All rights reserved to the respective authors.
"Dialogue": Represented in double quotes for conversations between characters.
'Thoughts': Represented in single quotation marks, indicating the characters' internal reflections.
[Diary]: Represented in square brackets, used for messages intended for the heroines or entries written by Tenshin.
-------------------------------
After finishing his diary, Tenshin let out a satisfied sigh and lay down to rest, quickly drifting into sleep. The day had been filled with revelations and tension—enough to leave anyone exhausted.
The heroines, however, were anything but relaxed. Eyes locked on the glowing pages of their respective diary copies, they anxiously scanned each word.
[The heroine mentioned most today was Bibi Dong. Reward: 2x Fragments.]
Although curiosity flared among the girls, none reacted strongly to Bibi Dong's reward. A few days ago, such a notification would have caused an uproar—even Bibi Dong herself might've shown some excitement. But now, all eyes were on something far greater: the livestream rewards.
As if on cue, fresh lines of golden text shimmered into view across the diaries.
[The reward for the most mentioned heroine today has been distributed. Next: the livestream reward!]
[Today, Satoru Tenshin held two livestreams. Since this is the first live broadcast, all protagonists who watched both in their entirety will receive a special random reward.]
[Note: Regardless of the number of broadcasts held per day, participants can only receive one reward daily—and only if the entire broadcast is watched.]
Some of the girls pouted, clearly disappointed. They had hoped more livestreams might mean more opportunities to gain rewards. Still, a guaranteed daily prize was nothing to scoff at.
Zhu Family
Zhu Zhuqing blinked in disbelief as she stared at the reward displayed on her diary.
[Ding! Congratulations to Zhu Zhuqing for receiving the Movement Technique: Shadow Glide Step.]
[This technique allows the user to momentarily merge with their shadow to perform high-speed, silent movement. Each step leaves behind a faint afterimage, capable of misleading enemies. Ideal for stealth, evasion, and assassination.]
Her heart pounded.
Until now, her future had felt like a maze with no exit.
She was nearing the awakening of her Martial Soul. As per tradition, she had already been promised as a bride to Dai Mubai, third prince of the Star Luo Empire—despite never having met him.
It was the way things had always been.
For generations, the Zhu family had been shackled to the royal lineage. Each prince was paired with a Zhu daughter, and the victorious couple would ascend the throne. The losers? Crippled, exiled, or executed.
The Zhu family had no voice in the matter.
Their Underworld Cat Martial Soul made them the perfect complement to the royal family's Evil Eye White Tiger. Its fusion potential was too valuable, too strategic to ignore.
Zhu Zhuqing had long understood this reality. Even at her young age, she knew what was expected of her. Her older sister, Zhu Zhuyun, was already betrothed to the first prince, Dai Weisi. Inevitably, the two sisters would be pitted against each other.
And that truth tore her apart.
Zhuyun had always been kind to her. How could she ever raise her claws against her sister?
She had resolved to run away—to grow stronger, to forge her own path. But then, her fiancé ran first, with fear of his older brother, abandoning her and leaving her to bear the weight of tradition alone. Her original plan had been to escape in a few years. But with this new technique in hand, she could move up her timetable. The power of the diary had already given her weekly boosts to her Soul Power and other small gifts. More importantly, it had given her insight—deep, layered knowledge when the entries discussed the past and future Tenshin knew, though they were always vague when it came to him personally or his research.
But now, with the potential of these random rewards… everything could change.
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect
Elsewhere, Ning Rongrong was still wide awake, unable to tear her eyes away from the diary. She knew that staying up late was bad for her skin, but tonight's prize was far more important.
[Ding! Congratulations to Ning Rongrong for receiving a Dagger User Experience Card.]
[Effect: Grants inherited memories, skills, and practical knowledge related to dagger use.
—While it does not bestow a specific combat style, it provides enough experience to develop a personalized technique.
Note: The effectiveness of the technique depends on the user's understanding and application.]
"…Dagger?" Ning Rongrong muttered, confused. Her Martial Soul was supposed to be the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—a renowned support-type Martial Soul. What use did she have for daggers?
Her initial reaction was a mix of shock and mild disappointment, but she didn't dwell on it. The diary never gave useless rewards—at least, not without purpose.
(System: Alright, alright! It's not because I had no idea what to give you! It's not because anything else might've drawn unwanted attention—nope! Not at all!)
Despite her confusion, she could see how incredibly valuable the card would be for any soul master specializing in bladed combat. If she weren't only five years old, she might have marched off to find Tenshin herself. Her curiosity about him was growing by the day.
Besides, she now enjoyed consistent increases in Soul Power every seven days. At this rate, she might even awaken her Martial Soul with full innate Soul Power.
She grinned mischievously, imagining the shocked faces of her father, Sword Grandpa, and Bone Grandpa. They'd be speechless!
Cackling with excitement, she curled into bed. In just a few months, her Martial Soul awakening awaited. She couldn't wait.
Heaven Dou Empire – Crown Prince Palace
In a palace room far removed from childish dreams and innocent ambitions, Qian Renxue—currently disguised as Xue Qinghe—sat reading the diary, her expression calm yet intrigued.
