"Yes... yes, Your Holiness." Zhu Yan bit her lip. Though her voice was childish, it held a stubborn note. She didn't kneel, only lowered her head slightly,
"Don't be nervous. This place of mine isn't some man-eating demon's lair."
Qian Xunji rose from his throne and came over to Zhu Yan. He crouched down, trying to bring his eyes level with hers.
"By my reckoning, it's been some time since your eldest sister went back. I'm rather curious—how has she been since returning to the Star Luo Imperial Palace? That sick cat, Dai Tianfeng, hasn't made things difficult for her, has he?"
A warm smile played on Qian Xunji's lips, but his eyes glittered with curiosity.
At the mention of her eldest sister and the emperor, Zhu Yan's tense little face changed instantly. Her eyes reddened, and the grievance and anger she'd been suppressing could no longer be hidden.
"The emperor's a bad man! He's a complete lunatic!"
Zhu Yan clenched her little fists, her voice thick with tears.
"My eldest sister went through so much just to save him, but as soon as he woke up, he not only smashed the bowl of medicine she brought him, he also called her... called her a shameless slut in front of all the servants!"
At that, Zhu Yan's tears began to fall.
"My eldest sister cried all night. The next day, she put me on a carriage. She told me never to go back to the Star Luo Empire, that it was a man-eating prison.
"She told me to train hard here and never trust anyone again. I can only trust my own fists..."
Listening to Zhu Yan's childishly blunt yet bloodcurdling accusations, Qian Xunji almost couldn't stop himself from laughing out loud.
Qian Xunji was positively delighted.
The results were a hundred times better than he'd expected!
Once a seed of suspicion had been planted, it only needed a little nourishment from rumor and hearsay to grow into a towering tree.
Dai Tianfeng's arrogance and imperial dignity would never tolerate his empress spending an entire night in another man's secret chamber.
This act of sowing discord had cost not a drop of blood, yet it had completely crippled the Star Luo Empire's strategic trump card: the Hell White Tiger.
From now on, if Dai Tianfeng and Zhu Wanying, that pair of emperor and empress who were united in name only, could still perform the Martial Soul Fusion Skill in perfect sync, Qian Xunji would eat the walls of Jialing Pass.
"Ah, what a pitiful woman. Being with a ruler is like being with a tiger."
On the surface, Qian Xunji put on a heartbroken, compassionate expression. He even gently reached out and wiped away Zhu Yan's tears.
"Your eldest sister was right. The Star Luo Imperial Family doesn't deserve her loyalty.
"But don't worry. Now that you've come to Spirit Hall, this is your new home. Here, there's no imperial oppression, only the pure pursuit of power."
Feeling the warmth of Qian Xunji's fingertips and the sacred aura that made her want to draw near, Zhu Yan's heart, which had been caught in her throat, finally eased a little.
"Your Holiness... are you really willing to take me in? I... I haven't awakened my Martial Soul yet. What if I turn out to be useless?"
Zhu Yan tilted her head up, unease in her eyes. In the Star Luo Empire, those without a Martial Soul or strength were worth less than pigs and dogs.
"Useless? There's no such word as 'useless' in my dictionary."
Qian Xunji stood and swept his hand grandly, exuding the air of a man surveying the world.
"Every meeting is fate. Since you've come before me, I'll personally preside over your Martial Soul Awakening today."
He did as he said.
Qian Xunji swept his right hand through the air. Six black Awakening Stones flew out and arranged themselves on the ground at Zhu Yan's feet, forming a perfect hexagram.
"Step inside, close your eyes, and focus on the power within you. No matter what happens, don't be afraid."
Qian Xunji's voice seemed to carry a strange magic. Zhu Yan nodded obediently, took a deep breath, and stepped into the center of the formation.
"Hmm—"
Qian Xunji casually sent a stream of pure golden Soul Power into the six Awakening Stones.
In an instant, a pale golden barrier enveloped Zhu Yan. Warm energy flowed from the formation into her small body, continuously.
Zhu Yan felt warm all over, as comfortable as if she were soaking in a hot spring. Even her muscles, sore from the long journey, relaxed completely.
Just then, something unexpected happened!
"Meow—!"
A sharp cat's cry, frigid and murderous, suddenly rang through the empty hall.
The next moment, a burst of deep purple light exploded behind Zhu Yan.
Within the light, the phantom of a long, lithe spirit cat silently appeared. Its body was dark purple, and its eyes gleamed like two flawless purple crystals.
As soon as the phantom appeared, the temperature in the hall seemed to drop. It circled behind Zhu Yan with graceful, soundless steps, its sharp claws glinting in and out of view.
"The Hell Spirit Cat."
Qian Xunji looked at the solid phantom and nodded with satisfaction. As expected, the Martial Soul passed down through the Zhu Family was of excellent quality. Judging by how solid the phantom was, Zhu Yan's Martial Soul might even be a little purer than her eldest sister's!
"All right, child. Open your eyes."
Qian Xunji withdrew his Soul Power. Zhu Yan slowly opened her eyes, feeling a sharp, shadowy power within her.
"Is this my Martial Soul? It's amazing..." Zhu Yan looked at her hands curiously.
"The Martial Soul is only the foundation. Let's see your Innate Soul Power."
Qian Xunji reached into his storage ring and took out a blue crystal ball used to test Soul Power. He held it out to Zhu Yan. "Come on, put your hand on it and use your mind to channel the power within you into the ball."
Zhu Yan swallowed, then nervously reached out a slightly trembling hand and pressed it against the cold surface of the crystal ball.
"Hmm—"
The instant her palm touched it, the dull blue crystal ball erupted in brilliant blue light.
The light rippled through the crystal ball like waves, spreading wildly until it filled almost the entire sphere in the blink of an eye.
The dazzling blue glow illuminated Zhu Yan's little face.
"This light..."
Qian Xunji's eyes lit up, and his spiritual power swept over the crystal ball.
"Innate Soul Power... level nine!"
A delighted smile curled Qian Xunji's lips.
Level nine.
Though she hadn't reached the monstrous level of Bibi Dong or Qian Renxue, Innate Full Soul Power was a privilege reserved in the original story for protagonists with plot armor or those inheriting a godhood.
In the ordinary Soul Master World, anyone with Innate Soul Power above level seven was already a genius every major sect would fight tooth and nail to recruit.
Innate Soul Power at level nine—she was absolutely among the best of the best. As long as she had enough resources and didn't die young, she was guaranteed to become a Titled Douluo.
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