A Starfall Arrow

Outside the Angel Temple stood a training ground.

The ground was paved with solid slabs of bluestone.

Soul Power barriers surrounded it, strong enough to withstand attacks below the Soul Saint level.

Lin Yuan and Qian Renxue stood facing each other.

Twenty meters separated them.

Qian Daoliu and the other Revered Elders stood outside the grounds.

This sparring match had no audience.

But everyone present was a powerhouse standing at the pinnacle of the continent.

Qian Renxue looked at Lin Yuan.

"You have no Soul Rings, and neither do I."

"This match is fair."

Lin Yuan did not argue.

On the surface, it was indeed fair.

Both had divine-grade Martial Souls.

Neither had any Soul Rings, nor could they use Soul Skills.

But the Six-Winged Angel was a Beast Martial Soul.

After Martial Soul Possession, it could directly enhance Qian Renxue's speed, strength, and Soul Power.

The Imperial Bow, however, was a Tool Martial Soul.

Lin Yuan's body would receive no significant enhancement.

Once Qian Renxue closed in on him, he would have almost no chance of winning.

Still, an archer should never let an opponent get close in the first place.

Qian Daoliu glanced at the two of them.

"Begin."

His words fell.

Golden light blazed behind Qian Renxue.

The Six-Winged Angel instantly possessed her.

Three pairs of pure white wings spread fully, and golden Soul Power covered her entire body.

She pushed off and charged straight at Lin Yuan.

There was no probing.

Nor any hesitation.

The twenty-meter distance rapidly shrank.

Lin Yuan raised his left hand.

Starlight gathered.

The Imperial Bow appeared.

Rather than drawing the string immediately, he took a step back.

Qian Renxue was even faster than he had expected.

Fifteen meters.

Twelve meters.

Ten meters.

Only when just ten meters remained between them did Lin Yuan draw the bowstring.

A silver arrow of light condensed.

Qian Renxue had already closed in.

Lin Yuan released his fingers.

Thrum!

The silver arrow shot straight toward Qian Renxue's left shoulder.

Qian Renxue was ready.

She twisted aside to dodge, her steps never faltering.

The arrow of light skimmed past the wings behind her.

"Too slow."

Qian Renxue spoke.

Lin Yuan did not answer.

He turned and moved to the right, drawing the Imperial Bow again.

The second arrow appeared even faster.

He did not fully charge it.

Nor did he aim.

The instant he drew the bowstring, Lin Yuan released his fingers.

Silver light flew out.

Qian Renxue raised her hand, golden Soul Power gathering in her palm.

Bang!

She struck the arrow with her palm.

Starlight burst apart on the spot.

The impact briefly checked Qian Renxue's steps.

Lin Yuan seized the chance to widen the distance.

Standing outside the grounds, Light Feather Douluo gave a slight nod.

The first arrow had blocked off Qian Renxue's left side.

The second had not been meant to hurt her, but to interrupt her pursuit.

Lin Yuan had not devoted all his Soul Power to attacking.

He was controlling the distance.

These three days of training had clearly not gone to waste.

Qian Renxue realized this as well.

Lin Yuan's physique was inferior to hers.

So was his speed.

But as long as the distance remained, he would have a chance to shoot.

All six wings behind her beat at once.

A fierce wind swept across the training ground.

Lin Yuan's robes snapped in the wind, and his footing grew slightly unsteady.

Using the force generated by her beating wings, Qian Renxue accelerated again.

Her figure became a streak of golden light.

Ten meters.

Five meters.

Three meters.

Lin Yuan no longer had time to fire a fully formed arrow.

Qian Renxue raised her right hand.

Golden Soul Power gathered in her palm.

Rather than striking a vital point, she thrust her palm toward his shoulder.

Once this palm strike landed, Lin Yuan would lose his balance.

The battle would also end.

In Qian Renxue's eyes, the outcome was already decided.

Yet at that moment, Lin Yuan raised his head.

The sky was clear.

The blazing sun hung high.

Not a single star could be seen in the daylight.

But being unseen did not mean the stars did not exist.

The Imperial Bow suddenly trembled softly.

The Soul Power within Lin Yuan rapidly drained away.

