Six thousand years ago, the Douluo Continent, having lost the protection of the God Realm, encountered an unprecedented calamity: the invasion of the powerful Abyss Plane.
Abyss creatures were beings from the Abyss Plane; ordinary Abyss creatures possessed no consciousness or intelligence. They were fearless of death, driven by a single will: to devour all life they could see and bring it back to the Abyss Plane to nourish it.
Back then, under the suppression of the Douluo Plane's will and the desperate struggle of several major forces, the Abyss creatures were completely driven back into the Abyss Passage and subjected to countless seals.
Time has passed, and the Douluo Continent and the Abyss Plane have fought for over six thousand years. This long period has been intertwined with blood and tears, with countless soldiers filling the void with their lives.
Now, the sudden appearance of the Abyss Tide has stirred a unease in Dong Zian's powerful heart. After all, he knew very well what it meant.
A new struggle was about to begin.
"Commander, fortunately, the abyssal creatures in this abyssal tide were from the Ant King race, ranked seventy-sixth. Thanks to our timely rescue, these creatures didn't spread further."
Li Jie, looking at the rescue information transmitted through his soul tool, reported with a hint of relief in his eyes.
The abyssal plane has one hundred and eight layers. The higher the ranking of a race, the stronger it is. The Ant King race is of above-average strength, possessing both offensive and defensive capabilities.
Their Western Legion, stationed in the western border, is the Blood God Legion's strongest backer. Snow City happened to be within their legion's rescue range, so when the abyssal tide appeared in Snow City, they immediately set off, arriving at the first opportunity to encircle and annihilate the abyssal creatures.
"But so many Federation citizens in Snow City are already dead. It's all too late."
Dong Zi'an first expressed regret, then his eyes flashed with a fierce light as he said ruthlessly.
"These damned bastards! When my lifespan is nearing its end, I will definitely enter the Abyss Passage and slaughter them to my heart's content!"
He had already anticipated this while annihilating the Abyss creatures; a mere Ant King was no match for him, a Limit Douluo.
However, these Abyss creatures did not dissipate after death. Instead, they would return to the Abyss Plane in a unique way, carrying with them the life force they had plundered, and then be reborn. This was the fundamental reason why the Abyss Plane could continuously attack the Douluo Continent.
Previously, he had followed the dead Abyss creatures to see where they returned to the Abyss Plane, investigating whether new Abyss Passages had appeared.
Unfortunately, he returned empty-handed. The dead Abyss creatures drifted through the air for a distance before simply vanishing into thin air; even with his Limit Douluo strength, he couldn't track them down.
"Commander..."
Li Jie was about to say something when Dong Zi'an waved his hand to interrupt him.
"After I left, did you discover any new clues or anything unusual?"
Dong Zi'an asked meaningfully. He believed that there must be something unique about the Abyss Tide appearing above Snow City.
"No, not really..."
Li Jie shook his head thoughtfully, but then seemed to remember something. He quickly flipped through the communication soul tool in his hand, and the moment his fingers stopped, he suddenly blurted out,
"Today is the day Snow City is giving all six-year-old children the opportunity to awaken their Martial Souls!"
"Martial Soul Awakening?"
Upon hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in Dong Zi'an's eyes. Looking at everything in Snow City proceeding in an orderly manner, he pondered for a moment and then ordered,
"Take me to see the surviving children."
"Yes, Commander! However, because today is the day of Martial Soul Awakening, the number of child casualties is very high... and many are still unconscious."
Li Jie hesitated for a moment before reporting.
Now that the Federation is unified, every city has established an institution to provide free martial soul awakening for children.
However, on this day of awakening, facing the sudden abyssal tide, even though Snow City activated its defensive soul tools and deployed its garrison in time, the casualties were still heavy.
Abyssal creatures are not afraid of death, but soul masters are not, because soul masters are independent individuals with their own thoughts and emotions.
"Let's go check on those who have awakened."
Dong Zian closed his eyes, his voice filled with unspeakable pain. Today was supposed to be the day those children would embark on their journey into the world of soul masters, but instead, they all faced death.
"You're not injured, but little brother, you need to rest more. Don't run around during this time. If anything happens, just call your sister."
At the soul tool emergency center, the healing soul master examined Jiang Xiu again and gently reminded him.
"Okay, thank you, sister."
Jiang Xiu lay on the bed and thanked her. He knew she meant well, but what he wanted more now was to awaken his martial soul.
Having faced death, he craved power even more!
"Tap tap tap!"
Steady footsteps sounded, followed by the opening of the soul-guiding gate. Jiang Xiu's eyes flickered, and in his line of sight, two soldiers in military uniform walked in. Judging from the insignia on their shoulders, their ranks were quite high.
"Are these military personnel here for post-war consolation? Oh well, I'm just a kid now, they probably won't consolation me."
Jiang Xiu didn't think much of it. He clearly couldn't get out now, so he might as well take a short rest. He then turned over.
But the next moment, two dark figures appeared in front of Jiang Xiu, their tall figures blocking out the light.
Jiang Xiu opened his eyes and saw two large faces.
"Little friend, don't be nervous. We're all from the military, good people. We just wanted to ask if anything unusual happened when you were awakening your martial soul?"
