In the Starfall Great Forest, within the Life Lake.
"Ah—"
A piercing scream that made the entire Starfall Great Forest tremble erupted from the mouth of the Azure Bull Python. A blinding red light suddenly spread from its third eye, forming a halo of crimson that instantly expanded. Wherever the red light passed, the land and sky were dyed blood-red.
"Farewell, Sister Xiao Wu, Aunt Rou, and Er Ming," the Azure Bull Python slowly closed its eyes as its entire body became enveloped by a blood-red pillar of light. The pillar soared straight into the clouds, then descended from the position of Qian Xunji. The magnetic field generated by the sacrifice of this hundred-thousand-year soul beast forced Guangling Douluo and Xiongshi Douluo to recoil dozens of meters.
Guangling Douluo and Xiongshi Douluo looked toward the direction where the Titan Giant Ape and the two hundred-thousand-year-old Soft-Bone Rabbits had fled, their faces full of frustration. They had originally been able to obtain three hundred-thousand-year soul bones, and with the three of them—Qian Xunji included—killing the beasts, each of them could have gotten one. Yet Qian Xunji had let them go.
Eight soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—quietly appeared, neatly spiraling around Qian Xunji's body in order.
The surging blood-red light gradually merged into Qian Xunji's torso and those eight soul rings. Finally, his torso emitted a dazzling red glow, and a scarlet soul ring over a hundred meters in diameter slowly appeared around the outer edge of the previous eight soul rings, pulsating rhythmically above and below his body.
Qian Xunji had fully fused with the hundred-thousand-year soul rings and also gained a hundred-thousand-year torso soul bone.
The torso soul bone was the rarest of the six types of soul bones. The Azure Bull Python, with its experience, knew exactly how to win Qian Xunji's favor—ensuring that he would keep his promise not to pursue A'Rou, Xiao Wu, and Er Ming.
Would Qian Xunji keep his promise? Naturally. After all, he no longer needed to acquire soul rings. If it weren't for maximizing his benefits, why would he bother making deals with soul beasts? Does he think everyone is as noble as Qian Daoliu? Agreements are essentially contracts—only effective when both parties are evenly matched. Otherwise, in this brutal world where the strong prey on the weak, such promises would be broken at any time.
With the hundred-thousand-year soul rings, soul bones, and the immense soul power within the Azure Bull Python's body, Qian Xunji's cultivation smoothly advanced to level 93.
"Congratulations, Your Holiness!"
"Congratulations!"
Xiongshi Douluo and Guangling Douluo suppressed their dissatisfaction and respectfully saluted Qian Xunji.
Qian Xunji said, "Fourth and Fifth Sacrificers, I know you two are unhappy that I let those three hundred-thousand-year soul rings escape along with those three soul bones. But have you considered that what I did was for the sake of our descendants?"
Xiongshi Douluo and Guangling Douluo frowned slightly. They were thinking about the descendants, as the soul bones could be passed down through generations.
Qian Xunji continued, "Hundred-thousand-year soul rings and soul bones not only greatly enhance our strength, but soul bones can be inherited, making them even more valuable to our families. However, for individuals, soul rings are more valuable because they significantly promote the growth of our martial souls."
"You both know well at this stage of cultivation, beyond level 95, accumulating soul power is no longer the most important. What matters more is the comprehension and development of your martial soul—what some call martial soul evolution. The energy of a hundred-thousand-year soul ring can greatly advance this process."
"If someday one of your descendants awakens with innate full soul power, trains as diligently as the Second Sacrificer, and obtains a ninth soul ring with a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, then he will have the qualifications to challenge level 99 and even embark on the path to godhood—just like Tang Chen."
"If everyone keeps killing hundred-thousand-year soul beasts just for the soul bones, leaving future prodigies without hundred-thousand-year soul rings, then aren't we unworthy to be their ancestors?"
Xiongshi Douluo and Guangling Douluo were stunned. They didn't even know if they themselves could breakthrough beyond level 97, and here Qian Xunji was already thinking about future generations—about their path to godhood. Such lofty ambitions seemed far-fetched.
"As soul masters, we should have ideals. In this world, anyone can be the protagonist, right? Just like the Angel God. Who's to say our descendants have no chance?"
Qian Xunji sighed, "I don't have the talent to become a god myself, so I'll have to leave it to future generations. Of course, if the descendants of Xiongshi Douluo and Guangling Douluo have the potential to become gods—or even achieve godhood—then I hope that generation will look after my Qian family."
Hearing this, both Xiongshi Douluo and Guangling Douluo felt honored. They had joined the Martial Soul Hall, revered the Angel God, and considered the Angel lineage supreme. For Qian Xunji to speak of their descendants becoming gods and protecting the Angel lineage was truly astonishing.
"Your Holiness, you flatter me. Your broad vision and open mind far surpass ordinary people. I am much older and more experienced than you, yet my vision is so narrow—it is truly shameful."
Qian Xunji also bowed, "Fourth and Fifth Sacrificers, you are the pillars supporting the Martial Soul Hall. For masters of your caliber to tolerate my excessive demands, I am deeply honored."
Afterwards, Qian Xunji, Xiongshi Douluo, and Guangling Douluo returned to the Martial Soul Hall.
After this event, Qian Xunji solidified his strategy—winning against three powerful hundred-thousand-year soul beasts despite his relative weakness. With such far-sightedness and magnanimity, Xiongshi Douluo and Guangling Douluo were sincerely convinced by Qian Xunji.
Back at the Sacrificer Hall, Qian Daoliu heard Xiongshi Douluo and Guangling Douluo's high praises for Qian Xunji. Though puzzled, he was glad to see that after five years of seclusion, Qian Xunji's wisdom had finally matured.
After returning to the Pope's Hall, Qian Xunji secluded himself for three days to consolidate his cultivation. He then issued another order: three months later, the Seventh Major Sect Re-election Assembly would be held to rearrange the rankings of the seven great sects.
After the great battle in the Starfall Great Forest, Qian Xunji was certain—people in the Douluo world really had poor minds. The so-called "breaking the cocoon to sing," "life from desperate straits," and "countering every move" were complete nonsense.
Soul masters rely on soul skills to fight, so they hide their soul skills to prevent being countered. If they can avoid using soul skills in combat, they do. But when you use a soul skill, the corresponding soul ring lights up—you can't hide it.
That's correct—it's true. But that's the method used in other fantasy worlds. In the Douluo world, "countering every move" simply does not exist. Targeted counters? Not at all.
Combat between soul masters is just a clash of ultimate moves. Whoever has stronger soul power, older soul rings, and greater power wins. Simply put, it's like a bunch of single-celled creatures fighting to see who has the bigger fist.
Qian Xunji spent so much time thinking about Douluo soul masters' fights that his mind was fully occupied contemplating the soul skills granted by the soul rings beneath his feet, leaving no time to think about anything else.
(End of chapter)
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