Chapter 3 – The Young Qian Renxue
Along the way, Lin Beiya was like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden for the first time—his curious gaze darted everywhere, marveling at every unfamiliar sight. The towering angelic statues scattered throughout exuded a sacred and solemn aura, filling the path with divine grandeur.
Qian Daoliu, however, felt a heaviness in his heart. Lin Beiya had somehow resonated with the Angel God's statue—by all logic, that should mean the boy carried a divine connection. As someone who possessed the Six Winged Angel Martial Soul, Qian Daoliu should have sensed something extraordinary from him. Yet, throughout their entire walk, Lin Beiya gave off no special fluctuations at all—just like an ordinary child.
'What's going on? Could the Angel God's response have been mistaken? That's impossible…'
Even with that doubt, Qian Daoliu decided to bring Lin Beiya before the Angel God Statue to verify it personally. After all, it had been far too long since he last felt the Angel God's divine presence.
When they arrived before the grand doors of the Angel Temple, the moment they stepped near, a wave of sacred radiance washed over them. The stone gates, adorned with ancient reliefs, stood dozens of meters tall, exuding an overwhelming sense of majesty.
With a sweep of Qian Daoliu's hand, the heavy gates slowly parted with a deep rumble.
"Go on, child."
"Alright."
Lin Beiya didn't hesitate. It wasn't as though he could resist even if Qian Daoliu wanted to harm him; he might as well go with the flow.
Inside, even without sunlight, the temple wasn't dim at all. Multicolored stained glass scattered beams of fractured gold across the floor, illuminating the massive Angel God statue that stood at the center of the hall—its divine brilliance almost awe-inspiring.
Bringing Lin Beiya before the statue, Qian Daoliu's gaze held a spark of anticipation.
"Child, try summoning your martial soul."
"Okay."
Though confused by the elder's request, Lin Beiya didn't refuse. He had a faint idea—his martial soul must have been the reason for the Angel God's earlier reaction.
Light flared as Lin Beiya summoned his martial soul—the small Athena Stone Statue appearing in his hand. Qian Daoliu's eyes never left him, afraid to miss even the slightest sign.
But… nothing happened.
The Angel God Statue stood silent and unmoving, as if no divine resonance had ever occurred.
Qian Daoliu sighed deeply.
"Ah… I must be losing my head. How could I have pinned my hopes on a child who just awakened his martial soul…"
Lin Beiya was speechless. So his earlier guess was right—the resonance really did happen during his awakening. But could he really be blamed if it didn't happen again now?
Cautiously glancing at Qian Daoliu, Lin Beiya hesitated before asking:
"Grand Worship… should I return to the orphanage to pack and report to the Spirit Academy?"
Now it was Qian Daoliu's turn to fall silent. The current lack of resonance didn't mean there would never be one again. Who knew what potential this never-before-seen martial soul might reveal after gaining soul rings?
A century of patience had tempered Qian Daoliu well—he could wait for Lin Beiya to grow.
"No need. You'll stay in the Douluo Hall for now. You may attend classes at the Spirit Academy; I'll inform them. You're also free to study any texts within the Spirit Hall's archives."
After speaking, he tossed Lin Beiya a token engraved with the image of an angel.
Caught off guard, Lin Beiya fumbled to catch it, then respectfully cupped his hands in salute.
"Thank you, Grand Worship. I'll cultivate diligently."
"Good."
Though the old man's words were brief, his intent was clear—he meant to nurture Lin Beiya seriously. That alone was enough reason for gratitude.
After arranging servants to prepare Lin Beiya's quarters, Qian Daoliu turned to leave, marking the end of their meeting.
Following behind the maid, Lin Beiya quietly made his way toward the side hall, his heart filled with anticipation for what awaited him next.
Beyond the grand hall stretched a lush courtyard that looked more like a miniature garden than a sacred ground. Flowers and birds adorned every corner, breathing life into the solemn atmosphere of the Douluo Hall.
