Night, the sky full of stars.
Great Qian Dynasty, outside Tianjue City, a desolate expanse ten miles wide.
A young man and woman stood facing each other, their affection deep and enduring.
The girl's skin was smooth and fair like cream, with full and soft breasts, a tall and straight nose, and slightly pursed red lips, the very image of a stunning beauty in the making.
Mu Yunlan!
The undisputed pride of Tianjue City, favored by the heavens.
At nine, she had successfully drawn spiritual energy into her body, officially entering the Tempering Body Realm.
Having just turned fourteen, she had begun the preliminary refining of her Soul Palace and sensed the calling of a Heavenly Soul, preparing to awaken her Heavenly Martial Soul and become a Heavenly Soul Warrior!
Opposite the girl was the current Young Master of the Qin Residence in Tianjue City—Qin Qing.
"Lan'er," Qin Qing looked at Mu Yunlan with deep affection.
"Big Brother Qing, thank you for waiting for me for three years!" Mu Yunlan said softly.
Qin Qing chuckled indulgently and lovingly stroked Mu Yunlan's fine hair.
In Tianjue City, Mu Yunlan was recognized as the favored daughter of heaven, but no one knew that Qin Qing's martial arts talent even surpassed hers.
Three years ago, Qin Qing had already sensed the call of a Heavenly Soul.
But after he told Mu Yunlan, she confessed that she hoped they could awaken their Heavenly Souls on the same day, and asked Qin Qing to wait for her…
Qin Qing loved Mu Yunlan deeply and without much thought, he agreed.
That agreement meant three years...
In these three years, a lot happened.
Yet Qin Qing harbored no complaints; he kept his secret close, even though he faced scorn and disdain from others, never revealing it.
"It's fine. Lan'er, you said you hoped we could awaken our Heavenly Souls on the same day, so that our feelings for each other would be forever etched in memory! In the future... no matter what realms we cultivate to, we will always remember this day!"
"So... I willingly waited these three years!"
"Big Brother Qing, you're so kind. Let's begin then!" Mu Yunlan nodded gently, her eyes filled with deep emotion.
"Okay!" Qin Qing nodded cheerfully and then sat down to the side, looking up at the brilliant starry sky.
In this moment, Qin Qing's entire being was utterly immersed in the endless galaxy above.
For three years, he had keenly felt the calling of the Heavenly Soul from the depths of the Milky Way, and now, he finally relaxed his mind completely to sense the existence of the Heavenly Soul.
Suddenly, Qin Qing felt a mysterious and profound power burst forth from the boundless stars above the firmament.
As if by an invisible law, a connection was forged between his Soul Palace and the endless galaxy!
"Aooo..."
All of a sudden, a long roar erupted.
The starry river surged, the starlight boiling furiously.
An Azure Dragon soared out from the depths of the galaxy, manifesting among the stars!
At the same time, behind Qin Qing's head, a lifelike Azure Dragon appeared as well, with starlight converging into rings above the dragon, six Star Rings in total.
"Sixth Rank Martial Soul—Azure Dragon? Is this my Heavenly Martial Soul?"
The Azure Dragon, also known as the Flood Dragon, though not a true Ancient Divine Dragon, still carried the bloodline of a Divine Dragon.
Qin Qing couldn't help but be overjoyed and turned his gaze towards Mu Yunlan.
At this moment, Mu Yunlan's Heavenly Martial Soul was also gradually manifesting!
Her Martial Soul was a large bird, resembling the Vermilion Bird, yet it wasn't the color of Vermilion Bird, but completely black instead, like ink, seemingly staining the surrounding void with wisps of black mist!
Then, on this Dark Sparrow, six Star Rings also condensed!
A Sixth Rank Martial Soul as well!
"Haha... fantastic! Lan'er! We awoke our Heavenly Martial Souls on the same day, and both our Martial Souls are of the Sixth Rank!"
"This must be fate..."
Suddenly, Qin Qing's voice came to a sharp halt.
A trace of pain crossed Qin Qing's face.
In the galaxy, the Dark Sparrow abruptly sprung into action, attacking the Azure Dragon.
At the same time, on the Jade Token Qin Qing wore on his chest, nine dark lights suddenly emerged.
These nine dark lights shot straight into Qin Qing's mind.
"Ah..."
A pain that reached the very soul instantly invaded Qin Qing's mind.
Heaven and earth spun.
At the next moment—the Dark Sparrow opened its large mouth, aiming to swallow the Flood Dragon.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
In Qin Qing's mind, it felt as if heaven and earth were shattering.
