Simultaneous Transmigration: From Douluo Continent to the Pinnacle

Chapter 36 Qian Renxue's Doubts

Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and Lin Yao accompanied Ning Rongrong to explore all the sights around the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Before the morning mist dissipated in the mountains, I picked the sacred herbs on the cliffside; as dusk rolled in, I watched the sunset over the long river; and I even tasted all the town snacks that Rongrong used to talk about.

As his playfulness subsided, Lin Yao knew it was time to focus on his cultivation and serious matters. He bid farewell to Ning Rongrong and the others and embarked on his journey back to the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy.

Having a way to save his life, Lin Yao went back alone. On the way, his thoughts drifted away involuntarily.

The decision to go to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy was made in part because of Yu Tianheng.

But now that his soul power has advanced by leaps and bounds, those carefully planned steps have become superfluous.

Obstacles that used to require careful consideration can now be overcome almost entirely by talent, thanks to abilities far exceeding those of his peers.

This change made him feel a bit like "plans can't keep up with changes".

At the same time, thinking of Ning Rongrong, who played when she should play and cultivated when she should cultivate, without causing too much trouble, he sighed inwardly.

She has really grown a lot and is no longer the spoiled and willful little girl she once was.

It is very likely that Ning Rongrong realized that this age is the golden period for Soul Master cultivation, and that short-term fun can be a way to relax, but should not be indulged in.

She wanted to keep up with Lin Yao's pace, and even more so, she wanted to stand in front of those who cared about her in a better light when they met again.

When we arrived at Tiandou City, it was afternoon. Sunlight filtered through the clouds, casting long shadows on the bluestone pavement.

Lin Yao did not go directly to the Royal Academy, but instead headed towards the Imperial Palace.

He needed to visit Xue Qinghe and explain why he had returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School after only two days at the academy.

There was no need to hide this matter. He wanted to build a good relationship with Xue Qinghe (Qian Renxue), and being open and honest would win him trust more than hiding it.

Moreover, proactively informing the other party of the truth is far more sincere than letting them find out through intelligence networks.

Besides, Lin Yao also harbored a sliver of curiosity: how would this top genius with innate level 20 soul power react to seeing his terrifying rate of improvement?

Will she regret that despite possessing top-tier talent in the Douluo Continent, she spent so much time disguising her identity and studying political intrigue, wasting the time that should have been used for cultivation on scheming and intrigue?

In the original story, if Qian Renxue hadn't wasted her talent, she could have faced off against Tang San and Xiao Wu, two gods, head-on with her strength.

But he had taken a wrong turn. Thinking of this, Lin Yao couldn't help but sigh softly, a trace of regret flashing in his eyes.

Outside the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, the guards saw the token in Lin Yao's hand and remembered Xue Qinghe's special instructions that "if Young Master Lin comes, there is no need to announce his arrival," so they respectfully stepped aside to make way.

Lin Yao walked along the vermilion corridor, where palace lanterns hanging under the corridor swayed gently in the wind, making a soft clanging sound.

As you walk through the courtyard, you can still smell the faint fragrance of the osmanthus tree in the corner of the wall. It is almost lunchtime, but the palace lanterns are still lit in the hall, and you can vaguely see a figure sitting at the table.

As you approach the palace gate, you can hear the "rustling" sound of a brush tip gliding across Xuan paper.

Lin Yao slowed his pace and looked through the half-open palace door. He saw Xue Qinghe sitting in front of a sandalwood table, his moon-white brocade robe making his face even more handsome.

However, if you look closely into his eyes, you can sense a touch of gentleness.

Holding a wolf-hair brush in his hand, he focused intently on reviewing the mountain of memorials.

He would sometimes furrow his brow slightly, marking and annotating the memorials, and sometimes raise his hand to rub his temples, but he never stopped what he was doing.

Even when handling complex administrative matters, they still appear to be in complete control.

But Lin Yao saw it all and felt a sense of helplessness.

He knew that Xue Qinghe's skillful administrative abilities came at the cost of sacrificing his cultivation time.

In the original story, in order to disguise her identity, Qian Renxue devoted a lot of energy to learning the art of governing a country, which slowed down her rapid progress in soul power.

It's a real pity to make such a choice.

