Meteorite Falls from the Sky, Chen Qingxuan Arrives

Three hundred miles outside Heaven Dou City, at the Soul Hunting Forest.

"Young Mistress, there is really no need for this." The voice of Snake Lance Douluo echoed through the woods.

He stood tall and straight, reaching a height of two meters. His entire body was covered in dark brown armor, the plates clinging to his burly frame and outlining lines of explosive power.

His features were sharp and angular, with high brow ridges and deep-set eye sockets. His eyes were narrow and long like a snake's, currently fixed intently on the small figure before him, his gaze brimming with worry and a trace of imperceptible awe.

"No, I am not going back." Nine-year-old Qian Renxue stood there; though her frame had yet to fully mature, she already exuded a composure that belied her age.

Her small face was as white as jade, the skin delicate and flawless, while golden locks of hair draped over her shoulders.

Yet, within those golden eyes, there was no trace of childhood innocence; instead, they were filled with a gravity entirely unsuited for her years.

It was the grief and humiliation of her father, Qian Xunji, being mortally wounded by Tang Hao.

It was the embarrassment of Martial Soul Hall's prestige plummeting.

Was it the mockery of the Clear Sky Sect sealing their mountain to avoid the world?

And, more importantly, it was the responsibility she had to shoulder as the Young Mistress after Bibi Dong ascended to the position of Pope and began implementing reforms.

Qian Renxue's voice was crisp, yet exceptionally firm, "I am the Young Mistress of Martial Soul Hall. Revitalizing Martial Soul Hall is the burden I was born to carry."

"Young Mistress, the mere Heaven Dou Empire doesn't even have a single Titled Douluo; why must you risk yourself?" Pufferfish Douluo spoke up. He was also two meters tall, his armor similar in style to Snake Lance Douluo's, though the plates appeared thicker and were a dark purple hue.

His face was fleshy with high cheekbones, a short, thick nose, and full lips. As he spoke, the corners of his mouth pulled to the sides, revealing a hint of ferocity.

At this moment, his brows were locked in a frown, his tone full of confusion and dissuasion, "It is not worth exhausting your efforts for such a power."

Qian Renxue turned slowly, her golden eyes fixed on Pufferfish Douluo.

"Uncle Pufferfish, you are mistaken."

"The meaning of Martial Soul Hall's existence is to safeguard the order of the continent, not to incite war."

"If we can subdue Heaven Dou without a drop of blood and bring peace to this land, that is the best outcome."

Snake Lance Douluo opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing the clarity and resolve in Qian Renxue's eyes, the words died on his lips.

The corners of his eyes twitched slightly, and a complex emotion flickered in his narrow gaze—a mix of gratification, worry, and the heartache of seeing this young mistress shoulder so much, so soon. "Young Mistress, you..."

"Uncle Snake Lance, say no more." Qian Renxue interrupted him, her tone light yet carrying an indisputable finality, "My mind is made up."

Snake Lance Douluo heaved a heavy sigh, the sound filled with helplessness, and he lowered his eyelids.

Just then, Pufferfish Douluo suddenly looked up. The blood drained from his already fierce face, his features twisted, and his eyes widened until they were round, as if he had seen some unimaginably terrifying sight.

He pointed a thick finger toward the sky, his voice cracking, "Yo-Young Mistress! Look!"

Snake Lance Douluo's heart tightened. Instinctively, he channeled his entire soul power, condensing a thick energy barrier in front of himself and Qian Renxue.

Pufferfish Douluo reacted as well, his soul power erupting instantly to overlap with Snake Lance Douluo's barrier. The two layers of soul power intertwined, forming an impenetrable defensive net.

Both men wore grim expressions, staring fixedly at the sky, beads of sweat already seeping from their temples.

Above, the once clear sky had been dyed a deep orange-red.

Countless fireballs, trailing long tails of flame, poured down from behind the clouds like a torrential rain, dense and sky-covering.

These fireballs varied in size; the small ones were the size of millstones, while the largest spanned several meters in diameter. Their surfaces burned with raging flames, the air crackling and popping as it scorched. The heatwave hit them from a great distance, instantly evaporating the moisture in the forest.

The whistling of the fireballs tearing through the sky converged into a deafening roar, as if the heavens were collapsing to swallow the Soul Hunting Forest whole.

