"Nine-Fold Holy Judgment, First Form—Morning Star Enlightenment!!!"
Murong Huai leaped into the air and swung the long sword in his hand with all his might. A golden, crescent-shaped sword aura burst forth and slammed into the lake. In an instant, a several-meter-high wave surged up, spraying water in every direction.
Murong Huai landed slowly and sheathed his sword. He breathed out a mouthful of stale air, then gazed at the rippling lake, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"So that's all it took? I thought it'd be much harder..."
While practicing the basic sword moves just now, he'd suddenly had an insight and had managed to unleash the first form of the Angel Sword Technique, Morning Star Enlightenment.
Murong Huai turned around and saw Tu Zhen and Ju Qinglan frozen in place.
"Hey, what's wrong with you two?"
"Y-Your Highness, was that the Angel Sword Technique you just used?" Tu Zhen drew a deep breath and asked.
"Yeah. My teacher taught it to me yesterday."
At Murong Huai's answer, Tu Zhen and Ju Qinglan stared at him in astonishment. They'd heard of the Angel Sword Technique, an exceptionally profound sword art, as renowned as the Seven Kill Sword Technique of the Sword Hero of Xili, if not more so.
Its difficulty was self-evident. Yet Murong Huai was only six years old, and on his second day practicing swordsmanship, he'd already unleashed its first form.
"A swordsmanship prodigy—no, an unparalleled monster!" The same words surfaced in both their minds.
After Ju Qinglan restored Murong Huai's condition, he sat cross-legged on a cushion nearby and began cultivating Soul Power.
The incredibly dense metallic energy within Star Dome Valley flowed into Murong Huai, coursing through his limbs and forming a small vortex of Soul Power.
Murong Huai already possessed the cultivation talent of Innate Level 20 Soul Power. With the boost from Star Dome Valley, the slow cultivation speed that came with an Ultimate Attribute Martial Soul was no longer a concern. In fact, he cultivated even faster than most.
Pope Palace.
"Oh? You're saying Huai'er understood the first sword form today?"
Qian Daoliu set down the memorial in his hand, his expression tinged with surprise.
Below him, Xiongshi nodded and explained, "That's right, Your Holiness. According to the message from Tu Zhen and the others, His Highness the Holy Son had an insight after finishing his basic sword practice and struck out with a single blow. It carried a faint sacred sword intent, but it was definitely there."
"Hahaha, excellent!" Qian Daoliu couldn't help praising Murong Huai's talent. After a moment's thought, he continued, "It seems I underestimated Huai'er's talent for swordsmanship. What a pity I can't spare much time. Otherwise, I'd teach him myself. Father has to prepare for the coming battle. Hmm... All right, Light Feather, has Xunji returned?"
"Your Holiness, the young master returned to Spirit Hall the day before yesterday and has been consolidating his current realm. He should be out of seclusion by now." Light Feather Douluo cupped his hands as he replied.
"Have him come to Pope Palace!"
"Yes." Light Feather Douluo cupped his hands, then turned and left Pope Palace.
Before long, Light Feather Douluo returned with a handsome man in a golden robe, his golden hair flowing freely.
"Your Holiness, the young master is here."
"Father." Qian Xunji also cupped his hands and saluted Qian Daoliu on the dais.
Qian Daoliu nodded, descended the steps, and came to stand before Qian Xunji. He patted him on the shoulder and said, "Well done. You reached Soul Saint before thirty. How was Soul Hunting in the Star Dou Great Forest?"
"Father, you flatter me. I hunted a Radiant Unicorn over fifty thousand years old in the Star Dou Great Forest." Qian Xunji answered modestly.
At that, Qian Daoliu nodded.
"A Radiant Unicorn—not bad. As I recall, you've already mastered the entire Angel Sword Technique, haven't you?"
"Yes. I understood the final form a year ago."
"Good. Some time ago, I took on a disciple—the Third Offering's only grandson."
At Qian Daoliu's words, Qian Xunji nodded.
"I've heard about him. Twin Martial Souls and Innate Level 20 Soul Power. His name is Murong Huai, right?"
"That's right. One of his Martial Souls is a sword, and he has an unparalleled talent for swordsmanship. At six years old, on only his second day of practice, he understood the first form of my Angel Sword Technique—Morning Star Enlightenment—in less than two hours." Qian Daoliu explained slowly.
"What?!" Qian Xunji's eyes filled with astonishment. He knew firsthand how difficult the Angel Sword Technique was. It had taken him more than a month to understand the first form, and that had already been a remarkable feat.
How could anyone understand its first form in less than two hours, on only their second day of practice? It was impossible.
Seeing Qian Xunji's shocked expression, Qian Daoliu continued, "So, to make sure the boy's talent for swordsmanship doesn't go to waste, I called you here to personally instruct him in the Angel Sword Technique. Are you willing?"
Qian Xunji froze for a moment at the question, then nodded. Now that he'd reached the Soul Saint realm, sitting in meditation alone wouldn't do much to improve his strength.
He was also curious about the disciple his father had taken.
"Of course. I'll go see this swordsmanship prodigy tomorrow."
The next day, Star Dome Valley.
Murong Huai had changed into a simple set of training clothes. Exercising in a long robe had been awkward, and the garment had greatly restricted his movements.
As on the previous day, Murong Huai ran and practiced standing stances under Tu Zhen's gravity suppression. Compared to yesterday, he was much more at ease. Improving one's physical fitness was a gradual process, and the results would start to show within a month.
After his physical training, Ju Qinglan once again helped Murong Huai recover. Then he drew a deep breath and summoned the Immortal Lord Nine-Arrival Sword. Just as he was about to begin practicing, a golden figure suddenly descended.
When they recognized the newcomer, Tu Zhen and Ju Qinglan immediately cupped their hands in greeting.
"Tu Zhen and Ju Qinglan greet the young master."
At their words, the newcomer waved a hand.
"No need for formalities."
Murong Huai looked at the newcomer, who bore some resemblance to Qian Daoliu. Hearing the two greet him, he blurted out, "Holy crap, you're—you're Secret Chamber Douluo, Qian Xunji!!!"
Qian Xunji froze at Murong Huai's words and asked in confusion, "Uh, I am indeed Qian Xunji, but I haven't reached the Titled Douluo realm. And what do you mean by 'Secret Chamber'?"
At that, Murong Huai came to his senses. Oh, right. Qian Xunji hadn't become the Pope yet. He was still the young master, receiving the excellent education and training of the Qian Family. He was a bona fide genius, a Soul Saint at thirty, with the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul. If the Great Sumeru Hammer weren't so ridiculously overpowered, it was hard to say whether Tang Hao would have beaten him to death.
It was true that what he'd done to Bibi Dong in the future had been terribly wrong, but the root of the problem was that pig. Without that pig, perhaps the rift between Qian Xunji and his disciple Bibi Dong wouldn't have grown so deep. Qian Xunji would have continued leading Spirit Hall's development, while Bibi Dong focused on cultivation and rose to become one of the continent's top experts.
As her teacher, Qian Xunji hadn't done little for Bibi Dong, either. When he went after the Blue Silver Emperor, he'd intended to capture her alive and bring her back as a Spirit Ring for Bibi Dong. Unfortunately, by then, Bibi Dong felt nothing for him but hatred.
Without that pig, their relationship might not have ended that way. That pig was the source of all evil. He'd have to castrate it when he got the chance!
"Since I'm here, and I'm in Spirit Hall, I'll change all of this. I'll change this tragedy."
Before you continue