Qian Xunji's Bewilderment

Early the next morning, when the sky was just beginning to brighten, Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue skipped into Luo Jiuyou's room.

"Junior Brother! Time to get up!" Bibi Dong's voice was incredibly piercing, making the entire palace hum.

No one answered.

Bibi Dong yanked back the blanket.

Empty.

"Huh?" She ran to the wardrobe and flung open its doors, checking whether her junior brother was hiding inside.

There were only neatly folded clothes inside. Qian Renxue crouched down and peered beneath the bed as well, but there was nothing there.

The two of them turned the whole room upside down. The wardrobe opened and closed, the bedsheets were lifted and put back down, and they even checked behind the curtains, yet they still could not find him.

"Junior Brother!!! Where are you?" Bibi Dong shouted at the top of her lungs.

"What are you shouting about?" Ye Guyi had appeared at the doorway at some point, looking helplessly at her two energetic senior sisters.

"Junior Brother is gone!" Bibi Dong stamped her feet anxiously.

"Could someone have kidnapped him? We should go find Teacher.

Such an adorable junior brother... if someone kidnapped him, he would definitely suffer terribly."

She had completely failed to consider who in Spirit City would dare abduct the Pope's disciple.

Ye Guyi ignored her and turned to the maid standing by the door, asking gently, "Excuse me, where did Junior Brother go?"

The maid gave a slight bow. "In reply, Young Master rose before dawn and is practicing swordsmanship in the backyard."

The three girls exchanged glances, then turned and ran.

Backyard. Beneath the jujube tree.

Luo Jiuyou held a blood-red greatsword. Its blade stood far taller than he did, broad, thick, and heavy, yet he wielded it with fierce momentum.

He lowered his waist and hips, then swept the greatsword to the right.

Whoosh!

The sword wind swept past, making the branches and leaves rustle.

Then he twisted his wrist, pressed the blade back to the left, and followed with a diagonal slash forward. The sound of it tearing through the air was sharp and piercing.

He practiced with complete focus, fine sweat beading at his temples. He had not noticed that his three senior sisters had been standing beneath the corridor for quite some time.

"Junior Brother got up this early to practice with his sword... isn't he way too diligent?"

Bibi Dong put her hands on her hips and tilted her head as she assessed him. "But that sword is huge. It looks like he's swinging around a door panel."

Qian Renxue bit into a pastry and tilted her head as she studied it for a moment.

"That sword is far too big. It doesn't look like a sword at all. It looks more like something for practicing saber techniques."

"More or less." Bibi Dong waved a hand.

Ye Guyi said nothing, but her gaze followed the blood-red greatsword the entire time.

She felt that the killing intent emanating from that sword was far too intense.

It made even her martial soul tremble.

Luo Jiuyou practiced for a while longer before finally withdrawing his stance. He planted the greatsword into the ground beside him and let out a long breath.

"Junior Brother!" Bibi Dong called, waving to him. "Come on, it's time to go see Teacher!"

Luo Jiuyou turned around and was about to respond.

"No need."

A deep, hearty voice came from behind them.

The four turned to look. Qian Xunji had appeared at the courtyard gate at some point, standing with his hands behind his back. His eyes were filled with satisfaction as he looked at Luo Jiuyou.

"Jiuyou, come here."

Luo Jiuyou walked over, still carrying the Asura Demon Sword in his hand.

Qian Xunji lowered his head to look at the blood-red greatsword, then at Luo Jiuyou's slightly flushed cheeks, and nodded.

"Did someone teach you swordsmanship before?"

Luo Jiuyou thought for a moment. "An old man at the orphanage taught me a few moves. He called them the Eight Windbreaking Blades, a fierce and forceful style."

Qian Xunji nodded slightly.

Traveling Soul Masters occasionally stayed at orphanages and taught the children a few self-defense techniques. It was not uncommon.

He bent down and reached for the sword hilt, intending to take it for a look.

He weighed it in his hand, and his brows rose slightly.

"This sword... isn't light. It weighs a full three thousand jin."

Luo Jiuyou's expression did not change. "This disciple can lift it."

The Asura Demon Sword had been adjusted by him. It weighed two hundred jin in his own hands, but a full three thousand jin to everyone else.

"Th-three thousand jin." The three little girls were stunned speechless.

