A Soul Master More Talented Than Qian Renxue?
"Is this a test?" Qian Renxue pointed coldly at the unconscious knight on the ground.
How could a Super Douluo possibly need a Soul Ancestor a protector? That's utterly ridiculous!
Therefore, the only explanation is that this Soul Ancestor was prepared for her.
Bibi Dong did not answer her question, but instead continued to comment on her own.
"You're passable in actual combat, but your Soul Power... has become somewhat sluggish."
Qian Renxue possesses a rare Innate Level 20 Soul Power, so there are almost no bottlenecks in her Soul Power cultivation.
In theory, on the day she awakened her Martial Soul, she could have acquired two Soul Rings at top speed and directly advanced to the rank of Soul Grandmaster.
However, the actual situation is more complicated.
Although Qian Renxue's Soul Power met the standard, her physique did not. Therefore, after absorbing the first Soul Ring, she spent some time improving her physical fitness until her body was strong enough to withstand the impact of the second Soul Ring.
The Soul Master cultivation system, for Martial Soul, is a process of continuous evolution and accumulation of Soul Skills; for Soul Master, it is a process of continuous improvement in physique and Mental Power.
Both of these processes are inseparable from the qualitative change in Soul Power.
However, qualitative change takes time and usually cannot be achieved overnight.
Qian Renxue's level 20 Soul Power was initially only equivalent to the Soul Scholar level. It wasn't until she was 7 years old that her overall qualities met the requirements for absorbing a second Soul Ring.
Then, at the age of nine, she finally became Three-Ring Soul Elder.
This speed isn't actually slow, but it depends on who you're comparing it to.
Bibi Dong was initially satisfied with her cultivation speed, but she had just learned that Zhou You had become Soul Grandmaster at the age of 6, and that his Second Soul Ring was a 1200-year-old limited-time Soul Ring.
This not only broke the record for the youngest Soul Grandmaster, but also created Thousand-Year Second Soul Ring.
It should be noted that Zhou You only Innate Level 10 Soul Power, and in terms of Talent, he is far inferior to Qian Renxue. However, in terms of Soul Power cultivation, he has shown a tendency to surpass her.
With this comparison, Qian Renxue's 9-year-old... no, she should be 10-year-old Soul Elder is somewhat lacking.
Upon hearing her assessment, Qian Renxue nearly laughed in anger. She gritted her teeth and said, "Your His Holiness the Pope, you seem to have forgotten that I am currently on a mission and, to avoid arousing suspicion, I cannot exert my full strength during cultivation!"
She was sent here at the age of nine, disguised as Xue Qinghe, and has only been on the undercover mission for less than a year. How can her training environment compare to that of the focused young Soul Masters in the academy?
Moreover, the person she was impersonating was the eldest prince of the empire, whose every move attracted attention. The Heaven Dou royal family's Martial Soul was the [Swan], and the Heaven and Earth Vital Energy required for cultivation did not match that of Six-Winged Angel.
Qian Renxue had to cultivate in an environment unsuitable for her, and to avoid arousing suspicion, she had to pretend to cultivate the Meditation Method inherited by the Heaven Dou Royal Family.
After all, a prince's cultivation would definitely be guided by an instructor. Even though she had Soul Tool to conceal her identity, she still needed to be vigilant at all times.
This means that the time she truly had to dedicate to cultivation had to be squeezed out from between her teeth, and most of the rest of her time had to be spent on another important matter—palace intrigue.
The Heaven Dou Empire does not strictly adhere to the primogeniture system; sons born to Xue Ye's concubines also have the legal right to inherit the throne.
This has led to an extremely competitive atmosphere within the Heaven Dou Royal Family. Xue Qinghe is currently the most outstanding of all the princes, but he must remain outstanding.
Without being able to use her full strength, Qian Renxue couldn't guarantee that she could continue to suppress her "brothers."
You can't just reveal your [Six-Winged Angel] Martial Soul and then tell Xue Ye, "Father, please abdicate," can you?
Xue Ye wasn't stupid; after all, he was a king, and his suspicious nature was ingrained in his bones. If Qian Renxue acted too out of line, it would easily arouse suspicion.
So she is very frustrated now. She has great strength, but she can only hide it and is forced to use some underhanded tricks. All of this is to realize Bibi Dong's plan.
A plan to usurp the Heaven Dou Empire, a substitution of one person for another.
But what Qian Renxue truly wanted was her mother's approval.
Bibi Dong was her mother, but she never gave her maternal love, which she thought was because she hadn't done enough or been good enough.
She had always tried very hard for this, even though she didn't like doing it, but she still came in order to please her mother.
First, she killed Xue Qinghe and took his place. Later, in order to eliminate her rival, she secretly poisoned another prince.
Despite all she did, she still failed to gain Bibi Dong's approval in the end.
Qian Renxue wasn't good at openly expressing her feelings. If others treated her coldly, she could only respond coldly in return, even though she didn't want to be like this...
Qian Renxue raised her head and looked into Bibi Dong's eyes. There was indifference, disgust, and wariness in them, but the only thing missing was love for the child.
She suddenly felt confused; was she really the child of the woman in front of her?
She felt more like a subordinate than a daughter, or... she just saw me as a tool?
Are you making excuses for your laziness?
No.
Don't be complacent about your current achievements.
'That's not what I want to hear.'
Even within the Spirit Hall, your Talent isn't the most outstanding.
'So annoying!'
A sense of irritation rose in Qian Renxue's heart. She had her own information channels in the Spirit Hall and naturally knew that Bibi Dong had long taken a liking to a girl and planned to groom her as her successor.
But I am clearly your daughter!
"Are you referring to Hu Liena?" Qian Renxue's tone was cold and hard, with a slight sneer on her lips, almost identical to Bibi Dong's.
"Excuse my bluntness, but I could crush someone like that with a flick of my wrist!"
Unexpectedly, Bibi Dong was not angry; instead, she nodded.
"Xiao Na is indeed a bit lacking." There's no way around it, that's the truth. In terms of Talent, Hu Liena is far inferior to Qian Renxue.
But Bibi Dong had never admitted this before, so when she suddenly said it like this, Qian Renxue was also taken aback.
She even had the illusion that Bibi Dong was finally willing to acknowledge her?
The thought filled her with joy, but before she could savor it, Bibi Dong's next words plunged her back into despair.
"He's a young Soul Master who just enrolled."
Bibi Dong smiled slightly, a smile that softened the usual sharp and imposing aura surrounding her. Her fair and jade-like face suddenly became gentle, revealing a tenderness she had never shown before.
But such a magnificent sight was fleeting, like a flash in the pan.
Even so, Qian Renxue couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.
She knew that Bibi Dong would never give her such a smile.
But the girl's rebellious spirit wouldn't allow her to admit it, so she turned her anger towards the person Bibi Dong was talking about.
"I don't believe it!" Her voice trembled slightly. "Who is that person?"
Bibi Dong said calmly, "That child's name is Zhou You. He is six years old and currently a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster. His Second Soul Ring is at the Thousand-Year Rank."
Zhou You, 6 years old, Soul Grandmaster, with the Thousand-Year Second Soul Ring!
Even though Qian Renxue was somewhat absent-minded at the moment, she was still taken aback by this short introduction.
She immediately blurted out, "That's impossible!"