Chapter 1: Martial Soul Awakening

Bai Chenxiang stood in the center of the rustic ancestral hall, the peculiar scent of aged sandalwood and incense lingering at the tip of her nose. The surroundings were utterly silent, so quiet that she could hear the deliberately suppressed breathing of the elders. A six-year-old body was somewhat comical for a transmigrator possessing an adult soul. Looking down at her pale, tender little hands, she felt none of the nervousness or anticipation typical of a child her age, only the tranquil calm of dust finally settling. It had arrived—the most crucial moment on the Douluo Continent: the Martial Soul Awakening. Ahead, the deacon elder in charge of the awakening ceremony wore a solemn expression. Cradling six obsidian-black stones in his hands, his voice carried a note of gravity: "Children, step into the formation. Empty your minds and feel the power slumbering within your bloodlines." Bai Chenxiang was the last. She watched as the children of her clan stepped forward one by one, awakening their martial souls amidst a golden radiance. Without exception, every single one was a Needle-tailed Swift. A few children beamed with joy, but most wore expressions of bewilderment. As for the elders in the hall, including her grandfather Bai He, who stood at the very front—his frame lean yet his posture ramrod straight—their faces bore a complex mix of gratification and apprehension. Bai Chenxiang understood this contradiction. The Needle-tailed Swift was the inherited martial soul of the Speed Clan. Ultimate speed was traded for abysmal shortcomings in attack, defense, and endurance. In a world where the strong reigned supreme and power and control were revered, pure speed was more like a flashy yet impractical curse. "Next, Bai Chenxiang." Hearing her name, Bai Chenxiang moved her short little legs, stepping into the center of the formation formed by the six awakening stones. Her grandfather, Bai He, the patriarch of the Speed Clan, instantly locked his gaze upon her. In those slightly clouded eyes lay hope, worry, and a barely perceptible plea. He wished for his granddaughter to awaken a martial soul, yet he also dreaded seeing her bound by the destiny this soul entailed. As the deacon elder infused the awakening stones with his warm, gentle soul power, golden specks of light spilled forth, enveloping Bai Chenxiang's tiny frame like fireflies. It was warm and cozy, like soaking in a hot spring. But to Bai Chenxiang, the sensation went far beyond that. With her spiritual perception far surpassing that of a child, she sensed that these specks of light were not random. As if guided by an invisible force, they surged frantically and greedily into her limbs and bones. A profound throbbing from the depths of her soul erupted violently! A soft resonance exploded directly within Bai Chenxiang's mind, not from the outside world. It was neither the grand, majestic roar of a dragon nor the blazing, domineering cry of a phoenix, but a sharp, piercing bird call that seemed capable of tearing the very air apart! In an instant, she felt her body grow light, so light it was as if she had no weight at all. The surrounding air was no longer resistance; instead, it transformed into an intimate companion, gently cradling her and inviting her to dance. Within the golden radiance, a slender, nearly pitch-black shadow coalesced into form behind her.

