Qian Renxue was still disguised as Xue Qinghe, and walked slowly and calmly into the courtyard.
Her pace was neither fast nor slow, each step exuding Imperial Family poise and elegance, a habit ingrained from her childhood training in court etiquette.
She walked to the old plum tree and stopped three steps away from the Soul Division Martial Soul.
She looked at the pitch-black humanoid Martial Soul in the courtyard, a strange look appearing in her eyes, like a collector seeing a rare artifact they had never seen before.
A faint golden light appeared in Qian Renxue's eyes, a unique phenomenon that appeared when the Angel God Martial Soul was activated.
A golden flame seemed to ignite deep within his pupils; the flame was not dazzling, but it carried an aura of majesty that made people involuntarily want to bow their heads.
She focused that wisp of Angel God in her eyes and probed towards Xiao Yan's Clone Martial Soul.
The Angel God's perception is different from that of ordinary Soul Power Soul Master.
It is a power close to that of God Level, capable of seeing through all illusions and pretenses, and seeing through the most fundamental composition of energy bodies.
Faced with this level of detection, even the concealment techniques of Titled Douluo are rendered useless.
Xiao Yan could clearly feel an inexplicable, sacred aura enveloping him, an aura unlike any other Titled Douluo's.
It is purer and more vast, as if some being far beyond the mundane has cast its gaze upon it.
Before that gaze, he felt as if he were being peeled away layer by layer, from the most superficial energy form to the deepest Soul Origin, each layer clearly penetrated by that power.
The Soul Division Martial Soul trembled slightly involuntarily. It was not fear, but the instinctive awe of the Soul Origin when facing a higher level of power.
This inexplicable and mysterious aura of pressure suddenly evoked a sense of familiarity in Xiao Yan's heart.
His pupils contracted slightly for a moment, as if struck by lightning, illuminating a long-forgotten memory.
This is...
A deep sense of shock welled up in Xiao Yan's heart.
The next moment, he suddenly remembered the time when he was still in the Spirit Hall.
That was to open up an extremely secluded cultivation space for him and the younger generation of the Spirit Hall.
There, Xiao Yan sensed an aura that he would never forget.
That aura was extremely vast and sacred, as if it did not belong to any Soul Master in this world, or even to any Titled Douluo.
That aura was hidden deep within the secret realm, suppressed by countless seals, but even through the seals, he could still sense how terrifying the power contained within it was.
Back then, in that secret realm, he had tentatively tried to approach the source of that aura.
But he had only taken a few steps when he was bounced back by an invisible barrier. The barrier was extremely sturdy, and with his cultivation level at the time, he couldn't budge it in the slightest.
But in the instant he was repelled, he clearly sensed the fundamental nature of the power behind the barrier—sacred, vast, and transcendent.
That is the realm of God.
In Xiao Yan's initial assessment, he suspected that what lay deep within was... a god!
Later, after consulting numerous ancient texts in the Spirit Hall's library, he gradually settled on a name— Angel God.
The Angel God enshrined in the Spirit Hall is the legendary source of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, the true foundation of the Spirit Hall, and the object that Qian Daoliu has protected throughout his life.
And now, Qian Renxue felt that familiar, vast pressure emanating from her.
Although it was infinitely weaker, its sacred essence was exactly the same as the aura deep within the secret realm.
A certain guess immediately surfaced in Xiao Yan's mind.
The deity enshrined deep within that secret realm is likely the Angel God passed down by the Spirit Hall.
As Qian Renxue's granddaughter and the inheritor of the Qian Daoliu -Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, she possesses the favor of the Angel God.
Or rather, the legacy of the Angel God is slowly awakening within her.
In an instant, Xiao Yan locked onto this guess in his mind.
A storm raged within him.
God, a word that only existed in legends on the Douluo Continent, actually exists.
At that moment, he seemed to understand the deeper level of the struggle within the Spirit Hall, which involved a war of gods!
Now I finally understand why Qian Daoliu had a Titled Douluo guarding Qian Renxue's side every step of the way.
"What an eerie atmosphere."
Qian Renxue withdrew her gaze from the Soul Division Martial Soul, and the golden light in her eyes slowly faded.
A look of surprise appeared on her face.
