Mu Yunlan subconsciously took the divorce letter, and as soon as she saw the characters for "divorce letter," her face instantly turned ice cold.
"Rustle!"
The moment she exerted force, the divorce letter in her hand instantly turned into countless scraps.
"Childish! Do you think with this, you can salvage your pitiful self-esteem?" Mu Yunlan gazed at Qin Qing with contempt.
"Tomorrow is my father's sixtieth birthday. In addition, the major martial institutes from the imperial city of Luochuan will also be recruiting new students in Tianjue City. Originally, I wanted to sever ties with you, Qin Qing, before this. However, seeing as you're so self-absorbed, I hope you can attend the banquet tomorrow. Then you will see what it means to bring disgrace upon oneself and who is truly unworthy of whom!"
"Remember! You and I… are never meant to be from the same world!"
Having said that, Mu Yunlan turned around and strode off...
Leaving only her proud silhouette behind for everyone to see.
As Mu Yunlan and Jun Jiulin's entourage left, the suffocating pressure that had been present vanished as well.
The people of the Qin Residence couldn't help but once again turn their gaze towards Qin Qing.
Mu Yunlan's words had been very clear.
Tomorrow was her father Mu Hongtu's birthday. With Mu Yunlan's current prominence, it was likely that the entire Tianjue City and even the imperial city would come to offer birthday greetings.
Moreover, because Mu Yunlan had awakened a Seventh Rank Martial Soul, several top martial institutes from the imperial city wanted to recruit her.
Although it was said that Mu Yunlan was likely already taken as a closed-door disciple by Jun Jiulin of the Great Qian Martial Institute, the other institutes did not want to give up hope of competition.
In addition, Qin Lie of the Qin Residence, who had awakened a Sixth Rank Martial Soul, was also receiving attention from numerous martial institutes. Aside from him, other emerging young talents in the vicinity would also join this assessment.
Mu Yunlan intended to use this birthday banquet and the recruitment ceremony of the major martial institutes to fully showcase her talent. This would have Qin Qing feel utterly inferior before everyone, and make everyone understand that he, Qin Qing, was rightfully unworthy of Mu Yunlan.
Qin Qing stood indifferently in place, the corners of his mouth carrying a hint of a cold smile.
Was he not aware of what Mu Yunlan is thinking?
However…
"Mu Yunlan, you want to humiliate me in public, make me unable to lift my head in Tianjue City ever again, and live in your shadow for the rest of my life..."
"But how would you know that the current me is no longer the me in your eyes?"
Qin Qing took a deep breath. Just then, Qin Wujian's cold snort came through.
Qin Qing's gaze swept across and rest back on Qin Wujian.
More precisely, on the small Nirvana Pill in Qin Wujian's hand.
"You wretch, still thinking about the small Nirvana Pill?" Qin Wujian seemed extremely angry with Qin Qing, "Now, even if the Martial Soul you manifest is higher than Qin Lie's, this small Nirvana Pill will not be given to you!"
Qin Wujian's eyes held undisguised mockery; he, of course, did not believe that Qin Qing's Martial Soul grade could be higher than Qin Lie's.
"However…" Qin Wujian's tone shifted, "If you go to the Mu residence now, kneel down and apologize to Miss Mu and the old Master Mu, let the whole Tianjue City know that it is you, Qin Qing, who realized he is unworthy of Miss Mu and actively canceled the engagement, then this small Nirvana Pill, it might still be considered for you…"
Qin Wujian's words once again stirred Qin Qing's heart.
At this moment, what Qin Qing wanted to do the most was curing his sister's congenital illness, relieving little Shuang from the cruel suffering.
But Qin Qing quickly realized that what Qin Wujian said would never come true.
In recent days, Qin Qing's mentality had undergone a massive change; he had matured so much more.
The way he thought about problems had also ceased to be as naive as before.
He knew that even if he really did as Qin Wujian had said, Qin Wujian would not likely give him the small Nirvana Pill.
"Heh, go to the Mu residence and apologize to Mu Yunlan and her father?" Qin Qing scoffed, "I, Qin Qing, have done nothing wrong. Why should I apologize?"
"Qin Qing, do you still not understand?" Qin Zhen rebuked angrily, "The current Mu Yunlan, as well as the Mu residence, are not entities you, this little bastard, can afford to offend!"
"Qin Qing, could it be that you think Mu Yunlan is still the maidservant by your side from days past?"
Qin Qing sneered and shook his head, "Mu Yunlan is naturally no longer my maidservant. She isn't worthy of being my maidservant anymore!"
"Enough, still spouting nonsense here!" Qin Wujian snapped.
"Utter nonsense, you're completely mad!"
"You don't know your own strength at all!"
"Qin Qing, you madman, if you want to die, that's fine, but don't drag our Qin Residence down with you!"
One after the other, the people of the Qin Residence blamed Qin Qing, mocking him for overestimating his abilities.
Just then, Qin Yue called out softly, "Not good, Third Brother! Little Shuang's illness has flared up!"
Qin Qing's eyes snapped into focus, and he quickly approached Qin Yue.
In her hands at the moment, the frail Qin Shuang was shaking all over, and one could see flame marks appearing on her body, with flickers of firelight appearing intermittently within the marks.
"Sister, how are you?" Qin Qing embraced Qin Shuang.
"Big… Big brother, little Shuang, little Shuang is okay!"
Qin Shuang gritted her teeth, managing to squeeze out words amidst evident intense pain, yet still trying to appear strong in front of Qin Qing.
