Sea God Island.
When Bo Saixi, the high priestess, heard that the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was actually in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, her face lit up with joy.
She immediately sent a voice transmission to the seven Sacred Pillar Guardians. "Come with me to the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace and retrieve the Sea God's Heart!"
"We obey your decree, Great Enshrined!"
At the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Xue Ye was still secretly delighted.
Although the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was Heaven Dou's national treasure,
no one knew how to use it.
If they could learn how to use the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud from the sky screen, their Heaven Dou Empire would gain another trump card.
"Your Holiness, the Heaven Dou Empire does indeed possess the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud. May I ask why Your Holiness suddenly brings it up?"
In the sky screen's timeline, Xue Ye had yet to realize how precious the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was.
After all, the thing had been gathering dust in the treasury for hundreds of years. He didn't even know why it had been listed as a national treasure.
"It is merely an object an old friend's ancestor lost.
If Your Majesty is willing to part with it, I can offer an eighty-thousand-year Soul Bone in exchange."
As Qian Xunji spoke, he took out the eighty-thousand-year left leg bone he had stripped from Bibi Dong.
A Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone was already considered top-grade. At eighty thousand years, it was the best of the best.
As for a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, that was something one could only come across by chance, not seek out.
What? The Pope, Qian Xunji, had casually taken out a two-hundred-thousand-year torso bone...
But wasn't there only one Qian Xunji under heaven?
"Deal!"
Xue Ye hesitated for only an instant before deciding to make the exchange.
He knew the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was certainly worth more than an eighty-thousand-year Soul Bone.
But so what?
Could he refuse?
Besides, no matter how good the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was, if he didn't know how to use it, he might as well not have it.
"Thank you."
Qian Xunji appeared humble and courteous as he raised a hand and sent the Soul Bone over to Xue Ye.
Xue Ye wasted no time either. After accepting the Soul Bone, he immediately sent someone to fetch the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
Only then did Qian Xunji turn his gaze back to Ye Qingxian.
Ye Qingxian lived up to her name. In the flower of her youth, she was like a newly opened bud, brimming with vitality, her pure life breath clean and natural,
graceful in countless ways, so light and lovely she seemed scarcely able to hold herself upright.
She could take pride in beauty unmatched by her generation and rely on charms that could topple a city.
Qian Xunji was very satisfied with her looks. As for her talent, with the dual boosts of an Immortal Herb and a Soul Bone, she had more than enough to become a god.
"The wedding is set for half a month from now. Time is short, so come with me to Spirit City today, Clan Head Ye.
As for your household belongings, anything you cannot carry with you can be transported by Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou City."
Ye Cangshui naturally had no objection. "As Your Holiness wishes. I shall return home and pack at once."
The Ye Clan had a sizable household and naturally possessed quite a few things, including numerous herbs, books, and other items that an ordinary Soul Tool could not hold.
Qian Xunji nodded slightly, but seeing how weak Ye Cangshui's presence was, he spoke again. "A moment, Clan Head Ye."
"Does Your Holiness have further instructions?"
Ye Cangshui dared not put on airs, though he did not know why such a huge windfall had fallen into his family's lap.
But he knew there might be many Popes, yet there was only one legendary figure like Qian Xunji.
Miss this village, and there would never be another shop.
"It is nothing. I merely see that your breath is weak, Clan Head Ye, making it difficult for you to go about your affairs."
As Qian Xunji spoke, the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul suddenly materialized behind him, radiating a sacred, inviolable majesty.
Before countless shocked eyes, nine Soul Rings appeared one after another: black, black, black, black, black, red, red, red, red.
"S-so powerful! Is this His Holiness the Pope's Soul Ring configuration?
His very first ring is a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?"
Under the sky screen, countless spectators cried out in shock.
"That's terrifying! An ordinary Titled Douluo wouldn't even dare hope for a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring as their ninth ring.
His Holiness the Pope's sixth ring is already a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!"
"Did you notice? His Holiness the Pope's Seventh Soul Ring has two golden markings, his Eighth Soul Ring has three, and his ninth Soul Ring has five!"
"Could there really be Soul Beasts with two hundred thousand, or even five hundred thousand years of cultivation?
How terrifying would that be?"
"Impossible!
The limit for a Soul Master's first ring is four hundred and thirty-two years.
How could it be ten thousand years?
Qian Xunji must have used an illusion!"
Yu Xiaogang shouted and made a fuss, drawing quite a few people's attention.
They had already set off for Sunset Forest and were not at Shrek Academy.
"Will you say a little less? You think a Peerless Douluo has nothing better to do than use an illusion to fool you for fun?"
