A girl with short, ear-length hair sat cross-legged, her hands folded in front of her. The luxurious fabric of her robes fluttered gently, stirred by the faint, mist-like energy swirling around her body.
Her eyebrows twitched slightly, and a vivid expression surfaced on her delicate face.
"Late Stage Houtian Realm."
Her murmur broke the tranquil atmosphere.
Exhaling a turbid breath, the girl slowly opened her eyes and rose from her meditative posture.
"Six years already…"
In her past life, she had been a martial arts enthusiast. While searching for rare treasures to break through her cultivation limits, she was caught in a once-in-a-century avalanche.
When she regained consciousness, she found herself transmigrated into Douluo Dalu—except her gender had changed from "he" to "she," and her identity was now the youngest daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Clan's leader, Ning Fengzhi: Ning Rongrong.
Yes, that little devil from the original story.
From initial confusion to eventual acceptance, it had only taken a few years. Sometimes, she couldn't help but marvel at human adaptability.
But one thing still troubled her.
The martial arts she cultivated in her past life seemed restricted in Douluo Dalu.
"A Late Stage Houtian martial artist can't even uproot a willow tree like Lin Daiyu."
"Who would believe that?"
If not for the fact that she could sense her internal qi nourishing her meridians, Ning Rongrong would have suspected her cultivation method was a counterfeit—something bought from a shady online store in her past life.
"Could it be related to my martial soul?" She didn't reject the concept of martial souls, but she had a vague feeling that awakening hers might negatively impact her current cultivation.
"Young Miss, the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony has begun. The Patriarch requests your presence." A maid's voice came from outside the courtyard gate, interrupting her thoughts.
Ning Rongrong withdrew her musings, glanced at the closed gate, and replied casually:
"Understood. You may leave."
Once the maid departed, she rubbed her temples.
"Will my martial soul be the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?"
During her cultivation, she had already sensed the presence of her martial soul.
But she hadn't activated it.
Awakening it prematurely could lead to unforeseen consequences—regret wouldn't even begin to cover it.
Pushing open the door, Ning Rongrong headed toward the main hall.
Today was the annual Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony.
"Some rejoice, others despair."
Entering the hall, she witnessed the full spectrum of human emotions.
Children who awakened martial souls with innate soul power were overjoyed, while those with weak or powerless martial souls wore expressions of devastation, their eyes dull and lifeless.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had its share of ordinary people.
Martial soul awakening was unpredictable. Though medicinal baths could slightly increase the odds of awakening soul power, the ingredients were rare and expensive—not everyone had that privilege.
Those without soul power could only perform menial tasks for the clan, but even so, their lives were far better than commoners outside the sect.
Squeezing through the crowd, Ning Rongrong reached the elevated platform at the front.
"Father, I'm here."
Before her stood a scholarly middle-aged man flanked by two elders—the Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo. She greeted each in turn.
"Rongrong, were you busy again?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
"Yes." She nodded.
Her father knew about her cultivation.
At first, he had been anxious, but under her insistence, he relented.
After all, even without awakening her martial soul, Ning Rongrong's physical abilities matched those of an average soul master.
So, though Ning Fengzhi harbored concerns about her cultivation method, he kept them to himself.
He led her to the Awakening Stone.
"Rongrong, place your hands on it."
"Mm."
Examining the basketball-sized crystal sphere, she confidently rested her palms atop it.
After years of observing awakenings, the process was familiar.
The moment her skin touched the stone, it glowed—brighter and brighter—until the outline of a pagoda took shape.
Beside it, a scale marked from 1 to 10 flickered.
As the light climbed the scale, Ning Fengzhi's expression shifted to astonishment.
"The martial soul is… the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda." His voice trembled. "Innate soul power of rank 9… no, rank 9.5…"
"Ugh—!"
Before he could finish, Ning Rongrong coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Crimson splashed across the crystal.
"Rongrong!"
Ning Fengzhi caught his daughter as the two Title Douluo appeared beside him in an instant, swiftly checking her condition.
Relief washed over them when they confirmed she had only fainted.
Time blurred.
Ning Rongrong's eyelashes fluttered before her eyes opened weakly.
"What… happened?"
Her murmur drew the trio to her bedside.
"Rongrong, you collapsed during your awakening. You scared me half to death." Ning Fengzhi's face was etched with worry.
"Ah, right…" She tried to sit up, but her frail state forced her father to support her back.
Her pale face looked like that of a convalescent.
"Rongrong, you must stop cultivating that technique," the Sword Douluo said sternly.
"Indeed," the Bone Douluo agreed. "We won't ask where it came from, but if even this old sword freak needed over a month to recover after testing it, such a dangerous method is no toy for a child."
The two Title Douluo had thoroughly examined her.
A strange energy in her body clashed with her soul power, causing the collapse.
When Ning Rongrong's secret cultivation was discovered, Ning Fengzhi had demanded she reveal the method—or stop entirely.
Curious, the Sword Douluo had attempted it.
But after a few cycles, his soul power reversed flow, nearly killing him. He spent a month bedridden with dark circles under his eyes.
Remembering this, Ning Fengzhi added:
"Gambling your future on an unknown technique isn't worth it. You have a brighter path ahead."
"No." She shook her head. "Call it stubbornness, but I can't abandon it."
"Rongrong! You have innate soul power of rank 9.5—possibly even full rank 10!" Had she not collapsed, the awakening might have confirmed it.
"Father, I know." She raised her palm, summoning a delicate, miniature pagoda. "Innate full soul power—rank 10."
As Ning Fengzhi trembled at the confirmation, she retracted the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, her gaze resolute.
"Just give me three years. I'll resolve this."