Black Lotus Suppresses the Angel

On the empty training ground, the obsidian floor gleamed with a cold, hard luster.

Qian Renxue took a deep breath, suppressing the intense doubt and pride stirred within her by her grandfather Qian Daoliu's claim that the World-Annihilating Black Lotus stood above the Six-Winged Angel.

A pair of enormous pure-white wings suddenly unfurled behind her. Every feather flowed with sacred radiance like liquid sunlight, and an aura of scorching heat and light swept across the entire arena like a tide.

Two yellow and one purple soul rings rose beneath her feet—her Soul Elder-level might was fully on display.

Her purple eyes sharpened as she stared at the boy opposite her. "Xiaojing, use all your strength! Let me see why your so-called World-Annihilating Black Lotus can surpass the Angel God's radiance!"

"Alright." Lu Jing's answer was calm and decisive.

His gaze sharpened. The air above his head silently twisted, and the phantom of a pitch-black lotus, as though carved from black jade, appeared in an instant—the World-Annihilating Black Lotus had emerged! Its lotus pedestal was as deep as a dark abyss, while its petals flowed with the will to destroy all things.

A deep purple soul ring, almost bewitching in its depth, slowly pulsed beneath his feet, forming a stark contrast with his Soul Power level of just over twenty.

Without another word, the collision of light and darkness erupted in an instant!

"Ha!" Qian Renxue gave a sharp cry, her body turning into a streak of light.

She did not use any soul skill. Just as Qian Daoliu had said, this was a contest to test the origins of their martial souls.

The holy radiance of the Six-Winged Angel surged like a tangible tide, carrying the supreme will of purification and judgment as it bore down upon Lu Jing from all directions!

Wherever the golden light passed, the very air seemed to ignite. It carried scorching purifying power, seeking to completely disperse that eerie darkness.

Lu Jing likewise did not use a soul skill!

He merely moved his thoughts, and the phantom of the World-Annihilating Black Lotus hovering above him gently turned once.

Silently, an astonishing scene unfolded!

That vast tide of sacred light, capable of purifying evil and scorching darkness, met the ultimate darkness churning at the edge of the World-Annihilating Black Lotus phantom—and vanished like a clay ox entering the sea. The light did not disperse the darkness. Instead, it was greedily devoured and assimilated by that pure, refined darkness!

The dazzling golden radiance was like something cast into a bottomless abyss. It failed to stir even the faintest ripple before disappearing right before their eyes!

"What?!" Qian Renxue's beautiful purple eyes widened abruptly, the confidence in them instantly replaced by shock!

She could feel it with absolute clarity. The sacred power of her Six-Winged Angel, born from the Angel God's bloodline and the source of her pride, had seemingly encountered its natural nemesis!

It was like using a spear of light to stab at a black hole that devoured all light. Any power she poured into it sank without a trace, utterly futile! What her martial soul origin conveyed was an instinctive tremor born from the level of life itself—the natural unease of light when facing destruction and chaos of a higher rank!

"I don't believe it!" The pride in her bones would not let her accept this. With a fierce cry, she pushed her Soul Power to its limit!

The six wings behind her blazed brighter, and her soul rings shone brilliantly. Even more surging Holy Radiance burst forth, nearly boiling over. This time, it carried an almost stubborn determination as it shot straight toward the unmoving black lotus, trying to forcibly tear apart that domain of darkness.

The World-Annihilating Black Lotus was impervious to all techniques!

Facing this stronger assault, the World-Annihilating Black Lotus merely continued turning in silence.

The churning darkness seemed to come alive, carrying the desolate aura of ancient annihilation as it dissolved and absorbed the incoming divine light inch by inch, without the slightest strain or leakage.

Not only was the golden light unable to advance even an inch, it was instead continuously dragged in and annihilated by the pull of that darkness!

An eerie yet immensely striking scene formed in the arena—the brilliant torrent of light was swallowed by the immovable dark lotus pedestal, as though night were silently devouring day!

After only a few breaths of confrontation, the outcome was already beyond doubt.

"Psh—"

The brilliant golden radiance covering the entire training ground seemed to have had its backbone ripped out. It dimmed, contracted, and dissipated at a visible speed.

The holy wings of light behind Qian Renxue struggled unwillingly for a moment before finally folding away powerlessly and vanishing. Her martial soul phantom completely disappeared.

Only she remained standing where she was, her delicate body slightly stiff, as though nailed in place.

Sunlight fell upon the obsidian floor once more, illuminating her dazed figure.

In those beautiful purple eyes, like galaxies gathered within them, the flames of pride that had once burned so fiercely were completely extinguished. All that remained was indescribable shock and defeat as she stared blankly at the still-calm Lu Jing and the black lotus that remained suspended before him, seemingly capable of devouring all light.

She... had lost.

And she had lost so completely, so directly!

They had not even exchanged soul skills. In a collision of the most primordial martial soul origins, the sacred power of her Six-Winged Angel, born from the Angel God, had appeared so weak and powerless before that eerie World-Annihilating Black Lotus!

What her grandfather had said... was true!

With a thought from Lu Jing, the phantom of the World-Annihilating Black Lotus quietly dissipated and merged back into his body.

The training ground returned to silence. Only the morning breeze blew past, accompanied by Qian Renxue's slightly hurried breathing and the unmistakable wavering and confusion in her eyes.

"Sigh..." A soft sigh came from nearby as Qian Daoliu, who had been watching all along, slowly stepped forward.

