Found a Treasure, Qian Renxue's Decision

"How was everyone doing, I wonder?"

After wolfing down the food, Ouyang Ling washed up and changed into the clothes She Long had prepared. Whether it was the food or the clothing, the quality was impeccable.

Just as expected of a wealthy household!

But once he was full and warm, worry for everyone in the village set in. Deep down, he already had a bad feeling.

"Click—"

The door opened, pulling Ouyang Ling back from his thoughts.

The old man from before stood behind a Golden-Haired Girl alongside another elderly man, both of them clearly acting as guards.

Ouyang Ling's heart skipped a beat. He knew the person in charge had arrived.

Worried about being discourteous, he hurriedly stood up and said,

"Thank you for saving me."

The Golden-Haired Girl did not seem to mind. A gentle smile appeared on her face. "Slaying Fallen Ones is the duty of every Soul Master." Her words carried a warmth like a spring breeze.

"Is there anything you want to ask me?"

"How is everyone in the village?" Ouyang Ling did not stand on ceremony. This was what he desperately wanted to know.

"I'm sorry."

The question seemed to touch something in the Golden-Haired Girl. Her previously gentle tone grew somewhat subdued. "I'm sorry."

After a slight pause, she asked, "Do you have any other family?"

"No. I'm an orphan with no father or mother."

For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became inexplicably heavy.

Suddenly, pity and an even deeper sense of empathy flashed through the Golden-Haired Girl's beautiful eyes, as though something had stirred her.

"Perhaps you can call me Sister Xue'er."

"Will you follow me from now on?"

At her side, She Long and Ci Xue sensed that something was off, yet they could not say exactly what it was. They could only exchange glances.

"Sister Xue'er?"

Still immersed in grief, Ouyang Ling was jolted out of his emotions by the Golden-Haired Girl's words. He instinctively met her gaze and, masking his astonishment with slight awkwardness, asked,

Xue'er?

Her appearance, and the two old men following her...

Could the one who saved me be Qian Renxue!?

It couldn't really be such a coincidence, could it?

"That's right, Sister Xue'er."

Qian Renxue smiled. "Are you willing to follow me?"

"I am!"

Ouyang Ling agreed without hesitation.

Putting aside the debt of saving his life, Qian Renxue was already an incredibly thick thigh to cling to.

If I don't cling to it now, when will I?

"Little Ling, can you show me your Martial Soul?"

After acknowledging Ouyang Ling as her little brother, Qian Renxue immediately asked for his name and began calling him "Little Ling." Faced with her request, Ouyang Ling had no reason to refuse.

"Of course."

In an instant, mist spread through the room as a faint chill descended.

"This is my Martial Soul—the Sea God Dragon."

His Martial Soul, Hainas, was only a Dragon King and still needed one Ultimate Evolution before it could become the Ultimate Sea God Dragon. So, Ouyang Ling simply dropped the word "Ultimate" and gave his Martial Soul a different name to better display its value.

After all, compared to "Hainas," "Sea God Dragon" sounded more impressive to those who knew nothing about it. It would also better demonstrate his value, allowing him to obtain enough resources to grow stronger and embark upon his future path to godhood.

That way, after becoming a god, perhaps he could revive everyone who had died in the village and bring their souls to the Divine Realm.

So, Tang San, sorry about this.

This time, the Sea God position was definitely going to be his, Ouyang Ling's!

At that moment, Qian Renxue, whose Martial Soul was the Six-Winged Angel, also sensed the strength of this Martial Soul. Elder She Long had not lied.

If her Six-Winged Angel had already reached the pinnacle in the light attribute, then Ouyang Ling's True Dragon Martial Soul was absolutely no weaker in water than hers was in light. Even its ice attribute would not be inferior to her fire attribute.

If not for her Martial Soul's innate twentieth-rank soul power, innate domain, and powerful holy energy, this True Dragon Martial Soul alone would have been enough to contend with her Six-Winged Angel.

Compared to other True Dragon Martial Souls, such as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon... it truly was far stronger. The name Sea God Dragon was well deserved.

At this moment, even Qian Renxue found it difficult to suppress her delight.

If she nurtured this child well, he would undoubtedly become a tremendous asset. Excluding herself, he would be the number one genius of this era!

"All right, put your Martial Soul away."

As though treating a child, Qian Renxue placed her hand atop Ouyang Ling's head and stroked it. Suppressing the awkwardness of being treated like a child, Ouyang Ling chose not to resist.

But honestly,

Once he chose to enjoy it, the gentle motion was actually quite comfortable.

"Next, I'll take you to obtain your first Soul Ring."

To save time, Qian Renxue and the two Titled Douluo did not linger. They took Ouyang Ling and headed for the Star Dou Great Forest.

The Star Dou Great Forest lay directly south of the Heaven Dou Empire.

Compared to Heaven Dou City, Qian Renxue should have gone to Sunset Forest to hunt Soul Beasts, since she had already investigated the location of the Soul Beast needed for her fourth Soul Ring.

But in order to obtain a suitable first Soul Ring for Ouyang Ling, she changed course and came to the largest Soul Beast habitat on the continent.

As for herself...

She could only deal with that after returning.

Endless emerald green stretched before them, towering ancient trees rising one after another... the sight was breathtaking and refreshing.

At that moment, four figures moved through the forest.

They were neither hurried nor slow, carrying an air of ease and natural grace.

"Since your Martial Soul is a water-attributed True Dragon Martial Soul, the type of Soul Beast I choose for you will be similar to that used by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul: first a draconic subspecies Soul Beast, while also taking its water attribute into account."

Qian Renxue held an animal-hide map in her hands. The markings on it came from Spirit Hall's latest update fifty years ago: the Star Dou Great Forest's draconic subspecies Soul Beast distribution map.

"Little Ling, what do you think?"

"Sister Xue'er, I think you're right."

Ouyang Ling nodded seriously, showing his full agreement.

When it came to genuine research on Martial Souls, Soul Rings, and Soul Beasts, no one could compare to Spirit Hall, with its accumulation of knowledge over thousands of years.

So in this regard, he would listen to Qian Renxue.

However, he had his own ideas about the type of Soul Skills he wanted, so he decisively voiced his request to Qian Renxue.

"Sister Xue'er, regarding Soul Rings, I've thought about it. For now, I don't want my Soul Rings to grant attack-type Soul Skills."

Qian Renxue froze at those words, a trace of surprise appearing on her face.

She Long and Ci Xue, standing nearby, were also drawn in by Ouyang Ling's request and could not help glancing at him.

"You only don't want your first Soul Skill to be an attack-type skill, right?" Qian Renxue immediately asked, wanting to confirm what Ouyang Ling meant.

"No, not just the first Soul Skill."

Ouyang Ling shook his head. "The first four Soul Skills."