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Soul Hunting Forest.

"Protect His Highness! Protect His Highness! The entire army, fall back!" Urgent shouts erupted throughout the ranks.

The Heaven Dou Empire soldiers remained flustered yet held their formation. The shield-bearers in the front row slammed their massive shields into the ground, interlocking the heavy metal plates to form an indestructible wall.

Behind the shield wall, the cavalry kept their hands on their sword hilts. Their warhorses pawed the ground restlessly, breathing heavily as they tightly guarded the ornately decorated carriage in the rear. The curtains were drawn tight, yet the tension inside was palpable.

Deep within the Soul Hunting Forest.

BOOM—

The first meteorite struck the ground, causing the earth to tremble violently, as if a giant beast had awakened from beneath the soil.

Then came the second, the third... countless meteorites slammed into the forest. The explosions merged into one, flames soared into the sky, and thick smoke billowed toward the clouds.

Shockwaves carrying debris and burning wood chips swept outward, slamming into the energy barrier with a dull, thunderous thud that left even the two Titled Douluos feeling their blood churn.

Qian Renxue was shielded in the center, her small face deathly pale, yet she bit her lip hard to keep from making a sound.

She could feel the energy barrier above her head shaking violently. The breathing of Snake Lance and Pufferfish Douluo grew increasingly ragged, and the muscles beneath their armor trembled.

After an unknown amount of time, the meteor shower finally ceased.

At the entrance of the Soul Hunting Forest, several miles from the impact zone.

A gaunt-faced eunuch pulled back the carriage curtain, his face full of terror, and said to the interior with a trembling voice, "Your Highness, such an omen in the sky today is surely not a good sign. It is not wise to remain here to obtain a soul ring; we must return to Heaven Dou City at once!"

Xue Qinghe was already terrified and lost. Hearing the eunuch's words, he grasped at the straw, nodding frantically, "Return! Return now! Quickly!"

"Retreat!" Following the general's command, the Heaven Dou army quickly adjusted their formation. The shield-bearers remained in front, moving slowly backward, while the cavalry guarded the carriage, retreating in an orderly fashion.

Deep in the Soul Hunting Forest, at the center of the impact zone.

"Young Mistress, are you unharmed?" Pufferfish Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo retracted their soul power barriers simultaneously.

Both of them were panting heavily, sweat sliding down their cheeks and soaking the linings of their armor. Their once-upright frames swayed slightly, clearly having exhausted a vast amount of soul power to withstand the impact of the meteorites just moments ago.

"I am fine." Qian Renxue gently patted her slightly heaving chest, a flicker of lingering fear flashing through her golden eyes.

"It is fortunate that these meteorites did not strike directly here. Otherwise, given the force of the impact, even if the two uncles could protect me, I fear they would have paid a heavy price."

"Eh, what is that?" Qian Renxue felt as if something in the dark was beckoning her to move forward.

She set her small legs in motion and ran quickly, her golden hair flying as she moved; her small figure was particularly conspicuous amidst the devastated forest.

On the ground, there were meteorite craters of varying depths everywhere, numbering in the thousands, and the forest within several miles had been completely destroyed.

The smaller craters were only a few zhang wide, their edges still emitting wisps of blue smoke.

The larger ones spanned dozens of zhang, their bottoms charred black and reeking of a pungent sulfur smell.

The surrounding ancient trees were either snapped at the waist with charred, carbonized stumps, or uprooted and strewn about in disarray. The remaining branches and leaves were still burning, flames licking the trunks and emitting "crackling" sounds as thick smoke billowed, obscuring the sky.

"Young Mistress, be careful!" Snake Lance Douluo and Pufferfish Douluo felt their hearts tighten and immediately hurried to follow.

After the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense, Qian Renxue jumped down a shallow slope and arrived beside a meteorite several meters in diameter.

This meteorite was pitch black, its surface covered in irregular patterns, and it was still emitting scorching firelight. The air distorted due to its temperature, and one could feel the searing heat waves just by standing a few steps away.

Qian Renxue stopped a zhang away, not daring to approach further.

Snake Lance Douluo and Pufferfish Douluo stood on her left and right, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.

Just then, the gazes of all three were simultaneously drawn to the surface of the meteorite.

