Apprentice to Qian Renxue, the Heavenflame Tiger

A Demonic Angel? A peerless physical body?

In the basement of Douluo Hall, eight large characters on the cover of a black book on the shelf seized the eye.

"Looks like this is what I've been looking for."

Lu Mingzi walked beside Qian Renxue, pulled the black book from the shelf, and opened it.

Dust billowed into his face. He waved his hands frantically and coughed again and again. Who knew how many years this book had been sitting there?

"What? It's blank?"

Lu Mingzi stared in disbelief. Every page inside was blank.

He flipped through dozens of pages. Most of the thick book was empty.

Finally, in the last few dozen pages, Lu Mingzi spotted a few words.

"Demonic Angel..."

"Corrupt all things, devour everything, possess an invincible body, and seize the mind with shadowed light."

"Born of an angel's evil thoughts, slain by a God King in one lifetime."

He turned another dozen or so pages and found several more lines.

"The Demonic Angel and the Six-Winged Angel are yin and yang. When yin and yang unite, their power is unmatched, rivaling...?"

"Damn it, why does it stop there?"

Lu Mingzi stared at the line. Its ending seemed to have been erased.

"No wonder your Martial Soul resonated with my Six-Winged Angel. So that's why."

Qian Renxue had been reading beside him, and realization dawned on her too.

The Six-Winged Angel was supremely sacred, the bane of all evil, pure and radiant.

Lu Mingzi turned to the final page, which briefly described the Demonic Angel.

"Demonic Angel: when the demonic body reaches its first stage, Demonic Thought is born. When the demonic body reaches completion, the bearer becomes a demon..."

"That's all there is."

Lu Mingzi closed the book, slid it back onto the shelf, and continued searching with Qian Renxue.

Half an hour passed. Neither of them made any progress or found any relevant records.

"Looks like that black book is the only record of the Demonic Angel."

Lu Mingzi shook his head helplessly.

"Yes. Let's leave for now."

They left the basement and returned to the main hall of Douluo Hall, where Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo had been waiting for some time.

"Young Master."

The two spoke in unison and bowed respectfully.

"Mm."

Qian Renxue gave a slight nod, as cool and composed as ever.

"Now for the important matter. Pope Hall gave you an address too, but you chose us. I won't force you to take anyone as your master. You can choose either of these two Titled Douluo as well."

She turned slowly toward Lu Mingzi, who followed behind her, deep in thought.

Qian Renxue has already revealed her identity instead of posing as Xue Qinghe. She must be certain I'll choose her.

But that isn't a bad thing. I've met Great Enshrined Qian Daoliu, and I've seen Qian Renxue's true self.

The Demonic Angel can even resonate with the Six-Winged Angel. I'm already closely bound to them.

"What are you hesitating for, boy? I'm a level ninety-two Titled Douluo, known as Snake Lance."

"If you take me as your master, I can guarantee you resources and money. Whatever you want, I can give you!"

Snake Lance Douluo stepped forward, and nine conspicuous Soul Rings gradually appeared around him.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, black!

A terrifying aura enveloped the hall as Titled Douluo-level Soul Power surged forth.

"Young friend, take me as your master. I'll be the strongest protector you could have in this world. As an elder of Spirit Hall, I won't let you suffer the slightest grievance!"

Porcupinefish Douluo could no longer sit still. He immediately displayed his Soul Rings too.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black!

"You fat bastard, I never knew you were so good at sweet-talking!"

Snake Lance turned and glared at Porcupinefish.

The tension was drawn as taut as a bowstring. If Qian Renxue had not been there, the two might have fought to their hearts' content.

"Would you take me as your master?"

Qian Renxue's red lips moved softly. Light spilled through the window onto her, making her golden hair shine all the brighter.

A sacred, noble air surrounded her. Like a holy maiden, she remained unstained though she stood in the mud.

"This disciple, Lu Mingzi, pays his respects to Master."

Lu Mingzi barely hesitated. The moment Qian Renxue spoke, he dropped to one knee and bowed.

