Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Transmigration
Douluo Continent, within the borders of the Tian Dou Empire.
A small village outside Suotuo City in the Barak Kingdom.
"Hmm... Did I really transmigrate? This is outrageous."
A three-year-old child climbed up from the ground and looked at his hands, muttering to himself.
"Xiao Chen, Xiao Chen! Your grandpa's back!"
An elderly man called out from outside.
The little boy's name was Li Luochen. He was a transmigrant whose memories from his previous life had just returned. Now that he was three years old, his soul could handle the burden of those past-life memories. Before turning three, due to fragmented memories, his mind would sometimes be clear and other times muddled.
"Hey there, seems like you're in a good state now. No more shouting about reviving your lover or declaring yourself invincible, right? Who even says stuff like 'no one can defy me'? Come here, let Grandpa give you some love."
This elder, dressed like a farmer, was actually a genuine Soul King-level powerhouse. He was none other than Li Yusong, Li Luochen's grandfather.
Yes, this was indeed Li Yusong, the teacher from Shrek Academy, who was now 48 years old with a spirit power level of 58.
Hearing his grandfather's words, Li Luochen felt his face flush red. It seemed that during his periods of confusion, he had said some pretty absurd things—like "who dares claim invincibility?" These were karmic burdens too heavy for him to bear.
"Grandpa, I think my head is fine now. I fell earlier, and it seems the fall knocked me back to normal."
Li Luochen looked at his grandfather. Like most transmigrants, Li Luochen shared certain traits with others who had crossed over—he lacked parents. His parents were also soul masters but tragically died while hunting soul beasts alongside their team after encountering two ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts. The only family member left was Grandpa Li Yusong.
After the death of Li Luochen's parents when he was just one year old, Li Yusong grieved deeply for a long time. Losing a child in old age was devastating, so he poured all his care into raising his grandson.
Though young Li Luochen's mind fluctuated between clarity and confusion—sometimes being exceptionally smart and other times extremely foolish—he often shouted dramatic lines typical of someone struggling to merge two lifetimes' worth of memories. That is until today, when a tumble finally cleared his mind and organized his thoughts.
Instinctively, Li Luochen depended on his grandfather. Even though he spent much of his early years confused, Li Yusong never complained and continued to raise him well.
Since Li Yusong was a Soul King, he had ample resources to ensure Li Luochen received proper nutrition. In fact, Li Yusong even arranged special medicinal baths designed to strengthen the body, which Li Luochen soaked in several times a month.
"Oh really? Who am I then? What's my name?"
Li Yusong didn't believe him at first. Although his grandson occasionally showed flashes of brilliance, most of the time he acted quite abnormal. But Li Yusong didn't care; he was prepared to support his grandson for life regardless.
"I'm your grandson! My name is Li Luochen, and yours is Li Yusong. My parents were..."
Upon hearing this, Li Yusong nearly teared up. His once-foolish grandson had finally become normal—it seemed heaven hadn't played a cruel joke on the Li family after all.
"Little Chen, are you sure you've fully regained your senses? You won't slip back into madness soon, will you?"
Li Yusong no longer wanted his grandson to return to his previous state of confusion.
"I should be fine now. Before, everything felt hazy, like living through nightmares. But now, I feel completely awake."
Li Luochen touched the back of his head as he spoke, still feeling the bump from where he'd fallen.
"Hahahaha! Wonderful! Our precious grandson has finally returned to normal! Xiao Chen, today Grandpa will catch a big wild boar to celebrate your recovery!"
Li Yusong was in high spirits, finally seeing better days ahead.
"Alright, Grandpa, please be careful! I can't wait to eat your roasted meat again—it's absolutely delicious!"
Because Li Luochen lost his parents early, Li Yusong raised him alone and became proficient in every skill imaginable—both inside and outside the home. Whether it was cooking, teaching, or fighting, he excelled at everything.
At just three years old, Li Luochen was chubby and adorable, with short black hair and big eyes, making him irresistibly endearing.
Li Yusong tidied up the house before setting off. For someone of his strength, catching a wild boar was effortless.
"I've transmigrated... and it feels real. Grandpa Li Yusong, huh? My memory tells me my martial soul might be the Dragon Pattern Staff. Could he be that recruitment teacher from Shrek Academy?
Though not particularly talented, Grandpa is still a Soul King—a formidable figure in our small town—and an excellent teacher.
He taught me very meticulously during my early education, but my chaotic memories made me slightly foolish back then. Thankfully, I'm finally normal now."
Li Luochen lay under a large tree in front of the house. Their home was located in a quiet village outside Soto City. His frequent episodes of madness used to draw gossip and judgmental stares from villagers, often angering Li Yusong, who would unleash his martial soul to silence them. After all, who dared provoke a Soul King in such a small place?
"I wonder what martial soul I'll awaken. It'll likely be the same Dragon Pattern Staff as Grandpa's, but I don't know how strong my innate spirit power will be. That depends entirely on its upper limit. Grandpa started with level five innate spirit power, and without many resources, he reached Soul King status by this age."
'Soul beasts, soul rings, soul bones, deities, immortal herbs, empires, nobles, academies, Spirit Hall.'
"This world may be considered low-tier, but it's still a cultivation realm. Dangerous times lie ahead—I wonder if I'll survive the tides of fate. First, I need to figure out what stage we're currently in to understand what events have unfolded."
For now, Li Luochen didn't want to think too much. If his awakened martial soul turned out weak or devoid of spirit power, survival would be tough. At best, he could retreat far away and live out his days peacefully.
But as a resilient soul reborn from Lanxing (Blue Star), coming to a cultivation world meant taking risks. How could he pass up this chance? Though his previous life ended tragically despite having loved ones around, he couldn't recall exactly how he died.
{T/N: Blue Star is how a lot of Chinese novels refer to Earth or some variation of Earth.}
"Whatever comes, I'll adapt. If I have decent talent, I'll strive for immortality as a deity. If not, I'll aim to become a Title Douluo—a respected Elder—with a lifespan of 200 years.
If my talent is truly lacking, I'll find a quiet village to retire early. Before leaving, I'll take Grandpa with me. Where to? Hmm… maybe the seaside. I barely saw the ocean in my last life. If cultivation doesn't work out this time, I'll live off the sea instead.
Being a fisherman wouldn't be so bad, would it?"
Reborn, one must adopt a carefree attitude—but only if their talents are mediocre. If they're exceptional, however, it becomes a ruthless game of survival, where killing and plundering are commonplace on the path of cultivation.
As the sun began to set, Li Yusong finally returned, looking pleased with himself.
"Grandpa, you're back! How did the hunt go?"
"Hahaha! Good luck today! I originally planned to catch a wild boar, but I stumbled upon a ten-year-old Forest Boar soul beast. Its meat is tender and perfect for fine cuisine—it won't be missing from noble dining tables anytime soon. Xiao Chen, wait till Grandpa prepares this pig properly!"
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