Two and a Half Years

"System, use the Intermediate Summoning Card."

"Congratulations, host. You have obtained Gao Lan."

Name: Gao Lan

Soul Power: Level 78, yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black

Martial Soul: Great Gold Saber

Has Lady Luck abandoned me? Gao Lan has stronger and weaker versions too. Wasn't the saber-wielding one killed by Zhao Yun with a single spear thrust? Is that why he's only a Soul Saint?

Yang Xiu couldn't figure it out, so he stopped trying. A Soul Saint was still a Soul Saint.

"Summon him, System." A burly, dark-faced man appeared before Yang Xiu.

Yang Xiu exchanged only a few words with Gao Lan before sending him off. "System, show me my third Soul Skill."

Third Soul Skill (10,000 years): Pursuit of Fate. Increases speed by 250% and guarantees evasion of one small-area attack (mental level 70 × 10%). If the opponent's Soul Power Level exceeds the user's mental level, evasion depends on the user's own strength.

That hasn't changed much. It's faster, but otherwise it's still the same skill.

Once everything was settled,

Yang Xiu began considering how to distribute the Special Soul Power Pills.

They had to go first to those with lower aptitude who were close to a ten-level threshold. An extra Soul Ring made a world of difference.

After turning it over in his mind, he settled on one pill for Dragon Three. Otherwise, Dragon Three might spend the rest of his life stuck at level 88 or 89. He had been level 88 for a long time; perhaps he could break through in another year or so. If he couldn't, the pill would do him no good. By Yang Xiu's reckoning, anyone above level 70 could gain only one level from a Soul Power Pill, even a special one, so Dragon Three would have to reach level 89 first. Unfortunately, Dragon Three's Innate Soul Power was only level seven. Giving him an Innate Soul Power Pill would be a waste, to say nothing of his younger brothers.

Xue Li needed one too, but there was no hurry for either of them. Yang Xiu wondered whether Xue Li could reach level 99 on his own.

Zhang Liao didn't need one yet. He still had room to grow.

In the end, I might as well take these pills myself first. If I save them, they'll just end up belonging to someone else.

With that thought, Yang Xiu claimed three free Special Soul Power Pills from the system shop and swallowed them. His Soul Power rose four levels, bringing him to level 56.

And so, time passed in cultivation.

Two and a half years later, one day—

"Ding! Travel to the Star Luo Empire, save Zhu Zhuqing from the assassins who will kill her in one month, and take her away. Rewards: Martial Soul Fusion Pill ×2, Zhu Zhuqing's favorability +30, Martial Soul Evolution Pill ×1 (exclusive to Zhu Zhuqing)."

Note: The host must complete this mission personally. Unless the host's life is threatened, others may not intervene.

"Hm? Have I been taking it so easy that even the system is fed up with me? Zhu Zhuqing's favorability?" At the sight of that reward, Yang Xiu fell silent. For at least ten minutes, he said nothing and thought of nothing.

"System, can you read my mind?"

"I admit it. I liked her in my previous life."

"And I'm happy with these mission rewards."

"But can't you leave me a few secrets?"

"The system and host are one. We rise together and fall together."

"The host has no secrets from the system."

"Rest assured, host. The system will not harm you."

Yang Xiu's face darkened. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. The system was powerful, but those few sentences made one thing clear: however capable it was, it was only a thing without feelings.

In the end, Yang Xiu thought it over and accepted his fate. So it knows. Fine.

In his previous life, Yang Xiu had liked Zhu Zhuqing so much that he was drawn to any girl with a figure like hers. He just hadn't considered that he might simply be lusting after her body.

He still liked Zhu Zhuqing in this life, but he had never planned to make her his. The system's mission rekindled that spark of passion deep in his heart. Since the system had made the decision for him, he would go.

"Zhang Liao!" Yang Xiu called out with his Soul Power. Less than ten seconds later, Zhang Liao arrived and asked,

"Sect Master, did you need me?"

But only a few seconds later,

Hua Xiong arrived too. Yang Xiu glanced at him, then said to Zhang Liao, "Come with me to the Zhu Family in the Star Luo Empire."

"This time, though, you're not to interfere unless I'm about to die. With your strength, there aren't many people who could stop you from saving me."

Hearing that they were going out without him, Hua Xiong grew anxious.

"Sect Master, take me too."

"Zhang Liao is strong, but what if there are too many of them? Besides, I'm a level 95 Super Douluo now."

"You just can't sit still. Keep this up and will you ever improve again? Whenever you have a spare moment, you run off to Shrek to find Zhao Wuji."

"Sect Master, you know my aptitude. Cultivating barely gets me anywhere now. I might as well go out and about—maybe I'll even break through."

Yang Xiu had no answer to that.

"You can come, but you may not act without my permission."

"Rest assured, Sect Master. I won't." Hua Xiong chuckled.

Over those two and a half years, the Flame Emperor Sect had grown much stronger. Xue Li had ultimately failed to become a level 99 Limit Douluo on his own; he had only broken through after Yang Xiu gave him a Soul Power Pill half a year earlier. Zhang Liao had become a level 96 Super Douluo. Dragon Three had finally reached level 89 and, with the help of a Soul Power Pill from Yang Xiu, entered the secret realm. He had failed the Innate Soul Power Pill mission, however, leaving him at only level 91. Dragon One and Dragon Two had each gained a level, reaching levels 92 and 94, though they might never advance again.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, Bai Ling, and Hong Wu had all passed level 30. They had entered the secret realm and gained plenty from it, especially Tang San. On Yang Xiu's specific instructions, he had not obtained a Soul Ring there. Instead, he had retrieved the two Soul Ring Experience Pills Yang Xiu wanted: one thousand-year pill and one ten-thousand-year pill. Out of respect for his teacher, Tang San had deliberately chosen the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma mission. Yang Xiu had not expected that; otherwise, he certainly would not have let Tang San do it.

