Martial Soul Awakening

"Brother!"

"Xiaohan!"

Qian Xunji pressed a hand against Qian Renhan's back, channeling Angel Soul Power into him to heal his wounds. The hexagonal Six-Winged Angel possessed strength, speed, defense, healing, control, and support—everything. Its power matched that of a Top-grade Martial Soul.

Qian Renxue's eyes were red as she roared, "Dad, kill her! Kill this bad woman! She hurt Brother! She definitely isn't my mother!"

Bibi Dong stared blankly at the heavily injured Qian Renhan, who was glaring at her fiercely. Then, a vengeful sneer appeared at the corner of her lips. "Teacher, your unfilial disciple Bibi Dong has returned."

Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue's expression completely froze. Bibi Dong—her mother was named Bibi Dong. The person who had hurt her brother really was her mother.

"Dong'er, why?" Qian Xunji asked, shocked, furious, and helpless. He wanted to loudly rebuke Bibi Dong, to tell her that if she had a grievance, she should come at him. But as the Pope of his generation, he did not want to destroy the towering image he had established in his two children's hearts.

Qian Renhan: You never established any image in my heart.

Bibi Dong continued to sneer. "Teacher, I'm sorry. This is because the effects of my Divine Slaughter's Domain have not yet completely subsided. It won't happen again."

"Hey."

A deep voice filled with rage rang out. Bibi Dong turned toward its source. Looking into the bloodshot, icy eyes of Qian Renhan, who had just taken her palm strike head-on—eyes that seemed indifferent to everything—her heart could not help but tremble.

This bastard was different from both Qian Xunji and Qian Renxue. Qian Xunji's eyes held anger, guilt, and disappointment. Qian Renxue's held heartache, confusion, and sorrow. But his were cold and detached, utterly devoid of the emotions a child his age should have felt after being injured by his mother.

"I'll remember that strike."

Qian Renhan got up and walked toward Sword Peak, shrugging off Qian Xunji's healing. His body had been tempered by Medicinal Baths since childhood and nourished with rare delicacies; he was not that fragile.

Qian Renxue glanced at Bibi Dong, who was confronting Qian Xunji, then at Qian Renhan, who was leaving resolutely. Gritting her teeth, she chased after him. "Brother!"

"What is it, Xiaoxue?" Qian Renhan turned to look at Qian Renxue, forcing out a relatively normal smile.

Qian Renxue softly asked, "Brother, does it hurt?"

Qian Renhan replied blandly, "I'm fine. It's nothing."

After hesitating for a long time, Qian Renxue finally said, "Brother, Mom didn't mean it. Can you forgive her?"

Qian Renhan did not get angry at those words, but his gaze toward Qian Renxue grew noticeably colder. "I'll continue doing what I do. If you want to forgive her, then forgive her yourself. All right, I'm going to cultivate now. You should go do your own things too."

Qian Renhan pulled his hand free from Qian Renxue's and left. As her elder brother, he would only do what an elder brother should do, such as setting aside time every day to play with Qian Renxue and give her more beautiful childhood memories. But he would not interfere with how Qian Renxue treated Bibi Dong. If Qian Renxue wanted to seek abuse, that was her own business. So long as Bibi Dong did not make a move against Qian Renxue in the future, he would basically not care.

When he arrived at Sword Peak, Qian Daoliu, who had rarely appeared there since guiding Qian Renhan across the threshold of the Sword Dao, came once more.

Qian Daoliu saw Qian Renhan's internal injuries at a glance. With a push of his hand, relying on his formidable level 99 cultivation, he healed the injuries in the blink of an eye.

Qian Renhan asked, "Grandpa, what are you here for?"

"You saw her." A complicated look surfaced in Qian Daoliu's eyes.

"Didn't you already know, Grandpa?" Qian Renhan remained expressionless. There was none of the behavior of a child who had been beaten by his parents without reason and run crying into his grandparents' arms.

"Alas."

Qian Daoliu sighed, crouched down, and placed a hand on Qian Renhan's shoulder. "Xiaohan, what happened with Bibi Dong attacking you two is extremely complicated. Grandpa hopes you will not hold it against Bibi Dong. You have possessed a maturity unlike that of ordinary children since you were young. When the time comes, Grandpa will tell you everything. Then, Grandpa hopes you will make the choice yourself."

Qian Renhan nodded slightly. "I understand, Grandpa."

After Qian Daoliu left, Qian Renhan said blandly in a voice only he could hear, "Grandpa, my current actions are already the choice I made after learning what Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong did. After Bibi Dong went through something like that, even if she was a complete ingrate and traitor, it would be impossible for her not to harbor hatred. So long as she does not once again harm Spirit Hall, then whether it was this strike or her insults, I will not feel hatred toward her. But if she tries to stir up trouble again, then once I have enough strength to act, I will not accept anyone's pleas for mercy, nor will I care about any accusations."

Time passed swiftly. In the blink of an eye, three and a half years had gone by, and Qian Renhan and Qian Renxue had turned six.

In Douluo Hall, Qian Daoliu, the Six Great Enshrined Elders, and Qian Xunji gathered together.

Qian Daoliu stood beneath the Angel Statue. The other Six Great Enshrined Elders formed a circle with him, and within it stood Qian Renhan and Qian Renxue, who were about to awaken their Martial Souls, inside a magic array. As for Qian Xunji, this Title Douluo who was only level 94 and not even a Super Douluo was allowed in solely because he was a member of the Qian Clan. Otherwise, he would have been kicked out as well.

"Xiaohan, Xiaoxue, relax. Relax, don't be nervous," Qian Daoliu said kindly. Between Qian Renhan and Qian Renxue, he favored Qian Renhan more, because this grandson of his had displayed extraordinary diligence and talent since childhood. After five years of cultivation, he had already trained his swordsmanship to the pinnacle realm of Unity of Man and Sword. It was simply unimaginable. Even in the Chen Clan of the Seven Kill Sword, where every generation produced sword fanatics, he would have been an absolute monster—let alone in the Qian Clan, whose swordsmanship was inferior to theirs.

"Brother, do you think Mom will acknowledge me once I awaken my Martial Soul?" Qian Renxue's sweet, adorable voice carried exhaustion. Over the past three and a half years, she had never given up on visiting Bibi Dong. Yet every time she went, no matter what gift she brought, she and the gift would both be thrown out. She had spent one year gaining a good brother, but after spending three and a half years and putting in even greater effort, she still could not gain a mother. Her patience had nearly been worn away.

Qian Renhan took a deep breath. He had wanted to say, Whatever makes you happy, but after thinking about it, he changed his words. "I don't know."