Qian Renxue sat cross-legged on a flat boulder, her posture poised and serene, but her brows furrowed slightly. A soft radiance flickered around her as sacred energy coursed through her meridians, carefully expelling trace after trace of black miasma from her palm.
"Hahh…" She let out a long breath, her beautiful golden eyes opening slowly.
She turned her hand over in front of her face, studying the faint mark left behind by the struggle of energy. A deep sigh slipped from her lips.
The evil aura in Lu Yuan's body… it's still far too strong. At my current level, I can barely keep it in check. Suppressing it is all I can do.
Before she could collect herself further, movement in the bushes caught her attention.
Her expression sharpened instantly. With a cold glint in her eyes, a golden longsword appeared in her hand.
"Who's there?"
A calm, familiar voice answered.
"How surprising. To think, my disciple Xue Qinghe is actually… a daughter."
The figures of Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin emerged from the shadows, their footsteps slow and heavy with disbelief.
On their way here, they had caught sight of the elaborate golden-trimmed ceremonial robes—robes belonging to none other than Crown Prince Xue Qinghe. Both had feared the worst, imagining Qinghe slain. But when they looked closer, there were no bloodstains, no violence. Instead, before them stood a young woman, her Martial Soul blazing with unmistakable divine angelic aura.
Ning Fengzhi's heart sank, though the truth was undeniable. Though she was clearly not the Xue Qinghe he once knew, the resonance of her aura was undeniable. This was indeed the same person.
"An angel Martial Soul…" Ning Fengzhi whispered, his tone complicated. "So… you're from Spirit Hall, aren't you?"
Qian Renxue did not deny it.
Still, his concern quickly shifted. "You're connected to Lu Yuan, aren't you? If so, please… give him to me. Let me take him back."
For a brief heartbeat, silence lingered.
"He's gone," Qian Renxue replied softly.
Her eyes lifted. There was no fleeing from the truth anymore—not after everything had unraveled. All of it, all her carefully constructed identity… ruined because of that man.
Even knowing that, there was no regret in her voice. Only a faint sting of unwillingness.
"What do you mean by gone?" Ning Fengzhi pressed, the nervous edge of impatience in his voice cutting through his usual composure. He still addressed her politely—part of him still saw in her the prince he once respected—but the anxiety over Lu Yuan's fate now burned hotter.
"He was taken away by a soul beast," Qian Renxue said.
Ning Fengzhi stiffened.
She glanced out into the forest, her expression distant. "But isn't this better? Right now, he's safer with a soul beast than he would ever be under your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's protection."
Her words were calm, almost indifferent, though her face carried no trace of the warmth that once belonged to Xue Qinghe.
Ning Fengzhi exhaled softly. He believed her. He had to. After all, why else would they encounter her here if not for that strange thread of fate?
"…Go," he said finally.
He chose not to stop her. Whatever her identity, the fact remained: she had saved Lu Yuan. That alone was reason enough for him to let her walk away.
Just as she turned to leave, he called out once more. "Wait. At least… tell me your name."
Qian Renxue's steps did not falter. Her gaze remained forward as she answered, her voice echoing cool and crisp.
"Qian Renxue."
She disappeared into the trees without looking back.
Ning Fengzhi stood there, staring at where she vanished.
"Fengzhi," Chen Xin spoke with a grim line on his lips, hand resting on his sword. "Are we really just letting her go? She's from Spirit Hall. And what she said about Lu Yuan… how can we know if it's true or false?"
"Uncle Jian," Ning Fengzhi shook his head lightly. "It doesn't matter who she is. What matters is that she saved Lu Yuan. That much—I believe."
He turned his gaze outward into the forest. "And I think what she said is likely true. Lu Yuan being taken away… most probably, by that rabbit soul beast he once released. It fits. And besides, she's right. Compared to remaining with us at the sect, hiding in the forest among spirit beasts might truly be safer for him."
A pause. His voice lowered, troubled.
"It's just… whether Lu Yuan can truly coexist with a soul beast—that is the question."
In another part of the forest, chaos roared.
"Rumble!!"
The clash between Tang Hao and the Titan Giant Ape was earth-shattering.
Tang Hao's mind was in turmoil. Of all things, why was this giant beast so fixated on crushing him? The fury in its eyes was relentless, as if no explanation in the world could placate it.
Locked in battle, Tang Hao found himself faltering. He still had to shield Tang San while fighting this ferocious beast, and after prior battles, his strength was waning. In desperation, seven of his nine spirit rings had already been forcefully detonated. His body was breaking down, his soul power shredded, and every swing of his hammer grew heavier.
His breath came ragged. He couldn't keep this up for long.
