Chapter 6: What? Bibi Dong!
"Eighth Soul Skill: Qianjun Smash!"
Qian Jun Douluo's eighth soul ring lit up beneath his feet, and his Coiling Dragon Staff rapidly swelled to become a massive pillar fifteen meters in length and half a zhang in diameter. Blue flames erupted along its surface as it struck down upon the Medusa Queen.
Boom!
With a thunderous roar, the entire small hill quaked. When Qian Jun Douluo retrieved his Coiling Dragon Staff, the Medusa Queen was reduced to a pile of minced flesh, and an inky-black soul ring emerged from its corpse.
"Elder Qian Jun, please check whether that Medusa soul beast dropped a soul bone," Qian Xunji said. If his memory served him right, Dugubo once had a Medusa-head soul bone, likely dropped by this Medusa. A fifty-thousand-year Medusa would perfectly match the soul ring limit of a soul master's seventh ring.
"Yes, Young Master."
Qian Jun Douluo hardly expected anything, since the odds of obtaining a soul bone were astronomically low. Yet, to his surprise, the Medusa actually dropped one—and it turned out to be a precious head soul bone. Their luck was incredible.
Qian Xunji, however, had no intention of taking it. After all, it was Qian Jun Douluo who had dealt the final blow and caused that soul bone to drop. Although Qian Xunji could certainly claim it, such petty greed would only cause him to lose the loyal support of the Qian Clan—a huge net loss.
When they reached the top of the hill and gazed downward, a funnel-shaped depression came into view. From the edge of this small valley, one could see heavy steam rising from the bottom. It was damp and faintly carried a medicinal fragrance.
Peering down from the valley entrance, Qian Xunji saw the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in its entirety. It wasn't a large hot spring, but it was split into two halves—an oval-shaped pool divided into milky-white and vermillion waters that never mixed, each staying in its own territory.
All around the pool, through the swirls of red and white mist, numerous exotic flowers and herbs could be seen, tightly packed together:
Fiery Apricot JiaoshuEight-Petal Immortal Orchid (Bajiao Xuanbingcao)Lovesick Heartbreak Red (Xiangsi Duanchanghong)All-Seeing Autumn Dew (Wangchuan Qiushui Lu)Strange Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum (Qirong Tongtian Ju)Jade-Skin Narcissus Bone (Shuixian Yuji Gu)Eight-Petaled Golden Orchid (Babian Jinlan)Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower (Jiguan Fenghuang Kui)Qiluo Tulip (Qiluo Yujin Xiang)Fragrant Qiluo Fairy (Youxiang Qiluo Xianpin)Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King (Wannian Shenwang)Swan Kiss of Snow (Xuese Tian'e Wen)Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma (Jiupin Zizhi)
Qian Xunji withdrew a small handbook of rare herbs borrowed from Yue Guan before setting out from the Pope's Palace. Yue Guan was still at the Soul Sage level now, so his inventory was fairly simple.
If he wanted the most comprehensive enhancement of his talent, he would normally choose the immortal herb best aligned with his martial soul so as to enhance the martial soul's origin and strengthen his innate aptitude. But Qian Xunji's potential was basically capped. It would be better to leave higher-tier options for future generations. Instead, he opted for Fiery Apricot Jiaoshu and the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid (Bajiao Xuanbingcao) to fortify his physique—so he could continue his carefree life, enjoying music and dance without worries.
He would leave important tasks for his descendants while he just used his brain a little. How leisurely life would be.
Taking out two pieces of warm jade from his storage soul tool, Qian Xunji destroyed one with soul power, revealing a sharp blade. He cut off and crushed the Fiery Apricot Jiaoshu and the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, swallowed them both without chewing, then leaped into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Meanwhile, in Wuhun City's Pope's Palace…
Qian Daoliu was seated on the Pope's throne, blowing at his mustache, his brows knitted as he stared at a towering stack of documents in annoyance. Where on earth had Qian Xunji gone? How could it take so long to get a single soul ring? He himself was already a hundred years old—still unable to retire, every day exhausting countless brain cells reviewing all these irritating files.
