"Mr. Su, are you nearly twenty years old?" After a slightly awkward silence, Qian Renxue asked.
"Hehe, I'm eighteen," Su Cheng replied.
She nodded politely and smiled, "I still have three months until I turn ten. Today, meeting a talent like Mr. Su is rare. I'd like to ask for your guidance."
Upon hearing this, Su Cheng immediately realized what was going on.
This was a challenge, she wanted to spar.
But it suits me just fine.
"Well, a little guidance wouldn't hurt," Su Cheng said lightly. "But which elder's descendant are you? I don't recall seeing you in the Soul City before."
Seeing him speak so bluntly, Qian Renxue's youthful face flashed with a fleeting anger.
"I've only just returned to the Soul City these past few days, so it's normal you haven't seen me. I heard from Bibi Dong that Mr. Su hasn't agreed to join the Hall of Souls yet. I wonder if Mr. Su dares to make a bet with me?"
"What's the bet?" Su Cheng asked.
At this point, Qian Renxue wasn't afraid to reveal her Angelic Soul for the sake of this bet, because Su Cheng couldn't win anyway. Plus, she wanted to impress him further and seize the opportunity to recruit Su Cheng.
Qian Renxue could sense the hidden arrogance and pride in the man standing opposite her, but his abilities were unquestionable. Regardless of his personality, if she could recruit him, he would be of great use in the future.
The more arrogant someone like him, who was nearly ten years older than herself, was easily defeated by her, the more he would psychologically lower himself.
Su Cheng didn't refuse.
He didn't even mention what would happen if he won the bet.
He simply asked, "Where shall we spar?"
Seeing him being so tactful, Qian Renxue subconsciously thought that Su Cheng was trying to find a way to join the Hall of Souls. She believed his words were just a ploy to increase his value.
Throughout their previous conversation, Qian Renxue had never had the initiative to control the rhythm. She was always suppressed by Su Cheng's verbal attacks.
Now, seeing him seemingly showing signs of submission, her restless emotions relaxed slightly.
Even considering whether to go easy later on. After all, the other side would probably become my subordinate in the future, so it wouldn't be nice to be too harsh.
"Maybe I could just give him a nominal teacher-student relationship," Qian Renxue thought to herself, her expression softening.
After all, those elders in the Hall of Worship had all taught her something. Besides, she had plenty of teachers since childhood.
"There's a special martial arts field outside the Hall of Worship for practicing soul skills. Mr. Su, follow me," she said, turning and leaving the library.
Su Cheng followed suit.
[Side Quest Obtained: Defeat Qian Renxue and completely subdue her.
Quest Reward: Martial Soul Talent Domain. (Settled after completing all main quests)]
Meanwhile, inside the Hall of Worship.
Golden Crocodile Douluo looked at the tall figure beside him. "Big Brother, Little Snow has gone to meet that kid."
Qian Daoliu didn't speak, but nodded, his eyes shimmering with a faint golden light, seemingly piercing through the Hall of Worship to gaze into the distant library.
...
On a martial arts field in the Soul City, Su Cheng and Qian Renxue faced each other.
He naturally couldn't sense Qian Daoliu observing from the shadows, but he had a rough idea.
Even if they didn't meet today, that ninety-nine level limit Douluo wouldn't be completely indifferent to his granddaughter.
Wanting to take Qian Renxue as a disciple definitely wouldn't bypass him.
With that person's personality, for the sake of his granddaughter and the Hall of Souls, many things could be compromised with Bibi Dong, but if it involved his granddaughter, he would definitely fight tooth and nail.
As a Level 20 innate soul master, the hope of the Qian Family's future, and Qian Daoliu, the guardian of the Angel God, how could he not care?
Previously, voluntarily relinquishing power and not wanting to clash with Bibi Dong didn't mean he had no control over the Hall of Souls. On the contrary, the Hall of Worship, gathering all the top combat power of the Hall of Souls, could be said to have his eyes everywhere in the Soul City.
Under the watchful gaze of two pairs of eyes in the shadows, the battle between Su Cheng and Qian Renxue began.
A dazzling golden light shone from Qian Renxue's body, starting from her forehead and instantly spreading all over her body.
Two yellow and one purple soul rings appeared.
Qian Renxue, who was not yet ten years old, had already reached the cultivation level of a Soul Elder of over level thirty.
But the transformation wasn't over yet.
As the soul rings appeared, her hair also emitted golden light, a pair of pure white wings spread out from her back, and her body slowly rose into the air, hovering one foot above the ground.
At the same time, a huge shadow with an indistinguishable face appeared behind her, the only difference from her main body being the number of wings, which had become three pairs, totaling six.
A Six-winged Angelic Martial Soul!
Compared to the flashy scene when Qian Renxue used her Martial Soul, Su Cheng seemed much more plain.
He held a cracked long sword in his right palm, with two soul rings, one yellow and one purple, wrapped around it.
Quietly, he activated a soul skill.
"First Soul Skill: Resilience."
This soul skill was derived from the Armor Beast of the year 630, with a simple effect: it significantly increased the toughness of his Martial Soul Broken Sword.
However, as he continued to develop, this soul skill not only enhanced the Broken Sword but also increased his own defense, especially in terms of flexibility, allowing him to dissipate a large amount of damage through shockwaves.
Of course, the changes in his Martial Soul couldn't escape Qian Renxue's eyes.
"Enhancing self-strengthening soul skills?" Her eyebrows raised slightly, somewhat skeptical.
But she wasted no time in action.
The second soul ring lit up, and a golden tail flame trailed behind Qian Renxue as she flew towards Su Cheng like a meteor.
The dazzling golden light, combined with the golden light behind her, burst forth simultaneously, bringing a powerful and sacred pressure in an instant.
The speed was so fast, it almost exceeded the limit of Su Cheng's dynamic vision.
The gap in their cultivation levels was still too great.
Su Cheng made no unnecessary moves, nor did he foolishly engage in a head-on attack.
His footsteps shifted lightly, his knees slightly bent.
Adopting a stance, he slowly but actually quickly raised his sword with his right hand, assuming a defensive posture.
This was the basic sword technique he had practiced millions of times—a sword stance.
At this moment, Qian Renxue's attack also arrived.
With the first soul ring lighting up, a golden halo condensed around her right fist. The rich golden light resembled a massive shield, as she threw a punch straight towards Su Cheng.
However, this strike was blocked by the sword he had raised.
But this time, Su Cheng's defense seemed to be struggling a bit. His right foot sank into the ground, and his left foot took a step back.
His slightly bent knee sank even further under the pressure of the immense force.
Not only that, but he also felt the unique nature of Qian Renxue's soul power.
During the collision impact, a warmth flowed into his body along with the exchange of Martial Souls between the two. His own soul power actually showed signs of melting slightly in this warm and sacred atmosphere, further suppressed and unable to resist with full strength.
You could only say she truly deserved the title of a Super Martial Soul.
But Su Cheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as he could successfully block the first strike, he had already won half of this match!