Return to the Quan Family · Undercurrents

Northwest of Tianhun City.

The border.

The Quan Family.

Quan Cangtian led Xiao Xiao through the main gate.

Xiao Xiao followed behind, looking around. She had never been to a place like this. The stone walls were over three zhang high, courtyard connected to courtyard, and the air was full of the scent of soul power. Thicker than Shrek's.

Quan Cangyue stood at the entrance.

His arms were crossed.

His expression was complex.

"You've worked hard, Young Patriarch."

Quan Cangtian nodded.

He said nothing more.

Quan Cangyue watched his back.

Rank 97 Titled Douluo. His bloodline wasn't pure enough. His rank was stuck right here. For twenty years, it hadn't budged.

A six-year-old kid, daring to enter Shrek alone to negotiate terms. He healed Ma Xiaotao. He entered the Golden Ancient Tree. Mu En recognized him.

More ruthless than his own father.

Quan Cangyue withdrew his gaze.

He turned and walked away.

The grand hall.

The relief of the Destruction Dragon Spear was carved into the stone wall. The spear point faced downward, as if it were about to pierce the ground.

Quan Zhenshan sat in the main seat.

The aura of a rank 99 Limit Douluo pressed down faintly. The air was viscous, like water. Even breathing took effort.

Quan Cangtian walked in.

The aura crashed against him.

He didn't move.

"What did that tree give you?"

Quan Zhenshan asked.

"Child of Nature."

Quan Zhenshan was silent for three seconds.

"Good."

He didn't ask for details.

But Quan Cangtian knew his father understood what this meant. The Star Dou Great Forest. Ditian. A bargaining chip. If the Child of Nature died, the Douluo Continent would follow.

"What about Mu En?"

Quan Zhenshan asked again.

"Recognition. But he'll be watching me."

"Shrek's waters are deep."

"I know."

Quan Zhenshan glanced at him.

In those eyes, there was recognition, hidden worry, and a trace of something indescribable. He knew there was a secret on his son. Power that didn't belong to Douluo. But he didn't press.

The Quan Family didn't press.

They only looked at results.

"The Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife is in the armory."

He said.

"Huo Yuhao's side is cultivating smoothly."

"The Titled Douluo from Xiao Xiao's family is already in place."

Quan Cangtian nodded.

"Anything else?"

"Gone."

Quan Cangtian turned to leave.

"Wait."

Quan Zhenshan called out to him.

"That power on you--"

He paused.

"Doesn't belong to Douluo."

Quan Cangtian didn't answer.

"I know."

Quan Zhenshan didn't ask again.

But his gaze shifted from sharp to something more complex. Worry? Vigilance? Or something else?

Quan Cangtian walked out.

The aura behind him dissipated.

The air flowed again.

The armory.

The Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife lay upon the stone platform.

The blade was dark red.

Like congealed blood.

There were fine cracks on the edge, as if it could shatter at any moment.

Quan Cangtian picked it up.

A chilling aura seeped from the hilt into his palm. It felt as though something was wriggling within the blade. Cold. Slimy. Alive.

The dark red patterns on his arm twitched slightly.

The beast fusion genes reacted to the thing inside the carving knife.

He put the carving knife down.

"Leave it for now."

Huo Yuhao couldn't wield it yet.

All 37 masters had died.

This knife ate people.

Rank 99 on the Ranking of Carving Knives. A baleful blade. Every single master met a different end. Some suffered backlash, some went mad, and some dropped dead inexplicably.

Electx could purify it.

But it would take time.

Huo Yuhao was in the cultivation room.

Sitting cross-legged.

His Spirit Eyes opened slightly, pale golden light flowing within his pupils.

Quan Cangtian walked in.

Huo Yuhao opened his eyes.

"Young Patriarch."

"Soul power?"

"Rank 14."

"Spiritual power?"

"Stronger than before."

Quan Cangtian nodded.

Skydream Iceworm's foundation. Plus the Abundant Marrow Cleansing. Plus the Quan Family's resources. A triple stack.

Huo Yuhao stood up.

He was sturdier than he had been a month ago. His shoulders were broader, his gaze steady. He was no longer that bullied orphan.

"Thank you, Young Patriarch."

He said.

Quan Cangtian glanced at him.

"Cultivate well."

He turned and walked away.

Huo Yuhao watched his back.

He knew he owed this six-year-old Young Patriarch his life. No, two lives. One for the Skydream Iceworm, one for the Abundant Marrow Cleansing.

