"She Long, Ci Xue..."
Yu Yuanzhen narrowed his eyes. "Spirit Hall's Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo! And they're actually taking orders from that little girl..."
Yu Tianming narrowed his eyes, thinking, Qian Renxue?
Although he had never met Qian Renxue, her features were already unmistakable. With two Titled Douluos guarding her as well, who else could she be but Spirit Hall's true young master?
At that moment,
Qian Renxue was saying to the two Titled Douluos, "The Soul Beast fluctuations just now seemed to come from that direction."
Snake Lance Douluo replied respectfully, "Young master, that light-attribute Soul Beast should be over there."
Qian Renxue had only recently broken through. She had come to the Star Dou Great Forest this time precisely to hunt a Soul Beast and obtain her fourth Soul Ring.
Porcupinefish Douluo warily surveyed their surroundings. "But there seem to be other presences nearby..."
Yu Yuanzhen raised an eyebrow. Knowing that staying hidden would only arouse suspicion, he simply laughed aloud. "Hahaha, to think we'd run into friends from Spirit Hall here in the Star Dou Great Forest!"
Before his words had faded, he leaped down from the tree with Yu Tianming.
"Old Dragon?!"
Snake Lance Douluo's pupils contracted. He immediately released his Snake Lance Martial Soul and shielded Qian Renxue behind him.
Porcupinefish Douluo also reacted as though facing a formidable enemy, immediately releasing his Bloodthirsty Pufferfish Martial Soul.
Yu Yuanzhen was a rank ninety-five Titled Douluo, and with the secret technique "Dragon Transformation," he was considerably stronger than others at his level.
Although She Long and Ci Xue were both Titled Douluos, their Soul Power was only at rank ninety-two.
Even joining forces, they did not dare claim they could definitely defeat Yu Yuanzhen.
Seeing this,
Yu Yuanzhen chuckled. "Don't be nervous. I mean no harm."
Spirit Hall was powerful. Unless he had no other choice, Yu Yuanzhen did not want to make an enemy of it.
She Long and Ci Xue exchanged a glance.
Their most important tasks on this journey were to keep their young master safe and prevent Qian Renxue's identity from being exposed.
Ci Xue shifted slightly, unobtrusively blocking Qian Renxue from view, and transmitted his voice to her. "Young master, we shouldn't linger here."
"Light-attribute Soul Beasts aren't all that rare. They can be found in other areas too. Why don't we..."
She Long immediately understood and cupped his hands toward Yu Yuanzhen. "Old Dragon, Spirit Hall and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan have always kept to our own waters without troubling each other. We still have important business to attend to, so we'll take our leave."
With that,
the two were about to turn and leave with Qian Renxue.
But Yu Yuanzhen suddenly laughed aloud. "Meeting is a matter of fate. Don't be in such a hurry to leave."
The air instantly froze.
She Long tightened his grip on his Snake Lance, blue-purple snakescale patterns flickering along its shaft.
Ci Xue's entire body swelled, densely packed venomous spines emerging across his skin.
One on either side, they shielded Qian Renxue behind them. Soul Power fluctuations circulated around their bodies as though tangible as they faced off against Yu Yuanzhen.
"The head of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan certainly seems to be in a fine mood."
She Long's voice was hoarse, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on Yu Yuanzhen. "But outsiders have no place questioning Spirit Hall's affairs."
Yu Yuanzhen's smile did not fade. "I'm merely curious..."
His gaze swept over the three of them, lingering briefly on Qian Renxue. "For both of you to protect her personally, this young lady must have quite the identity."
Qian Renxue calmly took half a step forward.
The girl had yet to reach her full stature, but she already carried an imposing presence that brooked no offense.
Her voice was cool, neither servile nor overbearing. "My grandfather is Spirit Hall's Fifth Worshipper, Light Feather Douluo. I'm sorry for troubling these two elders to accompany me on this Soul Ring hunt. I never expected to meet you here, Senior Yu."
At those words,
something stirred in Yu Tianming's mind.
