Angels and Death Gods, Setting Off to the Star Dou Forest

Qian Anci retracted the Scythe of Death and stepped aside.

The gray-white mist within the hall gradually dissipated.

Yet, that aura of deathly silence and majesty seemed to linger in the air, pressing heavily upon everyone's hearts.

"Anci, come stand by Grandfather's side."

Qian Daoliu beckoned, though his gaze remained fixed on the center of the ritual array.

There, Qian Renxue had already walked in with measured steps.

The golden-haired girl, dressed in a white gown, appeared exceptionally holy within the grand hall.

She gave a slight nod toward Qian Anci, a hint of excitement in her golden eyes, before closing them and placing her small hand upon the Awakening Stone.

"Begin."

Qian Daoliu's voice was even more solemn than before.

The Cardinal took a deep breath and rearranged the Awakening Stones.

The strange phenomena during Qian Anci's awakening earlier still left him lingering in fear; now, facing Qian Renxue, he dared not show the slightest negligence.

"The ceremony begins!"

The six Awakening Stones bloomed with golden light once more, enveloping Qian Renxue within them.

The next instant.

"BOOM!"

A pillar of golden light shot into the sky, piercing directly through the glazed tile roof of the domed temple!

Behind Qian Renxue, the phantom of a Six-Winged Angel slowly emerged, its holy pressure permeating the entire hall like a tsunami.

"Such a dense holy aura..."

Qian Daoliu muttered to himself, his eyes even growing slightly moist. "In this generation of our Qian family, someone is finally capable of accepting the inheritance."

The Cardinal was already kneeling on the ground, his forehead pressed tight against the floor, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

In the face of this divine might, he could not even summon the courage to look up.

Qian Anci stood by Qian Daoliu's side, his own mind shaken by the impact of this holy aura.

The light radiated by the Six-Winged Angel was too dazzling, as if it sought to purify every shadow in the world.

However, at this very moment.

"ROAR!"

Deep within Qian Anci, the dormant Death Dragon Power suddenly erupted!

He had no time to suppress it before the Scythe of Death manifested uncontrollably in his right hand.

Gray-white death energy swirled around the pitch-black blade, and a dragon-shaped phantom slithered across the scythe, emitting a low, majestic dragon roar.

The roar was not loud, yet it seemed to come from the Nine Netherworlds, carrying a deathly silence that signaled the end of all things.

What was even more shocking:

The moment the Scythe of Death appeared, the Six-Winged Angel phantom behind Qian Renxue faltered slightly.

Holy golden rain of light and gray-white death energy collided in the air; these two diametrically opposed forces clashed within the awakening chamber, casting the entire hall in a bizarre and surreal light.

"This..."

Qian Daoliu turned his head abruptly, looking at the Scythe of Death in Qian Anci's hand, his eyes filled with shock and uncertainty.

He could sense that there seemed to be some form of antagonism between his granddaughter's martial soul and Anci's.

Qian Anci was also shaken to his core.

He gripped the Scythe of Death tightly, attempting to retract it, only to find that the Death Dragon Power within him seemed to have been provoked and refused to settle.

"Castorice, what is happening?"

He called out in his heart, a hint of urgency in his tone.

"..."

After a brief silence, that gentle voice echoed in his mind—still soft, but now carrying a note of gravity.

"The aura on that child is the authority of 'holiness' in this world."

"It is inherently at odds with my 'death'."

Qian Anci gritted his teeth. "Then what do I do now? I don't want to expose my second martial soul!"

"Do not fear."

Castorice's voice grew lower, yet it carried a reassuring strength. "In their eyes, this is merely your first martial soul reacting instinctively to the stimulation of the holy aura."

"However... Anci, I must warn you."

"This girl's power is like fire and water to my authority. If you ever become her enemy in the future, you must be careful."

As the words faded, the Death Dragon Power finally began to subside.

Qian Anci let out a long breath, forcibly retracting the Scythe of Death back into his body.

He looked up, meeting the eyes of Qian Renxue as she opened them.

Those golden pupils were currently filled with a trace of shock and suspicion.

She looked at Qian Anci, then back at the Angel phantom behind her that had yet to dissipate, a complex expression appearing on her small face.

In that instant just now, her Angel martial soul had actually transmitted a sense of... vigilance?

"Xue'er, test your soul power."

Qian Daoliu spoke in a deep voice, pulling the attention of both children back.

The cardinal tremblingly held up the crystal ball, and Qian Renxue placed her hand upon it.

"Boom!"

The crystal ball erupted with a light as dazzling as the scorching sun, the intense fluctuation of soul power even causing fine cracks to appear on the surface of the sphere.

