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'Xue Qinghe' let out a sly chuckle. "Brother Ning Tian, don't brush me off so fast. From what I know about you, you're not exactly the loyal type. You've got girls flocking around you already, and even my teacher's dying to marry his daughter to you. A real man having three or four wives? That's nothing big."
Ning Tian shrugged, looking a bit cornered. "Honestly, Brother Xue, you don't need to push this hard. With our friendship, if anyone tries to steal your throne, I'd back you up without a second thought."
'Xue Qinghe' nodded. "I know you would. It just so happens I know the head of the Flame Holy Sword Clan. I met Miss Chi Xue by chance and thought she'd be a great match for you. If you can win her over, it's a win for both of us."
"Alright, for you, Brother Xue, I'll give it a try. But she seems proud and hard to please, so don't expect too much."
Ning Tian put on a reluctant look.
.......
At the Prince's private training ground.
It was less of a training field and more a massive underground space, stretching dozens of meters deep.
Qian Renxue stood there, her Holy Sword already out, eyes shut, waiting quietly.
'Killing intent!'
Her eyes flew open. The air in the underground arena turned cold, a sharp, unfamiliar chill creeping in.
Meanwhile, in a shadowy corner of the training ground's deepest hallway, two figures watched: one tall and lean, the other broad and bulky.
The bulky one crossed his arms. "Snake Lance, doesn't the young master seem a bit reckless? Showing her true form and risking exposure like this feels unnecessary."
Snake Lance kept his tone flat. "Porcupinefish, she's got her reasons. We follow orders. As for whether it's worth it, you'll see soon enough. Oh, looks like he's here."
Crack!
Right then, the metal-lined wooden door to the training ground splintered.
With a loud bang, the door broke free and shot toward Qian Renxue.
Her eyes narrowed. She stepped forward fast, slashing at an angle. The door split clean in two, revealing a faint blue figure gripping a green sword.
Snap!
Golden sparks danced along the blade. As Qian Renxue recovered from her swing, the blue figure brought its sword down hard with both hands.
Clang!
Qian Renxue blocked it with her sword held flat, but the force pushed her right knee down a bit.
Before she could move, two identical figures stepped out from behind Ning Tian, each holding a Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword. Two sharp cracks rang out as their swords turned into chains of lightning, wrapping around Qian Renxue's Holy Sword.
Then a fourth figure appeared, driving its sword straight at her.
With Ning Tian pressing from the front and her Holy Sword tangled in the lightning chains, Qian Renxue was cornered. The pale golden chains couldn't overpower her, but they shrugged off her Angel martial soul's purifying light.
Caught in this attack from Ning Tian and his three clones, she was in real trouble. Her blue-gold eyes widened, catching the glint of his sword and the shapes of his doubles.
"Pretty good, kid."
From their hiding spot, Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo watched, surprised by Ning Tian's teamwork with his clones.
They hadn't taken him for having such a sharp combo.
If anyone else were to fight him, let alone a Soul master of the same level, I'm afraid that no one below the Spirit Emperor level, or even most of the Spirti Emperors, would be able to take it.
But their young master wasn't just any Spirit Emperor.
As the two Titled Douluos looked on, six soul rings—two yellow, two purple, two black glowed around Qian Renxue. Her golden hair lit up, and a pair of shining golden wings spread from her back. She rose off the ground, hovering a foot up, free from the pull of the earth.
Golden light poured from her, her eyes turning pure gold. A huge, hazy figure with three pairs of wings loomed behind her.
The instant it appeared, a burst of golden energy shot out, wiping Ning Tian's three clones away.
Ning Tian flipped backward, putting space between them, and squinted at her. 'I forced out her Angel martial soul too quick. I might've gone too far,' he thought.
The wings behind Qian Renxue spread out, and her body floated in the air. Her pair of golden eyes stared at Ning Tian intently..
"Ning Tian, I'll have to admit that you are strong. In swordsmanship alone, I am no match for you. But strength isn't just about swords. Your mistake was pushing me this far. Now you've got two options: submit to me or get crushed."
Ning Tian acted like he didn't see the six-winged angel behind her. "Miss Chi Xue, did I hear you wrong? We're both guests of the Prince, and you're telling me to submit to you?"
Qian Renxue smirked. "At this point, do you still want to play dumb? Indeed, according to the original script, we are indeed all VIPs invited by Xue Qinghe, but your combined attack just now forced me to show the original form of my martial spirit. How come, could it be that the direct disciple of Master Zhu Qing, who is known as the number one in the world of spirit masters, can't recognize my martial spirit?"
"Umm." Ning Tian gave a small nod, like he had no clue.
"You—" Qian Renxue's temper flared. Was he mocking her?
"Fine, It doesn't matter if you don't recognize me. You can ask Master Zhu Qing or Ning Fengzhi later. I'm not scared to say it, my martial soul is—"
Ning Tian cut in. "Your martial soul's the Flame Holy Sword. I didn't see or hear anything else. You win this round. See you."
He turned to walk away, hoping to slip out of it.
But Qian Renxue wasn't letting him off. "Uncle She, Uncle Ci Xue."