Hoping it might work, Yang Xiu had Guan Sheng take Tang San to the Star Dou Great Forest to find a thousand-year Man Faced Demon Spider. Sure enough, the child of fortune had ultimately obtained the Eight Spider Lances External Soul Bone. Because it had happened earlier this time, Tang San had met with no mishaps. They had not brought Xiao Wu, either, so Bear Two had not appeared to cause trouble.

The one who had changed most, however, was Yang Xiu.

Yang Xiu: Yang Xiu (18 years old)

Soul Power: Level 68 (nearly level 69)

Martial Souls: Divine Shadow Leopard (purple, black, black, black, black, black); Dragon Soul Spear

Defense: Level 87

Mental level: 88

First Soul Skill (1,085 years): Berserk

Second Soul Skill (11,200 years): Claw of Fate

Third Soul Skill (10,000 years): Pursuit of Fate

Fourth Soul Skill (11,000 years): Shadow Clone Technique

Fifth Soul Skill (32,000 years): Fierce Leopard's Roar

Sixth Soul Skill (73,000 years): Void Force. Combat state: deals 251.% damage to enemies ahead, with a 15% chance to inflict a forced stun for 1–3 seconds. Erosion by Void Force deals continuous damage.

Stealth state: The user can merge into the void and cannot be detected by anyone whose mental strength does not exceed his own. While in stealth, evasion increases by 30%. Single-target attacks cannot hit him; only area attacks affect him. Every ten seconds, he recovers 10% of his injuries and Soul Power.

Cultivation art: Nine Yin Manual (mastered)

Martial techniques: Snake-Coiling Seven-Feints Spear Technique, Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, Three Soul-Reaping Spears—the last derived from Xue Li's Trait, Three Halberds Stabilize the World

External Soul Bone: Wind-Thunder Wings. Skill: Nine Heavens Thunderclap

Soul Bone: Right Leg Bone. Skill: Divine Movement

His sixth Soul Skill had come from a Void Phantom Cat more than seventy thousand years old. It had nearly escaped, but in the end, it had still become Yang Xiu's Soul Ring.

Yang Xiu left with Hua Xiong and Zhang Liao without alerting anyone. Since they were in no great hurry, they traveled slowly, arriving in the Star Luo Empire half a month later.

At a hotel not far from the Zhu Family,

"Have you found out what the Zhu Family's eldest young lady has been doing?" Yang Xiu asked Hua Xiong.

"Yes. She's met Dai Weisi several times recently. They've been plotting to get rid of their younger siblings. Dai Mubai left for Shrek over half a year ago. I've seen him a few times—he's no good. He's already chasing women at his age."

"So their target this time is Zhu Zhuqing."

"But they can't do it themselves. They're contacting an assassin organization."

"Keep an eye on her and Dai Weisi. Zhang Liao, you watch Dai Weisi—but be careful. Don't let the imperial family's experts spot you and complicate matters. I'd like to see which assassin organization dares take the job. I'll make them regret it."

"Some things aren't theirs to touch. Touch them, and they'll die."

"Yes, Sect Master."

Two days later... As Yang Xiu chatted with Zhang Liao and Hua Xiong, Hua Xiong stood by the window and saw the Zhu sisters arrive at the hotel entrance.

"Hm? What's she doing here?"

"Sect Master, something's happening."

At Hua Xiong's words, Yang Xiu went to the window. He looked down at Zhu Zhuqing, his eyes full of tenderness and affection, along with a trace of heartache. It took him a long while to come back to himself.

At eleven, her figure was already so developed that she didn't lose out at all to her sister, who was seven years older. (Ahem. Don't say it. Yang Xiu wasn't lusting after her body.)

The sisters soon entered the hotel. Neither spoke, and before long, their food arrived.

"Say it. Why did you ask me here? Uh..." Zhu Zhuqing's cool voice rang out.

"No rush. Eat first," Zhu Zhuyun said unhurriedly.

Zhu Zhuqing ignored her and prepared to leave.

"I hear Dai Mubai went to the Heaven Dou Empire. His Highness the First Prince has some ideas about that."

Zhu Zhuqing stopped at those words.

"Why are you telling me this? Are you that eager to marry Dai Weisi?"

"What does it matter to me whether Dai Mubai lives or dies?"

Though Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai had a verbal engagement, he had left and made her bear everything alone. By now, she had even begun to hate him a little.

"And how many times have you tried to hurt me? It's bad enough that our parents don't believe me, but I'm not blind."

"Heh. Angry? It won't help. I'm seven years older than you. You'll never catch up to me in this life. You can only live in my shadow." Zhu Zhuqing glared at Zhu Zhuyun with hatred but said nothing. It was true: she was only level 25. How could she compare to Zhu Zhuyun, who was already a Soul Elder? At last, Zhu Zhuqing clenched her fists.

"Hmph." She rose to leave.

"What, you won't even eat when your big sister treats you to a meal?" Zhu Zhuyun said flatly.

Zhu Zhuqing left without a word.