"Beautiful."
Qian Renxue turned around.
Her brows and eyes relaxed.
Treading across the sunset light blanketing the ground, she returned to Qian Daoliu's side.
"Since it's beautiful, Grandpa, look a little longer tonight."
Qian Daoliu lifted his teacup.
"Put your shoes on first."
"The paving stones aren't cold."
"Put them on."
Qian Renxue did not argue.
She sat down beside the Soft Couch.
A pair of golden soft shoes stood neatly beside the table.
Qian Daoliu bent down and picked one up.
Qian Renxue extended her slender foot toward him.
The Golden Soft Shoes enclosed her fair toes.
He put the other shoe on for her, then arranged her skirt above her ankles.
Qian Renxue looked down at her grandfather.
"Grandpa, you still treat me like the child I used to be."
Qian Daoliu straightened up again.
"Aren't you still?"
She reached out and linked her arm through Qian Daoliu's.
She leaned gently against her grandfather's shoulder.
"In front of you, Grandpa, I can always be."
The evening breeze passed through the waterside pavilion.
Flowering branches swayed gently beside the pond.
Several goldfish swam to the bank, vying for petals that had fallen into the water.
Qian Renxue leaned against Qian Daoliu.
She watched the gradually sinking sun and did not mention the Soul Master Tournament again.
The hot tea on the table still gave off white wisps of steam.
Her long golden braid hung down over her moon-white dress.
The grandfather and granddaughter's figures were reflected in the pond.
Even after the last patch of sunset light faded from the water, Qian Renxue still did not unlink her arm from her grandfather's.
The Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
The cultivation hall.
Golden divine light covered the doors and windows.
Qian Renxue sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion.
The Thunder Dragon Pearl hovered before her.
Blue-violet lightning continually surged from the pearl, entering her meridians through her arms.
Her Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul had already been released.
Three pairs of wings spread fully open.
Fine arcs of lightning threaded between every golden feather.
Qian Daoliu stood in the center of the cultivation hall.
His divine power formed a barrier, confining the Thunder Dragon Pearl's power to the area around Qian Renxue.
Liu Erlong sat beside the hall's entrance.
She wore a burgundy dress that day.
Her black hair fell behind her shoulders, and her hands rested before her knees.
Water and prepared food sat on the table.
Qian Renxue had already been cultivating for three days.
Throughout those three days, she had not taken a single step away from the cushion.
The true dragon origin left by the Sky Azure Bull Python was continually strengthening her meridians and body.
More than half the power within the Thunder Dragon Pearl was already gone.
Qian Renxue raised both hands.
Her eighth soul ring lit up in response.
The azure-blue Azure Sky Thunder Domain spread outward.
Six columns of water appeared within the cultivation hall.
Controlled by divine power, the water did not wet the floor.
Thunder descended along the water columns in succession.
Qian Renxue's aura rose once again.
Cracks appeared in the Thunder Dragon Pearl hovering before her.
Crack!
The entire pearl dissolved into blue-violet motes of light.
Every mote merged into Qian Renxue's body.
The six water columns dispersed simultaneously.
Qian Renxue slowly opened her eyes.
Deep within her golden eyes, a streak of azure-blue lightning swiftly vanished.
"Grandpa."
Qian Daoliu came up to her.
"How do you feel?"
Qian Renxue raised her right hand.
A mass of golden soul power gathered in her palm.
Fine arcs of Thunder revolved around the soul power.
"My meridians are tougher than before."
"The range of my Azure Sky Thunder Domain has also expanded by thirty percent."
Qian Daoliu extended two fingers and pressed them against her wrist.
Divine power completed one circuit through her meridians.
The true dragon origin left by the Thunder Dragon Pearl had stabilized.
No conflict in soul power had arisen.
Qian Daoliu withdrew his fingers.
"Rest for half a day."
Qian Renxue shook her head.
"I can absorb it right now."
"Absorbing the pearl and the soul bone in succession will increase the burden on your Sea of Consciousness."
"I can bear it."
Qian Renxue reached out and clasped her grandfather's hand.
She had just finished cultivating, and the warmth left by the Thunder still lingered in her palms.
