Test

Jing Hongchen rose to his feet, patted his round belly, and said with a chuckle.

"Come with me. We'll run a test. Director Lin, bring Xiao and Meng to the testing grounds."

Lin Jiayi gave a slight bow in acknowledgment, then quickly left. His footsteps gradually faded down the corridor.

Zhi An followed Jing Hongchen out of the office, passing through several corridors toward the testing area.

The testing grounds were enormous, nearly half the size of a football field. The floor was laid with special alloy panels capable of enduring powerful Soul Power impacts, while defensive formations covered the surrounding walls to prevent energy from spilling out.

Before long, a young man and woman entered.

"The boy looked around fourteen or fifteen. He was tall and slender, with messy short silver-white hair falling across his forehead."

The girl appeared to be around the same age. She had a slim figure, twin ponytails, and a sweet, adorable face.

Yet her large eyes carried an unyielding spirit, like a kitten always ready to fight.

Jing Hongchen pointed to the two of them as he introduced them. "This is Xiao Hongchen, my grandson, a four-ring Soul Ancestor."

"This is Meng Hongchen, my granddaughter. She's also four-ring. They're both among the academy's best students, so let them spar with you today."

Zhi An nodded and replied evenly.

"Then excuse me."

Xiao Hongchen stepped forward, crossing his arms as he looked Zhi An up and down. His gaze held both scrutiny and curiosity as he asked.

"Aren't you drawing your sword?"

Lin Jiayi had already told them about Zhi An. They knew his Martial Soul was a sword with a scabbard and that he was a level fifty-one Soul King.

But this was a spar, and his opponent was not even drawing his sword. It made Xiao Hongchen feel somewhat slighted.

Zhi An did not answer. He merely raised a hand and lightly tapped the golden gem at the top of the sword hilt, producing a clear ding.

The next instant, a ray of golden light flew from the gem and condensed in midair.

As the golden radiance faded, an exquisitely beautiful woman with waist-length golden hair appeared in the center of the field.

She wore a long golden dress, her hair cascading down like a waterfall. Her features were as refined as heaven's most perfect creation, while her golden eyes held a trace of indifference and nobility, as though nothing in the world was worth a second glance.

Standing there, she was like a sun, radiating dazzling light and making the entire testing grounds seem brighter.

Zhi An spoke calmly.

"She will be your opponent."

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen exchanged a glance, each seeing solemnity in the other's eyes.

Neither dared to be careless. They immediately released their Martial Souls.

Golden light flashed around Xiao Hongchen as the phantom of an enormous Three-Legged Golden Toad emerged behind him. Its entire body was golden, its three legs planted firmly on the ground, emanating a dense metal-element aura.

Blue light flickered around Meng Hongchen, and an ice-blue Red-Eyed Ice Toad appeared on her shoulder. The toad's eyes were crimson, and it exuded a biting chill that seemed to lower the temperature of the surrounding air by several degrees.

Seeing the two possess their Martial Souls, Qian Renxue's lips curved into a faint smile. Then she slowly released her own Martial Soul.

Six golden wings unfurled behind her. Every feather shone with sacred golden light, making her appear as though a deity had descended.

She slowly rose into the air and hovered overhead, looking down at the pair. Her bearing was that of a queen surveying her subjects.

When the four of them saw that Martial Soul, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

They were from the Sun Moon Empire, true, but they still knew some of the legends from Douluo Continent.

Those six golden wings, that sacred golden light, that noble aura...

Wasn't that the legendary Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul?

Zhi An stood at the edge of the field with his arms crossed and added in an even tone.

"Her name is Qian Renxue. She is the Angel God from ten thousand years ago."

This had also been Xuan Xiao's idea. He currently had no way to arrange bodyguards for him, so naturally he had to show off a little muscle.

Xiao Hongchen's eyes widened until they were round as bells, and even his voice cracked. "Are you kidding me?! How could someone from ten thousand years ago appear here?!"

Zhi An tapped the gem at the very top of the sword hilt. It gave off several clear dings as he explained unhurriedly.

"Back then, my master was traveling and passed through Jialing Pass. He collected her remnant soul, intending to make her a maid."

"But I didn't expect her recovery to take so long, so he simply tossed her into my sword as a summon for now."

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen were completely dumbfounded.

Their mouths hung wide open, unable to close for a long while. Their minds were blank, as if a bolt of heavenly lightning had struck the crowns of their heads.

The Angel God from ten thousand years ago had her remnant soul collected and was supposed to become a maid?

Just what kind of person was his master?

Jing Hongchen stood at the edge of the field, equally shocked. Yet he had weathered great storms before, and he quickly steadied himself. Only his tightly clenched, faintly trembling hands revealed how unsettled he truly was.

He took a deep breath, then called out loudly.

"Xiao, Meng, since they've already sent out their opponent, go learn from her properly."

Xiao Hongchen gritted his teeth, forcing down his shock as he resumed his fighting stance.

Angel God or whatever she is, we'll fight first and talk later!

But then something happened that left them even more stunned.

Five Soul Rings rose beneath Qian Renxue's feet.

If she had merely been an ordinary Soul King, there would indeed have been nothing to fear. But damn it, the five Soul Rings beneath Qian Renxue's feet were all black!

Five of them!

Every single one was black!

Not one yellow, not one purple—nothing but black!

The five black Soul Rings slowly revolved beneath her feet, releasing a suffocating pressure. The air throughout the testing grounds seemed to freeze solid, and the temperature dropped by several degrees.

Xiao Hongchen's face turned green.

Meng Hongchen shrank back at once, hiding behind Xiao Hongchen. Her voice carried a hint of tears.

"Grandpa, I'm not fighting. This is too terrifying."

Jing Hongchen rubbed his brow, feeling his blood pressure climb again. He sighed and waved helplessly. "Then we'll end it here."

How the hell were they supposed to fight this?

He had just seen five glowing gems on Zhi An's sword. Who knew what other heaven-defying things were inside the remaining four?

If another Rakshasa God suddenly popped out, his grandson and granddaughter would probably be traumatized for life.

Xiao Hongchen withdrew his Martial Soul and walked up to Zhi An. Looking him up and down with curiosity and confusion in his eyes, he asked, "What exactly is going on with you?"

Zhi An pointed to the nine gems on the sword hilt and explained patiently.

"Nine gems, nine spaces. They can hold nine souls."

"Each soul can be nourished independently without interfering with the others. When I need one, I just tap the corresponding gem and summon them."

Xiao Hongchen's eyes lit up as he pressed on.

"Then what's with Qian Renxue's Soul Rings?"

Zhi An smiled and replied.

"After becoming a god, the age of Soul Rings can truly be raised at will. When she became a god, aside from her tenth Soul Ring representing her status as the Angel God, her first nine Soul Rings were eight black and one red."

Meng Hongchen poked half her head out from behind Xiao Hongchen and asked curiously, "Then why is she only a Soul King now?"

Zhi An spread his hands and explained.

"Because I'm only a Soul King right now. Once I reach six rings, their abilities will also be unsealed up to six rings."

"The stronger I become, the more power they can unleash."

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen exchanged a glance, seeing the same thought in each other's eyes.

This guy was not someone they could afford to provoke.

Jing Hongchen stood nearby, looking at Zhi An as he began making calculations in his heart.

How could he firmly tie this precious treasure to the ship of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Guidance Academy?