A luxurious carriage rolled steadily along the main road, its wheels crunching over the gravel with a regular creak.
On either side of the carriage, Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo sat in fitted clothes, their expressions solemn as they served as coachmen.
Faint fluctuations of Soul Power around them proclaimed the majesty of Titled Douluos.
Inside the carriage, soft fox-fur cushions covered the seats. Qian Daoliu sat upright on one side, the dark patterns on his robe shimmering in the faint light.
Across from him, Qian Renxue tilted her head as she watched the scenery sweep past the window, while Chen Qingxuan rested with his eyes closed. His blue-green robes rose and fell gently with the carriage's movement, and his aura seemed elusive.
"Xiao Xue, let's test your Soul Power." Qian Daoliu took a crystal-clear orb from his Storage Soul Tool.
The orb had ninety illuminated slots.
"This orb can measure the cultivation level of a Level 90 Soul Douluo."
Qian Renxue turned her head and blinked her big golden eyes in confusion. "Grandpa, what are you doing?"
"The Soul Power you've cultivated is strange—far too pure."
Qian Daoliu ran his fingers over the orb. "Even the Soul Power of an ordinary Titled Douluo may not be as pure as yours."
"But you have so little of it. If my Mental Power weren't strong enough, I'd barely be able to sense the Soul Power in your body. Come, let Grandpa see what level you're at now."
Qian Renxue obediently placed her fair hand on the orb.
In an instant, the orb glowed softly. The slots inside lit up one after another, finally stopping at the twentieth slot, where they went no further.
"Level 20?" Qian Daoliu's pupils contracted as he stared at the orb in disbelief.
"How is that possible? The sword energy you unleashed earlier was powerful enough to rival that of an ordinary Soul Saint. How can you have only Level 20 Soul Power?"
"It's because the cultivation systems are different." Chen Qingxuan slowly opened his eyes, his voice as calm and clear as water.
"Xiao Xue is cultivating a proper Qi-training method. In my world, one first tempers the body, then cultivates Qi. That's how the first wisp of vital energy in the body is made incomparably pure."
"That wisp of vital energy is far stronger than what you call Soul Power. Your Soul Power is like fog, while this vital energy is like water. The same amount, but worlds apart in quality."
"But this powerful vital energy harms its user as well as others. Without a formidable physique, the body simply can't withstand it."
"When Xiao Xue's Qi-training cultivation improves, the amount of energy she can store will naturally increase. Your test has no practical meaning."
Qian Daoliu was shaken to the core. He steadied himself, then asked, "Senior, can Xiao Xue still absorb Soul Rings?" This situation had already exceeded his understanding.
"Yes. Those are the rules of your world." Chen Qingxuan nodded. "Xiao Xue was born at Level 20, so the amount of energy she can store is limited to what someone at that level can hold."
"Though the Primordial Nirvana Sutra has increased her initial capacity to five times that of an ordinary Level 20 Soul Master, without a Soul Ring, she ultimately can't increase it."
"Then let's get Xiao Xue a Soul Ring first?" Qian Daoliu asked at once.
"A Soul Ring obtained by hunting a Soul Beast is still an external object." Chen Qingxuan shook his head. "Xiao Xue is laying her foundation right now. She can't absorb anything external directly, or it will affect the purity of her vital energy."
"Then what should we do? Surely she can't go without getting a Soul Ring forever?" Qian Daoliu grew anxious.
"Doesn't your family worship the Angel God?" Chen Qingxuan said coolly. "Use a God-Bestowed Soul Ring to get Xiao Xue one. That should do it."
Qian Daoliu furrowed his brows. "But each person can receive only one God-Bestowed Soul Ring. If Xiao Xue gets hers now, what will she do in the future?"
"I have my own way. Give it to her." Chen Qingxuan's tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Qian Daoliu opened his mouth to speak, but when he saw Chen Qingxuan's calm gaze, he swallowed his words. Hesitation and inner conflict filled his face.
"Very well. Let me show you something." Chen Qingxuan flicked his fingertip. A thread of energy, almost impossible to see, shot out and landed precisely between Qian Daoliu's brows.
Qian Daoliu shuddered. His pupils suddenly widened, and his eyes first filled with confusion, then with shock and wild joy.
That energy contained an astonishingly profound cultivation technique!
He could clearly sense every word of it, every step in its execution, as if they had been branded deep in his soul.
The technique had nine layers, each of which could be cultivated on its own. With every additional layer he cultivated, his cultivation speed would increase significantly.
