Learning the Sword

Time passed quickly. Qian Renhan walked out of Douluo Hall with a gloomy expression, while Qian Renxue continued chasing after him from behind, calling out, "Brother, don't walk so fast. Wait for me!"

After they had gone far enough, Qian Renhan suddenly stopped. Qian Renxue, who had been jogging behind him the whole time, failed to stop in time and crashed into him.

"Ah~"

Qian Renxue clutched her head and looked up at Qian Renhan's cold back. Tears welled up in her frightened eyes as she hurriedly grabbed his arm. "Brother, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you. Don't be angry. You can hit Xiaoxue if you want, but don't ignore Xiaoxue again, okay?"

Just as Qian Renxue thought Qian Renhan would shake her off again, a warm little hand rubbed her head.

"Brother?"

Qian Renxue looked up at Qian Renhan. His eyes were no longer as cold and indifferent as before, and she called out tentatively.

Qian Renhan said calmly, "Xiaoxue, you said before that you would listen to whatever Brother told you, right?"

Hearing that, Qian Renxue nodded decisively. "Xiaoxue will listen to whatever Brother says, as long as Brother doesn't ignore Xiaoxue."

Qian Renhan said seriously, "Good. Go stay by Father's side. At this time every day, Father is handling affairs. Learn from the way he handles them—learn how to survive in this world."

Qian Renxue nodded, then asked, "Is Brother coming too?"

Qian Renhan smiled and shook his head. "Brother isn't going. I still have things to do."

"Does Brother not want to pay attention to Xiaoxue again?" Qian Renxue's eyes reddened once more as she spoke.

Qian Renhan hesitated for a moment, then lowered his head and pecked her cheek. "Be good. Listen to me."

At that peck, Qian Renxue immediately brightened up. Brother had kissed her, which meant he liked her as his little sister.

"Brother, then I'll go find Father. See you at lunch." Qian Renxue turned around and happily jogged toward the Papal Palace.

Watching Qian Renxue's departing figure, the smile on Qian Renhan's face faded, and his expression turned gloomy again. He sighed. "Xiaoxue, since the Qian Clan has been like this since our ancestors, then the fault does not lie with our family's three generations. If you want to be foolish, then be foolish. At the very least, I'm not dead."

The Qian Clan's way of doing things was guided by chivalry. Their foreign policy was steady and cautious; they never dared to gamble recklessly. There was no need to mention Qian Daoliu. After Qian Xunji crippled Tang Hao before he could break through to become a Title Douluo, he had not wanted to completely offend the Clear Sky Sect. He had only intended to take Ah Yin away and had not wanted to kill Tang Hao or Tang San. Qian Renxue was even worse—she could have flipped the table, yet she insisted on slowly poisoning Xue Ye to death.

"Such an external policy has its flaws, but it is enough for your growth at your current age. Even if I can't pull you back, then in the future, you can just become a high-level combatant of Spirit Hall and stay home handling affairs."

If he could not pull her back, then he would let her be. What else could he do if she was foolish? He had ended up with such a family and such ancestors. Having lived in this family and grown up eating its food, he naturally had to repay them. And to repay Spirit Hall—to make Spirit Hall become what he wanted it to be in the future—he needed sufficient strength.

"The Qian Clan, the Angel Clan—I will return you to the divine altar."

Qian Renhan opened his eyes again, and they became incomparably sharp. Then he walked back into Douluo Hall.

"Xiaohan, why have you come back?" Qian Daoliu asked. A kindly expression appeared on his face, though it was far less intense than the affection he showed Qian Renxue.

Qian Renhan got straight to the point. "I want to learn the sword."

Qian Daoliu's expression froze at those words. He smiled and said, "Why not go to Ji'er if you want to learn the sword? How about Grandfather finds you a sword-wielding teacher?"

Qian Renhan said indifferently, "I don't need a weak teacher. If I am to learn, I will learn from the strongest. Father's swordsmanship, and Spirit Hall's sword Soul Masters' understanding of the sword, are far inferior to yours, Grandfather. Besides, I do not need another person lording over me."

The person on the continent with the greatest understanding of the sword was naturally Sword Douluo Chenxin. Although his cultivation was far inferior to Qian Daoliu's, how could Qian Renhan possibly seek out Sword Douluo to learn swordsmanship? Sword Douluo's father had died from grievous injuries after sparring with Qian Daoliu.

Seeing Qian Renhan's serious expression, the kindness vanished from Qian Daoliu's face and was replaced by solemnity. With a wave of his hand, the two of them disappeared from Douluo Hall.

The scenery in Qian Renhan's eyes changed rapidly. By the time he could see clearly again, he had arrived atop a peak that pierced the clouds, where cold winds blew in gusts. Qian Daoliu stood before him with his hands behind his back, his eyes narrowed as he looked toward the horizon.

"This is Sword Peak, where generations of our Angel Clan have honed their sword techniques. The remaining Sword Qi here will help you learn swordsmanship."

"First, before learning the sword, Grandfather wants to ask you a question. Why do you practice the sword?"

Qian Renhan replied coldly, "I want strength!"

Qian Daoliu was slightly taken aback. Qian Renhan's answer had exceeded his expectations. He then asked, "Why are you in such a hurry to increase your strength? You still have five years before your martial soul awakens."

"On Douluo Continent, strength is the right to speak. In the future, I want Spirit Hall and the entire Douluo Continent to become what I want them to be. I want no power to stand above Spirit Hall, and I want no one to stand above our Qian Clan!"

Hearing Qian Renhan's cold and domineering words, Qian Daoliu's pupils contracted as he fell silent. He remembered his old rival, Tang Chen, and the final battle in which he had defeated Tang Chen.

"Good. Grandfather will teach you swordsmanship. But the training ahead will be extremely arduous. Are you prepared?" Qian Daoliu stared sharply at Qian Renhan.

Qian Renhan fearlessly met his gaze, the corner of his lips curling upward. "Come. Bring it on. With the foundations of our Spirit Hall, I doubt the training will leave me with any irreversible injuries."