Chapter 9 Golden Spear Douluo.
To become a god, to gain eternal life and absolute freedom, it seems there are only two paths before one.
Either be like Huo Yuhao, favored by the God King, becoming his loyal henchman in exchange for a godhood.
Or, the incredibly difficult and uncertain path of creating one's own godhood.
The latter requires a massive amount of faith power and a profound understanding of the laws, a time-consuming process that would cause most genius soul masters to die of old age in despair.
"Thinking about these things now might be too early..."
Yin Chen shook his head slightly, scattering the last of his fish food, causing the koi in the pond to thrash about.
"But if you don't even dare to think about it, how can you possibly reach it?"
His eyes gradually sharpened, like a quenched blade.
Having lived a mediocre life in his past, he would never repeat that mistake in this life.
He would give his all, utilizing every available resource, step by step, treading on thorns and bones, to climb to the highest peak of power.
He wanted to become the strongest, so that even the so-called God-King couldn't manipulate his destiny, and those so-called chosen ones couldn't stop him.
He wanted freedom.
Not the limited, constrained kind of freedom, but true, unrestrained freedom.
To decide what he would do and not do, to protect everything he wanted to protect, and to refuse everything he didn't want to accept.
The highest throne in this world was destined to have a master in the future, so why couldn't that person be him, Yin Chen?!
He wanted to create a world—an absolute realm where no one, no god, could threaten him, and no power could defy his will.
He wanted to be the sole master of that world, the rule-maker.
This thought might sound arrogant, even a bit like the immaturity of a teenager, but Yin Chen knew that this was his deepest, most fervent desire and dream, the goal for which he had to burn everything in this second life.
He looked down at his reflection in the water, his white hair and golden eyes burning with the flames of ambition.
The road ahead was long, but he had already seen the direction.
Yin Chen gazed at the koi vying for food in the pond, his eyes already drifting into the distance.
He murmured to himself, as if confirming his judgment: "Next, it's just a matter of waiting."
His mind was clear.
A few days ago, witnessed by members of the Eighth Soul Master Legion, his innate martial soul awakening—accompanied by his black hair turning snow-white and his golden eyes blooming—could not have been ignored by the military.
The name Yin Chen, along with his time-based martial soul and innate full soul power talent, must have already been presented as urgent intelligence to the Legion's high command.
His background was impeccable; a true orphan of the Eighth Soul Master Legion, both his parents were officers who died for their country.
Such a background, coupled with an innate awakening and top-tier talent rarely seen throughout history, made him an invaluable treasure in the eyes of any power.
The Eighth Soul Master Legion would not remain indifferent to this.
And this was precisely what Yin Chen hoped for.
He knew clearly that he came from an ordinary background and lacked the support of a powerful family.
To obtain cultivation resources, to gain a foothold in this world and climb higher, he had to demonstrate sufficient value to attract investors.
The Eighth Soul Master Legion was undoubtedly the best platform he could access at this stage.
He needed to use this first pot of gold—whether it was guidance in Soul Master cultivation, assistance in acquiring Soul Rings, or more tangible resource allocation—to take the most solid first step on the path to becoming a powerful figure.
"Birthplace…"
Yin Chen sighed softly, not as a complaint, but as a calm realization.
He knew clearly that while his current status wasn't exactly illustrious, it was far more fortunate than the vast majority of ordinary people in the world.
In this era where the Spirit Hall had vanished, commoners who wanted to awaken their spirits needed to travel to various Awakening Halls and pay hefty fees.
For many families struggling to make ends meet, this sum was an insurmountable chasm, burying countless children with potential spirit master talents in oblivion.
In contrast, as a military orphan, he was at least guaranteed the opportunity to awaken his spirit and a relatively safe environment to grow up in.
This was a starting point that many could only dream of.
"Although innate spirit awakening makes this initial advantage seem less crucial…"
A faint smile curved Yin Chen's lips.
However, the bond between him and the Eighth Spirit Master Legion, forged by his parents' blood and his own talent, remained his most valuable and essential resource.
He withdrew his gaze from the pond, his eyes regaining their calm and resolute expression.
The bait has been cast; now he only needs to patiently wait for the fish to bite, and then seize this crucial first opportunity to begin his journey.
The road to the supreme throne is destined to be long and arduous, and this is the starting point.
The Eighth Soul Master Legion, Mingdou Mountain Range Defense Command.
In a simply furnished yet imposing office, a burly, resolute middle-aged man is intently reading an encrypted document.
The general's stars on his epaulets and the faintly emanating, mountain-like, heavy soul power fluctuations proclaim his noble status and formidable strength.
He is Jin Yang, the legion commander of the Eighth Soul Master Legion, titled Golden Spear, a level 94 Power Attack Type Title Douluo.
The document contains a detailed report about Yin Chen—an orphan whose parents recently died on the front lines and subsequently experienced the phenomenon of awakening his innate martial soul.
Jin Yang's gaze lingered for a moment on keywords such as innate awakening, white hair and golden eyes, time attribute, and innate full soul power. His eyes were deep, and his fingertips unconsciously tapped the smooth mahogany table, producing a soft, rhythmic sound.
He commanded the Eighth Soul Master Legion, stationed year-round in the Mingdou Mountains. Besides defending against the Sun Moon Empire, he also bore another secret mission from the Star Luo Royal Family—to restrain Duke Dai Hao, the White Tiger.
That Duke Dai Hao was a decorated military figure, enjoying immense prestige within the military, and his power was rapidly expanding.
Even though he had a close personal relationship with the current Star Luo Emperor, Xu Jiawei, like brothers, sitting on the emperor's throne, certain precautions were necessary.
This was the art of imperial strategy, and a necessary means to consolidate imperial power.
Jin Yang himself greatly admired Dai Hao's character and abilities, but as a royal retainer, his stance had to be unequivocally aligned with the Star Luo Royal Family.
A child with impeccable revolutionary credentials, parents who were both martyrs in the legion, and talent bordering on the prodigious… Jin Yang's mind raced.
Under normal circumstances, he might have considered personally nurturing such a promising talent, adding another future general to the legion.
But in the current delicate political climate, the child's appearance held extraordinary significance.
He couldn't allow this child to become too deeply tied to the legion, especially to him personally, lest he fall into the eyes of some and become a bargaining chip, or arouse unnecessary suspicion.
At the same time, such a rare genius absolutely couldn't be left to his own devices, or easily lured away by other forces.
(End of Chapter)