"Your Highness, Young Master Lin has arrived!"

When the maid inside the hall saw Lin Yao standing at the door, she tiptoed to Xue Qinghe's side and reported in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Xue Qinghe paused in his writing, then looked up. The moment he saw Lin Yao, the seriousness on his face faded, replaced by a gentle smile.

He put down his pen, stood up, and strode over to Lin Yao. He patted Lin Yao's shoulder and said in a joking tone, "Little Yao, what's wrong with you? You ran away on your second day at the academy. I thought you were like those spoiled brats who couldn't stand hardship and couldn't even endure the academy's rules."

Lin Yao knew that with Xue Qinghe's intelligence network, even if he dared not investigate the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School too deeply because of Chen Xin's identity, he would definitely know his general movements.

As expected, Xue Qinghe's eyes held a smile, but he couldn't hide a hint of surprise.

He had already discovered that Lin Yao had broken through to level 20 in just over half a year, especially since he was only level 18 not long ago. It was truly strange.

Such a cultivation speed is extremely rare, even in the Spirit Hall, which is full of geniuses.

What concerned him even more was that the intelligence report mentioned that Lin Yao had absorbed a spirit ring with a super-limited lifespan, but the specific lifespan and the type of spirit beast were unknown.

Upon seeing Lin Yao, he wanted to confirm it for himself.

Lin Yao sensed the teasing in Xue Qinghe's words, but he didn't argue. He simply bowed slightly and said sincerely, "Brother Qinghe, please don't wrong me. When I first arrived at the academy, the three education committee members not only gave me a warm welcome, but also specially arranged a comfortable dormitory with a courtyard for me. How could I have suffered at all?"

However, I broke through the bottleneck by chance at the academy, and my soul power reached level 20. I urgently needed to obtain a second soul ring.

I was in such a hurry that I left without saying goodbye. It was truly my oversight, so I came here today to apologize.

His eyes were clear as he spoke, without the slightest hint of perfunctoriness, which Xue Qinghe noticed and was secretly pleased with.

Lin Yao is not only exceptionally talented, but he also knows how to respect himself and take the initiative to admit his mistakes. This kind of character is far more worthy of cultivation than those arrogant geniuses.

Xue Qinghe waved his hand and said gently, "A Soul Master's desire for Soul Rings surpasses everything else. It's only natural that you're eager to break through, and I understand."

After saying that, he turned to the maids in the hall and instructed them, "You may all leave. I have something to say to my younger brother, Xiao Yao."

The maids respectfully replied "Yes," and then quietly withdrew from the palace, thoughtfully closing the door behind them.

Lin Yao felt a slight stirring in his heart. Xue Qinghe's caution clearly showed that he did not want their conversation to be overheard by outsiders, which not only demonstrated his trust in him but also revealed his meticulous nature.

He couldn't help but think of Qian Renxue from the original novel. Her actions after becoming a god were truly perplexing. If she could have maintained such meticulousness and rationality, how could she have ended up like that?

Only the two of them remained in the hall. Xue Qinghe walked to Lin Yao's side, her gaze falling on his wrist, her tone filled with anticipation: "By the way, Xiao Yao, could you let me see your second spirit ring?"

What he cared about most was Lin Yao's strength. The stronger Lin Yao was, the more it proved that his judgment was correct.

When he eventually integrates the Heaven Dou Empire, annexes the Star Luo Empire, and establishes the most powerful empire on the Douluo Continent, he will need such a capable and trustworthy person to assist him.

Once his great cause is accomplished, he will be able to prove to Bibi Dong that he is not a discarded burden, but a strong person who can stand on his own.

Lin Yao nodded without hesitation: "Okay."

Now that he has Chen Xin's protection and is deliberately cultivating his relationship with Xue Qinghe, exposing the Star Sword Martial Soul's spirit ring will not only not be dangerous, but will also allow him to showcase his potential and bring the two closer together.

Moreover, as long as he doesn't reveal his second martial soul and external soul bone, he doesn't need to worry about attracting covetous eyes.

The external soul bone is only in the initial stage of fusion. If it were known to others, even if taking it after fusion would render the soul bone useless, there would certainly be people willing to take the risk.

After all, the value of an external soul bone is comparable to that of a 100,000-year soul bone and a 100,000-year soul ring.

