"Your Highness, the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony is about to begin. His Majesty and the Queen have sent me to call for you," came the voice of a palace maid from outside.
Nan Feihuang, dressed in formal robes, led his three companions as he walked out of the palace.
"Thank you. Let's go," Nan Feihuang smiled at the maid.
The palace maid, clearly flustered, responded, "Your Highness, you are too kind. I don't deserve such courtesy. This is my duty."
The Douluo Continent was still a society with a hierarchical structure, and this maid, lacking any spirit power, was only slightly better off than a slave. Under normal circumstances, if Nan Feihuang were displeased and struck her down, no one would question it.
But Nan Feihuang was unlike most nobles. He treated everyone with respect, displaying none of the arrogance or wantonness expected from the aristocracy.
This demeanor was both a blessing and a curse.
The crown prince's tutors worried that he lacked the regal authority to become a strong king, yet at the same time, they were relieved, believing he would one day be a merciful ruler.
In reality, Nan Feihuang wasn't as kind-hearted as he appeared. His politeness toward others often masked five parts insincerity—an image he carefully crafted.
He didn't want to draw too much attention, but he also didn't want to disappoint his parents. Thus, he fashioned an outward appearance that seemed like a blend of strengths and weaknesses. After all, he was still young, and people believed his values had yet to solidify. Any changes later in life would be seen as part of his growth.
The real Nan Feihuang was genuinely loyal to his own people, but toward others, his kindness amounted to no more than three parts. Another three parts were filled with malice, while the last four were simple pretense.
For instance, at this very moment.
"People may differ in status, but we are all equal in character. What's so hard to accept about a simple 'thank you'?" Nan Feihuang smiled warmly. "Let's go. Father and Mother must be waiting."
The palace maid, gazing at his retreating figure, was filled with admiration. "All men are born equal. As expected of His Highness, to speak with such righteousness."
She was full of admiration for Nan Feihuang, but when she caught sight of the three people following him, her face darkened.
His Highness was perfect in many ways, except for his choice of companions. The three who had grown up alongside him—a brain-damaged boy, a mute girl, and one with a cursed name—seemed entirely unworthy of his company.
But, of course, the crown prince's decisions were not something a mere maid could question.
Upon arriving at the main hall of the Gore Kingdom's royal palace, Nan Feihuang's Martial Soul Awakening was to be conducted not by the Spirit Hall but by the royal court's own spirit masters.
For such an important occasion, the ceremony would be held privately. As the Crown Prince of a kingdom, it was best to keep his potential a secret.
If Nan Feihuang's talent was too poor, people would criticize him. If it was too outstanding, it might provoke fear from neighboring nations and bring danger. After all, both the second and third princes of the Heaven Dou Empire, known for their exceptional abilities, were rumored to have been assassinated by unknown forces.
Since then, the protection of royal heirs had only intensified in every kingdom.
Secrecy was paramount. As future monarchs, if their talents were subpar, they could simply delegate tasks to others. However, if they were too powerful, they would need to be cautious of external threats.
In the royal hall, seated on the throne, were Nan Feihuang's parents—his father, King Nan Tianchen, a man of great stature and dignified presence, and his mother, Queen Lan Xue, a stunning beauty with flowing blue hair.
"Your son greets Father and Mother." Nan Feihuang respectfully bowed before them.
Lan Xue's face lit up upon seeing her beloved son. "My precious child, come here, quickly," she called.
Nan Feihuang hurried to her side, and she pulled him onto her lap. The queen was utterly devoted to her only child, showering him with affection.
Nan Tianchen, while equally doting on his son, merely nodded. Though he loved his only heir, today was the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony, attended by nobles from across the kingdom. As king, he needed to maintain his regal authority.
"Now that the Crown Prince has arrived, I hereby declare the start of the Gore Kingdom's Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony." Nan Tianchen decreed.
"By your command," answered several court spirit masters as they arranged the Awakening Stones to form the ceremony's ritual array.
These court spirit masters were all at least of the Spirit King level, unlike the likes of the blind Douluo Su Yuntao, who could only awaken martial souls one by one.
Several dozen noble children, all around the age of six, entered the array.
Under the influence of the awakening array, a variety of brilliant martial souls began to manifest—spears, powerful oxen, soldier ants, great sabers—each impressive in its own right. Most children displayed an innate spirit power level of around three to four, with some reaching as high as six.
On the Douluo Continent, one's birth was of utmost importance. Martial souls could be inherited, and families that could pass down mid- to high-tier martial souls often became noble households. Compared to rural villages, where most children could not even awaken spirit power, most of today's participants were already destined for greatness.
Nan Feihuang held back his companions—Dian Wei and the others—from participating immediately. He planned for them to awaken their martial souls alongside his own. He knew that their potential would be extraordinary, and to avoid drawing too much attention, it was best to conceal their abilities somewhat.
"Nan Feiling, martial soul: Gore Codex, innate spirit power: seven and a half levels!"
At that moment, a girl with exceptional talent stepped forward. Her name was strikingly similar to Nan Feihuang's—she was his half-sister, born three months before him.
After all, as a king, Nan Tianchen had multiple wives, though his marriage to Queen Lan Xue had been under special circumstances. Without those, Lan Xue might never have agreed to marry a man with other wives.
Lan Xue was the foremost expert in the Gore Kingdom, a Soul Douluo of eighty-nine levels, and her martial soul, the Mysterious Ice God Halberd, was considered a top-tier weapon soul on par with the Clear Sky Hammer and the Seven Killing Sword.
Her talent was comparable to the legendary twin stars of the Clear Sky Clan.
Originally, with Lan Xue's potential, breaking through to the Title Douluo rank would have been no problem, but unfortunately...
"Father, Mother, look! I've inherited our family's codex!" Nan Feiling exclaimed excitedly as she rushed toward her parents, seeking praise.
Being only six years old, she didn't fully grasp the formality of the event, but no one would fault her for it.
Nan Tianchen nodded in approval. "Hmm. Feiling, with such excellent talent, you must work hard in your cultivation. Do not squander your potential. Understood?"
"Yes, Father. Feiling will work hard." she replied obediently.
With that, she ran off to the side, eagerly studying her newly manifested martial soul.
The Gore Codex was the royal family's ancestral martial soul. It was said that the contents of each person's codex varied, even among family members, and the text within determined their path—be it offense, control, or support.
Nan Tianchen's codex was a dual-offensive and control-type martial soul, and he had cultivated it to the seventy-eighth level as a Spirit Saint.
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