The Spirit Hall Holy Son and the Spirit Hall Young Master

"It actually dropped a soul bone!"

After the initial surprise, Gui Mei grew doubtful.

By all rights, soul bones existed within the corpses of soul beasts. How could one be absorbed together with a soul ring by a Soul Master?

Could it be because the Bloodshadow Mantis was a mutated soul beast, causing its soul bone to mutate as well?

In truth, Gui Mei had only guessed half of it correctly.

The blood-red bladed bone glove now wrapping Su Qi's left palm was an external soul bone entirely condensed from the cultivation energy of the Bloodshadow Mantis. It possessed growth potential, increasing its soul bone age alongside the Soul Master's growth, with the potential to evolve into a god-grade soul bone.

From the insights gained through fusing with the soul bone, Su Qi learned that this blood-red bladed claw glove was the left palm bone dropped by the Bloodshadow Mantis. Its name was the External Left Palm Bone, Bloodshadow Hand.

Once the soul bone was released, his left palm would be wrapped in the blood-red bladed claw glove. It was not only tough and sharp enough to slice through iron like mud, but it also allowed him to control countless Asura Demon Swords from afar with his left hand while halving the soul power consumption of his second soul skill, Demon Sword Clone.

The soul bone's attached skill was called Avatar Convergence.

It could combine countless Asura Demon Sword clones into one, transforming them into a massive blood sword for an astonishingly powerful attack.

Having finished absorbing the soul ring and soul bone, Su Qi slowly opened his eyes, an excited smile curling across his lips.

The earlier one absorbed an external soul bone, the better.

He had possessed an external soul bone in his previous life as well, but he had only obtained it at Level Ninety, leaving it with extremely limited growth potential.

In this life, he had acquired an external soul bone at the age of six. His future potential would certainly surpass that of his previous life.

This undoubtedly greatly increased his chances of completing Shura God's Nine Trials!

After calming his excitement, Su Qi rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping over Gui Mei, Qian Renxue, and Thornfish.

Gui Mei cupped his hands in congratulations. "Congratulations, Holy Son, on successfully advancing to a Two-Ring Great Soul Master and obtaining a top-grade soul bone. This Mutated Bloodshadow Mantis truly brought a pleasant surprise!"

"Yes, Ghost Elder. Thanks to your suggestion that we hunt the Bloodshadow Mantis, I would have missed this wonderful opportunity otherwise." Su Qi likewise cupped his hands and thanked Gui Mei.

Hearing this, Gui Mei could not help but freeze. He noticed that Su Qi's voice had already changed.

At that moment, the Holy Son's voice, like his appearance, had completely shed its childishness. It sounded mature, carrying a touch of magnetism.

Not only that, even his entire bearing had become steady and composed, as though he had grown into an adult overnight.

"Are you really only six years old?" Qian Renxue suddenly asked.

Su Qi looked toward Qian Renxue, his heart filled with complicated feelings.

In his previous life, Qian Renxue had been raised by his own hand.

After entering the Consecration Hall, he had also been entrusted by Qian Daoliu to personally guide her in swordsmanship and all manner of combat techniques.

Although their teacher-student relationship had lasted less than a year before he died during training in Slaughter City,

Qian Renxue had always respected him greatly and regarded him as her benefactor and teacher.

Now that they met under a new identity, he was merely a stranger in her eyes. Rather than showing the slightest respect, she displayed the coldness and forcefulness she reserved for outsiders.

"Having met the Spirit Hall Young Master, do you not intend to pay your respects?" Qian Renxue asked as she looked at Su Qi.

"Then why do you not pay your respects upon meeting the Spirit Hall Holy Son?" Su Qi asked.

"A mere Holy Son—how could he compare with the Young Master?" Qian Renxue shot back.

"Why not?" Su Qi walked up to Qian Renxue and met her gaze. "The Spirit Hall Holy Son is the one destined to inherit the position of Pope. That is a promise the current Pope made to me."

The moment she heard the words "current Pope," Qian Renxue immediately thought of the Bibi Dong she despised, and anger surged within her.

"The Pope's position belongs to the Qian Clan in the first place. That woman is merely holding it for me for a few years. When the time is right, I will take back the papal throne myself."

"Your name is Su Qi, right? Let me remind you: do not think that being the Spirit Hall Holy Son means you can enjoy a position second only to one and above ten thousand."

"In Spirit Hall, the Pope has never been the highest leader. You would do well to learn about the factional divisions within Spirit Hall before deciding which side would benefit you more. Uncle Blood, let's go."

With that, the six wings on Qian Renxue's back spread wide as she flew into the sky, leaving only golden feathers drifting down all around.

