so we shall take our leave. Farewell."
With Bai Xu's agreement secured, the two envoys departed without delay.
The person most deserving of congratulations was Bai Xu's father, Bai Tao. His standing within the East Sea Spirit Pagoda would undoubtedly rise in tandem with his son's growing reputation as a prodigy. Thus, the envoys hurried back to deliver the good news.
No longer would Bai Tao be relegated to conducting martial soul awakenings for commoners. A promotion—perhaps even two ranks—awaited him, likely granting him oversight of the Spirit Ascension Platform's operations.
After seeing the envoys off, Bai Ying beamed with joy. "Xiao Xu, you must train diligently under the Spirit Pagoda's guidance from now on. A Titled Douluo is surely within your reach!"
"Understood, Mother."
---
The Next Day.
Early in the morning, Bai Xu accompanied Bai Tao to the East Sea Spirit Pagoda. The octagonal structure was a rare sight in the city, sprawling across vast grounds with seven towering floors. Rumor had it that the Spirit Pagoda headquarters in Shrek City boasted a staggering eighty-one floors, hailed as the most magnificent edifice in existence.
Bai Tao sighed. "Though I've worked as a Spirit Master for over a decade, the cost of spirit souls is still staggering. A ten-year white spirit soul costs seventy thousand, while a hundred-year yellow spirit soul goes for a million. If not for your exceptional talent, our humble family would never have the means to support your cultivation."
"Then what tier of spirit soul can this card procure?" Bai Xu examined the black card in his hand.
"Up to ten-thousand-year."
"Ten-thousand-year?!" Bai Xu was taken aback.
"Indeed. The Spirit Pagoda's higher-ups hold you in high regard. Your Heavenly Eye martial soul bears an uncanny resemblance to the Spirit Ice Douluo's Spirit Eyes from ten millennia ago. The only pity is that you possess only one martial soul. Had you awakened a second like he did, you might have been his successor!"
As a Spirit Master, Bai Tao often recounted the Pagoda's history to visitors, so the tales of the Spirit Ice Douluo were etched into his memory.
Inside a mechanized chamber, Bai Xu was instructed to lie on a testing platform—an apparatus designed to measure spiritual power, which would determine the tier of spirit soul he could absorb.
Spiritual power was divided into six tiers: Spirit Origin (0–100), Spirit Connection (101–500), Spirit Sea (501–5000), Spirit Abyss (5001–20000), Spirit Domain (20001–50000), and the mythical Divine Origin.
Beep!
The results appeared swiftly on the display: 456—Spirit Connection (High Stage).
Bai Tao's jaw dropped. His first reaction wasn't joy but sheer disbelief. This adopted son of his was far too prodigious—so much so that it was almost frightening.
No wonder the boy carried himself with such maturity, his demeanor wise beyond his years.
Altering the records, Bai Tao printed a falsified certificate listing Bai Xu's spiritual power at Spirit Connection (Initial Stage). Given the sheer volume of annual spiritual power tests, no one would notice unless they deliberately investigated.
Even so, the results were staggering. A six-year-old at Spirit Connection (Initial Stage) could absorb a thousand-year spirit soul—a feat matched only by the prodigies of Shrek Academy.
Bai Tao hesitated. "I'm a bit worried. Absorbing a thousand-year spirit soul at six years old... I have no experience to guide you here."
"Don't worry, Father. It should be fine. I'll select a spirit soul with a moderate age. My spiritual power is already at the high stage of Spirit Connection—no thousand-year soul beast can overwhelm me."
"Alright. Let's proceed."
Exiting the testing chamber, they entered an adjacent room—far more spacious, dominated by a colossal machine standing three meters tall and six meters wide. Within it, numerous spherical orbs, each about a foot in diameter, emitted faint glows.
A virtual panel materialized, displaying information on various soul beasts.
"Your martial soul is spirit-attribute, so a spiritual-type soul beast would suit you best." Bai Tao filtered the list, revealing a dozen options: Dreamwing Butterflies, Illusionary Lizards, and other thousand-year spiritual soul beasts.
"Holy Illusion Ape..." Bai Xu murmured, spotting the name.
Bai Tao expanded its details:
The Holy Illusion Ape is an exceptionally intelligent soul beast. Only one exists in any given forest... Its spirit ring will likely enhance spiritual power, and when paired with a mental-type soul skill, the effects are extraordinary.
After reading the description, Bai Xu made his decision. "I'll take the Holy Illusion Ape spirit soul."
"Very well."
The black card was inserted. Ding!
A purple orb rolled out from the machine and into Bai Xu's hands.
"Let's return home so you can begin the fusion!"