"We've made it through this hurdle. Our safety is temporarily assured. At last, I can cultivate steadily while making plans for the future."
Chen Jieqi left the Crown Prince's Residence and let out a long breath.
He knew that the next time he set foot in that residence, he would probably have to face Qian Renxue's ultimatum.
After all, their Martial Souls shared the same origin and might even be capable of fusion. The young angelic mistress wouldn't pass up the chance to cultivate together.
And that was exactly what he wanted.
Cultivating together would not only multiply the speed of their progress, but also help them build rapport and steadily increase the chance of Martial Soul Fusion.
The Six-Winged Angel was a god-tier Martial Soul, and now it had encountered one that could rival it.
Qian Renxue had no reason not to be tempted!
After Chen Jieqi left the Crown Prince's Residence, the news spread through Heaven Dou's major powers as if it had grown wings.
Inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi tapped his fingers lightly on the table as he looked over the intelligence his agents had brought him. His eyes were full of admiration.
"Chen Jieqi's talent is truly without equal. He's not even twelve, yet he's already a Soul Ancestor. He's composed and reserved, too.
"If nothing unexpected happens, he'll be the next Tang Chen—and might even go further."
Bone Douluo Gu Rong, standing beside him, nodded in rare agreement.
"With Dugu Bo protecting him, the Crown Prince keeping him close, and even the imperial family investing in him, this boy's future influence probably won't be limited to Heaven Dou."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head gently, his tone measured.
"The more talented someone is, the more likely they are to become a pawn in the struggles between factions.
"Let's wait and see whether he can find his footing amid this chaos.
"If he truly soars to greatness, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might well gain another ally."
Thinking of his daughter, Ning Fengzhi couldn't help shaking his head.
It was a pity Rongrong had gone to Shrek Academy.
Otherwise, sending her to Heaven Dou Royal Academy to get to know him wouldn't have been a bad idea.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
In the council hall, Yu Yuanzhen held a sheet of paper while several elders beside him wore different expressions.
An elder in a dark, fitted outfit scoffed, his tone brimming with the Blue Lightning clan's characteristic arrogance.
"He's just some commoner who clung to Dugu Bo and shamelessly fawned over the Heaven Dou Crown Prince. And they call him 'the next Tang Chen'?"
He slammed a hand on the table. A hint of dragon威 spread through the room.
"My Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is the greatest Beast Martial Soul in the world. That so-called Holy Light Martial Soul of his is nothing but a flashy, unorthodox trick!"
Yu Yuanzhen looked up, impatience hidden in his eyes, but didn't argue.
Another elder, older and more level-headed, frowned.
"Clan leader, this boy fought Yu Tianheng and even beat him..."
"So what if he did?"
Yu Yuanzhen cut him off, his tone cold.
"Tianheng simply lacks experience and hasn't fully grasped the essence of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon."
He set down the paper and lightly tapped the table twice with his fingertips. The gesture was quiet,
yet it unsettled everyone present more than the elder's earlier slam.
At the same time, the Clear Sky Sect, the Star Luo Empire, and the other powers all received the news.
Some dismissed it, some quietly committed the name to memory, and others began to wonder:
where would this boy who had appeared out of nowhere make his move in the great game that would shape the continent's future?
"Elders, what do you think of Chen Jieqi?"
The speaker was Qian Renxue, who had changed back into her gold-and-white palace robes. She sat in the main seat, talking to the empty hall as if she already knew someone would answer.
As soon as she finished speaking, the air warped soundlessly. Two shadows took shape out of nowhere, their Titled Douluo pressure slowly manifesting.
The tall, thin elder spoke first.
"His Martial Soul is pure, his will is firm, and his talent is monstrous. If nothing unexpected happens, he'll be the next Tang Chen.
"If we can bring him over to our side, he'll be a great asset to the young mistress. If we can't, we should eliminate him as soon as possible and leave no future threat."
The short, stout elder clasped his hands and bowed, speaking cautiously.
"This subordinate recommends sending word to the Worship Hall and asking the Great Enshrined to decide."
The two were Qian Renxue's personal guards.
The tall one was Snake Lance Douluo She Long, a level ninety-two Power Attack System Titled Douluo whose Martial Soul was the Snake Lance. He was known for his ruthless, fierce attacks.
The short, stout one was Porcupinefish Douluo Ci Xue, a level ninety-two Control System Titled Douluo whose Martial Soul was the porcupinefish. He specialized in poison and defense.
One excelled in offense, the other in defense—a perfect pairing.
"Not for now. There's no need to bother Grandpa while he's cultivating over such a small matter."
Qian Renxue raised her eyes. A firm resolve flashed in her golden gaze.
"I'll win him over myself—as Qian Renxue,
"not as 'Brother Xue.'"
Her gaze was sharp and confident, as if victory were already assured.
The image of Chen Jieqi gazing up at her reverently and shouting, "I revere the glory of the angels," crossed her mind. The corners of her lips lifted ever so slightly.
"Young mistress, isn't that too risky?
