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Qian Renxue chose to absorb the skull bone of the Sky Azure Bull Python and the torso bone of the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion.
The Angelic God Outfit requires six soul bones to be fully assembled before they can all reach the 100,000-year level. Yet, even the damaged Demon Emperor's soul bone in Qian Renhan's possession was still of 100,000-year quality.
In terms of innate talent, Qian Renxue, as a Light-Dark Chaos Angel, arguably had even greater potential than Qian Renhan. After all, he wielded only three elemental attributes, while Qian Renxue had mastered six.
However, Qian Renhan was unable to help her evolve her Eight-Winged Chaos Angel Martial Soul. While this martial soul was immensely powerful, its growth required an extraordinary amount of resources. Unfortunately, most of the resources on the Douluo Continent had already been consumed by Qian Renhan alone. Qian Renxue had already reached level 88, and with the absorption of these two soul bones, she was sure to hit level 90. Beyond that, advancement would only be possible after she reached the god level.
"Has he returned?"
In one corner of the Pope's Palace, Bibi Dong sat in a wheelchair, gazing toward the Douluo Palace. Her aged eyes were filled with complex emotions.
After the death of her white moonlight, Yu Xiaogang, Bibi Dong had come to understand many things—why Qian Renhan had always treated her with such cold disdain. Clearly, she had once tried to stand by him when the Qian Clan's faction disapproved of his awakening as a Fallen Angel. She had tried to help.
Yet Qian Renhan was born emotionally indifferent. Other than his sister Qian Renxue, no one could stir even the slightest emotional ripple within him. And the timing of her so-called support had been terrible—just after she had repeatedly humiliated Qian Renxue and even slapped her in public. From that moment on, Qian Renhan's feelings for her must have dropped to absolute zero.
Later, she had proudly handed over what she believed to be a flawless theory—the "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls"—hoping it would help Qian Renhan grow stronger.
But this was a man who had evolved his Eight-Winged Fallen Angel into a Ten-Winged state, and had even advanced the Qian Clan's long-stagnant Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul into Eight Wings. He did it all without help, even resolving the clash of dual martial souls on his own. That kind of person wasn't just a genius—he was a true master of martial soul theory.
So, when Qian Renhan threw her theory into the trash, he probably saw Bibi Dong as nothing more than a foolish idiot.
Besides, she had never truly raised him. Perhaps from the beginning, Qian Renhan never regarded her as a mother—just a trivial, irrelevant figure. Anyone who stood in his way would die. Just like back then, when he had returned and tried to kill her without hesitation.
Later, when Qian Renxue came to rescue her, it was because of a message from Qian Daoliu. That alone proved that in Qian Renhan's eyes, Bibi Dong was just one among the masses of the Douluo Continent—just another commoner, a grasshopper at best. It was even possible that she was still alive in Spirit Hall and Qian Renhan had no idea—or didn't care.
Yet, even now, Bibi Dong did not regret how she had treated Qian Renhan. Back when Shrek Academy suggested using her soul bone to kill him as part of Yu Xiaogang and Tang San's revenge against Spirit Hall, she had agreed without hesitation.
"Whether he has returned or not no longer matters," Bibi Dong muttered. "At least I still have Nana, my devoted disciple."
Thinking of Hu Liena's departing figure, her aged eyes softened with a rare tenderness.
Compared to Qian Renhan, who had never once cared for her, and Qian Renxue, who after turning dark had little affection left for her either, only Hu Liena remained the last ray of light in Bibi Dong's heart.
Bibi Dong raised her head and looked in the direction of the Slaughter City. "Nana, you must come back alive!"
Once Qian Renxue finished absorbing the two soul bones, Qian Renhan left her with a simple command to contemplate her martial soul thoroughly. Then he pulled the divine-grade weapon, the Shura Demon Sword, from the ground and slung it onto his back. His gaze turned toward the Star Dou Forest—it was time to complete the Eighth Shura Trial.
After confirming that Spirit Hall had successfully subdued the Sky Dream Iceworm, Qian Renhan flew alone toward the Star Dou Forest. Completing the Shura God Trial and hunting soul rings were trials he had to undertake by himself.
Three years had passed since Qian Renhan had last visited the Star Dou Forest. Back then, his battle with Di Tian had ravaged the outer region, leaving thousands of acres in ruins. But thanks to the forest's powerful regenerative abilities, much of the land had already recovered.
Qian Renhan didn't want to engage in a large-scale battle with the ferocious beasts outside the core region of the forest. He was wary of accidentally killing off too many soul beast resources within the Star Dou Forest. After all, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear was known for tearing apart anything that blocked its path.
During his last battle with Di Tian, Qian Renhan had destroyed thousands of acres of forest and caused the deaths of tens of thousands of soul beasts. Now, how many more acres would he ruin? How many more beasts would be killed just to hunt another soul ring?
Even someone like Qian Renhan, who rarely valued the lives of soul masters or soul beasts unrelated to him, had to restrain himself slightly—for the sake of the long-term prosperity of Spirit Hall.
Thus, although he flew at great speed, he suppressed his aura to roughly the level of a Rank 95 Super Douluo. Flying through the air, it was unlikely any soul beast would go out of its way to cause trouble.
For a soul beast to fly—aside from those with wings—it needed to be at least 200,000 years old and capable of freely assuming human form.
As Qian Renhan entered the inner region of the Star Dou Forest, a glint of cold light flashed below. From the dense, sun-dappled forest beneath him, a massive hooked barb gleamed with a ghostly glow. It shot upward, slicing through trees, aiming straight for Qian Renhan's neck. The barb was attached to a segmented tail, looking more like a whip made of bones.
Qian Renhan flared his wings and struck back. Sparks flew as his strike collided with the barb, deflecting it.
"Hmph, not bad power. But in this area? A mere ten-thousand-year soul beast dares to seek death?"
A low, deep roar echoed from below. "Awoo!" Then came the sound of wings flapping.
Through the gaps in the trees, the full form of the beast revealed itself to Qian Renhan. It was a massive tiger, pitch-black from head to toe without a single trace of another color. Its blood-red eyes burned with killing intent. Muscles rippled beneath its sleek fur, and it stretched over eight meters long. On its back flapped a pair of thin, leathery black wings—an eerie sight.
Its most unique feature was its tail, which arched upward and appeared to be made of countless bone segments. At the very tip was a giant hooked barb, glinting with a sinister, spectral light.
The tiger soared through the trees with pride and ferocity, rising until it floated at eye level with Qian Renhan.
"The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger... so it's you. No wonder you had the nerve to attack."
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger fixed its gaze on Qian Renhan, licking its lips like it was staring at a gourmet delicacy. It had once faced off alone against both the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape—two 100,000-year soul beasts—and survived. What fear could it possibly have of a lone Super Douluo? This man would be tonight's feast.
Just as the tiger opened its jaws and prepared to pounce, Qian Renhan's right hand traced a circle through the air. In the blink of an eye, a pitch-black energy beam surged out like a lightning strike, enveloping the tiger completely.
As the black light faded, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was frozen into a massive block of ice and crashed back down into the forest.
Qian Renhan clenched his fist. The block of ice burst with an icy blue flash, shattering into countless fragments. A single pitch-black soul ring floated up from the remains—the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was dead.
(End of Chapter)