Sun Golden Crow

The next day

When dawn was just beginning to break, the bustling city of Lingdou Imperial Capital stirred to life like a giant, wound-up machine, operating in an orderly fashion.

The streams of people moving through the streets injected the machine with energy.

After having breakfast with Xiao Xiao at a high-end restaurant, Xue Yuheng returned to the Xiao Clan. It took him a great deal of effort to explain to Soul-Chasing Douluo of the Soul Suppressing Family what a God-Level Martial Soul was.

The three of them headed together to the Golden Crow Family, the Wu Family, in the northern suburbs.

The estate was a sprawling manor much like the White Tiger Duke Mansion. It covered a thousand mu and, while it lacked the latter's opulence and carved beams, it had its own distinct Douling style.

The patrol guards at the manor's entrance had received word early that morning. They put aside their usual arrogance and ushered the three into the manor's main hall.

Beside the garden corridor lined with floor-to-ceiling windows stood a young woman, about 1.75 meters tall. Her golden-red hair was tied high in a ponytail. The fiery color made her skin look like white jade, and her brows and eyes were vivid and sharp.

Her custom-made, bright-red Shrek Inner Court uniform outlined her tall, graceful figure, while a pale golden-red flame shimmered around her.

Xue Yuheng gave her a glance and recognized her at once: Wu Ming. She was one of the current Shrek Seven Devils and, in a few months, would compete in the Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition on the continent, led by eldest sister Zhang Lexuan.

Wu Ming had been admiring the flowers. Seeing the three guests, who had been waiting for some time, she hurried over with a smile. "Wu Ming greets Soul-Chasing Douluo, Your Highness, and Your Highness the Crown Princess."

"How is your great-grandmother's health?" Soul-Chasing Douluo Xiao Shuying looked about forty. A century ago, she and Scorching Sun Douluo of the Golden Crow Family had been known as Douling's Twin Jewels.

Wu Ming looked troubled and did not answer. Xiao Shuying sighed inwardly and did not press her.

Three years ago, Scorching Sun Douluo had forced her way through the barrier to becoming a Super Douluo, leaving her in very poor health.

The Wu Family Main Hall had a European palace style.

An old woman with white hair lay sideways on a long sofa. Her face was colorless, and she looked gravely ill.

Xiao Shuying, Xiao Xiao, and Xue Yuheng all felt a pang when they saw her.

In front of the three youngsters, Xiao Shuying spoke bluntly. "Why put yourself through this? Even if you break through to Super Douluo, Luo Yun still won't spare you a glance."

Who was Luo Yun? The Heavenly Sun Douluo, known to everyone in the Dou Ling Empire.

Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao exchanged a look, smacked their lips, and fell silent.

This really was a continent where the God of Love had fallen.

The old woman's face flushed. Xiao Shuying's words had clearly angered her. She laughed scornfully. "Who told you I broke through to Super Douluo for that spineless bastard?

"Quit dragging up my past. If you have something to say, spit it out."

At the Titled Douluo level, one already stood at the pinnacle of the continent. No one made a house call without reason. If Xiao Shuying had come in person, there was surely more to it.

Xiao Shuying chuckled. "Back when we were at Shrek, didn't the academy reward you with a Fire Phoenix True Feather for helping kill an Evil Soul Master at the Soul Saint level?"

"No. My Golden Crow Family can't make use of it, but I still plan to take such a priceless treasure to the grave with me," the old woman replied coolly.

"Do you know what a God-Level Martial Soul is?" Xiao Shuying asked mysteriously.

Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao struggled to keep from laughing.

She was already using what she'd just learned.

The old woman seemed intrigued. With Wu Ming's help, she shifted into a seated position on one side of the sofa, waiting for Xiao Shuying to continue.

"My good-for-nothing great-granddaughter has the potential to advance to a God-Level Martial Soul—in other words, to become a god.

"Your Fire Phoenix True Feather is too low-grade. I'd like to borrow your Golden Crow Family's Golden Crow True Source." Xiao Shuying repeated what Xue Yuheng had told her.

Scorching Sun Douluo's expression changed several times. Wu Ming, beside her, also lowered her head and pondered for a long while.

God.

That single word alone weighed so heavily on the great-grandmother and great-granddaughter that they could barely breathe.

How were the three of them managing to stay so calm?

"The Golden Crow True Source came from a four-thousand-year-old Sun Dominator our Golden Crow Family killed in the volcanic region of the Star Dou Forest seven hundred years ago. It can be compared to the core of an ordinary Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast..."

The white-haired old woman volunteered the information. She was tempted, and was raising the stakes.

Scorching Sun Douluo knew her days were numbered. The family was riven by internal strife, and she needed to find it a powerful protector.

Xiao Shuying was just about to make some grand, empty promises to tempt her old friend when Xue Yuheng, standing beside her, suddenly spoke.

"I can help Senior Wu Ming evolve her Martial Soul into a Demi-God Level Martial Soul..." Seeing the looks from the other four, Xue Yuheng changed tack. "But the Golden Crow Family will need to provide some materials."

