Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Charcoal Servant, Crimson Lotus Azure Flame!

Lin Xia tenderly rubbed the still-warm helmet of Tan Xiaoshi with her fingertips, but a strong sense of envy welled up in her heart.

Tang San...

The name flashed through Lin Xia's mind instantly, carrying a bittersweet feeling.

Only now did Lin Xia truly realize just how heaven-defying Tang San's Xuan Tian Gong was!

That's a complete dimensional reduction attack on the cultivation system of this world!

A cultivation method that requires no sleep, doesn't cause mental fatigue, and can even increase the speed of soul power cultivation—this is the ultimate cheat code!

Lin Xia wearily pinched her brow, her thoughts racing.

All night long, Tan Xiaoshi and I tried our best to sense and absorb the thin spiritual energy of heaven and earth, with our minds highly focused and not daring to relax in the slightest. And what was the result?

There were gains, and my soul power did increase somewhat, but the mental deficit felt like a huge mountain on my back.

Lin Xia couldn't help but do the math in her head.

Tang San cultivated all night, and not only did his soul power increase faster than mine, but more importantly, he was full of energy and vitality. The next day, he was still able to do other things with great energy, whether it was training his body, researching hidden weapons, or socializing with others, he had plenty of time.

And what about ordinary Soul Masters like myself?

After practicing for just one night, it takes half a day or even longer to recover your energy!

For no apparent reason, he gained several more hours of effective time per day than others!

Over time, over a year, two years, ten years... how terrifyingly wide will this gap become?

That's incredibly sinister!

Lin Xia felt a chill creep down her spine the more she thought about it.

This is no longer a simple difference in talent; it's an absolute crushing of the rule-follower by the cheater.

This stark contrast, like a cold carving knife, clearly etched a cruel and despairing reality before Lin Xia's eyes.

In this world where Soul Masters are revered, the gap in resources determines the fate of the vast majority of people.

There were no top-tier cultivation techniques to alleviate mental exhaustion, no rare and precious herbs to nourish the body and accelerate the accumulation of soul power, and no powerful mentors to guide them and save time in trial and error.

Those Soul Masters from ordinary or even impoverished backgrounds who want to climb the social ladder need to pay ten or even a hundred times more blood, sweat, and hardship than those from wealthy and powerful families!

Their potential is largely capped from the moment they awaken their martial soul.

A vivid example instantly popped into Lin Xia's mind.

Yu Xiaogang!

How much innate soul power did that "theoretically invincible" master possess?

Half-level innate talent!

According to the common sense of Douluo Continent, such talent almost completely cuts off the path of a Soul Master!

How could someone with a weak martial spirit and innate soul power so low as to be worthless possibly cultivate to level twenty-nine?

talent?

Obviously not.

effort?

Lin Xia believed that Yu Xiaogang must have put in a lot of effort.

But is hard work enough?

Do not!

Lin Xia had given herself an answer with perfect clarity.

The only explanation for Yu Xiaogang's success is that he was incredibly lucky!

Behind him stood the behemoth, the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex Clan!

Even though he was considered a disgrace by his family and expelled from the sect, he would still enjoy the resources provided by a top-tier sect during the most crucial early stages of his development.

Not to mention later when they encountered Bibi Dong and Liu Erlong.

These are the fundamental reasons why he was able to grind his way up from a level 1.5 soul power user to level 29!

Therefore, for a true commoner to possess that kind of talent, let alone reaching level 29, breaking through to level 10 Soul Master would be considered a miracle!

He will probably spend his entire life struggling at the threshold of becoming a Soul Master, and even obtaining his first Soul Ring will be extremely difficult.

Tan Xiaoshi seemed to sense the complex emotions surging in its master's heart. It gently rubbed its still-warm head against Lin Xia's wrist and made a soothing "woof" sound.

Lin Xia looked down into the little guy's pure, fiery eyes and took a deep breath.

"Envy others is useless."

"I have Charcoal Servant, which is the biggest variable in itself. Moreover, Blazing Academy has at least given me a relatively fair starting point and much-needed resources."

After comforting herself, Lin Xia got up and washed up, which helped her regain some energy.

Lin Tian and Liu Mei didn't go to work today, but took the day off to stay home. They were obviously waiting for Chi Ye Kui to arrive, wanting to see their son step into the world of Soul Masters with their own eyes. Their hearts were filled with both anticipation and deep reluctance.

After seeing Lin Xia get up, Liu Mei quickly said:

"Xia, come and have some breakfast! Then tidy yourself up, because you need to study hard at Blazing Academy, listen to your teachers, and try not to get into arguments with your classmates..."

Liu Mei paused, her eyes filled with worry, and her voice lowered.

"Your parents aren't capable, they're not Soul Masters, so they can't help you much. Be careful out there..."

Lin Tian kept his head down and didn't say anything, clearly resenting that he couldn't offer Lin Xia any help.

Lin Xia fell silent after hearing this.

He understood that his parents were not Soul Masters, and their vision and abilities were limited to those of ordinary people. They worried that their child would suffer losses and injustices in the unprotected world of Soul Masters. This was the simplest yet most heart-wrenching expression of love.

This worry is normal, and Lin Xia harbors no resentment towards her parents.

But a scorching heat was trapped in his chest. It wasn't anger directed at his parents, but rather a strong sense of dissatisfaction with his current situation and an extreme desire for power!

"If I hadn't awakened my soul power, I might have been content to live out my life as an ordinary person in Blazing City."

Looking at the wrinkles on her parents' faces, a mixture of pride and worry, Lin Xia unconsciously dug her nails into her palms.

"But now I have the means! So I must become stronger! Stronger than ever! Strong enough to protect this hard-won warmth, strong enough so that my parents no longer have to worry about being powerless! Strong enough to break down certain unseen barriers!"

The family finished breakfast in silence, the atmosphere warm yet heavy with the weight of parting. Liu Mei carefully straightened Lin Xia's already neat collar, while Lin Tian patted his son's shoulder, his unspoken support conveying a thousand words.

Just as this delicate atmosphere was lingering, a clear and gentle female voice, now carrying an undeniable presence, drifted from outside:

"Is Xia Xia home? Auntie's here to pick you up for school!"

Lin Xia was slightly taken aback; it happened much earlier than he had expected.

It seems that his innate level seven soul power, combined with the special nature of Tan Xiaoshi, makes him more important in the eyes of the vice dean of Blazing Fire Academy than he had imagined.

As the door opened, the morning sunlight streamed in, and standing outside were not only the Vice Dean, Blazing Leaf Kui.

Beside her, on either side, stood two children with extraordinary bearing. They looked a few years older than Lin Xia, around eight or nine years old, and were at a crucial stage in their cultivation as Soul Masters.