Xu Xiaoshuang puffed up her cheeks as she looked at Xu Qiu.
She had originally thought he had awakened a low-grade Martial Soul, or perhaps none at all, which led to the breakup. She had even prepared a whole speech to comfort him.
But now he was saying he had awakened an SSS-Grade Martial Soul?!
What was there to comfort anymore?!
Then she suddenly felt puzzled. “Wait, if you awakened an SSS-Grade Martial Soul, why would Xiao Mei break up with you? Could it be… you were the one who dumped her?”
Her eyes lit up as she thought of something. “I knew that woman was no good! You finally came to your senses. With an SSS-Grade Martial Soul, what kind of woman can’t you find?”
Xu Xiaoshuang had long disliked Xiao Mei and had secretly expressed her disapproval several times. But back then, Xu Qiu had been completely infatuated and ignored her advice. Had he finally woken up now?
Xu Qiu shook his head and briefly explained what had happened.
Xu Xiaoshuang listened with her mouth wide open.
What?!
Something so bizarre and dramatic had actually happened?
“Tsk, I thought scenes like that only existed in novels. What a pity I wasn’t there. Otherwise, I would’ve recorded that woman’s expression. It must have been priceless,” Xu Xiaoshuang chuckled.
Xu Qiu lightly knocked her on the forehead.
Before long, he finished cooking in the kitchen.
The meal was simple: two dishes and a soup.
A plate of greens, shredded pork with green peppers, and an egg drop soup.
More than enough for the siblings.
Xu Xiaoshuang pouted. “Brother, you’ve awakened an SSS-Grade Martial Soul! Shouldn’t we celebrate with something better?”
“What’s there to celebrate? The money in our account is running low. We need to be careful with spending,” Xu Qiu said helplessly.
Ever since their parents passed away, Xu Qiu had taken on all the expenses of their small family.
Clothing, food, daily necessities, and tuition…
Fortunately, their parents had bought this apartment before they died, so they didn’t have to worry about housing. Xu Qiu’s academic excellence earned him scholarships, and with occasional part-time work, he managed to support their daily needs.
“Things are different now. You have an SSS-Grade Martial Soul. The Education Bureau won’t ignore a talent like you. Subsidies and scholarships will come soon, and our lives will only get better.
“And when I take the awakening ceremony next year and awaken an SSS-Grade Martial Soul too, we siblings will both make it onto the Qingyun Honor Roll. At that point, wealth, power, and status will all be within reach!” Xu Xiaoshuang said excitedly, vividly imagining the future.
Xu Qiu rolled his eyes. “Do you think SSS-Grade Martial Souls grow on trees? You think you can just have one if you want?”
“Brother, if you can awaken one, why can’t I? Besides, I’ve been having the same dream lately. In the dream, I’m a peerless Empress, famous across the universe! Maybe I’m the reincarnation of some Empress!” Xu Xiaoshuang said.
Xu Qiu’s lips twitched. “Reincarnated Empress? I think you’ve been reading too many novels. Wake up.”
“You used to secretly read novels under your blanket too. When Mom and Dad found out, they even confiscated your phone. And you still have the nerve to say that about me?”
The siblings bickered as they ate.
After finishing dinner and washing the dishes, Xu Qiu returned to his room. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he began to sense the Martial Soul within his body.
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
The barking of a dog came from upstairs.
Xu Qiu clicked his tongue. The upstairs neighbor kept a dog that barked all the time. It was incredibly annoying.
He took a deep breath, ignored the noise, and focused on sensing his Martial Soul.
With a thought, he summoned it.
“Roar!”
With a low growl, the Taotie Martial Soul flew out of his body and circled above his head. A terrifying pressure spread out, causing all the animals in the residential complex to tremble.
Even the dog upstairs fell silent.
Looking at the Taotie that nearly filled the entire room, Xu Qiu swallowed. “I wonder if it can get smaller…”
As if responding to his thoughts, the Taotie began shrinking.
Xu Qiu’s eyes lit up. “Smaller, smaller, smaller…”
Soon, the Taotie, which had filled the entire room, shrank to the size of his palm, hovering above his head with a greedy gaze fixed on him.
It seemed… hungry.
Xu Qiu recalled the description of the Taotie Martial Soul.
It could devour all things.
It could absorb objects containing spiritual energy.
But his home was poor. Where could he find such treasures?
For now, he could only let the Martial Soul endure.
He retracted the Martial Soul back into his body, filled with anticipation for the future.
“The Taotie Martial Soul is just one of the Ten Ferocious Beast Martial Souls! As my cultivation improves, I’ll gradually unlock the others!”
“If Taotie is already SSS-Grade, then the others should be at least the same level. Once all Ten Ferocious Beast Martial Souls are unleashed… who could stand against me?!”
He had never heard of anyone possessing ten Martial Souls.
Let alone ten SSS-Grade Martial Souls!
With bright expectations for the future, Xu Qiu fell asleep.
In the other room, Xu Xiaoshuang was sleeping sprawled out in a starfish position.
Suddenly, she sat up abruptly.
“I, the Empress, am here! Who dares act recklessly?!”
At that moment, an imposing aura surged from her.
But soon, she looked around the room, yawned, and lay back down, staring at the ceiling as she recalled her dream.
Lately, she had been having the same dream repeatedly.
In the dream, she was a peerless Empress, renowned across the universe, commanding countless life-bearing planets like Blue Star.
With a single thought, she could decide the life and death of billions.
With a single thought, she could darken the sun and moon and shatter the stars.
Such power and authority…
Were beyond the imagination of Martial Artists on Blue Star.
She felt that even the so-called Tier-10 Supremes were far inferior to her in that dream.
That feeling… was intoxicating.
But upon waking, she returned to being an ordinary Xu Xiaoshuang, with nothing but her beauty.
“Was it really just a dream? If it was, it felt too real…”
Xu Xiaoshuang murmured.
She yawned, tears forming in her eyes from sleepiness.
Soon, she let out soft snores and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day.
Early morning.
The alarm clock rang.
Xu Qiu got up on time. After preparing breakfast, he ate his portion and left one for Xu Xiaoshuang, calling out to her as she continued to lie in bed, “I’m heading to school. Breakfast is on the table. Remember to get up and eat.”
“Bye…” Xu Xiaoshuang waved lazily without even opening her eyes.
Xu Qiu smiled helplessly and left.
Taking the bus, Xu Qiu felt particularly excited about today’s classes.
According to the usual process, after awakening their Martial Souls, the teachers would begin teaching them proper martial arts techniques.
This would mark their true entry into the path of martial arts and becoming Martial Artists.
The bus grew more crowded.
Xu Qiu was squeezed into a corner.
Suddenly, he noticed that a girl nearby had her face flushed red. It seemed she was being pushed around in the crowd. Next to her stood a sleazy young man, who was using his thigh to rub against her backside.
Damn!
A bus pervert?!
[Ding!]
[Facing a molester on the bus, you have the following choices!]
[1: Ignore it. Reward: 100 yuan!]
[2: Go over and take the girl’s place. Reward: 1,000 yuan!]
[3: Act righteously and help her! Reward: 10,000 yuan and a bottle of healing potion!]