Douluo Continent: Twin Souls of the Underworld, Holding the Power of Life and Death

A thin mist, like a veil, enveloped the lake. Gu Yuena stood barefoot on the lakeshore, her long silver hair fluttering in the morning breeze, her gaze fixed on the young man cultivating not far away.

Qian Anci held the Grim Reaper's Scythe, the black light of his second soul ring flowing around the blade.

After two days of consolidation, the ten-thousand-year-old soul ring had completely merged with him, and he could freely control the abyss-like death aura.

"Goodbye."

Gu Yuena called softly.

Qian Anci turned around after putting away his sickle and saw Gu Yuena holding a scale in her palm.

The scales were about the size of a palm, silvery-white in color, with a star-like halo flowing across their surface, and dragon patterns could be faintly seen moving about them.

"This is……"

"My natal dragon scale," Gu Yuena said softly, "contains my power and can withstand a full-force attack from a Limit Douluo. If I face a life-or-death crisis, I will sense if I crush it."

Qian Anci was startled.

The Silver Dragon King's natal dragon scale?

That's like having an extra life!

He took it with both hands; the scales felt warm and smooth to the touch, yet incredibly heavy.

The lingering warmth on it reminded Qian Anci of the touch of her fingertips when she massaged his meridians these past few days.

"Sister, this is so precious..."

"Take it." Gu Yuena interrupted him, a hint of tenderness flashing in her silver eyes. "You call me sister, so I will protect you."

She paused, her voice lowering, "The Star Dou Great Forest will always be your escape route. If the human world can't accept you..."

"Then you shall return."

Qian Anci looked up, his dark eyes meeting those silver eyes directly.

"But before that, I need to become strong enough. Strong enough to protect everyone I care about."

Gu Yuena smiled slightly.

That smile, like the first melting of snow, brightened the entire Lake of Life.

"Emperor Tian".

She called softly.

A figure in black robes stepped out from the void, his golden dragon eyes sweeping indifferently over Qian Anci, but slightly shrinking when they touched the silver scale.

"Send him out." Gu Yuena turned around, her silver dress appearing and disappearing in the morning mist. "Just escort him to the outer perimeter; there's no need to show yourself."

"Yes."

Di Tian raised his hand, and a black vortex bloomed beneath Qian Anci's feet.

Qian Anci glanced at the silver-clad figure one last time, opened her mouth, but ultimately only managed to utter, "Sister, take care."

Gu Yuena did not turn around.

But her voice drifted on the wind, as gentle as the breeze:

"Go, Anci."

"I'll wait for you to come back."

……

The dizzying sensation of spatial distortion returned.

When Qian Anci opened his eyes again, he was already standing on an open space on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Di Tian's figure flashed by before the vortex closed, without even a word of farewell.

Qian Anci looked down at the silver scale in his palm and carefully put it into his pocket.

The warm touch pressed against my heart, as if it still carried her warmth.

"Xia Die," he whispered in his heart, "we're out."

"Hmm." Xia Die's voice carried a hint of languor. "That Silver Dragon King is truly sincere towards you. The power within these dragon scales... is much more profound than I expected. It might even be able to withstand the attack from Emperor Tian that day."

Qian Anci did not respond.

He straightened his robes; the plain white robes stood out conspicuously in the forest.

"Goodbye."

A cool voice came from the side, with a hint of tension at the end.

Qian Anci turned his head and saw a golden figure leaning against a large tree not far away.

Qian Renxue wore a white dress, crossed her arms, and her golden hair fluttered gently in the morning breeze.

She tilted her head, her golden eyes gazing at the distant forest, as if she had only happened to pass by and glanced over when she heard footsteps.

"Sister?" Qian Anci paused slightly.

Qian Renxue reluctantly turned her gaze to him and looked him up and down.

Seeing that his clothes were neat, his breathing was steady, and he even seemed to have grown a little taller, something tense in her golden eyes quietly relaxed.

But then, she slightly raised her chin.

"An Ci, you're alright, that's so good!"

She seemed to realize something.

She gave a soft snort, tightening her arms around her chest, her voice deliberately cold:

"I just..."

She paused, a faint blush rising at the tips of her ears beneath her blonde hair, and then quickly uttered the second half of her sentence: "I'm just afraid you'll die in the forest and make Grandpa sad."

Qian Anci was stunned for a moment.

He looked at the figure who had turned away, pretending to gaze into the depths of the forest, and suddenly understood something.

Doesn't this proud angel know that tsundere has become obsolete?

"I'm sorry to have worried my sister." He stepped forward slowly. "It's An Ci's fault."