Just then, a red-robed bishop hurried in. "Greetings, Your Holiness!"
Qian Daoliu spoke placidly: "What's the matter?"
"Your Holiness, the Wuhun branch hall in Luoxi City reports that they've awakened a girl named Bibi Dong, a genius with twin martial souls and innate full soul power!"
This news stirred even a centenarian Limit Douluo like Qian Daoliu. "Which two martial souls does this little girl possess?"
"The Death Spider Emperor and the Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor."
Hearing that, Qian Daoliu's excitement faded somewhat. Though both were top-tier martial souls, their attributes were heavily evil. He'd initially thought to raise this talented girl as a child bride for Qian Xunji, to prevent him from marrying someone of lesser aptitude and further weakening the source power of the Six-Winged Angel—if it regressed any more, it'd be all over.
But these two spider-type martial souls directly clashed with the holy nature of the Six-Winged Angel. That left only one option: accept her as a disciple, training her to become a mainstay of the Wuhun Hall.
A child's aptitude, barring mutation, was generally inherited from the parents. Qian Daoliu wanted to select a wife for Qian Xunji with a bright or holy or fiery martial soul—someone talented—so that the Six-Winged Angel lineage the baby inherited would receive the best possible nourishment in the womb.
Because the stronger martial soul from either parent would dominate in the inheritance. A weak martial soul would be swallowed up by a stronger one. Survival of the fittest. This principle held even in the realm of inherited martial souls.
How could the Six-Winged Angel possibly benefit from devouring two spider-type martial souls with diametrically opposed attributes? That would be poison, not nourishment.
Three more days passed. After consuming Fiery Apricot Jiaoshu and the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, Qian Xunji rose another rank to level 84. He also mastered the "Ice-Fire Golden Body," receiving a huge boost to his physique as though all eight of his extraordinary meridians had been opened. Then, with the entire stock of herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in tow—he'd uprooted it—he returned to the Wuhun Hall.
As for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he took all the immortal herbs but intended to leave the place intact for occasional harvests every ten years or so—a sustainable resource.
Back at the Wuhun Hall, Qian Daoliu noted that Qian Xunji had jumped an entire four levels of cultivation and looked noticeably younger. Surprised, he said, "What have you been up to, brat? How'd you level up so fast?"
"It's a secret," Qian Xunji replied. He wasn't about to say more—it'd be a waste of breath, and there was no prize for telling. And in Qian Daoliu's eyes, any accomplishment short of becoming a god was worthless anyway.
Next, once Qian Xunji assumed the position of Pope, what should he do? One thing was certain: Tang Chen had to be lured to the Slaughter City. Otherwise, how could he deal with the Clear Sky Clan? Brains counted for little against someone so headstrong—when a scholar meets a soldier, reason seldom prevails.
His best bet was to bring Bo Saixi into play, triggering Tang Chen's lovestruck side. As for Qian Daoliu, there was no use for him. He couldn't become a god, so even if Qian Xunji guided him gently to Sea God Island, Qian Daoliu would be itching for a fight with Bo Saixi the moment they got there. Their battle would draw Tang Chen's attention, and in the end Bo Saixi would fall for Tang Chen.
No matter how Qian Xunji turned it over in his mind, there was no perfect solution. If he remembered correctly, Bo Saixi had once come to the continent when she was young. She only got a glimpse of Tang Chen from afar. At that time, Tang Chen was already married, yet Bo Saixi still fell for him. It was utterly absurd.
Qian Daoliu flicked his sleeve. "Fine, if you don't want to say, so be it. A new twin-martial-soul genius named Bibi Dong just awakened. She'll arrive at the Wuhun Hall in a few days; you can take her as your disciple. Tomorrow, I'll pass the Papal throne on to you."
Deep in thought about the future, Qian Xunji heard this and his pupils instantly constricted. "What? Bibi Dong!"
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Johanssen