And the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife.

And his living quarters.

And cultivation resources.

He would repay it.

With his entire life.

Xiao Xiao stood at the entrance.

The Titled Douluo was already in place.

The pressure squeezing the Xiao Family was temporarily eased.

She watched Quan Cangtian's back.

Her gaze was different now.

It had shifted from an "interesting little brother" to "someone worth following."

Six years old.

He healed Ma Xiaotao's malevolent fire.

He entered the Golden Ancient Tree.

He obtained the status of the Child of Nature.

He earned Mu En's recognition.

This wasn't an "interesting little brother."

This was--

She didn't know how to describe it.

Anyway, following him wouldn't be wrong.

Quan Cangtian walked over.

Xiao Xiao called out to him.

"Young Patriarch."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Quan Cangtian glanced at her.

"No need to thank me."

He walked away.

Xiao Xiao watched his back.

Six years old.

Four years younger than her.

Yet his aura was stronger than hers.

She clenched her fists.

She had to work hard.

Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to keep up.

The cultivation room.

Zixiao sat cross-legged in the center.

Dark purple lightning surrounded her.

Lightning patterns emerged within her deep purple pupils.

Ten years old.

Rank 34.

Far stronger than her peers.

Quan Cangtian walked in.

The lightning automatically scattered.

Her lightning recognized him.

Zixiao opened her eyes.

She glanced at him.

Her gaze shifted from calm to sharp.

"There's something on you."

"It's nothing."

"What about Shrek?"

"Done."

"That tree?"

"It gave me an identity."

Zixiao stood up.

Her dark purple hair fell loose.

Lightning patterns flickered across her skin.

She walked over to Quan Cangtian.

She was a head taller than him.

Ten years old to six.

Deep purple pupils stared down at him.

She reached out.

Her fingertips touched his wrist.

It was cold.

Lightning seeped from her fingertips, coursing through his body for a fleeting second.

She was "reading" him with lightning.

Then her brow furrowed slightly.

She sensed it—

an unfamiliar, violent power slumbering inside him.

Blue-and-white.

Ice and fire mixed together.

No.

Not ice and fire.

Something far more dangerous.

"This—"

"It's fine. Ate too much."

Zixiao withdrew her hand.

Lightning danced twice at her fingertips.

She asked no more.

Yet her gaze shifted from sharp to something far more complex.

Worry?

Unease?

Or something else?

Quan Cangtian turned to leave.

Zixiao's lightning flared behind him for an instant.

It was not an attack.

It was an instinctive reaction.

Her lightning wanted to keep him here.

Yet she said nothing.

Quan Cangtian walked out.

The door closed.

Zixiao stood in place.

Lightning sparked at her fingertips.

She looked down at her own hand.

In that brief instant just now, she had felt it.

There was something inside him.

Something terribly dangerous.

Blue-and-white flames.

Ice and fire intertwined.

"Ate too much?"

She did not believe it.

Still, she did not press further.

Afraid that pushing him would only drive him further away.

She sat back down.

The lightning slowly faded away.

Quan Cangtian returned to his own room.

He sat cross-legged.

He closed his eyes.

He sensed his sea of consciousness.

Electx was deep within the sea of consciousness.

He was much clearer than a month ago.

"Kid."

Electx's voice was steadier than before.

"Old me has recovered seventy percent."

"My memories are clearer, too."

Quan Cangtian nodded.

"That power inside you—"

Electx paused.

"Does not belong to the Star God."

"Nor does it belong to Douluo."

"Old me needs time to study it."

"There's no rush."

Quan Cangtian said.

Electx asked no further.

Yet Quan Cangtian could feel that sliver of divine sense observing the blue-and-white flames inside him.

Analyzing.

Waiting.

"Right."

Electx said.

"That carving knife."

"The Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife?"

"Mm."

"There is something inside it."

"I know."

"Old me can purify it."

"When?"

"When your Soul Tool proficiency is high enough."

"Good."

Quan Cangtian opened his eyes.

Outside the window, the sky had already grown dark.

He glanced toward the east.

The direction of the Star Dou Great Forest.

There was a faint, lingering trace of vitality in the air, calling out to him.

Child of Nature.

He could feel that forest waiting for him.

Ditian was waiting for him.

Hundred-thousand-year soul beasts were waiting for him.

The Lake of Life was waiting for him.

"No rush."

He muttered softly.

He closed his eyes.

He resumed his cultivation.