Testing the Martial Soul Hall Remnants

"Little one, no need to be nervous. This old man bears you no ill will."

An aged yet gentle voice sounded by his ear. Shu Yan's consciousness was somewhat muddled, and vaguely, he seemed to hear a dignified dragon's roar. Yet in the next instant, it was as though his consciousness had suddenly broken free from the tide, and he instantly came back to his senses. The golden Soul Power winding around him dispersed as well. Shu Yan landed directly on the ground, half-kneeling as he panted heavily, lingering fear still in his eyes.

Qian Gu Chaoshēng slowly withdrew his hand, the smile in his eyes unchanged, and said softly:

"So this is the future of the Star Luo Empire. Not bad indeed. To think you could barely withstand this old man's Dragon Might with the strength of a Soul King. The Heavenly Snow Woman... as expected of a Super Martial Soul with an Extreme Attribute. Even compared to those Light and Dark Holy Dragons, it is not inferior in the slightest..."

Xu Jiujiu hurried over to Shu Yan's side and asked with concern:

"A Yan, are you all right?"

Shu Yan gently shook his head. Then, with Xu Jiujiu supporting him, he slowly rose to his feet. Looking at the old man whose face still bore a gentle smile, he cupped his hands slightly and said:

"Thank you for showing mercy, Senior."

Qian Gu Chaoshēng shook his head. His gaze at Shu Yan carried profound meaning. After a pause, he said:

"This old man thinks highly of you. Cultivate well. In the future, this old man will grant you a fortunate opportunity..."

After saying that, Qian Gu Chaoshēng lightly nodded to the Ice Snow Two Emperors, then turned and walked back toward the shadows. As he passed Xu Jiawei, he said softly:

"Your Majesty need not worry. When there is a shared goal, hatred and estrangement between races can temporarily be cast aside. Sincerity and trust are essential conditions for both sides in a partnership. You should understand such matters better than this old man..."

"Enough, enough. There is nothing more to say. Everything is a fated affinity. Treasure it while you can..."

Qian Gu Chaoshēng's leisurely voice reached everyone's ears, and then his figure slowly disappeared into the shadows.

Only after his figure had completely vanished did Xu Jiawei slowly come back to himself. He looked at the calm Snow Empress below the stage and the Ice Empress, who was still sulking, understanding flashing through his eyes. Xu Jiujiu held Shu Yan's arm. For a time, silence fell over the five of them as though none had anything to say, yet everyone knew that the pact had already been successfully forged. As for how to deepen it, that would be a matter for the future...

Night fell. Xu Jiujiu sat cross-legged upon the Star Platform, absorbing Starry Sky Power to cultivate. Specks of starlight flickered and circled around her like stars. The light condensed into a luxurious crown above her head, its eighteen gems shining brilliantly. For a moment, Xu Jiujiu looked as radiant and beautiful as a goddess of the stars. Unfortunately, only Shu Yan could openly admire such a beautiful sight.

Shu Yan sat alone atop the pavilion, gazing up at the waning moon. The moonlight was cold and beautiful, while the evening breeze had tousled his long hair. He sorted through his thoughts, though more than anything, he was considering what Xu Jiawei had told him in private that day.

From Xu Jiawei, Shu Yan confirmed his suspicions.

Elder Qian's true name was actually Qian Gu Chaoshēng, and his Martial Soul was the top-tier Tool Martial Soul, the Coiled Dragon Staff. Based on the information Xu Jiawei had revealed, this old man was very likely a descendant of the sixth and seventh worshippers of the Worship Hall under the continent's foremost soul master faction ten thousand years ago, Spirit Hall.

Although Shu Yan did not know much about the Unrivaled Tang Sect era, he was fairly familiar with the events of the Douluo Dalu I era.

Qian Jun Douluo and Jiang Mo Douluo of ten thousand years ago had both survived the final great battle, only disappearing from the world following Spirit Hall's complete destruction. Whether the two had descendants was hard to say, but in the Douluo Dalu III era ten thousand years later, the Qiangu Family, which had inherited the Coiled Dragon Staff Martial Soul, did indeed emerge. Considering all these conditions, there was more than a ninety percent chance that Elder Qian was a descendant of those two Spirit Hall worshippers from ten thousand years ago...