"The Soul Master Tournament is still going on."
"The next match is in two days."
"I don't want to waste time."
Qian Daoliu looked at her.
"Half a day won't affect the match."
Qian Renxue did not let go.
"Then rest with me, Grandpa."
Qian Daoliu raised his hand and tapped her forehead.
"Put your shoes on first."
Qian Renxue looked down.
The golden soft shoes she had removed for cultivation stood neatly beside the cushion.
She rose from the cushion.
The moment her fair feet touched the floor, lightning spread outward from her toes.
Qian Daoliu raised his hand and beckoned.
Both soft shoes moved before Qian Renxue on their own.
Holding her grandfather's arm, she slipped her feet into the shoes one at a time.
Liu Erlong approached with water.
"Young Master, have something to eat first."
Qian Renxue accepted the jade cup.
She drank half a cup, then offered the remaining water to Qian Daoliu.
"Have some too, Grandpa."
"This was prepared for you."
"I can't finish it all by myself."
Qian Daoliu accepted the jade cup.
Only then did Qian Renxue go to the table and sit down.
Liu Erlong opened the food box.
Inside were a bowl of hot porridge, two small plates of lightly seasoned side dishes, and a steamed fish.
Qian Renxue looked at the steamed fish.
Its skin was intact, with finely shredded scallions spread over it.
"Is this the kind I made last time?"
Liu Erlong nodded gently.
"I made it following the method you left, Young Master."
Qian Renxue picked up her chopsticks.
She took a piece of fish and carefully picked out the fine bones.
Once she had removed them all, she placed the fish on the jade plate before Qian Daoliu.
"Try it, Grandpa."
Qian Daoliu ate the fish.
Qian Renxue immediately asked:
"How is it?"
"Better than your first attempt."
Qian Renxue put down her chopsticks.
"That's because I didn't control the heat properly the first time."
"Next time, I definitely won't lose to her."
Liu Erlong sat down on the other side.
"If you wish to learn, Young Master, I can cook it with you."
"We'll talk about it after the Soul Master Tournament ends."
Qian Renxue picked up her chopsticks again.
"We have to go to Spirit City for the finals."
"When we get to the Worship Hall, I want to use the kitchen there."
Qian Daoliu looked at her.
"The Worship Hall's kitchen isn't there for your competition."
"I just want to cook for you, Grandpa."
Qian Renxue picked up a second piece of fish.
As before, she first removed the fine bones, then brought it to her grandfather's mouth.
"Open up."
Qian Daoliu ate the fish.
A smile appeared on Qian Renxue's face.
"This time, I fed it to you."
Liu Erlong watched the two of them.
She lifted her bowl of porridge without interrupting Qian Renxue.
Half a day later.
Qian Renxue entered the cultivation hall again.
The Sky Azure Bull Python Head Soul Bone hovered before the point between her brows.
The lightning patterns on the soul bone's surface lit up in succession.
An immense surge of spiritual power poured into Qian Renxue's Sea of Consciousness.
Qian Renxue closed her eyes.
Her long golden hair rose, buoyed by soul power.
The Six-Winged Angel martial soul appeared once more.
Azure-blue lightning patterns gradually emerged on its three pairs of once-pure-gold wings.
The Sky Azure Bull Python's lingering aura entered her Sea of Consciousness.
An enormous azure python manifested within it.
The Angel God Rune between Qian Renxue's brows lit up on its own.
Sacred radiance took the form of the Six-Winged Angel God Statue.
The azure python raised its head.
Thunder rained down from across the sky.
The Six-Winged Angel God Statue extended its right hand.
The Angel Holy Sword slashed down from high above.
The azure python did not resist.
Its body disintegrated in the sword light, becoming the purest soul bone energy.
Qian Daoliu stood before the meditation cushion.
His palm hovered above Qian Renxue's head.
Should anything go wrong with the soul bone's power, divine power would immediately enter her Sea of Consciousness.
Liu Erlong stood guard nearby.
She watched the soul power around Qian Renxue rise continuously.
The soul bone and the eighth soul ring came from the same hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
Once the two came into contact, the Azure Sky Thunder Domain unfolded on its own.
