Sitting at the table, Shi Hao and his father waited for Hu Rong to bring lunch.
The smell of roasted chicken filled the air as Shi Hao waited with sparkling eyes.
Shi Hao's father, Shi Chen, looked at his son in high spirits and thought to himself: "It seems Hao'er has returned to his usual liveliness... Should I ask him about his martial soul? Will it make him sad again?"
Shi Chen was struggling. He had his suspicions when Shi Hao came out of Spirit Hall looking dispirited, and he guessed that the awakening results weren't ideal.
After all, those who awaken a martial soul and have innate soul power receive a Martial Soul Certificate from Spirit Hall.
Since Shi Hao came back empty-handed, that could only mean one thing…
As a father, he was a little disappointed when he realized his son didn't have innate soul power and couldn't become a soul master.
But he also knew it wasn't his child's fault. If it was anyone's fault, it was theirs.
Knowing this, Hu Rong and Shi Chen decided to at least give their child a happy childhood.
Anyway… they were soul masters. They would earn enough money before they died to let their son live a worry-free life.
Shi Hao was also happy to have them as his parents. Even his parents on Earth weren't as understanding as his current ones.
Although there was only a decade of difference between them and his mental age, their kindness was something Shi Hao appreciated. He acknowledged them as his real parents.
Seeing his father's worried and hesitant expression, Shi Hao took the initiative to talk about his awakening:
"Father, this is my martial soul… A seal. And I don't have any innate soul power."
Shi Hao summoned his martial spirit and openly told Shi Chen the truth.
Shi Chen's martial soul was an Iron Rod, while Hu Rong's martial soul was a Cat. They were currently at Level 28 and Level 26, and both were in their late twenties.
"It seems Hao'er's martial soul mutated… and it's a malignant mutation," Shi Chen thought. Since Shi Hao's martial soul wasn't similar to either of theirs, the only possibility was a mutation.
Or… wait… was his wife cheating on him?!
Nah, that was impossible. Shi Hao looked too much like him. Besides, he didn't have any relatives in this world either.
Jokes aside…
Shi Chen was in a dilemma. Looking at his son's calm and lively face, he didn't know how to comfort him.
Shi Hao had always been a sensible child, and both Shi Chen and Hu Rong knew that well.
But seeing Shi Hao act as if he didn't care about his awakening only made Shi Chen worry more.
What could he even say to comfort him? His son was too smart for empty words, and there was no point in telling lies.
So he remained silent.
Seeing this, Shi Hao smiled but didn't say anything more. He had no intention of revealing his martial soul's ability.
"My parents can't help me with anything…"
"Their talent has already determined their upper limit. It's better if they don't involve themselves in this matter. I can handle everything myself."
"And once I become powerful, won't they know how awesome their child is?" Shi Hao thought happily.
With a "Coming!" Hu Rong arrived with a delicious lunch.
Under the aroma of roasted chicken and soul beast meat, the gloomy mood was swept away.
Without hesitation, Shi Hao grabbed both chicken legs and started eating. His parents wouldn't mind him monopolizing them anyway…
As the juicy chicken touched his taste buds, Shi Hao let out a contented moan and hummed in delight.
With Hu Rong's lively nature and deliberate jokes, everyone ate and talked happily.
---
Evening came. The setting sun's orange-pink rays shone into Shi Hao's house through the windows.
Inside his room, Shi Hao sat cross-legged, attempting the meditation method his parents practiced.
They knew how foolish it was to meditate without even a drop of soul power… but just in case. What if soul power miraculously appeared in Shi Hao while meditating?
Shi Hao didn't mind and accepted the meditation technique they gave him.
Now, sitting cross-legged on his bed, he tried circulating his soul power as instructed…
Hmm? Wait… what was he supposed to circulate again?
Circulate soul power? Are you kidding?
Hehe, without innate soul power in the body, how was he supposed to circulate soul power?
This was precisely why those without innate soul power couldn't cultivate.
The foundation of every soul power cultivation method was circulating innate soul power, which appeared during awakening. By repeatedly moving it through a certain path in the body, one could temper and increase it little by little.
Innate soul power was the magnet, while Heaven and Earth's soul power was the iron. Only with a magnet could you refine the iron into your own.
"Maybe Tang Buddha's Mysterious Heaven Technique could work… but what does that have to do with me? He's not going to hand it over anyway."
Shi Hao smiled bitterly and stopped his foolish attempt at meditation.
Now that there was no other way, his Golden Finger Martial Soul, Devouring Seal, was his one and only priority and option.
"If the future doesn't change…" Shi Hao stopped midway.
"That's not right. With my intervention, the future will change. But the ultimate plot, that is, general trend, won't. I don't have the ability to influence Bibi Dong's ambition."
"That said… if the Jialing Pass battle happens in the future, I can choose any Titled Douluo I want!"
"If I bind Golden Crocodile Douluo or Qian Daoliu at that time, won't I reach the sky in one step? Hehe."
Shi Hao mused to himself.
Even if he, by some chance, delayed Tang San's godhood by stealing a few opportunities, the Jialing Pass battle would still happen in the end.
But then again…
That was just a dream.
Without even an ounce of soul power, how could he change the general trend of this world?
Right now, in this world's grand scheme, he was a mere speck of dust. He didn't even have the strength to pluck a single blade of grass.
And if he tried to do anything funny?
He'd be swept away like a fallen leaf and shredded into pieces.