After hearing Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong speak in turn, Qian Chen stopped being stubborn. His absorption of the God-Given Soul Ring gradually stopped. In the end, a Soul Ring bearing six golden markings, with an age of six hundred thousand years, appeared above his Angel Martial Soul.
Qian Chen examined it and found that this God-Given Soul Ring's Soul Skill was "Divine Light of Life."
Although the Soul Skill of the six-hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring he had risked his life for was still the same, casting Divine Light of Life now consumed less Soul Power, healed more effectively, and had a shorter cooldown.
"The effects of a six-hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring really are good," Qian Chen remarked.
Qian Renxue said from within his Sea of Consciousness, "Qian Chen, don't take such a risk again next time."
"All right, Xiao Xue," Qian Chen replied.
Hearing Qian Chen call her "Xiao Xue," Qian Renxue felt extraordinarily excited. Qian Chen looked like her father, and he called her by the same name her father and grandfather had used when she was little. It gave her a feeling of coming home.
Bibi Dong floated over to Qian Renxue, somewhat puzzled. She did not know why Qian Chen treated Qian Renxue so much better, yet always treated her so poorly.
Next, Qian Chen took out the second God-Given Soul Ring. Like the one with Divine Light of Life, its final age also reached six hundred thousand years.
Looking at his two scarlet Soul Rings, Qian Chen thought to himself, Now, if I don't want someone to die, they won't be able to die. He suddenly thought of Mu En and sighed inwardly. Teacher, although I now have a divine skill that can save you, you haven't taught me anything, passed the position of Sea God Pavilion Master to me, or helped me rebuild Spirit Hall. So, rest easy and go.
Qian Chen withdrew his Holy Angel Martial Soul, and the two scarlet Soul Rings sank completely into his body. Now, apart from Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, who lived in his Sea of Consciousness, no one knew these two Soul Rings existed.
The next day, Qian Chen sought out Bing Ling. Seeing Qian Chen arrive, Bing Ling said excitedly, "Big Brother, what brings you here? If you need anything, you only have to call me over."
"Mm, it's nothing major. Classes at the academy's outer court will start soon. I've already asked the academy to let me teach there. You'll be doing the same-come teach in the outer court with me. Next year, I'll get a child named Huo Yuhao into Shrek Academy. This child is very important to me, but I may go out hunting Evil Soul Masters, so I'll find a way to make you his homeroom teacher. Keep a close eye on him for me," Qian Chen said.
"Don't worry, Big Brother. I'll make sure to keep a good eye on this Huo Yuhao for you. There's just one thing I don't understand. I've already heard that you agreed to do three things for Mu En so you could be with Sister Lexuan. We can tell that Mu En doesn't have much time left. Why not wait until after he passes away to be with Sister Lexuan?" Bing Ling asked in confusion.
"Bing Ling, you don't understand. Lexuan owes Mu En a tremendous debt of gratitude. If she breaks off her engagement to Bei Bei and gets together with me after Mu En passes away, the world will think she betrayed her word and obligations once she saw that Mu En was dead. Although Bei Bei was the one who proposed ending the engagement, I don't want Lexuan to suffer even the slightest grievance or doubt," Qian Chen explained firmly.
In the blink of an eye, classes officially began in the outer court. As expected, thanks to her extremely formidable rank, exceptional practical combat experience, and outstanding beauty, Qian Guyi became the outer court's number one. She, Bei Bei, and Xu Sanshi were collectively known as the outer court's three combat elites, while she and Jiang Nannan were called its two beauties.
Time flowed by, and a year passed in the blink of an eye. At the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, Huo Yuhao sat alone inside the woodshed and took a deep breath. The rampaging Soul Power inside his body gradually settled. He said excitedly, "Finally... finally, rank ten! I can become a Soul Master now. Mom, I'll definitely avenge you!"
Sensing the fluctuation in Soul Power, Uncle Yang, whom Angel Mountain Manor had planted in the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, came to the woodshed door and asked, "Yuhao, how are you doing? Did you break through?"
