Qian Renxue

"All right, all right." Deacon Long hurriedly intervened:

"Elder Ju, it's about time we left. We may need to hunt a ten-thousand-year soul beast this time, which will most likely mean entering the Hybrid Zone of the Star Dou Great Forest. If we delay until nightfall, the Hybrid Zone will become much more dangerous."

"Hmph! Let's go." Chrysanthemum Douluo snorted and was about to let the matter drop.

Suddenly, a powerful shout rang out from the sky.

"Old Chrysanthemum, where are you going? I happen to have nothing to do. Why not take me along?"

Everyone looked up and saw a dark gray Ghost Dragon Shadow, dozens of yards tall, circling in the air. A black-clad expert with rugged, bold features stood resolutely atop its head.

He stood straight, his robes snapping in the wind, cutting an imposing figure.

"Old Ghost?" Chrysanthemum Guan's face lit up. "Perfect timing! Since you have nothing to do, come help these three little ones obtain their soul rings. Your martial soul will save us plenty of walking."

"All right, come aboard."

The outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"You're Xu Xiaonian, right? Nana told me you were born with extraordinary strength. You're only a Soul Scholar, yet one arm alone can exert three thousand kilograms of force. Is that true?"

Everyone had already dismounted from the Ghost Dragon Shadow. Gui Mei asked Xu Xiaonian with a hint of skepticism on his face. Clearly, he did not believe the rumors either.

"Yes." Xu Xiaonian knew words would prove nothing, so he chose a boulder several people tall and walked over.

Then he crouched, spread his arms, and hoisted it up.

The sight of such an enormous boulder being lifted by Xu Xiaonian, who was less than a tenth of its height, delivered a powerful visual shock.

"You really were born with extraordinary strength. Impressive," Gui Mei said admiringly. "In that case, I recommend choosing a thousand-year soul ring for your first soul ring. With a physique comparable to a Soul Ancestor's, you can easily withstand it."

Chrysanthemum Guan nodded in agreement.

Hu Liena wore a conflicted expression. "My third soul ring is only just going to be a thousand-year one, and you're already getting one for your first. Comparing yourself to others really can make you die of frustration."

Deacon Long looked even more astonished. He knew Xu Xiaonian also possessed twin martial souls and innate full soul power. Now extraordinary innate strength could be added to the list.

It would be no exaggeration to say he had the makings of a god!

Could it be... I awakened a god's martial soul!

Unlike Deacon Long, who was overwhelmed with shock and elation, Xu Xiaotang looked fairly composed. She knew better than anyone just how monstrous her younger brother was.

What he had revealed so far was merely the tip of the iceberg of his talent.

In truth, the greatest change in attitude came from the black-robed figure whose face and body were concealed.

As a direct descendant of the Holy Angel Family, she had barely shown any change in her eyes even when Chrysanthemum Guan mocked her earlier.

But after witnessing Xu Xiaonian's extraordinary innate strength, the look in her eyes changed at once.

Shock, fervor, longing... she looked like a lonely deity who had watched the world from afar, only to encounter someone as unique as herself.

Her stare left Xu Xiaonian rather embarrassed and uncomfortable all over. After all, he still did not know whether she was male or female. A woman would be fine, but a man... sorry, he was not into men.

"Then I suggest we obtain Nana's soul ring first, followed by Xu Xiaonian's, and hers last. How does that sound?" Gui Mei proposed.

"No problem, Old Ghost."

Since even Chrysanthemum Douluo agreed, the others naturally respected the opinions of the only two Titled Douluos in the party and raised no objections.

Seeing this, Hu Liena said, "Elder Ju, Ghost Elder, I'd like to obtain the soul ring left behind by a Jade-Faced Fox soul beast."

"If I can gain its Pink Mist Miasma soul skill, it will greatly support my brother and me when we use our Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

Deacon Long added:

"The Jade-Faced Fox is cunning and extremely fast. When threatened, it releases Pink Mist Miasma, weakening its enemies' soul power, stamina, and spiritual power across the board."

"Thousand-year Jade-Faced Foxes generally live in the Hybrid Circle, where quite a few ten-thousand-year soul beasts roam. We'll need to pay particular attention to keeping these children safe."

Chrysanthemum Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance. The former idly picked at his long nails, but his soft, feminine tone carried an almost domineering confidence:

"As long as they aren't kings of the forest like the Titan Giant Ape, it won't matter how many ten-thousand-year soul beasts come at us. These little ones' safety will be assured."

Everyone was momentarily stunned by that domineering confidence, though they also felt somewhat skeptical, suspecting he was boasting.

Only Xu Xiaonian's eyes flashed with keen understanding. He knew Chrysanthemum Guan was not exaggerating. Once the Two-Pole Stasis Domain was unleashed, even a hundred-thousand-year soul beast would be immobilized, let alone a ten-thousand-year one.

The Hybrid Circle of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"The Jade-Faced Fox generates wind beneath its paws, allowing it to cross marshes as though they were level ground."

Drawing on his extensive knowledge of soul beasts, Deacon Long, who had taught at an advanced academy for years, explained to everyone:

"Other soul beasts have their movements restricted in marshes, so this is where Jade-Faced Foxes most like to roam."

"Besides the Jade-Faced Fox, there's another extremely powerful soul beast that also..."

Xu Xiaonian looked at his shoes sinking slightly into the marsh and silently circulated the Evil God Mark Method, using his soul power to summon wind element beneath his feet and free himself from his predicament.

Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, attributes: wind, lightning, evil, time.

Everyone employed their own methods to escape the mire.

For those who could not, such as Xu Xiaotang, Chrysanthemum Douluo sent out a petal like metal for her to stand on, then used his soul power to keep it hovering just above the ground.

Before long.

In the distance, a pink creature flickered in and out of view as it raced toward them.

"With that speed and pink fur, it's most likely a Jade-Faced Fox. Leave it to me!" A cold gleam flashed in Deacon Long's eyes as he raised his hand and summoned his martial soul.

An earth dragon martial soul shaped like a dinosaur, its body gleaming with golden light, gradually merged with Deacon Long's figure.

His martial soul, the Holy Light Earth Dragon!

"First soul skill, Earth Dragon Roar!"

"Roar!"

The roaring sonic attack sent ripples visible to the naked eye through the air.

The Jade-Faced Fox, which had been about to slip past the group, was struck by the sound waves. Its body shuddered, and it froze in place.

"Now! Strike!"

Someone in the party had already acted without needing Deacon Long's reminder.

Whoosh—!!

A Holy Light Longsword formed from soul power streaked through the air, pinning the Jade-Faced Fox firmly to a nearby towering tree.

The one who had acted was none other than the masked, black-robed figure who had kept an exceptionally low profile all along.

Xu Xiaonian turned to look in surprise and saw her withdrawing her raised hand into her sleeve. That fleeting glimpse imprinted itself in his mind.

Her hand was slender and delicate, its skin as tender and pale as the white of a scallion.

That... looked like a woman's hand.

"Hurry and finish it off. It's about to die." The black-robed figure spoke to Hu Liena in a clear, melodious voice, like an oriole's song. She was clearly quite young.

Blood seeped from the corners of the Jade-Faced Fox's mouth as it whimpered incessantly, plainly on the verge of death.

Seeing this, Hu Liena stopped marveling at the black-robed figure's strength and hurried forward to deliver the finishing blow.

Meanwhile, Xu Xiaonian was deep in thought, trying to guess the black-robed figure's identity.

The Holy Angel Family, close ties to the Great Enshrined, a woman who had reached a soul power level of fifty at a young age, and an identity that had to remain hidden.

Could it be... her?

Qian Renxue?!