Aurora Sacred Feather, Born to Protect

"Mom..."

Bang!!

She was sent flying out of the hall in a miserable heap. The sound struck straight into Qian Renxue's heart, and a bright red mark had appeared on her little face.

The contents of the gift box spilled out as well—a delicate little comb engraved with images of Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue herself. The carving was very childish, clearly done entirely by Qian Renxue's own hand.

The comb struck the ground, bounced heavily several times, and shattered into two pieces.

"Get out!!" A faint killing intent swirled in Bibi Dong's gaze, but Qian Renxue's heart had already shattered in two along with the comb.

"I... I'll never forgive you again!!"

Qian Renxue burst into tears and ran outside. She stumbled and fell, scraping open the left side of her face where she had already been struck, blood seeping out. Yet she stubbornly climbed back up and continued running out of the hall.

Qian Yuxi watched it all in silence. He first stepped forward and picked up the broken comb, piecing it back together. Then he slightly turned his head, and the eyes fixed on Bibi Dong were completely consumed by purplish-red demonic light!

Boom, boom, boom...

His second Martial Soul, the Annihilation Sky Halberd, manifested on its own. Arcs of lightning surged as purple light flashed, and a violet-gold figure slowly emerged behind him. Rings of dark purple radiance gradually spread outward!

"This aura is... a super God-bestowed Martial Soul!!"

A shrill, piercing female voice suddenly rang out within Bibi Dong's body, making her tremble all over.

The sudden voice within her made Bibi Dong immediately rise and activate Martial Soul Possession. The full pressure of an eighty-eighth-level high-rank Spirit Douluo erupted without restraint, and Divine Slaughter's Domain spread at full force!

Bang!

It collided with the domain of the Annihilation Sky Halberd. In an instant, the room was blasted apart, smoke and dust filling the air and obscuring everyone from view. Only the two domains continued to clash, but the dark red domain was visibly and rapidly suppressing the dark purple one.

"Stop!"

Boom!

The auras of two Titled Douluo erupted. Demon Bear and Spirit Kite Douluo, who had been standing guard outside, flashed in front of Qian Yuxi. With two Titled Douluo suppressing her at once, Bibi Dong immediately found herself unable to endure it.

"Tch!" Bibi Dong was still not a Titled Douluo. Her Twin Martial Souls posed no problem against one opponent, but fighting two was utterly unrealistic. She shot Qian Yuxi a vicious glare before finally withdrawing her aura.

Besides, the voice of the Rakshasa God had been screaming frantically in her mind the entire time.

"Bibi Dong, you absolutely must not touch this child now. Do not ask why. Once you break through to Titled Douluo, I will think of a way!"

Spirit Kite Douluo lowered her head and glanced at Qian Yuxi. "Little fellow, you should leave quickly. The Young Master, she..."

Qian Yuxi breathed lightly, recalled the Annihilation Sky Halberd, nodded in response, and turned to leave. Along the way, he kept his eyes half-closed, trying to calm the turmoil and struggle in his heart.

Right now, he was nothing more than an ant Bibi Dong could crush at will. Without the deterrence of the two Titled Douluo, without the sudden burst of power from his second Martial Soul... he would have undoubtedly died then!

"I was still too impulsive." Qian Yuxi shook his head with a bitter smile. He spread open his left hand, where the purplish-red soul mark still flickered faintly in his palm. Countless thoughts raced through his mind.

But... just now, did the Annihilation Sky Halberd seem to manifest on its own because it was affected by my emotions?

"Forget it. I should go check on Xue'er first."

When he returned to the Worship Hall, he casually asked a guard. Qian Renxue had not gone to cry to her grandfather; she had run straight into her own room instead.

Qian Yuxi knocked on the door, but there was no response.

"Big Sister? Are you in there? Um... if you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes."

He entered Qian Renxue's room. It was pink, filled with the aura of a youthful girl and a faint fragrance. After looking around the sitting room, he entered the bedroom.

"She's asleep." Seeing the tear tracks at the corners of Little Angel's eyes, Qian Yuxi felt awful. Still, he had to admit that Qian Renxue looked unbelievably beautiful in her sleep.

But... the bloody mark on her left cheek looked like she had treated it herself, yet there was no way to conceal it completely.

Qian Yuxi sat beside the bed and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Fortunately, it was only a superficial injury. A little treatment with Soul Power would heal it.

"Xue'er, why are you so foolish? You know that woman doesn't see you as her daughter at all. You could even say she doesn't see you as a person..."

Qian Yuxi's gentle voice was full of heartache and pity. He could not bear to wake her.

"No, don't... don't leave me alone... Grandpa, Mom, I know I was wrong!" Little Angel's voice was choked with tears as she tightly grabbed Qian Yuxi's left arm, like a drowning person clutching at a lifeline.

Talking in her sleep?

