[Inner World]
Ever since that assessment, Qian San and Xiao Qing had firmly established themselves at Kelaishi Academy. Their overwhelming strength had stunned everyone, and even the usually haughty Yu Rongrong and Dai Zhuqing had become thoroughly convinced by Qian San.
A few days earlier, they had followed their teacher to Star Dou Forest to get Ao Shushun his third Spirit Ring.
The process went smoothly. They encountered a Phoenix-Winged Platypus of suitable age. After absorbing its Spirit Ring, Ao Shushun gained his third Spirit Skill—Duck Meat Sausage.
The skill's effect surprised everyone. After eating the Duck Meat Sausage, a pair of illusory phoenix wings would condense behind the user, granting the ability to fly. Though the speed was average—only as fast as the platypus itself—the duration was greatly extended, lasting a full five minutes. In actual combat, this kind of long-lasting aerial advantage was extremely useful.
However, the forest's usual overlord in that area—the Titan Giant Ape Er Wu—hadn't shown himself at all this time. The Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts in Star Dou Forest seemed unusually quiet. Most likely, Qian Xunji's earlier rampage at the Lake of Life and his taking Huang Tian away had scared all the high-level Soul Beasts into behaving themselves.
After they returned to the academy, life had been peaceful enough. But yesterday, an unwelcome visitor had arrived—Ning Dagang.
He came to Kelaishi Academy under the pretense of "visiting his disciple." In reality, as soon as he arrived, he launched into a long-winded lecture for everyone, peddling his so-called theory of invincible Martial Souls.
Qian San stood in the crowd and listened for a while, his frown growing deeper by the minute.
Ning Dagang's theory sounded convincing, but to Qian San, it was all empty talk, a house built on sand. It ran completely counter to the principles his father, Qian Xunji, had taught him.
"This is a pile of garbage." Qian San couldn't listen any longer. He quietly took Xiao Qing by the hand and turned to leave.
At Kelaishi Academy, strength was the best pass of all. When the others saw that even Qian San, the strongest among them, rejected the theory, naturally no one else wanted to entertain Ning Dagang. Yu Rongrong rolled her eyes and walked away, while Dai Zhuqing didn't even spare him a glance. Ning Dagang stood there with a grim expression, but nobody paid him any attention.
That same day, Qian San met the dean of Kelaishi Academy—Fu Lanya.
She was a mature, sharp-witted woman wearing glasses. Her eyes always gleamed with calculation, and she looked like someone not to be trifled with. Her Martial Soul was the One-Eyed Dog Owl. Her fighting style was even more ferocious: she had abandoned sustained combat entirely, focusing instead on explosive attacks.
After training ended that afternoon, Zhao Youji quietly pulled Qian San aside to gossip about the adults' tangled history.
"Kid, you did the right thing by not listening to Ning Dagang today. Our dean, Fu Lanya, was thrilled about it in private," Zhao Youji said in a lowered voice.
Qian San was surprised and asked what he meant.
Zhao Youji told him that back in the day, Fu Lanya, Ning Dagang, and a man named Bai Yihu had traveled the continent together. Their Martial Soul Fusion Skill could summon the Black Iron Fallen Dragon, and the trio had been known as the Black Iron Golden Triangle.
But Fu Lanya couldn't stand Ning Dagang.
The whole story was a tangled mess. Fu Lanya had been in love with Bai Yihu and had even confessed her feelings to her. But Bai Yihu rejected her—not only because they were both women, but also because Ning Dagang had deceived her. On top of that, the influence of their Martial Soul Fusion Skill had made Bai Yihu wholeheartedly want to be with Ning Dagang.
Though Fu Lanya was a shrewd, calculating woman, she cared deeply about those she loved. She had thought that stepping aside would let Bai Yihu find happiness.
But who could have guessed that Bai Yihu and Ning Dagang were even preparing to get married, only to discover at the last moment that they were biological siblings!
What enraged Fu Lanya even more was that after learning the truth, Ning Dagang—a man with no sense of responsibility—had fled from the wedding on the spot, leaving Bai Yihu to face all the humiliation and blame alone.
"When the dean found out, she nearly tore Ning Dagang to pieces," Zhao Youji said with a curl of his lip. "She gave up her own feelings to let them be together, and then that piece of garbage just ran off. So now, seeing Ning Dagang is enough to make the dean furious. But Ning Dagang keeps waving your teacher's name around like a shield, and the dean also has to consider Bai Yihu. She doesn't want to make things uglier than they already are."
After hearing all this, Qian San's eye twitched twice. He was already starting to regret becoming Ning Dagang's disciple. The adults' relationships were an absolute mess.
He shook his head and decided to ignore the gossip. To him, Ning Dagang's theories were garbage, and from the sound of it, so was his character. All Qian San wanted now was to get back and strengthen his Metal Armor, then keep improving his strength.
That afternoon, on the grounds of Kelaishi Academy.
Dai Zhuqing walked up to Qian San, her gaze serious. "Qian San, I want to challenge you."
Qian San froze for a moment. Dai Zhuqing was fifteen this year, and her Soul Power had already reached level forty-three. She was certainly a rare young talent. He was looking to stretch his muscles anyway, so he readily agreed.
"Sure. Let's spar, Zhu—"
Qian San was just about to call her "Sister Zhu" when, out of the corner of his eye, he happened to meet Xiao Qing's gaze.
Xiao Qing was sitting on the steps not far away, staring straight at him.
Qian San's heart gave a sudden lurch. His instincts told him that if he called another girl "Sister Zhu," something unpleasant would definitely happen next.
Qian San hit the brakes and abruptly swerved, shouting, "Boss Dai!"
Dai Zhuqing froze, baffled by the unexpected form of address. But she didn't dwell on it. Instead, she stepped back and assumed a battle stance.
"Dai Zhuqing, Martial Soul: Evil-Eyed Black Tiger, level forty-three Power Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor. Please guide me!" Dai Zhuqing's expression shifted as the phantom image of a black tiger appeared behind her.
Qian San released his Martial Soul as well, blue-silver metallic light surging around him. "Qian San, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Spider, level forty-seven Battle Soul Ancestor. Please guide me!"
Hearing that he was level forty-seven, Dai Zhuqing's eyelid gave a sharp twitch, but she had no intention of backing down.
"First Soul Skill, Black Tiger Golden Mountain Shield!"
"Third Soul Skill, Black Tiger Grey Rock Transformation!"
Dai Zhuqing didn't hold back, activating both enhancement skills at once. A golden shield of light covered her from head to toe, while a layer of gray-white, rocklike armor formed over her skin. Her strength, defense, and aura surged in an instant. Then she charged toward Qian San like a fierce tiger descending the mountain.
Watching Dai Zhuqing charge at him, Qian San remained calm.
He had plenty of experience fighting Power Attack System Beast Martial Souls like this. Dai Zhuqing's explosive power was indeed formidable, but at the same level, could she really be stronger than Xiao Qing?
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