"Luo-luo…"
A small beast shaped like a piglet hid behind Yu Xiaogang, letting out soft, pitiful cries. Out of instinctive closeness to him, it even stepped forward and rubbed affectionately against his pant leg.
"What… is that?"
A quiet murmur broke the frozen silence of the Awakening Ceremony. As if time resumed its flow, the guests began exchanging looks, momentarily unsure of what to say.
"The Martial Soul has a beast form, clearly a Beast Spirit, yet it manifests outside the body. This may be an entirely new classification of Martial Souls!"
In the end, it was the former Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan who spoke, his words finally shattering the deathly stillness.
Unfortunately, by that point, the eyes of most onlookers were already filled with barely concealed amusement.
Every guest invited by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was a renowned expert. Even if their strength did not rival the clan itself, their understanding of Martial Souls was far from shallow.
The Martial Soul Yu Xiaogang had awakened was clearly a mutation.
And even without knowing the details, no one could possibly consider that pig-like appearance to be a beneficial mutation.
"Hahaha! I agree with Sect Master Ning. A Martial Soul born outside the body—this is unprecedented, even within the records of Spirit Hall!"
The Spirit Hall Titled Douluo, whose expression had been gloomy until now, finally burst into laughter.
What could possibly make him happier than seeing a long-time rival suffer such a humiliation?
"Calm down… Xiaogang, don't panic. Go test your Innate Spirit Power."
Taking a deep breath, Yu Yuanzhen forced himself to steady his emotions.
Just moments ago, when his son had been enveloped in brilliant light, he had already begun imagining a grand celebration for a Full Innate Spirit Power Awakening.
Now, that dream lay in ruins.
Yu Yuanzhen's words snapped the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan elder overseeing the ceremony back to his senses. He glanced at the small beast at Yu Xiaogang's feet, frowned slightly, and raised the crystal ball used to test Innate Spirit Power.
"Young Sect Master, test your Innate Spirit Power first. Perhaps the situation isn't as bad as it seems."
Those words finally jolted Yu Xiaogang out of his statue-like daze. He lowered his head and stared at the small beast near his feet, eyes wide, fists clenched tightly in disbelief.
"What… is this?"
His voice was so faint it was almost inaudible. Terror had completely stolen his strength.
He desperately wished that everything before him was nothing more than a nightmare.
But the pain biting into his clenched palms told him otherwise—this was all real.
"Young Sect Master, please test your Innate Spirit Power!"
Seeing his condition, the elder's brow furrowed, and his voice grew sharper.
"You—"
Startled, Yu Xiaogang looked up and caught sight of the frown on the man's face.
Indignation surged in his chest, yet he didn't dare voice it.
Why is he frowning? Is he dissatisfied with me?
I am the Young Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! How dare he show dissatisfaction?
Is it because he saw that my Martial Soul is useless, so now he thinks he can act this way?
Countless chaotic thoughts flooded his mind. At that moment, every sound around him felt like ridicule aimed directly at him.
Even so, he clung desperately to one final hope—
Perhaps he possessed Full Innate Spirit Power, and this Martial Soul was merely an unprecedented type.
With trembling resolve, Yu Xiaogang placed his hand on the crystal ball.
The noise vanished. Many subconsciously held their breath.
Among them, Yu Yuanzhen was the most anxious. In his heart, he had already prayed to every deity he could think of.
But in the end, the heavens did not answer him.
A light so faint it was almost imperceptible flickered across the crystal ball.
With just that, everyone understood—Yu Xiaogang, the son of a Titled Douluo, was destined to become nothing more than a laughingstock.
"Innate Spirit Power… Rank 0.5."
The elder announced the result.
Yu Xiaogang's face instantly drained of all color. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground.
Rank 0.5.
Innate Spirit Power, Rank 0.5.
---
Spirit Hall, the Black World
"Xiaogang…"
Seeing Yu Xiaogang collapsed on the ground within the heavenly projection, Bibi Dong's eyes filled with pain. At that moment, she hated the existence that was replaying this scene, forcing the suffering he once endured back into view.
She hated herself even more—for being unable to enter that scene and hold him, to comfort him properly.
---
Suotuo City, Shrek Academy
"AAAAAAAH!!!"
Overwhelmed by memories of the past, Yu Xiaogang let out a hoarse, agonized roar.
He had thought that these events no longer mattered, that they could no longer stir his heart.
Yet as everything replayed before his eyes, he realized his pain and fury were still completely uncontrollable.
He hated his family—especially his father, Yu Yuanzhen.
Hated him for giving birth to him with such pitiful talent.
Yu Yuanzhen was a Titled Douluo, yet he hadn't passed down even a shred of that talent, turning his own son into the laughingstock of the entire continent.
When Yu Xiaogang raised his head and saw the concern in his father's eyes within the heavenly projection—shock mixed with genuine worry—the resentment in his gaze only deepened.
Concern?
If you truly cared about me, then why didn't you give me decent talent?
---
Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan
"Sigh…"
Yu Yuanzhen stared at the replayed past in silence. After a long time, he finally let out a deep sigh.
A single Martial Soul Awakening had turned his son into the clan's disgrace, and in the years that followed, Yu Xiaogang became forever shackled by his own lack of talent.
Yu Yuanzhen had only two sons. The elder was born early and possessed fairly good aptitude.
Yu Xiaogang, his second son, was born after he himself had become a Titled Douluo. Across the entire Douluo Continent, the descendants of Titled Douluos were never ordinary.
Because of that, both he and the clan had placed enormous expectations upon him.
Yet fate was cruel.
---
[The projection continues…]
A pig-like Martial Soul and Rank 0.5 Innate Spirit Power—everything screamed the same conclusion.
Yu Xiaogang, son of a Titled Douluo, was nothing but trash.
The children who had awakened before him—those who had once tried to curry favor with him under their parents' orders, only to be driven away—naturally showed no mercy now.
"To think my parents told me to get close to him earlier. What a joke."
"Right? Last time I even shared the snacks I'd been saving, and he slapped them onto the ground. I didn't even get to eat them myself."
"Didn't he say we weren't from the same world? He was right—we really aren't."
"The Sect Master's son has this kind of talent? What a disgrace to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
Their voices pierced Yu Xiaogang's ears one by one.
He didn't even dare turn his head.
Not toward them—nor toward anyone.
At that moment, he wished with all his heart that he could simply faint, so he wouldn't have to see the mocking looks on their faces.
The voices grew sharper, more unbearable.
Finally, unable to endure it any longer, Yu Xiaogang closed his eyes and let his body go limp, slowly collapsing to the ground.
Since he couldn't truly faint—
He would pretend to.
Anything was better than facing their gazes.