Three Women Make a Play

In the era of Douluo II, Mingdu.

"What a grand gesture."

When they heard that Spirit Hall sent people to remote villages to awaken children's Martial Souls, Jing Hongchen and Kong Deming could not help exclaiming in unison.

They had free Martial Soul Awakening in Sun Moon too, but only in large cities like Mingdu. Remote places received no such benefit.

Soul Engineers did not need much aptitude as Soul Masters. As long as they had Innate Soul Power, that was enough; if all else failed, they could take pills to boost their cultivation. That was why Sun Moon offered free Martial Soul Awakening in large cities.

But those remote places had few people, and the chances of someone awakening Innate Soul Power were low. Even after pouring in a fortune, they might not produce a single Soul Master.

It was a losing business, plain and simple.

"What are they after?"

The ever-shrewd Jing Hongchen could not understand why Spirit Hall would throw money down the drain like that.

Kong Deming took a more easygoing view. He shook his head and smiled as he walked out.

"Perhaps it's just a simple act of kindness. There's no need to insist on finding the stink of money in it."

Fair enough.

Jing Hongchen's brow relaxed, and he stopped dwelling on it.

In any case, the revelation would not have much effect on Sun Moon. After all, they really did offer free Martial Soul Awakening.

As for the Douluo Continent's former three empires, things were about to get entertaining.

"Where are you going?"

He asked casually.

Kong Deming put on a luxurious robe, dressing formally.

"To explain the stakes to His Majesty. We need to cut ties with that bunch of Evil Soul Masters."

He had always disliked Evil Soul Masters. Now public anger was running high, and that angel had gained such a tremendous opportunity. If they did not seize this chance to drive out the Holy Spirit Cult, what were they waiting for?

Within the sky screen, Qian Renxue saw the look of utter despair on Ye Guyi's face and could not help poking her cheek curiously.

"What's wrong?"

Ye Guyi's lips puckered, and tears welled in her eyes, making her look as though she had suffered some monumental injustice.

She seized Qian Renxue's hand.

"Ancestor! You have to win! You have to win!"

"Huh?"

After some confusion, Qian Renxue finally understood what had shocked Ye Guyi so much.

She asked in disbelief:

"You have to pay for Martial Soul Awakening? And there are no subsidies for Soul Masters?"

Was that right?

How had things gone backward over time?

Ye Guyi slumped over the table and said, feeling terribly wronged:

"Yes! That's how it is.

"Things are better in Sun Moon, at least. We still organize some free awakening ceremonies. Other places have it much worse. A lot of people can't afford the awakening fee."

Qian Renxue froze as if struck by lightning.

Without free Martial Soul Awakening, she could not imagine what kind of place the Douluo Continent would be.

Now it was the Douluo Continent of twenty thousand years ago that erupted.

Once Spirit Hall was gone, people had to pay for Martial Soul Awakening?

Countless commoners stared at the sky screen in disbelief.

When they first heard that Spirit Hall would be destroyed, they had not really felt much about it.

If it was gone, it was gone. They would just have a different master and do the same work.

They would go on living as they always had. The fire would not reach ordinary people like them.

But now, the fire had come.

Without free Martial Soul Awakening, the best way for poor people like them to rise in the world was gone.

Qian Daoliu held the holy sword and watched the sky screen without a word.

The children behind him had all completed their Martial Soul Awakening.

One child had level-three Innate Soul Power.

They had been celebrating just moments ago.

And now, like Qian Daoliu, they were all staring blankly at the sky screen.

A child asked Qian Daoliu uneasily:

"Grandpa, do, do we have to pay?"

Qian Daoliu's fists clenched, and veins bulged on his forehead. He took a deep breath and tried to make his voice gentler again.

"No, you don't. You won't have to in the future either."

Just then, Su Yuntao came over on crutches and said in a low voice:

"My lord, I've met that Tang San."

He had not intended to mention it. If Tang San really became a god in the future, then he would at least have some connection to him. What if he could soar to the heavens in a single leap?

But now, even a nobody with selfish motives like him could not stand it.

He had come from a poor family too!

At those words, Qian Daoliu whipped his head around, his golden eyes shining like the sun.

"Where? Take me to him!"

At that moment, his killing intent soared to the heavens.

Within the sky screen, Ye Guyi patted her cheeks and forced herself to rally.

"It's all right, Ancestor. You still have a chance. You can still change this future."

Qian Renxue nodded glumly. Something had occurred to her: if Spirit Hall won and the future changed, what would happen to Ye Guyi?

Just as she was about to bring it up, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

"Huh? Is someone here to see His Eminence?"

"Hmm, what if he didn't bring his key?"

Qian Renxue and Ye Guyi's attention was instantly drawn to the door.

The two hesitated, but in the end, neither dared open it outright.

They were guests, after all. Su Tianxuan was easygoing, but they could not just let anyone into his home.

So Ye Guyi called out:

"Hello, are you here to see His Eminence Time Douluo? He went out on business."

At her words, the knocking paused briefly, then came an urgent clattering.

It sounded as though someone was rummaging through a bag.

Beep!

The door unlocked.

Bang!

The next moment, someone shoved the door open.

A tall, red-haired woman with a delicate, lovely face strode in.

Her long, bright-red hair cascaded down her back, lending her gorgeous features a touch of elegant wildness.

When the red-haired woman saw Qian Renxue and Ye Guyi there, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"That guy finally caught on?"

She sounded deeply surprised, with a barely perceptible trace of disappointment.

The two angels were startled. They instinctively summoned their Martial Souls and asked warily:

"Who are you?"

"Angels again..."

The red-haired woman muttered, her expression peculiar. Then she said calmly:

"Don't be nervous. I'm Leng Yaozhu, Heavenly Phoenix Douluo and deputy master of the Spirit Pagoda. I'm Tianxuan's... friend."

For some reason, her voice sounded a little uncertain toward the end.

That made Qian Renxue and Ye Guyi even more suspicious of who she was.

"He'll be back soon. Your Eminence, would you mind waiting outside for a little while?"

"What's your relationship with him? Hasn't he ever mentioned me?"

Leng Yaozhu could not help muttering again. After a moment's hesitation, she took out her soul communicator and brought up a photo.

"Look, this is a photo of the two of us."

It showed them eating cake together.

In the photo, Su Tianxuan wore a look of disgust, while Leng Yaozhu looked delighted, as though she were playing some kind of prank.

Qian Renxue and Ye Guyi exchanged a glance, then nodded somewhat hesitantly and stopped blocking her.

After closing the door, Leng Yaozhu sat down in a familiar spot and studied them with interest. She asked softly:

"When did you meet Tianxuan?"