A Bountiful Harvest

Beside the Lake of Life, the sun set, casting golden-red afterglow across the shimmering water and reflecting a dreamlike palette of colors.

Xiao Wu used all her strength to drag Er Ming to the lakeside.

He struggled to lift his heavy head, gazing once more at the familiar waters with eyes full of lingering attachment and reluctance.

He had seen this scenery countless times, but today, it might be the very last.

"Thank you, Sister Xiao Wu... for letting me take one last look at the Lake of Life in my final moments."

Er Ming's voice grew increasingly feeble.

As a Soul Beast, he had long been prepared for the day he would be hunted by humans and turned into a cold soul ring.

He just hadn't expected this day to arrive so suddenly; they had been playing hide-and-seek that very morning, yet by dusk, they were separated by the veil of life and death.

Watching Er Ming grow weaker, Xiao Wu's eyes turned bloodshot, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Her hatred for humans reached its zenith in an instant.

Especially that fellow who used the Seven Kill Sword—killing her kin was a capital offense! She, Xiao Wu, would definitely make him pay the price!

"Er Ming, hold on! I'm going to find Mother; she knows some friends, maybe they can save you."

Seeing Xiao Wu still unwilling to accept reality, a flash of helplessness crossed Er Ming's eyes.

Although he always called her Sister Xiao Wu, she was actually the youngest among them and had never truly encountered the malice of the outside world; she was far too innocent and kind.

"Sister Xiao Wu... go ahead, I will wait for you right here."

Hearing Er Ming's consent, Xiao Wu did not hesitate for a second, turning and bounding away toward the depths of the forest, her movements filled with obvious urgency and panic.

Watching Xiao Wu leave, Er Ming nodded gently.

He had finally managed to send her away; it was time to end this all alone.

He struggled to roll his body, sinking into the Lake of Life.

The majestic life force within the lake surged into his body, attempting to cling to his fading vitality.

But Er Ming knew clearly that this could only sustain him for another minute or two at most.

His origin was severely damaged; death was inevitable.

Splash!

Er Ming crawled back onto the shore, his aura already extremely faint.

He looked up to see Chen Xin and the others waiting, their eyes filled with undisguised killing intent.

The sunlight faded further, and dusk descended completely.

Er Ming looked at the group before him, his eyes burning with intense hatred.

They were the ones who had killed Da Ming and shattered their once-warm home.

These people were his greatest enemies!

"Today, I, the Titan Giant Ape, will drag one of you down to the grave with me!"

Er Ming roared with bloodshot eyes, his body beginning to swell frantically as terrifying Soul Power gathered wildly around him.

Seeing this, the expressions of Chen Xin and the others shifted simultaneously. They realized that Er Ming intended to self-destruct!

This was no ordinary self-destruction; it was the desperate final strike of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Its power was comparable to a minor natural disaster, and the entire Lake of Life risked being destroyed.

Chen Qi frowned deeply as he watched this scene.

He did not believe Er Ming would succeed in self-destructing; one had to remember that the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena, was still at the bottom of the lake.

If he dared to disturb her slumber, Er Ming would meet a miserable end.

What he truly worried about was that if Gu Yuena intervened, Er Ming's soul ring and soul bone would be lost—wouldn't this trip have been for nothing?

Chen Qi's thoughts raced as he recalled that Qian Renxue's fifth soul skill, Angel Judgment, sounded incredibly powerful.

If he could strike Er Ming's heart during the gap while the skill was being unleashed...

"Fifth Soul Skill, Angel Judgment!"

Chen Qi acted as soon as he thought it; before the wings on his back had even fully unfurled, his soul skill was already released.

A long sword radiating terrifying, holy pressure instantly materialized before him. Chen Qi grabbed it and hurled it fiercely toward Er Ming's heart.

Squelch!

Er Ming's chest was pierced through by the sword, and his self-destructing Soul Power was instantly interrupted.

He looked down at the gaping hole in his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief; he could not fathom how a level-sixty Soul Emperor who hadn't even obtained his soul ring could break through his defenses.

Thud!

As night fell completely, Er Ming collapsed heavily beside the Lake of Life, losing all his vitality.

