Zuo Qiu Lun

A wonderful day came to an end amid tense matches. After going through two team battles, Liu Tianran and the others returned to the hotel. Thanks to Saint Blacksmith Li Ziming's "sudden whim," the seven-man team event, which had always drawn the most attention in previous years, seemed somewhat deserted this year.

Now, throughout Skysea City, the topics spectators discussed revolved more around those young prodigies who had emerged in the individual matches, clashing in battles between the strong.

Still, Liu Tianran's appearance in the team event stirred up a small ripple. A thirteen-year-old healing-system Soul Ancestor had drawn the attention of some people.

Some had even begun considering approaching and recruiting him.

Tianhai Grand Hotel

"Captain, you didn't see it with your own eyes—do you know how intense this year's individual matches were? More than a dozen teenage Soul Ancestors! Is this really the level of competition the Skysea Grand Tournament is supposed to have?"

"Those people in the individual matches aren't more than five years older than us, yet their strength has reached such a level. They actually defeated the champions of the previous Tianhai Alliance Grand Tournament with ease."

"God! They're way too strong! And quite a few of those Soul Ancestors are around our age!"

"Luckily, they didn't bring teams to compete in the team event. Otherwise, I think we should head home as soon as possible."

At that moment, Liu Tianran was lying in his hotel room, listening to He Qing describe just how powerful the individual-match contestants were.

"Alright, alright. Listening to you talk them up like gods, anyone who didn't know better would think you were a Soul Ancestor too." Unable to bear He Qing's endless muttering, Yun Qian snapped back at him.

"Besides, didn't the Soul Ancestor you praised so highly end up losing to a Grand Soul Master?"

"You mean that Zhou Mingyu (sword)? He's no ordinary person! You didn't see that sword of his—the ice sculpture he created couldn't even be thawed by the referee. That was a Soul Emperor, you know! What kind of Grand Soul Master is that freakish?!"

"If you don't believe me, ask Old Xu. He's an ice Soul Master, so he definitely understands it better than I do."

With that, everyone turned their gazes toward the quiet Xu Xiaoyu. Wearing a grave expression, Xu Xiaoyu said, "If I faced him, I probably wouldn't have the slightest ability to fight back."

Everyone was startled by that. He had always been such a proud person, yet he had actually admitted on his own that he was inferior to a seven-year-old boy.

After their surprise faded, they all fell silent.

Watching the atmosphere in the room grow increasingly heavy, Liu Tianran knew it was time for him to step in.

"Alright, don't think so much about it. We only need to do our best."

"Get some proper rest today. We still have a match tomorrow."

Everyone nodded and returned to their respective rooms. Once they had left, Liu Tianran returned to his own room as well.

Early the next morning, Zuo Qiu Lun, a highly anticipated seeded contestant in the Skysea Grand Tournament, woke up from a large bed. He was currently staying in a guest room prepared by the Tianhai City Blacksmith Association.

After getting dressed, Zuo Qiu Lun took a soul-guided taxi toward the Blacksmith Association. Before long, he arrived at his destination.

Like the Donghai City Blacksmith Association, the Tianhai City Blacksmith Association was one of the Blacksmith Association's key branches. As the foremost of the five first-tier cities along the eastern coast, Tianhai City had two Saint Blacksmiths stationed there year-round.

Zuo Qiu Lun entered the Spirit Pagoda with a calm expression and headed straight for the Blacksmith Association's VIP room. Along the way, none of the passing staff members stopped him. The occasional few who noticed him merely smiled and greeted him respectfully.

After all, they all knew he was an honored guest invited by a Saint Blacksmith.

Thus, Zuo Qiu Lun arrived at a room. Inside, a blond young man with heroic features and an imposing aura was waiting for him. He sat upright in the seat of honor, like a blazing sun.

Several Blacksmith Association staff members were also busy inside the room. Once Zuo Qiu Lun entered, they perceptively withdrew, closing the doors behind them.

"Hah, you're a little late!"

The moment the doors shut, the man's imposing dignity vanished. With a familiar, relaxed tone, he smiled at Zuo Qiu Lun. "I watched your matches these past few days. Not bad—clean and decisive. You've already gained a bit of fame."

"When it comes to fame, how could I compare to a Saint Blacksmith like you?" Zuo Qiu Lun replied to Li Ziming casually, without the respectful tone those staff members had used.

"Alright, why are you being polite with me? What did you come to see me about?"

Li Ziming directly ignored his flattering pleasantries and looked at his "friend" and colleague.

"How are your preparations for the plan laid down by the Body Sect?"

"My part has been ready for a long time. I've also sent your information to Mu Ye. He's already on his way here."

"Good."

"Zuo Qiu Lun"—Liu Tianran's fourth avatar—was an avatar he had specifically prepared for the Body Sect.

The Body Sect was a super sect that had enjoyed immense renown during Huo Yuhao's era in Soul Land II. Super Douluo legacies within the sect had never ceased, and during the continental war, it had once been a pillar of the three Douluo nations' resistance against the Sun Moon Empire.

Although the Body Sect had suffered grievous losses after that war, with the sect's young prodigies nearly wiped out, and had thus declined to the point that it was obscure and almost reclusive in this era—

Its decline was only relative to superpowers such as Shrek Academy, the Tang Sect, the Spirit Pagoda, and the War God Hall.

To the other ninety-nine percent of factions, the Body Sect's ten-thousand-year foundation, along with the terrifying strength amassed by its unbroken line of Super Douluo powerhouses, still made it an unshakable behemoth.

According to the original text's description, in this era, few members of the Body Sect were qualified to take the stage and contend amid the flourishing age. The younger generation currently lacked someone capable of bearing the banner. If Zuo Qiu Lun joined them now and displayed sufficient potential and talent, then compared to the avatars placed within other factions, this might be the easiest opportunity to enter their upper ranks, even seize power, and influence their stance.

Therefore, in order to make him attract the Body Sect's attention as quickly as possible, Liu Tianran had chosen the purest Body martial soul—"Body"—when constructing him. As for his physical strength, he had also incorporated the material properties of Heaven-forged metal, a precious material Zhenhua had specially given Li Ziming to help him comprehend the essence of Heaven forging.

Coupled with the strategic reserves of blood essence and spiritual power accumulated within the space—

In short, the current Zuo Qiu Lun was a pure stat monster.