Qian Renxue Takes a Master

A trace of unwillingness flashed across Chen Qingxuan's face, quickly replaced by a hint of pride. "But so what? The Immortal Tribulation was devastating enough to shatter my immortal body, but in the end, it still couldn't completely erase my soul."

"If even the Immortal Tribulation couldn't kill me, then what in this world could possibly imprison me, Chen Qingxuan?"

Chen Qingxuan rose to his feet and surveyed his surroundings.

He stood in a vast, boundless white space. Countless scattered fragments of memory floated through the air like twinkling stars.

At the center of this space, a little golden-haired girl hugged her knees and curled into a ball. Her small body trembled uncontrollably, her face full of terror. It was Qian Renxue in her soul form.

"So this is the little girl's Sea of Consciousness?" Chen Qingxuan looked around with interest. "Let's see what kind of world this is."

At the stir of his thoughts, his powerful divine sense instantly connected with this expanse of spiritual space.

Almost at once, all of Qian Renxue's memories surged before his eyes like floodwaters released from a dam, leaving nothing hidden.

Douluo Continent, Spirit Hall, Martial Souls, Soul Rings, Soul Bones, Angel Deity, the Clear Sky Sect, Qian Xunji's death, Bibi Dong's rise, Qian Daoliu's majesty, Qian Renxue's identity, and the plan she was carrying out at that very moment.

She would pose as a common girl to approach the Heaven Dou Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, become his maid under the pretext of repaying a debt of gratitude, and eventually replace him, bringing the Heaven Dou Empire under Spirit Hall's control...

"Interesting. Truly interesting." Chen Qingxuan's lips curled into an amused smile.

"Born with Soul Power, Martial Souls, and items like Soul Bones and Soul Rings that embody the rules of the world."

"As long as someone has Innate Soul Power when their Martial Soul awakens, they can come into contact with the world's rules. That's rather strange. But..." His eyes narrowed slightly. "For a cultivator, is coming into contact with the power of rules too early a blessing or a curse?"

He looked at Qian Renxue, shivering at the center of the space, and spoke calmly. "Qian Renxue, your luck is extraordinary. You even managed to draw this wisp of my remnant soul out of the Void."

"I devoured most of your luck just to keep this remnant soul of mine from dissipating. I suppose I owe you a favor."

"Fair is fair. I'll give you a fortuitous opportunity in return."

As he spoke, a gentle energy brimming with immense vitality gathered at his fingertip, glowing a faint gold.

He flicked his finger, and the energy shot toward Qian Renxue's soul like a shooting star.

Qian Renxue's soul instinctively flinched, but the moment it touched the energy, she felt a comfort unlike anything she had ever experienced.

Her tense body gradually relaxed. Her little hands slowly unclasped from around her knees, and she found herself lying back as the terror faded from her face, replaced by a sense of peace.

Deep within her soul, a mass of black Mental Power that had been entwined around her was peeled away by the golden energy, forming a black orb of Mental Power outside Qian Renxue's body.

"You'll thank me for this, Qian Renxue." Watching this, Chen Qingxuan wore a smile that seemed to hold some deeper meaning.

He remembered the moment he had faced the Ninefold Golden Immortal Tribulation. His immortal body had shattered inch by inch beneath the tribulation lightning, and his Divine Soul had nearly dispersed.

At that final moment, he had burned his primordial spirit and unleashed the immortal-level divine ability, the "Immortal Demon Disintegration Technique." He had detonated his flesh, vital essence, and fragments of his soul, transforming them into countless points of light that scattered across the myriad worlds.

The Immortal Tribulation had been powerful, but it could not lock onto countless fragments at once. In the end, this wisp of his remnant soul had escaped.

"The Great Dao is fifty, Heaven's evolution is forty-nine, and one slips away."

"Even with nothing left but a remnant soul and less than one ten-millionth of my former strength, I, Chen Qingxuan, can defy the heavens, cultivate anew, and climb back to the summit! The myriad worlds will have a place for me yet!" His voice brimmed with confidence and overbearing pride. Even in the Sea of Consciousness, his arrogance had not faded in the slightest.

He glanced at Qian Renxue's soul and thought, This body has excellent talent. She bears the Angel Bloodline. If I possessed her body, perhaps the road to cultivating anew would be much smoother.

But the thought vanished as quickly as it came. He shook his head, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes.

"I, Chen Qingxuan, have always acted with honor and integrity. Taking over someone else's body is hardly something I would do. Besides..."

He looked at the form of the little golden-haired girl, and the corner of his mouth twitched. In the end, he left the rest unsaid—he had no interest in becoming a little girl.

Half an hour later, Qian Renxue slowly opened her eyes.

