C7 The Awakening of the Martial Soul

The Wang family's living room fell into a hushed silence, so profound that the softest whisper would have echoed.

Wang Tianlong spoke up, "Everyone, please leave us. Ling'er, you too. I need to speak with my son-in-law privately."

Wang Ling'er hesitated, anxiety etched on her face. "Father..."

Lee Qi caught her eye, offering a comforting glance. "It's okay," he assured her.

Reassured, Wang Ling'er reluctantly stepped out, lingering just beyond the door, waiting for Lee Qi.

Lee Qi saw the concern in Wang Tianlong's eyes and offered a reassuring smile. "Father-in-law, I understand your worries. Be it the Zhao family or the Black Tortoise Sect, I can handle them. You don't need to worry. And I promise you, Ling'er won't suffer a scratch under my watch."

Wang Tianlong gave a nod, albeit tentatively. "I'll take your word for it—for now—that Ling'er will come to no harm."

"Father-in-law, if there's nothing more, I'll take my leave." Lee Qi preferred action to words, believing that deeds spoke louder than promises.

"Go ahead," Wang Tianlong responded.

Exiting the living room, Lee Qi found Wang Ling'er pacing nervously. She rushed to his side as soon as she saw him.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Lee Qi gently pulled her along. "No need to worry. Your father and I had a good talk."

Back in their own courtyard, Wang Ling'er bit her lip, hesitating to voice her thoughts.

Lee Qi smiled knowingly. "Are you curious about how I've grown so strong?"

She nodded, her eyes filled with questions.

Lee Qi stood tall and confident. "Ling'er, the 'how' isn't important. Just know that I will protect you from any harm. For you, I'd brave a battlefield of endless strife without a second thought."

It was the first time Wang Ling'er had been on the receiving end of such tender words. Her cheeks blushed a deep crimson, shyness overwhelming her.

Seizing the moment, Lee Qi drew her close into his embrace.

In his past life, he was plagued by self-doubt, believing Ling'er's kindness was mere pity, and he never allowed himself to accept it.

This time around, he was determined not to leave any room for regret.

He held Ling'er close, reveling in the softness of her embrace, a wave of contentment washing over him.

Silent, Wang Ling'er nestled her head into Lee Qi's chest, savoring the tender moment.

After a brief pause, she looked up, her face etched with concern. "Husband, having crossed the Zhao family and the Black Tortoise Sect, I fear they won't let this lie. And there's Lee Longfei..."

Lee Qi felt a surge of warmth at Wang Ling'er's worried gaze. Even now, she was thinking of him. Blessed with such a wife, what more could he desire?

"Ling'er, for you, I'd wage war against the world. I'd brave the Nine Provinces and ascend the Nine Heavens by your side! Anyone who dares to harm you will face my wrath," he declared, his commanding presence leaving no room for doubt.

Blushing at his passionate vow, Wang Ling'er hid her face once more in his embrace, finding solace and warmth in his protective hold.

Time passed in their quiet communion.

"Husband, the Lee family's ancestral worship is in three days. Will you return for it?" Wang Ling'er asked.

He had compelling reasons to attend the ceremony.

He needed to ensure their names were inscribed on the family's ancestral tablet, to confirm the well-being of his father, mother, and sister.

He also had to reclaim his rightful place as heir, not leaving it to the whims of Lee Longfei.

Since his father had left to seek a cure for his inability to cultivate and never returned, the family had been left in the hands of a few elders. But the Great Elder, Lee Longfei, had usurped control, banishing him from the Patriarch's residence to a life among the animals, his status no better than that of a beggar or a prostitute.

He vowed to reclaim what was rightfully his.

"Husband, perhaps we shouldn't return," Wang Ling'er suggested, aware of the indignities he had suffered at the hands of his own family.

Lee Qi shook his head resolutely. "I must go back, and I will do so with my head held high."

"My love, I'm concerned..."

"There's no need for worry. Lee Longfei and his ilk can't harm me. Please leave now and ensure no one disturbs me. I need to enter seclusion for a couple of days," Lee Qi assured her.

Truth be told, Lee Longfei's level of cultivation surpassed his, and Lee Qi wasn't certain of victory, hence the need for seclusion. He simply didn't want to burden Ling'er with his concerns.

Wang Ling'er nodded in understanding. "Rest assured, I'll make sure you're not disturbed."

She stepped out of the room, taking up a vigilant stance by the door, her formidable posture as if bracing for battle.

Lee Qi's thoughts plunged into the depths of his consciousness. His Divine Sense reached out to the Wordless Celestial Stele, seeking enlightenment. The stele seemed an insurmountable peak, shrouded in mystery, threatening to engulf his Divine Sense. Startled, he quickly retreated from the stele.