"The danger is too great. Your identity could easily be exposed!"
Snake Lance Douluo She Long couldn't help speaking up, his voice full of concern.
"Elders, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
Qian Renxue's tone softened, but her resolve remained.
"And I won't do it right away. I'll watch him for a while first."
"Then... should we ask the Great Enshrined?"
Porcupinefish Douluo Ci Xue cautiously added.
"Hmm!?"
Qian Renxue's voice rose sharply. Her golden eyes swept over them.
"Do I need to say it a second time?"
"Yes, young mistress!"
The two Titled Douluo bowed.
Qian Renxue looked toward the hall's entrance, her voice icy.
"After all this time, the Pope's Palace must have received the news by now, too, right?"
"Yes, young mistress!" She Long replied solemnly.
"Send word back. Tell that woman that I have my own plans for him, and she's to stay out of it!"
She deliberately stressed the words "that woman." Hostility toward Bibi Dong flashed in her eyes, and her tone brooked no argument.
"Understood, young mistress."
Ci Xue bowed to accept the order. Before turning away, he said solemnly to She Long:
"The young mistress's safety is in your hands during this time."
She Long clapped him on the shoulder, his tone tinged with amusement.
"Don't worry about the young mistress's safety. Things will be even safer with you gone."
Ci Xue didn't argue. He simply bowed again and vanished in a flash, leaving only a faint ripple of Soul Power behind.
Back at the academy, Chen Jieqi reclined against the couch, staring blankly into space.
At this point, Tang San and that rabbit should have reached Suotuo City and joined the bunch of "monsters" at Shrek Academy, right?
He wondered whether they'd gone to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a third Soul Ring for Oscar.
As he pondered, the Naaru Brand at his brow suddenly pulsed.
It wasn't the same-origin attraction he'd felt around Qian Renxue. This was a sharper, more instinctive repulsion,
like light and darkness meeting in the same waters. No words were needed; they simply couldn't coexist.
Chen Jieqi frowned and raised a hand to press against his brow.
What was this?
The Heart of the Naaru had never reacted like this before.
It wasn't hostility, but it was deeper than hostility—as if two planets were moving along the same orbit, with only one destined to survive.
Tang San.
The moment the name surfaced in his mind, the feeling of repulsion sharpened for an instant,
then vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
Chen Jieqi opened his eyes. The languor in them had disappeared, replaced by a deep, grave expression.
He'd thought his plan to intercept Tang San in the Star Dou Great Forest was simply a practical decision to weaken a future rival.
But now it seemed... things weren't so simple.
That thousand-year-old Man Faced Demon Spider, and the Eight Spider Lances about to emerge from Tang San's back—
even if Chen Jieqi couldn't use them himself, he couldn't let Tang San get them.
It wasn't just because "you shouldn't give treasures to your enemies."
His Martial Soul, his principles, and his destiny were all telling him the same thing:
he couldn't let this man grow unhindered.
He remembered clearly that when the Shrek group went hunting for a Soul Ring for Oscar, they would stop at a small hotel along the way and run into the arrogant Blue Sunshine Academy.
Better still, at this point Tang Hao should still be lurking in the shadows, not following Tang San around. It was the perfect chance to fish in troubled waters.
"Should I go see what happens?"
Chen Jieqi murmured to himself. A glint of eager anticipation flashed in his eyes.
The Brand at his brow, dormant until then, glowed faintly for an instant.
As if in response.
Far away, somewhere in the Star Dou Great Forest,
their "child of destiny," Tang San, was sitting cross-legged in the woods, Soul Power surging around him as he absorbed the Man Faced Demon Spider's Soul Ring with all his might.
The pale purple Soul Ring's patterns traveled along his meridians before finally converging on his back. The outline of the Eight Spider Lances slowly took shape beneath his skin.
At the same time, Chen Jieqi, back at Heaven Dou Academy, suddenly furrowed his brow.
The light elements, usually docile, seemed to have been disturbed by something and grew restless.
He had to expend twice as much effort as usual to suppress the inexplicable interference.
With stabbing pain and a ravenous urge to devour, the Eight Spider Lances sank bit by bit into Tang San's bones and the channels through which his Soul Power flowed.
The agony of breaking through swept over him, and the urgency of finding Xiao Wu weighed on his mind.
Tang San had no time to pay attention to the stirring hunger deep within the Eight Spider Lances—the desire to devour life and Soul Power.
He only gritted his teeth and focused all his attention on stabilizing his Soul Power and advancing to the next level.
At one moment, for the briefest instant, so slight it was almost imperceptible,
the nascent Eight Spider Lances on his back gave a faint tremor, as if they had sensed something far away.
Tang San didn't notice.
He only felt his Soul Power slow for a moment, then return to normal.
And thousands of miles away, in Heaven Dou City, the Brand on Chen Jieqi's brow dimmed for an instant.
Neither of them knew about the "connection" that had occurred just then.
But the Heart of the Naaru knew. The Eight Spider Lances knew.