She wasn't particularly interested in the small power boosts it offered. Born with innate level 20 Soul Power and the revered Seraphim Martial Soul, she progressed far beyond most prodigies. Even with her royal duties occupying much of her time, she had already reached the Soul King realm.
Her grandfather often said she was destined to inherit the position of Angel God.
She didn't need the diary.
But she read it faithfully.
Not for herself, but in hopes that Tenshin might mention Bibi Dong.
Her grandfather had always avoided talking about her—about their past. No matter how much she asked, he remained silent.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the diary flashing with a new message.
[Ding! Congratulations to Qian Renxue for obtaining the Karma Eyes technique.]
[Effect: Grants the ability to perceive a target's karma—both positive and negative—and discern truth from falsehood.
—At higher mastery, can be fused with personal techniques to execute karmic "judgment" upon the target.
Note: Energy consumption increases based on the power gap between user and target.]
She narrowed her eyes, the corner of her mouth twitching.
The skill was eerily well-matched to her role and her lineage. As the Seraphim's inheritor and Angel God's successor, Karma Eyes felt like it had been designed for her.
'Was this really random?' she wondered.
But then, with a soft breath, she shook her head and let the thought fade.
Blue Tyrant Academy
Liu Erlong sat on the edge of her bed, her gaze fixed on the glowing lines in her diary copy.
[Ding! Congratulations to Liu Erlong for receiving the innate ability: Dragonification.]
[Effect: Allows partial dragonification of the body.]
For a long moment, she simply stared, unsure how to react. Her thoughts churned with conflicting emotions.
She recognized the source of the ability immediately—it originated from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, the very power her father wielded. Though her own martial soul was a mutated version of it, she had never inherited this innate talent.
But that wasn't what unsettled her.
What truly gave her pause was the connection to her clan—one she had done everything in her power to avoid. Her father had abandoned her and her mother long ago. And while he had done much in recent years to make amends—especially by quietly supporting the academy—she had never truly forgiven him.
She might be impulsive, hot-headed even, but she wasn't a fool. She knew full well that the academy only operated as smoothly as it did because of his efforts behind the scenes.
Sighing, she closed the diary and leaned back.
'It's just a skill,' she thought, trying to push the emotions away. 'It doesn't mean I owe him anything. It's mine now.'
Moon Pavilion
In the gentle glow of her private quarters, Tang Yuehua sat poised, her fingers lightly gripping the edges of her diary. Her heart fluttered with anticipation.
Over the past month, she had diligently followed Tenshin's entries, reaping small weekly boosts to her soul power. At present, she had reached approximately 6.9% of the soul power required for Level 10—a miracle for someone whose martial soul was fundamentally flawed.
Still, she knew that relying solely on these passive boosts—even the yearly "super boost"—would take her years to achieve anything meaningful. What she needed was a breakthrough.
And then, the page lit up.
[Ding! Congratulations to Tang Yuehua for receiving the book: Encyclopedia of Martial Souls.]
[Effect: Contains vast knowledge on martial souls—including their characteristics, evolutions, advantages, mutations, and defects—drawn from past, present, and future records.]
Tears welled in her eyes the moment she read the words.
A lifeline. A path forward.
After all these years of frustration and quiet resignation, she finally had a way to address the issue that had haunted her since awakening her martial soul.
Her hands trembled as she clutched the diary to her chest.
'Even if he spoke poorly of my family… this time, I can forgive him.'
Because regardless of her personal feelings, the truth remained: without Tenshin, the diary wouldn't exist. And without the diary, this second chance would've never come.
Spirit Hall
In the stillness of her private chambers, Bibi Dong sat with Hu Liena beside her, the atmosphere thick with expectation. Both women watched their diary copies intently, waiting for the reward announcement from the livestream.
[Ding! Congratulations to Bibi Dong for receiving the Ice Heart technique.]
[Effect: Grants resistance to external mental manipulation and increases emotional control.
— Cultivating this technique also provides a slight increase in spiritual (mental) power.]
Bibi Dong's eyes narrowed. The moment she began reading the chant, a cool, stabilizing calm spread through her mind—a sharp contrast to the chaotic whispers that had plagued her since undertaking the Rakshasa God's inheritance trials.
At first, she had resisted those creeping influences. But over time, they had slowly worn her down, eroding her clarity without her even noticing.
But now?
With just the initial incantation, she could already sense how clouded her thoughts had been. The relief was immediate, profound.
'This reward… it's almost too good to be true,' she thought, suspicion flickering in her mind.
Still, she turned her gaze to Hu Liena, her beloved disciple. The younger woman met her eyes and gasped softly.
"Teacher, did you receive some kind of reward? Your aura feels… calmer."
A rare smile touched Bibi Dong's lips, her usual coldness softened by tranquility. "I received something that helped clear up some… lingering issues," she said mildly, choosing not to elaborate.
Hu Liena blinked, clearly curious, but respectful enough not to press.
Changing the subject, Bibi Dong's expression grew more inquisitive. "And you, Nana? What reward did you receive tonight?"
