Douluo Continent, Southwest of the Tiandou Empire.
Sacred Soul Village!
A small village of over three hundred households scattered across the wilderness.
It was named after producing a Soul Saint whose identity is lost to history.
Located in the Fasnuo Province, south of Noding City.
Purple mist blooms at the horizon as villagers walk in pairs or threes toward the farmland outside the village.
They work at sunrise and rest at sunset.
Along the narrow paths, the only child stands out distinctly.
He is about five or six years old.
Wearing coarse linen clothes, with neat black short hair, lively and bright black eyes, and a truly innocent smile.
At this moment, a square wooden box hangs around his neck, filled with colorful candies.
Two gourds hang from his waist, and if you get close, you can smell faint traces of alcohol and fresh grass.
From afar, someone calls out to him.
"Xiao Qiu, what happened? Did you poke a beehive again?"
Ye Qiu turns and smiles.
"Auntie, how are you so clever?"
"Enough! Stop acting cute. Those two bumps on your head are about to grow horns."
"Ha ha."
Laughter breaks out among the nearby villagers.
"Xiao Qiu, come here quickly!"
"Here, Auntie Zhang will buy you two sticks of that honey grapefruit candy. Our sixth brother loves this stuff!"
"Okay, Auntie Zhang!"
Ignoring the teasing from the villagers, Ye Qiu happily runs over to the burly Auntie Zhang.
He pulls out two sticks of candy and puts them into her basket.
"Take them. Remember to come have a meal at Auntie's place sometime. We won't miss your little mouth!"
Auntie Zhang smiles and takes out two copper coins, placing them carefully in Ye Qiu's palm.
"Thanks, Auntie Zhang! You take care!"
Ye Qiu waves happily as she walks away.
Since becoming self-reliant, he rarely begged for food at others' homes.
Greeting villagers in the fields, he slowly heads toward the village.
Suddenly,
Ye Qiu's eyes brighten.
He waves toward a small hill on the village's side.
Calling out loudly: "Hey! Xiao San, up so early training again?"
On the hill, a skinny figure appears, roughly the same age as Ye Qiu.
The sun's heat and the stove's fire have darkened his skin, but his clothes are simple and clean, and his black short hair is neat.
Though young, his skill surpasses even adults.
He flies down from the hill nimbly, jumping and flipping like a swallow, almost landing smoothly.
But at the last moment, Ye Qiu's shout distracts him.
He stumbles and almost falls.
Tang San immediately frowns, cautiously looking around to ensure no one notices his uniqueness.
Only then does he glare at Ye Qiu with irritation.
"Ye Qiu, you're younger than me, so stop calling me like that!"
With that, Tang San stops showing off and runs steadily to his family's blacksmith shop.
Tang San usually avoids other kids in the village, often playing alone.
"Xiao San, run slower or you'll fall. Uncle Haozi won't pity you!"
Ye Qiu laughs, not offended, sending off Tang San and remembering to send greetings to his elders.
"Remember to say hi to Uncle Haozi for me! Don't forget to pay off the wine debts!"
Tang San frowned, ignoring Ye Qiu's calls and continued running home.
"Tch, didn't the Xuan Tian Treasure Record teach him manners?"
Ye Qiu sneers.
Most of the time, when collecting debts, Ye Qiu doesn't get a friendly face from Tang San and his father.
Sometimes he wants to call them little brats.
But his strength doesn't allow it — too risky to get hit by silent throwing knives on his forehead.
"Xiao Qiu."
Just after seeing Tang San off, an old voice calls.
Ye Qiu's youthful face lights up as he looks at the tall, thin elder approaching.
He runs over quickly.
"Grandpa Jack, are you here to buy candy or wine?"
"Ha ha, you little sly one."
Village chief Old Jack strokes his carefully groomed beard, looking spirited.
He pats Ye Qiu's head.
"Forget the wine. Your brew tastes like watered-down horse urine; only Tang Hao the drunkard likes it. I'll take a few sticks of candy instead."
"All right, here you go!"
Ye Qiu smiles innocently.
He grabs five sticks of candy stuck between his fingers and hands them to Old Jack.
Carefully taking the money, Ye Qiu looks up at Old Jack again.
Smiling, he asks, "Grandpa Jack, did you come specifically to see me? Is there something you want to tell me?"
"Yes. I'm here to invite you to the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony in three days."
Old Jack places a lollipop in Ye Qiu's mouth, his eyes full of hope, even longing.
No soul masters have come from the village for many years.
"Three days from now?"
Ye Qiu's expression shifts slightly, his eyes shining with anticipation.
"Yes, at the Martial Soul Hall in the village center. Be sure to come."
Old Jack nods kindly.
"All right, come visit for a meal when you can. I still need to notify the other kids."
"Take care, Grandpa Jack!"
Ye Qiu stands on tiptoe, waving goodbye.
When the path grows quiet, Ye Qiu pops a candy into his mouth, finishes his morning sales, and heads home carrying his box.
A lonely, silent, single-room wooden hut.
This is Ye Qiu's home.
No relatives, empty walls — this is the life he was given in this world.
Since childhood, he's relied on charity to survive.
"Phew~"
Lying on a hard wooden bed, Ye Qiu exhales deeply.
Douluo Continent, Martial Soul Awakening.
Knowing this world well, Ye Qiu understands how important Martial Souls are.
"I wonder what Martial Soul I'll awaken. Will it be a frog like my parents'?"
Ye Qiu mutters, then quickly shakes his head with disdain.
"Better not."
Maybe a powerful Martial Soul inherited from bloodline ancestors, with high innate soul power?
"Sigh, I'm tired of an ordinary and mediocre life."
A trace of melancholy appears on Ye Qiu's face.
"If the Martial Soul is useless, maybe I'll see if I can latch onto someone rich. Ha ha."
He laughs at his own joke.
Wanting to give them a warm home — it's only a normal wish.
Three days pass in the blink of an eye.
Under Old Jack's organization, many children of age gather inside the village's Martial Soul Hall.
The so-called Martial Soul Hall of Sacred Soul Village is just a slightly larger wooden hut.
It protects from wind and rain; that's enough.
With so many children gathered, it's a great business opportunity for candy sales.
Ye Qiu, with his box hanging around his neck, shouts energetically.
Tang San stands quietly in place.
Hearing Ye Qiu repeat his call three times and then stop, Tang San feels annoyed.
"Hey! Xiao San, want some candy? My treat!"
Ye Qiu smiles, stepping close to Tang San and offering a green lollipop.
"No thanks."
Tang San coldly shakes his head.
He has no interest in such childish favors.
"All right then."
Ye Qiu rolls his eyes.
He doesn't dislike Tang San too much, but sometimes he's really annoying.
Not long after finishing a few small sales, Ye Qiu sees Old Jack greeting a young man with a smile.
Slurp~ slurp~
Tang San stands right in front of Ye Qiu.
Hearing Ye Qiu sucking candy behind him, he frowns slightly.
The young man wears the Martial Soul Hall u
niform, looks respectable, with arrogant and superior eyebrows and eyes.
He waves Old Jack away with a hand.
It's time to start the day's main event — the Martial Soul Awakening!
Wishing everyone a happy life!