Chapter 10: Striking First, Xiadie's Teacher (Part 1)

Join the Star Luo Empire?

Xiadie was stunned.

The look of surprise on her face flashed by, then quickly vanished.

She had considered many types of answers, but she had never thought that a princess of the Star Luo Empire would come to recruit her.

Did something happen along the way?

Xiadie kept her expression as calm as possible.

Currently, the information was asymmetrical, but there was no doubt that a few days were enough for the other party to investigate her to a certain degree.

She just didn't know to what extent they had investigated.

And what purpose Xu Jiujiu had in recruiting her.

"Your Highness, can you give me a reason?" Xiadie asked calmly. "I only awakened my martial soul at age 11; I don't think there is anything worth the Princess recruiting me for."

"Could it be... you want to see my teacher?"

When Xiadie mentioned her teacher, an "as expected" expression appeared on Xu Jiujiu's face.

This flicker of change in expression was captured by Xiadie.

"That is the case." Xu Jiujiu didn't wait for Xiadie to overthink it, looking as if she had let out a sigh of relief.

"I represent the Imperial Family in expressing our gratitude to you and your teacher; we weren't sure at first if your teacher was that person, so we stayed here temporarily."

"According to our subsequent investigation, the few days of darkness descending on the city likely had to do with your teacher."

"His help to us was truly great, and we would like to thank him in person."

"So, you want to pull my teacher into the Star Luo Empire?" Xiadie pointed at herself. "And I, this disciple with Innate 20th Level soul power, am just an afterthought?"

After Xiadie finished speaking, she seemed to realize she had said the wrong thing and hurriedly covered her mouth.

"Uh..."

A trace of embarrassment appeared on Xu Jiujiu's face.

She had indeed not acted very honorably; she just wanted to probe about the other party's teacher and, if possible, meet them.

As for Xiadie, who had just awakened her martial soul.

Wait.

Xu Jiujiu suddenly reacted, her eyes widening: "You, you have Innate 20th Level soul power?"

If she remembered correctly, there was such a record in the Star Luo Empire's library.

Innate 20th Level only existed for that Angel God, Qian Renxue.

10 levels were innate, 10 levels were god-given.

Could it be...

"Your Highness, you must have misheard." Xiadie shook her head gently, wearing an expression of "I will never admit it."

Sensing the subtle atmosphere around them, Xiadie coughed twice: "I want to know what happened during those few days of darkness that made it worth your while to go to such lengths to find my teacher."

"Secondly..." Xiadie's voice paused, "What is your view on the Evil Soul Masters identified by Shrek?"

Silence, a deathly silence.

In Douluo Dalu, Evil Soul Masters are to be killed by all.

Especially in this current era, as long as one awakens an evil martial soul, regardless of whether their behavior is deemed evil or their cultivation method is deemed evil, they are categorized as Evil Soul Masters.

"Our Star Luo Empire only looks at conduct and cultivation methods; we do not determine good or evil based on the martial soul's attributes."

It was not Xu Jiujiu's voice; an old woman with white hair and beard, wearing a bright red robe, appeared beside Xu Jiujiu.

"Grandma Manyi." Xu Jiujiu was surprised.

Generally speaking, unless they encounter danger, guardians usually do not reveal themselves.

Manyi nodded at Xu Jiujiu, then her gaze fell on Xiadie: "Little girl, could you release your martial soul and let me see it?"

"Please rest assured, I have no ill intent."

"I can." Xiadie nodded gently.

A faint aura of death condensed as she held up her palm.

Purple energy gathered in her palm, like a mass of mist.

"Such an intense aura of death." Manyi's voice trembled, "It's actually an Extreme Attribute; no, it's even stronger than a standard Extreme Attribute."

While Manyi was speaking, the purple ball of light held in Xiadie's palm gradually changed shape.

First it was a blade, then a spear, then a sword, and finally it turned into a long-handled scythe.

"This... what exquisite Spirit Power control." Manyi was shocked again; her voice was trembling.

To be able to shape an elemental martial soul into other forms, the control required over Spirit Power was terrifying.

Manyi subconsciously released her Spirit Power to probe Xiadie.