She instinctively lifted a small hand and rubbed her bleary eyes, only to find herself surrounded by an endless expanse of white. It was like being submerged in clouds, with no way to tell up from down or left from right.

"Where am I?" she murmured, her voice soft and sleepy.

Still confused, Qian Renxue lifted her head, and her gaze met a tall, slender figure.

It was a man. His form was almost transparent, yet he still radiated an air of otherworldly grace.

He wore a moon-white robe, its sleeves and hem fluttering despite the still air.

His features were so handsome they seemed unreal. His sword-shaped brows swept toward his temples, his nose was high and straight, and his lips were sharply defined. His eyes were deep as the starry sky, holding the weight of ages yet clear and pure, without a trace of impurity.

An almost imperceptible current of air swirled around him as if he were one with this space—ethereal yet imposing, like a deity who had walked forth from the dawn of time.

"Who are you, big brother?" Qian Renxue tilted her head, golden strands slipping over her shoulder. Curiosity filled her clear golden eyes.

"Why is your body transparent? And how did I get here?"

Looking at her innocent expression, Chen Qingxuan's voice swept over her like a spring breeze across a lake. "Isn't your body transparent too?"

He raised a hand and gestured to their surroundings. "This is your Sea of Consciousness. You've been here all along."

Qian Renxue froze. Then she hurriedly lowered her head and looked at her hands.

Her small palms were crystal-clear, and she could see the scenery through them. Her feet and the rest of her body were transparent too.

"Ah—!" A short, piercing scream tore from her throat. Her little face flushed bright red, and tears quickly welled in her eyes.

"Waaah... Xiao Xue is dead..." She pouted as fat tears rolled down, splashing into the sea of clouds beneath her feet and sending out ripples.

"Xiao Xue hasn't restored Spirit Hall's prestige yet, and she still hasn't earned her approval..."

"Grandpa will be so sad if he finds out I'm dead..."

"Father is already gone, and now I'm gone too..." She cried harder, her little body shaking violently with each sob.

"Stop." Chen Qingxuan flicked his finger, sending a barely perceptible current of air toward Qian Renxue.

Her crying cut off abruptly. To her astonishment, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't make a sound. Her body was bound by invisible shackles, leaving her unable to move.

All she could do was stare at Chen Qingxuan with wide eyes, her face full of alarm.

"You're not dead." Chen Qingxuan's voice remained calm, yet somehow it had the power to soothe her.

"You're in a soul state, which is why your body is transparent. Your physical body is still alive and well." He raised a hand and waved it. A circular Light Mirror appeared out of thin air before Qian Renxue, displaying a clear image.

It showed her lying on the bed in her bedroom, with several Soul Masters dressed in different colors gathered around it. They took turns examining her, while the white light of healing Soul Skills continued to fall upon her.

"Your body is unharmed. Your soul is simply trapped in your Sea of Consciousness for now, which is why your physical body can't wake up." Chen Qingxuan looked at her. "Stop crying. If you understand, blink."

Qian Renxue stared blankly at the image of herself in the mirror, then looked at Chen Qingxuan. Her long lashes fluttered twice in quick succession, and the fear in her eyes gradually faded, leaving only lingering confusion.

Chen Qingxuan snapped his fingers, and the invisible restraints vanished at once.

Qian Renxue moved her hands and feet, then tentatively opened and closed her mouth. Only after confirming that she could speak and move again did she blink her tear-damp eyes.

She eyed Chen Qingxuan warily, her small body unconsciously retreating half a step. "Big brother, who are you, exactly? How did you get into my Sea of Consciousness?"

"Don't be nervous." Chen Qingxuan smiled faintly, and the smile softened his imposing presence.

"My name is Chen Qingxuan. I'm an immortal. You might not understand what an 'immortal' is, so you can think of me as a powerful deity."

"A deity?" Qian Renxue's mouth fell open, her round eyes widening as her face filled with shock.

She had grown up in Spirit Hall and heard countless legends about deities. She knew they stood above even the strongest Soul Masters and were objects of distant faith.

And now this transparent big brother was claiming to be a deity?

Seeing her reaction, Chen Qingxuan continued. "But I've already perished. Only a remnant thought remains of me now. Your luck drew me here from the Void."

"I can tell that your luck is extraordinary. You're clearly no ordinary person. Would you be willing to take me as your master?"

"I'll teach you supreme immortal arts and help you surpass the limits of this world."

Qian Renxue's little head went blank, as if someone had stuffed it with a tangled ball of string.

An immortal? Supreme immortal arts?

She had never heard these words before and couldn't understand them at all.

Grandpa had told her that anyone who came uninvited was either a villain or a thief.