"I owe my rebirth to the Speechless Celestial Stele! No matter, if I can't grasp its secrets now, there will be time later."

Memories flooded back of his fierce battles within the Sacred Realm's corner, where he fought relentlessly for seven days and nights, leaving a river of blood in his wake, his foes vanquished by his hand. Only Immortal Emperor Ling Kong survived, managing to land a deadly blow on him in the end.

Little did Immortal Emperor Ling Kong know that the Speechless Celestial Stele would send Lee Qi back to his youth.

"Immortal Emperor Ling Kong, your reckoning will come. I shall ascend to the highest heavens and erase you from existence!"

Lee Qi's gaze turned icy, his face etched with resolute killing intent.

Eventually, he regained his composure and his eyes fell upon the scepter.

Crafted at the pinnacle of his reign in the Immortal Realm, the scepter bore enigmatic runes, profound and incomprehensible, enough to drive a mere glance to madness.

"Thunder Dragon! Emerge!"

Within the scepter lay the formidable Thunder Dragon, the epitome of strength and rigidity from his past life. He had battled and slain the supreme Thunder Dragon of the Demon Race, entombing it within the scepter.

Strictly speaking, the Thunder Dragon was now merely a dragon soul.

Renowned as the mightiest of the Dragon Clan across the myriad realms, the Thunder Dragon could summon thunderous lightning to strike down foes, its immense Thunder Lightning Power capable of reducing all to dust. Now, only a solitary Dragon Soul remained. Though it lacked the prowess to sweep across the cosmos, its formidable strength persisted, able to summon lightning with a mere roar.

"Roar!"

A verdant dragon shadow emerged, its roar reverberating through the ages.

"Behave, or you'll suffer the torments of purgatory!" Lee Qi stated coolly.

The dragon shadow quivered with fear at his command.

Initially, it had resisted following Lee Qi, only relenting after enduring purgatorial agony for three days and nights, pleading for mercy on bended knee.

The thought of reentering the Scepter Purgatory filled it with unspeakable dread.

Lee Qi's scepter was no ordinary tool; it was designed to quell the defiant. It had a perfect record of enforcing obedience.

With it, the rebellious would capitulate within three days.

Even the Immortal Emperors of the Immortal Realm fell silent at the sight of the scepter.

Its presence commanded submission!

Now, Lee Qi was set on awakening his Martial Soul, for which he required the Thunder Dragon's essence.

Among countless Cultivators, only a rare few could awaken a Martial Soul. Despite his exceptional talent in a former life, Lee Qi had not achieved this feat.

Awakening a Martial Soul necessitated reaching the Qi Gathering Stage beforehand; otherwise, it was an impossibility.

Yet his sister, at her tender age, had awakened her Martial Soul—the Ice Wind Martial Soul—making it no surprise that she had been taken.

"Little sister, I hope you're safe!"

Lee Qi composed himself and began the process of awakening his Martial Soul.

Truthfully, he wasn't awakening a Martial Soul in the traditional sense; he was integrating the Thunder Dragon to serve as his Martial Soul.

Having lacked a Martial Soul in his past life, he considered it a regret. Through extensive research, he found that one could awaken a Martial Soul using a Beast Soul. Still, this had to be done before advancing beyond the Qi Gathering Stage to be successful.

"Thunder Dragon, heed my call! Become my Martial Soul, and together we'll soar to new heights!"

Lee Qi executed a series of intricate hand signs and traced enigmatic runes upon his skin, initiating the true fusion with the Thunder Dragon's soul.

Despite the excruciating pain, Lee Qi remained silent, methodically continuing his hand signs, intermittently etching runes that caused his body to shimmer with a soft luminescence.

Dragon Power gathered with each hand sign and rune, weaving into a white thread that seemed beckoned by the Thunder Dragon itself, and wove its way into his being.

The Dragon Power tirelessly reformed his physique, hammering at his organs, meridians, and flesh, fortifying his body and aligning it more closely with the Thunder Dragon's soul. Concurrently, the Dragon Power carved out Essence Pools—one in his dantian and another in his Shanzhong—each capable of holding an abundance of Profound Qi.

Time lost meaning as Lee Qi sealed the final hand sign and inscribed the last rune. His body radiated a brilliant glow, casting a dazzling light in all directions.

"Roar!"

The colossal dragon shadow at his back bellowed, as if ready to consume all creation. Its eyes snapped open, releasing beams of intense light that cleaved through the heavens, reaching the highest of skies.

Triumph!

Lee Qi was overwhelmed with elation.

The fusion with the Thunder Dragon's soul was complete, awakening the Martial Soul within him—the indomitable and pure soul of the Thunder Dragon.

Simultaneously, his cultivation level surged forward.

Qi Gathering Stage Level One!

Qi Gathering Stage Level Two!

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