Chapter 14: Alliance
Qian Ningshuang ignored Di Tian and Xiong Jun. Instead, she summoned Hei Yuan Bai Hua.
She bit her lip as she looked at the grievously wounded Tian E and Walter.
She wasn't foolish enough to lash out at Di Tian to prove a point. In this situation, survival itself was a victory. Empty bravado only satisfied the ego—it changed nothing.
"Zeroth Rated Power—
I am the black from the abyss,
I am the white descending from the clouds.
Born before creation, enduring beyond annihilation.
I shall freely give the water of the Fountain of Life
to whoever thirsts!"
As a Divine Key, Hei Yuan Bai Hua's power didn't require魂 rings. It could be used directly—though limited by Qian Ningshuang's strength and the world's rules, necessitating the recitation of a so-called魂 incantation to activate it.
As her chant ended, a green aura of life energy enveloped the injured.
Under its glow, Tian E and Walter's wounds visibly closed. Their deathly pallor gave way to healthy color.
Pulman stared in disbelief at his right arm—now fully functional again. He opened his mouth, as if to speak, but only sighed. What was there to say? They were all fish on the chopping block now.
Di Tian and the凶 beasts watched with satisfaction. The more impressive Qian Ningshuang's power, the better—for soon, that power would belong to them.
"Let's go."
Qian Ningshuang cast one last look at Qian Ren Xue, who stood frozen in place, then walked toward Di Tian.
"A wise choice."
Di Tian shifted back into his colossal black dragon form and seized Qian Ningshuang before soaring into the sky.
As Di Tian and his group vanished into the distance, Qian Ren Xue remained motionless. Pulman stood beside her, unsure what to say.
The silence stretched—until—
"Where's Shuang'er? Where is she?!" Tian E roared upon waking, eyes sweeping the diminished group in fury.
"The young mistress was taken by the black dragon," Pulman replied carefully.
"Taken? And you—a Spirit Douluo—just stood by?!"
Pulman opened his mouth, but seeing Tian E's rage, swallowed the words *I couldn't have stopped them anyway.*
"Second Grandfather," Qian Ren Xue finally spoke, lifting bloodshot eyes to meet his. "It's too late for blame. Return to Spirit City first."
"Then summon every Titled Douluo in Spirit Hall—every last one, from both the Pope's Palace and the Hall of Offerings. If that woman tries to say a word, tell her to step down from the Papacy—immediately!"
"Can you do that… Second Grandfather?"
Tian E didn't flinch at the earth-shaking implications in her words. Without hesitation, he shot into the sky toward Spirit City—leaving only a single sentence behind:
"Consider it done. Pulman—take care of them!"
…
Qian Ningshuang gazed at the Lake of Life—a location pivotal from Douluo 1 through Douluo 4.
Honestly? It wasn't nearly as serene as Qinghai Lake back in her past life. Instead of peace, it radiated dread. No birdsong, no blossoms—just oppressive stillness.
The lake's deep green water lay utterly motionless. Towering凶 beasts—each ten meters tall or more—stood guard around her. How could anyone feel at ease?
Birdsong? With凶 beasts like these, what bird would dare approach?
Well… the Jade Swan beside her technically counted as a bird—though its call hardly matched the poetic ideal.
And as for floral fragrance? The凶 beasts weren't overly pungent, but they weren't exactly scentless either.
"Follow me."
Just as Qian Ningshuang used internal sarcasm to calm her nerves, Di Tian's voice cut through her thoughts.
She said nothing—just obediently stepped onto his massive claw.
As light faded around her, she descended to the lakebed. Then, a shimmering "door" enveloped her.
When it cleared, Di Tian was gone. Instead of darkness, the space glowed with radiant purple crystals, casting a dazzling, ethereal light.
Before her loomed a silver dragon over a hundred zhang long. Twin silver horns crowned its head, its body sheathed in hexagonal silver scales. A tail stretching dozens of zhang trailed behind it, and vast silver wings unfurled from its back.
It lay prone, its enormous head lifted to regard Qian Ningshuang. Its violet eyes held an indescribable nobility.
"Human. Release your martial soul."
Qian Ningshuang had no interest in playing the defiant martyr like some transmigrators from fiction. She quietly summoned Hei Yuan Bai Hua.
The silver dragon closed its eyes in evident relief.
Qian Ningshuang exhaled. Clearly, her martial soul's life energy was immensely valuable to the dragon—her life was safe… for now.
"How does it feel? Quite pleasant, isn't it?"
A sudden male voice interrupted the dragon's absorption.
"Who's there?!"
Qian Ningshuang whirled to stare at the crimson bracelet on her wrist—the source of the voice.
This morning, Qian DaoLiu had given it to her, saying only that it was a spatial soul tool. He never mentioned it could *talk*!
"I am Qian Chongling. I doubt the Lady Silver Dragon King has heard my name."
A blood-red spectral figure drifted from the bracelet.
The Silver Dragon King's violet eyes narrowed with deep wariness.
This soul, clad in crimson battle robes, had bypassed her senses entirely. Even wounded, she was once a First-Tier God—no mere mortal could hide from her so completely.
There was only one explanation: this soul had once stood at her level—or higher. And since any being above 100 levels would be barred from the mortal realm by the God Realm… the truth was clear.
Like her, he had been grievously wounded by the gods and fled.
"It seems you've already guessed my origin," the crimson soul—Qian Chongling—said, watching the dragon's realization.
"Then I won't waste words. I've come through this girl to propose an alliance."