Speculation on All Sides

Ling Yuan was about to pour in more Soul Power when Qian Zong caught her hand and explained:

"Sister Ling Yuan, it's really nothing serious. I have Angel Divine Power inside me. Ordinary attacks can't hurt me."

The Soul Power inside Qian Zong was a patchwork mess, divided into four distinct forces.

The first was the Sin Divine Power entrenched around his heart.

He had received it as a reward from a divine trial under Medusa, the Third-Level God known as the God of Sin, during his time on the Exile Continent.

The God of Sin was not one of the Seven Deadly Sins Gods. She was merely a Third-Class Deity of the Evil God Faction, presiding over all the world's sins and wicked thoughts.

Before his Martial Soul Awakening, Qian Zong had looked down on Third-Class Deities from the bottom of his heart. Even a Second-Class Deity would only have earned a second glance from him.

After his Martial Soul Awakening sent him into exile, that disdain had vanished in an instant.

Divine power was intoxicating. Compared with Soul Power, it was absurdly strong.

The second force was the Evil Soul Power that had mutated after being tainted by Sin Divine Power. It was somewhat like the Dark Soul Power found in the Holy Spirit Cult.

That Evil Soul Power had sprung from his own Soul Power. He could not drive it out; he could only guide it and put it to use.

The third force was the Soul Power he had cultivated himself, the ordinary Soul Power every Soul Master possessed.

When Qian Zong had first awakened, his Soul Power had carried a trace of divinity from the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul.

Now, everything had become a tangled mess.

The fourth force was Angel Divine Power. Qian Daoliu had sealed it inside Qian Zong, and it was the strongest force of all, constantly suppressing the Evil Soul Power and Sin Divine Power.

There was actually a fifth force: Corrupted Soul Power.

Only Evil Soul Masters could cultivate it. Cold and bloody were its hallmarks.

But the Angel Divine Power had already purified it completely.

"I see." Ling Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. "No wonder I felt something strange just now."

When Ling Yuan's Soul Power entered Qian Zong's body, she had sensed more than one kind of Soul Power within him.

She did not know how to describe them. Some felt normal, some sacred, and some evil. Somehow, they had reached a bizarre balance. She had never heard of anything like it.

"Zong'er, this is my fault for being careless. I'll slaughter those blind fools right now."

Ling Yuan had always been quick-tempered. Once she confirmed that Qian Zong was all right, she turned her wrath on the Star Luo Empire.

"Zhu Family of the Star Luo Empire, you're courting death!"

Ling Yuan had seen through Zhu Chen's origins at a glance. Only the Zhu Family of the Star Luo Empire could possess such terrifying speed and reflexes.

But what did that matter?

Anyone who hurt someone dear to me had to die!

"Martial Soul Possession!"

Crimson flames swirled around Ling Yuan. Fire flashed in her eyes, and a fierce Ling Yuan Phantom appeared behind her.

The phantom bathed in crimson fire, the flames at its center deepening into purple and throwing off arcs of lightning.

Worried that Qian Zong might be caught in the fighting again, Ling Yuan moved toward the Star Luo Empire's group.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—eight Soul Rings spun around Ling Yuan from head to toe before settling beneath her feet.

"A Soul Douluo! Who on earth is that boy to have a Soul Douluo as his guard?"

"Could he be from the Upper Three Sects? Only they have the resources to hire a Soul Douluo as a guard."

"Are you stupid? They came down from the second floor, so they must be with Spirit Hall. What would they have to do with the Upper Three Sects?"

"True. Unless they're spies for the Upper Three Sects? Damn it, if only I were a Titled Douluo. I'd teach them a lesson!"

"The Star Luo Empire has kicked an iron plate this time."

"Huh? Isn't that Ling Yuan Douluo? Why is she working as someone's guard?"

Inside the Library, the crowd grew thicker by the moment. The onlookers were delighted to watch the trouble unfold.

Soul Masters had packed the glass railing around the second-floor atrium as well, staring down at the battlefield without blinking.

A clash between Soul Douluos was rare. No one wanted to miss the chance to watch one up close.

Besides, this was near the heart of Spirit Hall, where the rules were strict and fighting was expressly forbidden.

If the two sides actually fought, things would get interesting.

On the Heaven Dou Empire's side:

When Xue Qinghe saw blood seep from the corner of Qian Zong's mouth, his face turned livid. He wanted to have everyone from the Star Luo Empire executed.

But after their eyes met briefly, his mood lifted at once.

The fellow was perfectly fine. He had even winked at him.

Naughty. The corner of Xue Qinghe's mouth curled into an indulgent smile. Then he composed himself and ordered, "Everyone, spread out. Do not get involved."

Xue Qinghe could not guess what Qian Zong planned to do next, but he knew Qian Zong was not one to let himself be taken advantage of. So he stepped back and left the battlefield to him.

"Yes, Your Highness."

The two Soul Douluos were also afraid the situation would escalate. At the order, they withdrew at once.

They did not leave the Martial Soul Library, however. Instead, they slipped into different parts of the crowd to watch.

Qin Lan stayed beside Xue Qinghe and asked:

"Your Highness, that's the boy who invited you up to the second floor earlier, isn't it?

"He can command a Soul Douluo as his guard. His identity must be even more formidable than we thought."

Qin Lan was one of the Heaven Dou Empire's two Soul Douluos, a deathsworn retainer trained by the imperial family. Steady by nature, he was one of Qian Renxue's principal guards on this trip to Spirit City.

Qin Lan had recognized Ling Yuan, which made him take Qian Zong even more seriously.

"That boy is the director of the Martial Soul Library," Xue Qinghe said without hesitation.

"What!"

Even the usually composed Qin Lan felt a great wave surge through his heart at the news.

The Martial Soul Library housed a vast collection of texts copied from Spirit Hall. How could a boy with such meager Soul Power be its director? Just how powerful was the backing behind him?

Qin Lan's gaze settled on Qian Zong, and a bold thought suddenly struck him.

"Your Highness, this information is too important. We need to send word back to the empire as soon as possible," Lu Zheng said.

Lu Zheng was the second Soul Douluo accompanying the Heaven Dou Empire's party and another of Xue Qinghe's principal guards.

His mission in Spirit City was not only to protect Xue Qinghe, but also to uncover the identities of Spirit Hall's Young Hall Master, its young hall master, and the director of the Martial Soul Library.

Qin Lan's expression grew grave:

"Your Highness, I suspect he isn't just the director of the Martial Soul Library. He may also be Qian Zong, the young hall master Spirit Hall appointed three months ago."

Lu Zheng cautioned him:

"Old Qin, Qian Zong is the son of the previous Pope, Qian Xunji. This boy's Soul Power hasn't even reached level ten at his age. He can't be Spirit Hall's newly appointed young hall master."

Qin Lan fell into thought.

Xue Qinghe asked:

"Lu Zheng, could he be hiding his true strength?"

Lu Zheng swept his spiritual power over Qian Zong again and shook his head:

"No. But his health doesn't seem good. His Soul Power is unstable, and his vital energy is weak."

Qin Lan agreed:

"I sense the same thing. This boy seems to have suffered a severe internal injury."

Both men were Soul Douluos with powerful spiritual senses. Even without sending Soul Power into Qian Zong's body, they could infer his general condition from the aura leaking out of him.

And that was exactly what Qian Zong wanted.

He had never intended to conceal his injuries.