It was a swift. Smaller than an ordinary Needle-tailed Swift, its lines were sleeker, and its feathers were a profound, ink-black that seemed to absorb all light. Its tail feathers were exceptionally long, their tips glinting with a cold, fierce gleam, like daggers quenched in poison. Most peculiar were its eyes—not the cloudy orbs of a bird, but two bright, silver-white points resembling stars. It did not flap its wings, merely hovering in silence, yet it gave the illusion that it would pierce through the void the very next second. The air throughout the ancestral hall grew thick and stagnant because of its appearance. "It's a Needle-tailed Swift!" "Indeed, it is our Speed Clan's martial soul!" A suppressed cheer first erupted from the crowd, but soon, some sharp-eyed elders noticed something amiss. "This seems a bit different, doesn't it?" "It's too small, and its aura is so pure—so pure that nothing but speed remains." Bai He's pupils contracted sharply. He stared fixedly at the black swift, his lips trembling slightly. As the patriarch, he knew better than anyone what this meant. Mutation. A mutation toward a purer, more extreme direction. This meant that Bai Chenxiang's martial soul would possess a talent for speed far surpassing all previous ancestors, but likewise, its shortcomings in attack and defense would be infinitely magnified, perhaps leaving her with absolutely no offensive power. Was this a heaven-sent opportunity, or a deeper dead end? "Test the soul power." The deacon elder's voice carried an imperceptible tremor as he extended his hand, signaling Bai Chenxiang to place hers on the blue crystal ball. Bai Chenxiang complied. She could feel her grandfather's burning gaze, almost scorching through her back. She could also hear the clan members around her holding their breath. Innate soul power determined a soul master's starting line. The moment her small hand touched the crystal ball, a strange suction force surged. The innate power within her flowed down her arm and into the orb. The crystal ball lit up. Dazzling blue light instantly filled the entire sphere and continued to surge, the radiance so brilliant it was almost blinding. "This is..." The deacon elder's voice completely changed pitch, filled with unbelievable shock. "Innate soul power... Level Nine!!" The entire ancestral hall erupted into an uproar. Level Nine! The highest talent, second only to the legendary Innate Full Soul Power! How many years had it been since the Speed Clan produced such a genius?

Bai He's body jolted violently, and an unprecedented brilliance burst forth from his clouded eyes. Trembling with excitement, he muttered, "Level Nine... it's Level Nine! Good! Excellent!" After the immense surprise, the familiar apprehension surged back like a tide. Level Nine innate soul power paired with an ultimate speed martial soul that lacked almost any offensive capability—it was like giving a beggar a mountain of gold without the strength to guard it. How arduous would this child's future path be? Bai He strode forward quickly, crouching down. His large hand trembled slightly as he stroked the top of Bai Chenxiang's head, his voice brimming with heartache and complex emotions: "Xiangxiang, don't be afraid. With Grandpa here, even if our martial soul has flaws, I will give everything I have to pave the way for you." Before he could finish, a small hand gently pressed against his lips. Bai Chenxiang looked up. Her clear eyes held neither a child's naivety nor the arrogance of awakening a powerful talent, only a profound, unfathomable calm and composure. Looking at her grandfather, she spoke word by word. Her voice was not loud, yet it reached the ears of everyone present with perfect clarity. "Grandpa." "Who says speed is not power?" "When my speed reaches its absolute limit, fast enough to tear the wind, fast enough to surpass sound, fast enough to distort time itself," she paused, the corners of her mouth curving into a smile so confident it bordered on arrogance, "would I still need so-called attack and defense?" "To be unhit is the strongest defense." "To be everywhere is the strongest attack." The entire ancestral hall fell dead silent. Everyone was stunned by the words of a six-year-old girl. They stared blankly at Bai Chenxiang as if looking at a monster. Those were not the eyes a child should have, nor were those words a child should speak. That composure, that absolute confidence in her own path, that certainty as if she had already foreseen the future, sent a shiver through the hearts of all the elders present. Bai He felt as though struck by lightning. Looking into his granddaughter's eyes, which seemed to perceive all things, the phrase "Who says speed is not power" echoed repeatedly in his mind like the tolling of a great bell, making his very soul resonate. For generations, their clan had agonized over the weaknesses of the Needle-tailed Swift, trying every means to compensate and find a way out, yet no one had ever thought to take this path to its absolute extreme! To tread where none had gone before and none would ever follow! Bai He suddenly realized that from this day forth, the destiny of the Speed Clan might be completely redirected toward an unpredictable future, all because of this mere six-year-old child. As for Bai Chenxiang, she simply stood there quietly, feeling the intimate caress of the wind winding around her fingertips. In her world, there was no Tang San, no Shrek, and no predetermined destinies. There was only one path. To ascend to godhood with ultimate speed, and look down upon true freedom.