Six-Winged Fallen Angel

Three days later, having defeated every Spirit Master team at the Soto City Great Spirit Arena, the Imperial Dou Team departed Soto City early in the morning.

"There wasn't a single capable team at the Soto Great Spirit Arena; only the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena can truly make us feel the pressure," Dugu Yan said, leaning against Yu Tianheng.

"Yanzi is right. They were all too weak. I've even started missing the Jade Maiden Fighting Team," Oslo chimed in, stepping forward.

"Then you're wasting your time wishing for that, as the Jade Maiden Fighting Team has already left Heaven Dou City," Di Lintian said.

Because the Imperial Dou Team had already become a Spirit Ancestor-level team, the Soto City Great Spirit Arena had not arranged for the Shrek Seven Devils to face them.

Besides, Shrek was likely still in the Star Dou Forest, searching for their third spirit rings.

"So, what is our training plan moving forward? There isn't a single team at the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena that can serve as our opponent," Yu Feng asked.

"Perhaps we shall cultivate individually and prepare for the Spirit Master Tournament," Di Lintian said softly, his gaze fixed toward the north.

At noon, Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

The seven members of the Imperial Dou Team had returned to the academy and were lounging in their private villa, enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

"You may proceed with your own cultivation for the time being," Mystic Water said. "Red Fire and I will be leaving for a while, and the academy will arrange other instructors for you."

"Na'er and I will also be returning to the Sky Dragon Pavilion in a while," Di Lintian added as he stood up.

The reason Di Lintian said "in a while" was that he had yet to harvest Dugu Bo's immortal herbs. Once he finished harvesting them, he would leave, though not for the Sky Dragon Pavilion, but rather... he looked toward the distant north, following the guidance of fate.

"Are you all leaving?" the five asked in unison, even the usually silent Ye Lingling expressing her reluctance.

"Yes, we have our own matters to attend to, but no matter when, we remain teammates. Before I leave, I will give you all a gift," Di Lintian said with a smile. As for the gift he mentioned, it was naturally Dugu Bo's immortal herbs.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door of the villa.

"Who is it?" Oslo asked, puzzled. This area was restricted to outsiders, and only the seven of them and their team leaders could come and go as they pleased.

"Could it be the new instructor Mystic Water mentioned?" Yu Tianheng speculated.

"Just open the door and see," Yu Feng said, already moving to open the door while they were still guessing.

"Young Master Lin Tian, His Highness the Crown Prince requests your presence." Standing outside was a man in armor, an attendant to "Xue Qinghe."

Qian Renxue? They hadn't seen each other since they parted ways at the Soto Great Spirit Arena; why would she suddenly come looking for him today?

"Let's go." Di Lintian gave Na'er a look that said wait for me, then spoke to the armored man.

"Young Master, please," the man said with extreme respect.

Di Lintian guessed that "Xue Qinghe" must be planning to warn him about something.

"There's even a carriage?"

Di Lintian followed the attendant all the way to the academy gate, where a carriage bearing a swan emblem awaited—it must have been the royal carriage.

Di Lintian stepped into the carriage, where a faint, delicate fragrance drifted through the air, very similar to the scent on Qian Renxue.

Could this be the carriage Qian Renxue usually traveled in?

The carriage drove into Heaven Dou City and stopped in front of a high-end restaurant.

Following the box number provided by the attendant, Di Lintian walked into the room where "Xue Qinghe" was waiting.

During the days Di Lintian had been away from Heaven Dou City, Qian Renxue had hired someone to impersonate Xue Qinghe for a few days while she made a trip back to Spirit Hall.

Qian Renxue had relayed the information about their spirit fusion skill and the words Di Lintian had spoken to her, word for word, to her grandfather, Qian Daoliu.

After a long silence, Qian Daoliu had said, "That woman cannot represent Spirit Hall."

Qian Renxue understood her grandfather's meaning: Spirit Hall had no ambition other than to protect the inheritance of the Angel God; the one with ambition was her "sister." As long as she was removed from power, the stance of Spirit Hall could change.

Di Lintian pushed open the door to the private room, and before he had even stepped inside, that familiar fragrance drifted into his nostrils.

Inside the room, it was not the mask of Xue Qinghe, but the face beneath it—a high-bridged nose and delicate, refined features.

"Is there something you wanted to see me about?" Di Lintian asked, walking over to a seat and sitting down uninvited.

"I..."

Looking at the overly familiar Di Lintian, Qian Renxue suddenly found herself at a loss for how to express her grandfather's words.

"Forget it, just sense it yourself." Qian Renxue reached out her palm in a gesture of resignation.

When the compatibility of a spirit fusion skill reaches a certain level, the two individuals can sense what the other is thinking. The rapport between Di Lintian and Qian Renxue had reached a full eighty percent, so he could naturally perceive her inner thoughts.

Just as he had done before, Di Lintian took Qian Renxue's hand, closed his eyes, and carefully sensed what was in her heart.

In a short while, Di Lintian understood her meaning. She had actually gone back to Spirit Hall to ask Qian Daoliu about his offhand, perfunctory remark, risking the exposure of an identity she had spent years maintaining. She was truly foolishly adorable.

"Are you done sensing?" A faint blush stained Qian Renxue's pretty face.

"I'm done," Di Lintian nodded.

"Then let go already."

"Don't you want to know what our spirit fusion skill is?" Di Lintian led Qian Renxue toward the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Here?" Qian Renxue asked, puzzled.

"Of course not. I'll wait for you outside the city." As soon as he finished speaking, Di Lintian's figure flew out through the open window toward the outskirts of the city.

Two streaks of light—one black and one gold—flashed across the majority of Heaven Dou City, landing one after another in a secluded valley outside the city walls.

"What are we going to do?" Qian Renxue asked the moment they landed.

"What are we going to do? Naturally, it's..." Di Lintian walked up to Qian Renxue with a wicked grin and pulled her into his embrace.

"Do not resist," he whispered.

Di Lintian's soul power slowly merged into Qian Renxue's body.

The next moment, eight soul rings—two yellow, four purple, and four black—slowly emerged. A flash of pitch-black soul power swept past, and the two figures merged into one.

It was a pitch-black angel!

His features were exquisite and perfect, like the most beautiful work of art God had ever placed on earth.

His left eye was a hollow, pitch-black void, while his right eye was holy and vibrant.

His muscle definition looked as if it had been carved from marble, covered in black-gold divine patterns.

His arms were covered in dragon-scaled black armor, and he gripped a demonic angel sword that radiated an aura of corruption.

The six wings behind his back fanned slowly, the entire form embodying a contradictory aesthetic of holy majesty and abyssal corruption.

"Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Six-Winged Fallen Angel."

An androgynous voice emanated from the Six-Winged Fallen Angel. Though the words were calm, they carried the majesty of one who judges all things.

Di Lintian was the dominant consciousness of the Six-Winged Fallen Angel; they possessed another Martial Soul Fusion Skill where Qian Renxue took the lead.

As Di Lintian shifted his thoughts, an obsidian throne appeared behind the Six-Winged Fallen Angel.

He—or rather, It—leaned back lazily against the obsidian throne, its six wings half-drooped. It spoke with nonchalance: "I shall grant you judgment: Holy Sword Judgment!"

As the words fell, pitch-black feathers drifted down from the sky out of thin air. Immediately following, dark clouds swirled, and a colossal demonic sword slowly emerged from the clouds, crashing down toward the direction It pointed.

Its words were filled, at every moment, with an Arrogance that looked down upon everything in the world!