Training Qian Renxue

Back in Qian Renxue's room, Jiang Nian patted the little girl on the shoulder.

"All right, get down now. This is our first meeting as master and disciple, after all. What's with all the crying?"

"No! If I let go, you'll leave, Teacher."

Why would I leave...? Jiang Nian knew Qian Renxue had been frightened by being abandoned again and again.

"If you keep this up, how will you know what your teacher looks like? Are you going to go with just anyone who picks you up from now on?"

"No, I'm not!"

Qian Renxue cautiously looked up and saw a young-looking man with a head of white hair. He was better-looking than anyone she had ever seen.

Reluctantly, she left Jiang Nian's arms and bowed. "Greetings, Teacher," Xue'er said in her childish voice.

"Good girl, Xue'er." Jiang Nian took out a Storage Ring and handed it to her. "This is my gift to you for our first meeting. There are quite a few Dou Techniques and healing pills inside. You'll find them useful in the future."

"Dou Techniques? What are those?"

"Skills you can use without Soul Rings. It won't hurt you to practice them."

Jiang Nian stood up straight. "I should introduce myself too. Otherwise, if someone asks who your teacher is, you won't know what to say."

Qian Renxue shook her head. "Xue'er knows! If anyone asks who my teacher is, I'll tell them my teacher is the most handsome person in the whole world!"

That little mouth of hers is sweet enough to melt my heart... Jiang Nian ruffled her hair. "Listen closely. My name is Jiang Nian, a rank 99 Limit Douluo. My martial soul is the Emperor Flame."

"Besides that, I know a little about refining pills and a few fighting skills. Don't be afraid when you run into trouble in the future. Your teacher will back you up."

Qian Renxue's eyes went wide, and her little mouth formed an O.

Rank 99!

The person who had given her hope and a chance to escape the name of good-for-nothing was actually a Limit Douluo!

Qian Renxue's eyes were full of admiration. She didn't actually know that Qian Daoliu was also a Limit Douluo. She only knew from Spirit Hall's records that Limit Douluo stood at the pinnacle of Soul Masters.

But after that admiration came a gnawing fear of losing him. "Teacher... you won't stop wanting Xue'er one day too, will you?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Because Xue'er has poor talent, and Xue'er has nothing. I can't even give you a gift to become your disciple."

Qian Renxue's voice caught, and the sight made Jiang Nian's heart ache.

As the person who had put Qian Renxue in such dire straits, Jiang Nian felt a rare sliver of guilt.

He crouched down and gently wiped away Qian Renxue's tears. "Xue'er herself is the best gift a teacher could ask for. Be good and don't cry, or you'll turn into a little cat with a tear-streaked face."

Qian Renxue threw her arms around Jiang Nian's neck. "Xue'er won't cry. Xue'er will listen to Master and work hard at cultivation!"

This child has been abandoned so many times. If I leave halfway through teaching her, won't she turn dark on the spot?

Jiang Nian had originally planned to leave Qian Renxue to her own devices once he had guided her to the Soul Elder rank. Now it seemed that wouldn't do.

Only after Qian Renxue had calmed down did Jiang Nian have her sit cross-legged on the bed.

Now that he had a physical body, he could also carefully examine how compatible Qian Renxue was with the Flame Mantra.

The Flame Mantra needed to absorb Heavenly Flames to evolve, but this world had no Heavenly Flames. At the time, Jiang Nian had simply thought that Qian Renxue was bound to absorb a fire-element Soul Ring eventually, though he didn't know whether that would allow the Flame Mantra to evolve.

As if aware of Jiang Nian's doubts,

a panel belonging to Qian Renxue popped up.

[Target: Qian Renxue]

[Soul Power Level: Rank 8 (Soul Scholar)]

[Template: Seraphim (unlock progress: 2%)]

[Note: the Seraphim template must absorb a fire Soul Ring to break through to 10%]

[Current disposition toward host: dependent]

[Cultivation technique: Flame Mantra (modified to suit the current world; compatibility: 99%)]

[Dou Techniques: none]

Only then did Jiang Nian set his mind at ease. Sure enough, the Seraphim template was the best match for the Flame Mantra. Next, he needed to guide Qian Renxue in her cultivation.

"All right, Xue'er, you can open your eyes now." Jiang Nian withdrew his hand. "Your cultivation technique is circulating smoothly, and your body is in excellent condition. It's just that ordinary training can no longer push you past your current physical limits."

