Douluo: I am the True Master

Ye Wen's primary martial soul, Black Cloth, was relatively straightforward to understand. However, his second martial soul remained an enigma.

The only thing Ye Wen knew was that it was a mutated martial soul inherited from his mother. According to Ye Buyi, Ye Wen's mother had a martial soul resembling a beautiful glass bead.

Ye Wen's second martial soul was a translucent blue orb with twelve golden markings arranged in a circular pattern, resembling the face of a clock. No matter how much soul power Ye Wen poured into it, he couldn't figure out its purpose. The only thing he did know was that when he exhausted all his soul power while channeling it into the orb, the bead would emit a brilliant glow. Afterward, he'd feel as though his body was being scanned, and then… nothing. Absolutely nothing.

However, given that he possessed twin martial souls, both were undoubtedly of high quality. His first martial soul, Black Cloth, had storage capabilities even without attached soul rings. This seemingly ornamental but functionally mysterious orb must also possess latent abilities—it was simply a matter of deciphering them.

Thus, every month, Ye Wen would systematically deplete his soul power into the orb, hoping to unlock its innate talent. Unfortunately, so far, he had made no progress.

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When Ye Wen brought home Ah Yin—a girl so stunning she seemed otherworldly—Ye Buyi was utterly astonished. Stroking his beard, he couldn't help but marvel aloud:

"If your father had even half your abilities back in his day, I wouldn't have had to wait this long to have such a precious grandson.

Keep it up, Little Wen! I hope I live long enough to hold my great-grandchild in my arms. Hahaha!"

Seeing his grandson's future already rivaling their illustrious ancestors, Ye Buyi, who had once been melancholic, now teased Ye Wen lightheartedly.

Ye Wen could only sigh in resignation. But then again, this era was known for its boldness and openness. Meanwhile, Ah Yin, who had been carefully educated by Ye Wen on human societal norms, blushed slightly but didn't outright reject the teasing. Her coy demeanor, caught between shyness and acceptance, left Ye Wen feeling a mix of affection and admiration.

Watching the two interact, Ye Buyi felt reassured about the continuation of their family line. His grandson, still so young, was already proving to be quite adept in matters of the heart. It seemed the arrival of a great-grandchild was practically guaranteed.

During this time, Ah Yin had completely let down her guard around Ye Wen, living each day happily and carefree.

Meanwhile, Ye Wen began preparing for his first soul ring. After all, unlike Ah Yin, who could naturally condense soul rings, he was human and needed to hunt for one.

After some time at school, Ye Wen approached the principal and requested three noble-certified passes to the Spirit Hunting Forest—one of the perks of being a student. 

Noble families certainly wouldn't hand over such passes to commoners without reason. Only within the academy could students easily obtain these permits. Once they abandoned their student status, they'd have to venture into places like the Star Dou Forest, where wild spirit beasts roamed. Otherwise, these artificial Spirit Hunting Forests were off-limits to ordinary soul masters.

To be honest, Ye Wen had already self-studied all the coursework at Notting Junior Soul Academy. The knowledge taught here barely amounted to what he'd learned in elementary school back in his previous life. With a bit of focus, he'd breezed through everything. The academy wasn't really about teaching advanced knowledge—it was more about ensuring novice soul masters cultivated their soul power diligently. If any mistakes arose during cultivation, experienced soul masters would step in to correct them, preventing accidents or self-inflicted harm.

The same applied to intermediate and advanced academies.

"Ah Yin, this spirit-hunting trip rests in your hands."

"Leave it to me!" Ah Yin confidently puffed out her chest.

It took them a day to reach the nearest Spirit Hunting Forest. As they observed the bustling crowds of soul masters, the two newcomers quickly shed their playful demeanor and adopted a cautious, reserved attitude.

"Passes available! Looking for two more members to hunt a power-type spirit beast!"

"Seeking a group to hunt an agility-type spirit beast! Seven people, ten gold soul coins!" Similar calls echoed throughout the area.

Observing the myriad struggles of the lower-tier soul masters, Ye Wen furrowed his brow. Their lives were even harsher and more precarious than he had imagined.

But he reminded himself not to meddle in affairs that didn't concern him. Pushing aside his thoughts, he handed their passes to the two imperial guards stationed at the forest entrance.

"These are beginner passes from the academy. Aren't your teachers accompanying you on this hunt? With your current strength, entering alone is practically suicide—you'll end up as food for those spirit beasts."

One of the guards, an elderly man whose weathered face spoke of years of experience, inspected the passes before returning them to Ye Wen. Though his tone was gruff, his concern for the two children was evident.

"He's a good guy," Ye Wen thought to himself. "I was half-expecting corrupt guards to hassle us."

"My sister and I are hunting for a hundred-year soul ring. Our teachers at school deemed us unworthy of their assistance and refused to accompany us. We're here to test our luck. If we fail, we'll go back, save up, and hire a Soul Elder to help us next time."

The old guard frowned, his gaze lingering on the two children. He could tell they were no older than eight. To have reached level ten soul power at such a young age marked them as prodigies among commoner soul masters.

But alas, they were still commoners without influential backgrounds or strong elders to rely on. They had no choice but to gamble their fates in this dangerous forest. Every year, he saw countless hopefuls like them, but very few returned alive.

"Go ahead," the guard said indifferently. "What kind of spirit beast are you hunting? If I happen to know its location, I can point you in the right direction."

After all, these children had already overcome their fear and resolved to hunt for a soul ring. How could he refuse them? To ease his conscience and ensure they didn't die needlessly, he decided to lend them a helping hand.

Surprised by this unexpected kindness, Ye Wen felt a flicker of joy. He had encountered a rare benefactor.

"I'm looking for a hundred-year Qing Nang (Green Pouch) Beast. Do you know anything about it?"

At the mention of this spirit beast, the guard's eyes flickered with an odd expression. The Qing Nang Beast wasn't particularly powerful—in fact, it had no offensive abilities whatsoever. Its sole skill was regurgitating the Blue Silver Grass it had consumed when faced with a formidable enemy. The grass would emit an enticing fragrance, momentarily distracting attackers and allowing the beast to escape.

The guard pointed eastward.

"Follow this path until you reach a small stream. Occasionally, century-old Qing Nang Beasts gather there to drink water. Whether or not you encounter one depends on your luck."

{T/N: I don't know what he's cooking ngl}

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