He instinctively activated the first layer. The Soul Power in his body immediately flowed thirty percent faster, and the smooth, exhilarating sensation was unlike anything he had experienced in all his years of cultivation!
"Senior, you—you..." Qian Daoliu's voice trembled. He could barely contain his excitement.
He had never encountered such a wondrous technique. If he cultivated all nine layers at once, just how terrifying would his cultivation speed be?
"I found this technique in a small world many years ago," Chen Qingxuan said calmly.
"The people of that world are similar to you. They focus on cultivating Qi, and their bodies and souls grow stronger along with their Qi cultivation."
"In my world, only those who cultivate Qi, body, and soul together can become true powerhouses."
"This technique suits you well. It can help you reach the Deification Realm."
"Senior, I could never repay such a great kindness!" Qian Daoliu sprang to his feet and bowed deeply to Chen Qingxuan, his manner utterly respectful. "But such a divine treasure—I..."
Chen Qingxuan raised a hand to motion for him to sit, then said coolly, "I know what concerns you. Xiao Xue is my disciple, so of course I'll give her the very best."
"I'm giving you this technique because I hope you'll live much longer, too."
Qian Daoliu replied solemnly, "Rest assured, Senior. Xiao Xue is my only granddaughter. Unless there's no other choice, I want to stay by her side for as long as I can!"
"Teachings like this shouldn't be passed on lightly." Chen Qingxuan looked at him, his gaze profound. "It's different from the meditation methods in your world. More powerhouses aren't necessarily better. Spread it carelessly, and it will only invite disaster."
"Rest assured, Senior. I understand." Qian Daoliu nodded, a grave look flashing through his eyes.
If such a divine technique spread, it would likely unleash a catastrophe across the continent.
"You're only a little over a hundred. Stop putting on airs like an old man." Chen Qingxuan suddenly smiled, a hint of carefree ease in his voice.
"I've lived for hundreds of thousands of years, and I still feel young."
"Cultivation is the cultivation of the heart. You must keep a fire burning within you—one that lets you contend with people, with the earth, and with the heavens. Only then can you say you've truly lived."
His aura stirred faintly around him. It wasn't sharp, yet it conveyed the vastness and freedom of someone who had weathered tens of thousands of years.
Qian Daoliu was shaken. He bowed and said, "This junior has learned from you. Your words have awakened me. The path of cultivation should be pursued without hesitation, not hemmed in by the limits of age."
"Master, what good thing did you give Grandpa?" Qian Renxue leaned over curiously and wrapped her arms around Chen Qingxuan's, her big golden eyes blinking.
"Just a little trinket." Chen Qingxuan patted her head. "Xiao Xue, have you finished today's lessons?"
"Master~~" Qian Renxue drew out the word and gently shook his arm, acting coy. "Xue'er's Soul Power isn't increasing at all right now. Does that mean I don't have to complete the circulation anymore?"
"Your Qi is weak right now. If you want to fight, the only way to recover your Soul Power faster is to improve your mastery of the technique." Chen Qingxuan tapped her on the nose, his tone stern.
"Otherwise, after one full-power strike, you'll be out of Soul Power. Do you really plan to rely on your body alone to fight?"
The coy look vanished from Qian Renxue's face at once. She furrowed her little brows and stuck out her tongue. "I know, Master. I'll practice right now..."
That was what she said, but inwardly she grumbled: The circulation practice is so boring. Body Tempering is much more fun.
Chen Qingxuan saw through her thoughts but didn't point them out. He only said, "When you reach the third level of Qi training, I'll teach you a sword technique."
"Really?!" Qian Renxue's eyes lit up, and she perked up at once. "Thank you, Master! Xue'er will practice hard!"
As Qian Daoliu watched Chen Qingxuan with his granddaughter, he was overcome with emotion.
With this mysterious senior's guidance, Xiao Xue's future would likely be even more dazzling than he had imagined.
He lowered his eyes to his palm, sensing the profoundness of the technique. A look of determination flashed through his eyes. He would not only stay by Xiao Xue's side—he would also seize this once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity and strive for a realm no one had reached in ten thousand years!
P.S. At the first level of Qi training, the amount of energy is so small that one can unleash a full-power attack only once. An ordinary first-level Qi cultivator can strike with ten thousand jin of force at full power. Because of her cultivation technique, Qian Renxue can strike with fifty thousand jin of force.
The first level of Deification corresponds to a Divine Official.
Before you continue