On the top floor of Spirit Hall, beneath a deserted window.
The cold wind howled, and the icy moonlight shone on Xiao Yan's resolute face, making his confident eyes gleam.
He gazed into the distance, missing the loved ones he once had while also reflecting on who he was now.
In three lives, Xiao Yan had suffered too many grievances and weathered countless rises and falls. His small life had told a tale of all the world's vicissitudes, and his ambition-"Thirty years the river flows east, thirty years it flows west; do not bully a youth for being poor"-had never been empty talk.
"What can I do when a Titled Douluo comes!?"
"I'm too weak now!"
Xiao Yan keenly felt his own inadequacy. He was like a tiny speck of dust amid the vast sea of stars, unfit to take the stage-nothing more than a snake or insect among ants that could just about boast a few claws and fangs.
If he wanted a place in this world, he could only grow stronger!
"Becoming a true expert, a Peerless Douluo standing at the pinnacle of the Douluo Continent, isn't just my creed in life. It's also my ultimate wish, so I can rebuild Teacher's body and help Xiao Huo ascend to godhood again!"
Xiao Yan's gaze was unwavering, growing ever more resolute in the moonlight.
He had been through too much these past few days, never in control of himself or others, and it had made him keenly aware of his inadequacy and the pressure to cultivate.
The weak could only obey.
The strong, however, could make the rules.
They could even defy them!
Xiao Yan refused to be weak.
"Ultimately, this world's suppression is very powerful. I can only use one percent of my original strength. Otherwise, even the gods of this world would be nothing special."
(In response to readers' feedback, the correspondence between cultivation realms is being revised.)
Yao Lao's phantom appeared in the distance, his calm words conveying confidence.
"I was once praised by the world as Venerable Yao. Not only was my alchemy unmatched under heaven, but my cultivation also touched the Dou Sheng level."
Yao Lao looked at Xiao Yan's forehead with a faint smile and said softly, "I imagine a First-Level God would be nothing special, either, right!?"
A burst of heat flared between Xiao Yan's brows, and an exceedingly mysterious wisp of flame appeared.
Xiao Huo emerged, the little girl planting her hands on her hips, looking thoroughly unconvinced.
But she had no choice but to admit it.
Yao Lao gave her the same impression as that God King of old: powerful and terrifying.
Xiao Yan smiled helplessly.
The two of them had often talked big these past few days, and Xiao Yan was gradually getting used to it.
"Cultivation!"
Xiao Yan beckoned the two great experts back into his body and began cultivating the technique Yao Lao had taught him.
"Eight Extremes Collapse!"
The supreme ultimate gave rise to the two aspects, and the two aspects gave rise to the eight trigrams.
Eight Extremes Collapse emphasized the harmony of yin and yang, combining defense with offense in an orderly fashion. Each step seemed fierce, but beneath its rough exterior lay subtlety, with an emphasis on the unity of heaven and man.
Xiao Yan thrust out one hand, as though overturning mountains and seas.
He tilted slightly, and that vast, sea-like force was instantly drawn back without affecting him in the slightest.
"Back and forth, advancing gradually!" Xiao Yan smiled faintly, realizing he had made progress in his cultivation.
Eight Extremes Collapse was a High Xuan Class technique.
That was equivalent to the power of an ordinary Soul Master's thousand-year Soul Skill!
What was more, it did not consume Xiao Yan's Soul Power.
In other words, Xiao Yan, who now had two rings, already had three skills!
"On the Douluo Continent, this kind of power is actually called a Self-Created Soul Skill. Why don't you add your own Martial Soul's power to Eight Extremes Collapse and try again?" Xiao Huo and Yao Lao were both watching Xiao Yan from a hidden corner and offered him a reminder.
Both had once been great experts, allowing Xiao Yan to avoid many detours and achieve twice the result with half the effort.
"If you apply the power of both worlds and fuse them into one, you'll surely shock the world!" Yao Lao chuckled softly.
Xiao Yan nodded and began to try.
"Martial Soul, activate: triple Ultimate Fire!"
