Jingliu, Former Sword Champion of the Luofu!

Just as Xu Yuan's thoughts were running wild, Ma Xiunuo and Yu Xiaogang began discussing in low voices.

"A Tool Martial Soul. It looks quite decent."

His gaze swept over Dawnmaker, and Ma Xiunuo nodded inwardly.

"Master Ma Xiunuo, hurry and test his Soul Power."

Yu Xiaogang looked tense as he urged him without blinking.

In Yu Xiaogang's eyes, an orphan like Xu Yuan, with no one to rely on, was the perfect subject for testing his Martial Soul theories.

If he ended up ruined, he could just find another one.

Pathetic Wretch: Xiaogang, you ******.

Ma Xiunuo nodded. Then, he picked up the blue crystal ball to test Soul Power Level.

"Child, place your right hand on the crystal ball."

Ma Xiunuo reminded him.

Xu Yuan put away his Martial Soul, Dawnmaker, with a thought, then placed his right hand on the crystal ball.

The next second, seven pale golden rays lit up, illuminating an area two and a half meters wide.

"Innate Level Seven Soul Power. Very impressive."

Praise flashed across Ma Xiunuo's face, because... this was already a very strong result.

However...

Yu Xiaogang's expression instantly collapsed.

"Impossible! How could my Martial Soul theory be wrong?"

"He should have Innate Full Soul Power!!"

The moment Yu Xiaogang saw there was nothing to gain, his eyes turned red, his breathing grew heavy, and his voice rose considerably.

With his expectations shattered, his face filled with disappointment.

The theories he had stolen from Spirit Hall were written clearly in black and white, but someone had not the slightest bit of learning...

If it was not Innate Full Soul Power, that meant he did not have Twin Martial Souls. What use was he, then?

Seeing this, Ma Xiunuo frowned slightly and tried to persuade him.

"Master Yu, this child's talent is actually..."

Before he could finish, Yu Xiaogang cut him off.

"Xu Yuan, as your master... cough! I suddenly have urgent business to handle. Let's forget about taking you as a disciple."

Before Yu Xiaogang could finish speaking, Ma Xiunuo interrupted him as well.

"Xu Yuan, would you be willing to join Spirit Hall?"

Unlike Yu Xiaogang, who looked down on Innate Level Seven Soul Power, Ma Xiunuo faintly sensed something extraordinary about Dawnmaker.

After all, many Titled Douluo possessed Tool Martial Souls.

The Three Upper Sects of Douluo Continent were examples, such as the Clear Sky Hammer, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and the Seven Kill Sword.

And Spirit Hall's Worship Hall—its Fifth Worshipper's Light Feather Divine Bow, as well as Qian Jun Douluo and Jiang Mo Douluo's Coiling Dragon Staff.

Snake Lance Douluo counted too, though his was a mutated Martial Soul.

That was why Ma Xiunuo extended an olive branch.

Upon hearing Ma Xiunuo's words, Yu Xiaogang turned around with a trace of embarrassment on his face and stormed out, slamming the door.

Unfortunately...

Spirit Hall's doors were of excellent quality. The recoil struck Yu Xiaogang's hand, making him grimace in pain.

"What kind of stupid door is this? Why is it so hard?"

Under the gazes of the two of them, Xiaogang cursed furiously, then ran off.

Ignoring Yu Xiaogang's clownish behavior, Ma Xiunuo extended his invitation once more.

"Xu Yuan, your Innate Level Seven Soul Power is already quite good. If you cultivate diligently, you have a chance of becoming a Soul Emperor."

"If your fortune is sufficient, becoming a Soul Sage is possible too!!"

"Unlike a certain Master Yu, who has been stuck at Level 29 for half his life. I heard he only had Innate Half-Level Soul Power."

"Yet he has collected plenty of Spirit Hall's Soul Master subsidies."

Ma Xiunuo sighed deeply, filled with righteous indignation.

Lies did not hurt people. The truth was the sharpest blade.

"Thank you, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo. For now, I only want to cultivate properly. I'll consider joining a faction after becoming a One-Ring Soul Master."

Xu Yuan spoke politely.

"You're quite a courteous child. If you change your mind in the future, you can come find me anytime."

"Mm... take these sixteen silver soul coins and buy yourself some buns."

Ma Xiunuo took sixteen silver soul coins from his robes and placed them in Xu Yuan's palm, his face full of kindness.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan felt somewhat moved.

