Heaven Dou City, the Crown Prince's Palace.
"Thump, thump, thump..."
A deep, rhythmic tapping echoed slowly through the vast, silent hall.
Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, sat upright in an intricately carved wooden chair. Her luxurious crown prince's attire accentuated her tall, straight posture, yet her eyes and brows concealed a chill and depth that didn't belong to someone so young.
She lazily propped her chin on her left hand, her lashes lowered to hide the schemes roiling in her eyes. Her right index and middle fingers were pressed together, tapping unhurriedly on the desk before her.
Each tap seemed to pound at people's hearts—and at the future of the Angel Family.
"The Twelve-Winged Angel Martial Soul, the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, the Four-Winged Ice Angel Martial Soul, the Four-Winged Seraph, and ten more Four-Winged Angel Martial Souls..."
"Who... exactly are you?"
The commotion caused by Qian Wuyou and his party had left Qian Renxue utterly speechless.
There weren't many owners of the Four-Winged Angel Martial Soul, but the Angel Family did have a few, so that wasn't strange. The problem was—what on earth were the Four-Winged Ice Angel and the Four-Winged Seraph?
She clearly remembered that no one in their Angel Clan had awakened either of those Martial Souls.
And that young woman with the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul seemed strangely familiar to her, but she couldn't remember who she was.
After all, looking across the entire Angel Clan, the only people who still possessed the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul were her, her grandfather Qian Daoliu, and her good clan brother Qian Wuyou.
And then there was that Twelve-Winged Angel Martial Soul, over a thousand meters tall and even more powerful than the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul. Where had it come from?
Who was its owner?
These questions circled endlessly through Qian Renxue's mind, leaving her restless and uneasy.
Just then, a middle-aged man appeared in the hall.
His expression was solemn, and the Soul Power radiating from him marked him as a Titled Douluo. He was none other than one of the two Titled Douluo secretly tasked with protecting Qian Renxue—Snake Lance Douluo.
"Your Highness, I have returned!"
Snake Lance Douluo knelt on one knee before Qian Renxue, his voice booming with utmost respect.
"Uncle She, what have you found out about what happened outside?"
Qian Renxue's fingers paused mid-tap. Her voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable authority.
Her gaze had never left the direction of Shrek Academy.
Until she learned exactly what had happened, she couldn't put her mind at ease or continue with her plan to usurp the Heaven Dou Empire.
"Your Highness, I have investigated the matter."
Snake Lance Douluo didn't dare conceal anything. He reported everything in detail.
"Commander Qian Wuyou brought his younger sister, Qian Wulu, as well as Tianzhen and Wuxie, along with ten members of the Angel Clan. They went straight to Shrek Academy, formerly known as Blue Tyrant Academy."
"Their goal was clear: they came for the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Beast who had taken human form. They intend to force her to offer herself as a sacrifice and become Qian Wulu's sixth Soul Ring."
Qian Renxue: "Huh?"
"What?"
Well, well. Would you look at that.
She'd been wondering why those two main characters looked so familiar. Turns out they were the siblings Qian Wuyou and Qian Wulu.
"Heh."
"Seems my dear brother and sister have both stumbled upon unexpected opportunities..."
Qian Renxue smiled softly.
Not yet knowing that Qian Wuyou had defected and left Spirit City, she was happy for the siblings.
After all, Qian Wuyou was the Grand Pontiff personally chosen by her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, and the sharpest sword in her hand.
The same went for Qian Wulu.
Though her Martial Soul and talent weren't as good as Qian Wuyou's, her Four-Winged Angel Martial Soul and Innate Full Soul Power were still enough to outclass more than ninety percent of Soul Master prodigies.
According to her grandfather Qian Daoliu's prediction, Qian Wulu would reach at least Level 96 Peak Douluo one day and become one of the pillars of the Angel Family and the Worship Hall.
"Uncle Chi Xue, Uncle She Long, let's go!"
"Judging by the commotion Wuyou and Wulu have caused, we'll probably have our hands full from here on out!"
With that, Qian Renxue headed straight toward Shrek Academy.
After all, the identity she was currently pretending to hold was that of the Heaven Dou Empire's crown prince, Xue Qinghe.
With something this serious happening in Heaven Dou City, it simply wouldn't fit the image she had carefully maintained if she, the crown prince, failed to show up.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo answered together, then slipped into the shadows to protect Qian Renxue.
Meanwhile, the scene shifted.
Inside Shrek Academy.
Seeing Tang Hao standing tall and imposing, his aura as steady as a mountain, Tang San trembled with excitement.
"D-Dad..."
Tang San had never imagined that his usually taciturn, seemingly down-and-out drunkard of a father was actually a Titled Douluo—and a top-tier powerhouse with a red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, no less.
At that moment, he felt completely safe. With Tang Hao there, it was as if even if the sky fell, someone would hold it up for him.
"T-Third Brother's father is actually a Titled Douluo?"
Unlike Tang San, who was excited and relieved, Xiao Wu felt an icy chill shoot from the soles of her feet straight to her scalp. Her entire body trembled.
What did it mean that Tang San's father was a Titled Douluo?
It meant she'd been living under the watchful eyes of a Titled Douluo this whole time, with every move she made seen by him.
Then... had Tang Hao, a Titled Douluo, also been coveting her Soul Ring and Soul Bone?
She desperately wanted to deny that cruel truth. But the dazzling, blood-red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring on Tang Hao's body hit her heart like a bucket of ice water.
She knew all too well what a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast that had taken human form, but had no formidable fighting ability, meant.
It was a treasure that could drive anyone mad, something they'd hunt at any cost.
And she was just such a Soul Beast: a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit who had taken human form but hadn't yet reached maturity.
Just as Xiao Wu's heart turned to ash, Tang Hao's attack reached Tianzhen, Wuxie, and the others.
"The Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao?"
Tianzhen, Wuxie, and the other ten looked at Tang Hao together. There wasn't a trace of fear or retreat in their eyes.
"Sisters, form up and kill Tang Hao, this butcher..."
Tianzhen shouted and led the other clan members into the Angel Family's unique combined attack formation.
Both Spirit Hall and the Angel Family hated Tang Hao, a butcher who often attacked Spirit Hall Branches, and wished they could kill him as soon as possible.
"Little rabbit, you don't have much time left!"
"Give me your answer now!"
"Will you offer yourself as a sacrifice willingly, or do I have to force you to do it?"
Qian Wuyou didn't want to waste time.
He had already sensed several familiar auras.
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