Suddenly, the forest echoed with a strange, throaty rhythm.
"Coo… coo…"
The Titan Giant Ape stiffened, ears twitching.
It gave the father and son one last, reluctant glare, before stepping back. Its towering frame turned, retreating hastily into the forest.
That sound—it was a call, a summons from Xiao Wu. One it could not ignore. Otherwise, this battle would never have ended until blood was spilled.
High on the Titan Giant Ape's broad shoulder, Xiao Wu gazed down worriedly.
"Er Ming… can you save him?"
Before them, Lu Yuan's body was wracked with black flames, a sight so frightening that she scarcely dared draw near.
The Titan Ape shook its massive head gravely. "It's beyond me. We must go back and ask Da Ming. Perhaps he can find a way. But for me… there is none."
Even with his hundred-thousand-year life, this was the first time the colossal beast had laid eyes on such a terrifying condition within a human soul master.
Meanwhile, far away on the road to Heaven Dou City, the Shrek group sat cramped inside a carriage.
Yu Xiaogang sat apart, his face dark with thought.
"Xiaogang, what's on your mind?" Flender asked lazily, resting back with a rare expression of relief. At last, they'd escaped from Spirit City unharmed. For a moment, he even let himself relax.
If there had been conflict… given their ragtag lineup, they would have been swallowed whole. No question about it.
But Yu Xiaogang suddenly straightened, his eyes flashing with conviction. "Flander… I've made a major discovery."
His voice carried a weight that instantly made heads turn.
"Lu Yuan is… an Evil Soul Master!"
The declaration exploded like thunder in the carriage.
"Master?" Zao Wou-ki blinked dumbly. "Wait, what? Didn't Spirit Hall already—didn't they already explain all that?"
His tone was half confusion, half skepticism. Sometimes, he really wondered if Yu Xiaogang had all his screws tightened.
Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth, shaking his head with fervor. "No! They only spoke of the matter. No one confirmed it. But I, Yu Xiaogang, will prove it. I'll show the world evidence that cannot be denied—evidence that Lu Yuan is truly an Evil Soul Master!"
The madness in his eyes chilled those around him. Even so, a disturbing sense of certainty lurked in his conviction.
Calming his breath, Yu Xiaogang sifted through his memories. He recalled dusty tomes he had pored over in Martial Soul Hall, obscure records of Evil Soul Masters. The violent cultivation patterns, the abnormalities… and when he thought about Lu Yuan, each sign matched.
It wasn't just for the truth. This was personal. He wanted proof to validate his theory. And at the same time… he wanted vengeance.
One stone, two birds.
"Xiaogang," Flender hesitated quietly, "why not take a break? The Soul Master Tournament is done. Xiao San has left with his father. The Academy is on break. Why don't we take some time off? Travel, see the world a bit?"
He didn't say it aloud, but in his heart, Flender worried terribly. If Yu Xiaogang threw himself into research again, into something that others refused to acknowledge, and if he was scorned once more… this time, he might never stand up again.
But Yu Xiaogang shook his head resolutely. "Go with Wuji if you like. I'll stay. This time, I'll succeed. This time—my theory will be proven."
His confidence was unwavering.
Indeed, along this journey, he had pieced it together, step by step.
From the first time he had heard the name Lu Yuan, the boy was only twelve. A mere Soul Sect then. But not long after, when Zao Wou-ki encountered him near the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest… Lu Yuan had already reached Soul King level.
And not just that. He could even fight on par with Zao Wou-ki.
Then, scarcely another year or two later, he was promoted again—this time all the way to Soul Emperor.
From Soul Sect to Soul Emperor… in only three years. Impossible.
Completely impossible for any normal soul master.
Not even Tang San, his own disciple blessed with twin Martial Souls, born with innate full soul power and wielding the Clear Sky Hammer—arguably the most supreme talent on the continent—could push himself beyond his current limit. At Tang San's age, simply reaching Soul Sect level was already the extreme boundary for cultivation speed.
And yet Lu Yuan… Lu Yuan had surpassed it all.
The only answer? He was an Evil Soul Master. That alone could explain such monstrous cultivation.
The more he thought it through, the more convinced Yu Xiaogang became. Excitement flushed through him, his hands almost trembling as he pulled out a small notebook, scribbling furiously inside.
This time, he would not be ignored. This time, he would stand tall.
--
Loving the story? Read 149+ extra chapters on my Patreon — link's in the description! 🚀
Loved this fic? 🔥 Then you'll absolutely binge my other hits — "Douluo Dalu: Ten Thousand Years Early System!" & "Douluo Dalu: My Harem System is Bugged!" — don't miss out!