This identity was cleverly fabricated. It explained why two Titled Douluos were escorting her without exposing her true identity.
As one of Spirit Hall's worshippers, Light Feather Douluo spent his years cultivating in the Worship Hall. Outsiders did not know whether he had any children.
"So you're Senior Guang Ling's granddaughter."
Yu Yuanzhen's expression eased slightly, though scrutiny remained in his eyes. "But if I remember correctly, Light Feather Douluo's Martial Soul is ice-attribute, isn't it?"
Ci Xue's eyes darted before he said with an air of complete seriousness,
"Old Dragon, here's something you don't know. The Fifth Worshipper's Martial Soul, the Light Feather Divine Bow, has both light and ice attributes. The young lady's Martial Soul mutated and inherited only the light attribute."
Yu Tianming stepped forward at just the right moment.
"Grandpa, this big sister needs a light-attribute Soul Beast. Didn't we encounter two Holy Light Unicorns on our way here?"
Qian Renxue's gaze flickered.
As top-tier light-attribute Soul Beasts, Holy Light Unicorns were precisely her ideal source for a Soul Ring.
But the two Titled Douluos remained utterly unmoved-in their eyes, the words of that old fellow Yu Yuanzhen's grandson could not be trusted either.
Seeing this, Yu Yuanzhen laughed aloud.
"What's this? Dignified elders of Spirit Hall don't even dare trust a child's words?"
Dazzling blue-purple lightning suddenly erupted around him. The pressure of a rank ninety-five Titled Douluo loomed like towering mountains.
She Long and Ci Xue both erupted with power, forced to release their Soul Rings to resist.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, black!
Nine Soul Rings shone beneath each Titled Douluo's feet, yet they still fell short of Yu Yuanzhen's oppressive, dragon-infused might.
A trace of surprise flashed through Qian Renxue's eyes.
She had not expected Yu Yuanzhen to be this formidable. Judging by his imposing presence alone, he was no weaker than the lowest three worshippers.
"Senior Yu."
Qian Renxue suddenly spoke, her voice breaking the heavy atmosphere like a clear spring. "I do indeed need a Holy Light Unicorn. If you could tell us the exact location, Spirit Hall will certainly remember this favor."
Yu Tianming noticed that she had said "Spirit Hall," rather than speaking for herself.
This detail exposed her true standing: she could make promises on behalf of all of Spirit Hall.
Yu Yuanzhen also heard the meaning beneath her words.
He gave Qian Renxue a meaningful look. "Ten li to the southwest, there's a white birch grove. The two Holy Light Unicorns are there."
Ci Xue Douluo narrowed his eyes. "Old Dragon, why are you being so helpful?"
"Consider it forging a friendly bond."
Yu Yuanzhen wore the hint of a smile. "After all... Light Feather Douluo's granddaughter will surely hold no low position in Spirit Hall in the future."
"Thank you."
Qian Renxue said softly, "If the opportunity arises someday, I will certainly repay you."
She Long and Ci Xue guarded Qian Renxue warily as they left.
Just before they passed out of sight, Qian Renxue suddenly turned back, her gaze settling directly on Yu Tianming. "Little brother, what's your name?"
"Yu Tianming."
Yu Tianming answered.
Qian Renxue nodded slightly, committing the name to memory.
Once the three figures disappeared, the smile on Yu Yuanzhen's face gradually faded.
"Grandpa, they..."
Yu Tianming had just started to speak when Yu Yuanzhen raised a hand to stop him.
"That girl is definitely not Light Feather Douluo's granddaughter," Yu Yuanzhen said with certainty.
Yu Tianming feigned surprise. "Why?"
"With such a powerful light attribute, how could hers possibly be a mutated Martial Soul of the Light Feather Divine Bow?"
Yu Yuanzhen said calmly, "Besides, a worshipper's granddaughter wouldn't be important enough to make She Long and Ci Xue so nervous."
He looked in the direction the three had left.
"The Fifth Worshipper's granddaughter? I'd say she's a direct descendant of the Qian Family!"