At her call, two figures; one stocky, one thin stepped into Ning Tian's path. Dressed in golden armor, they were Spirit Hall's Snake Lance and Porcupinefish Titled Douluos.
Looking at the two Titled Douluos who appeared out of nowhere, Ning Tian felt a wave of frustration. They weren't even bothering to hide it anymore.
He turned around slowly, catching sight of Qian Renxue's flawless face, lit with a faint smile. "My martial soul is the Six-Winged Angel. Now do you know who I am?" she asked, her eyes shining with quiet pride.
Ning Tian dodged the question. "All I saw was a pair of winged external soul bones, nothing more."
Her voice turned sharp. "Enough, Ning Tian. Stop playing games. You should know that the moment you forced me to reveal my martial soul, you were left with only two choices today."
'She really couldn't handle it, could she?' Ning Tian thought, holding back a smirk. If he'd known she'd crack so easily, he wouldn't have bothered showing off. He'd mimicked the combined attack of the Six Sword Slaves from The Legend Of Qin, but with only four instead of six, and it still overwhelmed her.
People in this world relied too much on soul skills. Without them, they were awkward, swinging with raw strength and no finesse. No wonder Tang San, in the original story, could take down stronger opponents with his relentless tactics.
Ning Tian knew he couldn't bluff his way out of this one. It was time to drop the act. "Fair point. Who'd have guessed I'd see the legendary Six-Winged Angel martial soul in the prince's mansion? That hidden family story of yours, it's fake, isn't it? And that Xue Qinghe from earlier, something felt off the second he walked in. But you? I see hints of my old friend Xue in you. So, what should I call you, Young Master of the Spirit Hall, or Prince Xue Qinghe?"
"You're sharp, Ning Tian," Qian Renxue said, her calm tone masking the shock of having her disguise torn apart so easily. She'd thought she disguised herself well.
"My name is Qian Renxue. So, what's your answer?"
Ning Tian shook his head. "I'm not the type to bow and serve."
Her brows furrowed slightly. "So you're saying no?"
Behind him, Snake Lance and Porcupinefish, the two Titled Douluos, were ready to move. They watched him with amused looks, like they'd cut him down the instant Qian Renxue gave the word.
Ning Tian shook his head again. "I'm not dumb enough to pick a fight I can't win. After all, the two seniors behind me are unfathomably powerful. To me, they are far more powerful than the three teaching committee members of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. I don't think I can leave here safely after refusing."
At the mention, Snake Lance and Porcupinefish grinned, clearly pleased. Those Soul Douluo-level committee members couldn't hold a candle to Titled Douluos like them.
"Submission or destruction. Pick one." Qian Renxue said, raising her sword toward him.
"How about a third option?" Ning Tian suggested. "Like, say, becoming friends?"
"Friends?" Qian Renxue froze for a moment. The word dragged up bitter memories. Her lonely childhood, with only her grandfather by her side. Her father was distant, her mother cold. After her father's death at nine, she'd buried herself in the Heaven Dou Empire, always on guard, terrified of being found out.
Even now, it was only because of Ning Tian, this oddity with half a level of innate soul power who'd risen with a supposed trash martial soul that she considered recruiting him. A chance to strike back at the mother who'd scarred her.
Friends? She didn't have them now, and she wouldn't later.
Her voice turned to ice. "I don't need friends. And no one's worthy of being one."
"No room to talk it over?" Ning Tian stretched out the words, testing her.
"None," she shot back, firm as stone.
"We were brothers once, standing side by side. Brother Xue—no, Miss Xue can't we work this out?" Ning Tian leaned on their past, hoping to soften her.
But Qian Renxue's patience snapped. "I'm done waiting. You've got ten seconds. Submission or destruction. Ten, nine—"
"Wait, wait!" Ning Tian cut in. "A decision this big needs more than ten seconds, right?"
She ignored him, counting on. "Eight, seven, six, five, four, three—"
Seeing no way to stall, Ning Tian played his last card. "What if I'm qualified to be your friend?"
Qian Renxue paused. "You think you are?"
"What makes someone qualified, in your eyes?" he asked back.
She thought for a second. "Talent, strength, and wisdom; all three. You've got the smarts, and your strength is decent enough. With Zhu Qing's guidance, I'd say you could even reach Titled Douluo someday. But talent? At that level, no trick or theory can change your limits. Those are set the moment your martial soul awakens."
She didn't mention looks, but they mattered too. If he was plain, no amount of talent or power would've kept her talking this long. Ning Tian passed that test, at least.
"And if I add this?" Ning Tian pulled back his Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword martial soul and lifted his left hand. A small, beehive-shaped metal ball in gold and silver color appeared in his palm.
To avoid being her servant, he'd show her his second martial soul.
'One day,' he thought, 'when I'm strong enough, I'll turn the tables. Tie her up, and make her call me daddy.'
Qian Renxue didn't catch his plotting. Her eyes were locked on the metal ball, and so did Snake Lance and Porcupinefish's.
What was it?
It wasn't a weapon, not one he'd carried or pulled from a storage soul tool. It was a martial soul. A real, unseen martial soul; his second one, with no soul rings yet.
This made him the third person alive with twin martial souls, alongside the Spirit Hall's Pope and Tang Hao's son, Tang San.
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