"Who's worried!" Qian Renxue turned her head abruptly, a hint of annoyance flashing in her golden eyes. "I told you, I'm afraid Grandpa will be sad! You...you flatter yourself!"

She bit her lip, as if feeling that her words weren't convincing enough, and added, "It's best if you die in there, so you won't have to fight me for soul beasts later!"

Despite this, she stood still and let him walk to her side.

Qian Anci glanced at her and caught a slight twitch of her nose, as if she were sniffing something. He then frowned.

"You..." She glanced at him suspiciously, "Why do you smell like a girl?"

Qian Anci was shocked; even someone like Qian Renxue could smell it.

"Sister, don't overthink it, let's go, Grandpa's still waiting for us over there!"

He quickly changed the subject, changing the subject away from the crucial one.

Qian Renxue narrowed her golden eyes slightly, about to ask further questions, when Qian Daoliu slowly stepped forward from not far away.

"Alright," Qian Daoliu said gently. "An Ci just got back, let him catch his breath."

Qian Renxue snorted and retreated to Qian Daoliu's side, but unconsciously took half a step closer to Qian Anci.

Qian Daoliu walked up to Qian Anci, placed his hand on his shoulder, and quietly probed into him with his soul power.

They began examining Qian Anci's body.

The wisp of soul power flowed through his body like a warm current. Qian Daoliu first nodded slightly, then his pupils suddenly contracted.

"Level 24?!"

He abruptly withdrew his hand, staring intently at Qian Anci, his voice trembling with disbelief.

"An Ci, how did your soul power... break through to level twenty-four?"

Qian Anci remained calm.

With the energy feedback from the ten-thousand-year-old soul ring, plus Gu Yuena's help in regulating his meridians, it wasn't surprising that he could reach level twenty-four.

"When Senior Di Tian helped me absorb the soul ring using the Dragon Clan's secret technique, it seemed he gave me an extra gift," he said, lowering his eyes. "An Ci isn't entirely sure of the specific reason either."

Qian Daoliu remained silent for a moment, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.

"Summon your martial spirit," he said in a deep voice. "Let me see your spirit rings."

Qian Anci raised his right hand as instructed, and the Grim Reaper's Scythe condensed in his palm.

Amidst the swirling gray-white aura of death, two soul rings slowly rose from beneath his feet.

First lap, purple, a thousand years!

Second lap, black, forever!!

The six attendants looked at each other in astonishment.

Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes widened, and even the usually calm Azure Phoenix Douluo was shocked!

"Ten thousand years... the second spirit ring is ten thousand years?!"

As the Golden Crocodile Douluo blurted out, the birds in the forest scattered in fright.

Qian Daoliu's hand trembled slightly.

He had lived for so many years and seen countless geniuses, but he had never seen such an unconventional existence.

Level 20 of the Innate Realm is already the pinnacle, breaking through to level 24 in three days is even more inconceivable, and the second soul ring takes ten thousand years...

This is a miracle!

"An Ci." Qian Daoliu's voice was hoarse, tinged with a barely perceptible excitement. "What...did Di Tian do to you?"

"Senior Di Tian said that I possess dragon blood within me." He lowered his eyes, his voice low. "He kept me at the Lake of Life for three days, using a secret dragon technique to help me absorb a ten-thousand-year-old Dark-Scaled Flood Dragon. In exchange..."

He paused, then took the silver scale from his pocket.

A flash of silver light appeared, and the dragon's might was faintly revealed.

"He asked me to act as a buffer between the Spirit Hall and the Star Dou Great Forest in the future."

Qian Daoliu stared at the scale, his eyes gleaming.

Dragon bloodline? A buffer?

He naturally didn't believe that Di Tian would be so kind. But the aura on that scale couldn't be faked.

This scale is very unusual; it's something that even a level 99 Limit Douluo like him would be wary of...

"Grandpa, don't worry." Qian Anci looked up and said earnestly, "No matter what my bloodline is, I will always be a member of the Spirit Hall. I am your grandson."

Qian Daoliu remained silent for a long time.

He suddenly burst into laughter, the sound echoing across the fields and startling countless birds into flight.

"Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times in a row, and slapped Qian Anci's shoulder hard, so hard that the boy staggered slightly.

"My grandson, Qian Daoliu, possesses the bloodline of the Dragon Clan. He broke through four levels in three days, and his second soul ring is now ten thousand years old!"

He turned to face the six retainers, his gray robes fluttering, his aura as imposing as an abyss.

"Gentlemen, today I, Qian Daoliu, hereby announce!"

"Goodbye."