Pope Qian Xunji Warns Yu Xiaogang

Late at night, a bonfire burned in a small Soul Hunting Forest. Two men and a woman sat beside it, all around thirty years old. For Soul Masters, this was the prime of life, when they were high-spirited and their Mental Power was at its fullest.

The oldest of the three men was broad and powerfully built, with a particularly distinctive face. His chin protruded slightly, his cheekbones were wide, his face was flat, and he had something of a hooked nose. If he had to be compared to something, his face somewhat resembled the sole of a shoe. There was a hint of cunning about his features; based on appearance alone, he looked like a shady merchant.

The other man was of average build, neither fat nor thin, dressed in a one-piece black outfit. His skin was somewhat fair and delicate, and paired with his slightly handsome face and messy bangs long enough to cover his eyes, he looked rather handsome. He held a book in one hand and a pen in the other, appearing utterly focused.

The only woman among them had fair skin and exquisite features. Her long hair fell neatly down her back, and her entire body radiated youthful vitality. Her figure was especially voluptuous, enough to stir the heartstrings of any man.

These three were the somewhat renowned Golden Iron Triangle of the Soul Master world: Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong.

Of the three, Flender had just broken through to Soul Emperor, Liu Erlong was a Soul King, and Yu Xiaogang was a Soul Grandmaster.

Among them, Flender's gaze occasionally drifted toward Liu Erlong, while Liu Erlong's gaze occasionally fell upon Yu Xiaogang. Yu Xiaogang, however, did not dare look at Liu Erlong at all. His deep-rooted inferiority complex made him even less willing to meet her eyes, so he could only keep his attention fixed on his book.

"Xiao Gang, has your theory made another breakthrough?"

Liu Erlong asked. As Yu Luomian's illegitimate daughter raised outside the family, with a prostitute for a mother, she was actually somewhat insecure just like Yu Xiaogang. For that reason, she had not been exposed to much theoretical knowledge. Thus, she did not dare get too close to the dazzling Flender. Instead, she especially favored Yu Xiaogang, who was weak in strength yet deeply learned, and who could offer his own views whenever he encountered unusual Martial Souls or soul beasts, identifying their origins.

Yu Xiaogang put down his pen and sighed, forcing a bitter smile. "What use would a breakthrough be? No matter how good my theories are, hardly anyone in the Soul Master world acknowledges me. I have no way to prove them either."

"Xiao Gang, I believe your theories are certainly correct and invincible. Golden Scale Is No Pond Fish; Meets Wind and Cloud Turns Dragon. As long as you find an opportunity, I believe your theories will one day be recognized by the world." Flender patted Yu Xiaogang on the shoulder and smiled. "Even if your strength is lacking right now, you still have us. Our Golden Iron Triangle's Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the Golden Holy Dragon, is enough to contend with a Soul Douluo-level expert. If not for your help, how could I have obtained such an excellent sixth Spirit Ring?"

Liu Erlong smiled as well. "That's right, Xiao Gang. You still have us. We're sworn siblings—we're family."

"Flender, Er Long..." Yu Xiaogang's eyes trembled, nearly filling with tears.

Just as the atmosphere grew especially harmonious, a sudden gust of wind blew in from behind Yu Xiaogang, forcing the bonfire to lean to one side.

"Who's there?!"

Flender and Liu Erlong immediately rose to their feet and stood before Yu Xiaogang, watching the small grove ahead vigilantly.

"Yu Xiaogang, after all these years, you're still living quite comfortably."

A sharp, dignified voice laced with a trace of killing intent rang out. A tall, exceptionally handsome man with long golden hair appeared before the three of them. The moment Yu Xiaogang saw him, his body began to tremble involuntarily, as though by reflex.

"May I ask who you are?" Flender asked gravely. He could not discern the golden-haired man's depth at all. However, judging by his previous tone and the fact that he knew Yu Xiaogang, he was clearly a Soul Master. That could only mean his strength far surpassed Flender's own.

Yu Xiaogang asked in a trembling voice, "Your Holiness the Pope, why have you come?"

Upon hearing the words "Your Holiness the Pope," Flender stared at the golden-haired man in disbelief. The legendary Pope had actually appeared before him.

Qian Xunji made a pulling motion with his hand, and Yu Xiaogang's body flew over. Like a helpless chick, he was lifted into the air.

Qian Xunji said coldly, "Why I came, you should know better than anyone. When you left Spirit Hall, you said you would never leak those things. Now it seems I was too foolish to trust a petty man like you."

"Your Holiness the Pope, what are you doing? How exactly has Xiao Gang offended you?" Flender did not dare make a move and hurriedly pleaded for Yu Xiaogang.

Flender was sensible, but Liu Erlong was another matter. Two yellow, two purple, and one black Spirit Ring rose beneath her feet. A fire dragon burning with blue-purple flames surged forth and charged at Qian Xunji.

"Even if you're the Pope, you can't hurt Xiao Gang like this!"

Qian Xunji extended his left hand, and dense Soul Power formed a barrier that blocked Liu Erlong. Then he clenched his hand, sending Liu Erlong flying backward. She slammed into a massive tree that would take several people to encircle, coughing up blood.

"Er Long!" x2

Yu Xiaogang and Flender roared at the same time.

Qian Xunji's brow furrowed slightly. A Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul with a fire attribute? Could it be a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul that had undergone an attribute mutation?

Martial Soul attribute mutations were also known as parallel Martial Soul mutations. Like Qian Renhan's Eight-Winged Fallen Angel—if it were a Six-Winged Fallen Angel, it could be considered an attribute mutation of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul. The Clear Sky Sect's Seventh Elder, Tang Lie, possessed the Blazing Clear Sky Hammer, which was likewise an attribute mutation.

Such mutations did not alter the Martial Soul's overall structure, nor did they generally lower or raise its quality. Rather, they changed the attributes contained within it, causing it to display a different color. This was why Qian Xunji had recognized Liu Erlong's Martial Soul as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon at a glance, and why Liu Erlong was still alive.

No matter how good-tempered Qian Xunji was, he was still the Pope of Spirit Hall, an existence on par with the sovereigns of the two great empires. For a Soul King to dare attack him—wasn't that courting death?

Then Yu Xiaogang's voice drew Qian Xunji's attention back. From Yu Xiaogang's eyes as they shifted from Liu Erlong to himself, Qian Xunji saw love and heartache for Liu Erlong, as well as fury and hatred toward him. The corner of his lips curled up, and he felt an urge to laugh. Yu Xiaogang had failed to recognize that mutated Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul and fallen for that woman called Er Long?

Qian Xunji knew very well that Yu Xiaogang had long since been expelled from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Given Liu Erlong's cultivation at her age, she would have been considered a genius even within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. They would never have allowed her to go out training with Yu Xiaogang. Therefore, there was only one possibility: Liu Erlong was the illegitimate daughter of some direct-line disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.