Li Jie patiently asked Jiang Xiu. He had already asked several children, but to no avail. After all, what could children know? They were just trying their luck while offering their condolences.
Dong Zi'an, standing behind Li Jie, narrowed his eyes slightly when he saw Jiang Xiu's strange purple eyes. But when he saw Jiang Xiu's side under the light, his thick eyebrows twitched sharply, though he said nothing, only circulating his soul power.
"No, I hadn't awakened my martial soul yet when I fainted,"
Jiang Xiu shook his head slightly, answering truthfully. Due to certain reasons, he had a considerable understanding of the Federation's military, and lying would bring him no benefit.
Besides, he had indeed simply gone black and fallen asleep.
"Haven't awakened your martial soul yet? Alright, thank you, little friend."
Sensing Jiang Xiu wasn't lying, Li Jie thanked him and turned to leave. As a general and the third-in-command of the Western Legion, he possessed the cultivation of a Super Douluo, making discerning truth from falsehood a piece of cake.
"Wait, since you haven't awakened your martial soul yet, Li Jie, why don't you awaken it for me as well?"
Dong Zi'an reached out and pulled Li Jie, instructing him. He then smiled slightly at Jiang Xiu, but the smile, coupled with Dong Zi'an's fierce face, was clearly more like a grimace.
"Awaken my martial soul?"
Jiang Xiu's heart stirred slightly, a hint of anticipation creeping in. In this life, both his parents were Soul Masters, and powerful ones at that, both members of the Blood God Legion.
But four years ago, after their last departure, they returned with only two small medals…
From then on, he was taken to a residence arranged by the Snow City Federation branch.
That's why he was so eager to awaken his martial soul. Born in a chaotic world, he needed strength to avoid being slaughtered!
Furthermore, if he had enough power, he also wanted to try and avenge his parents in this life.
"Little friend, do you want Uncle to help you…"
"Yes!"
Jiang Xiu nodded before Li Jie could finish speaking. After all, even if he left here, he would still need the Federation's help to awaken his martial soul. With the convenience of this opportunity, awakening it first was naturally the best course of action.
"Alright, let's begin then."
Seeing this, Li Jie didn't waste any more words. Six awakening stones suddenly flew from his hand and landed on the ground in a strange arrangement.
"Buzz!"
With a soft sound, Li Jie's eyes suddenly transformed into yellowish-brown dragon pupils. His martial soul was clearly a powerful dragon-type martial soul. Immediately afterward, a surge of soul power was injected into the awakening stones, and a six-pointed star array appeared, initiating the awakening ceremony.
"Don't be nervous. Even if your martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, you'll still have a future."
Dong Zian looked at Jiang Xiu as he stepped into the array and offered a rare word of encouragement, but it made Jiang Xiu pause, his lips twitching. This guy really doesn't know how to talk.
As Jiang Xiu entered, countless golden rays appeared in the six-pointed star array, as if finding their home, and surged wildly into Jiang Xiu's body.
At this moment, Jiang Xiu felt as if he were enveloped in warm sunlight, his whole body feeling warm and comfortable. The next moment, a booming sound came from within him, and under the pull of the golden light, it seemed as if something shattered.
"Roar!"
A loud dragon roar rang out, and suddenly a giant dragon phantom, its body covered in dark purple dragon scales and burning with raging purple flames, flashed past behind Jiang Xiu. Its dragon eyes were crimson gold, like burning flames, revealing endless majesty and savagery. Every dragon scale exuded a terrifying aura of destruction.
The next moment, illusory dark purple dragon scales faintly appeared on Jiang Xiu's body, and his pair of purple eyes suddenly transformed into dragon pupils, gleaming with a crimson-gold color. Two surging flames of destruction rose from either side of Jiang Xiu's shoulders.
"This...this is?"
Li Jie's pupils dilated, and he said incredulously. He actually felt a trace of suppression from Jiang Xiu. This suppression was not related to cultivation level, but rather to the suppression of his martial soul bloodline!
You must know that his martial soul was at the True Dragon level!
"It's the Purple Emperor Annihilation Dragon! The Purple Emperor Annihilation Dragon with the ultimate destructive attribute."
Feeling that ultimate destructive aura, Dong Zian's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, word by word.
"The Purple Emperor Annihilation Dragon, didn't it disappear during the dynastic change of the Sun and Moon Royal Family ten thousand years ago..."
Upon hearing this, Li Jie's pupils dilated, and he immediately remembered, but he hesitated to speak.
"Alright, Li Jie, you can go out now."
Dong Zian waved to interrupt Li Jie, his deep gaze gesturing for him to leave. Li Jie nodded heavily, walked out of the Soul Guidance Emergency Center, and stood guard outside.
Meanwhile, Jiang Xiu suppressed the surging excitement within him. While sensing the powerful destructive attributes of the Purple Emperor Annihilation Dragon, his left hand clenched tightly, a flicker of extreme darkness quietly appearing.
"Little friend, don't be so nervous. You should still have one Martial Soul, right?"
Dong Zian once again revealed that smile that was more like a grimace, coaxing him gently.
"!"
(End of Chapter)