Thornfish followed closely behind her.

Watching the two fly away, Gui Mei explained, "His Highness the Holy Son, Spirit Hall is currently divided into two factions. One is the Papal Palace, and the other is the Consecration Hall."

"The Young Master belongs to the Consecration Hall and represents Spirit Hall's orthodox line. You currently serve under the Pope and belong to the Papal Palace faction."

"Though your positions differ, both you and the Young Master are Spirit Hall's future leaders."

"I hope you will get along well in the future, join hands to create Spirit Hall's glory, and cast aside the distinctions between factions."

"Ghost Elder, let's not talk about that for now." Su Qi proposed, "I've just advanced to a Two-Ring Great Soul Master and obtained my second soul skill. Why not trouble you to accompany me in finding some more soul beasts to practice on? Would that be all right?"

"Of course."

Just as Gui Mei led Su Qi deeper into the Mixed Area to train,

Elsewhere, Thornfish, flying beside Qian Renxue, offered a reminder. "Young Master, you seem to have been overly cold toward the newly appointed Holy Son. That would not be conducive to the two of you joining forces in the future."

"I treat everyone this way. I was not targeting him alone." Qian Renxue replied coolly. "Besides, if Su Qi insists on siding with Bibi Dong and competing with me for the position of Pope, why should I join hands with him?"

"Spirit Hall's affairs are not mine to manage right now, so I'll set them aside for the moment. What I need to do now is play the role of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe properly, seize control of Heaven Dou's court as soon as possible, and swallow it whole!"

One month later.

First came the Nine-Hundred-Year First Soul Ring, followed closely by a second soul ring nearing three thousand years.

These two instances of absorbing soul rings beyond his level not only accelerated Su Qi's physical development, but also caused his soul power to surge by a full eight levels. Absorbing the External Left Palm Bone granted him another level of soul power.

He was now a Level-Twenty-Nine two-ring assault-type Great Soul Master.

After training for a month in the Star Dou Great Forest,

The ceaseless day-and-night slaughter in the Mixed Area steadily tempered and consolidated Su Qi's soul power.

He himself had also become increasingly proficient in using his first and second soul skills, as well as the External Left Palm Bone. His combat strength had become unfathomable.

With his training complete, Gui Mei took Su Qi out of the Star Dou Great Forest, racing all the way back to Spirit City.

At that moment, the Papal Palace was solemn and majestic.

Pope Bibi Dong sat upon her throne, her purple eyes cold as her oppressive aura filled the entire hall.

Hu Liena and Yue Guan stood at either side, quietly awaiting the pair's return to report.

Gui Mei entered the Papal Palace and approached Bibi Dong.

A black-haired young man followed closely behind him. Dressed in simple black clothes that accentuated his handsome, sharp features, he stood tall and straight without a trace of childishness.

This black-haired young man was Su Qi, returned after obtaining his soul rings.

The gazes of everyone in the hall froze at once, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Bibi Dong was the first to react.

Three months ago, he had been a small six-year-old child whose childishness had yet to fade. How had he undergone such a complete transformation?

Could it be that the Deity protecting him had bestowed another blessing upon him?

Unlike Bibi Dong's reaction, Yue Guan's pupils contracted, his face filled with shock.

He had been the one to bring Su Qi back, so the impact on him was greater than anyone else's.

Yet among everyone present, Hu Liena was the most astonished.

She clearly remembered their previous chance encounter in the library.

Back then, Su Qi had only reached her waist, soft and childish, small and adorable.

Now, when she saw him again, Su Qi stood a full head taller than her.

His brows, eyes, and demeanor exuded maturity. If one did not know the truth, anyone would think he was older than her.

Bibi Dong concealed the surprise in her eyes and said indifferently, "Ghost Elder, it seems this soul-hunting trip was quite fruitful. You must have encountered some great opportunity for Su Qi to become as he is now, correct?"

Gui Mei cupped his hands. "Yes, Your Holiness. During this soul-hunting trip, the Holy Son successfully absorbed two top-grade soul rings and advanced to a Two-Ring Great Soul Master. Holy Son, show the Pope your soul rings."

"Very well." Su Qi answered and stepped forward.

He clenched his right hand, and the Asura Demon Sword abruptly appeared in his grip, killing intent spilling forth.

At the same time, two soul rings—one yellow and one purple—slowly rose beneath Su Qi's feet.

The dazzling light of the soul rings plunged the entire Papal Palace hall into silence.

"One yellow and one purple?" Apart from Bibi Dong, Yue Guan and Hu Liena nearly gasped at the same time. "It's actually a Thousand-Year Second Soul Ring?"