Boom!
A violent surge of energy exploded through Lan's meridians!
It felt as though countless tiny ice blades were carving through every inch of his body.
Lan's brows knitted tightly. His small face went pale in an instant, yet his body remained as steady as a rock, without the slightest tremor.
The Clear Heart Technique circulated, and the power of Devour activated.
The rampaging Soul Ring energy found an outlet. The overbearing power of Devour slowly enveloped it, breaking it down and absorbing it.
Time ticked by, second by second.
Ice Empress and Snow Empress stood guard beside him, tense with worry, their hearts in their throats.
After who knew how long, Lan's tightly closed eyes snapped open.
Two beams of deep blue light flashed and vanished.
The Soul Power fluctuations around him climbed steadily, breaking through the barrier at Level 21 in an instant and reaching Level 22!
He had succeeded!
Ice Empress and Snow Empress exchanged a glance and both breathed a sigh of relief.
At the same time, a stream of information surged into Lan's mind like a waterfall of data.
[Successfully absorbed a five-thousand-year Soul Ring beyond your level. Special reward triggered.] [Obtained Second Soul Skill—Submerge/Wave Breaker.] [Obtained Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone—Right Leg Bone of the Deep Sea Lurker.] [Soul Power Level increased by one.] [Physical fitness improved.] [Martial Soul Shark Blade resonated with the Soul Bone, permanently increasing its sharpness.] [Obtained one chance to temper the body in the Extreme North Ice Spring.]
A flicker of surprise passed through Lan's eyes.
What generous rewards!
He immediately tested out his new Soul Skill.
His Second Soul Skill was a two-stage ability.
The first stage was Submerge.
When activated, he could become a phantom and slip beneath the "surface," moving at high speed regardless of terrain. He also couldn't be locked onto.
Here, "surface" didn't just mean water. The ground, glaciers, even walls could all be treated as a "surface."
This was true terrain defiance!
The second stage was Wave Breaker.
It could be activated at any time while Submerged.
Once activated, he would burst out of the "surface" and appear instantly before a marked enemy, launching a deadly charge that dealt massive damage.
Submerge to close in, Wave Breaker to strike.
A perfect assassination skill.
Lan slowly got to his feet and stretched, feeling the surging power within him.
Before he could finish taking stock of his gains,
a fragrant breeze swept over him.
Ice Empress had already swept him into her arms, planting one kiss after another on his fair, tender cheek with her warm, soft lips.
"My dear Lan'er, you nearly scared Aunt Bing to death!"
A helpless look crossed Lan's face.
He was already six, but Aunt Bing still treated him like a three-year-old.
"Aunt Bing..."
"Calling me Aunt Bing won't help!"
Ice Empress pinched his plump cheek and said, pretending to be displeased,
"You child, you go around with a long face all day, like some little old man. Can't you say a few more words?"
"Look at your Aunt Xue. She's so gentle. Why don't you learn from her?"
Nearby, Snow Empress covered her mouth with a soft laugh, her cool demeanor warming a little.
She stepped forward and gently ruffled Lan's short blue hair, her voice as lovely as an icy spring.
"Bing'er, stop teasing him."
"Lan'er is simply quiet by nature. He understands everything in his heart."
As she spoke, she took a frosty cake from her Soul Tool and held it to Lan's lips.
"I just made some Ice Crystal Cake. Have a taste."
Lan obediently opened his mouth and took a bite.
It was sweet and cool, and melted as soon as it touched his tongue.
He looked at the two peerlessly beautiful women before him, one passionate as fire, the other gentle as water, and felt a warm current flow through his heart.
At last, a childlike smile appeared on his usually composed face.
"Thank you, Aunt Xue. Thank you, Aunt Bing."
Ice Empress's eyes lit up when she saw him smile, and she leaned in as if to kiss him again.
"That's more like it! You look so much better when you smile!"
Three years later.
Deep within the Pope Palace in Spirit City, inside a sealed stone chamber.
The heavy stone door slowly swung open with a grating creak.
Qian Xunji staggered inside. His ornate golden Pope's armor was in tatters, and a trace of blood clung to the corner of his mouth.
With every step he took, droplets of blood fell from his golden armor, blooming into tiny red plum blossoms on the polished stone floor.
"Tang Hao..."
Leaning against the cold wall, Qian Xunji murmured that name. His eyes brimmed with boundless hatred—and a trace of fear.
He had lost.
If those two old men hadn't arrived in time at the final moment, he would have died beneath that Clear Sky Hammer.
Click.
A faint sound came from behind him as the stone door closed on its own.
Qian Xunji whipped around, his pupils suddenly contracting.
A figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the chamber.
A long purple dress trailed along the floor. Her bearing was noble and elegant, but a layer of frost veiled her stunning face.
It was Bibi Dong.
"What are you doing here?"
Qian Xunji's voice was hoarse, edged with wariness.
Bibi Dong didn't answer. She simply looked at him, her beautiful purple eyes utterly devoid of warmth.
She walked toward him, one step at a time. The click of her high heels echoed through the silent chamber, as if each step landed on someone's heartbeat.
"Get out!"
Qian Xunji shouted. He tried to summon his Soul Power, but a sharp pain seized his chest, and another mouthful of blood surged up.
He was weaker than ever.
Bibi Dong stopped three paces in front of him.
"Are you afraid?"
Her voice was soft and gentle, yet like a needle, it pierced straight into Qian Xunji's most sensitive nerve.
Qian Xunji's face turned livid.
"Afraid? I am the dignified Pope of Spirit Hall. Why would I be afraid?"
A mocking curve lifted Bibi Dong's lips. She said nothing more.
Slowly, she raised her right hand.
Yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black...
Eight Soul Rings rose from beneath her feet in succession. Their overwhelming Soul Power instantly filled the entire chamber.
Qian Xunji's pupils had shrunk to pinpricks.
And yet, it wasn't over.
Bibi Dong's eyes grew dark and feverish.
Above the eighth black Soul Ring, a blood-red halo slowly rose, carrying a terrifying aura that seemed capable of devouring everything!
Red!
That was... a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!
"N-no... impossible!"
Qian Xunji cried out. The color drained from his face, leaving nothing but boundless horror.
A Titled Douluo!
She had already become a Titled Douluo, one who could stand equal to him!
How was that possible? How old was she?
At last, he understood where the calm in her eyes came from.
It wasn't calmness. It was absolute confidence—the confidence of someone in complete control!
Bibi Dong moved.
There were no flashy moves, just the crushing force of pure Soul Power.
Boom!
Qian Xunji, already gravely wounded, was smashed against the wall behind him like a fallen leaf. Web-like cracks spread across it in an instant.
Pfft!
He spat a stream of blood and felt as though every bone in his body had been shattered.
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