As an orphan who had transmigrated to Douluo Continent, this was the first time Xu Yuan had felt another person's kindness.

"Thank you, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo. I will repay even a drop of kindness with a gushing spring!"

"Cultivate well. Keep it up."

Ma Xiunuo looked gratified. Sixteen silver soul coins were not worth much; he considered it a casual investment.

But if Xu Yuan managed to grow, even if he only became a Soul King, his superiors would reward him for this contribution.

Unfortunately, from beginning to end, Xu Yuan had not the slightest intention of joining Spirit Hall.

He would repay this investment of silver soul coins in another way.

A short while later.

Xu Yuan left the Spirit Hall branch in Notting City. He planned to return to his house in the southern part of the city and pack his belongings.

Along the way, Xu Yuan spent six silver soul coins to buy some buns, seasonings, jade items, ironware, and daily necessities, then stored them in his backpack.

But before that, he had one more thing to do.

That was...

Use [Contract Summoning Card ×1] to summon a Star Rail character across worlds and have them protect him during his early days.

Then... he could seize opportunities ahead of others and hunt Soul Rings.

Before long, Xu Yuan returned to his residence and locked every door and window around him.

He also stored the buns in his backpack, where time stood still.

Mm, they could serve as a reserve source of hidden energy.

"Aha, bless me. Please let me get someone great in battle!"

After finishing everything, Xu Yuan closed his eyes and prayed.

A player's tradition—first, perform a little card-drawing ritual.

Immediately afterward, Xu Yuan moved his thoughts and claimed the second reward in his backpack.

A card the size of a playing card appeared out of thin air.

The card was covered in nine colors, its material neither quite gold nor jade.

[Contract Summoning Card]

[Function: Randomly summons a powerful individual across worlds. Both parties will automatically form an Equal Contract.]

[Note: The contractor's timeline is random.]

Xu Yuan had already understood how to use the [Contract Summoning Card] when he officially activated his golden finger.

With a light squeeze, the card shattered into motes of light.

Buzz~!

The space before him split open, and a tall figure wearing over-the-knee boots slowly stepped out.

With every step the woman took, frost spread across the ground.

Crack, crack~!

Frost spread, and a biting chill filled the air.

"Jingliu is merely a discarded soldier of the Xianzhou, a wandering swordswoman. If you do not wish to invite trouble, you may pretend we have never met."

The moment she spoke, Xu Yuan instantly knew whom he had summoned. His excitement turned into wild joy.

Empress Jing!

A woman eighteen hundred years older, hugging an ice brick.

After Jingliu appeared, the spatial rift completely vanished.

At the same time, a contract linked the two of them.

Xu Yuan's pupils widened. Only now did he clearly see Jingliu, whom he had summoned across worlds.

She had long silver-white hair that gradually faded into pale blue, cascading like a waterfall to her slender waist. A circular hairpin gathered it behind her head.

A strand of dark green silk ribbon was tied to the hairpin, fluttering behind her as she walked.

Her features were exquisite and her skin fair. A strip of black silk patterned with a silver moon covered her beautiful face.

Her clothing was primarily made of pale blue fabric, paired with a long white skirt hem patterned with drifting clouds that covered most of her legs.

Her shoulders revealed a portion of her fair, delicate skin. Her jade-like back was straight, and the graceful lines of her shoulder blades could faintly be seen.

Silver pauldrons connected to flower-shaped sleeve hems, giving her an ethereal aura like that of an immortal maiden.

She possessed an immortal bearing, jade-like beauty, and breathtaking curves.

Jingliu wore over-the-knee boots, and her long, straight, snow-white legs stood slender and elegant.

The fabric was longer and more conservative than in the game artwork.

A round mirror was embedded in front of her chest, endlessly cycling through phases from crescent moon to full moon.

Wow, an incredibly beautiful ice-element big sister!!

White hair and red eyes were the best—perfectly matched a man's tastes.

Moonlight hues, a woman's fragrance.

In the end, people spent their entire lives trapped by things they could not obtain in their youth.

As Xu Yuan looked at Jingliu, those words came to mind.

Praise Aha. Xu Yuan had successfully contracted...

The big sister standing before him was precisely—

The former Sword Champion of the Luofu, the creator of the Xianzhou Luofu's undefeated legend, one of the High-Cloud Quintet.

Transcendent Flash—Jingliu!!!