"A descendant of Spirit Hall? This is becoming more and more interesting."

After pondering for a while, Shu Yan finally chuckled.

Everything on this continent was already fascinating enough. What harm was there in having a few more anomalies? Shu Yan found it difficult to deny that he truly was someone who enjoyed a little "excitement."

A faint sound came from behind him, followed by a familiar fragrance. Shu Yan did not even need to turn around to guess who had come.

Under the moonlight, the Snow Empress appeared even more cold and aloof. She merely stood there quietly, yet it seemed as though she had claimed all the moonlight's beauty for herself. In the night, both had white hair and blue eyes, peerlessly graceful. Even without speaking, they formed a beautiful scene beyond description.

Nebula Douluo, who witnessed this scene from afar, sighed, seeming to reminisce over his long-lost youth. Back then, had he not also been a peerless beauty renowned throughout the Star Luo Empire?

Yet youth was fleeting. Now, he had long become someone of a grandmother's generation, no longer possessing his former beauty...

The Snow Empress stared at Shu Yan for a while, then sat down on the protruding wooden beam atop the pavilion and softly asked:

"What have you discovered?"

Shu Yan stretched lazily and replied casually:

"Hard to say. Elder Qian's origins seem to be connected to Spirit Hall from ten thousand years ago, and the possibility is frighteningly high. We can practically draw a conclusion already."

"Spirit Hall?"

The Snow Empress murmured softly, seeming somewhat confused.

Shu Yan suddenly came back to his senses. Only then did he remember that the Snow Empress currently knew almost nothing about the history of the human world, so he continued explaining:

"Spirit Hall was the continent's most powerful soul master faction ten thousand years ago. It once produced two gods: the Angel God, who represented light, and the Rakshasa God, who represented evil."

"After the later Divine War, both gods were slain by the Sea God, and Spirit Hall was destroyed as a result. Yet many powerful figures under Spirit Hall survived, and their bloodlines have continued for ten thousand years. Elder Qian is most likely a descendant of the sixth and seventh Spirit Hall worshippers from back then."

The Snow Empress frowned slightly, seeming to ponder something. After a moment, she continued asking:

"And then?"

Shu Yan looked up at the waning moon and sighed softly before saying:

"Most descendants of the powerful figures from Spirit Hall's lineage ten thousand years ago still have their inheritances today. They are even within the Star Luo Empire's borders. I only learned this from Imperial Brother today."

The Snow Empress nodded, then suddenly asked:

"You want to win them over to serve you?"

Shu Yan gave the Snow Empress a somewhat surprised glance, then nodded.

"That war ten thousand years ago was brutal. Spirit Hall's lineage bore blood-deep hatred toward both the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire. Destroying Shrek was an obsession etched into the bones and blood of many among them. One could say that revenge and washing away humiliation held an immensely powerful allure for them."

"However, the Star Luo Empire later changed rulers, and the Xu Family replaced the Dai Family. Their hatred consequently shifted from the Star Luo Empire's White Tiger Royal Family and Nether Duke Manor to the current White Tiger Duke Manor. To a certain extent, the current Star Luo Imperial Family bears no hatred toward them whatsoever. They even share certain special ties. This can be seen from Elder Qian's position in the Star Luo Empire and Imperial Brother's attitude."

"To a certain extent, some of their goals overlap with ours. Do you remember what I told you before in the Extreme North Land? This is reality. In this era, if we want to become gods without restraints, conflict with Shrek and that Lord Sea God is unavoidable..."

The Snow Empress fell silent for a while. Her memories of this part were crystal clear. Though she did not know why Shu Yan knew so much, she still understood one truth from it:

In this era, if one wanted to become a god, one either had to accept that Lord Sea God's training and become his obedient "dog," or rise against heaven and fight for another path. Other than that, there truly seemed to be no other way forward...

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