"Junior, do not push your luck."

The voice was like a clap of thunder; Manyi staggered back a few steps, a trace of bright red blood spilling from the corner of her mouth.

"Grandma Manyi."

"Your Excellency, it was my recklessness, I am very sorry."

Manyi waved her hand to signal to Xu Jiujiu that she was fine, then bowed toward Xiadie.

"Sigh!"

A long sigh.

Beside Xiadie, specks of soul energy gathered.

In an instant, an old man in a gray robe whose face could not be clearly seen revealed his form.

The terrifying Spirit Power dissipating throughout the hotel lobby made even the Titled Douluo Manyi unable to stand steadily, but she still stepped forward, shielding Xu Jiujiu behind her.

Sweat seeped from her forehead involuntarily.

"Yo-your Excellency..."

"I originally intended to borrow your Star Luo Empire's venue to allow my disciple to awaken her martial soul."

"But Xiadie's martial soul is overly powerful and possesses the ultimate Death Element, so I had to take some defensive measures."

After Yilaikesi appeared, he began to speak to himself.

"I also gave you some gifts as a courtesy, yet I did not expect you to set your sights on my disciple instead."

"The little girl of the Star Luo Empire, and another junior who hasn't even reached the level of a Super Douluo."

"Hehe... in my era."

"Forget it, too much time has passed; I am old and too lazy to remember."

"Speak, what business do you have with me? If your answer does not satisfy me,"

"I would not mind paying a visit to your Star Luo Emperor."

"Please, please calm your thunderous rage," Xu Jiujiu said with a trembling voice, "W-we are different from Shrek."

This terrifying and pure Spirit Power pressure was truly hair-raising.

The Death Element within the spirit was not strong, but that vast, ocean-like Spirit Power made it impossible for one to even harbor a thought of resistance.

"We have come specifically to express our gratitude for your gift, senior."

"If you are willing, senior, you may come to our Hall of Worship; our Star Luo Empire will certainly welcome you with open arms."

"Hehe." Yilaikesi shook his head, "These are all just empty pleasantries; I have heard too many of them."

"Compared to these, what you care about more is my ability, isn't it!"

"However, I have no interest in joining any nation; just consider me someone accustomed to freedom who is unwilling to be bound."

"Come to think of it, it is my disciple who is the only thing that keeps me tethered."

Yilaikesi's voice softened slightly, his tone carrying doting affection.

"Her talent far surpasses my own."

"Although she missed much by failing to awaken her martial soul in time,"

"With an Innate 20th Level talent, what does it matter if a mere few years were wasted?"

Xu Jiujiu and Manyi remained silent, only able to listen quietly as Yilaikesi talked to himself.

Just a moment ago, they indeed had not seen Xiadie's spirit ring, but they could still determine that she had 20th-level soul power.

In the classics of a certain master of theory, it is possible to continue cultivating without obtaining a spirit ring.

But through the experiments of certain stubborn Soul Masters, one cannot exceed the current Junhuan Nianxian by 5 levels without obtaining a spirit ring.

In other words, if you are a 10th-level Soul Scholar and do not hunt for a spirit ring, you can cultivate to at most 15th level.

Furthermore, because you have not obtained a spirit ring, your cultivation speed is only that of a regular Soul Scholar, and due to the suppression of the bottleneck, it will be even slower than that of a regular Soul Scholar.

This is the reason why no one uses this method to increase the absorption limit of spirit rings.

The cultivation speed of a Soul Scholar is not on the same level as that of a Soul Master, and the cultivation speed of a Soul Master is likewise not on the same level as that of a Great Soul Master.

11 years old, 20th-level soul power—not impressive.

But an 11-year-old with Innate 20th Level soul power is completely different.

The level of innate soul power restricts not only the upper limit of the cultivation bottleneck but also the terrifying speed of cultivation.

"By the way," Yilaikesi raised his voice, pulling the thoughts of Xu Jiujiu and Manyi back, "Doesn't your Xingguang Auction House have an Engraving Knife from the list up for auction?"

"Give it to my disciple as an apology gift, and I will not hold the offense against you."

"What do you think?"