The First Clash of God-Level Martial Souls!

The Sea God's Remnant Soul was shocked. The Sea God's Remnant Soul was indignant.

That damned main soul! After splitting him off, he had actually gone and found himself a woman.

He had been locked up here for tens of thousands of years, in pitch darkness, without even a person—or ghost—to talk to. Meanwhile, the main soul had been out there enjoying himself with women. It was outrageous.

"Greetings, Senior Sea God!"

Lin Hao cupped his hands toward the Sea God's Remnant Soul and activated the imprint of the Sea God's Nine Trials at the center of his forehead.

Blue-gold light immediately spread all around them.

The Sea God's Remnant Soul understood at once. The main soul might have behaved shamelessly, but at least he had not grown so old and blind that lust had clouded his judgment.

Ten years old, with forty-fourth-level Soul Power. The boy was already no worse than he had been at that age.

He looked at Lin Hao with approval. "So you've already received the Sea God's Nine Trials. Not bad, not bad. It seems that fellow hasn't gone blind in his old age after all."

"My successor, I am the Sea God's Remnant Soul. I have dwelled within the Sea God's Heart, searching for a Sea God Successor, for tens of thousands of years."

"So this is the Sea God's Heart!" Realization dawned as Lin Hao looked at it. "No wonder the Sea God Trident in the Sea God Hall seemed to be missing something. It was missing the Sea God's Heart."

"Exactly!"

The Sea God's Remnant Soul nodded, then said, "Since your Martial Soul is the Sea God Trident, I won't give you the Sea God's Heart yet. Bring me back to the Sea God Hall, and I'll make the Sea God Trident whole. Once you become a god, you'll possess two divine artifacts."

"Alternatively, you could merge your soul into the weapon. Fuse the two Sea God Tridents, and their power would surely soar."

"This junior understands!"

Lin Hao nodded. What the Sea God had suggested was certainly one path. As for which to choose, he could decide later.

"I'll remain in the Sea God's Heart. If there's anything you don't understand while cultivating, you can ask me."

"An interesting little one has arrived outside. Don't disgrace my Sea God Island."

A strange smile crossed the Sea God's Remnant Soul's face before he slipped back into the Sea God's Heart.

The Sea God's Heart then slowly merged into Lin Hao's brow.

The Sea God's Heart had acknowledged him as its master. Not only could he use its four Soul Skills, he could also draw on the Sea God's Light within his Sea God Imprint to attack.

But now was not the time to study any of that. The person the Sea God had mentioned had reached the door.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

Crisp footsteps sounded. Lin Hao turned, and his eyes met the newcomer's. A tremor passed through his heart.

It was a resonance between Martial Souls of the same caliber.

"You dare trespass in the imperial palace? You have some nerve!"

The newcomer's voice was cool and clear.

She was a breathtakingly beautiful woman of about twenty. Her features were cold and clear as a spring atop a snowy peak. Beneath slender, willow-shaped brows, golden eyes held a proud chill. An untouchable dignity seemed to surround her.

Her brilliant golden hair danced in the air, lending a touch of liveliness to her icy bearing.

"Seems you're doing the same. Are you a thief crying 'thief'?"

Lin Hao was a little surprised to see Qian Renxue here, but he had no reason to fear her. He regarded her with a faint, teasing smile.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were the Heaven Dou Crown Prince, sticking your nose into everything."

Qian Renxue's heart skipped. For a moment, she thought her identity had been exposed. Then she remembered that she was showing her true appearance. Apart from Spirit Hall's upper ranks, no one could possibly know who she was.

"Hmph!"

"Of course I'm not the Heaven Dou Crown Prince. Who are you? Why have I never heard of you?"

Qian Renxue snorted, her golden eyes fixed on Lin Hao.

She had been lying low in the Crown Prince's Residence when she suddenly sensed a power like one she had once felt in the Worship Hall.

At the same time, the Martial Soul within her had stirred, leaving her startled and uncertain.

That was why she had followed the sensation into the imperial treasury.

Now that she stood before Lin Hao, the stirring of her Angel Martial Soul was clearer than ever. She was certain he was its source.

Or rather, his Martial Soul was.

The man facing her was a prodigy of her own caliber.

But how could that be?

How could any Martial Soul in the world rival the Angel Martial Soul?

"You've never heard of me? You must not have studied hard. I know who you are, though—the Qian Family's successor from Spirit Hall, right?"

Lin Hao decided to tease Qian Renxue. He looked at her as though she were a hopeless student who had never opened a book.

Qian Renxue frowned, her face darkening as she glared at him. Through gritted teeth, she said, "Are you calling me an ignorant fool?"

"You've got nerve!"

"I hope you can fight as well as you talk."

"Angel Descent!"

Lin Hao's mockery ignited Qian Renxue's anger. She no longer cared where they were. She wanted only to give him a thorough beating.

Golden light flared, and a vast, indistinct figure appeared behind her.

It was the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul.

Qian Renxue's appearance barely changed under Martial Soul Possession. Only two pairs of brilliant golden wings emerged from her back.

Streams of golden light flowed around her graceful figure, sacred and beautiful.

Five Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and one black—circled her.

The aura of a high-level Soul King rushed toward him.

Qian Renxue was undeniably strong. News of a high-level Soul King her age would shake the continent.

Even so, Lin Hao wanted to ask how she could call herself the Angel's successor with only that much strength.

"...Are you really the Angel's successor? Could your parents have taken home the wrong baby?"

"What do you mean?" Qian Renxue frowned at him in confusion.

Lin Hao said nothing. He summoned the Sea God Trident, and four Soul Rings—two purple and two black—slowly appeared. An imposing aura no weaker than Qian Renxue's surged skyward.

"..."

Qian Renxue's pupils contracted sharply. She fell silent.

Then she seemed to grit her teeth in exasperation. "So what if your Soul Rings exceed the usual age limits? Do Soul Rings decide everything?"

"You're exactly the kind of overpowered genius I want to beat down."

She raised the Angel Holy Sword. Golden light rippled along its long, sharp blade, tinged with a hazy blood-red glow.

It carried the weight of endless judgment and slaughter!

First Soul Skill: Angel Assault!

Lin Hao grew serious. Qian Renxue's performance against Tang San might have been lackluster, but she was still one of the top three prodigies of this era.

The Angel Martial Soul's power was real.

It possessed the attributes of holiness, light, and flame, perhaps even judgment as well.

They allowed Qian Renxue to unleash strength far beyond her level.

Qian Renxue was strong, but Lin Hao was stronger. The Sea God Trident moved effortlessly in his hands. He gave it a shake in midair, and before the Angel Holy Sword could touch it, Qian Renxue felt a terrifying force pass through the space between them and strike her blade.

Her arm went numb.

Clang!

Sword and trident collided. Qian Renxue's pupils shrank as an irresistible force crashed into her.

Then she was sent flying.