Snapped from her wonder, Hu Liena's eyes lit up as she turned to her own diary.
[Ding! Congratulations to Hu Liena for receiving the domain: Illusory Space.]
[Effect: A charm-based domain that distorts enemy perception and suppresses combat effectiveness.
— Enemies' senses are dulled by 50%.
— All attributes reduced by 10%.
— Charm skill effectiveness greatly increased.]
"Teacher! I… I received a domain!"
"What?!" Bibi Dong shot to her feet, startled.
Domains were exceedingly rare. Most soul masters awakened one—if at all—only upon reaching Rank 70, and even then, only under extraordinary circumstances. For Hu Liena to receive one so early was almost unheard of.
"I can distort perception, suppress enemy attributes, and boost my charm skills all at once," Hu Liena said, eyes sparkling.
Bibi Dong stared at her for a long moment, then let out a quiet breath.
"…Incredible."
A deep sense of satisfaction warmed her chest. Without another word, she dismissed Hu Liena to rest, the girl practically skipping away in excitement.
As for Bibi Dong, she made her way to bed herself—feeling lighter than she had in years. The Rakshasa God's oppressive shadow no longer felt suffocating.
That night, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, she slept peacefully.
Hu Liena, on the other hand, found sleep elusive—her mind ablaze with joy and ambition.
Next Day
The following day, just as in the original story, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang departed to find Tang San's first soul ring. Meanwhile, Tenshin and the other students remained on campus, attending the Nuoding Academy's official opening ceremony.
The Dean and Principal delivered a long-winded speech that dragged on for hours—an experience that made Tenshin want to cry. 'I crossed worlds for this? And I still have to endure boring academic speeches?' he lamented inwardly, slumped in his seat.
Once the ceremony concluded and schedules were handed out, Tenshin made his way straight to the academy library. He spent the majority of the morning combing through everything he could find on martial souls and soul beasts. After several hours of focused reading, he wandered between the shelves, hoping something else might spark his interest. But despite browsing aimlessly for a while, nothing stood out.
Eventually, he decided to turn to a more valuable resource: the system reward he'd received the night before—"Soul Tools - Volume 0." As a book-type system reward, it wasn't stored in a typical inventory slot but rather within the system's internal "library," a space where anything scanned using the "Scan" function was also archived for future access.
Even with his enhanced spiritual power, Tenshin found the book to be an immense undertaking. By lunchtime, he hadn't even made it through one-tenth of its contents. Still, he wasn't surprised. The book was, after all, the most comprehensive and foundational text on Soul Engineering—an essential treasure trove for any aspiring Soul Engineer.
The index alone was overwhelming. It covered everything from base materials and matrix symbols to the design of Soul Tool components: outer shell, inner shell, and core. It outlined the various types of Soul Tools and even included introductory blueprints—basic matrices that acted as a kind of "Hello World" equivalent for this world's soul tool technology.
What truly piqued Tenshin's curiosity, though, was the book's confirmation of a theory he'd held for some time. It suggested that it might be theoretically possible to construct formations using matrix symbols—the very symbols employed in Soul Tool creation. That implication alone was groundbreaking. However, Tenshin exercised restraint. He resolved to read the entire book thoroughly and experiment with smaller projects first before diving into something so advanced.
Later that night, with Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, and likely Tang Hao all away, Tenshin took the opportunity to carry out a covert side mission: sneaking into Yu Xiaogang's room.
His motivation was straightforward. While he had no illusions about Yu Xiaogang's theories—most were either outdated, flawed, or simply common sense—he was sure the man possessed valuable documents and notes copied during his time at Spirit Hall. Tenshin wasn't about to miss a chance like this.
Waiting until the rest of the dormitory was fast asleep, he slipped silently out of the window next to his bed. Using his soul power for stability, he scaled the academy's outer wall, navigating quietly until he reached his target.
There was another reason he chose to act that night. If events played out as they had in the original timeline, Yu Xiaogang would've just gifted Tang San the Twenty-Four Moonlight Bridges, and likely no longer had access to a secondary storage tool. That meant all his important documents—notes, theories, and manuscripts—were probably still in his room.
For Tenshin, this was the perfect window of opportunity.
By the end of this mini-adventure, Tenshin had drained every last point of his LP with the Scan function, bringing it all the way down to zero. Still, he didn't feel any real regret. The sacrifice was worth it—he'd just acquired a wealth of high-level knowledge from the Douluo Continent, the kind of information even top-tier sects would kill to protect.
Now, there were only a few items left on his personal wish list for the Scan function. Chief among them was finding an opportunity to use it on Tang San. If successful, he could acquire two of the most pivotal abilities in Tang San's arsenal: the Mysterious Heaven Skill and the Purple Demon Eye. The latter, in particular, was an unparalleled asset. It wasn't just a powerful technique—it was the only spiritual power cultivation method widely known in the current canon, with the sole exceptions being Huo Yuhao's Pressure Training Method and his path of Law Comprehension, which wouldn't appear until much later in the timeline.
Tenshin knew how rare and invaluable those kinds of mental cultivation techniques were in this world. Securing even one of them would elevate his potential by leaps and bounds.