Douluo Dalu: The Abandoned Child

The warm glow of the lanterns barely illuminated the intricate carvings on the walls as the excitement of my awakening gave way to another pressing question. Now that my martial souls had awakened, it was time to measure my soul power, the foundation upon which all cultivators built their strength.

Dugu Bo handed me a crystal ball, its surface shimmering faintly. "Place your hand on this, Bei. Let's see what your soul power level is."

I took a deep breath, my hands still trembling from the awakening. Dugu Xin stood beside me, his enthusiasm barely contained. He ruffled my hair, his eyes sparkling. "I've got a good feeling about this, Bei. With twin martial souls as powerful as yours, you might have innate full soul power."

I nodded, placing my small hand on the crystal ball. Almost instantly, it exploded with a loud crack, sending shards flying across the room. Both Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin jumped back in shock, their mouths agape.

"What in the…" Dugu Xin muttered, staring at the remnants of the crystal ball scattered on the floor.

"Innate full soul power," he continued, his voice rising with excitement. "That's what it means, right, Father?"

But Dugu Bo didn't answer immediately. Instead, his brows furrowed as he crossed the room. "Wait here," he said curtly, disappearing into an adjacent room. When he returned, he carried a larger, more refined crystal ball in his hands, its core swirling with concentrated energy.

"I'm not so sure it's just innate full soul power," he said, his voice filled with a mix of apprehension and curiosity. "This one is better for measuring higher levels. Let's test again."

He placed the new crystal ball in front of me, and I hesitated, my heart pounding in my chest. What if it happened again? What if I…broke this one too? But the curiosity in their eyes urged me on. Slowly, I pressed my palm against the crystal ball.

This time, it didn't explode. Instead, it lit up brilliantly, the light so intense that it illuminated the entire room. Dugu Bo squinted, stepping closer to inspect the display. Dugu Xin's jaw dropped, and his voice came out as a whisper.

"Rank… 30?"

The words echoed in the room, and for a moment, no one spoke. Then, a broad grin spread across Dugu Bo's face, and he let out a hearty laugh that filled the chamber. "Rank 30! Innate soul power at rank 30! This is unheard of!"

Dugu Xin's amazement quickly turned to joy as he lifted me into the air, spinning me around. "Bei, you're a genius! A prodigy! This changes everything!"

Their joy was infectious, and I couldn't help but smile. But as their laughter subsided, their eyes turned to me, filled with questions they hadn't yet dared to ask. Dugu Bo placed a hand on my shoulder, his expression softening. "No wonder you didn't want Spirit Hall involved in this. With power like this, they'd stop at nothing to control you."

I nodded, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions within me. "This is part of the reason, Grandpa. But not the only one."

They didn't press further, perhaps sensing that I wasn't ready to reveal everything. Instead, their focus shifted to the next step: hunting spirit rings to complement my twin martial souls. But before they could discuss it further, I raised a hand to stop them.

"Grandpa, Uncle," I began, my tone serious. "Do you remember that I asked you to collect some Whale Rubber? I think it's time we all finally use it."

Their expressions shifted from confusion to curiosity, and Dugu Bo nodded slowly. "I've been gathering it, as you asked. What do you have in mind, Bei?"

I smiled faintly, my mind racing with the possibilities. "Let me show you."