1 Chapter 1: The God-Slaying Sword
"Shameless, absolutely shameless!"
"Tang San, could you be any more despicable?"
...
Lying in bed, Xu Ran is engrossed in the novel he holds in his hands, savoring every detail of the scenes described within its pages.
Tang San, the protagonist of the world of Douluo Continent, is a figure regarded as heaven's favored child. Yet once again, he has been dramatically upstaged by someone else.
Without hesitation, Xu Ran immediately purchases one million Qidian coins and casually tips the author with a Silver Alliance gift.
"It's a shame. Even after reading more than a hundred fanfics, there's not much I can do. If I could travel to the Douluo Continent and possess extraordinary talents, what significance would the original protagonist even have?"
"Alas, I can only stand by and watch as Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong are bullied by Tang San and his disciples. Moreover, the Douluo Continent is filled with beautiful girls like Ye Lingling, Shui Bing'er, and Xue Wu. All of them seem so lonely."
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host. You have been granted the privilege of traveling to the Douluo Continent. Initiating task system binding... Now in progress.]
[Ding, the host can enhance strength by completing tasks assigned by the system...]
A gentle female voice rings out, and suddenly, Xu Ran's world plunges into darkness. In this obsidian void, he feels his body becoming lighter. Whizzing sounds of breaking through the air echo around him, as though he is currently in the midst of a time-space journey.
Could it be...?
His spirit surges with excitement. Has he actually traveled to the Douluo Continent?
"System, what's going on?" Xu Ran's eyes brighten at the realization that his system's interface is presented through a 'sister' with an incredibly sweet voice.
"Upon analysis, your desires align well with the system's objectives, qualifying you as a suitable host," the system explains.
"So that's how it is," Xu Ran nods, enlightened.
Though what could his purpose be upon reaching the Douluo Continent? To outshine and woo the ladies away from Tang San? It appears that even the system has some grievances against Tang San.
"System, can you speed this up? Does it really take this long to travel between worlds? Are you perhaps not up to the task?" Xu Ran urges impatiently, his eagerness to reach the Douluo Continent growing by the second.
Currently, all Xu Ran sees is an unending black void, leading him to speculate that this might be the black hole scientists often talk about—a gateway leading to the space that houses the Douluo Continent.
"Host, I'm the system, how could I possibly be 'not up to the task'? If anyone's lacking, it's the boys. Boys are always lacking..." In a virtual space that Xu Ran cannot see, the 'System Sister' sits elegantly on a scented bed, dressed in a floral maxi dress. Her beautiful eyes peek through the void to gaze at Xu Ran, her face adorned with a captivating smile.
Xu Ran: "..."
"System Sister, be careful with your words. I'm quite capable, you know. As the host, the chosen one, how could I possibly be weak? That would be an outright defamation of my character."
After all, Xu Ran has grand ambitions. If he were too weak, how would he ever succeed in wooing women in the future?
"Hehe, how would I know? I've never seen you in action," says System Sister, her voice tinged with allure, stirring a daring thought in Xu Ran's mind. If System Sister's voice is this beautiful, then shouldn't she be...
"Hey, I'm just a virtual character; the host should refrain from entertaining inappropriate thoughts," she responds sweetly, sensing his wayward ideas.
"Of course, as a gentleman, I would never indulge in such thoughts," Xu Ran chuckles. Even if System Sister is stunning, she's still a virtual entity, whereas the Douluo Continent is teeming with beautiful, real women waiting to be discovered.
"By the way, System, don't even think about sending me back as a child. If that's the case, I'd rather you just kill me off," Xu Ran suddenly warns. He's read enough fanfictions to know that many who travel to other worlds end up adopting fathers, which he finds utterly lame.
As a traveler between worlds, the last thing he wants is to start his new life by acknowledging someone as his father or mentor, which would make him look utterly unimpressive.
Most importantly, what's the point of arriving as an embryo, developing from a fertilized egg? How would he possibly woo any women then? Play house like children?
"Host, you're really something. But disrupting the timeline could get messy. If you follow the story closely, you might get a chance to outshine Tang San and become the protagonist yourself," the System advises.
"I'm not too worried about that. With you by my side, System Sister, things can't go too poorly. Just make sure I arrive at around 12 or 13 years old, orphaned. And remember, the timeline should be just before Tang San and the others go to Shrek Academy," Xu Ran specifies. The timeline around Shrek Academy is crucial. If he arrives too late and all the young ladies are already enamored with someone else, then what's the point?
[Ding! Assigning identity for host...]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You are now a distant relative of the Zhu family in the Star Luo Empire, recently turned 12 years old and orphaned.]
[Ding! Talent levels for 12-year-old youngsters on the Douluo Continent have been assessed. Your current level is at Level 31.]
"Congratulations, Host. You've received a starter gift package. Would you like to open it?" System Syster continues.
"Open it," Xu Ran commands.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have received a Martial Soul from the system, the 'God-Slaying Sword'.]
[God-Slaying Sword: An unparalleled divine sword left over from ancient times, extremely powerful and adds a 100% damage boost against Gods.]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have received your first century soul skill, 'Bloodslaughter'.]
[Bloodslaughter: Imbued with a powerful aura of slaughter, the user transforms into a god of killing, each slash carrying a horrifyingly potent aura of slaughter.]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have received your 100-year-old second soul skill, 'Star Concealment'.]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have received your 1000-year-old third soul skill, 'Sword Qi Unleashed.']
With the System's notifications, a wave of cryptic information floods into Xu Ran's mind.
"Star Luo Empire, Zhu family, orphaned, God-Slaying Sword," Xu Ran smiles, pleased with this unexpected start. Being a member of the Zhu family in an empire dominated by the Dai and Zhu families is not bad at all.
"And this Martial Soul…" Xu Ran gazes at the longsword that has suddenly materialized in his hand, pausing for a moment. The God-Slaying Sword measures three feet in length, its sheath adorned with cryptic runes he doesn't understand. As he unsheathes the sword, a burst of cold light invigorates him, and all relevant information about the sword channels into his consciousness.
In a vague vision, Xu Ran sees a dark-cloaked figure wielding the God-Slaying Sword. Each swing of the sword results in the fall of several individuals, each possessing ten soul rings and belonging to the god class. Yet, under the blade of the God-Slaying Sword, their lives seem brittle, effortlessly extinguished.
After a while, Xu Ran snaps out of the vision. Gripping the ink-black God-Slaying Sword, he can't help but feel a thrill. His palm on the blade elicits a rumble, as if the sword is acknowledging its master.
Xu Ran sheathes the God-Slaying Sword and clears his thoughts before stepping outside. The God-Slaying Sword is both his Martial Soul and a Divine Tool. Even without releasing his Martial Soul, he can keep it at hand at all times.
Swordsmen and their swords are inseparable, unlike other types of Martial Souls.
[Ding! Mission Released.]
[Please, Host, distinguish yourself in the Zhu family assembly three days from now, and secure a betrothal from the Zhu family head, becoming Zhu Zhuqing's fiancé.]
[Mission Reward: 100 skill points. Note: Skill points can be used to upgrade soul ring years or for a lottery draw.]
