Chapter 2 (1/2)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Caw!”

“Caw caw~”

Right as it turned six in the morning, a loud noise sounded from outside the room.

It was the cry of a Cuckoo Bird, a flying type soul pet.

The Cuckoo Bird outside was Mother Wang’s, an ordinary soul pet that could be raised easily.

As such, they were often used in civilian families.

Meanwhile, Wang Che was mentally exhausted after having attempted to cultivate for an entire night.

However, since there had been no results at all, he could only walk out of the room with dark circles under his eyes.

As he listened to the soul pet’s cry, he unconsciously recalled basic information about it.

Cuckoo Bird: A flying type soul pet. Its entire body is covered in gray feathers. There are long feathers on its head and tail as well. The difference between these is that the long feathers on its head can sense the passing of time, while the ones on the tail can sense changes in airflow, allowing it to predict the weather.

As if on cue, the Cuckoo Bird, which was about 20 to 30 centimeters in length, flew over to Wang Che’s door.

It made a cawing sound, reminding him that it was time to get up and eat.

Then, after seeing Wang Che walk out, the Cuckoo Bird flew into the living room.

“How did it go last night?”

Father Wang was surprised to see Wang Che.

Throughout the winter break, he had never once seen his son wake up this early.

Wang Che would often sleep only after the sun rose, all the way until noon.

“The child is already 18, don’t ask anymore.”

Mother Wang, who was preparing breakfast, turned to Wang Che. “Come and eat quickly. Oh right, Little Che, didn’t you tell me a few days ago that you were going out with your classmate today?”

He nodded back silently.

It seemed that his parents in this life were quite ordinary.

In fact, Wang Che had come from such an ordinary household that he still hadn’t managed to awaken his martial soul, even after signing a life contract with his soul pet.

If it had been any other world, this would have been a tragic sight to behold indeed.

However, it was common for one’s martial soul not to be completely awakened here.

Even now, the power of martial souls remains a mystery to the countless countries that were still focused on researching its properties. In any case, they did not completely understand it yet.

At most, even experts could only summarize certain patterns based on historical records and research results.

Though everyone possesed a martial soul in this world, there were not many who could awaken them.

To some extent, the probability of awakening a martial soul depended on one’s parents and ancestral bloodline.

Even then, it wasn’t guaranteed.

The reason is simple: the life contract.

After receiving a soul beast’s vitality , the dormant martial soul in humans may change due to the increase in innate talent.

Only then can the awakened martial soul separate itself from the human’s bloodline and transform into another martial soul.

This was especially true before the awakening. Although there were still ways to improve one’s innate talent after awakening the martial soul, it would still be a very difficult process.

This was precisely the reason that a Contract Soul Master’s first soul pet was of the utmost importance.

Moreover, even though the first life contract can be withdrawn, doing so would release the soul pet bound to it. All things considered, it would take at least three years before the life contract can be used again.

Otherwise, a human’s soul power wouldn’t have enough strength to enter a second life contract.

In addition, removing the contract could bring about many negative side effects as well.

For instance, it could decrease the natural affinity between soul beasts and the human drastically, which would make signing future life contracts much more difficult.

As such, humans typically didn’t choose to withdraw a life contract after signing it. It simply wouldn’t be a sound decision, seeing as even the weakest and most ordinary soul beast can boost the strength of its human considerably.

Nevertheless, Wang Che was not interested in such things.

“What’s wrong with being 18?” Father Wang tried to argue. “Just 1,000 years ago, 18 was considered reaching adulthood. Yet now, the average lifespan of an ordinary person is about 120 years. 18 is only equivalent to 10 years old now. He’s so young!”

“Do you want a beating?” Mother Wang glared at Father Wang. “I’m talking about the present and you dare lecture about the past?”

Wang Che didn’t say a word, pretending not to hear his parents.

At that moment, the green bug crawled out from Wang Che’s room.

It crawled to his feet and raised its head slightly. After glancing at Wang Che for a second, it instinctively took a few steps back.

“Oh my! Mommy, hurry up. Where’s breakfast?” Father Wang coughed a few times while pointing at the green caterpillar, trying to change the subject.

Mother Wang shot an annoyed look at him before walking to the kitchen again. After a while, she returned with a small bowl of pale white leaves that emitted a milky fragrance.

“Here, here, here are some white birch milk leaves. They’re your favorite.”

Mother Wang walked to the green caterpillar and put down the bowl of leaves. She stroked the head of the green caterpillar dotingly with her fingertips. “It’s so cute! Back when Cuckoo Bird had just hatched, it wasn’t as shiny as it is now, and honestly looked quite ugly.”

“Caw! Caw!” Upon hearing this, the Cuckoo Bird perched on the wooden railing let out a dissatisfied cry.

Father Wang, looking at the ten or so white leaves in the bowl, started to open his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it again.

He watched as the green caterpillar sniffed around curiously before its dull eyes suddenly lit up.