Space Strangling

The damp air of the Star Dou Great Forest carried the fresh scent of grass and trees, mingled with the faint, lingering stench of the Stinger King.

With Qian Renxue sitting cross-legged behind him to absorb her Soul Ring, Yang Teng stood as if at ease, his gaze wandering over the shadowy woods around them in case anything unexpected happened.

Yet the glimpse he had caught of her breathtaking beauty had already been etched clearly into his mind.

Her flawless features and unyielding nature had lost none of their luster, even when she was fleeing for her life in tattered clothes.

"Tsk, tsk!"

"Like mother, like daughter... Damn, she's gorgeous!"

Yang Teng clicked his tongue to himself.

Though he had never seen the vicious Bibi Dong with his own eyes, Qian Renxue's nearly perfect looks and bearing made it easy to imagine her mother's peerless elegance.

"Qian Xunji sure got lucky. Still, at least that useless Yu Xiaogang didn't get to have her. That would've been even harder to stomach."

About the time it takes an incense stick to burn passed. The Soul Power fluctuations behind him gradually settled, then suddenly surged upward, growing denser and more solid.

Qian Renxue slowly opened her eyes. A golden gleam flashed in them and vanished. Her aura had changed completely; she had successfully stepped into the Soul Emperor rank.

She rose to her feet, clutching the somewhat oversized men's robe around herself, and looked at Yang Teng, who still had his back to her. Her voice had regained its usual clear, composed tone, but now held a trace of sincerity.

"Thank you for guarding me. I haven't yet asked my benefactor's name."

Only then did Yang Teng turn around. His usual lazy smile returned, and he waved a hand.

"Yang Teng. No need to thank me. I was just passing by and lent a hand."

He paused, his gaze lingering for a moment on Qian Renxue's stunning face, still impossible to hide beneath the robe. There was a note of admiration in his voice.

"Besides, who could see such a beautiful woman in trouble and not lend a hand?"

His blunt words caught Qian Renxue slightly off guard. A faint blush crossed her fair cheeks, but she quickly suppressed it.

The two headed toward the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. Along the way, Qian Renxue asked one question after another, showing both her intense curiosity and her habitual tendency to size people up.

"Which empire are you from?"

"Heaven Dou. For now... I'm a free agent, just traveling around and seeing the sights."

"Which academy are you studying at?"

"I never enrolled. I'm just an idle wanderer."

"What's your Soul Power Level?"

"Hmm, I only just reached Soul Elder not long ago."

When Qian Renxue heard Yang Teng candidly say he was just a free cultivator whose Soul Power was at the Soul Elder rank, her beautiful eyes suddenly lit up, as though she had discovered a rare treasure.

A Soul Elder? One Soul Elder had displayed such powerful spatial abilities, briefly restraining a Stinger King of thirty thousand years and creating an opening for her to land a fatal blow?

It was simply unbelievable! His talent, the strength of his Martial Soul, and his potential were likely far beyond what most people could imagine.

"That's terrifying. And I thought my Innate Level 20 Soul Power was impressive!"

Qian Renxue was stunned.

Without the slightest hesitation, she turned to Yang Teng, her expression growing formal and weighty. The air of authority she carried as a person of high standing emerged faintly.

"Yang Teng, I'm Qian Renxue, the young mistress of the Spirit Hall's Elder Hall. On behalf of the Spirit Hall, I sincerely invite you to join us."

"The Spirit Hall can provide you with the finest resources, the highest-level guidance, and... a position and future worthy of your potential."

Her direct, forceful offer showed both Qian Renxue's decisiveness and her discerning eye for talent.

A personal invitation from the young mistress of the Spirit Hall's Elder Hall carried no small weight.

At first, Yang Teng seemed not to grasp what "young mistress of the Elder Hall" meant. He blinked.

Then he connected "Qian Renxue" with "Bibi Dong's daughter," and the somewhat indecent nickname for her father, Qian Xunji, popped into his head.

"Secret Room Douluo."

"The Spirit Hall, huh?"

He rubbed his chin. Neither accepting nor refusing right away, he gave a vague answer.

"We'll talk about that later. Getting out of the forest comes first."