"Are you serious?"

Qian Renxue's eyes lit up as she looked at the young man in surprise and delight.

"I'm only a Soul King. I'm not as strong as these two. Even so, you still want to take me as your master?"

She asked again to make sure.

"Ask me a thousand times or ten thousand, and I'll choose you every time."

Lu Mingzi's voice carried a resolve that would not easily be shaken.

"Good."

A faint smile appeared on Qian Renxue's cool face. She liked the feeling of being chosen.

She took a flower from her Space Soul Tool. Its petals were deep crimson, and its fragrance was rich.

"This flower is called Ginseng Chrysanthemum Red. It can aid your cultivation and greatly increase your Soul Power. Consider it my gift to you as your master."

"Besides, I'm not very good at teaching, and I'm not as powerful as these two. You can still change your mind. I'll give you the chance."

As she spoke, she could not help tightening her grip on the Ginseng Chrysanthemum Red. Anxiety stirred in her heart.

Will he choose me? Will he abandon me?

"I chose you, Angel Sister. I won't change my mind."

At Lu Mingzi's words, Qian Renxue breathed a sigh of relief. Her face broke into a delighted smile, and a blush rose to her cheeks.

"Good. I'll prepare a Training Room for you. No one will disturb you while you absorb the Ginseng Chrysanthemum Red's medicinal power. I'll come see you in three days."

Spirit Hall, Training Room.

The Training Room was so spacious it could hold nearly a hundred people.

Lu Mingzi sat quietly in the center, eyes closed in concentration as he absorbed the Ginseng Chrysanthemum Red Qian Renxue had given him.

"Its medicinal power is immense. Maybe I can break through to level twenty in one go."

His Soul Power was only at level fifteen, but for some reason, perhaps because of the Demonic Angel, he absorbed it astonishingly fast.

"Right, the black book said the Demonic Angel could devour everything. Could that be why?"

Thinking back on the book, he remembered that the Demonic Angel could do more than devour. It could corrupt, strengthen the body, and seize the mind with shadowed light.

It could also give rise to a Demonic Thought. Whether that was good or bad, he had no way of knowing.

After all, records of the Demonic Angel were exceedingly rare. Qian Daoliu was probably the only one who knew where to find books on it.

A full day passed.

"I've refined it, and my Soul Power has reached level twenty!"

Lu Mingzi was thrilled. He called silently, Deep Blue!

[Name: Lu Mingzi]

[Realm: Level 20 Soul Master (not yet broken through)]

[First Soul Skill: 423-year Soul Ring, Void Spirit Slash. Effects: Fire Poison level 4, Poison Gas Leakage level 4]

There was still no option to increase the Soul Ring's age, which puzzled Lu Mingzi.

At present, he had roughly one unit of Soul Blood, enough to deduce a four-hundred-year Soul Ring once.

Killing two four-hundred-year Soul Beasts yielded one unit of Soul Blood. If he accumulated more, could he increase the Soul Ring's age?

"I need to live somewhere near the Star Dou Great Forest and collect Soul Blood along its outermost edge."

Just as he thought this, someone pushed open the Training Room door.

"What's this? Your master leaves for a little while, and you start slacking off?"

Qian Renxue walked in slowly. The sound of her heeled boots striking the floor echoed through the hall, each step carrying an oppressive force.

"No, Master. I just finished refining the Ginseng Chrysanthemum Red."

Seeing Qian Renxue, Lu Mingzi hurried to explain and released his level-twenty Soul Power.

"What? Already?"

Qian Renxue was stunned. Realizing she had lost her composure, she quickly schooled her expression.

"Ahem... Then I'll take you to hunt a Soul Beast and absorb your Second Soul Ring."

She gave a few feigned coughs before continuing.

"Your First Martial Soul is the Demonfire Blade. Its flames are fierce, and its Demonic Qi seizes the mind. A fire-attribute Soul Beast should suit you. I remember one kind that fits."

"The Heavenflame Tiger."