Feng Yun opened his eyes, gazing at the unfamiliar wilderness before him with a complex expression.

Once the most elite special forces operative in China, Feng Yun had been on a top-secret mission when he stumbled upon an ancient underground world. There, atop an archaic altar, he discovered a black stone engraved with mysterious divine runes. But the moment he grasped it, an inexplicable force tore his soul away, transporting him to this strange new world—where it merged with the lingering spirit of a recently deceased youth who shared his name.

This was a world where martial arts flourished. Warriors cultivated their strength, awakening Martial Souls that took countless forms—beasts, weapons, plants, celestial bodies, oceans, rivers, the sky, thunder, flames—each with unique and wondrous abilities.

Martial Souls were ranked by potential. Some possessed immense power, evolving into even mightier forms as their wielders grew stronger—these were the high-grade Martial Souls. Others were mediocre, with limited growth, while the weakest, nearly useless ones were scorned as "trash-grade."

For Feng Yun, an orphan from his past life who had lived solely for martial arts, rebirth in this world where combat arts had reached their zenith was nothing short of exhilarating.

Yet his excitement was short-lived. The body he now inhabited had awakened a Martial Soul infamous for its crippling flaw—the Serene Mind Tree. True to its name, it granted its wielder unparalleled focus, a boon for any martial artist. But this gift came at a horrifying cost: it devoured the user’s life force and spiritual energy, not only halting progress but eroding existing strength until the wielder was left a feeble shell of their former self. Hence, it was also called the Soul-Devouring Tree—though the only soul it consumed was its own master’s.

"Eats away at my own vitality and reverses my cultivation? This isn’t a Martial Soul—it’s poison!" Feng Yun nearly spat blood in frustration.

But the memories of this body’s past stirred his sympathy.

The original "Feng Yun" had been a direct descendant of the Feng Clan, one of the three great families of Dragoncleave City in the Eastern Sage Kingdom. Noble by birth, his life had been marred by tragedy. His father, Feng Changkong, had once been a peerless genius—until a catastrophic event left him broken in body and spirit, drowning his sorrows in alcohol. His mother had vanished without a trace. From childhood, Feng Yun had vowed to uncover the truth and restore his father’s former glory.

By age six, he had begun body tempering. By ten, he had broken through four major cultivation stages, hailed as a prodigy who rivaled his father’s legendary youth. But fate was cruel. The awakening of the Serene Mind Tree shattered his future. His cultivation regressed, his brilliance faded, and the title of "genius" was replaced with "trash." The clan’s hope became its shame.

Yet despite the mockery and despair, the original Feng Yun never gave up. He trained harder than ever, clinging to the belief that he was no failure—that his Martial Soul was merely dormant. Even as his strength waned, his resolve never faltered.

Feng Yun couldn’t help but respect such indomitable spirit. To endure ruin without losing faith was the mark of a true warrior—a dormant dragon awaiting its rise.

But tragedy struck again. During a trial in the Dark Forest, Feng Yun accidentally uncovered a secret alliance between the Feng Clan’s Grand Elder faction and the rival Wang Family. For this, his heart meridian was shattered, his corpse discarded in the wilds.

"From this moment onward, I am you, and you are me. I shall fulfill your wishes, uphold your convictions, avenge your grievances, and reclaim every ounce of dignity stolen from you. Together, we shall pursue the pinnacle of martial arts in this world."

Feng Yun murmured these words to himself as he rose to his full height. The gloom that had clouded his expression vanished, replaced by an unshakable resolve unlike anything he had ever known. A domineering confidence radiated from him, sharp and undeniable, as if he were a blade unsheathed—his presence alone enough to awe those around him.

A faint tremor from deep within his soul startled him, but soon, a trace of quiet satisfaction flickered across his face.

At last, his fusion with this body was complete—flawless. Yet, in truth, he was no longer solely himself. The merging of two souls had birthed something new. Though the will of his Earth-born spirit remained dominant, it now carried the emotions, thoughts, and beliefs of the soul that once inhabited this body.

They were inseparable.

**Bzzz—**

A violent tremor erupted in the depths of his mind, nearly knocking him unconscious.

The next instant, Feng Yun sat cross-legged, steadying his breath and focusing his mind. Yet his consciousness seemed pulled by an unseen force, plunging into a misty, indistinct realm. There, floating in the haze, was a small tree—no taller than a man—its leaves a vibrant green, brimming with vitality. The moment he laid eyes on it, Feng Yun knew exactly where he was.

The Martial Soul Space—a hidden domain within the mind where Martial Souls awakened. And this drifting sapling was none other than the Tranquil Mind Tree, infamous for being labeled the "Ultimate Useless Martial Soul." Yet, the tree before him now bore no resemblance to the one in his memories.

The Tranquil Mind Tree he recalled had been lively but stunted, with only four branches and ordinary foliage.

But this one…

Eight branches extended from its trunk, making nine in total with the main stem. From each branch sprouted dozens of slender, winding tendrils, stretching forward until they wove together at the tips, forming palm-sized "blossoms" of bizarre beauty. Stranger still, the tree’s roots were shrouded in a swirling black mist. Through the haze, Feng Yun could just make out a dark stone bobbing at its core.

**"How did it end up here—fused with the Tranquil Mind Tree?"**

Shock and confusion gripped him. This very stone had brought him to this world. And now, this enigmatic black rock had embedded itself into the roots of his Martial Soul.

Suddenly, his soul quivered. Something intangible seeped from within him, flowing toward the centers of the two "blossoms" closest to the roots.

The two flowers blazed with radiant light, exuding an aura so profound and mysterious it seemed as though something new had just been born.

Feng Yun's eyes sparkled with anticipation, his heart brimming with hope. Everything before him seemed to herald a magnificent transformation—perhaps this so-called "useless super martial soul" would soon blind everyone with its brilliance.

As the radiant glow dissipated, two mysterious apparitions materialized. On the left hovered a shadowy golden silhouette, while on the right floated a tiny white sprout with only two fingernail-sized leaves. Both rested at the centers of their respective "flowers," exuding an otherworldly aura.

"Could these be... martial souls?" The thought struck Feng Yun like a thunderbolt, and the moment it did, he knew it was true. His spiritual senses had already formed an inexplicable connection with them.

"Since when does the world have such a 'useless super martial soul'?"

His expression turned peculiar as he focused his mind on the other seven branches of his Spirit Condensation Tree. A wilder idea surfaced, as if some unseen force was guiding his thoughts.

Nine "flowers." If each one could bear a martial soul... What kind of spectacle would that create?

Suddenly, he recalled the skill trees from the games of his past life—how strikingly similar they were to his current Spirit Condensation Tree.

"This shouldn't be called the Spirit Condensation Tree anymore," he murmured to himself. "From now on, you shall be known as the Martial Soul Tree—blossoming with martial souls, bearing the fruits of power."