Qian Renxue activated her Blazing Angel Martial Soul. Four Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, and black—floated beneath her feet, and the aura of a Quasi-Soul King was laid bare in the room.
"Xiao Zhen, I'm so glad I have you."
Qian Renxue put away her Blazing Angel Martial Soul, came over to Su Zhen, and hugged him again. This time, though, they parted after only a brief embrace.
"Sister Xue, you really don't need to do this. You're family to me."
Su Zhen spoke patiently to Qian Renxue, who was still thrilled by her Martial Soul's evolution.
Family?
Qian Renxue felt that the young man she had known for six years had truly become a part of her life.
"Sister Xue, you should be at level fifty now, right? Find some time to return to the Worship Hall. Little Ao, Fifth Grandpa, and I have prepared a surprise for you."
Su Zhen wanted Qian Renxue to absorb that rabbit as soon as possible, lest complications arise.
"I'll go to the palace tonight and discuss it with Xue Ye. I'll tell him I'm going into seclusion for three months to prepare for breaking through to Soul Elder."
After all, Xue Qinghe had publicly claimed to be at level twenty-nine. Back then, so he could cultivate faster without revealing his actual Soul Power Level, he had specially gone to the Spirit Hall treasury and found a Soul Tool that could conceal the number of his Soul Rings.
Qian Renxue could hardly wait to return to the Worship Hall and see the surprise Su Zhen had prepared for her. At the same time, she wanted Su Zhen and Oscar to stay at the Crown Prince's Mansion a while longer. For that, they needed legitimate identities that would allow them to appear in front of Heaven Dou City's major powers.
"Uncle She Long."
"Please give your orders, young mistress."
She Long appeared before Qian Renxue and bowed on one knee.
"Go to the Martial Soul Branch Hall in Heaven Dou City and have Salas forge identity documents for Xiao Zhen and Oscar. Hurry—make sure they're ready by tomorrow morning. They must hold up to investigation, with no room for error."
"Yes, young mistress."
She Long bowed and accepted the order, then vanished from the room in a flash.
"Xiao Zhen, Oscar, you two rest here for a while. Once I finish handling things, we'll head back to the Worship Hall."
"Xiao Lan."
The maid waiting outside heard the call and opened the door.
"Find the two young masters a place to stay."
"Yes, young mistress. Please follow me, sirs."
Xiao Lan led Su Zhen and Oscar to an empty room in the Crown Prince's Mansion and settled them in.
That night, Qian Renxue went to the palace to meet Xue Ye and discuss her plans for seclusion. They talked until midnight, and only then did Qian Renxue return to the Crown Prince's Mansion, utterly exhausted.
The next morning, when Su Zhen saw Qian Renxue at the breakfast table, he stared at her in astonishment.
"Sister Xue, what happened? Did you go looking for a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast to fight in the middle of the night?"
Qian Renxue's exhaustion was impossible to hide. Two dark circles stood out starkly against her delicate face, and her eyes were completely lifeless.
"Don't ask. I went to discuss state affairs with that old geezer Xue Ye last night, and he kept me until midnight. When I got back to the mansion, there was still a mountain of memorials to review. Ever since he made me crown prince last year, that old geezer's treated me like a pack mule."
Qian Renxue picked up the Snow Pastry in front of her and took a fierce bite.
"Did Xue Ye approve your request?"
"Of course. I've been crown prince for him this long. He can at least let me rest for a while. Prince Xue Xing will govern in my stead during my seclusion."
Prince Xue Xing?
Hearing that name, Su Zhen began thinking about what the original story had said about the deeply calculating prince.
"Hurry up and eat. Once we're done, we'll head back to the Worship Hall."
"By the way, where's Oscar? Why's he still asleep at this hour?"
When Qian Renxue saw that Oscar still hadn't come to breakfast, she started to get up and go wake him.
"Sister Xue, forget it. Little Ao finally has some time off. Let him sleep a while longer. With his talent—level forty at eight years old—a little rest won't hurt."
Su Zhen stopped Qian Renxue as she was about to rise.
Oscar had worked hard at the Worship Hall, too. With Su Zhen as the example to follow, Guang Ling's strict demands had made life miserable for Oscar; he had to measure up to Su Zhen, the peerless genius, in everything. Now that he had finally escaped Guang Ling's clutches, of course he deserved a good rest.
