Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, who was kidnapped to another world

After all, what I'm thinking about is finding the Devouring Ancestral Symbol and then obtaining all the other Ancestral Symbols, Lin Dong thought to himself.

However, it's impossible to say such things directly.

"After all, a variety of runes bring a variety of abilities. The only problem is that I don't have that much time to master these abilities. After much thought, in order to make the most of the abilities of the five runes, I created this move based on the principle of ring fusion..."

As Lin Dong clenched his right hand, the five talismans intertwined and merged perfectly, emitting a terrifying aura.

"The Five Symbols Breaking the Heaven Seal, please enlighten me."

Five special talismans transformed into an ancient seal that roared out, its target naturally being Xiao Yan on the other side.

With a faint smile, Xiao Yan hurled the Flame Profound Talisman in his hand at the fist-sized ancient seal.

The moment the two came into contact, the destructive heat emanating from the Flame Profound Talisman relentlessly eroded the ancient seal, while the various spiritual talismans on the ancient seal continuously eroded the form of the Flame Profound Talisman.

After a brief stalemate, the Flame Profound Talisman and the Ancient Seal exploded simultaneously, creating a spectacular display in the void, like fireworks. The light generated by the clash of the two forces blinded all the spectators.

The continuous explosions echoed through the void, and each aftershock sent chills down the spines of the teachers in the audience who were using their soul skills to block the explosions and prevent them from affecting them.

For the first time, they began to doubt whether they were really teachers at the Advanced Soul Master Academy. The two people on the stage were just students, and their soul power was inferior to theirs, but the "aftershocks" of their moves made their scalps tingle. If they were at the center of the explosion, they would probably be reduced to ashes.

The terrifying aftershocks lasted for nearly three minutes before gradually fading.

Once the aftershocks had completely subsided, the teachers from the various advanced soul master academies withdrew their soul skills and turned their attention to the deep pit—

Standing on the void was Xiao Yan, whose clothes were somewhat tattered. This explosion had finally caused him some damage. However, compared to Xiao Yan, who only had tattered clothes and a few wounds, Lin Dong was clearly in a much worse state. At least, without Xiao Yan's help, Lin Dong might have fallen into this bottomless pit.

"It seems I've won this time," Xiao Yan said with a smile, putting his right arm around Lin Dong's shoulder and his left hand on Lin Dong's left shoulder.

"Yes, this time, you have a slight edge." Lin Dong tugged at the corners of his mouth, smiling helplessly.

Lin Dong could sense that Xiao Yan's cultivation technique was roughly at the ninth-grade level, certainly not reaching the level of a Creation Technique. However, in terms of recovery speed alone, Xiao Yan's technique was already comparable to a Creation Technique. Lin Dong, on the other hand, was cultivating a plain, ordinary ninth-grade technique. Therefore, this time, he completely lost due to his recovery speed.

"Just pure luck."

Xiao Yan smiled. With all the cultivation techniques being high-level Yellow Rank, the Burning Technique, whose effects were no weaker than low-level Profound Rank techniques, gave him a stronger recovery ability. Therefore, in the final stage, when Lin Dong was exhausted, Xiao Yan was still able to use his excess Dou Qi to reach Lin Dong's side and use his mental power to protect the two of them.

After the referee announced Shrek Academy as the winner of the match based on the current situation, Xiao Yan slowly helped Lin Dong walk towards the rest area.

As for how to repair what has become a giant crater hundreds of meters deep, that was not Xiao Yan's concern.

Back in the rest area, all the students' eyes were focused on Xiao Yan and Lin Dong, who had recovered a lot of Yuan Power and was able to walk normally. This match was the best opportunity to understand the soul skills of these two Soul Kings. So, from the beginning of the match, all the participating team members were in a state of watching, and naturally watched the entire match from beginning to end.

Huo Wu watched as Xiao Yan leisurely walked into the rest area and sat down at the Shrek Academy's designated spot. A lump formed in her throat. She had thought that after practicing the meditation method provided by Xiao Yan and mastering the techniques he taught, the distance between her and Xiao Yan had shortened considerably. But now it seemed...

"So, Xiao Yan, flames aren't your martial soul?"

While Huo Wu was withdrawn like everyone else, she suddenly heard this question. The person who asked the question seemed to be that spineless commander from Shrek Academy.

"You can't say that," Xiao Yan waved his hand. "You know, compared to the Xuan Heavy Ruler and the Fire Refining Talisman, fire is what I'm best at. If you remove fire, all my skills are basically useless."

'But that's on the condition that the flames can actually be removed...' Huo Wu sighed silently.

"No, what I mean is..." Tang San smiled somewhat awkwardly, "Flame, isn't that the kind of martial soul that can absorb spirit rings...?"

This question was so perplexing that even Xiao Yan, who was directly speaking to Tang San, couldn't understand what Tang San meant, let alone the others who were silently listening to the conversation.