Even with the detection properties of the Angel God Martial Soul, she still couldn't completely see through the strange black shadow in front of her.
The core of the Soul Division Martial Soul, that wisp of origin from the depths of Xiao Yan's soul—remained like a fog under her Angel God sense, unclear and unfathomable.
She could sense the presence of that Soul Origin, but she couldn't decipher its composition.
It's like looking at a lamp through frosted glass; you know the light is there, but you can't see the shape of the flame.
"Your Highness, it's been a long time."
Xiao Yan did not hide his intentions.
He came here to reveal his identity. Qian Renxue had already used her Angel God sense to investigate him. Hiding himself would only make him seem petty.
Seeing Qian Renxue standing under the old plum tree not far away, he immediately spoke, reverting to his original voice.
The voice emanated from the body of the Soul Division Martial Soul, carrying a slightly deep and hoarse tone, but it was still clearly recognizable as Xiao Yan's voice.
" Xiao Yan!?"
Upon hearing this voice, Qian Renxue's face revealed a genuine and undisguised look of surprise.
She tilted her head slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
She had no idea that the eerie black figure who could easily evade the layers of guards in her mansion was actually Xiao Yan.
Elder Pufferfish had been watching Xiao Yan closely, also experienced a violent fluctuation in his aura, and a very faint sound of something shattering came from the side room.
None of them expected Xiao Yan to appear here.
After all, the Spirit Hall's wanted posters were plastered all over the continent, Bibi Dong had raised the level of pursuit for him to the highest level. Everyone thought that Xiao Yan should be hiding in the most remote corner of the continent at this moment, not daring to show himself easily.
Who would have thought that instead of hiding, he would swagger into the residence of the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire?
"Wow, that's really rare."
After recovering from her brief surprise and recognizing Xiao Yan's identity, Qian Renxue revealed a half-smile on her face.
She extended her long, slender, white fingers and gently waved them towards the side room. The movement was elegant and casual, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.
Elder Pufferfish hesitated for a moment. He instinctively felt that it was extremely unwise to let Xiao Yan, the Spirit Hall's number one wanted criminal, be alone with the young master, but he dared not disobey Qian Renxue's order.
After careful consideration, the oppressive aura unique to Titled Douluo that had enveloped Xiao Yan finally dissipated completely.
However, before leaving, Elder Pufferfish couldn't help but take another look at Xiao Yan's strange Martial Soul in surprise.
That glance contained wariness, scrutiny, and a hint of the barely suppressed curiosity Titled Douluo could feel when facing an unknown power.
He had protected Qian Renxue for so many years and had seen countless strange and wonderful Martial Soul and Soul Skill, but he had never seen a clone like this before, which could solidify into a form without any Soul Power fluctuations.
Once Elder Pufferfish's aura had completely disappeared into the depths of the side room, Qian Renxue finally turned her gaze back to Xiao Yan.
She dropped her princely demeanor, replacing it with a more relaxed and intimate expression.
She reached up and untied the white jade crown that was binding her head, letting her long hair fall loosely over her shoulders, and then casually tossed it aside.
This action made her look several years younger.
"I thought you'd spend a few more days cuddling with that little girl, Zhu Zhuqing."
You've been back for so long, with so many things waiting for you in the Dark Hall, yet you have the leisure to come here to me.
"What, did Zhu Zhuqing kick you out?"
Qian Renxue walked to a spot not far from Xiao Yan, reached out and gently brushed her hand behind her ear, removing a mask as thin as a cicada's wing from her face, revealing her true appearance.
It was a face so exquisite it was breathtaking.
Her eyebrows were like distant mountains shrouded in mist, her eyes like autumn waters still on the surface, her nose straight as a jade carving, and her lips naturally red without any lipstick.
Her long, golden hair shone like flowing gold in the moonlight, each strand gleaming with a soft luster.
Her eyes were a very pale gold, with a faint, divine light flowing deep within her pupils—the unique eye color of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul.
This caused a complete transformation in her demeanor in that instant.
She transformed from a gentle and refined imperial prince into a woman with a cool demeanor and unparalleled beauty.
A sly smile played on his lips as he gave Xiao Yan a half-smile, his tone laced with undisguised teasing.
