All rights reserved to the respective authors.
"Dialogue": Represented in double quotes for conversations between characters.
'Thoughts': Represented in single quotation marks, indicating the characters' internal reflections.
[Diary]: Represented in square brackets, used for messages intended for the heroines or entries written by Tenshin.
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"Huh?" His consciousness suddenly brightened, and for a moment, Tenshin found himself immersed in a vast sea of flames.
At the very center of the inferno, the Celestial Book floated weightlessly, its presence oddly serene amidst the raging fire. Suddenly, an image of his meridians appeared in his mind.
"Inner Vision!?" Tenshin's thoughts raced as he recalled the original novel, specifically the moment when Tang San absorbed his first spirit ring.
Tang San had also awakened the ability to look inside himself upon obtaining his first soul ring.
'Could this be an ability granted to all soul masters upon successfully absorbing their first soul ring?' he wondered. But almost immediately, he shook his head.
'No, if every soul master gained this ability after their first soul ring absorption, the cultivation system of this world wouldn't be so underdeveloped and primitive.'
Refocusing his attention, he observed as the Celestial Book drifted closer, its pages turning on their own. Words and symbols materialized across the parchment, forming intricate patterns.
As Tenshin studied the information recorded on the pages, his eyes widened in shock. The book contained details about the possible abilities and the very essence imprinted within the soul ring of the Mutant Fire Tiger—or rather, the Hellfire Tiger.
To be precise, his martial soul had always allowed him to visualize such abstract concepts in this manner.
"Hellfire Arrow Technique... Fire Reinforcement... Fire Binding... Hellfire Ball... Fire Explosion..."
"These... these aren't enough. These are merely variations—shapeshifting and control over soul power, not the essence..."
While most Soul Masters could only randomly obtain a single soul skill compatible with them after absorbing a soul ring, some believed that a strong will and a focused mind could influence the skill received. If a Soul Master had a clear vision of the ability they desired, the chances of obtaining it were said to increase.
However, Tenshin's situation was different. He wasn't at the mercy of chance.
For him, the process of acquiring a soul skill was not random. He had the ability to choose which skill to unlock from among all of the Hellfire Tiger's potential abilities.
His eyes scanned the list, carefully reading through each option, searching for the one that best suited his needs.
Skills that didn't align with his martial soul were immediately discarded. Instead, he focused on the core principles—the very essence—of the abilities presented to him.
To most Soul Masters, soul ring skills functioned like magic slots or pre-set techniques—powerful, but rigid. They could be used, but their inner workings were a mystery. Few ever sought to understand the true nature of their soul rings, let alone manipulate them.
Many abilities, such as infusing energy into a fireball or forming a thread of flame, shared the same fundamental principles. They were simply different expressions of the same elemental force, just variations in form and energy output. In truth, simple techniques like these could theoretically be mastered through post-training, without wasting precious soul ring slots.
But Tenshin wasn't here for mere surface-level techniques.
He pushed deeper into the essence of the Hellfire Tiger's soul ring, unraveling its true nature. The chaotic fragments of information swirled before him, overlapping and solidifying—until at last, a distinct skill took shape.
A skill that, in theory, should only be available to Soul Masters whose martial souls shared a direct lineage with the Hellfire Tiger or its lesser Fire Tiger counterpart.
"Hellfire Summoning Technique…"
Hellfire Summoning Technique—at first glance, it seemed like a common skill, something frequently seen in Western fantasy settings and not unheard of on the Douluo Continent.
However, this particular Hellfire Summoning Technique was far from ordinary.
Just as an attack from an ordinary sub-dragon paled in comparison to that of one with Golden Dragon bloodline, the Hellfire Tiger's summoning ability was unique.
The very essence of a Fire Tiger lay in the extreme temperature and purity of its flames. Its most powerful ranged attack—outside of direct melee combat—was its ability to summon and control fire. But in the case of the mutated Hellfire Tiger, its flames had evolved, taking on a faint trace of the Demonic (Evil) element.
This gave its fire a nature similar to Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire—but with one critical difference: this hellfire was more controlled, efficient, and free of hidden dangers.
Under the intervention of the Celestial Book, this soul ring not only allowed Tenshin to merge seamlessly with Hellfire, but also bestowed upon him an innate talent—the ability to alter the fundamental properties of his soul power.
