First Meeting with Qian Renxue

Only two months after his Martial Soul Awakening, Jiang Mingyang had cultivated his Martial Soul to level ten.

Jiang Mingyang hurried to tell his father, Jiang Tian, so they could obtain a Soul Ring.

He called it hunting a Soul Ring, but as the adopted son of a Soul Douluo, he had no need to hunt one himself like other Soul Masters.

Jiang Mingyang only needed someone to capture a Soul Beast alive and bring it back to the Jiang Residence. Then he could sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

When Jiang Tian heard the news, he burst out laughing. "My son has the makings of a Titled Douluo!"

After his laughter subsided, Jiang Tian said, "Having cultivated to my present level, I've gained some insight into which Soul Beasts to hunt. Listen closely."

Then Jiang Tian slowly explained, "My innate Soul Power was level seven, yet I still reached this level of cultivation.

Your innate Soul Power is level nine. With the right arrangements, you have a very good chance of becoming a Titled Douluo one day.

That's why we must choose your Soul Rings carefully.

It wasn't until I reached a high level of cultivation that I saw the gulf between commoners and the imperial family and other top nobles. At the same level, with Martial Souls of similar quality, it's far too hard for a commoner to defeat a top noble.

One major reason is that, by the time most commoner Soul Masters reach Soul Saint or Soul Douluo, their first Soul Skill is almost useless.

They can use it against lower-level Soul Masters, but against someone at their own level, it's too weak to be of much use.

The Star Luo Imperial Family and other top nobles are different. They don't rush to make their first Soul Skill a powerful offensive skill. Instead, they choose one that boosts their attributes by a percentage. Such skills are hard to come by.

But a skill like that should remain useful even at the Titled Douluo level. I think it's a model worth following.

For a sword-type Martial Soul, I think it's best to look to Sword Douluo Chen Xin.

As far as I know, His Excellency Chen Xin's first Soul Skill, Long Sword Unsheathed, increases his attack power by thirty percent and also coats him in sword energy.

The sword energy coating isn't important. At a very high level, even a casual swing hits far harder than an attack from a first Soul Skill.

What truly matters is the thirty-percent increase in attack power. As a percentage-based Soul Skill, it stays useful no matter how far you advance.

I sent people to investigate. The Soul Beast His Excellency Chen Xin killed for his first Soul Skill was a Ten Thousand Sword Bear.

This Soul Beast has swordlike shells on its back that it can launch at enemies. Against low-level Soul Beasts, that's a formidable attack.

Since you also have a top-tier sword-type Martial Soul, you should have a good chance of obtaining that skill.

Besides that, I have several other Soul Beasts in mind that would suit a sword-type Martial Soul..."

Jiang Mingyang had learned a great deal over the years. After hearing Jiang Tian's options, he felt the Ten Thousand Sword Bear was the best choice.

So Jiang Mingyang told Jiang Tian without hesitation, "Father, let's go with the Ten Thousand Sword Bear!"

Seeing that Jiang Mingyang had made up his mind, Jiang Tian smiled and nodded. "I already sent people to capture the Soul Beasts we discussed. They arrived yesterday.

But are you ready to absorb a Soul Ring?"

Excitement rose in Jiang Mingyang, and he nodded at once.

Jiang Tian then took Jiang Mingyang to the Small Forest where the captured Soul Beasts were held.

Before they entered, they heard a bear roaring. As soon as they stepped inside, they saw the Ten Thousand Sword Bear bellowing.

Jiang Tian bore down on it with his Soul Power, and the Ten Thousand Sword Bear fainted on the spot.

Jiang Mingyang took a deep breath and summoned his Martial Soul, the Tianya Sword. He drove it hard into the Ten Thousand Sword Bear's neck, then struck again and again, nearly severing its head.

Before long, the Ten Thousand Sword Bear breathed its last, and a yellow Soul Ring appeared.

Jiang Mingyang quickly sat cross-legged and began absorbing it, heedless of the bear's blood soaking the ground beneath him.

About half an hour later, Jiang Mingyang finished absorbing the ring.

Jiang Mingyang felt his Soul Power and could hardly contain his delight. "Father, I think I've reached level twelve."

Jiang Tian smiled. "Did you get the Soul Skill you wanted?"

Jiang Mingyang answered, "It increases my attack power by thirty percent. I can also form sword energy to attack, and its strength depends on how much Soul Power I put into it.

Its speed depends on my Soul Power output too. At its fastest, the attack is instantaneous, and there's almost no gap between two strikes."

Hearing what Jiang Mingyang's Soul Ring could do, Jiang Tian nodded in satisfaction.

After all, even Sword Douluo Chen Xin's first Soul Skill did not seem this powerful.

Afterward, Jiang Mingyang went to another Small Forest.

The strongest Soul Beasts in this Small Forest were only Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, and most were ordinary ones.

Jiang Mingyang wasted no time before starting to practice.

In the end, he found that at maximum speed and power, he could fire only about five bursts of sword energy. The gap between each burst was almost nonexistent; even someone watching closely would mistake them for a single strike.

Each burst hit only about as hard as a Soul Grandmaster's ordinary attack, but that was still impressive.

Six years passed in the blink of an eye.

As a member of one of Fasinuo Province's foremost noble families, Jiang Mingyang had no need to attend an academy.

As a top-tier expert, Jiang Tian knew that children should grow under the shelter of protective wings until they turned twelve. Only afterward should they fight their own battles.

As for the Soul Master Tournament, Jiang Tian's assessment was: "It's a fine place to make a name for yourself and spar with your peers, but sparring is all it is."

Jiang Tian knew full well that sparring was vastly different from a fight to the death. In the latter half of a Soul Master's life, most real fights were battles for survival.

Taking part in the Soul Master Tournament had its uses, but it was also something of a waste of time.

Jiang Tian would fully support Jiang Mingyang if he chose to participate. If he chose not to, Jiang Tian would fully support him all the same.

Over those six years, Jiang Mingyang's Soul Power had reached level thirty-four.

Strictly speaking, he was only four levels ahead of Tang San in the original story—roughly a year's worth of cultivation.

That showed just how important resources were. Of course, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul not being particularly strong at this stage was another factor.

Over the years, Jiang Mingyang had cultivated in a Mimicry Cultivation Environment almost every day. His Mimicry Environment boosted his Soul Power cultivation by as much as fifteen percent.

Jiang Tian had told him that an important guest would arrive today.

After six years, Jiang Mingyang had grown to a height of 1.8 meters. He had fair skin and bright, spirited eyes, and he carried himself with an extraordinary air.

Jiang Mingyang put on the clothes he had prepared especially for the occasion. As soon as he entered the hall, Jiang Tian beckoned to him.

There stood a man with a broad forehead and a face as fair as polished jade. Every gesture radiated an air of noble grace.

Jiang Mingyang's heart gave a start. Isn't that Xue Qinghe? No—Qian Renxue.

When the Grand Ancestor met Empress Gao, a true dragon answered, a colorful phoenix called, and they entwined their necks. Those who saw it believed he was the Son of Heaven, chosen by fate.

—Tales of the Grand Ancestor