"I just want to ask, do you qualify as a Three-Life Martial Soul?" Tang San asked hesitantly amidst the curious gazes of the crowd.

“Flames aren’t something you’re born with,” Xiao Yan understood. Tang San was completely terrified and had started making excuses for himself, reasons to avoid his own existence. “However, as for absorbing spirit rings, I haven’t tried it yet…”

“Alright, you don’t need to say anymore, I understand…” Tang San sighed. “Also… how did you manage to reach the ten-thousand-year level with your second spirit ring? Of course, if it’s something that can’t be discussed, just pretend I didn’t ask this question…”

Although he was determined to avoid Xiao Yan, Tang San asked this question, which was essentially a private matter, as if it were an instinct.

"There's nothing I can't say," Xiao Yan said indifferently. After all, the method of absorbing soul rings that have exceeded their age limit isn't something you can learn just by hearing about it. "As long as your physical strength is sufficient and your mental power is strong, that's enough."

"I understand physical strength, but mental strength...?" Tang San asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I'm not quite sure if it's a characteristic of ten-thousand-year spirit rings," Xiao Yan shrugged, "but when absorbing a ten-thousand-year spirit ring, one's mental energy will experience slight throbbing pain, just like the resentment of a ten-thousand-year spirit beast."

"It's not resentment, it's a soul tremor." Xiao Wu, who had been avoiding Xiao Yan ever since his identity was revealed, corrected him after hearing his words.

"Soul tremor? What is that?"

Everyone's attention shifted to Xiao Wu, the only girl in Shrek Academy who was still only a Soul Master.

"When a high-level soul beast dies, its soul does not immediately dissipate..."

While Xiao Wu was explaining the unique knowledge about soul beasts, Xiao Yan and Lin Dong noticed Ning Fengzhi walking into the rest area, and Bone Douluo standing behind him.

"Uncle Ning, is there something you need?"

After casually casting a soul barrier on Xiao Wu to prevent her identity from being directly exposed to Bone Douluo, Xiao Yan stood up and went to greet her.

"His Majesty asked me to arrange a small banquet for you and Lin Dong," Ning Fengzhi said with a smile. "You two should be free after the competition today, right?"

Xiao Yan turned to look at Lin Dong, who was sitting in his seat. Lin Dong, who was paying attention to the situation, spread his hands, indicating that he had no further plans.

After receiving affirmative answers from both of them, Ning Fengzhi continued, "The location is the same teahouse as last time. After we leave, you can take Lin Dong there, is that alright?"

"May I ask who you're meeting this time?" Xiao Yan asked, somewhat helplessly.

“It’s still His Highness the Crown Prince,” Ning Fengzhi said with a smile. “His Majesty Xueye was also worried that his appearance would make you uncomfortable, so he arranged for His Highness the Crown Prince to entertain you both.”

"Is it only His Highness the Crown Prince?" Based on his and Lin Dong's performance today, Xiao Yan did not believe that Emperor Xue Ye would only arrange for one Crown Prince.

"Perhaps Princess Xueke is also included."

Oh, and there's a princess too.

Although Ning Fengzhi used the word "perhaps," Xiao Yan was not a political idiot and naturally understood that "perhaps" was just a simple interjection in Ning Fengzhi's sentence, and ignoring it was the right thing to do.

"Ok, I see."

Chapter 113 Qian Renxue's One-Act Play

"Xiao Yan, what did Daddy say to you just now?"

After Ning Fengzhi left and Xiao Yan returned to his seat, Ning Rongrong came over and asked curiously. Zhu Zhuqing, who had been listening to Xiao Wu explain the soul vibration earlier, also sat down in her seat with a serious expression and listened attentively.

"After today's competition, His Highness the Crown Prince wanted to see Lin Dong and me," Xiao Yan shrugged and casually patted Lin Dong's shoulder. "Princess Xue Ke is probably here to see you."

Everyone present was a Soul Master, and Xiao Yan and Ning Fengzhi's previous conversation had not been deliberately concealed, so it naturally could not be hidden from Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and the other students of the academy.

Although the students from other academies were filled with envy for Xiao Yan and Lin Dong being able to face the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, and even wished they could fight the two of them to win the right to meet the Crown Prince, when they thought of the two of their strength and the pit in the center of the Great Soul Arena that was being repaired by several earth elemental Soul Emperors and Soul Saints, they could only silently suppress their envy.

"How can you be so sure you're here to see me?" Lin Dong rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Because Xiao Yan is Sect Leader Ning's son-in-law!" Ma Hongjun patted Lin Dong's shoulder casually, acting like they were old friends. "No matter what, Sect Leader Ning wouldn't go so far as to find a rival for his daughter's affections, would he?"

Ning Rongrong, who had vaguely heard the name "Xue Ke" and was preparing to "interrogate" Xiao Yan, became somewhat embarrassed and angry after hearing Ma Hongjun's words. "You fatso, what are you saying?"