This time, no columns of water appeared.
The energy of heaven and earth around the cultivation hall directly transformed into an azure-blue domain.
Qian Renxue sat at the center of the domain.
The Sky Azure Bull Python Head Soul Bone gradually became transparent.
All the lightning patterns inside the soul bone merged into the space between her brows.
Rank eighty-five.
Her soul power paused briefly.
The six wings behind Qian Renxue spread in unison.
Angel divine power and azure sky thunder completed their final fusion within her meridians.
Boom!
Her soul power broke through once more.
Rank eighty-six.
A vast expanse of golden radiance appeared above the cultivation hall.
The Azure Sky Thunder Domain spread from inside the hall into the sky above the imperial palace.
Azure-blue thunder revolved around the phantom of the Six-Winged Angel.
Soul masters throughout the city looked up.
All they could see was the sacred radiance above the imperial palace.
No one knew that this overwhelming pressure came from a contestant in the Soul Master Tournament.
Qian Daoliu raised his right hand.
Angel divine power enveloped the entire cultivation hall.
The escaping soul power swiftly drew back in.
The Six-Winged Angel's phantom vanished.
The Azure Sky Thunder Domain also merged back into Qian Renxue's body.
The head soul bone's absorption was fully complete.
Qian Renxue opened her eyes.
An azure-blue divine rune spread out to either side from between her brows.
The divine rune lingered for only a moment before hiding beneath the Angel Runes.
She raised her slender hand.
Her spiritual power spread outward through the cultivation hall.
The guards, palace maids, and soul masters in the imperial palace all entered her range of perception.
The memorials piled on the desk in the imperial study.
The goldfish swimming in the pond in the rear garden.
The imperial guards patrolling outside the palace walls.
Every detail appeared clearly in her Sea of Consciousness.
Qian Renxue withdrew her spiritual power.
"Rank eighty-six."
She looked up at her grandfather.
"Grandpa, I've advanced again."
Qian Daoliu nodded.
"The increase in soul power is only one of the benefits the soul bone brings."
"Try its soul bone skill."
Qian Renxue closed her eyes.
The azure-blue patterns between her brows appeared again.
An invisible ripple of spiritual power spread outward.
Qian Daoliu was unaffected.
Liu Erlong, however, froze in place.
Her consciousness was pulled into an azure-blue space.
There was no ground around her.
Only constantly crisscrossing thunder.
The Sky Azure Bull Python's enormous body rose from the lightning.
Its serpentine eyes stared at Liu Erlong.
Spiritual suppression descended with its gaze.
Liu Erlong immediately released her Fire Dragon martial soul.
Crimson flames covered her entire body.
The Fire Dragon had only just raised its head when dozens of bolts of azure-blue thunder fell from above.
The soul rings beneath Liu Erlong's feet flashed in succession.
She tried to charge out of this space but could not find her bearings.
The next moment.
All the thunder vanished at once.
Liu Erlong saw the cultivation hall again.
Qian Renxue was still sitting on the meditation cushion.
She had not moved.
Liu Erlong withdrew her martial soul.
"A spiritual domain?"
"To be precise, it's Azure Sky Illusory Thunder."
Qian Renxue said:
"The soul bone skill can pull an opponent's consciousness into a thunder illusion."
"The spiritual damage the opponent suffers in the illusion will also act directly on their body."
Qian Daoliu looked at her.
"It is indeed effective against soul masters whose spiritual power is weaker than yours."
"If you encounter an opponent whose spiritual power approaches god level, don't lightly connect your Sea of Consciousness to theirs."
Qian Renxue committed his words to memory in earnest.
"I won't use it casually."
She rose from the meditation cushion.
After several consecutive days of cultivation, her long white dress had become quite creased.
Much of her golden hair also lay loose behind her shoulders.
Qian Renxue came before her grandfather.
"Grandpa."
"Yes?"
"I want to bathe."
Qian Daoliu looked at Liu Erlong.
Liu Erlong smiled softly.
"The hot water is ready."
Qian Renxue linked her arm through her grandfather's.
"After I bathe, brush my hair for me, Grandpa."
