Hu Liena Appears

The Heavenly Dao Power circulated, drawing moonlight and starlight from above through the dense canopy. It transformed into streams of pure, invisible energy that were absorbed by his eyes, converted into soul power, and slowly channeled into his dantian.

This process was silent, devoid of any strange phenomena, flickering lights, or leaking energy fluctuations.

To an outsider, he was merely an ordinary young man sitting in a tree, lost in a daze.

In reality, however, the soul power within him was surging at a terrifying speed.

Ordinary soul masters are limited by their innate soul power when cultivating.

The higher the innate soul power level, the longer one can meditate effectively each day.

Even those with full innate soul power—level ten—can only meditate for six to eight hours a day. Beyond that, the mind grows weary, the body resists, and the efficiency of meditation drops off a cliff; forcing it further would only be counterproductive.

Qin Chuan was not subject to this restriction.

The Heavenly Dao Power is a force superior to the secular cultivation system; its efficiency in converting energy far exceeds that of standard meditation techniques, and it consumes very little mental energy.

As long as Qin Chuan wished, he could cultivate twenty-four hours a day without needing a break.

This was the confidence that allowed him to spend the night in the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest.

For others, entering the forest was an adventure; for him, it was like soaking in a hot spring. The concentration of soul power in the air here was countless times higher than outside, making it a natural sanctuary for cultivation.

Qin Chuan's breathing became long and steady.

The night breeze slipped through the gaps in the canopy, carrying the damp scent of soil. In the distance, some soul beast let out a low, muffled roar; by the time the sound traveled several kilometers to reach him, there was little left of it.

The chirping of insects, however, never ceased, coming in rhythmic waves.

Immersed in his cultivation, Qin Chuan's consciousness gradually blurred at the edges.

He could feel the soul power in his dantian filling up bit by bit, like water being poured into a large vat. The water level rose slowly—one inch, two inches, three inches.

The first night passed, and Qin Chuan did not move once.

The second day passed. The light in the forest shifted from dark to bright, then back to dark again.

The chorus of insects changed, as did the birds. A thousand-year-level flying soul beast, oblivious, swept past above his head without even sparing him a glance.

On the third day, a faint hum resonated within Qin Chuan's dantian, audible only to him. The critical threshold had been breached.

The bottleneck of level 55 shattered, and his soul power surged into a new tier.

Level 56!

The corners of Qin Chuan's mouth twitched. One level in three days—if one were to flip through the entire history of the Douluo Continent, it is unlikely a second person could be found who achieved such a speed.

Even the genius disciples of the Upper Three Sects, armed with the finest treasures and top-tier cultivation techniques, would be considered heaven-sent talents if they could advance one level every ten days after reaching the Soul King realm.

One level in three days—even Qin Chuan felt it was somewhat monstrous.

However, after several soul hunts and the absorption of soul rings, he had already been at the late stage of level 55.

On the morning of the third day, as Qin Chuan sat with his eyes closed in meditation, the perception of his Six Paths Reincarnation Eye captured a trace of unusual fluctuation.

At the eleven o'clock position, approximately nine kilometers away.

Someone was fighting.

The sound of clashing metal, the muffled thuds of soul skills erupting, and the shouts of several people all blended together.

Qin Chuan did not open his eyes. His mental energy extended in the direction of the sound, and the Six Paths Reincarnation Eye automatically magnified the scene in that area.

A valley. The mouth of the valley faced south, flanked by steep rock walls. In the center of the valley, a massive soul beast was rampaging.

Three young people were surrounding and attacking it.

Qin Chuan's gaze swept over the soul beast first, then landed on the three individuals.

He saw the first person.

A woman.

Qin Chuan's mental energy locked onto the woman's position.

She wore a tight-fitting, purplish-red long dress, the fabric clinging to her body and clearly outlining the contours of her waist and hips. The neckline was cut low, revealing a blindingly white expanse beneath her collarbones, the curves of her chest constrained by the fabric and trembling slightly with the rhythm of her breathing.

A thin silver chain was fastened at the narrowest part of her waist, cinching it into an absurdly graceful curve.

Her face was beautiful, too.

Her features were exquisite, her eyebrows arched, and the corners of her eyes tilted slightly upward, carrying an innate charm. Her lips were full and slightly thick, appearing as if they held a hint of moisture when pressed together. Her chin was pointed, her neck slender. Her long, purplish-black hair was casually pinned up at the back of her head with a silver hairpin, with a few stray strands hanging by her ears, sticking to her cheeks when the wind blew.

With a look like this, she didn't need to make any expression to make people want to take a second look.

Hu Liena, the direct disciple of Spirit Hall's Pope, Bibi Dong.

Qin Chuan's gaze continued to sweep to the side.

Behind and to the left of Hu Liena, a young man in black was half-crouched on the ground, holding a crescent-shaped short blade in each hand. The blades were narrow and thin, curved like a new moon, with a cold, dark silver light flowing across their surfaces.

Xie Yue.

He was tall and lean, his expression cold and stern, his mouth pressed into a thin line, his jawline sharp. His eyes were fixed on the soul beast ahead, every muscle in his body coiled and ready.

The third person was on the west side of the valley.

The youth wore a fire-red martial outfit, his short, dark-red hair looking as if it had been scorched by flames. His skin was a deep tone, and his facial features were sharp and rugged, with high cheekbones and prominent brow ridges.

Yan.

One of the core disciples of Spirit Hall, possessing the Flame Overlord martial soul.

However, it was not these three who truly held Qin Chuan's attention.

His spiritual power continued to expand outward, discovering a fourth person beside a large boulder at the entrance of the valley.

A middle-aged man dressed in a plain white robe, his build lean and of average height. His features were refined, his hair neatly tied atop his head, with a few strands of white already showing at his temples. He leaned against the rock wall with his arms crossed over his chest, his posture relaxed, looking as if he were merely watching the show.

Yet, Qin Chuan's Samsara Eye clearly perceived the bottomless pool of soul power within him.

Level 95, Title Douluo.

Qin Chuan's heart gave a sharp jolt.

Yue Guan, Chrysanthemum Douluo, one of the guardian Douluos of Spirit Hall.

His martial soul was the Strange Velvet Sky-Reaching Chrysanthemum, a top-tier immortal-grade assault-type martial soul.

It was said that the power of his ninth soul skill, Chrysanthemum Withered, Ground Full of Wounds, could cover a radius of several hundred meters, wounding anything it touched.

Qin Chuan hurriedly reined in his spiritual fluctuations, narrowing his sensory range to just enough to observe the valley. He had no desire to be caught spying by a Title Douluo.

Although his Samsara Eye had achieved the pinnacle of concealment, it was better to be cautious when facing a level 95 powerhouse.

Crouched within the treetop, Qin Chuan silently gauged the soul power levels of these individuals through the gaps in the foliage.

Hu Liena, level 52 Soul King.

Xie Yue, level 54 Soul King.

Yan, level 50, just teetering on the threshold between Soul Ancestor and Soul King.

Their strength was quite impressive.

These three were all core disciples meticulously cultivated by Spirit Hall, provided with top-tier resources and techniques. Their combat experience, coordination of soul skills, and tactical awareness were all excellent.

They are hunting a soul beast for Yan. Qin Chuan understood after only a glance.

Yan was at level 50 and needed a fifth soul ring to break through to the Soul King rank. The attributes and age of that soul beast were a perfect match for his Flame Overlord martial soul.

Xie Yue and Hu Liena were responsible for suppression and support, while Yue Guan was there to ensure everything went smoothly.

Qin Chuan decided to observe from the shadows.