They stared at Luo Jiuyou's Asura Demon Sword in disbelief.

"That heavy?" Bibi Dong leaned closer and poked the Asura Demon Sword with a finger.

"Junior Brother, Junior Brother, how can you even lift it??"

"Exactly, exactly, it's so heavy."

Qian Renxue joined in as well, running over to pinch Luo Jiuyou's slender arm.

"Even an adult would have trouble lifting something that heavy, wouldn't they?"

Qian Xunji smiled at that. He returned the sword to Luo Jiuyou, then turned to explain to the three girls.

"This martial soul has a special attribute. It weighs three thousand jin to others, but in his own hands, it is as light as nothing.

Martial souls like this are rare, but not unheard of. Still, having a starting weight of three thousand jin is truly terrifying."

He paused, then added, "Don't forget that Jiuyou's martial soul is a God-Level Martial Soul. He has received divine blessing and God-given Soul Power.

In theory, with every soul ring he gains, its weight will continue to increase.

Just like the Clear Sky Hammer."

At this point, Qian Xunji's lips curved upward slightly.

"I am actually a little worried for Jiuyou's future enemies.

Seeing a six-year-old child wielding a greatsword, they might think it is just for show. Then they find out the sword is heavy enough to crush someone to death... they would probably be smashed senseless."

Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue looked at each other, then at the blood-red greatsword in Luo Jiuyou's hand, and both swallowed hard.

Ye Guyi stood to one side, her gaze resting on the Asura Demon Sword. A trace of complicated emotion flashed through her eyes.

"And Jiuyou, the moves you were practicing just now were fierce, with broad chops and sweeping strikes, bold and open. They were not bad, but they still lacked a great deal." Qian Xunji pondered for a moment.

"Later, a swordsmanship instructor will specifically teach you how to use your martial soul."

"Thank you, Teacher." Luo Jiuyou nodded earnestly.

Seeing that he was neither arrogant nor impatient, Qian Xunji felt even more satisfied.

Then he turned, his gaze falling upon Bibi Dong.

"Dong'er."

Bibi Dong felt a chill down her back under his gaze. "Teacher... what is it?"

"Look at your junior brother." Qian Xunji pointed at Luo Jiuyou. "He got up before dawn to train. What about you?"

"I... I got up too!"

"Don't think I don't know that Xue'er dragged you out of bed."

Bibi Dong opened her mouth, wanting to argue, only to realize that she truly had nothing to say. She could only puff out her cheeks and mutter, "Teacher always picks on me..."

Qian Renxue stood beside her, covering her mouth as she snickered.

Qian Xunji sighed. His expression was exactly like a teacher looking at the smartest student in class, one who simply refused to study.

He was frustrated by her failure to live up to expectations, yet could not bear to scold her too harshly.

"Enough." He waved his hand. "Come with me, all of you. Today, I will formally teach Jiuyou the Heavenly Heart Meditation Method. The three of you will join us and reinforce what you learned."

Inside the study, the four children sat in a circle.

Qian Xunji carefully broke down and explained every step of the Heavenly Heart Meditation Method.

From how Soul Power should be guided and sunk into the dantian, to how spiritual power should remain focused without scattering.

As Bibi Dong listened, her mind gradually began to wander. Qian Renxue nodded from time to time, while Ye Guyi committed everything seriously to memory.

"All right, give it a try." After speaking, Qian Xunji looked toward his three female disciples.

Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and Ye Guyi had all already acquired soul rings.

They were no strangers to meditation methods.

They closed their eyes and began circulating their Soul Power.

Qian Xunji's gaze fell upon Luo Jiuyou.

"Jiuyou, your turn."

Luo Jiuyou raised his head and said calmly, "Teacher, this disciple already has a meditation method."

The study instantly fell silent.

Bibi Dong opened her eyes, looking utterly confused. "What?"

Qian Renxue froze as well, tilting her head toward Luo Jiuyou.

Ye Guyi stopped meditating, surprise in her eyes.

Bibi Dong leaned over and poked his shoulder. "Junior Brother, did Teacher teach you a meditation method last night?"

Qian Renxue frowned as well. "Did Father give you private lessons in the middle of the night?"

Qian Xunji waved a hand, his expression serious. "I did not. I was at the Worship Hall all night."