Seeing his response, Qian Renxue didn't rush to pressure him. She had simply made her offer clear.

She believed that anyone with any sense would understand what a rare opportunity this was.

The nearest city to the Star Dou Great Forest belonged to the Balak Kingdom.

When the two reached the city gates, they immediately spotted the silver-haired figure who had been waiting there.

Gu Yuena stood quietly by the bustling entrance, her graceful figure and peerless beauty drawing frequent glances from passersby, especially men, whose eyes filled with amazement.

Yang Teng acted as though he hadn't noticed their stares and walked straight over, introducing the two in a casual manner.

"Gu Yuena, my friend. This is Qian Renxue. We just met in the forest."

His introduction was far too brief. He mentioned neither Gu Yuena's Soul King strength nor Qian Renxue's status as the young mistress of the Elder Hall.

Gu Yuena gave Qian Renxue a slight nod. Her silver eyes were placid as she acknowledged her.

Qian Renxue returned the nod. Her gaze lingered on Gu Yuena for a moment, and instinct told her the silver-haired woman was no ordinary person.

The three found a decent restaurant in the city and had dinner together.

During the meal, Qian Renxue took the initiative to pay the bill, her manner natural and gracious.

That solved Yang Teng's immediate problem of being short on money. He accepted with a grin and no embarrassment.

After dinner, Yang Teng felt his flat money pouch and sighed.

"Looks like I'll have to earn some money first."

His gaze turned toward the city center, where the Soul Fighting Arena stood.

At that, Qian Renxue immediately offered to come along.

She was curious and wanted to observe Yang Teng's abilities more closely, especially how he performed in actual combat.

Gu Yuena silently followed behind them, like a quiet shadow.

Yang Teng scanned the match list and contestant information with interest, then picked a name without hesitation.

"I'll take him. A level forty-three Power Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor."

The opponent he chose was a burly man with a fierce look, locally renowned for his overwhelming strength.

When the spectators saw that Yang Teng was a stranger, a young-looking boy in ordinary clothes, and that he dared to challenge a notorious Soul Ancestor despite the gap in rank, they burst into laughter. They placed their bets on the big man, and the odds were overwhelmingly in his favor.

Standing at the betting counter, Qian Renxue unhesitatingly wagered a sizable sum of Gold Soul Coins on Yang Teng.

The clerk looked at her as though she were an idiot.

"Such a pretty girl, and she's lost her mind?"

The burly Soul Ancestor across from them sneered. "Kid, have you even grown all your hair yet? If you're going to come out here, at least have the guts to fight! Give up now and kneel to call me 'Grandpa' three times, and I might go easy on you!"

The stands erupted in jeers and whistles.

Faced with his opponent's taunts and the crowd's mockery, Yang Teng's expression didn't waver.

He didn't even release his Martial Soul right away. He simply stood there, loose and relaxed, with both hands still in his pockets, as though he had come to kill time rather than fight for his life.

That utter ease created a strange atmosphere in the tense, heated arena.

The instant the referee announced the start, the burly Soul Ancestor roared, and four Soul Rings lit up around him.

White, yellow, yellow, purple!

Yang Teng sneered. This Soul Ancestor was about as low-tier as they came. He had thought he might at least have the optimal Soul Ring configuration.

Yang Teng merely let four words drift from his lips:

"Space Strangling."

The sound of fabric and bones twisting and tearing under an invisible force rang out in an instant!

"Ah!!!"

The man slammed onto the arena like a lump of mud. His body convulsed, his eyes unfocused. He was clearly crippled, stripped of all ability to fight.

The noisy Soul Fighting Arena fell completely silent.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, unable to believe the horrifying scene on the arena.

"Did you see his Martial Soul?"

"What color were his Soul Rings?"

Voices rose and fell from the stands as everyone discussed Yang Teng's move.

Below the arena, Qian Renxue stood with light shimmering in her golden eyes.

She had seen Yang Teng's "Space Lock" before.

But the dominance and uncanny nature of "Space Strangling" still exceeded her expectations.

This ability was practically impossible to guard against.

Gu Yuena stood silently, her silver eyes reflecting the bloody scene on the arena and Yang Teng's ever-composed figure.