Embedded there was a sparkling gemstone, roughly the size of a fist, completely translucent and emitting a strange light under the reflection of the meteorite's fire.

Suddenly, the gemstone erupted with a blinding, intense light, instantly transforming into a streak of radiance that shot toward Qian Renxue with lightning speed, precisely sinking into the center of her brow.

Qian Renxue subconsciously touched her forehead, feeling only a wave of warmth and a faint, stinging pain at the center of her brow.

She blinked, looking somewhat bewildered: "What was that just now?"

"Young Mistress, are you alright?" Snake Lance Douluo's face turned deathly pale, his forehead instantly covered in cold sweat.

The speed of that streak of light was too fast—so fast that even he, a Title Douluo, had been unable to react in time, not even managing to mobilize his soul power.

He stared fixedly at Qian Renxue's forehead, his eyes filled with terror.

Pufferfish Douluo's expression also became incomparably grave. He could sense that the streak of light was by no means an ordinary object, yet he could not at all discern what it actually was.

"I am fine, Uncle Snake Lance." Qian Renxue shook her head, but no sooner had she spoken than she felt her body become abnormally heavy. Her eyelids grew increasingly leaden, and her spirit felt as if it were being drained away, leaving her drowsy. "It is just... I am a little sleepy..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Qian Renxue's body tipped backward.

Pufferfish Douluo was quick-witted and fast-handed; he hurriedly reached out to catch her, cradling her small body in his arms.

"Young Mistress! Young Mistress!" Pufferfish Douluo called out urgently, his voice laced with unprecedented panic. The flesh on his face trembled, and his eyes were filled with anxiety.

"Why are you still standing there?" Snake Lance Douluo snapped back to his senses and roared at Pufferfish Douluo, "Leave this place at once and find the best healing-type soul master to examine the Young Mistress!"

"Oh... oh! Let's go, we must go quickly!" Pufferfish Douluo seemed to wake from a dream. Holding Qian Renxue tightly, he exchanged a glance with Snake Lance Douluo, and without further hesitation, the two immediately sprinted toward the outer perimeter of the Soul Hunting Forest.

Although they were Title Douluo and theoretically capable of flight, neither of them was a flight-type soul master. Flying not only consumed a massive amount of energy, but their speed was also far inferior to running on the ground.

At this moment, both men were burning with anxiety, wishing only that they had been born with wings. Soul power surged beneath their feet as their figures transformed into two blurs, weaving through the devastated forest and kicking up a gale.

Inside the inner city of Heaven Dou, a quiet little courtyard.

One soul master after another walked out of the courtyard. Most of them wore grave expressions with furrowed brows. As they passed the gate, every one of them let out a heavy sigh before shaking their heads and departing in utter helplessness.

Sunlight spilled through the vines on the courtyard wall, yet it could not dispel the oppressive atmosphere hanging over the small compound.

Inside the courtyard, in the bedroom.

Qian Renxue lay quietly on the bed, her complexion still flushed with an unnatural redness, her breathing shallow.

Pufferfish Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo stood guard by the bedside, both looking haggard with bloodshot eyes.

Beside the bed, a soul master clad in green robes was exerting his full strength to activate his martial soul—a colorful butterfly.

The butterfly flapped its wings, emitting specks of soft green radiance that danced in the air like fireflies, slowly drifting down onto Qian Renxue in an attempt to nourish her body.

Yet, the green light fell upon Qian Renxue as if sinking into the sea, with minimal effect.

At the same time, within Qian Renxue's sea of consciousness.

Chen Qingxuan slowly opened his eyes, a look of bewilderment appearing first, followed by a surge of deep confusion.

"Where is this?" he muttered to himself, his voice carrying a hint of illusory texture.

He sat up and looked down at his hands—they were nearly transparent palms, as if they might dissipate at any moment.

He looked at his own body, which was in the same translucent state, allowing him to clearly see the scene behind him.

Chen Qingxuan's eyes were filled with complexity.

To think that he, Chen Qingxuan, had roamed the Floating Life Immortal Domain for hundreds of thousands of years, his cultivation having already reached the realm of the Eighth-Turn Golden Immortal, only one step away from the Ninth-Turn Golden Immortal, yet in the end, he had failed to survive the Ninth Heavenly Golden Immortal Tribulation, resulting in his death and total annihilation.