With tenderness, Qin Qing swept the hair from his sister's forehead and yelled to those around him, "Fengshi Powder, who has Fengshi Powder?"
"Xiao Qing, I have a few packets of Fengshi Powder here!" Qin Tong hurriedly stepped forward, handing Qin Qing several packets of the powder.
Qin Qing took the Fengshi Powder, cradling his sister as he rushed back to his yard.
Laying his sister on the bed, Qin Qing hurriedly opened the packets and grabbed a handful of Fengshi Powder, vigorously wearing it on Qin Shuang's body.
Gradually, the redness on Qin Shuang's skin began to fade, and the pained expression on her face also slowly dissipated, after which she fell into a deep sleep.
Looking at the sleeping little Shuang, Qin Qing's heart once again filled with tenderness and guilt.
Meanwhile, he thought of his father and mother.
Over the years, Qin Qing had, of course, missed his parents deeply.
"If my father and mother were here, my sister's illness would have been cured by now, right?"
"At the very least, little Shuang wouldn't be so pitiful."
A girl of her age should be coquettishly nestled in her parents' embrace, yet little Shuang had to endure the pain and pressure that one of her age should not have to bear…
Qin Qing's heart was filled with longing and sorrow.
But soon, that longing and sorrow transformed into motivation.
"If only I had shown an extraordinary talent that was beyond that of ordinary people earlier."
"If my strength had far surpassed that of the average person..."
"Then perhaps my sister would already have received the Nirvana Pill and wouldn't have to suffer from the myriad of side effects caused by the Fengshi Powder."
"Or maybe, we would have found a cure for little Shuang sooner…"
"Little Shuang wouldn't have had to endure so much pain these past two years…"
"Power..."
"It's all about power!"
Never before had Qin Qing craved for immense strength as much as he did at that moment.
Soon after, Qin Qing closed his eyes.
His mind submerged into the Soul Palace.
"Ao..."
Within the Soul Palace lay an endless chaotic space from which the roar of a Divine Dragon echoed.
As the Divine Dragon manifested, it was as though Qin Qing's spirit, riding atop the Divine Dragon, burst out of the Soul Palace, piercing through the Nine Heavens above.
Before long, Qin Qing felt his Heavenly Martial Soul reach the endless starry sky.
The boundless power of the stars converged, turning into Heavenly Soul Power, forming a massive vortex of star energy that swirled around the Dragon Soul, constantly nourishing the majestic Azure Dragon.
"This..."
Qin Qing couldn't help but be astonished.
This was the first time something like this had happened since awakening his Martial Soul—his Martial Soul had actually begun to receive nourishment from the Heavenly Soul Power!
One should know that only when a Heavenly Soul Warrior cultivated to the Soul Refinement Realm would they possibly refine their Martial Soul and allow it to absorb the Heavenly Soul Power, making it much stronger.
And yet, Qin Qing, still in the Body Refining Tempering Body Realm, had already started forging his Heavenly Martial Soul!
"Perhaps—this is the power of a Divine Level Martial Soul?"
Qin Qing did not dwell too much on this question, as his spirit once again fully immersed itself in cultivation.
Besides the Dragon Soul being constantly nourished by the Heavenly Soul Power, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth also gathered around Qin Qing, being inhaled into his body, strengthening his physical form, muscles, veins, organs...
…
At this moment, in the imperial city of Luochuan.
Within the Great Qian Martial Institute, a middle-aged man with white hair sat in an exquisite loft; beside him was a delicate girl with features as finely crafted as porcelain.
What baffled onlookers was that this girl had snow-white hair like the middle-aged man.
At that moment, the white-haired girl and the white-haired middle-aged man both opened their eyes.
Both pairs of eyes looked towards the starry sky in the direction of Tianjue City.
In an instant, the myriad of stars and the brilliant starry river became exceedingly clear in their eyes.
"Such a powerful force of the Heavenly Soul!" the girl whispered softly.
"It's coming from the direction of Tianjue City. Could it be that girl, Mu Yunlan?" the white-haired middle-aged man murmured with a glint in his eyes, "Impossible. That girl surnamed Mu only has a Seventh Rank Martial Soul; such a rank couldn't possibly cause such a vast movement of Heavenly Soul Power..."
"Master, the strength of the Heavenly Soul Power invoked during this Martial Soul cultivation doesn't feel any weaker than when I cultivate..." said the white-haired girl.
"What?" The middle-aged man's pupils contracted.
He knew full well the horrific extent of his disciple's talent.
Yet a Heavenly Martial Soul from Tianjue City, during its cultivation, was invoking Heavenly Soul Power that was no weaker than her own?
What did that imply?
"It seems Tianjue City is about to unleash a freak of nature!"
The white-haired middle-aged man's eyes narrowed slightly, "Rong'er, let's take a trip to Tianjue City, shall we? It shouldn't disrupt your cultivation, right?"
"Master, if you want to borrow Rong'er's Little White, just say so." The girl, called Rong'er, gave a sweet smile and whistled into the sky.
The next moment, a huge white eagled soared downwards.
"Let's go, Master!" The girl leapt lightly and landed on the white eagle.
The middle-aged man chuckled, scratching his head; as a master, he needed to borrow his disciple's magical creature just to make a trip.
However, who could blame him when his disciple came from such a fearsomely rich background, not only possessing a flying magical creature but also one that was a rare high-ranking one.
Under the night sky.
A white eagle, its feathers as clean as snow, sped towards Tianjue City beneath the dazzling starlight…