He looked at Luo Jiuyou, his gaze becoming more scrutinizing.

"You already have a meditation method? Who taught you?"

"The Asura Demon Sword," Luo Jiuyou said. "Last night, while this disciple was communicating with my martial soul, a blood-red crystal appeared within the Asura Demon Sword. A meditation method was sealed inside the crystal: the Asura Purgatory Technique."

Qian Xunji was completely bewildered.

"You are saying that your martial soul gave you a meditation method on its own?"

"Yes." Luo Jiuyou nodded.

Since the Asura God had already started spoon-feeding him.

There was no need for him to keep hiding things.

Qian Xunji was silent for a moment. Then he suddenly stood, walked to Luo Jiuyou, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

A dense wave of Soul Power entered his body.

A moment later, Qian Xunji's pupils abruptly contracted. "The Soul Power in your body... is more condensed than it was yesterday, and your spiritual power has also grown by far more than a little."

Bibi Dong's eyes widened. "Junior Brother only awakened yesterday and hasn't even acquired a soul ring yet. How did his Soul Power become stronger?"

Qian Renxue also realized something was wrong. "With ordinary meditation methods, Soul Power grows through gradual accumulation. It is impossible for it to become this much more condensed in a single night."

Ye Guyi said softly, "And spiritual power grows extremely slowly. We have cultivated for so long, yet its growth has been limited.

How could Junior Brother improve so much in one night?"

Qian Xunji drew a deep breath and slowly spoke.

"A Divine-granted Martial Soul comes with God-given Soul Power. This means that the god not only gave you level ten God-given Soul Power, but also granted you an exclusive meditation method."

He paused, his eyes burning as he stared at Luo Jiuyou.

"The Asura Demon Sword... the Asura Purgatory Technique... that god can no longer wait to cultivate you."

The three little girls—Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and Ye Guyi—looked at one another.

"Second Senior Sister, you also have a God-Level Martial Soul and God-given Soul Power. Why hasn't your god rushed to cultivate you like this?"

Qian Renxue: "..."

Qian Xunji sat down again. After pondering for a moment, he looked toward his three female disciples.

"The three of you should continue using the Heavenly Heart Meditation Method. Since Jiuyou's Asura Purgatory Technique came from a god, it must be stronger than the Heavenly Heart Meditation Method. I will not interfere."

He looked at Luo Jiuyou, his tone solemn.

"But remember this: a meditation method is the foundation of a Soul Master. You must never become lax."

"This disciple understands." Luo Jiuyou nodded.

Qian Xunji added, "We'll stop here for today. Go back and cycle through your meditation methods several more times."

He paused, sweeping his gaze over the three female disciples. "Don't forget that there is another theory class this afternoon.

Elder Jiang will explain the basic knowledge of soul rings and soul beasts, as well as theories on martial soul and Soul Power development—

These are compulsory subjects for Soul Masters.

Especially you, Dong'er. Don't fall asleep again."

Bibi Dong's face immediately fell. She muttered softly, "Class again... those theory books are harder to chew through than soul beasts."

Qian Renxue glanced at her and gave a light snort. "Who told you to only like cultivating and never like reading?"

"I'm a practical fighter!" Bibi Dong protested indignantly.

Ye Guyi stood nearby, the corners of her lips lifting slightly, but she did not join in.

Luo Jiuyou looked at his eldest senior sister like this, and the corners of his lips rose slightly.

This "poor student" senior sister who disliked theory classes and only liked cultivation was rather interesting.

Qian Xunji shook his head helplessly, then turned to Luo Jiuyou again and said seriously.

"Jiuyou, the morning after tomorrow, I will take you to hunt for your first soul ring.

But before that, you should attend this afternoon's theory class as well.

Knowing how to identify soul beasts and choose soul rings will do you no harm."

"Yes, Teacher." Luo Jiuyou nodded.

Bibi Dong immediately perked up and leaned over to ask.

"Teacher, I'm coming too! I want to see what kind of soul ring Junior Brother gets!"

Qian Renxue and Ye Guyi also looked over expectantly.

Qian Xunji swept a glance over them. "Finish listening to the theory class this afternoon first."

The three girls nodded in unison. Bibi Dong smiled so broadly that her eyes curved into crescents.

"Junior Brother..."