Chapter 135

After eating an extraordinarily delicious barbecue in the evening, Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan rested.

The two lived in the same tent, which for the already engaged couple was naturally perfectly normal, and Gu Rong was also happy with that.

Gu Xuan is almost fifteen, an age at which he can father children, not to mention Du Gu Yan, who is about twenty; having a child would be absolutely no problem for her.

However, this young man Gu Xuan has a steadfast resolve; even though he is already engaged to two beautiful granddaughters-in-law, he can still sit calmly with a dog in his lap.

Gu Rong felt delighted yet also sighed, after all he also wanted to hold a grandson soon.

The next day, the three set out at dawn to find a suitable fifth soul ring for Gu Xuan; in this year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, the final prize was three soul bones, so Gu Xuan was naturally eager as well.

Even if he himself does not use it, giving it to others nearby would still be a good choice.

As the largest gathering place of wild soul beasts on the continent, the Star Dou Great Forest's vast expanse covers the territories of both the Tian Dou Empire and the Xingluo Empire.

Of that, the Xingluo Empire accounts for three-fifths, and the Tian Dou Empire for two-fifths.

From morning until noon, the great sun hung high in the sky; even within the Star Dou Great Forest one could feel the sun's scorching heat.

However, Gu Xuan and the others had at least reached rank fifty in soul power, so this sun would not make them feel irritable; their soul power circulation quickly restored normal body temperature.

But just as the three were heading toward a mountain range, Gu Rong's eyes twitched: "This aura must be that of a Titled Douluo."

After hearing Gu Rong's murmur, Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan looked at him; although they far surpassed their peers, their mental strength was still far below that of the already ninety-seven‑level peak Gu Rong, so they had not yet sensed it.

Seeing Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan look puzzled, Gu Rong explained: "There are fluctuations from a soul master battle deep in this mountain range; it must be a Titled Douluo hunting soul beasts."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan exchanged a glance, and then Gu Xuan said: "Grandpa, should we make contact? It might be a friend."

Gu Rong thought for a moment, then nodded; there are only so many Titled Douluo on the continent, and most of them, even if not familiar, have at least a nodding acquaintance.

If we could use this opportunity to become acquainted, that would also be acceptable.

Gu Xuan mainly had a suspicion, because a Titled Douluo would only intervene to help hunt a soul beast of at least ten‑thousand‑year level at this time, and ordinary geniuses do not receive such treatment.

Gu Xuan wanted to see whether they were the three geniuses of the Spirit Hall—namely, the current golden generation of the Spirit Hall, Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan.

With Gu Rong guarding them, Gu Xuan had no worries about his safety; unless Qian Daoliu himself arrived, Gu Rong could simply open a spatial gate and toss them away.

After entering the mountain range, Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan soon felt the aftershocks of the battle, though the momentum was not as terrifying as Gu Rong had said.

Gu Rong timely explained: "Presumably the guardian has ceased, having wounded the soul beast and left it for the juniors to practice on."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan were not at all surprised, because they often did the same; this is the advantage of having a guardian and a background.

As the philosophers say, out in the world it's about background, you look at power; without strength and background you're just a petty nobody!

(Tang San: First, I haven't provoked any of you! Second, I haven't provoked any of you!)

Upon entering the depths of the mountain forest, Gu Rong directly used his eighth soul skill and arrived at the place where the battle was taking place.

The moment Gu Rong and his two companions appeared, two formidable auras erupted instantly, locking onto Gu Rong's trio.

"Who dares to intrude on the Spirit Hall's hunting grounds!" shouted a black‑robed middle‑aged man two meters tall, wielding a three‑meter‑long golden serpent spear.

Gu Rong was left embarrassed by that shout; after all, he himself is a ninety‑seven‑level Titled Douluo, yet he was being so lightly dismissed in front of his grandson and granddaughter‑in‑law.

"Shut up!" Gu Rong's eyes instantly turned cold, and he coldly shouted: "The Spirit Hall's territory? When did this Star Dou Great Forest become your Spirit Hall's domain?"

It was only then that the two realized Gu Rong's identity; just now, because Gu Rong had appeared suddenly, they had shouted in alarm, fearing he might interfere with the young master's hunt of soul beasts.