"There's another match tomorrow."
"All right."
The following day.
Heaven Dou City's Preliminary Competition Arena.
The Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team stepped onto the Soul Fighting Arena once again.
Qian Renxue stood at the front of the team.
She still concealed her true appearance.
Her rank eighty-six soul power was also suppressed to around rank sixty.
Today, the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team faced Blazing Fire Academy.
Huo Wu stood at the center of the team.
Her long crimson hair fell to her waist.
Four soul rings revolved slowly around her.
Huo Wushuang and the other team members stood in front of her.
All seven released their fire-attribute martial souls at once.
Scorching heat swiftly enveloped the Soul Fighting Arena.
The six team members behind Qian Renxue retreated as usual.
They had already gone several consecutive matches without making a move.
Every academy knew that the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team had only one true core member.
The announcer raised his right hand.
"Let the match begin!"
The third soul ring beneath Huo Wu's feet immediately lit up.
"Repelling Fire Ring!"
A crimson ring of fire spread outward in all directions.
The other six members of Blazing Fire Academy unleashed their soul skills at the same time.
Vast swathes of flame surged toward Qian Renxue from different directions.
She raised her right hand.
Cyan-Blue Thunder rose from her palm.
The Azure Sky Thunder Domain was not fully released.
Only a single streak of lightning swept across the Soul Fighting Arena.
The lightning split the flames down the middle.
The Repelling Fire Ring shattered in its wake.
Huo Wu retreated several steps.
Her fourth soul ring swiftly lit up.
"Huo Wu Radiant Sun!"
A white fireball condensed above her head.
The remaining members of Blazing Fire Academy poured all their soul power into it.
The temperature in the Soul Fighting Arena continued to rise.
Qian Renxue took a step forward.
She did not release her soul rings.
An azure-blue lightning feather fell from the Six-Winged Angel martial soul.
The lightning feather passed through the white fireball.
Huo Wu Radiant Sun stopped in midair.
Fine cracks swiftly spread across the fireball's surface.
Bang!
White flames scattered upward.
Not a wisp fell toward the spectator stands.
Huo Wu raised her head.
Qian Renxue was already standing before her.
A golden palm settled on her shoulder.
Thunder rapidly spread along the Soul Power links connecting the seven members of Blazing Fire Academy.
All seven members' Soul Rings lost their luster at once.
Huo Wushuang was the first to drop to one knee.
The other team members could no longer maintain their Martial Souls either.
Qian Renxue withdrew her palm.
"Do you still want to continue?"
Huo Wu glanced at her teammates around her.
The Soul Power within her had yet to recover.
The gap between the two sides was already perfectly clear.
"Blazing Fire Academy concedes."
The host immediately announced the result.
"Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team wins!"
Qian Renxue turned and walked down from the Soul Fighting Arena.
The entire process had taken no more than half a quarter of an hour.
The subsequent matches likewise held no surprises.
Canghui Academy's Seven Asura Illusion Realm had barely activated before the Sky Azure Bull Python Head Soul Bone shattered it outright.
Qian Renxue merely glanced at the seven of them.
Every member of Canghui Academy lost consciousness and collapsed onto the Soul Fighting Arena one after another.
Elephant Armor Academy relied on their Diamond Mammoth Martial Souls to form a Defensive Formation.
Qian Renxue struck with just one palm.
The Defensive Formation formed by the seven team members broke apart on the spot.
Elephant Armor Academy's captain, Huyan Li, staggered back more than ten steps and fell straight off the Soul Fighting Arena.
Thunder Academy voluntarily abandoned Thunder-Attribute Attacks.
They wanted to rely on speed to prolong the match.
Once the Azure Sky Thunder Domain activated, all seven were pinned in place.
Not one could take more than three steps.
When Skywater Academy took the stage, Qian Renxue did not end the match immediately.
Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu joined forces to unleash their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Ice and snow covered the entire Soul Fighting Arena.
Qian Renxue stood amid the snowflakes filling the air.
A pair of pure white wings unfurled from her back.
Golden radiance spread outward.
All the ice and snow melted within the sacred power.
Before you continue