Qian Renxue opened her eyes in confusion. "Then what should I do? Can I absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring now?"

"You're still a long way off. Did you think a Thousand-Year Soul Ring was that easy to absorb?" Jiang Nian gave her nose a little flick. "Show your teacher around Suotuo City today, and tomorrow I'll take you out to train."

Qian Renxue jumped off the bed in excitement, grabbed Jiang Nian's hand, and pulled him outside.

Until now, she had never gone out shopping with anyone.

Her mother didn't like her, and her grandfather stayed in the Worship Hall all the time without going out. At Spirit Hall, all she did every day was meditate.

Naturally, she was delighted that Jiang Nian could take her out to have fun.

In truth, Jiang Nian wanted to get out and walk around even more than Qian Renxue did. After spending six whole years in the mental space, he had finally gained his freedom, and he was more eager than anyone to stretch his limbs.

It had to be said that the Douluo Continent had a strong exotic flavor.

The girls on the streets wore very revealing clothes. This was supposedly a feudal society ruled by a church and an imperial throne, yet it was even more open than Blue Star in Jiang Nian's previous life.

The classic feudal ancients thought modern people were still too feudal.

No wonder Zhu Zhuqing ran around in black stockings when she was barely in her teens, and Ning Rongrong went out in a skirt barely long enough to cover her crotch. That was simply how society was here.

Qian Renxue led Jiang Nian around and recommended everything she thought was delicious, only for them to discover when it was time to buy something that neither of them had any money.

Jiang Nian had only just arrived in the world of Douluo Continent, with nothing but Yao Chen's inheritance to his name.

Qian Renxue was only a child. Ling Yuan had been there to pay for her before, but once Ling Yuan left, Qian Renxue went straight from riches to rags.

Qian Renxue stopped in the street, dejected. "Teacher, Xue'er is so useless. I don't have a single Gold Soul Coin."

"It's not your fault. Just looking at the scenery on these streets is enough."

Jiang Nian smiled, his gaze wandering over the pairs of long, pale legs hurrying past.

This Suotuo City, these Douluo thighs-they're so white, so slender...

At noon, Jiang Nian took Qian Renxue back to the Spirit Hall branch.

Pang Dun came forward with an ingratiating smile. "Greetings, Your Eminence. Lunch is ready. Please dine with the young lady."

Qian Renxue insisted on sitting next to Jiang Nian, and the branch's Soul Masters didn't dare disturb him during lunch.

Those nine Soul Rings of different colors, some of them colors they had never even heard of, had left them deeply shaken. Never mind asking about Jiang Nian's identity-even looking at him put them under enormous pressure.

Someone went to Pang Dun. "Deacon, should we report this to headquarters?"

"You might have a death wish, but I'd like to live a few more years!" Pang Dun snapped. "That's a Titled Douluo. If he really meant the young lady harm, would he need to be so kind? As long as he's no threat to her, we can just turn a blind eye."

"If we report it and upset the Titled Douluo, even if headquarters sends someone, we still won't escape death at this mysterious expert's hands!"

"Besides, you saw Elder Ling Yuan's attitude before she left. The higher-ups have probably already given up on this young lady. As long as we don't mistreat her, what could happen? Do you really think the few of us could snatch her back from a Titled Douluo?"

Every word of their conversation reached Jiang Nian's ears.

At least those fellows know what's good for them. He didn't want to attract Spirit Hall's attention.

Although he had inherited Yao Chen's template and possessed the Ancient Emperor's body granted by the system, he wouldn't claim to be invincible across the Douluo Continent. At the very least, though, before a god appeared, no one would dare claim they could kill him.

But if Spirit Hall really set its sights on him, that would still be troublesome.

In the afternoon, Jiang Nian instructed Qian Renxue on the rhythm of her breathing, and the day passed just like that.

After dinner, Jiang Nian returned to the room Spirit Hall had arranged for him and went to sleep.

Unexpectedly, he had barely lain down when someone knocked on the door.

With the slightest attempt to sense who it was, Jiang Nian knew Qian Renxue was outside. "Xue'er? What is it?"

"Teacher, Xue'er is afraid of the dark. I want to sleep with you."

Afraid of the dark? Girl, do you know I've been watching you for six years? How come I didn't know you were afraid of the dark?