On the Douluo Continent, soul power exists in three states—gaseous, liquid, and solid. However, in this era, few Soul Masters truly understood these transformations. The transition from gaseous to liquid soul power was an arduous process, only achievable through intense cultivation. The existence of the solid state was merely theoretical, and the concept of soul cores had yet to emerge.
Furthermore, each martial soul possessed its own innate properties and elemental attributes. For example, Blue Silver Grass embodied resilience and vitality. However, a Soul Master could not actively control these properties—only the martial soul itself, or abilities granted through soul rings, could express them.
Speaking of which, by absorbing a soul ring, a martial soul could inherit certain attributes from the soul beast it came from.
But Tenshin's Hellfire Tiger soul ring was different.
It did not merely grant him the Hellfire Summoning Technique—it bestowed upon him a natural talent for altering the properties of his soul power itself.
Externally, Tenshin could convert his soul power into hellfire and manipulate it freely. With his mental power, he could adjust the fire's density and temperature at will. And if necessary, he could even reabsorb the hellfire, converting a portion of it back into soul power.
In this era, such an ability was unprecedented.
Though he could not yet create a soul core with this ability, the mere fact that he could change the properties of his soul power at any moment gave him an immense advantage. It allowed for unpredictable strategies, last-minute transformations, and the ability to challenge opponents far stronger than himself.
Over the past few months, drawing upon both his own experiences and knowledge from his past life, Tenshin had come to realize a critical flaw in the Soul Masters of the Douluo Continent—
They were severely limited in their control over the properties and elements of their soul power.
They relied almost entirely on the inherent attributes of their martial souls, which could then evolve—or degrade—depending on the soul rings they absorbed.
Take, for example, a certain Soul Master who injected poison into a martial soul whose natural attributes were vitality and resilience. The result was a twisted fusion of incompatible forces.
Without soul rings, Soul Masters could not actively modify the nature of their soul power—not even within the confines of their own soul skills.
Tenshin had broken through that limitation.
As he finalized his choice of soul skill, his soul ring began to solidify. The Celestial Book gently closed its pages, and almost instantly, Tenshin felt a noticeable drain on his mental power — along with another type of energy, one he couldn't identify, but whose depletion left him feeling empty.
It seemed that using this function of the Celestial Book came at a steep cost.
The soul power from the Hell Fire Tiger's soul ring flowed into his body, its essence merging with his martial soul. A scorching wave surged through him, igniting every fiber of his being. His frame stretched taller, his bones crackling as they reinforced themselves, while his muscles tightened and compacted, gaining newfound density. A vibrant energy pulsed through his veins, stimulating every meridian and sending waves of warmth and power coursing through him.
The deeper the energy flowed, the more intense the sensations became—soreness, numbness, and a slight swelling building beneath his skin. Yet, rather than pain, it felt like a transformation. Every fiber of his body seemed to awaken, refine, and strengthen with each surge.
Gradually, the heat began to fade, leaving behind a lingering warmth and an indescribable sense of comfort. For a long moment, everything was still. Then, slowly, Tenshin opened his eyes.
The world around him had changed—darkness had settled in, and the sun had long since vanished beyond the horizon. Towering trees loomed overhead, their dense canopy casting deep shadows across the forest floor, now shrouded in pitch black.
'The soul power is now level 13,' Tenshin thought.
He recalled Tang San, who had been practicing Mysterious Heaven Skill before his martial soul awakened. After awakening his martial soul, Tang San had practiced for two months before absorbing his soul ring, which had already accumulated a significant amount of soul power. Even so, his soul power had only increased by three levels after absorbing the first soul ring. Tenshin had absorbed his soul ring as soon as his soul power surpassed level 10, and his soul power had also increased by three levels.
"That's already pretty good," Tenshin thought.
A moment after his martial soul appeared before him, he began writing in his diary.
[Today, after two weeks, I finally found a soul beast that met my criteria. At first, I thought it was just a 600-year-old Fire Tiger because of its size and the color of its stripes. The stripes of a Fire Tiger become increasingly red as it ages.]
