Entering the Palace for Exchange

Early the next morning, as Li Long sat cross-legged beneath the East Courtyard corridor restoring his Soul Power, an attendant delivered a handwritten decree from the Papal Palace.

Li Long accepted the folded letter and opened it. It bore Qian Shengyuan's handwriting, brief but clear: Two young soul masters selected by branch halls would enter the palace for an exchange today. They were to meet in the East Courtyard side hall before noon.

After reading it, Li Long folded the letter and put it away without asking any questions.

Palace exchanges were routine within the Spirit Hall system. Outstanding young talents from branch halls were selected to come to the main hall for short-term exchanges, where they could access higher-level cultivation resources and guidance.

Back when he had still been an ordinary deacon at the Notting City branch hall, he had heard of similar arrangements. At the time, however, he had been among those not even qualified to be selected.

Before noon, Li Long changed into a clean white casual outfit and headed to the East Courtyard side hall.

The side hall was not large. It contained a square table, several chairs, and bright, spotless windows.

He had only been seated for the time it took to drink a cup of tea when the attendant led two people inside.

The one in front was a girl with a high ponytail. She was half a head shorter than Li Long, with lively features and eyes like two black grapes soaked in water.

She wore the standard fitted uniform of Spirit Hall, with a short sword hanging at her waist. Her steps were light and brisk.

Beside her was another girl, more slender in build, with shoulder-length black hair and a calm temperament. She walked half a step behind, carrying no weapon.

The two girls entered and bowed together. "Greetings, Holy Son."

Li Long rose and returned the bow, then politely gestured for them to sit.

After serving the tea, the attendant withdrew, leaving only the three of them in the side hall.

The air fell quiet for a moment before the high-ponytailed girl broke the silence. She raised her head to look at Li Long, her gaze frank and direct. "My name is Qian Yao. I'm twelve this year, a three-ring Soul Elder. My Martial Soul is the Four-Winged Angel."

Then she tilted her head and glanced at her companion. "Her name is Qian Yue. She's eleven this year, also three-ring, with a Four-Winged Angel."

Qian Yue gave a slight bow in greeting and said nothing more.

Li Long nodded and introduced himself. "Li Long. Ten and a half years old, three-ring Soul Elder. My Martial Soul is the Iron Rod."

Qian Yao leaned back in her chair and looked him over. Her gaze lingered for several breaths on the short rod at his waist before returning to his face. "What happened yesterday, when you sparred with the young master, has spread throughout Spirit City. Everyone is saying that the Holy Son interrupted the young master's fifth soul skill."

Li Long lifted his teacup and took a sip without denying it. "Senior Brother held back. His fifth soul skill did not fully unleash its power."

Qian Yao blinked. "The Holy Son is really humble. Still, being able to interrupt it is terrifying. You only have three rings right now."

Qian Yue had remained silent beside them, but Li Long noticed that her eyes occasionally rested on the Iron Rod at his waist and his cuffs, as though she were examining some detail.

He lowered his head and glanced at his sleeve. The tear made by sword qi during yesterday's spar had already been sewn shut, though the stitches were still visible.

Qian Yao was clearly the sort who made friends easily. Once she sat down, she began firing off question after question.

For example: How had the Holy Son absorbed a five-hundred-year first soul ring? What did a six-thousand-five-hundred-year third soul ring feel like? Was using an Iron Rod Martial Soul at a disadvantage compared to one with elemental attributes?

The questions came one after another, and Li Long answered them all at an unhurried pace.

Qian Yue listened quietly at the side. Whenever Li Long mentioned a particular detail, she would occasionally tilt her head slightly, as though seriously processing it.

She did not interrupt once. Only after Qian Yao had nearly run out of questions did she softly say, "The force unleashed by the Holy Son's stacked third soul skill yesterday already exceeded the full-force strike of an ordinary Soul Ancestor. But the expenditure should be enormous. Sustained combat afterward is a problem."

Li Long glanced at her and nodded.

Qian Yue had pinpointed his greatest weakness at present.

"Yes," Li Long replied. "The third soul skill consumes too much. In my current state, I can only use it once or twice in a battle. Afterward, I need time to recover Soul Power. So in actual combat, I have to maximize the efficiency of my first two soul skills and reduce how often I use the third."

Qian Yue nodded slightly and did not press further, but something was clearly turning in those calm eyes.

Listening to their exchange, Qian Yao slapped the table. "Why do you two talk like you're discussing tactics? You're way too serious. Holy Son, can you teach people staff techniques? I practice swordsmanship too, but the way a staff and a sword exert force seems very different, doesn't it?"

Li Long thought for a moment before answering, "The core of exerting force with a staff or a sword is actually similar. Both rely on transmitting power through the waist and hips rather than the arms alone. If you use a short sword, you follow an agile style, but your power should begin from the soles of your feet and travel up along your spine instead of relying only on your wrist. That will make your sword strikes faster and steadier."

Qian Yao fell silent for two breaths after hearing this. Then she loosely clenched her right hand and condensed a pale golden longsword.

This was also one of the Angel Clan's basic abilities.

She mimed a sword thrust, adjusted her center of gravity and the position of her fingers on the hilt, then dismissed the sword. "It really does feel different."

Qian Yue watched from the side, and the corner of her lips lifted in an almost imperceptible curve.

She raised her teacup and took a sip without saying anything else, but that curve never completely faded.

The three chatted in the side hall for over half an hour. Qian Yao would occasionally demonstrate a few moves and ask Li Long for his assessment. Qian Yue occasionally added a brief analysis. For the most part, Li Long explained, Qian Yao asked, and Qian Yue listened.

It was not until the attendant knocked and entered to remind them that it was time for lunch that Qian Yao finally rose reluctantly. Before leaving, she suddenly turned back and said to Li Long, "Holy Son, if you spar with the young master again next time, can I watch from the side?"

Li Long paused. "Sure."

Only then did Qian Yao nod in satisfaction and pull Qian Yue outside.

When Qian Yue reached the doorway, she turned her head slightly and met Li Long's eyes for a moment. She gave him a light nod, then followed Qian Yao out of sight.

Li Long stood in the side hall, looking at the empty doorway.

He could sense that the appearance of these two was no coincidence, but he did not look into it further.

Given his current status, it was normal for branch halls to send young soul masters into the palace for exchanges.

It was just that the surname Qian Yao and Qian Yue shared was a bit too much of a coincidence—the Qian Clan.

Li Long did not dwell on it any longer and turned toward the cultivation room.

He still had another round of Soul Power guidance to complete that afternoon. Today's exchange had not disrupted his cultivation rhythm, but it had indeed put some other thoughts into his mind.

The feeling was not unpleasant, but for now, he had no spare energy to think deeply about it.

Meanwhile, Qian Shengyuan sat in his study, listening as the attendant finished reporting on the exchange in the side hall. The corner of his mouth moved slightly.

He set down his brush without offering any comment, merely saying, "I understand. Matters of the heart must be nurtured carefully; they cannot be rushed. If both girls are interested in Xiao Long, they can both marry him. Of course, that is assuming Xiao Long does not object."

The attendant acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Qian Shengyuan leaned back in his chair, his gaze settling on the East Courtyard beyond the window, as though waiting for something to slowly grow within his heart.