"Innate... Innate full soul power of level twenty!"

"Another innate level twenty!"

The cardinal shrieked, his face full of disbelief.

A flash of pleasant surprise crossed Qian Daoliu's eyes, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly before he looked at Qian Anci: "Good! With two prodigies in my Qian family, both with innate full soul power of level twenty, why should I worry about the Martial Soul Hall not flourishing!"

He strode forward, taking Qian Renxue by one hand and Qian Anci by the other, pulling both little ones before him.

"Anci, Xue'er, your performance today far exceeded Grandfather's expectations."

Qian Daoliu's gaze was burning, "Especially the confrontation between your martial souls; you must study it well in the future."

"Perhaps... you can realize something from it."

Qian Anci and Qian Renxue exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously.

Both of them understood in their hearts that what had just occurred was by no means a simple martial soul resonance.

It was a collision between two extreme powers.

"Alright, the awakening ceremony is over."

Qian Daoliu let go of their hands and turned to the cardinal at the side, "Go and invite Azure Luan Douluo and Golden Crocodile Douluo. In three days, they will take Anci and Xue'er to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for their first soul rings."

"As you command, Great High Priest."

The cardinal bowed and retreated.

Qian Anci followed the attendants out of the awakening chamber and returned to his residence.

Closing the door, he immediately sat cross-legged on his bed, sinking his consciousness into his body.

"Castorice, come out and talk."

Gray-white mist churned within his sea of consciousness, and a pale purple figure slowly emerged.

There was a gentle smile in her purple eyes.

"Anci, why have you summoned me?"

"My second martial soul, how should I obtain a soul ring for it?"

Qian Anci spoke bluntly.

Castorice shook her head gently, her hair drifting softly in the gray mist: "As the successor of Thanatos, why worry about such trivial matters?"

"Pollux is connected to my authority; how could it be bound by mundane rules?"

"When you attach a soul ring to your first martial soul, I will naturally condense the most suitable soul ring for Pollux."

"No need to hunt, no need to absorb."

"That is formed from the origin of the Underworld, the ultimate soul ring that best fits 'death'."

Qian Anci's heart jolted: "Automatically condensed?"

Doesn't that mean it is a God-Bestowed Soul Ring?

"Exactly."

Castorice's voice carried a hint of warmth, "Moreover, this soul ring is not fixed."

"As you reap more death, the age of the soul ring will increase on its own."

"A hundred years can become a thousand, a thousand can become ten thousand, ten thousand... can even become a hundred thousand, or even higher."

"This is the true 'Death Harvest'."

Qian Anci's pupils constricted.

This second martial soul's soul ring could actually grow infinitely by reaping death?

"However..."

Castorice's voice paused, "I must remind you."

"With your current six-year-old body, using the second martial soul requires paying a not-insignificant price."

"Every time you use it, it will consume a portion of your vitality."

"However, this cost is not permanent; once your body and soul power are sufficiently strong, it will no longer consume your vitality."

Qian Anci fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

A price to pay when strength is insufficient, and free to use once strength is enough.

This was quite reasonable.

"I understand."

The first martial soul, his public combat strength.

The second martial soul, his hidden trump card.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Early this morning, at the main gate of Martial Soul City.

Azure Luan Douluo and Golden Crocodile Douluo stood with their hands behind their backs, dressed in the robes of Worship Hall elders, their auras as deep and vast as the sea.

Behind them, three ornate carriages stood ready for departure.

Qian Anci wore a plain white robe, while Qian Renxue was dressed in a golden gown; the two youngsters stood before the carriages.

Qian Daoliu had come to see them off in person.

"Anci, Xue'er, on this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest, these two will ensure your safety."

Qian Daoliu patted both of their shoulders. "The choice of your first soul ring is of vital importance."

He looked at Qian Renxue first: "Xue'er, your Six-Winged Angel is our family's inherited martial soul; your first soul ring should primarily focus on the holy attribute."

He then turned to Qian Anci: "Anci, your Scythe of Death follows a path of extreme offense. Grandfather suggests that your first soul ring should focus on speed or sharpness to best bring out the characteristics of your martial soul."

Qian Anci nodded respectfully.

But in his heart, he had already made his decision.

His conversation with Castorice last night had given him another direction.

"For your first soul ring, it is best to choose... a soul beast with 'slaughter' or 'darkness' attributes."

"Only then will the soul ring of Pollux become even more powerful."

Azure Luan Douluo boarded the carriage and looked back, saying, "Young masters, it is time to depart."

Qian Anci and Qian Renxue bid farewell to Qian Daoliu, then turned and boarded the carriage.

The carriages slowly set into motion, heading in the direction of the Star Dou Great Forest.