Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost

Sky Capital was far less prosperous than Wang Linchi had anticipated; in fact, it didn't even measure up to the Dou Residing Domain. This was to be expected. After all, the world was in turmoil, and the splendor of Sky Capital couldn't withstand the apocalypse. It was also possible that he was in a peripheral region of Sky Capital. Sky Capital was vast, a Royal City spanning the breadth of three domains, so it was bound to have impoverished areas.

Three days ago, he had successfully extracted the Reincarnation Seal from Zhu Tian's mind. Using the Soul Absorption ability of a substitute, the Saint Master, he had devoured all the Protagonist's Aura from Zhu Tian. However, this Protagonist's Aura was like rootless duckweed, unable to be assimilated into his body. Fortunately, the effects of Double Suppression Luck prevented it from dissipating.

Wang Linchi felt rather helpless regarding the Reincarnation Seal. Although the extraction was successful, several problems arose because he was not its original owner. Abilities such as Proficiency, point allocation, and computation were damaged. These functions were deeply rooted in Zhu Tian, having already merged with him, so even body-snatching wouldn't have secured them.

Nevertheless, Wang Linchi didn't mind. His goal was simply to survive; escaping to another world to evade the Great Ruins was his ultimate aim.

However, the dimensional travel function also had a minor issue. Zhu Tian's original world had used him as an anchor point, making interdimensional travel easy. Once the Reincarnation Seal was transplanted into Wang Linchi, the coordinates to Zhu Tian's world vanished. Therefore, Wang Linchi needed to find new world coordinates, a process estimated to take about a year.

More importantly, Wang Linchi was not a protagonist. He couldn't traverse dimensions at will like Zhu Tian. For him, the coordinates would disappear after a single journey. Furthermore, dimensional travel required charging. Only when sufficient energy was accumulated could he initiate a journey.

Wang Linchi also figured out why. It wasn't that Zhu Tian, as a protagonist, enjoyed free travel. Rather, as the protagonist, he had an entire world supporting him. Each time he traveled, his original world supplied energy to the Reincarnation Seal. Clearly, there was a vast difference between an individual and a world.

Wang Linchi didn't dwell on why it was designed this way; even if he knew, it would be useless since he couldn't replicate it. However, after intensive research, he did discover how to charge it. Destiny, fame, and similar aspects could be used for charging.

He could use the temporary Protagonist's Aura he'd obtained from Zhu Tian. However, this would only fill half the required energy. The fastest way to get the other half would be to kill Yan Ming King. He dismissed this option, not out of sentimentality, but because he was no match for the king.

Another option was to use this Protagonist's Aura directly and supplement it with the remaining national destiny of the Great View. In layman's terms: start a rebellion.

Compared to killing Yan Ming King, the protagonist of this world, Wang Linchi considered rebellion slightly easier. This was for no other reason than Emperor Jing having died three days before Wang Linchi arrived in Sky Capital. Wang Linchi had never anticipated this. Emperor Jing was powerful, the linchpin of the Great View's stability. If Emperor Jing hadn't died, no matter how chaotic other regions became, they would only be minor skirmishes. Even Yan Ming King, when dispatching troops to consolidate the northern Seven Realms, did so under the pretext of acting on behalf of the Great View.

Yet, Wang Linchi had arrived just as this powder keg was ready to ignite. If he raised an army, marched directly into Sky Capital, and reenacted historical dramas like Dong Zhuo's turmoil in the capital, the An Lushan Rebellion, or Li Zicheng's march into Beijing, the resulting fame and national destiny would not only fully charge the Reincarnation Seal but also allow him to gather vast resources. Simply obtaining the complete Soul Forging Methods for the Morning Star, Bright Moon, and Sunlight levels would enable him to become a high-level existence even if he went to another world.

Of course, the Soul Series System might not be adaptable to other worlds, but it was always better to collect what he could. The idea was excellent, but Wang Linchi hesitated. It was easier said than done. Historical records might describe rebellions and uprisings in a single line, but the reality was never so simple. He wished he could just wave his arm, and then...

Could it really work?

A month ago, if he had waved his arm to start a rebellion, he would have only ended up being caught and beheaded at the public execution grounds. But things were different now. He had inherited a Protagonist's Aura. This not only transformed his own minor Protagonist's Aura into a genuine one but also amplified it, as it now included Zhu Tian's aura in addition to his own. Although it couldn't permanently integrate into his body, it was still effective. Major actions might cause it to dissipate, but with Stabilize Luck at his disposal, he didn't need to worry. Only if he truly seized Sky Capital might the aura dissipate because his virtue wouldn't match his position.