"I didn't say anything!" Ma Hongjun raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, quite brazenly.

"Oh, right."

Amidst the laughter, Xiao Yan suddenly looked at Lin Dong and said, "When you meet the Crown Prince later, no matter what you discover, you must remain calm and just pretend you didn't find anything."

A seemingly random remark left Lin Dong somewhat bewildered, and his discussion with Xiao Diao about whether he could replicate Xiao Yan's Flame Profound Talisman to create his own moves was temporarily put on hold.

*

Xue Qinghe... or rather, Qian Renxue was heading towards the small teahouse where she had recently met Xiao Yan.

Because the most exciting match of the Soul Master Competition in the Tiandou Division was being shown today, there weren't many pedestrians along the way. Her disguised carriage traveled smoothly and quickly took her to the small teahouse.

The guards, just like last time, continued to disguise themselves as small groups of customers, while Qian Renxue silently went upstairs to the second floor and returned to her previous spot.

Until the tea was served, Qian Renxue silently stared at the table—

As the daughter of the previous pope, the holder of the divine martial soul Six-Winged Angel, and the only woman in hundreds of years with innate soul power level 20, she was almost certain to become the next Angel God. She didn't understand one thing: why the ancestor of the Qian family, who was the Angel God, suddenly issued a divine decree last year.

Moreover, the divine oracle was searching for a ten-year-old boy who had no connection whatsoever with the Qian family or even the Spirit Hall.

She admitted that being at level 30 at the age of ten was indeed a gift, but that was all. With innate soul power at level 20, she had already become a Soul Master when she was eight or seven years old. No matter how you look at it, the Angel God should not care about this outsider, right?

Therefore, last year, after learning that Xiao Yan had come to Heaven Dou City, that Xiao Yan was the person sought by the divine decree of the Heavenly God—that decree with only four words of ambiguous meaning—and that Xiao Yan was the third person in a hundred years to possess twin martial souls, as advertised by Shrek Academy, she did not go to find him.

She remembered that when her "guard" relayed the Spirit Hall's "Grand Elder's" order to find Xiao Yan and reveal her identity, this was her response—

'He's just a Soul Master; he's not worthy to know my identity.'

However, a year later, when Xiao Yan, who was thought to be just an ordinary Soul Venerable, reappeared in front of everyone, he suddenly became a Soul King. His soul power increased by more than ten levels in a year. Her first reaction was that Xiao Yan had become a Chosen One.

Then, she learned from that old fox Ning Fengzhi's "exclusive" news that Xiao Yan had taken a Soul Master Pill that appeared at the Tian Dou Auction House more than half a year ago. It was a pill that was said to be able to increase the soul power of a Soul Master at the ninth level, which was at most the level of Soul Venerable or Soul Sect.

After learning this news, she looked down on Xiao Yan. Although he created the Soul Master Pill and became a Soul King at the age of eleven, making him the same level as her in terms of soul power—that's right, although she had an innate soul power level of twenty, more than ten years had passed and she was still only a Soul King, even though she was at level fifty-nine. In the end, she was still just a Soul King.

'Perhaps... I shouldn't have accepted her mission in the first place...'

After the tea was served, Qian Renxue poured herself a cup, sipped it, and felt a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Big brother!"

Just as Qian Renxue was troubled, a clear voice suddenly rang out from outside the screen, followed by the sound of the screen being pulled open, and then a young girl strode in.

"Why did you make me come here, big brother?" The girl walked to the table, looking at Qian Renxue with shame and indignation... Qian Renxue, who was Xue Qinghe in her eyes.

"I'm only fifteen!"

The girl's name is Xue Ke, the youngest daughter of Emperor Xue Ye. She was summoned by Xue Ye this time, probably to be promoted to Lin Dong, one of the two Soul Kings who appeared in the Heaven Dou Tournament.

“Xiao Yan and Lin Dong are only eleven years old, four years younger than you,” Qian Renxue smiled helplessly, playing the role of a good older brother in front of Xue Ke, “You two have plenty of time to develop your relationship…”

“But I don’t like them!” Xue Ke interrupted Qian Renxue loudly.

"..."

Occasionally, especially today, at the behest of Emperor Xueye, who was required to win over Lin Dong, Qian Renxue felt that Xue Ke was being too unruly.

"Sit down!" After a brief silence, Qian Renxue shouted sternly.

Xue Ke hesitated for a moment, then realized that her older brother's expression was not joking at all. In fact, she had never seen her older brother's stern side in a long time. Xue Ke reluctantly sat down opposite Qian Renxue.

Do you know who you are?

Qian Renxue took out a cup, poured in half a cup of tea, and placed the cup in front of Xue Ke.

"...The princess of the empire."

Holding the cup for a while, Xue Ke finally managed to utter a few words.

"Then, what should you do?" After waiting for a while, Qian Renxue finally got Xue Ke to speak and continued to press on.

"...to recruit outstanding talents for the empire."