"No... my Soul Palace!"
Qin Qing despaired, realizing that his Soul Palace was in the process of complete destruction!
The Soul Palace was where the Heavenly Martial Soul was nurtured.
When Martial Artists in the Tempering Body Realm entered the Seventh Level, they would begin to temper their Soul Palace. Once successful, they would have the opportunity to respond to the call of the Heavenly Soul and awaken their Martial Soul.
A Soul Palace that could not sense the Heavenly Soul was called an Abandoned Soul Palace.
Now that Qin Qing's Soul Palace had shattered, it was no longer possible to house his Martial Soul. How was it any different from an Abandoned Soul Palace?
"How... How could this happen?"
Blood tears flowed from Qin Qing's eyes as he looked towards Mu Yun Lan with immense pain.
Meanwhile, Mu Yun Lan, with her long dress dancing and starlight enveloping her, had behind her head the Dark Sparrow transformed into a Dragon Sparrow covered in Dragon Patterns, and the Star Rings had become seven!
"Clap, clap, clap!"
The sound of clapping hands came from the side.
"Lan'er, not bad... Although the Azure Flood Dragon is not a true Divine Dragon, it does contain a trace of the True Dragon Bloodline. It can be used to nurture your Dark Sparrow Martial Soul. Using the Soul Devouring Formation, the Dark Sparrow devours the dragon, turning into a Dragon Sparrow! You've succeeded!"
A man with a face as fine as jade and a Longsword at his waist walked out, smiling as he drew Mu Yun Lan into his embrace.
"Qin Qing..." Mu Yun Lan spoke coldly, "It's been three years; your daydream should come to an end now!"
Qin Qing was stunned, then let out a miserable and mocking laugh, "So, you told me to wait three years, to remember this day, to make our love last forever... all those were lies?"
"Hehe!" Mu Yun Lan scoffed, her face showing only indifference and her gaze icy enough to make one shudder!
"Qin Qing, do you still think you are the Young Master of the Qin Residence?"
"In these years since your father disappeared, the voices calling for a new head of the Qin Residence have grown louder and louder. Are you not afraid that your position as Young Master is also in jeopardy?"
"Of course, that's not the most important thing. The important thing is..." Mu Yun Lan looked towards the man with the sword at his side, and continued, "Do you know who he is? From the Luochuan Imperial City, the Shangguan Clan, Young Master Shangguan Xuan of the clan where the current Prime Minister is from!"
"The Imperial City, the Shangguan Clan, the clan of the Prime Minister?" Qin Qing murmured softly.
"That's right, that Shangguan Clan. And Shangguan Xuan is the Young Master of the Shangguan Clan. He's also a genius who has awakened a Seventh Rank Martial Soul. Do you think you are worth even a toenail of Young Master Shangguan?" Mu Yun Lan looked at Qin Qing with scorn.
"So... So this is your excuse for betrayal? Mu Yun Lan, I hate you!" Qin Qing laughed bitterly in his misery.
"Lan'er, take action! Why bother wasting words on such an unworthy person?" Shangguan Xuan drew the Longsword at his waist and handed it to Mu Yun Lan.
Mu Yun Lan accepted the sword indifferently and walked towards Qin Qing...
"Swoosh!"
Her sword drew a cold beam of light, thrusting straight towards Qin Qing's chest.
"Ah... Mu Yun Lan, I won't let you off even as a ghost!" Qin Qing roared,
"Splat!"
The Longsword pierced through Qin Qing's chest.
The heart shattered.
Qin Qing's vision started to blur.
Finally, he closed his eyes silently...
"Rumble crack!"
Just at that moment, suddenly a startling thunderclap resounded.
The starry sky that had been brilliant and endless just a moment ago was now filled with flashing lightning and surging dark clouds.
A black thunderbolt broke free from the dark clouds, making a beeline for Qin Qing below.
Originally, within Qin Qing's mind where the Soul Palace had shattered, nothing remained but darkness and silence!
But at the moment the lightning struck him, there was a sudden tremor in the Soul Palace.
A pair of eyes, as if capable of piercing through the eons, emerged, and the vague image of a Divine Dragon floated in the darkness.
At the same time, Qin Qing's originally shattered Soul Palace began to reconverge...
A resonant heavenly sound, as if from a grand bell, echoed through Qin Qing's mind:
"As the Dark Sparrow manifests, the Azure Dragon emerges."
"The appearance of the Dragon Soul, invincible in the world!"
…