Tang He, courtesy name Dingchen, was a renowned founding general of the Ming Dynasty. He's my Guardian Spirit, and my surname is Zhu… Zhu Mingzhang's eyes lit up as a thought struck him: **"So Grandpa was right after all. We're descendants of the Ming royal family!"**
On Zhenling Street, most Spirit Hosts relied heavily on the prestige of their ancestors—luck was considered a form of strength. Zhu Mingzhang sifted through his predecessor's memories and found that during his training on the Isle of the Dead, not only did his peers doubt him, but even the instructors had little faith in him.
Although he had managed to become a Zhenling General, he was the only one in his graduating class who hadn't awakened a Guardian Spirit—a glaring anomaly. Generally, Spirit Hosts unable to awaken their Guardian Spirits were stripped of their memories and returned to the human world to live ordinary lives. His survival back then was nothing short of a stroke of luck.
As for the "Martial God Physique" detected by the Crown Prince System, it likely wasn't a baseless claim. If the system confirmed it, who was he to doubt it? Back when Shuangtong Lingfu invited him to train on the Isle of the Dead, they had only seen him as a regular Spirit Host. To this day, no one knew Zhu Mingzhang possessed the rare Martial God Physique.
**"If this gets out, it'll shake Zhenling Street to its core,"** Zhu Mingzhang mused.
"Your Highness," Zhu Mingzhang asked the system, "if I have the Martial God Physique, how many Guardian Spirits can I awaken in total?"
[Unknown.]
**"Unknown? Can't you be more reliable and give me an exact number?"**
Currently, the world recognized three Zhenling Generals with Martial God Physiques: "General Wei" Cao Man of Wei Sha Street in the West, "Emperor Han" Liu Bin of Hanyun Street in the North, and "Lightning King" Sun Leitian of Fulong Street in the East.
**"Heh, with me, the four districts will have a perfect balance. I can't afford to be weaker than any of them!"**
"How can I awaken my remaining Guardian Spirits?" Zhu Mingzhang asked again.
[When the time is right, they will reveal themselves to assist you.]
**"Well, thanks for that nugget of wisdom..."**
Tang He, still kneeling, noticed Zhu Mingzhang's absent-minded expression and asked curiously, "Your Highness, is something troubling you? With me around, nothing will be a problem!"
"Stand up," Zhu Mingzhang said.
"As you command."
"Tang He," Zhu Mingzhang continued, "you said you've been waiting for me. What does that mean? Explain yourself."
"You carry royal blood, Your Highness. We are here to help you conquer the world. That's why I said I've been waiting for you."
"You all? Then why are you the only one here?"
Tang He shouldered his spear, placed one hand on his waist, and struck a slightly playful pose. "Your Highness, I wouldn't know. All I can say is that I, Tang He, am loyal to you and wanted to be the first to show up! As for the others? Who knows what's on their minds."
Truth be told, Tang He's eagerness to appear wasn't solely out of loyalty—it was also because he found the prospect of being a Guardian Spirit thrilling. After all, getting to "live" again and fight after death was, in his view, incredibly exciting. He had been itching for a good battle for ages.
Zhu Mingzhang suspected Tang He might have ulterior motives, but at least he had proven his worth by being the first to step forward. Actions spoke louder than words, and Tang He had won some favor for that.
**"Very well,"** Zhu Mingzhang said with a smug grin. His journey was just beginning, and his blood was already boiling with anticipation.
Glancing back at the wall, he deduced that the blurry portraits were likely his yet-to-be-awakened Guardian Spirits, as Tang He had emerged from one of them. Now, Tang He's portrait was clear, while the others remained indistinct. It seemed a portrait only became visible after its corresponding spirit appeared. **"So childish,"** Zhu Mingzhang muttered to himself. **"Not even letting me see what you look like before showing up? Fine, suit yourselves."**
"Tang He, I'll see you in the outside world soon!"
"Understood, Your Highness!" Tang He replied cheerfully.
Closing his eyes, Zhu Mingzhang felt the flow of spiritual energy within him. In a fleeting, dreamlike moment, he exited his inner world. Outside, only a second had passed.
[Beep! Detected that the host is too poor to afford a weapon. A divine blade, *Yingtian Sword*, has been gifted to the host!]
[Note: This ancestral artifact is priceless and will gradually unlock its power as the host grows stronger.]
**"A gift with no strings attached? This system is incredible!"** Zhu Mingzhang thought.
Suddenly, he felt a scorching sensation in the palm of his right hand, as if the sun itself was branding him. Moments later, the feeling subsided, leaving him certain the divine sword was now embedded within his palm.
"Xiao Rui, where are those monsters?" Zhu Mingzhang asked with a stern expression.
Su Ruiqi, still tense, motioned for silence. "Brother, don't make a sound—they're coming. Let's hide."
Though Zhu Mingzhang had assured her there was no need to worry, she still didn't fully trust him. Just minutes ago, he'd been injured; now he was putting on a brave face. This wasn't like the brother she knew.
"Xiao Rui, trust me," Zhu Mingzhang said coldly. "Your brother will make those monsters regret crossing me!"
Su Ruiqi hesitated but eventually nodded. At that moment, heavy footsteps echoed nearby, and the two were discovered.
"Boss, that injured Zhenling General is here! And there's a girl with him!"
The Evil Spirit General smirked. "Kill the Zhenling General, and I'll reign supreme over Hongtian Street. As for the girl, she'll make a fine toy. Don't interfere—I'll take him down myself!"
Standing tall, Zhu Mingzhang faced the monsters head-on, with Su Ruiqi clutching his arm nervously from behind. Though she tried to be brave, the sight of the imposing Evil Spirit General reignited her fear.
"Such arrogance!" Zhu Mingzhang sneered. "You think you can defeat me? Dream on!"
The Evil Spirit General bellowed in rage and charged at Zhu Mingzhang.
With a flick of his wrist, Zhu Mingzhang summoned the golden Yingtian Sword. A faint dragon motif shimmered along its blade.
"Brother, is that…?" Su Ruiqi gasped in awe. Her brother, once reliant on makeshift weapons, now wielded a divine blade.
"Stay back, Xiao Rui," Zhu Mingzhang said with a confident smile. "Watch your brother show them who's boss!"