The big brother before her was handsome and had a special air about him, but what if he was a bad person?

Uneasy, Qian Renxue retreated several more steps without thinking, putting some distance between them.

Seeing this, Chen Qingxuan sighed helplessly, his tone tinged with self-mockery. "Now even a little girl doesn't believe me. I must be going backward with age."

His figure flickered, and he appeared in front of Qian Renxue in an instant. Before she could react, he touched her forehead with his index finger.

In a flash, countless strange and fantastical scenes poured madly into Qian Renxue's mind.

She saw a child kneeling before a mountain gate, bowing three times to an old white-bearded Daoist before embarking on the path of martial cultivation.

She saw a youth sweating profusely in a Martial Arts Arena. One punch shattered a boulder, one sword strike severed a waterfall, and a long staff whirled with such force that its shadows formed a forest.

She saw the dangers and deceptions of the martial world, where blades flashed and swords clashed, some rejoicing while others fell.

She saw cultivators flying through the air and riding swords, battling among the clouds. Their fists could shatter mountains, their feet could split the earth, and moving mountains or filling seas took no more than a thought.

She saw demon cultivators with blue-green faces and fangs roaring through the mountains and forests, devouring living beings, and ghost cultivators, pale as paper, wandering through graveyards at night to seize souls.

She saw deities descend from the Ninth Heaven and demons fall upon the earth, their war unleashing rivers of blood.

An unparalleled sword immortal swung his sword, its cold light stretching across nineteen continents.

Mountains collapsed, rivers changed course, forests turned to scorched earth, and demons and beasts wailed across the land. Even mighty nations turned to ashes in the blink of an eye.

She also saw stars shift and constellations turn, years passing in the time it took to snap one's fingers, and oceans turning into mulberry fields...

Qian Renxue stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded, her tiny mouth wide enough to fit an egg. Her mind had gone completely blank.

She had never imagined that the world held such unbelievable powers. Compared to them, Spirit Hall's strength and the awe inspired by Titled Douluo seemed almost insignificant.

"These are some of my memories from the past." Chen Qingxuan withdrew his finger, his voice carrying the detached calm of one who looked down upon all living beings.

"I'm not from this world. The world I come from is far more powerful and far more wondrous than anything you know." He paused, seeming about to say more, but Qian Renxue's actions interrupted him.

"Master, please accept this disciple's bow!" Qian Renxue came to her senses and, without another word, dropped to her knees with a thump. Her little body bent low, her forehead striking the soft cloud beneath her with a muffled sound.

At her bow, ripples spread across the Sea of Consciousness. Her golden hair fanned across the clouds, bright and striking.

Chen Qingxuan lifted his right hand, and a gentle force held Qian Renxue up, raising her to her feet. "Get up."

Qian Renxue rose with the motion, her little face tilted up. All wariness had vanished from her eyes, replaced by boundless reverence and longing.

She took two steps closer to Chen Qingxuan and asked eagerly, "Yes, Master! Master, those... those abilities you showed me just now—can you teach them to me?"

Looking at the light that sparkled in her eyes, Chen Qingxuan gave a slight nod. He flicked his finger, and a grain-sized orb of energy flew from his fingertip, glowing faint gold as it sank into Qian Renxue's brow.

"Primordial Nirvana Sutra." Qian Renxue instinctively read the words aloud, then felt countless obscure characters appear in her mind.

She furrowed her brows and tried to understand one of the lines. "Before Heaven and Earth were divided, there was a single, undifferentiated origin. Clear and turbid forces stirred against one another, and all things were born. Take energy into the body, not for its purity, but for its mixture. Blend the mixed together, and that is the Primordial Origin."

The words were like a Heavenly Book. She recognized every character, but strung together, they made no sense to her at all.

Qian Renxue raised her head and looked at Chen Qingxuan in confusion. "Master, what does all this say? I can't understand it."

"I didn't consider that carefully enough." Chen Qingxuan spoke calmly. "Your cultivation is too weak right now. To even begin to grasp the Primordial Nirvana Sutra, you'd need at least a thousand years of cultivation."

"What should I do, Master?" Qian Renxue bit her lip in a panic, disappointment filling her eyes. Did she really have to wait a thousand years to learn those amazing abilities? Could she even live for a thousand years?

"I'll simplify it for you." As soon as Chen Qingxuan finished speaking, the obscure scripture in Qian Renxue's mind seemed to come alive, rearranging and transforming itself.

The awkward phrases became easy to understand, and the complicated routes of circulation were broken down into simple pathways.

The profound principles of the "Primordial Origin" and "Nirvana" turned into the most basic breathing method and art of circulating energy, clearly imprinted in her consciousness.