Ultimate Fire had now fused with the fire of the Fire Yang Spring, one-third of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, and its original flame.
It was already in Martial Soul form 0!
An eerie flame emerged, a dazzling shade of reddish yellow.
A platinum Soul Ring appeared: a God-Level Soul Ring!
A purple Soul Ring followed close behind: a Thousand-Year Soul Ring!
A twenty-five-level Soul Master, only eight years old, possessed two such Soul Rings.
From ancient times to the present, it was unheard of.
"Is this the protagonist halo that came with my reincarnation!?" Xiao Yan murmured. He began channeling his Martial Soul's power throughout his body and mobilizing his Soul Power.
His moves were fundamentally no different, but their power was worlds apart.
Flames clung to his fists and feet, making them shine with brilliant, dazzling light.
"An upgraded Eight Extremes Collapse like this can hardly be called High Xuan Class. It's clearly already an Earth Class technique!" Yao Lao exclaimed in admiration.
Xiao Huo also parted her lips. "If your Soul Power reaches level thirty, perhaps you'll be able to unleash power far beyond that of an ordinary Soul Ancestor!"
The Eight Extremes Collapse Xiao Yan was using now was equivalent to a level twenty-five Soul Master displaying strength approaching that of a black Soul Ring.
In other words, it was equivalent to a Soul Ancestor!
His panel showed the strength of a level twenty-five, yet he possessed the strength of a Soul Ancestor!
"Huh, my Soul Power has also improved a little."
His earlier cultivation had not only allowed him to master Eight Extremes Collapse successfully, but had even raised his Soul Power by one level!
He was level twenty-six!
Footsteps sounded from below.
Xiao Yan called out in greeting with a smile. "What brings you up here for a breath of wind, Old Yu?"
Yu Tianming brought Yu Xin over to Xiao Yan at an unhurried pace and slowly let out a long breath.
"What's wrong!?" Xiao Yan could tell something was amiss.
Something seemed to be on Old Yu's mind.
Yu Tianming patted Yu Xin on the shoulder. "You tell him."
Yu Xin's face was very pale. Ever since meeting Xue Qinghe a few days ago, she had been distracted.
She parted her lips. "I suspect my fiancé, Xue Can, a prince of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, died at Xue Qinghe's hands."
"Xue Can mentioned that possibility a few months before he died. In the end, he died a tragic death in his residence, supposedly from illness. But I know Xue Qinghe did it, and what happened at the jewelry store that day made me even more certain!"
Xiao Yan nodded.
"In an imperial struggle for the throne, killing your brothers is an everyday occurrence. For all you know, he might even kill his own father one day."
Xiao Yan looked as though he had guessed it long ago and seemed not to care in the least.
"Why the hell are you nodding? I came to discuss what to do with you!" Yu Tianming smacked Xiao Yan so hard his head buzzed. Whenever it concerned his granddaughter, this old fellow gave it twelve-tenths of his attention.
All that about once regarding Xiao Yan as his big brother was bullshit.
Xiao Yan said helplessly, "Don't tell me you're planning to avenge the grandson-in-law who never married into your family!?"
Yu Xin gritted her teeth. "If I can, of course I'll avenge him!"
Yu Tianming pulled his granddaughter aside and looked around. Only after confirming there wasn't even a ghost in sight, just the cold wind, did he dare speak.
He said softly, "I'm afraid he'll make a move against Yu Xin. Xue Can is dead, and Yu Xin is the person most likely to guess why. I'm afraid he'll kill her to silence her."
"If he wanted to do it, perhaps he would have done it already," Xiao Yan said.
The moment he finished speaking, a white shape cut through the night and landed on the mailbox by the entrance to Spirit Hall below.
An attendant took down the letter.
Xiao Yan and Yu Tianming had exceptional eyesight and spotted it at once.
After the two went downstairs and opened it, both were slightly shaken.
It was signed: Xue Qinghe!
(I've been too busy and only just got free. The second chapter will be out within an hour.)
(End of chapter)