Despite Qian Renxue's teasing, Xiao Yan remained expressionless.
On one hand, he wasn't someone who was easily teased; on the other hand, his Clone Martial Soul was entirely black, so even if there were any changes in his expression, Qian Renxue wouldn't be able to tell.
He simply stood quietly under the old plum tree, arms crossed, responding to Qian Renxue's teasing with silence.
Qian Renxue didn't continue teasing him.
She pointed to the stone table under the plum tree, gesturing for Xiao Yan to follow her.
The two walked to a stone table and sat down.
She crossed her hands, her long, slender fingers interlaced, her chin resting gently on the back of her fingers, her golden eyes scrutinizing Xiao Yan's strange Martial Soul with great interest.
"A single sword reigns supreme, battling three Titled Douluo."
You shattered the dome of the Pope's Palace with a single sword strike, and you severed several of Bibi Dong's Spider Spear with a single blow.
Even Yue Guan and Gui Mei's Martial Soul Avatar were forced back to their original forms by your sword.
When news of the battle at Spirit City reached Heaven Dou City, the entire palace was in an uproar.
The ministers rushed to the palace that very night to meet the emperor, all speculating about the identity of that mysterious powerful figure.
Your fame now resounds throughout the entire Douluo Continent.
"You appear before me, aren't you afraid I'll capture you and take you back to the Spirit Hall?"
Xiao Yan sat down opposite Qian Renxue, his Soul Division Martial Soul's form swaying slightly on the stone bench.
Hearing Qian Renxue's words, he shook his head and ignored Qian Renxue teasing.
He didn't come here today to argue with Qian Renxue.
"I must thank Your Highness for taking care of Zhu Zhuqing and the Dark Hall during this time."
Xiao Yan's voice was steady and sincere, without any unnecessary formalities; he simply expressed his gratitude in a straightforward manner.
He never said many nice words in front of Qian Renxue, because Qian Renxue was smart enough to distinguish between the truth and false flattery.
Qian Renxue nodded noncommittally.
She knew Xiao Yan wasn't just being polite. Her decision to help Zhu Zhuqing and the Dark Hall wasn't based on any grand friendship.
She initially helped Xiao Yan and Zhu Zhuqing hide their whereabouts in Heaven Dou City simply because she was interested in Xiao Yan's Twin Martial Souls and wanted to see how far this young man could go.
But Xiao Yan's performance in Spirit City later far exceeded her expectations.
Not only did he not perish while being hunted down by Bibi Dong, but he became even more courageous in the face of setbacks and eventually shone brightly in the Soul Master Tournament.
After Zhu Zhuqing's Martial Soul evolved from the Hell Spirit Cat to the Serene Moon Love Shadow Cat, her talent far surpassed that of her peers, and her cultivation speed approached that of Titled Douluo.
Qian Renxue astutely judged that these two people would inevitably become important forces influencing the continent's political landscape in the future.
Of course, the main reasons are not limited to this.
When she was with Xiao Yan and Zhu Zhuqing, Qian Renxue was able to feel a rare moment of relaxation.
The people of the Spirit Hall only felt awe towards him—the elders of the Worship Hall were outwardly respectful to him, but everyone did so because of Qian Daoliu.
Even the Porcupinefish Douluo had always been by his side was ultimately only doing so because he was in the Worship Hall and was being ordered around by his grandfather.
Only Xiao Yan and Zhu Zhuqing were different. They knew her true identity, but they neither revered her like the people of the Spirit Hall nor fawned over her like the people of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
When Xiao Yan addressed her as "Your Highness," there was no servility or flattery in his tone; he was simply stating a fact.
This kind of equal relationship is something only the two of them can give her on the entire continent.
This is also why Qian Renxue has always been willing to help the two of them.
"You wouldn't come here without a reason. Speak, what is it?"
Qian Renxue gathered her thoughts, her gaze falling on Xiao Yan, and spoke softly.
She reached out and picked up the teacup on the stone table, gently stirring the tea leaves floating on the surface with the lid.
Xiao Yan came to see her using his Clone Martial Soul; she didn't believe it was just to say a simple thank you.
She knew Xiao Yan's style of doing things all too well; he wasn't the kind of person who would waste time on formalities.
Since he came, he must need her help with something.