At the same time.
Far above the heavens, in the Divine Realm.
Deep within a towering palace shrouded in clouds and mist.
A mighty figure clad in a purple-black robe stood before a vast screen of light.
It was the God King of Destruction, who had just bestowed his inheritance.
Beside him stood an exceptionally beautiful woman, her entire being radiating boundless vitality and a gentle light.
She was the Goddess of Life, who had been at his side for countless ages.
The two stood shoulder to shoulder.
Even the Goddess of Life, not just the God King of Destruction, was now directing her gaze across endless expanses of space.
Together, they watched the child on the Douluo Continent who had just awakened the Nine Nether Beast Martial Soul.
Lin Yuan stood quietly in the middle of the hall and slowly closed his eyes.
He was carefully probing the changes within his body.
Besides that domineering purple-black lightning, overflowing with an endless will of destruction,
deep within his meridians, another, entirely different power lay hidden.
It was a pure, emerald-green light.
Within that green radiance surged the vast vitality of all things renewing themselves, flourishing without end.
The two forces, one yin and one yang, one destroying and one creating, had reached a kind of perfect balance within him.
Lin Yuan understood at once.
It turned out that he had not only caught the eye of the God King of Destruction.
When he had triggered the celestial phenomena just now, the Goddess of Life, a God King of the Divine Realm, had also bestowed her approval and inheritance.
The wills of the two gods became clear streams of information, imprinted directly into his mind.
The First Trial of the Godhood of Destruction was brutally simple.
He had to personally kill a Soul Beast that was at least a thousand years old within three years, then absorb it as his First Soul Ring.
The trial for the Godhood of Life, meanwhile, required him to find and absorb a mutated Immortal Herb.
For any six-year-old child who had just awakened a Martial Soul,
hearing these two trials would have brought utter despair.
Absorbing a thousand-year Soul Beast as a First Soul Ring went completely against common sense in the Soul Master World. Exploding to death was the only possible outcome.
As for a mutated Immortal Herb, it was a divine treasure that could only be chanced upon, never sought, anywhere on the Douluo Continent.
Yet Lin Yuan's expression remained as calm as still water.
He possessed the supreme bloodline of the Nine Nether Beast, and the strength of his body had long since surpassed what ordinary Soul Masters could comprehend.
The violent energy of a thousand-year Soul Ring posed no threat to him at all.
And he already had a plan for finding an Immortal Herb.
These two divine trials, which seemed as difficult as scaling the heavens, were no great problem for him.
"Yuan'er."
A clear, melodious voice interrupted Lin Yuan's thoughts.
Qian Renxue approached with light, quick steps.
Her dazzling golden hair shone in the sunlight, and her exquisite features radiated an innate nobility.
At that moment, curiosity filled her big golden eyes as she openly looked Lin Yuan up and down.
"How are you feeling?"
"You absorbed such terrifying divine power all at once. Is anything bothering you?"
As his older sister, Qian Renxue spoke with a note of concern.
Lin Yuan turned to look at her beautiful face and answered easily.
"I'm fine."
"After awakening my Martial Soul, I've become much stronger. I've never felt better."
Qian Renxue's eyes immediately lit up at his words.
She had always been fiercely competitive by nature.
Now that she had seen her young brother display such heaven-defying talent, her desire to compete was fully ignited.
She stepped back two paces and lifted her fair chin slightly.
"Since you're feeling so good, why don't we spar?"
"I'm older than you, and my foundation in Soul Power is stronger, too."
"Let me, your big sister, properly test how strong you are in a real fight."
Faced with Qian Renxue's challenge, Lin Yuan didn't hesitate for a moment.
He gladly accepted.
"Sure."
The two went to a spacious Martial Arts Arena behind the Pope's Palace.
Qian Renxue showed no sign of underestimating him. Soul Power burst from her body in an instant.
Brilliant golden light shot into the sky, and the phantom of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul flickered into view behind her.
A scorching, holy pressure swept straight toward Lin Yuan.
Qian Renxue moved like lightning and struck first.
She swung her slender arm, the force of her blow whipping up a powerful gust as her palm shot toward Lin Yuan's chest.
Lin Yuan stood where he was, neither dodging nor evading.
He didn't even summon his Nine Nether Beast Martial Soul. He relied solely on the raw strength of his body after awakening it.
He raised his arm, clenched his fist, and punched.
Fist met palm with a dull boom.
Golden Soul Power collided violently with the tremendous force of his body, sending a visible shock wave rippling through the air.
Qian Renxue's palm went numb. The force of the impact actually drove her back three steps.
She steadied herself, a flash of shock passing through her eyes before it gave way to an even fiercer fighting spirit.
"Again!"
Qian Renxue cried out and charged forward once more.
The two clashed at high speed across the Martial Arts Arena.
Fists and feet flew, leaving afterimages everywhere.
Qian Renxue's attacks were sharp and swift, and with the advantage of her Angel Soul Power, every strike aimed straight for a vital point.
Lin Yuan, meanwhile, parried each of her attacks with the ease of a leisurely stroll through a courtyard.
His movements were broad and powerful, without any unnecessary flourishes, yet they carried an immovable weight.
This intense sparring lasted a full half-hour.
Only after both had exhausted much of their strength did they finally stop.
Qian Renxue's chest heaved as she gasped for breath.
She wiped the sweat from her forehead, then stared straight at Lin Yuan with wide, beautiful eyes.
"You haven't even absorbed your First Soul Ring, and you're already this strong!"
"I can't even suppress you with my Angel Soul Power!"
"What kind of monster are you, anyway?"
Qian Renxue couldn't help blurting out the complaint, but in her heart, she was thoroughly impressed by her little brother.
At the same time the two of them were sparring,
Bibi Dong sat on the high seat, her gaze sweeping over the rows of children waiting below to awaken their Martial Souls.
She knew full well that to gain complete control over Spirit Hall, she had to cultivate a faction of loyal followers of her own.
Soon, one girl's performance caught her attention.
The girl had awakened an exceedingly rare Demon Fox Martial Soul.
Her tested Innate Soul Power was at level seven.
Compared to the commotion Lin Yuan had caused, her talent was nothing at all.
But among ordinary Soul Masters, she was undoubtedly an outstanding, top-tier prospect.
What made Bibi Dong value her even more was the exceptionally strong charm innate to the girl's Martial Soul.
Though she was only a six-year-old child, her every gesture already revealed astonishing talent and potential.
Bibi Dong made the decision on the spot to take the girl as her disciple.
The girl's name was Hu Liena.
When she learned that His Holiness the Pope, a figure high above her, had taken her as a personal disciple,
Hu Liena was stunned. Then overwhelming joy, mixed with disbelief, swept over her.
Her pretty little face was full of excitement, and she looked especially sweet and adorable.
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