An extremely thin ray of silver light pierced the clouds and fell upon the Imperial Bow.

It was faint.

Yet it carried a presence far beyond Soul Power.

Outside the grounds, Qian Daoliu abruptly looked up.

The smile on Guang Ling's face vanished in an instant as well.

"The power of the stars?"

Qian Renxue's palm had already descended.

Lin Yuan shifted half a step sideways.

The wind from her palm brushed past his shoulder.

They passed each other.

Lin Yuan turned.

Raised his bow.

Drew the string.

A wisp of starlight fell upon the bowstring, condensing into an almost transparent arrow.

Qian Renxue had barely steadied herself when a sense of danger suddenly rose within her.

She could not make out the arrow.

Yet she could feel that some force had already locked onto her.

Whether she went left or right.

Whether she advanced or retreated.

The arrow would catch up to her.

This pressure did not come from speed.

It was the Imperial Bow's own ability.

Lock onto its prey.

Pursue its target.

Until it struck.

Lin Yuan released his fingers.

Thrum!

The bowstring vibrated.

Silver light flashed and vanished.

Qian Renxue's pupils abruptly contracted.

She did not choose to dodge.

All six wings folded together, shielding her front.

Bang!

The star arrow struck her wings.

Golden Soul Power shook violently.

Qian Renxue retreated three steps.

Her feet scraped two trails across the bluestone ground.

Lin Yuan was not faring well either.

Merely borrowing a wisp of the stars' power had nearly drained all his remaining Soul Power.

His face rapidly paled.

His arms began to tremble as well.

But he did not lower the Imperial Bow.

Because the battle was not over yet.

Qian Renxue spread her wings.

She was about to attack again when a soft sound suddenly came from behind her.

Whoosh!

The first arrow she had dodged doubled back from behind.

Qian Renxue had no time to turn.

The arrow did not shoot toward the center of her back, but landed beside her feet.

Bang!

The bluestone exploded.

Stone fragments flew.

Qian Renxue instinctively closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, a bowstring condensed from starlight had already stopped before her face.

Less than an inch from the space between her brows.

Lin Yuan stood before her.

His face was pale.

Yet the hand gripping the Imperial Bow remained steady.

"You lost."

Silence filled the training ground.

Qian Renxue looked at the bowstring before her and said nothing.

She had indeed lost.

Lin Yuan's first arrow had not been a mistake.

That arrow had been left on the field from the very beginning.

The second arrow had cut off her pursuit.

The third arrow had forced her back.

When the star arrow knocked her back, the first arrow had returned from behind her.

An attack from front and rear.

Nowhere to retreat.

Had this not been a sparring match, the first arrow would not have been aimed at the ground.

It would have been aimed at the back of her heart.

Qian Daoliu had watched the entire battle with perfect clarity.

What truly drew his attention was not the final wisp of stellar power Lin Yuan had summoned.

It was that Lin Yuan had already been arranging the final outcome from his very first arrow.

At six years old.

In his first real fight against another person.

At a disadvantage in Soul Power, speed, and physique.

Yet he had used distance, arrows, and his opponent's judgment to mount a counterattack.

Such combat awareness was rarer than a victory.

"That's enough."

Qian Daoliu spoke.

Lin Yuan withdrew the Imperial Bow.

The starlight dispersed.

His body swayed.

Light Feather Douluo flashed to Lin Yuan's side and reached out to steady him.

Soul Power flowed into Lin Yuan's body.

Only after confirming that he had merely exhausted his Soul Power did Guang Ling relax.

"Why push yourself like that?"

His words were stern, but he could not suppress the smile on his face.

"You used up all your Soul Power just to fight a little girl without a Soul Ring."

Qian Renxue raised her head.

"A little girl?"

Guang Ling's expression stiffened.

"I didn't mean you."

Qian Renxue was the only girl on the training ground.

His words were not the least bit convincing.

Qian Renxue did not press him further.

She looked at Lin Yuan.

"What was that arrow just now?"

"Stellar power."

Lin Yuan did not conceal it.

"The Imperial Bow can borrow the power of the stars."

Qian Renxue glanced up at the sky.

"It's daytime."

"The stars are always there."

Lin Yuan said, "You just can't see them during the day."