Now seeing the visitors clearly, the Serpent Spear and the Spiny Pig both had their pupils contract; they are only ninety‑three and ninety‑two level, whereas Gu Rong has already broken through to ninety‑five level.

Moreover, Gu Rong's Bone Dragon martial soul excels in defense and is renowned for its strange attacks; even if the two joined forces, they might not gain any advantage over Gu Rong.

"Your Excellency Bone Douluo, we didn't mean it that way; it's just that your sudden appearance startled us, and our words lost a bit of propriety—please don't hold it against us." The Serpent Spear Douluo Yu Long, who wields the golden serpent spear, could bend or stretch; upon confirming Gu Rong's identity, he immediately became more respectful in his speech.

Yu Long's giving face was exactly the case of not striking a smiling face; moreover, Gu Rong and his party had indeed appeared abruptly, so Gu Rong finally merely nodded in displeasure and said: "Forget it."

However, Gu Xuan's expression from the start was not on the two Titled Douluo, Serpent Spear and Spiny Pig, but rather on a peerless woman below.

This woman, about twenty years old, has a figure and looks perfected to the peak; two pairs of golden angel wings spread from her back, and holding the angelic holy sword and shield makes her heroic bearing even more striking—who else could it be but Qian Renxue?

At this moment Qian Renxue was launching an assault on a fifty‑thousand‑year‑old Holy Light Heavenly Horse; the horse was already a crippled remnant, no longer its former glory, and under Qian Renxue's relentless attacks it kept retreating, ultimately ending only in resentful defeat to the northwest, becoming Qian Renxue's soul ring.

"Has Qian Renxue already broken through to rank seventy? It seems that the Hunyuan Pill has indeed given her a notable boost." Gu Xuan, watching Qian Renxue below as she was about to slay the Holy Light Heavenly Horse, couldn't help but sigh.

I am now fourteen; Qian Renxue is eight years older than me, making her twenty‑two—a twenty‑two‑year‑old Soul Sage. If it weren't for Gu Xuan this monster, Qian Renxue would absolutely be the most extraordinarily talented person on the present Douluo Continent.

Looking at the original work, Tang San at thirty‑nine, even with various heavenly‑grade herbs and Xiao Wu's hundred‑thousand‑year soul ring, is only rank sixty‑seven; thus Qian Renxue's talent truly is enough to be heaven‑defying.

However, perhaps because of the original story's killing, such a heavenly prodigy became a weeping god; after becoming a god he could directly kill Tang San, yet then insisted on an unrequited love, and finally Tang San shattered his divine position, leaving him unable to break through to Titled Douluo for life.

Also, while Gu Rong, the Serpent Spear, and the Spiny Pig were talking, Qian Renxue's angelic holy sword severed the Holy Light Heavenly Horse's head, and a dark black soul ring gradually condensed on the horse's body.

Qian Renxue had naturally heard the Serpent Spear Douluo's roar earlier, but at that time she was in the heated phase of battle and could not divert her attention.

Having dealt with the Holy Light Heavenly Horse, Qian Renxue fluttered her angelic wings behind her and gazed upward at Gu Xuan and his companions in the sky.

When she saw Gu Xuan, she couldn't help but shrink her pupils; Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan's purpose in coming to the Star Dou Great Forest goes without saying—after all, Gu Rong can no longer absorb soul rings unless he breaks through to the god level, which is obviously impossible.

Thus there is only one explanation: Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan have broken through; Gu Xuan had just broken through to Soul Ancestor a year ago, and now breaking through again would make him a Soul King, wouldn't it?

But how could that be possible? Does anyone else not know, or does she not know? A Soul Ancestor under fifteen—this talent would already be stronger than mine, wouldn't it?

I myself possess an innate twenty‑rank soul power, a god‑level martial soul!

Moreover, who could advance from just entering Soul Ancestor to Soul King in such a short year? This is nothing short of a monster!

However, her current identity is not Xue Qinghe but Qian Renxue; she must pretend not to know Gu Xuan, which gives rise in her heart to a different feeling.

I wonder what Gu Xuan will think in his heart after seeing my true appearance.

Can a lecher who started dating at twelve still hold himself in check?

ps: Typos will be corrected later.

(End of chapter)