The Seven-Colored Gourd Vine

The three of them—Mu Qian, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xirui—didn't know the full story. Even if they had, he wouldn't have been too surprised.

In this world, geniuses always enjoyed special privileges.

Spirit Hall welcomed geniuses just as much, and valued them more than anyone else on the Douluo Continent.

As far as Mu Qian was concerned, that was enough.

And as for their enemies?

Showing mercy to an enemy was cruelty to oneself.

It wasn't just Mu Qian. Even the protagonist, Tang San, was just as ruthless toward his enemies, wasn't he?

So in the end, it was merely a matter of differing interests and loyalties.

Before coming to Spirit City, Mu Qian had already figured out the exact location of Death Canyon.

After leaving the plaza in front of Spirit Hall Academy, Mu Qian and Zhu Zhuqing braved the blazing midday sun and hurried toward the North City Gate.

But unlike on the way here, this time a beautiful figure walked beside them.

The three walked shoulder to shoulder along the streets, ignoring the stares and pointing fingers of passersby. The mood was quiet, and none of them spoke first.

Mu Qian and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged a glance, then he broke the silence. "For the next month, the three of us will be teammates. Why don't we introduce ourselves and get to know one another a little? It might help us get through the assessment."

"I'll go first. I'm Mu Qian, a forty-second-level Control-Type Battle Soul Ancestor. My Martial Soul is Yinglong."

Hearing such shocking information that would make anyone question their own life, Xirui stopped in her tracks. A flash of horror crossed her eyes, gone almost as soon as it appeared.

The two didn't notice that what shocked her wasn't Mu Qian's Soul Power, but his Martial Soul.

Yinglong... A name no one on the Douluo Continent should have known, yet it sent shock waves through her heart.

After Mu Qian's brief introduction, Zhu Zhuqing followed. "Zhu Zhuqing, a twenty-ninth-level Agility Attack-Type Battle Soul Master. My Martial Soul is the Hell Spirit Cat."

It was brief, but enough.

They weren't close, after all. They had only just met, and knew nothing about this girl's personality or background. They weren't about to reveal too much of their own abilities.

What they'd shared wouldn't stay secret once they entered the academy anyway.

The shock in Xirui's eyes faded in an instant, and she quickly recovered. "Hello. I'm Xirui, a thirty-first-level Support-Type Tool Soul Elder. My Martial Soul is the Seven-Colored Gourd Vine."

The girl's gaze wandered, and her voice carried a hint of nervousness and unease. She gave the impression of being very introverted.

Of course, her introversion was different from Zhu Zhuqing's. She seemed awkward when talking to people, with the air of someone inexperienced in the world. She appeared rather innocent.

In truth, she seemed more like someone who grew nervous around strangers.

Still, Mu Qian wouldn't judge someone's personality based on the way they presented themselves.

His wariness wouldn't simply vanish because of it.

Xirui was different from Zhu Zhuqing. Mu Qian hadn't known the latter earlier, but he was familiar with her. Xirui, on the other hand...

She was someone he knew absolutely nothing about.

Mu Qian and Zhu Zhuqing both looked surprised.

The girl seemed about their age, yet she already had the astounding Soul Power of a thirty-first-level Spirit Master.

She couldn't compare with Mu Qian, but her Soul Power Level had already surpassed Zhu Zhuqing's!

And one shouldn't forget that Mu Qian's rapid progress was inseparable from his innate twentieth-level Soul Power!

Based on Soul Power alone, Xirui could definitely rank second among this year's newcomers.

Yet what surprised Mu Qian most was her Martial Soul. "The Seven-Colored Gourd Vine?"

"Y-yes." Xirui looked uncomfortable. Her gaze darted away, and she didn't dare meet Mu Qian's eyes.

Zhu Zhuqing looked puzzled. "I've never heard of a Martial Soul like that. A-Mu, have you?"

The fact that someone other than Mu Qian had improved her Soul Power even more quickly left Zhu Zhuqing somewhat unsettled.

Of course, her strong will wouldn't let her lose her composure. But her personality also wasn't suited to offering compliments she didn't mean.

Still, Zhu Zhuqing had no reason to feel inferior when it came to looks. She could even claim the advantage in figure.

Mu Qian hesitated at Zhu Zhuqing's question, but in the end, he didn't explain.

Even if he did, she had grown up on the Douluo Continent and wouldn't be able to understand.

He hadn't heard much about the Seven-Colored Gourd Vine, but the name made it hard not to think of the Innate Gourd Vine...

Even if Mu Qian hadn't paid much attention to Prehistoric mythology in his previous life, he still knew a little about it.

The Innate Gourd Vine was one of the ten great primordial spiritual roots of ancient times. It grew on Mount Buzhou and bore seven innate gourds, in red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple.

Each gourd became an innate treasure and was obtained by one of seven primordial life forms. The Gourd Vine itself was used by Nuwa to create humanity and became a treasure of merit.

Xirui's Seven-Colored Gourd Vine Martial Soul inevitably reminded Mu Qian of that legendary primordial spiritual root.

Though, to him, the idea seemed like utter nonsense.

If he knew what effects Xirui's Soul Skills had, perhaps he could learn a great deal.

But after thinking it over, Mu Qian decided to set aside his curiosity for now. He didn't ask her outright.

A Spirit Master's Martial Soul was their greatest secret, let alone the effects of their Soul Skills.

Since they were already teammates, he'd have a chance to observe her Soul Skills later. There was no need to annoy her.

"You're amazing. You're already as powerful as a Soul Ancestor at your age, and this older sister is amazing too." Xirui's pale-blue eyes were as clear as crystal, like exquisite amber flecked with stars.

"You're the one with greater talent," Zhu Zhuqing said honestly.

It was hard to be harsh toward someone who greeted you with a smile, and she could tell Xirui meant what she said.

There was no sarcasm in the girl's words.

Zhu Zhuqing didn't feel inferior, either. She was already close to the thirtieth level, and she believed she could break through during this newcomer assessment and obtain her third Spirit Ring.

"No, it's because I..." Xirui shuddered, as if something had just occurred to her. She suddenly stammered and didn't finish.

Mu Qian smiled faintly, paying no attention to her expression. He looked up at the sky and said, "We should hurry. We're already half a day behind the people who set out first."

Under normal circumstances, it took at least a day to travel from Spirit City to Death Canyon.

But if the three of them used their Soul Power to hurry at full speed, they had a chance of arriving by dawn the next day and starting their assessment.

Mu Qian gazed at the wide North City Gate just ahead and sighed softly.

The battle royale was about to begin.

He hoped no one would try anything underhanded or target them.

After all... they were all living beings, weren't they?

On the way, Xirui was like a curious child, finding everything new and interesting.

After getting to know the two of them, she became livelier, no longer nervous and uneasy as she had been at first.