Evolve, My Soul Ring!

"..."

Within the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Abyss.

Snow Empress hovered in mid-air, her exquisite face frosted with cold, but her ice-blue eyes were filled with complex emotions—anger, astonishment, absurdity, and a trace of deeply hidden panic.

Just like that... she left?

The human Pontiff, who had brazenly declared he would take her as his partner, had actually retreated unscathed after leaving behind such shocking, wild words.

Snow Empress slowly descended onto the pristine Profound Ice Platform.

Her gaze fell uncontrollably upon the three items at her feet.

A jade box radiating a fatal temptation; that was her reliance for resisting the heavenly tribulation.

A gorgeous clothing box that shimmered with radiant light, displaying stunning beauty even amidst the wind and snow.

Although Snow Empress had always looked down upon human attire, the fact that that fellow possessed even the Douluo Planet Companion Profound Ice Marrow Core made her unable to resist taking another look.

Finally, there was the feather resting quietly atop the clothing box, pitch-black as ink, exuding a pure and overbearing dark energy.

Holy Angel Disguise... yet he left behind a token filled with such fallen and dark power... just what kind of oddity is this Qian Daoliu?

Snow Empress frowned slightly.

In her mind, the wild words Qian Daoliu spoke upon his departure echoed involuntarily: I guarantee you can become a god.

For a soul beast, this was a temptation so fatal it could not be resisted. In her seven hundred thousand years of existence, she had witnessed too many powerful kin vanish into ashes under the heavenly tribulation. Soul beasts cannot become gods—this was the death curse hanging over the heads of all hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.

That arrogant, unscrupulous human Pontiff... could he really do it?

"Boastful..."

Snow Empress let out a cold snort, though her icy tone lacked the lethal intent from before.

With a wave of her long sleeves, she swept up the jade box, the clothing box, and the pitch-black feather. With a flicker, her figure merged back into the depths of the wind and snow of the Far North.

A moment later...

This dress... is truly beautiful...

Moving like a bolt of lightning, it wasn't until he had completely flown out of the endless wind and snow surrounding the periphery of the Far North that Qian Daoliu finally slammed on the brakes atop a secluded, desolate mountain peak, panting heavily.

He looked back at the white, forbidden zone behind him that seemed completely frozen, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with lingering fear.

"Good grief, the seven-hundred-thousand-year Ruler of the Far North—when she loses her temper, she's no joke."

Qian Daoliu calculated silently in his heart. In that exchange just now, although he had managed to ambush Snow Empress using the damage-reflection mechanism of the [Original Sin Thorn Crown] and gained a slight advantage, If they had truly fought to the death, with his current level ninety-three soul power, he would undoubtedly have been defeated.

"If not for that Angel God Token given by the old man, today's blind date would have surely turned into a case of 'killing the husband to attain the Dao'."

Qian Daoliu rubbed his chin. His ego, which had inflated after hoodwinking the Upper Three Sects, calmed down at this moment.

The waters of the Douluo Continent were too deep. Although he had awakened the Super-God grade Twelve-Winged Original Sin Fallen Angel, his foundation was ultimately lacking.

Encountering a super-beast like Snow Empress, who had lived for seven hundred thousand years, exposed the shortcomings of his raw strength.

Strength, huh... so what if I'm reborn? If I know the future but lack the strength, won't I just be bought and sold like Bibi Dong?

Let the bullets fly for a while.

His top priority now was to hurry back to Martial Soul Hall and convert the tens of thousands of Subversion Points in his hand into tangible combat power.

Having made up his mind, Qian Daoliu stopped lingering. The twelve Wings of Light on his back flared, and he transformed into a golden meteor, heading straight for Martial Soul City.

A few days later, Martial Soul City, Elder Hall.

"Click—"

The Grand Pontiff Qian Daoliu was holding a pair of exquisite jade shears, happily pruning a precious Immortal Orchid recently transplanted from the Sunset Forest, humming an unknown tune.

He had truly become a master gardener.

A breeze brushed by, and Qian Daoliu's tall, upright figure appeared silently within the hall.

"Yo, Chi'er is back."

Qian Daoliu set down the shears and turned around.

The old man's face instantly dropped: "Where is she? Where is my daughter-in-law? Didn't you take the God Ancestor's token to go pick her up? Why are you back alone, empty-handed?"

Watching the old man's angry expression over not getting a grandson, Qian Daoliu didn't blush or skip a beat. He casually picked up a teacup from the table and took a sip.

"Father, what are you rushing for? Haste makes waste, let alone such a massive iceberg."

Qian Daoliu began his swindling mode in a measured tone:

"I have already met her. Not only did I meet her, but I also left behind the bride-price I carefully prepared. You wouldn't believe it—when that young lady saw the foundation of our Martial Soul Hall, she was absolutely stunned..."

"Then why didn't she come back with you?" Qian Daoliu asked with a frown.

"Shy, are we?" Qian Xunji slapped his thigh, speaking with great gravity.

"That young lady is pure and untainted, having lived in seclusion for years. Suddenly being proposed to face-to-face by someone as outstanding as myself, her heart must have been racing. She was so shy that she stirred up a blizzard on the spot. Girls, after all, must maintain some modesty. I couldn't just drag her back here by force, could I? That would lack chivalry."

Qian Xunji patted his chest, offering a solemn guarantee:

"Rest assured, Father, it is only a matter of time."

Qian Daoliu listened in a daze. Although he felt something was slightly off, seeing his son's look of absolute confidence—combined with a blind trust in his son's current abilities—the old man ultimately nodded with a chuckle.

"Good, good, good. As long as there is hope, it's fine. Since the young lady accepted the gift, the matter is halfway settled. However, Jier, although you are at level ninety-three, you must continue to strive. After all, you have the fortune of a god."

"Father's instruction is correct," Qian Xunji replied, seizing the opportunity to push the matter forward.

"Therefore, I have decided to go into seclusion starting today. I will have to trouble you and the other uncles of the Elders' Hall to manage the daily affairs of the Martial Soul Hall."

"Go, go. Cultivation is the priority; I will hold down the fort at the Martial Soul Hall," Qian Daoliu said, waving his hand and giving his approval without hesitation.

Having handled the old man, Qian Xunji headed straight into the secret chamber of the Pope Hall.

The heavy Dragon-Severing Stone crashed down, completely isolating the entire chamber from the outside world.

"System, open the System Mall. I want to spend."

[System Mall opened. Host's current balance: 49,000 Subversion Points.]

"Give me four Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring Upgrade Vouchers," Qian Xunji shouted with the air of a big spender.

His current configuration consisted of two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red ring. Although that red hundred-thousand-year soul ring had a high-end feel, the four yellow and purple rings preceding it were truly an eyesore.

[Detected that the host is redeeming four Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring Upgrade Vouchers.]

[Current unit price: 8,000 Subversion Points per voucher. Total: 32,000 Subversion Points. Confirm redemption?]

"Confirm redemption!"

[Redemption successful. 32,000 Subversion Points deducted. Host's current balance: 17,000 Subversion Points. Four Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring Upgrade Vouchers have been issued.]

Four mysterious talismans glowing with a scarlet light instantly appeared before Qian Xunji.

He did not hesitate, crushing them to release four torrents of pure red energy that poured directly into the first, second, third, and fourth black soul rings at his feet.