Qian Yuxi felt a little sad. Qian Renxue was only a little girl who lacked security and longed to be loved.

I won't let those awful things happen again... No matter who it is, I'll protect you forever!

"R-Really?" Little Angel's trembling voice suddenly rang out, and Qian Yuxi froze.

Didn't I just say that in my heart?

Buzz...

"Hm?"

At that moment, the golden soul mark on his right palm lit up. Qian Yuxi raised his hand and saw the phantom of the Aurora Sacred Feather Bow appear before him, its sacred aura rippling with light.

"What's going on?" Qian Yuxi was deeply surprised.

Gentle golden radiance poured down from his palm, warmly caressing Qian Renxue's pale cheek. Her emotions gradually eased, and even the wound on her cheek faded by more than half.

The light dispersed. The Aurora Sacred Feather Bow solidified once more before returning to the soul mark in his palm.

"Aurora Sacred Feather, born to protect..."

A gentle murmur echoed through Qian Yuxi's mind, as though it had come from beyond the heavens, carrying a touch of distant melody and ethereality.

Qian Yuxi lowered his head again. Her grip on his left arm had loosened, and Angel Sister smiled faintly at the corner of her lips, as if her nightmare had turned into a beautiful dream.

Sleep well, Qian Renxue. What your mother owes you, I will give to you!

It was time to enroll.

Qian Yuxi cultivated for the entire night. Early the next morning, his master, Radiant Feather Douluo, came to pick him up. His enrollment had long since been arranged, so he only needed to report in directly.

"Uh... Master, why hasn't my roommate arrived yet?" After waiting for around half an hour, his future good brother still had not come, and Qian Yuxi could not help asking.

"Oh, that... Master only just received the news too. Your future good brother has gone somewhere else in Spirit Hall, and he won't be coming for several years. His enrollment status will be kept, though."

Radiant Feather Douluo explained calmly.

Somewhere else?

Qian Yuxi was a little baffled. Where could a child around six years old possibly go?

Forget it. Being alone was fine. Looking on the bright side, it was quite comfortable. Back in his hometown on Blue Planet, wasn't he alone as well?

After bidding farewell to his obedient disciple, Radiant Feather Douluo did not return directly to the Worship Hall. Instead, he went elsewhere within Spirit Hall Academy.

It looked like an enrollment station. Three Soul Emperors stood guard, while a Spirit Saint was responsible for registration. Children between six and nine lined up one after another to register, though most of them were not accompanied by parents.

"Next." After sending off a Black-haired Gold-eyed Six-year-old Boy, the Spirit Saint handling registration waved his hand. The next to step forward was a six-year-old girl with white hair and a streak of blue at her forehead.

"My name is... Tuoba Yun. I'm six years old. My Martial Soul is the White Armored Earth Dragon, and I'm a level-seven Soul Scholar."

"Tuoba Yun?" The Spirit Saint frowned slightly, then let out a disdainful laugh. "So you're a little brat from the Holy Dragon Sect, the sect Fire Leopard Sect nearly wiped out a while ago. Oh, and you have a mutated Martial Soul? But why does it look like a reverse mutation?"

"Hahahaha..."

The other Soul Emperors could not help laughing as well. The little girl merely lowered her head in silence. After receiving her number plate, she walked toward the gathering area.

"Next." The Spirit Saint in charge of registration called out lazily.

"Qian Yuxi. Martial Soul: Aurora Sacred Feather Bow. Agility Attack System. I'll come back in three years."

"You little brat, who the hell do you think you are?! Coming back in three years? If you're not enrolling, then get the hell out of here!"

The Spirit Saint immediately cursed impatiently. The childish-sounding voice had clearly made him mistake it for some ignorant little brat who did not know his place.

Whoosh!

An icy crystal arrow brushed past his neck, and the Spirit Saint instantly broke out in a cold sweat. When he saw the bow Martial Soul in the newcomer's hand and the golden token, his legs went weak. With a thud, he dropped to his knees.

"Please spare me, Your Excellency! I... I didn't know, ignorance is no crime..."

Radiant Feather Douluo looked down at him coldly, an arrow formed from swirling air currents dancing at his fingertips. "This old man is enrolling his disciple. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, no, absolutely not... You must have heard wrong, heard wrong."

"Let there not be a next time. Also, this old man does not like your attitude toward children. At least not before they enter." Radiant Feather Douluo snorted and withdrew his Martial Soul.

The Spirit Saint immediately felt as though he had been granted a pardon. Trembling on his knees, he said, "Of course, of course. Take care, Your Excellency. We will definitely remember your disciple."

"When he comes in three years, just treat him equally. Don't make any special arrangements. And one more thing—don't say this old man didn't warn you. There's another child here. You'd better not train her to death."

There will be two updates every day from now on. Qian Yuxi's growth phase begins.