Flender's attitude toward Yu Xiaogang had already changed.
He had spent the whole previous night thinking and realized that Yu Xiaogang abandoning Bibi Dong and fleeing on his own in the sky screen was just like the way he had abandoned Liu Erlong back then.
"What do you know? My theories can't possibly be wrong!
This Qian Xunji isn't all that impressive either. He's just a fraud."
Yu Xiaogang felt offended. What right did Flender have to tell him to say less?
"Yes, frauds and people who stir up trouble are the most hateful of all."
Zhao Wuji made a veiled jab at him, but Yu Xiaogang acted as though he hadn't heard.
"Just wait and see. Once I've trained Xiao San into a Titled Douluo, my theories will naturally be proven."
"Look at the sky screen. Qian Xunji seems to be about to use a Soul Skill. Don't tell me he can heal too?
Can a Power Attack System Soul Master like him heal an injury even the Nine Heart Begonia can't?"
In the sky screen's timeline.
Ye Cangshui realized what Qian Xunji intended to do and immediately spoke up.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Holiness, but my injury is in my Martial Soul.
Ordinary healing methods can only affect the body and are of little use."
Qian Xunji paid him no heed. His ninth Soul Ring lit up.
This Soul Ring was a God-Given Soul Ring, and it had provided him with two Soul Skills.
One of them was a divine recovery skill that consumed nothing and could instantly restore its target to peak condition after use.
That's right: it cleared negative statuses, then restored the target to full condition.
But its charging time really was long.
"Ninth Soul Skill: Holy Angel's Healing!"
The Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul suddenly looked up at the heavens. Its illusory form, originally only one zhang tall, swelled to ten zhang.
The angel then pressed its hands together and sent down a ray of sacred light, enveloping Ye Cangshui.
A breath later, the holy light dissipated. Ye Cangshui's face glowed with health, his once-stooped body straightened again, and he looked more than ten years younger.
"This... my Martial Soul..."
Ye Cangshui immediately released his Martial Soul, the Nine Heart Begonia. It was intact and suffused with a rich breath of life.
What was more, he felt his Soul Power, which had long since stagnated and even declined somewhat, begin to stir, as if it were about to break through.
"Thank you, Your Holiness the Pope!"
"Thank you, Your Holiness the Pope!"
Ye Qingxian also hurriedly bowed, delight on her face, though there was still some bewilderment in her eyes.
This is too fake.
This dream doesn't feel real at all.
How could I be so bold as to have such a wonderful dream?
Won't I cry my eyes out when I wake up?
"There is no need for ceremony. Go on."
Qian Xunji nodded and raised a hand, gesturing for the two to dispense with their thanks.
Ye Cangshui walked with a spring in his step, no longer needing Ye Qingxian's support.
Behind the two of them, the head of the Spirit Hall Branch in Heaven Dou City hurried to follow.
These two were newly elevated personages of great importance. He couldn't afford to neglect them.
He could take care of the dirty, tiring work.
By the time Xue Ye brought the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, Ye Cangshui and Ye Qingxian had packed their valuables and personal belongings to carry with them.
Qian Xunji waved his hand, and golden light carried the two onto the Azure Plume Eagle Emperor's back.
The Azure Plume Eagle Emperor gave its wings a slight beat, and its enormous body shot into the clouds.
As Heaven Dou City receded into the distance, Ye Qingxian's eyes remained bewildered.
This dream is so long.
By rights, it would be wonderful enough to experience even a short part of such a beautiful dream from beginning to end.
Could it be that this isn't a dream?
Uh... impossible!
Ye Qingxian shook her head gently, not daring to do it too hard for fear of shaking herself awake.
After an unknown amount of time, Qian Xunji suddenly let out a surprised "Hmm?"
"Eagle Emperor, descend."
The Azure Plume Eagle Emperor dared not hesitate. It turned around and descended steadily.
This was a remote little town near a mountain range inhabited by Soul Beasts, where many traveling Soul Masters had gathered.
The Eagle Emperor had a wingspan of nearly a hundred meters. When it descended low in the sky, it blotted out the sun, frightening countless Soul Masters into fleeing in panic.
Fortunately, Qian Xunji and the others promptly flew down from the Azure Plume Eagle Emperor's back.
"It's His Holiness the Pope!"
"You scared me to death! I thought a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had come hunting."
In the town, the many Soul Masters bowed in greeting.
But Qian Xunji's gaze was fixed on a small medical clinic, a smile appearing on his handsome face.
He hadn't expected a little surprise on this trip.
"Come out. I won't kill you!"