[However, after observing it more carefully, I noticed some inconsistencies in its height and flames. To begin with, it was five meters taller than it should have been, and its flames had a purple "core" at their center—something that normal Fire Tigers do not possess. This suggested that it was a mutant soul beast. After a fierce battle, I managed to defeat it. At the time, I thought I was simply lucky not to be injured. However, upon further reflection, I suspect that it had either suffered internal injuries or had been poisoned recently. I reached this conclusion based on its noticeably slow reactions during our fight.]
[Over the past two weeks, I have fought many soul beasts—some merely decades old—many of them feline soul beasts, including tigers, panthers, and cats. Even those younger beasts displayed reaction speeds only slightly slower than that of the Fire Tiger. As a 600-year-old soul beast, and a mutant no less, its reaction time should have been far superior.]
[It seems that my theory, along with those of many netizens from my past life, was correct—having a strong physique allows one to absorb soul rings above what is considered the ideal age. I absorbed the 600-year-old mutant Fire Tiger's soul ring without any problems, and I am very satisfied with the first soul ability I have obtained.]
Tenshin began writing in his diary again, and the girls observed with keen interest. Each of them, in her own way, was eager to see if his theories about absorbing soul rings beyond the "ideal" age held true. They were also curious to learn more about the new soul skill he had acquired.
[The effect of the soul ability is, as expected, exceptional. It is worthy of a 600-year-old mutant soul beast. Not only does it possess an active effect, but it also comes with a special passive effect.]
[The active effect is the ability to summon Hellfire. It seems that the mutation in the Fire Tiger granted its flames an Evil or Demonic attribute, making them very similar to Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire. However, unlike his flames, mine have no hidden dangers or side effects, and their power and heat are close to the level of Ultimate Fire.]
[As for the passive effect, it allows me to manipulate the properties of my soul power. This is incredibly rare, as in this era, soul masters are generally unable to freely control the elemental attributes of their martial souls—whether innate or acquired through soul rings. Normally, they can only utilize these attributes through specific soul skills, and in rare cases, passively, if their martial soul has a physical effect related to the attribute. However, with this soul ability, I can actively alter my soul power's properties at will.]
[Additionally, my soul power level has increased from level 10 to level 13.]
The girls were stunned, their eyes wide with astonishment. They had believed Tenshin's theory would be accurate, given its solid foundation. However, the results of his soul skill far exceeded their expectations. Summoning Hellfire—a fierce and intense flame—was understandable, considering the nature of the soul beast he had absorbed. But the ability to manipulate the very properties of soul power? That was beyond anything they had imagined.
[However, during the absorption of the soul ring, two unexpected things happened.]
[First, I gained insight into the exact locations of all the meridians in my body. Once I return, I will finally be able to complete my cultivation technique and formally begin my path of true cultivation.]
[Second, I discovered a new ability of my martial soul. This ability allows me to view a list of all potential soul skills that could have been obtained from the absorbed soul beast—including those that would normally be incompatible with my martial soul, Celestial Book. However, as with its other functions, using this ability consumes my mental power.]
Any heroine who had only been mildly surprised by the diary's previous revelations was now completely dumbfounded. They were starting to grasp the enormity of Tenshin's martial soul, realizing that it was not just powerful but utterly unfair—almost absurdly so. Some, who had always prided themselves on their own abilities, now felt an uncomfortable mix of awe and frustration.
Bibi Dong, having long ago accepted the harsh realities of strength and power, felt an icy chill settle in her chest. She had built her empire through manipulation, sacrifice, and sheer willpower, and she had never once been given an advantage like this. 'To have everything handed to him like this...' The thought stung deeper than she expected, and she quickly masked the flicker of frustration with a serene mask, but internally, she couldn't help but wonder how much more powerful Tenshin could become. 'This... isn't fair at all.'
Liu Erlong's reaction was one of barely contained rage, although it manifested differently. She had fought through countless struggles, her strength forged through endless hardship. The thought that Tenshin had gained such power so effortlessly struck at the core of her pride. 'How can this be?' she thought, trying to steady her breathing. As someone who had lost so much and endured so much to reach her position, the idea that Tenshin could so easily absorb such immense power made her feel as if all of her struggles had been in vain. 'Is this the kind of world we live in?' Her heart burned with frustration, but there was also an underlying fear—if this was the kind of power he held, where did that leave her? Where did that leave anyone?
All the heroines could do was complain silently in their hearts: Injustice! Injustice!