"Your Highness, do you mean it?" Scorching Sun Douluo's face flushed with color, and her spirits visibly lifted. She asked excitedly.

Xiao Shuying suppressed her displeasure and added, "The plan to evolve Xiao Xiao's Martial Soul was also proposed by His Highness."

Xiao Shuying was, of course, displeased. This had not been part of the plan.

The Golden Crow Family was mired in a power struggle and was already in decline.

The best course was to use Xiao Xiao's God-Level Martial Soul to absorb the Golden Crow Family.

What was the point of helping Wu Ming evolve her Martial Soul into some Demi-God Level Martial Soul? It was just causing trouble.

After considering it, Xiao Shuying still let it pass. Xue Yuheng was crucial to Xiao Xiao's Martial Soul Evolution, and it would be unwise to offend the Crown Prince.

There were no eternal friends, only eternal interests.

"A Demi-God Level Martial Soul will let Senior Wu Ming cultivate all the way to the Limit Douluo level without much hindrance. So the price will be substantial, no less than what Xiao Xiao's God-Level Martial Soul needs to advance."

Xue Yuheng rubbed his nose and spoke seriously.

Xiao Xiao knew him well. She knew that when he made that unconscious gesture, he was up to no good.

That was right: Xue Yuheng was preparing to drive a hard bargain.

He knew full well that Xiao Shuying planned to use this opportunity to absorb the Golden Crow Family, but as Crown Prince of the Dou Ling Empire, he would not stand by and let the Soul Suppressing Family grow too powerful.

"Your Highness, this matter will have far-reaching consequences. Please allow us to discuss it." Scorching Sun Douluo sighed and looked deeply at Xiao Shuying and Xue Yuheng. How could she not see the difference between the two? One was a wolf, the other a tiger.

One spat out the bones; the other didn't.

The declining Golden Crow Family had no choice.

Scorching Sun Douluo had a maid summon the heads of the family's various factions to a meeting.

The meeting, held within the Golden Crow Family to discuss Wu Ming's future, continued until dusk.

Scorching Sun Douluo overruled all objections and finally approved the plan to advance Wu Ming's Martial Soul to a Demi-God Level Martial Soul.

Wu Ming's parents were delighted. This meant their branch of the family had a very good chance of producing the next clan leader.

After the meeting, Xue Yuheng and the others returned from a side courtyard to the main hall.

A list of material costs drawn up by Xue Yuheng, just within the Golden Crow Family's means, was placed on Scorching Sun Douluo's desk.

The old woman seemed to have aged several years overnight. What did that mean?

Someone in the family was working for Prince Gan!

Three days later, Xue Yuheng went alone to the meeting.

He had not acted on a whim. Not long after meeting Wu Ming, her profile had appeared in the Wordless Heavenly Book.

After the book's Deduction, the direction of Wu Ming's Martial Soul Evolution became clear at once.

As for why it was only a Demi-God Level Martial Soul, Xue Yuheng guessed it was because the book had judged Wu Ming's talent to be only [Mediocre Talent] level.

Even Xiao Xiao, a Twin Martial Souls prodigy, had been judged by the book to be only [C-Grade Talent]. That showed just how high its standards were.

In Wu Ming's bedroom

"Senior Wu Ming, please remove as much clothing as possible. It'll increase the chances of success." Wu Ming had put a blindfold on Xue Yuheng.

"Why do you call me senior?" Wu Ming asked bashfully. Given their situation, even she, proud as she was, could not help feeling embarrassed.

"Because sooner or later, I'll be studying at the First Academy of the Continent too."

Xue Yuheng felt around and reminded her, "You'll need to take off more."

"How about now?"

"More."

"What about this, then?" Wu Ming threw caution to the wind.

"Still too little..."

"..."

With the Fire Phoenix True Feather, Golden Crow Sand, Sun Fruit, three five-thousand-year-old fire-type Soul Bones, and ten Creation Points to balance things out, Wu Ming's Martial Soul successfully evolved from a Golden Crow into a Sun Golden Crow.

The Golden Crow Family's sacrifice paid off. After Wu Ming's Martial Soul evolved, a miracle occurred.

Her First Soul Ring's age increased from seven hundred years to a thousand!

The ages of her remaining four Soul Rings also increased to varying degrees, and her cultivation broke through from level fifty-seven to level sixty, the Soul Emperor realm.

Once she obtained another Soul Ring, Wu Ming would be a true Soul Emperor.

At nineteen, a Soul Emperor was among the continent's greatest prodigies.

The day after Wu Ming's Martial Soul evolved,

Xue Yuheng appeared with Xiao Xiao in the eastern suburbs of Lingdou City.

They spent the whole morning getting used to the Soul Guidance Vehicle—similar to a motorcycle—that Xue Yuheng had hired a Level 7 Soul Engineer to build at great expense.

Xue Yuheng drove, while Xiao Xiao wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Xiao Xue! Let's go! To the Xuanming Sect!"