Qian Renxue fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Why did the first arrow come back?"

"I can lock onto arrows fired by the Imperial Bow again."

"Can they keep tracking?"

"Not yet."

Lin Yuan said, "I don't have enough Soul Power. I can only change their direction once."

Qian Renxue nodded.

She was not angry over her defeat.

She simply committed every word Lin Yuan said to memory.

"Next time, I'll win."

She spoke earnestly.

Lin Yuan looked at her.

"I'll be waiting."

There was no mockery.

Nor was there any yielding.

For the first time, Qian Renxue truly remembered that name.

Lin Yuan.

Someone who possessed a god-tier Martial Soul, just like her.

And the first person her age to defeat her.

Qian Daoliu walked onto the training ground.

He looked at Qian Renxue first.

"Xiao Xue, you gained the upper hand just now because of the powerful enhancement provided by your Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, as well as your currently higher Soul Power Level and physical capabilities."

"But in terms of combat experience, you fall far short of him."

"Every dodge, counterattack, and change of move he made was extremely seasoned, with almost no wasted movements. Even when the power of your Martial Soul suppressed him head-on, he could still seize openings to counterattack."

"Moreover, the Imperial Bow surpasses even the Six-Winged Angel in quality. His cultivation is simply too low right now for him to truly unleash this Martial Soul's power."

"If your Soul Power were equal, with your current combat ability, you would be the one to lose."

Qian Renxue lowered her head.

"I understand."

From the start of the battle, she had been certain that she could win outright as long as she got close to Lin Yuan.

That judgment had not been wrong.

But she had overlooked the fact that Lin Yuan knew this too.

And so every arrow Lin Yuan fired had exploited her desire to close in.

Qian Daoliu turned to Lin Yuan.

"Your mastery of the Imperial Bow exceeded my expectations."

"But you shouldn't use that final arrow lightly."

Lin Yuan understood what he meant.

"I can only borrow a wisp of stellar power."

"Even a wisp is enough to draw others' attention."

Qian Daoliu said gravely, "Until you can protect yourself, don't use it in front of outsiders."

The Imperial Bow was already special enough.

Revealing its ability to summon the stars' power would only draw more prying eyes.

Lin Yuan nodded.

"I understand."

Qian Daoliu fell silent for a moment, then suddenly made a decision.

"From today onward, you will cultivate alongside Xiao Xue."

The expressions of the several worshippers outside the field shifted slightly.

Lin Yuan also raised his head.

Qian Daoliu continued, "Xiao Xue's status is special. She has had no playmates her age since childhood."

"You are close in age, and your Martial Souls are of the same quality. You can test what you learn against each other."

"From now on, you will stay by her side."

Lin Yuan understood Qian Daoliu's arrangement.

Making him Qian Renxue's playmate was merely the explanation on the surface.

The true purpose was to bring him into the core of the Worship Hall.

If someone with a god-tier Martial Soul could not be kept under control, he might become a future threat to Spirit Hall.

Qian Renxue was the most suitable link between the two sides.

Lin Yuan was not opposed to this.

He needed Soul Rings now.

He needed cultivation resources.

He also needed time to grow.

Spirit Hall could give him all of these.

Qian Renxue looked at Qian Daoliu.

"Grandpa, I don't need anyone to keep me company."

"He won't be keeping you company."

Qian Daoliu said, "He'll be cultivating alongside you."

Qian Renxue thought for a moment, then glanced at Lin Yuan again.

"He'll do."

Light Feather Douluo, however, was somewhat dissatisfied.

"He can cultivate with her."

"But Lin Yuan is still my disciple."

Qian Daoliu glanced at him.

"No one is trying to steal him from you."

"Good, then."

Guang Ling patted Lin Yuan's shoulder.

"Don't get smug just because you won once."

"Her Six-Winged Angel has a complete inheritance. Once she obtains her first Soul Ring, her strength will increase considerably."

Qian Renxue added, "I'll obtain my first Soul Ring before you do."

Lin Yuan looked at her.

"Not necessarily."

Qian Renxue raised her brows slightly.

"You want to compete with me?"

"Sure."

"Then let's see who becomes a Soul Master first."

"All right."

The two did not shake hands.

