novelraw Chapter 2: The 8-Year-Old Contra!
Chapter 2: The 8-Year-Old Contra!
Eighteen years have passed quietly, like sand slipping through one's fingers.
In the depths of a magnificent mansion in Tiandou City, the courtyard is quiet and the morning light is faint.
"call……"
Zhang Qingxuan, who had just finished his morning cultivation, slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.
He stood up, stretched, and a faint crackling sound came from his joints.
He looked up at the rising sun, and a barely perceptible trace of melancholy flashed across his deep eyes.
"Eighteen years have passed... I wonder if Master and my fellow disciples are still well?"
For him, these eighteen years have been both a rebirth and a period of reflection.
From the age of three, he resumed the cultivation methods of his previous life to strengthen his foundation; at the age of six, he awakened a rare original martial soul and was born with full soul power, which shocked the entire manor.
With the profound experience and vision accumulated in his previous life, his path of cultivation was almost unimpeded, and his progress was as fast as a god.
Just yesterday, the barrier between realms shattered, and he officially stepped into the realm of Soul Douluo.
To achieve the status of a Soul Douluo at the age of eighteen is astonishing, not only in the Heaven Dou Empire but also across the entire continent.
His adoptive father, Li Yuntian, had long ago used the power of the family to keep all information about him strictly hidden, for fear that he would stand out from the crowd.
The courtyard was quiet, with only the rustling of bamboo leaves in the breeze.
Suddenly, a light, bell-like shout came from afar, breaking the tranquility.
"Brother Qingxuan! Brother Qingxuan! I've come to find you!"
Before the words were finished, a beautiful figure, like a fluttering butterfly, skipped joyfully into the courtyard.
Li Yingxue!
Zhang Qingxuan's biological daughter, born to his adoptive parents Li Yuntian and Yang Wanqing, was born three years after he was adopted.
Both Zhang Qingxuan and Li Yuntian cherished this younger sister as a treasure and doted on her.
"Did you finish your morning exercise today?" Zhang Qingxuan's lips curled up slightly as he naturally reached out and gently ruffled Li Yingxue's soft hair. His tone was gentle, yet carried a hint of unyielding questioning.
"Uh... well..." Li Yingxue blushed, stuck out her tongue, and looked away, trying to get away with it by being cute.
"Hehe, Qingxuan-ge, the weather's so nice today, it's such a waste to practice..."
Zhang Qingxuan shook his head helplessly and flicked her smooth forehead lightly with his finger: "You are always thinking about slacking off. Cultivation is like rowing against the current. You have good talent, but if you are so lazy, you will fall behind others by a lot in the future."
"I know, I know!" Li Yingxue covered her forehead, but smiled brightly, and shook Zhang Qingxuan's arm.
"Anyway, with your brother around, you'll be there to hold the sky up even if it falls!"
She paused, then suddenly remembered something and exclaimed excitedly, "Oh, right, brother, I have great news! Mother finished her seclusion yesterday and successfully broke through to the Soul Douluo realm!"
Right now!
A voice, devoid of any emotion yet crystal clear, suddenly resounded in the deepest recesses of Zhang Qingxuan's mind:
[Ding! Host's cultivation level has been detected as meeting the requirements.]
[Check-in system officially activated!]
[Initial check-in location has been updated: Core Area of Star Dou Great Forest.]
Zhang Qingxuan's gaze suddenly sharpened, and his mind instantly sank into his sea of consciousness.
In the center of that vast and boundless sea of consciousness, a previously dim ball of light was now slowly rotating, emitting a soft and mysterious glow, with countless fine and profound runes flickering within it.
He stared at the "system" that had appeared, his face showing little surprise or fear, but rather a calm as if "it's finally here."
For eighteen years, he had been aware of this strange object lurking in his sea of consciousness, but he had never been able to touch it before. Now, with his breakthrough in cultivation, it has indeed appeared on its own.
"Oh? That's double happiness."
Zhang Qingxuan quickly withdrew his mind from his sea of consciousness, his face showing no sign of anything amiss. He smiled and followed Li Yingxue's words, saying, "I've just broken through to the next level and need to acquire my eighth soul ring."
"At that time, I may accompany my godmother to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt suitable soul beasts."
"What?!?!"
Li Yingxue's smile froze instantly, then her beautiful eyes widened, and her small mouth opened unconsciously, as if she had heard something unbelievable.
She suddenly jumped back a small step, looking him up and down carefully, as if she were seeing him for the first time.
"Brother! You...you're a Contra player too?! An eighteen-year-old Contra player?!"
Her voice rose several decibels in utter shock, trembling with disbelief: "You...you're even human?! This...this cultivation speed, even a legendary reincarnation of a god couldn't match this!!"
After the initial shock, Li Yingxue quickly calmed down, patted her chest, and looked as if she had just realized something: "Phew... I think I suddenly understand why Father and Mother have been so determined to keep your whereabouts a secret all these years, even going to great lengths to cover up the investigations by the Imperial Family and the Spirit Hall..."
She leaned closer, lowered her voice, and her big eyes flashed with a cunning yet fearful light: "With your cultivation speed and talent, if word got out, the outside world would be in an uproar."
"Well, now that I've reached the level of a Soul Douluo and have considerable self-defense capabilities, I no longer need to deliberately conceal my sharpness as I did before."
Zhang Qingxuan nodded, acknowledging Li Yingxue's guess.
At this level, unless facing a top-tier Title Douluo, he would be confident of escaping even if he was no match for them.
Moreover, his true trump card goes far beyond his apparent cultivation level.
Others cultivate soul power, but he cultivates Qi!
If it weren't for the restrictions imposed by the world's rules, he wouldn't even bother to get spirit rings!
"Really? That's great!"
Upon hearing this, Li Yingxue's eyes lit up, as if she had thought of something interesting, but she quickly shook her head, swallowed the words she was about to say, and waved her hand with a smile, saying, "It's nothing, it's nothing! I was just asking casually!"
Just then—
A clear, melodious voice, which made Li Yingxue frown slightly, came from the courtyard gate.
"Young master."
The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman walking gracefully into the courtyard. She was wearing a moon-white long dress, with a graceful figure and slender build.
What is most striking is her long, pure, and flawless silver hair, as white as snow.
Her face was extremely beautiful, with fair skin that was almost transparent, and exquisite features. In particular, her eyes were slightly upturned at the corners, exuding a natural languor and allure, and her pupils were a light ice blue.
The newcomer was none other than the transformed soul beast—a 100,000-year-old ice and snow white fox, Xiaobai.
Little White! A 100,000-year-old snow fox transformed into a soul beast!
Several years ago, Zhang Qingxuan went to the far north to find medicinal herbs and unexpectedly encountered her when she had just taken human form.
Under the threat of Zhang Qingxuan's thunder magic, Xiaobai decisively backed down!
The purpose of transforming into human form is to avoid being struck by lightning. If you transform into human form and still get struck by lightning, then the transformation was for nothing!
After Zhang Qingxuan brought Xiaobai back, Li Yuntian immediately recognized Xiaobai's identity as a transformed soul beast, but he didn't say much, only giving a few instructions.
As for Xiaobai, when she first arrived at the Li family, she was already mentally prepared to be killed, but in the end nothing happened!
Zhang Qingxuan even personally helped her conceal the aura of the soul beast, and then entrusted some of his business to her to manage.
If you take good care of it, it will even guide you in your cultivation!
Gradually, Xiaobai lowered her guard and integrated into this big family.
He just often argues with Li Yingxue, and the reasons are all related to Zhang Qingxuan!