Morning came early in the Hongchen estate.
The Sun Moon Empire was not a place where people slept late. Even before the sun had fully risen, the estate was already alive with activity. The clang of metal echoed from the outer workshops, and the distant hum of spirit-powered machinery vibrated faintly through the walls.
Xiao Hongchen woke instantly.
No grogginess.
No slow adjustment.
That was the first change he noticed since awakening his martial soul. His body seemed sharper, more responsive. Soul power circulated faintly within him, like a thin stream just beginning to carve its path through stone.
Level 1.
The start of the journey.
He sat cross-legged on the floor beside the window and closed his eyes.
The cultivation method described in Foundations of Soul Power Cultivation appeared clearly in his mind.
Slow breathing.
Guide soul power through the meridians.
Strengthen the core.
Normally, beginners struggled with the process. Their senses were dull. Their control over soul power was crude.
But Xiao Hongchen's situation was different.
Two lifetimes of memories had sharpened his mental discipline.
And the moment he focused inward, he sensed something interesting.
The Three-Legged Golden Toad.
It rested quietly in his spiritual sea, but it wasn't completely dormant. The spirit seemed to be absorbing faint traces of energy from his surroundings.
More specifically…
It was reacting to metal.
Even the tiny spirit-conductive lines embedded in the walls were enough to stimulate it.
"That's useful," Xiao Hongchen murmured.
He continued cultivating.
The energy flow gradually stabilized, forming a slow cycle through his body.
But after only ten minutes, he opened his eyes again.
This method was functional.
But inefficient.
Very inefficient.
It assumed a normal martial soul and a normal body.
Neither applied to him.
His martial soul was a metal-devouring treasure beast, and his mind contained knowledge from a completely different technological civilization.
If he blindly followed standard cultivation paths, he would waste his greatest advantage.
His fingers tapped lightly on the floor as he thought.
Soul power.
Metal affinity.
Devouring potential.
Soul tools.
Several possibilities formed immediately.
The Three-Legged Golden Toad wanted metal.
So why not let it refine metal during cultivation?
Not just ordinary iron.
Spirit metals.
Alloys.
Conductive materials.
If those materials were gradually absorbed and refined by the martial soul, they might strengthen both his body and his spirit simultaneously.
A hybrid cultivation method.
Part beast spirit cultivation.
Part metallurgical refinement.
He smiled slightly.
"Interesting."
But before he could test anything, the door opened.
Meng Hongchen stepped in.
"You're already awake?"
Xiao Hongchen looked over.
"You're awake too."
She crossed the room and sat on the edge of his bed.
"You were cultivating?"
"Yes."
"How long?"
"Ten minutes."
She stared at him.
"That's barely anything."
"I know."
"Then why did you stop?"
"Because the method is inefficient."
Meng blinked.
"…You just awakened yesterday."
"Yes."
"And you're already criticizing cultivation methods."
"Yes."
She leaned back slightly and sighed.
"You're impossible."
But her curiosity was obvious.
"So what's wrong with it?"
Xiao Hongchen thought for a moment before answering.
"It doesn't consider martial soul characteristics."
"What do you mean?"
"The Three-Legged Golden Toad absorbs metal."
"So?"
"So the cultivation method should use that."
Meng frowned.
"You want to eat metal while cultivating?"
"Not exactly."
He stood and walked toward the desk.
A small metal paperweight sat there.
He picked it up.
"What happens if I absorb this while circulating soul power?"
Meng immediately shook her head.
"That sounds dangerous."
"Probably."
"Then why would you try it?"
"Because if it works, it's efficient."
She stared at him like he had lost his mind.
"Grandfather would yell at you."
"That's possible."
"You're still thinking about trying it."
"Yes."
She groaned.
"You're going to cause trouble."
A short while later they arrived at the training courtyard.
Several children from the Hongchen family were already there practicing basic physical exercises.
Running.
Punching wooden training posts.
Simple stamina training.
Cultivation wasn't just about meditation.
The body had to grow strong enough to support soul power.
Meng joined the other children.
Xiao Hongchen watched them for a moment.
Then he joined as well.
The exercises were simple but effective.
Running laps.
Balance drills.
Strength training.
After about thirty minutes, Jing Hongchen appeared.
The courtyard instantly fell silent.
The old man walked slowly along the training field, observing every student.
Finally he stopped in front of Xiao Hongchen.
"Today you will begin preparation for your first soul ring."
Several students gasped quietly.
Normally children trained for a year before attempting their first ring.
But Xiao Hongchen was not ordinary.
Jing Hongchen continued.
"The Hongchen family does not wait unnecessarily."
He looked toward the distant forest beyond the city walls.