Nor did they say anything more.

But this new contest had already begun.

Qian Daoliu stood to the side without stopping them.

Geniuses did not fear competition.

They only feared having no worthy opponent to chase.

Qian Renxue had possessed a god-tier Martial Soul since childhood.

Everyone around her had told her that she was destined to stand at the pinnacle of the continent.

Her path had been far too smooth.

Lin Yuan's arrival could show her that a god-tier Martial Soul did not mean invincibility.

And for Lin Yuan, Qian Renxue was likewise the finest whetstone.

Qian Daoliu's gaze settled on Lin Yuan.

A god-tier Martial Soul.

Innate Full Soul Power.

The ability to summon the power of the stars.

And combat awareness far beyond his years.

As long as Lin Yuan did not die young, he would at least become a Peerless Douluo.

There was even a chance he could take that step.

Spirit Hall already had an heir to the Angel God.

If it gained another god's successor...

Qian Daoliu's gaze grew deep.

Then, no force on the Douluo Continent would be able to stand in Spirit Hall's way.

Qian Renxue had already turned to leave.

Before leaving the training grounds, she suddenly stopped.

"Lin Yuan."

"What is it?"

"We continue tomorrow."

Lin Yuan watched her retreating figure.

"All right."

Qian Renxue did not look back.

But she remembered today's defeat.

And she remembered that arrow that had fallen from the starry sky in broad daylight.

The Six-Winged Angel had encountered the Imperial Bow for the first time.

And the rivalry between the two had only just begun.

The night deepened.

After finishing a day of cultivation, Lin Yuan soon fell asleep.

Silence filled the Worship Hall.

Moonlight passed through the window and fell before the bed.

After an unknown length of time, Lin Yuan's consciousness suddenly sank.

When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in his room.

There was no ground around him.

Only a boundless sea of stars.

Stars flickered in the distance, and arrows of light streaked through the universe, pursuing something at the far end of the starry sky.

Lin Yuan looked up.

Deep within the galaxy, an enormous figure stood with his back to him.

He held a longbow, his body spanning the space between the stars.

His face could not be seen clearly.

Nor could any emotion be sensed.

Yet Lin Yuan recognized him.

The Aeon of the Hunt-Lan.

The next moment, that figure slowly drew his bowstring.

There was no arrow.

Only a will that crossed the sea of stars and descended upon Lin Yuan.

Cold.

Sharp.

And carrying an obsession that would never cease.

Pursue the target.

Lock onto the target.

Until it was utterly destroyed.

The Imperial Bow within Lin Yuan emerged on its own.

The bow trembled faintly, as though responding to that will.

A streak of starlight slipped free of Lan's bowstring.

It crossed the sea of stars and sank into the Imperial Bow.

Boom!

Lin Yuan's consciousness shook violently.

Countless unfamiliar images flashed through his mind.

Burning planets.

Shattered ships.

Arrow light spanning the galaxy.

And Abominations of Abundance pierced by arrows.

He wanted to see more clearly, but all the images vanished in an instant.

The sea of stars receded.

That enormous figure turned his head away again, continuing to pursue the presence of Abundance ahead.

From beginning to end, Lan had not spoken a single word to Lin Yuan.

The Hunt needed no words.

An arrow chosen by him would naturally understand where it should be fired.

Lin Yuan's eyes snapped open.

It was still the dead of night outside the window.

Nothing in the room had changed.

He sat up, breathing rapidly.

Everything that had just happened seemed like nothing more than a dream.

Until a bow's hum rang out.

Humm-

The Imperial Bow materialized on its own in the center of the room.

Starlight flowed slowly along the bow.

Immediately afterward, a Soul Ring emerged from the void and settled quietly over the Imperial Bow.

Lin Yuan's pupils contracted slightly.

He had not yet hunted a Soul Beast.

Much less absorbed a Soul Ring.

Yet at this moment, his First Soul Ring had already appeared.

The power contained within it far exceeded the limits a First Soul Ring should have had.

This was a gift from the Hunt.

It was also a Soul Ring unlike any that had ever appeared on the Douluo Continent.

The Soul Ring rotated slowly.

Its light illuminated Lin Yuan's face.

And at that moment, its true color was fully revealed.