"Little Six, it's time to awaken your martial soul."
At the crack of dawn, as the sky barely began to brighten, Village Chief Old Tom called out to Little Six for his martial soul awakening.
Ning Tian, nicknamed Little Six, forced his sleepy eyes open and rubbed them, willing himself awake. He knew the stakes—if he didn't get up now, he'd have to wait another year for this chance.
His full name was Ning Tian, a name too refined for any parents he never had. It was a carryover from his previous life, one he'd given himself.
That's right—he wasn't of this world. He was a transmigrator.
It all started with Green Pepper, an author whose novels either stalled halfway, got reported and axed, or were outright banned. After three flops in a row, Ning Tian's frustration hit a boiling point—his blood pressure got so high that he dropped dead on the spot. Next thing he knew, he'd transmigrated into the Douluo Continent as an orphan.
{T/S : Green pepper is the author's username.}
The nickname 'Little Six' came from Old Tom, who'd adopted him as the sixth of his brood, following five other 'older siblings.' Thus, 'Little Six' stuck.
It wasn't a bad deal. In the village, kids went by names like 'Silly Girl,' 'Big Head,' or even 'Er Gouzi' (Second Dog). Compared to those, 'Little Six' was a step up, so Ning Tian didn't mind.
He wasn't hard on the eyes either. Sure, his skin was tanned from hauling firewood up the mountain and helping Old Tom with farm work, but his features were sharp and even made him one of the village's rare 'handsome men.'
Born an orphan, he'd never even glimpsed his parents' faces. Without Old Tom's kindness and the villagers' support, he'd have starved to death long ago.
Still, deep down, he nursed a quiet ambition: to leave this tiny village and see the world beyond. He kept it to himself, though such a notion would stun the locals. In this rigid world ruled by soul masters and nobles, escaping the village meant awakening a martial soul with soul power. Yet, aside from a Soul Emperor who'd emerged a century ago, no one here had ever managed that feat.
Now fully alert, Ning Tian scrambled out of bed. "Grandpa Tom, did the Martial Soul Hall master come this early? Didn't he show up in the afternoon last year?"
"This year's different," Old Tom replied. "You're the only one of age in the village, and we didn't want to bother Master Su Yuntao with a solo trip. So, we arranged with Old Jack from Holy Soul Village to bring you along for their awakening."
Old Tom was a frail looking old man with a goatee, childless but burdened with six adopted kids.
Ning Tian made a silent vow: he would awaken martial soul, rise as a powerful soul master, drag the village out of poverty, give Old Tom a comfortable life, marry a beautiful rich woman, and maybe even become a god—hitting life's peak.
.....
Half an hour later, under a blistering sun, Ning Tian followed Old Tom to the 'Martial Soul Hall' branch at the heart of Holy Soul Village. The local kids were already inside for their awakenings, leaving only a lean, lively old man in neat clothes pacing anxiously outside.
Spotting them, he hurried over. "You old coot, why're you so late? Master Su Yuntao's been there for ages!"
The so-called Martial Soul Hall branch was just a wooden shack with the Martial Soul Hall emblem slapped on it, same as the one back in Emperor Soul Village.
Old Tom didn't dawdle. He knocked briskly and called out, "Master Su Yuntao, I've brought the child."
"Is that Old Tom?" a young voice answered from within. "Since you're here, send him in."
Old Tom waved Ning Tian forward.
Stepping up, Ning Tian eased the wooden door open and entered. Inside were eight Holy Soul Village kids awaiting their awakenings, plus a man in his twenties dressed in a crisp white outfit marked with the Martial Soul Hall emblem. With sharp brows and bright eyes.
Su Yuntao glanced at Ning Tian but said nothing, just pointing him to the side. He was already in his martial soul possession state, a humanoid gray wolf, guiding the last child through their awakening.
"Is that the Lone Wolf martial soul?" Ning Tian mused, watching curiously.
"Innate full soul power… but another wasted soul," Su Yuntao muttered. He'd tested seven kids with no soul power, and now one finally had it—legendary innate full soul power, no less, but it was tied to the useless Blue Silver Grass. He sounded frustrated.
Ning Tian's gaze sharpened. This last kid wasn't ordinary. Beyond the Blue Silver Grass in his right hand, his left was tucked behind his back, fist clenched like he was holding something back.
'Tang San?' Ning Tian thought, a smirk flickering in his mind before fading to resignation. As a die-hard Green Pepper fan, he was firmly anti Tang San, dreaming of thrashing him and Yu Xiaogang like the fanfic heroes he'd read about. But reality checked him hard—he was just a regular guy, unsure if he would even awaken soul power. How could he pull off such grand stunts?
Truth be told, he didn't hate Tang San himself. He envied the cheat-like life Tang San led. If he had that kind of talent, he'd happily emulate Green Pepper's fanfic protagonists. But if soul power eluded him, he'd settle for a mundane life, make some cash, and live as a rich commoner.
"Alright, kid, your turn," Su Yuntao said.
Ning Tian stepped into the awakening array, formed by six black stones. As Su Yuntao channeled soul power, a warm, golden-red glow wrapped around him. It felt like sinking into a cozy world, soothing beyond words.
A gentle heat seeped into his body, and he sensed something inside him crack open. Then came a faint but real warmth, a new current flowing within him, steady and persistent, rushing toward his palm.
Su Yuntao's eyes sparked with interest. This golden glow, hinted at something promising.