A blood-red soul ring slowly emerged from his body, flickering with an eerie light.

Qian Renxue's face turned deathly pale; the consumption of Soul Power had been too massive, and the world spun before her eyes as if she were suffering from a sudden drop in blood sugar.

Seeing this, Chen Xin immediately retracted the hundreds of Kill Character Sword Arts behind him, stepping forward quickly to place a hand on Qian Renxue's shoulder and pouring his own Soul Power into her continuously.

He glanced at Chen Qi once more, a flicker of astonishment crossing his eyes.

He had not expected that as a martial soul, Chen Qi's attack power would actually surpass that of his master. The might of that sword strike was already comparable to the Minor Kill Character Technique.

There were simply too many secrets between Chen Qi and Qian Renxue.

An incense stick's time later, Qian Renxue's complexion returned to a healthy glow.

She looked toward Chen Xin and offered a gentle bow.

"Thank you, Grandpa Sword Douluo, for replenishing my Soul Power."

Chen Xin waved his hand, his tone mild.

"It is nothing. You gifted me a spirit bone; it would be unreasonable if I did not assist you. By the way, you may call me Grandpa Sword from now on. Grandpa Sword Douluo sounds far too distant."

Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue tilted her head, her voice soft and sweet.

"Grandpa Sword?"

Such an adorable voice reaching Chen Xin's ears made his heart tingle.

He hurriedly turned his head away and gave a slight nod of agreement, though in reality, he was afraid of someone seeing his slightly reddened cheeks.

Indeed, no one could withstand a girl acting spoiled!

Chen Qi took Qian Renxue's hand and pointed to the spirit ring floating before them.

"Let us begin absorbing the spirit ring."

Qian Renxue nodded, her voice firm.

"Alright!"

The spirit ring submerged into Chen Qi's body, and the two sat down simultaneously once more to begin absorbing this hundred-thousand-year spirit ring.

The remaining Title Douluo stood guard beside them, remaining vigilant of their surroundings to ensure their safety.

An hour later, a brand-new hundred-thousand-year spirit ring appeared at Qian Renxue's feet.

Truth be told, Qian Renxue's current spirit ring configuration had reached a truly terrifying level.

Purple, Purple, Black, Red! Red! Red!

With three hundred-thousand-year spirit rings, she was the only person in history to have achieved such a feat.

Coupled with the immortal herbs she had consumed, her true strength was already on par with a peak Soul Saint.

At the Soul Emperor level, she was completely invincible, crushing all other geniuses of her era.

And at this moment, Qian Renxue was not even nine years old.

In her nine years of life, she had already traveled a path that most people could not complete in a lifetime; it was truly enough to make others envious, jealous, and hateful.

As usual, Qian Renxue's Soul Power began to rise after absorbing the spirit ring.

However, the increase this time was much smaller, stopping at level 68, which was far behind the previous two instances.

Seeing that Qian Renxue did not break through directly to level 70, everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, the Young Mistress was not excessively monstrous.

Stopping at level 68 was fine.

If she had been forced all the way to Title Douluo, the Douluo Continent would likely have truly seen a change in the heavens.

Chen Qi handed Titan's left arm bone to Qian Renxue, while he himself cast a thoughtful glance toward the Lake of Life.

If he could drag the Silver Dragon King up and have her pull a sedan chair like the nine dragons pulling a coffin... that would be too cool!

At the bottom of the Lake of Life, the Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena slowly opened her eyes.

She had seen everything that just occurred.

If Chen Qi had not intervened, she would have truly revealed herself to erase the fellow who nearly destroyed her sleeping quarters.

Her gaze toward the surface of the lake was somewhat complex; she felt that the way Chen Qi looked at the lake was strange, as if something were clinging to her back.

On the shore, Snake Lance Douluo said to Qian Renxue.

"Young Mistress, shall we return now, or should we capture that rabbit that escaped?"

"Let us return first. As for that rabbit, arrange for scouts to keep an eye on it; we shall hunt it whenever I have need of it."

Snake Lance Douluo nodded. Since the Young Mistress already had a plan, it was time to return.

Chen Qi turned back and sighed softly.

"What a truly bountiful day."