Still, it was only temporary destiny; Wang Linchi didn't dare dream of conquering the world.

But I also need a corresponding righteous cause; that way, the Protagonist's Aura can help me more.

He currently had two choices. One was 'to cleanse the sovereign's court,' and the other was 'are kings and nobles, generals and ministers, destined to be so by birth?' The former option involved taking a high-level route, attracting Great Families and Sects. This would likely provide considerable combat power and significantly reduce the difficulty. As long as Wang Linchi was willing to grant the various bloodsucking demands and special privileges of the Great Families and Sects, they would be more than happy to help him annihilate the disobedient Great View dynasty.

However, by doing so, he could easily become a puppet, and all the fame and profits would go to others.

Choosing the latter, however, would skyrocket the difficulty to hellish levels. This path would attract a large number of ordinary people, non-combat Professional Awakeners, and low-level Battle-type Awakeners. Their numbers would be vast, but their capabilities would be disparate. In other words, they would be a motley crew. However, under the influence of the Protagonist's Aura, many hidden talents would emerge from this group, turning the tide through various means. Initially, his situation might resemble Liu Bei's early days—facing hardship wherever he went.

Wang Linchi, protected by the Protagonist's Aura, wouldn't die, but the same couldn't be said for his men. The benefits, however, would be immense. Power would be completely concentrated in his hands, and his rule would have an incredibly solid foundation. He could not only target the Great View Royal Family in Sky Capital but also treat the Sects and Great Families as personal treasuries, to be smashed open and used as needed.

If I'm going to gamble, I'll gamble big. After a brief thought, Wang Linchi unhesitatingly chose the latter. For him, the returns from the first option were simply too low. Since he was already planning to gamble his life on a rebellion, there was no need to be timid. Dying now or in a couple of years made little difference.

The world itself might not even last another two years. If he failed and died now, he would at least be spared further suffering, a quick death leading to a quick rebirth, so to speak. What about relying on adaptation and evolution to survive in the Great Ruins? The probability of that was genuinely lower than his chances of a successful rebellion. With rebellion, he would at least have the Protagonist's Aura assisting him. As for surviving in the Great Ruins? The Great Ruins spared not even entire worlds; what could a mere temporary Protagonist's Aura do? Even Yan Ming King couldn't survive there, let alone him.

DONG—

Abruptly, eighty-one bell chimes resounded, one after another. This was the Emperor's Bell. Since Emperor Jing's death, it had been rung every morning, noon, and evening. Its chimes echoed throughout Sky Capital, announcing to everyone that Emperor Jing had passed away.

Once the bell chimes ceased, a commotion erupted as a group of officials in splendid brocade robes began arresting people. The Great View Royal Family had a custom of human sacrifice for burials, previously using household servants and slaves. But now, with the Emperor of Great View dead, they couldn't be frugal. Besides the palace eunuchs, maids, and imperial concubines, civilians were also needed as sacrificial attendants.

Ordinarily, these people should have been brought in from other domains, as Sky Capital was home to its own 'masters.' Unfortunately, with the onset of chaotic times, it didn't matter if you were a local 'master' or not; quotas had to be filled.

"There's another one! Get him!" an official, spotting Wang Linchi, ordered his men, intending to take him for the burial sacrifice.

"Wait! I've come to the capital to take up an official post! Sirs..." Wang Linchi began.

"Hmph, an out-of-town beggar looking for a handout?" The official sneered, completely ignoring Wang Linchi's explanation. "Perfect. The position you're appointed to is Guard of the Mausoleum!"

They were already arresting locals, so why spare an outsider? As for an official position? In Sky Capital, if you threw a brick randomly, you'd likely hit a dozen officials. They weren't blind. A true official wouldn't look so shabby, without a carriage or servants. He clearly had no power or backing, making him perfect for their quota.

Hearing this, Wang Linchi feigned alarm, but inwardly he was ecstatic. This was a perfect example of 'a pillow arriving just when one is drowsy'—a godsend! A group of innocent people, seized for burial sacrifice, suffering for the powerful elite despite being blameless themselves.

If, at this moment, he were to shout, 'Kings and nobles, generals and ministers—are such positions hereditary?!' With the Protagonist's Aura, Wang Linchi could already foresee what would happen.