After parting with Qian Daoliu, Lin Beiya began to contemplate the future of his martial soul, completely unaware that in the small pavilion at the garden's center, a golden-haired head had quietly popped out from behind the short hedges.
"Lord Lin, according to the Grand Worship's arrangement, you'll be staying here."
The maid who guided him spoke respectfully. Anyone residing within the Douluo Hall was of no ordinary status, and even though Lin Beiya was just a child, she treated him with proper decorum—clearly a servant trained in etiquette.
"Thank you. I'll be in your care from now on."
"It's no trouble, young lord. Should you need anything, just give me the word."
Once the maid departed, Lin Beiya didn't hesitate to push open the door and step into his new quarters.
The room's design was a blend of bedroom and sitting area, laid out in a style reminiscent of European architecture from his previous life. It was roughly a hundred square meters—not especially large by the Spirit Hall's standards—but for someone who'd spent six years sharing a cramped dormitory in an orphanage, it felt luxurious beyond words.
After spending a few hours familiarizing himself with the furnishings and layout, his stomach began to grumble, urging him to seek food.
Since this was an entirely new environment, Lin Beiya decided it would be best to find the maid who'd brought him here—after all, this wasn't like the northern orphanage, where he could just head into the woods to hunt something for dinner.
But the moment he turned to leave and reached for the door—
A pair of dazzling blue eyes appeared right in front of him.
"Ah!!"
Startled by the sudden face that appeared out of nowhere, Lin Beiya yelped and stumbled backward, crashing into the door behind him with a loud bang.
"Y-you! What are you?! A person or a ghost? Why didn't I hear you coming?!"
"You're the ghost! I don't walk—I fly! Of course, you wouldn't hear my footsteps!"
The voice was crisp, tinged with youthful pride. Only now did Lin Beiya have the chance to properly look at the girl before him.
She wore a pure white dress that flowed down from her small, flat chest to her calves, revealing a glimpse of soft, fair skin where the fabric parted. Her delicate face was framed by golden hair that cascaded over her shoulders, and a six-winged angel-shaped hair ornament rested elegantly upon her forehead.
There was no mistaking it—this must be the "little golden-haired angel" he'd been hoping to meet: Qian Renxue. Judging from her appearance, she seemed to be about the same age as him.
In that instant, Lin Beiya also confirmed the timeline—he was the same age as Qian Renxue, which meant he was nearly nine years older than Tang San. In other words, the future "God King Tang San" was still in the Tang Sect back in Sichuan, secretly practicing the sect's hidden arts.
"Hey! What are you staring at me for?"
The little girl's imperious voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Her hands rested firmly on her hips, her expression demanding an explanation.
"I'm asking you—who exactly are you? What makes you so special that Grandpa would bring you to live in the Douluo Hall?"
Lin Beiya met her gaze, amused. So this was what the future Angel God looked like as a child—completely spoiled and proud, like a tiny noble who expected the world to revolve around her.
After thinking it over, he decided to just tell the truth. There wasn't much worth hiding anyway.
"Uh, my name's Lin Beiya. I just awakened my martial soul today—it's the Statue of the Goddess of War. As for why the Grand Worship brought me here, I'm… not too sure myself."
Qian Renxue clearly wasn't satisfied with that answer. She puffed up her cheeks and glared fiercely.
"Are you trying to brush me off? Believe it or not, I'll make you pay for that!"
"Tch."
Lin Beiya smirked. So feisty, he thought. 'If I gave this cute little brat a light punch, she'd probably cry for hours.'
They were both around six years old, both newly awakened Soul Masters—why should he be afraid? After all, back in the orphanage, he'd trained his body plenty!
Confidence swelled within him… until the little golden-haired girl extended her hand.
Brilliant light flared, and the sacred form of the Six Winged Angel Martial Soul appeared behind her—two glowing yellow soul rings rose at her feet, bathing the room in divine radiance.
Lin Beiya's grin froze instantly.
—
End of Chapter