The two soon finished breakfast, then flew all the way back to Spirit Hall under She Long's guidance.
"Grandpa!"
As soon as Qian Renxue entered the Worship Hall, she spotted the gray-robed figure seated cross-legged beneath the Angel Statue.
"Ah, my Xue'er is back."
Qian Daoliu caught Qian Renxue as she threw herself at him, gazing at her with unmistakable affection.
"Teacher, I'm back."
Su Zhen came over to the two of them and greeted Qian Daoliu.
Qian Daoliu nodded. Looking at the two of them, his eyes were filled with comfort. His granddaughter and disciple had both grown so much; soon, they would be able to stand on their own.
"Xue'er, why aren't you staying in Heaven Dou City? What are you doing back here with that little rascal?"
Qian Daoliu hid his delight and asked with a stern face.
"Grandpa, after I took the Immortal Herb Xiao Zhen gave me, my Soul Power Level reached fifty. Xiao Zhen said he and Fifth Grandpa had prepared a surprise for me at the Worship Hall, so I came back to see."
"A surprise, huh? Come with me."
After hearing Qian Renxue's explanation, Qian Daoliu gave Su Zhen a long look, then ushered them into the secret chamber behind the Angel Statue.
Inside the secret chamber, a young woman bound tightly in layers of chains stood before them. Golden Soul Power patterns covered her body.
"This is a Hundred-Thousand-Year Transformed Soul Beast!"
Qian Renxue recognized the girl the instant she saw her. Her Angel Head Bone gave her the ability to see through all illusions.
"Grandpa, is this the gift Xiao Zhen and the others prepared for me?"
Qian Renxue asked in shock. She hadn't imagined the surprise would be this enormous—so enormous she could hardly believe it.
"I found this little rabbit in Nuoding City when I went out to train. I only managed to capture her with Fifth Grandpa's help."
Su Zhen explained to Qian Renxue. He didn't notice the meaningful look in Qian Daoliu's eyes behind him.
"Thank you for the gift, but I can't absorb a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring yet. My body can only withstand one up to fifty thousand years old."
Qian Renxue looked sadly at Xiao Wu on the ground.
"That's easy. Just have her sacrifice herself to you."
Su Zhen calmly explained the solution.
"Sacrifice herself? How could that be? Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts are all fiercely unyielding. They would never let a human obtain their Soul Rings. Even when cornered, they'd blow themselves up."
Qian Renxue was skeptical of Su Zhen's words.
Su Zhen said nothing. He walked up to Xiao Wu and removed the Soul Power seals on her eyes and ears.
Before Xiao Wu could react, he leaned down and whispered something in her ear. Then he straightened and walked over to Qian Daoliu.
"I'll sacrifice myself to her. I hope you'll keep your promise."
Xiao Wu glared at Su Zhen through gritted teeth. Then red light burst from her body, and she turned into a streak of light that shot into Qian Renxue, leaving behind on the ground only a beautifully formed pink right leg bone.
Qian Renxue felt an enormous surge of energy rush into her body. And then... nothing. The sacrifice went smoothly. Before her body could even react, the Soul Power that had entered her transformed into a scarlet Soul Ring and settled beneath her feet.
"Xiao Zhen, what did you say to that beast?"
Qian Daoliu stared at the bizarre scene, bewilderment plain on his face. Compared with what he was seeing, even his several hundred years of experience seemed like nothing.
"Nothing much. Just a few threats."
Su Zhen answered casually.
Qian Daoliu was speechless, but he had no intention of pressing for details. When children grew up, they had their own little secrets.
"Xue'er, what's your fifth Soul Skill?"
Qian Renxue carefully sensed the Soul Ring beneath her feet. The information she received made her gasp in surprise.
"Grandpa, this rabbit gave me two life-saving Soul Skills: Void and Invincible Golden Body. Void can make me immune to all physical attacks and fifty percent of Soul Power attacks. My whole body becomes intangible, and I'm immune to all control and lock-on effects. Invincible Golden Body grants immunity to all attacks below the god level for three seconds, and I can use it three times a day."
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