"The spirit beast forest near the imperial research grounds contains suitable beasts for your level."
Meng raised her hand.
"What about me?"
"You will come as well."
Her face brightened immediately.
Jing Hongchen's eyes moved back to Xiao Hongchen.
"You will hunt a spirit beast compatible with your martial soul."
Xiao Hongchen nodded.
"Yes, Grandfather."
But internally, he was already thinking further ahead.
The first soul ring mattered more than most beginners realized.
It defined the direction of early abilities.
If chosen poorly, it could limit future development.
For the Three-Legged Golden Toad, several possibilities existed.
Metal beasts.
Treasure beasts.
Poison creatures.
Earth-attribute beasts.
All could potentially strengthen the martial soul.
But one option stood above the others.
A metal-attribute toad or treasure beast with devouring traits.
Something that could amplify the toad's natural refining ability.
His eyes shifted slightly toward the horizon.
The forest awaited.
By midday the hunting party was ready.
The group consisted of:
Jing Hongchen.
Several powerful family guards.
Meng Hongchen.
And Xiao Hongchen.
They traveled using a soul-powered transport carriage, a sleek vehicle powered by spirit engines.
The machine glided smoothly along a reinforced road leaving the city.
As they traveled, Xiao Hongchen studied the surrounding environment.
The Sun Moon Empire landscape was different from the rest of the continent.
More roads.
More structures.
More signs of industrial development.
Even the outer forests contained monitoring towers and research stations.
This was not a primitive world.
It was a civilization already entering the early stages of technological revolution.
Which meant his future plans for advanced alloys and soul armor concepts might actually be possible.
He leaned slightly forward in his seat.
Soul armor.
That concept would appear generations later in Douluo Dalu III.
But there was no reason it had to wait that long.
If he could begin experimenting early…
He could reshape the development of soul tools entirely.
The carriage slowed.
They had arrived.
The forest entrance loomed ahead.
Tall ancient trees stretched toward the sky, their branches forming a thick canopy that blocked much of the sunlight.
Spirit beasts lived here.
Not the terrifying monsters of deeper forests like the Star Dou Great Forest.
But still dangerous.
Jing Hongchen stepped down from the carriage.
"Stay close."
The guards formed a protective formation.
They entered the forest.
Xiao Hongchen immediately noticed the difference in atmosphere.
The air felt heavier.
Spirit energy was denser.
This was a natural environment where soul beasts thrived.
They walked for nearly an hour.
Finally one of the guards stopped.
"Movement ahead."
Jing Hongchen raised his hand.
Everyone froze.
The bushes rustled.
Something emerged slowly.
A toad.
But not ordinary.
Its body was dark gray with metallic patterns across its skin.
Small crystal fragments protruded from its back.
Its eyes glowed faintly yellow.
Jing Hongchen nodded.
"Good."
"A Metal-Back Toad."
Approximately 120 years old.
Perfect for a first soul ring.
Xiao Hongchen stepped forward.
His martial soul appeared instantly.
The golden toad hovered above his palm.
The moment the Metal-Back Toad saw it, the spirit beast froze.
Its instincts clearly recognized a superior species.
The guards watched silently.
This was Xiao Hongchen's hunt.
He approached slowly.
The Metal-Back Toad croaked defensively.
Xiao Hongchen raised his hand.
The Three-Legged Golden Toad pulsed with golden light.
A strange pressure spread outward.
The spirit beast trembled.
Predator hierarchy.
Treasure beast dominance.
The Metal-Back Toad's resistance weakened.
Then one of the guards struck.
A precise attack.
The spirit beast collapsed but remained alive.
Jing Hongchen spoke calmly.
"Finish it."
Xiao Hongchen stepped forward.
He struck.
The Metal-Back Toad died.
A yellow soul ring rose slowly from its body.
The first step of cultivation awaited.
Xiao Hongchen sat cross-legged and began absorbing the ring.
The yellow light descended.
Soul power surged into his body.
Pain spread through his meridians.
But he remained calm.
The Three-Legged Golden Toad opened its mouth.
Golden light swallowed the soul ring.
Energy exploded outward inside his spiritual sea.
Metal affinity.
Devouring instinct.
Refinement power.
All merged into his martial soul.
Several minutes later…
The light faded.
Xiao Hongchen opened his eyes.
A yellow ring rotated slowly around his body.
Soul Master Level 11.
His first ability had awakened.
He raised his hand.
Golden energy gathered.
Metal fragments from nearby rocks lifted into the air.
Then they compressed.
Refined.
Hardened.
A small metal sphere formed in his palm.
Jing Hongchen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Interesting."
Xiao Hongchen smiled faintly.
The first step of his path had begun.
And the future of Douluo Continent had just changed.