Qian Renxue arched an eyebrow, lips twitching at his blunt retort. Before she could reply, another voice rang out, brimming with energy.
"Renxue! You're here! Are you ready to spar with me today?"
A blur of yellow hair darted forward. Tian Yue, her face flushed with excitement, charged across the garden and leapt straight toward Qian Renxue.
As if she had rehearsed it countless times, Qian Renxue calmly raised her hand in a knife-like gesture. Her palm landed neatly on Tian Yue's head.
"Thwack."
The girl froze midair before collapsing onto the grass in a heap. She twitched once, then lay still, fainted.
Jiang Mo's expression stiffened, a bead of cold sweat running down his temple. "…That might've caused a concussion."
Qian Renxue shook her head lightly, brushing invisible dust from her sleeve. "No. I wasn't that heavy-handed. She'll be asleep for a while, nothing more."
When she turned back, she caught sight of Dugu Yan, whose small mouth was open in an astonished 'O.'
"Dugu Yan," Qian Renxue said with a faint smile, her tone carrying quiet authority, "these will be your new friends from now on."
The other children in the garden—Shi Ming, and Qing Dan, also turned their curious eyes toward the purple-haired newcomer. Their gazes flickered between Qian Renxue and Dugu Yan, sensing that something important was unfolding.
Qian Renxue's eyes shifted back to Dugu Bo. "Senior, you must allow your granddaughter to interact with them freely. Here, she will learn companionship—and strength."
Dugu Bo hesitated, then gave a small nod, his weathered features softening as he looked at Yan'er. He placed her gently on the ground. The girl pouted but didn't resist, curiosity winning over stubborn pride.
Leaving the children to their own devices, Qian Renxue and Dugu Bo turned and walked away from the garden.
Behind them, the "little platoon" of the Elder Hall had just gained a new member.
----
Coming back to his house after the Spirit Hall Academy, Lin Yuan was silent. His footsteps echoed faintly in the empty corridor, but inside his mind he was screaming.
'System, Qian Xunji is dead. It is exactly proceeding as the original story!'
[ System: Yes, Host. But now your goal should be to become stronger and complete your novice mission. ]
Lin Yuan's face lit up with excitement, his lips curling into a smug smile.
'That's what I wanted to hear! This is my chance. Qian Renxue must be devastated now that her father is dead. She'll be vulnerable, longing for someone to lean on. I should give her a shoulder to cry on… and while at it, complete the novice mission.'
[ System: Host, I recommend caution. Rather than rushing into emotional entanglements, you should first become a Soul Grandmaster. Your current level is 20. That should be your priority. ]
Lin Yuan chuckled, brushing aside the system's warning.
'I'm already Level 20 at just nine years old. That makes me a genius in this era! According to the story, Qian Renxue liked to recruit talented soul masters to her cause. I have every chance of catching her attention now.'
[ System: Correction. In the original timeline, that was—after twenty years—when she was fully disguised as the crown prince of Heaven Dou Empire. You are far too early. ]
The system's calm rebuttal made Lin Yuan's smile twitch. Still, he waved it off with false confidence.
'All the better! I'll impress her earlier than anyone else. I'll change the story with my own hands.'
[ System: Host, remember, your rapid cultivation speed isn't solely your talent. It is heavily boosted by the blood wine brew in your possession. If you were more disciplined, you would have broken through Level 20 two months ago already. You cannot afford arrogance.]
Lin Yuan's grin returned, sly and self-satisfied. "I know, I know," he whispered under his breath.
"I'll astonish everyone by securing a thousand-year spirit ring as my second ring. The Master's theory says the third ring is the limit for a thousand-year one… but imagine me having it on my second!"
Lin Yuan's laughter—low, sharp, and brimming with delusion—seemed to echo against the walls.
[ System: Host, don't be overconfident. Last time, you failed to absorb even a 500-year-old soul beast. ]
Lin Yuan's face darkened, his pride stung as the memory resurfaced—the convulsions, the splitting pain, the near-death experience when his body rejected the beast's violent energy. His fists clenched.
'Tch… don't remind me,' he muttered bitterly, frustration seeping.
He paced across the room, his expression twisting between anger and unwillingness.
'From the news of the Pope's death… tch, I think my soul beast hunt might get delayed.'
[ System: Correct. That means now is the best time to increase your physical strength. Your foundation is still weak compared to real geniuses of this world. Without the blood wine brew, your so-called talent would not stand out. Focus on building your body. The brew is perfect for that. ]
Lin Yuan's jaw tightened, but he forced himself to nod. "I… know."
His eyes flicked across the dimly lit room, sharp and guarded, as though unseen eyes lingered on him.
[ System: Host, there is no one in the room. The surveillance that spied on me before is not active right now. ]
Even so, Lin Yuan did not relax. Ever since his two barrels of blood wine brew had mysteriously vanished, stolen from under his nose, he had lived with a constant edge of paranoia. The system had once warned him—he was being watched. That knowledge burrowed into his mind like a shadow he couldn't shake.
His lips curled into a thin smile, but there was venom in it. "Heh… whoever stole from me… I'll find you. I'll take back what's mine, and I'll make you pay tenfold."
Moving toward a small wooden table, he placed an empty glass upon it with exaggerated care, then whispered, "System, do it."
A faint ripple of power shimmered in the air. A spatial distortion opened for a heartbeat, and from the void, a stream of blood-red liquid poured forth, just enough to fill the glass before sealing away again.
The wine glowed faintly under the lamplight, thick and almost alive, exuding a metallic tang. Lin Yuan's eyes gleamed as he stared at it, his reflection warping in the crimson liquid.
He raised the glass slowly, whispering, "Just wait. I will have a thousand-year soul ring. And when I grow strong enough, I'll find that thief… and I'll collect interest."
Then, without hesitation, he tilted the glass back and drank.
The liquid burned down his throat, spreading into his veins like molten iron. His body shuddered, blood surging, and a crimson flush crept across his skin. Gritting his teeth, he crossed his legs on the cultivation mat, his hands forming a seal as he forced his spirit power to circulate.
(Author notes : I could have made Dugu Bo's fight with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and Seven Treasure Glazed Clan into a mini arc, but thought that this arc 3 was already stretched enough and crossed out that plan.)