Douluo: Unparalleled General, Starting by Deceptive Thousand-Snow-Peak 2

Chapter 2: Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony

“Your Highness, the time for the Martial Soul Awakening is approaching. His Majesty and Her Majesty have asked me to summon you.” A palace maid’s voice echoed from outside the door.

Nan Feihuang, dressed in a relatively formal robe, led three others out of the palace.

“Thank you for your trouble, let’s go.” Nan Feihuang smiled at the maid.

The maid, trembling with fear and respect, said, “Your Highness, you are too kind. I am unworthy of your courtesy; this is my duty.”

Douluo Continent is a society with slavish characteristics. This maid, lacking Soul Power, holds a status only slightly higher than a slave.

Normally, even if Nan Feihuang killed her on a whim, no one would say anything.

Yet, Nan Feihuang is unlike typical nobles; he is courteous to everyone, lacking the typical arrogance and debauchery of his class.

This is both a flaw and a virtue.

The Crown Prince’s tutor worried he lacked the kingly charisma needed to rule, yet was also relieved that he would surely be a benevolent ruler.

In reality, Nan Feihuang isn’t a good person at all. His politeness is five parts false, merely a carefully crafted persona.

He doesn’t want to attract too much attention, nor does he wish to disappoint his father and mother.

Therefore, he presents himself with a mixture of flaws and virtues. After all, he’s still young; in the eyes of many, his values haven’t fully formed, and any future changes would be perfectly normal.

The real Nan Feihuang, of course, treats those close to him with genuine affection. But towards outsiders, out of ten parts, his true kindness amounts to only three. Another three parts are evil, and the remaining four are pure hypocrisy.

Such is the case at this moment.

“People may have different social standings, but they are born equal in terms of personhood. You have nothing to feel unworthy about for simple thanks.” Nan Feihuang smiled. “Let’s go; Father and Mother must be waiting.”

Looking at Nan Feihuang’s back, the palace maid’s eyes sparkled. “All men are created equal—truly befitting a Crown Prince to utter such righteous words.”

She admired Nan Feihuang greatly, but when she saw the three people following him, her expression darkened.

This Crown Prince is excellent in every way except for his judgment of character. These three childhood companions—one is brain-damaged, another is mute, and the last has a name that seems cursed, as no one can pronounce it correctly.

Such people are unworthy to be near the Crown Prince.

However, the Crown Prince’s decisions are beyond the reach of a lowly palace maid like her.

Arriving at the Ancient Thunder King Country’s royal palace main hall, as a crown prince, his Martial Soul Awakening ceremony wouldn’t be presided over by the Martial Soul Temple.

The palace had its own court Soul Masters to conduct the ceremony.

Nan Feihuang’s awakening was even conducted separately. After all, he was the Crown Prince; many things were best kept secret.

If Nan Feihuang awakened in public, a poor talent would invite ridicule, while exceptional talent might attract the envy of enemy countries and lead to assassination. The second and third princes of the Heavenly Dou Empire—one outstanding in ability, the other with exceptional cultivation talent—were reportedly assassinated by an unknown force because of this.

Since then, all countries have become increasingly protective of their crown princes.

Secrecy was best. After all, as future ruler, if his talent was poor, he would simply refrain from personally participating in affairs of state, leaving them to his subordinates.

On the throne in the palace hall sat a man and a woman. The man, handsome and dignified, was Nan Feihuang’s father, Nan Tianchen.

Beside him sat Queen Lan Xue, her blue hair cascading down, her beauty unparalleled, Nan Feihuang’s birth mother.

“My son greets Father and Mother!” Nan Feihuang bowed.

Seeing her precious son, Lan Xue was overjoyed. “My dear son, come, come to Mother.”

Nan Feihuang quickly went to Lan Xue and sat on her lap. The Queen was a devoted mother, showering her only child with affection.

Nan Tianchen nodded to Feihuang. He, too, loved his only son, but today was the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony, attended by the kingdom’s nobles. As king, he had to maintain his majesty.

“Since the Crown Prince has arrived, I hereby declare the Ancient Thunder King Country’s Awakening Ceremony to begin!” Nan Tianchen declared.

“Your Majesty’s decree is obeyed.” Several court Soul Masters arranged the awakening array using awakening stones.

These court Soul Masters, each possessing Soul King-level strength or higher, didn’t need to awaken each child’s Martial Soul individually like the Blind Douluo Su Yun Tao.

Dozens of six-year-old noble children and offspring of military families entered the array.

Under the activation of the awakening array, various dazzling Martial Souls appeared.

There were red tassel spears, powerful wild oxen, bullet ants, and guan dao (a type of Chinese saber), all decent Martial Souls with innate Soul Power at least three or four levels, some reaching six.

In Douluo Continent, birth truly matters, for Martial Souls are heritable. Families who become hereditary nobles generally possess medium-to-high-grade Martial Souls capable of cultivation.

Compared to small villages where dozens of children might not produce a single Soul Master, most children awakening here possessed Soul Power.

Feihuang stopped Dian Wei and the others, who were also eager to participate. He planned to have them awaken alongside him, for he knew their aptitudes were exceptional. To avoid unwanted attention, it was better to conceal their potential, just as he was doing.

“Nan Feiling, Martial Soul Ancient Thunder Book, innate Soul Power, seven and a half levels!”

At this moment, a girl of exceptional talent appeared.

Her name was very similar to Nan Feihuang’s; she was his half-sister, about three months older.

After all, Nan Tianchen was the king and couldn’t have only one wife; he had other consorts.

In fact, his marriage to Lan Xue was due to special circumstances; otherwise, given Lan Xue’s personality, she would never have married a man already with a family.

Because Lan Xue was currently the strongest in the Ancient Thunder King Country, a level 89 Soul Douluo, her Martial Soul being the Mystic Ice Spear, a top-tier Artifact Soul comparable to the昊天锤 (昊天 Hammer) and 七杀剑 (Seven Kill Sword).

Her talent was no less than the昊天双星 (昊tian Twins) in their prime.

Given Lan Xue’s aptitude, breaking through to Title Douluo was within her grasp, but unfortunately…

“Father, Mother, look, I inherited our family’s book!” Nan Feiling excitedly ran to Nan Tianchen, eagerly seeking praise.

After all, she was only six years old and didn’t fully understand etiquette; naturally, no one would blame her.

Nan Tianchen nodded in satisfaction. “Yes, Ling’er, since you possess such outstanding talent, you must cultivate diligently and not waste your gifts. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Father.” Nan Feiling replied obediently.

She then went to the side and started to examine her book.

The Ancient Thunder Book was the ancestral Martial Soul of the Ancient Thunder King Country’s royal family.

It was said that the contents of each person’s Ancient Thunder Book were different, even between parents and children. Individuals had to choose their cultivation path—attack, control, or support—based on the information contained within their book.

Nan Tianchen’s Ancient Thunder Book was primarily offensive with secondary control abilities. He had cultivated it to the level of a Soul Sage at level 78.

(End of Chapter)

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