Lin Yao took a deep breath, mobilized his soul power, and softly chanted, "Martial Soul, Star Sword!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a dazzling silver light burst forth from his palm, followed by a longsword with star patterns slowly emerging and hovering in front of him.

At the same time, two spirit rings rose from beneath his feet and slowly rotated around the Star Sword.

The first soul ring was a pale purple, as clear as the finest amethyst.

The second spirit ring was a deep purple, with a rich luster, like a deep purple gemstone, radiating a pressure far exceeding that of an ordinary thousand-year spirit ring.

Xue Qinghe stared intently at the two soul rings, his pupils suddenly contracting, his heart filled with turmoil.

The first soul ring was a thousand-year soul ring, and the age of the second soul ring far exceeded that of an ordinary thousand-year soul ring. Judging from its color and aura, it was at least four or five thousand years old.

When she first awakened her innate level 20 soul power and absorbed her first soul ring, she conservatively chose a soul beast that was six or seven hundred years old. Her second soul ring was even more limited to a nine-hundred-year-old beast, and she dared not cross that line.

She had always believed that Soul Masters had to follow the "optimal age" when absorbing Soul Rings, but Lin Yao's appearance completely shattered her understanding.

What shocked her even more was that the second soul ring, with a lifespan of four to five thousand years, was already the limit that only a Soul Master could absorb.

This means that Lin Yao's breakthrough when absorbing his first spirit ring was by no means a fluke.

He was a true prodigy.

He couldn't help but wonder, if Lin Yao continued to break through like this, would his third spirit ring be a ten-thousand-year spirit ring? And what terrifying level would his fourth spirit ring reach?

"The first spirit ring is a thousand years old, and the second spirit ring is actually four or five thousand years old—"

Xue Qinghe's voice trembled slightly, and he looked at Lin Yao, his tone full of disbelief.

"Xiao Yao, what are you doing—how could you dare to take such a huge risk? Absorbing a thousand-year-old spirit ring is already easy to cause one to explode and die, let alone a four- or five-thousand-year-old spirit ring. How did you manage to convince His Highness Chen Xin to agree?"

Lin Yao was slightly taken aback when he saw that Xue Qinghe's face was full of anxiety and worry, and even her tone had become a bit harsher.

This was the second time he had met Qian Renxue disguised as Xue Qinghe. Yet the other party was so concerned about him. Was this concern just an act, or was Qian Renxue's true nature simply distorted by years of pretense and hatred?

He was somewhat uncertain, but he could clearly feel the sincerity in Xue Qinghe's words, and a warmth rose in his heart.

He gently patted Xue Qinghe's arm and comforted him in a gentle tone, "Brother Qinghe, don't worry. Ever since I awakened the Star Sword Martial Soul, the star power that comes with the Martial Soul has been tempering my body, and my physique has long surpassed that of ordinary Soul Masters."

Before absorbing these two super-limited-age spirit rings, I estimated the success rate to be 98%, and the absorption process did indeed go as smoothly as I predicted, without any unexpected incidents.

Xue Qinghe listened to Lin Yao's explanation, but still frowned. After all, he was knowledgeable and knew that even with a strong physique, absorbing a spirit ring beyond the age limit was by no means an easy task.

He stared into Lin Yao's eyes, his tone serious: "Xiao Yao, I know you are exceptionally talented, and I understand your pursuit of power. But you must remember, you cannot let your previous successes make you complacent."

The further a Soul Master progresses in their cultivation, the greater the risks become; one wrong step can lead to utter ruin.

If your first spirit ring is truly tempered by the power of stars, the risk is less.

But the second soul ring came from the Lava Demon Bear, a powerful soul beast with both violent fire attributes and immense strength. It was four or five thousand years old, and even with its strong physique, absorbing it would certainly not be easy.

You don't need to hide it from me just to put my mind at ease.

Lin Yao's face showed a hint of embarrassment when Xue Qinghe pointed out his secret.

He didn't tell the whole story—when absorbing the second spirit ring, although it wasn't due to the spirit ring's age that caused the accident, he was unconscious for several days because of the awakening of the external spirit bone. This is a fact that cannot be denied.