His aged yet still sharp golden eyes stared deeply at Lu Jing, as though trying to see through him inside and out.

"The suppression of pure martial soul origins... is even greater than this old man expected."

His gaze finally fell upon the purple soul ring beneath Lu Jing's feet, which had already withdrawn its glow. He asked the most crucial question. "Child, if this old man is not mistaken, your soul ring... is a thousand-year soul ring? You are only around six years old, yet you absorbed it? How did you manage that?"

Lu Jing met Qian Daoliu's scrutiny without the slightest ripple on his face.

He had long prepared an explanation. "In reply to the Great Enshrined Elder, I obtained this soul ring ten thousand years in the future. My martial soul has special attributes, giving me a natural restraint and protection when absorbing soul rings. Besides..." He paused, then added frankly, "

In the soul master world ten thousand years from now, there are already mature secret methods for strengthening one's physique and expanding the limits of soul ring absorption."

He only mentioned the advantages of his martial soul and the "methods" from ten thousand years later, attributing everything to them. As for the existence of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, he naturally kept it hidden.

"That's not right. You're only six years old, so how can your Soul Power already be over twenty?" Qian Renxue keenly caught that information. She suddenly raised her head, the defeat in her eyes temporarily replaced by incredulous shock.

A sharp light flashed in Qian Daoliu's eyes. His eagle-like gaze fixed on Lu Jing's face, his tone carrying unprecedented gravity and inquiry. "Your Innate Soul Power... how much is it?"

Lu Jing's expression did not change as he calmly spoke the answer destined to stir up a storm. "Twenty levels."

"Twenty levels!"

"Twenty levels of Innate Soul Power?!"

Qian Daoliu and Qian Renxue cried out in shock almost simultaneously! Their voices echoed across the empty training ground, filled with utter disbelief!

Qian Daoliu's golden pupils contracted sharply, his dignified face filled with incredulity!

He had lived for more than a hundred years, studied countless ancient texts, and witnessed innumerable geniuses, yet he had never heard of anything so astonishing!

Ten levels of Innate Full Soul Power was already recognized as the limit on the Douluo Continent!

Even his own granddaughter Qian Renxue had only reached twenty levels after awakening because of the blessing of the Angel God's inheritance!

Qian Renxue felt as though she had been struck by lightning. She unconsciously took half a step back, staring at Lu Jing's young yet unusually composed face. Her heart churned like a stormy sea, and the frustration from her earlier defeat was instantly drowned by an indescribably complex emotion—curiosity, the urge to investigate, and a trace of attention drawn to greater talent that even she herself had not noticed.

He really was... genuinely born with twenty levels of Innate Soul Power? Through his own martial soul, rather than a god's gift?

"That's right." Lu Jing nodded, confirming this fact that was enough to overturn common sense.

The arena fell into dead silence.

Yet an enormous storm had risen in Qian Daoliu's heart.

His golden eyes remained fixed on Lu Jing as his gaze shifted between him and his granddaughter nearby, who still looked dazed but had complex emotions in her eyes.

Twenty levels of Innate Soul Power!

What did that represent?

This surpassed the so-called genius. It was a taboo-like existence capable of challenging the laws of the world! The very existence of the child before him was a miracle!

Two possibilities instantly took shape in the mind of Qian Daoliu, the shrewd Great Enshrined Elder:

Just as the Angel God had granted Xue'er twenty levels, could this child also possess the favor of some supreme being?

Or, even more terrifyingly, was the talent of his World-Annihilating Black Lotus simply too heaven-defying? Had its essence already transcended the restrictions of the Douluo Continent's planar laws, making it a terrifying existence that even the continent's laws could not define?

No matter which possibility it was—

This child's future was immeasurable!

His value far surpassed any known genius or rare treasure!

A bold, even wildly ambitious thought began to grow and spread through Qian Daoliu's heart like maddened vines.

He glanced at Qian Renxue beside him, whose expression was complicated as she remained immersed in tremendous shock and intense curiosity. Then he looked at Lu Jing, the boy from ten thousand years in the future, blessed with world-shaking talent, a terrifying martial soul, and secret methods from the future.

Since Spirit Hall had an Angel inheritor with twenty levels of Innate Soul Power, and ten thousand years later there was such an extraordinary talent who transcended the rules... what if these two stars could meet?

They had to cultivate this!

Xue'er had to spend more time with him, and perhaps even...

Deep within Qian Daoliu's dignified, profound eyes, a nearly imperceptible glint flashed, carrying the air of a plan coming to fruition.

He did not say it aloud, but the thought in that instant was crystal clear: if these two could become Dao companions, it would have unimaginable effects not only on Xue'er, but on the entire Angel lineage, the future Spirit Hall, and even the balance of the entire Douluo Continent!

This was not merely to win over a future powerhouse with limitless potential. It was also because this child, whether in talent, value, or the rank of his mysterious World-Annihilating Black Lotus martial soul, was worthy of—and suited to become—the partner of Qian Renxue, bearer of the Angel God's bloodline!

Under the morning light, Qian Renxue's dazed expression gradually gave way to an even stronger desire to investigate. Her galaxy-like eyes regained their brilliance and fixed intensely upon Lu Jing.

Meanwhile, Qian Daoliu, the Limit Douluo who had controlled Spirit Hall for many years, had quietly laid down a far-reaching move for Spirit Hall's future.