Huo Yuhao looked at Uncle Yang, who had helped him all these years, and said, "Yes. Thank you, Uncle Yang. I've had your care to thank all these years."
Huo Yuhao continued, "Uncle Yang, I'm planning to leave the White Tiger Duke's Mansion and venture out into the world."
"Yuhao, what are your plans?" Uncle Yang asked.
"I'll go to the Star Dou Great Forest to get a Soul Ring first."
"All right. Stay safe, then." With that, Uncle Yang hurried away.
Three days later, Qian Chen received a secret letter from Angel Mountain Manor. Huo Yuhao had broken through to rank ten Soul Power and was now on his way to the Star Dou Great Forest.
Qian Chen was thoroughly puzzled. This son of destiny, Huo Yuhao, was already over eleven years old, yet he had only just reached rank ten Soul Power. He had no idea how the boy had gotten into Shrek Academy. Sigh, forget it. I'll find him first.
After his musings, Qian Chen sought out Bing Ling and handed over all the work he had on hand for him to handle.
At that very moment, a fluctuation in Soul Power emanated from a meditation cultivation room in Shrek Academy. Bei Bei stepped forward excitedly, took the hand of the girl who had just broken through, and said, "Teacher Xiao Ya, congratulations! You've broken through to rank thirty Soul Power so quickly!"
Tang Ya smiled faintly. Her cultivation speed over these four months had been like flying. She had actually jumped four ranks, one each month, surpassing even geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power. Tang Ya said smugly, "Of course! Who do you think I am? I'm the Tang Sect's sect master, so naturally I cultivate very quickly."
Up in the Divine Realm, Tang San watched all this with a dark expression. He had never imagined that Tang Ya's talent would be so poor. With the son of destiny Huo Yuhao's fortune about to erupt, Tang Ya had actually only just reached rank twenty-six. The two would have no chance to cross paths at all. Left with no choice, Tang San could only secretly send down Divine Power to help Tang Ya break through quickly, so she would head to the Star Dou Great Forest and cross paths with the son of destiny, Huo Yuhao. Once everything was done, Tang San muttered angrily to himself, "Trash, trash! It's only a breakthrough to rank thirty, yet I still had to intervene. Hmph, if it weren't to keep the Tang Sect's legacy from dying out, this piece of trash would have died long ago!"
While Tang San was doing something that violated the Divine Realm's rules, an inconspicuous divine official nearby saw it all and committed it to memory. After finishing his shift, he quietly passed along the evidence of Tang San's violation.
"Bei Bei, since I've already broken through to rank thirty, come with me to hunt for my third Soul Ring," Tang Ya said gently.
"Of course. Xiao Ya, the Soul Ring you need is only from a thousand-year Soul Beast. I can defeat one easily now," Bei Bei said confidently.
"Good. Let's set out as soon as possible, then," Tang Ya said urgently. She kept feeling as though something was urging her on, insisting that she hurry to the Star Dou Great Forest.
After secretly leaving the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, Huo Yuhao first went to pay his respects to his mother, Huo Yun'er, then set off with all his belongings. He stumbled along the way, walking and stopping by turns. As this was his first time traveling far from home, he took the wrong road several times.
In the blink of an eye, several days had passed since Huo Yuhao left the White Tiger Duke's Mansion. With so little money, he struggled even to get enough to eat, let alone stay at an inn. After several days, he already stank.
Suddenly, the rushing sound of flowing water reached him. There's a river up ahead! Huo Yuhao quickened his pace excitedly. Reaching the riverbank, he hurriedly drank a few mouthfuls of the cool, clear river water, then washed himself from head to toe. Next, relying on the extremely keen eyesight of his Spirit Eyes Martial Soul, he made a fishing spear from a branch beside the river and successfully speared several fish of varying sizes.
Huo Yuhao swallowed. He had not eaten meat in so long. He hurriedly cleaned the fish, skewered them on forked branches, and began roasting them.
Before long, the fish gradually cooked through, crisp outside and tender inside, and their fragrance slowly drifted out.
Suddenly, a voice rang out. "Yuhao, you've roasted those fish well. They smell wonderful."