Meeting Xue Qinghe's meaningful gaze, Lin Yao nodded slightly: "You're right. There was indeed a small accident when I absorbed the second soul ring. I was unconscious for a few days, but I obtained an external soul bone, so it can be considered a blessing in disguise."

"External soul bone?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Xue Qinghe's eyes, but he quickly regained his seriousness.

Even so, you must be cautious in the future. Talent is an asset, but it is not a reason to take reckless risks.

Also, only Senior Chen Xin and his group should know about the existence of external soul bones. Apart from them, don't let anyone else know that you've obtained an external soul bone.

"Okay, I understand, Brother Qinghe. Also, in the future, I will definitely consider the risks carefully and think twice before acting."

Lin Yao made the promise earnestly, his tone devoid of any perfunctoriness.

Seeing Lin Yao's sincere attitude, Xue Qinghe's worries eased slightly, and a smile returned to her face: "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. It's lunchtime, so I've had your favorite sweet and sour fish prepared. Let's eat and chat."

At the dinner table, the two chatted about the situation in the Heaven Dou Empire and also talked about interesting stories in the world of Soul Masters.

Xue Qinghe would occasionally ask Lin Yao about his cultivation experience at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and Lin Yao would answer all his questions, sharing his understanding of the Star Sword Martial Soul.

After the meal, Xue Qinghe suggested a friendly sparring match, and Lin Yao readily agreed.

The two arrived at the East Palace's Soul Arena. Xue Qinghe summoned his Swan Martial Soul, and his soul power fluctuations stabilized at the level of a level 31 Soul Master.

This was his strength, which he deliberately suppressed in order to disguise himself as Xue Qinghe.

Seeing this, Lin Yao didn't exert his full strength, and Xue Qinghe was able to barely hold on.

The Swan Martial Soul is known for its speed but has relatively weak attack power. Faced with the Star Sword's sharp sword energy, it had no chance to fight back.

However, Xue Qinghe's eyesight was extremely sharp. After exchanging a few blows, he could tell that Lin Yao's soul power had reached level 25, and he was only one step away from level 26.

He was secretly amazed that Lin Yao had only broken through to level 20 for a short time, yet he had already crossed half of the Great Soul Master stage. This was the terrifying bonus of the super-limited soul ring.

If it were an ordinary Soul Master, even with full innate Soul Power, it would take several years to advance from level 20 to level 25, but Lin Yao only took a few months.

"The speed at which your soul power increases is truly terrifying."

After the sparring session ended, Xue Qinghe wiped the thin layer of sweat from his forehead, his tone full of emotion.

"At your speed, it won't be long before you leave those geniuses with full innate soul power behind. I'm afraid only if I cultivate at full strength can I barely suppress you."

He paused, then, recalling his feelings during the sparring session, frowned slightly: "By the way, during our exchange, I felt a special connection between your Star Sword Martial Soul and mine, a sense of familiarity. What's going on?"

Lin Yao's heart stirred.

He knew that Xue Qinghe's true martial soul was a six-winged angel, while the Star Sword martial soul contained the pure energy of heaven and earth.

Perhaps it was this energy that resonated with the divine power of the six-winged angel. He smiled and shook his head: "I'm not sure either, maybe it's because the attributes of the two martial souls are similar."

Xue Qinghe didn't press further, but simply nodded thoughtfully.

As dusk fell, Lin Yao rose to say goodbye.

Xue Qinghe escorted Lin Yao to the gate of the East Palace, watching his figure gradually disappear into the twilight, a complex light flashing in her eyes.

He was amazed by Lin Yao's talent, but also puzzled by the connection between their martial souls.

"If Xiao Yao can remain loyal to me, she will definitely be my most capable assistant in the future."

He muttered to himself, then turned and returned to the palace to continue handling unfinished official business.

Lin Yao walked out of the palace, the evening breeze brushing against his cheeks, carrying a slight chill.

Looking up at the night sky, one sees countless stars, echoing the star patterns on the Star Sword Martial Soul.

He knew that this meeting with Xue Qinghe not only brought the two of them closer, but also gave him a new understanding of Qian Renxue.

Perhaps, this genius, tormented by fate, is not as irredeemable as depicted in the original story.

And perhaps, unintentionally, I could change the course of her destiny.

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