Xiao Yuanshan, unable to refuse Xiao Chenyu, led the two to the training ground.
Family shame should not be aired, so the training ground was specially cleared out with no audience left.
"Qianqian, why don't we just forget it?" Xiao Yuanshan looked at Xu Qian.
Innate level four Soul Power only makes one a Spirit Scholar, without a first spirit ring, but there is a relatively obvious difference between awakening a Martial Soul with Soul Power and without it; it mainly manifests as Soul Power enhancing one's physical constitution, meaning all attributes will improve.
"Godfather, please rest assured, I am confident," Xu Qian smoothed her silver-white bangs, "A Spirit Scholar is not a Soul Master, and besides, Xiao Chenyu is my younger brother, it's not good for the family to be disharmonious."
"You… who's your younger brother!" Xiao Chenyu gritted his teeth, "I'll show you the difference between a great Spirit Scholar like me and a common person like you."
"Eh!" Xu Qian blinked, "Awakening a Martial Soul makes you a Spirit Scholar, you just have a few more levels of Soul Power, you don't really think of yourself as a Soul Master, do you?"
"Being overly ambitious isn't good, Young Master Xiao."
"Hmph, I will definitely be a Soul Master in the future, but you are just a good-for-nothing who can't become a Soul Master," Xiao Chenyu said proudly, "A Soul Master is a noble profession, and I, Xiao Chenyu, will surely achieve it easily."
"Is that so," Xu Qian was noncommittal.
Indeed, on the Douluo Continent, Soul Masters and common people are basically two different classes. Soul Masters killing common people by mistake usually do not need to bear much responsibility, at most, they would apologize and pay a sum of gold coins.
Even Spirit Hall would not make a Soul Master pay with their life for accidentally killing a common person. Of course, the large-scale killing of common people by certain evil Soul Masters is not allowed, and Spirit Hall has a specialized structure to deal with such cases.
In general, on the Douluo Continent, powerful Soul Masters are the true nobility.
However, in a transcendent World, this is also a very normal thing. A Soul Master casually throwing out a few gold coins is the income a common person might earn in a year, or even several years, of hard work.
On the Douluo Continent, the Soul Master profession is just a glimpse of the heavenly palace in this World.
Even the lowest-level Soul Master naturally belongs to a different class than a common person.
"Are you ready?" Xiao Chenyu's voice pulled Xu Qian's thoughts back. Xu Qian sized up the young man opposite her, then smiled softly, "We can start now. Don't cry if you lose; I haven't learned how to comfort people."
"Hmph, that's what I should be saying!" Xiao Chenyu roared.
"Martial Soul Assimilation!"
A wolf's howl.
Even without a spirit ring, a beast Spirit Scholar can enhance all their attributes in the Martial Soul Assimilation state.
"Take this!"
Xiao Chenyu assumed the posture of a hungry wolf pouncing on its prey, extending his sharp claws to fiercely grab at Xu Qian.
In the distance, Xiao Yuanshan's three spirit rings—white, yellow, yellow—rose, ready to save someone at any moment.
"Hmm?"
His Martial Soul was also a wolf, so Xiao Yuanshan's beastly senses were relatively sharp.
Before Xiao Yuanshan had time to think too much.
"Domain: Thousand Winds, Myriad Clouds."
A faint voice came from Xu Qian's mouth.
"My… my body feels so heavy!" Xiao Chenyu maintained his pouncing motion, but his entire body felt as if it had sunk into a quagmire, as if invisible things were Binding him, and his movements became extremely slow.
"You, what did you do?"
Xiao Chenyu looked incredulously at the book in Xu Qian's hand.
"Thousand Winds are formless, and clouds give them shape."
"It's over, Xiao Chenyu."
Xu Qian's soft words slowly fell. The expression on Xiao Chenyu's face suddenly changed, his pupils widening as if he had seen something terrifying.
"No, don't!"
His Martial Soul Assimilation instantly receded. Xiao Chenyu knelt on the ground, hands supporting him, gasping for breath. Cold sweat ran down his forehead, gathered at his chin, and then dripped onto the ground.
"As per our agreement, I hope you won't trouble me again."
Walking past Xiao Chenyu, Xu Qian came to Xiao Yuanshan's side and looked at the dazed Xiao Yuanshan, "Godfather, I'm still not very familiar with the Domain, so I might have been a bit heavy-handed. My younger brother might need a few days to fully recover."
Xiao Yuanshan was startled by her words, then shook his head and laughed heartily:
"It's fine, that kid deserved a good lesson."
Knowing that his adopted daughter knew how to be measured, Xiao Yuanshan no longer worried.
"Qianqian, what are your thoughts about the future?"
"I want to go to Notting Academy. I wonder, Godfather…"
"Go if you want to; you don't need to worry about the expenses," Xiao Yuanshan patted his chest.
"Thank you, Godfather. Then your daughter will head back now." Xu Qian nodded, turned, and left. Looking at Xu Qian's retreating figure, the words Xiao Yuanshan had on the tip of his tongue still hesitated.
Regarding Xu Qian's father's dying instructions, let's wait a bit longer. Now is not the time to tell her.
Xiao Yuanshan walked to his son's side and patted his shoulder:
"Kid, are you feeling down?"
"Is she really a common person without Soul Power?" Xiao Chenyu's voice trembled, "Even if I become a Soul Master, I'm afraid I won't be her opponent."
"Oh?" Xiao Yuanshan said in surprise, "What scared you so much?"
"A wolf, I saw an incredibly terrifying Gale Wolf King. I even thought I was going to die," Xiao Chenyu trembled, his pupils dilated, remembering the terrifying aura from that instant. His Martial Soul was even scared back into him.
"Gale Wolf King?" Xiao Yuanshan was startled, "Tell me in detail."
Xiao Chenyu suppressed his fear and told his father about seeing the phantom of the evil wolf.
"This…" Xiao Yuanshan fell silent.
According to his son's description, although the outline and color of the Gale Wolf King had changed somewhat, it was very likely the appearance of the Gale Wolf King. He recalled what Xu Qian had said at the time, "I know the truth about my father's death."
Can one see past Martial Souls?
Or is it related to the awakened Domain?
"Father, Xu Qian clearly has no Soul Power, so why does she seem even more terrifying than a Spirit Grandmaster?" Xiao Chenyu was utterly baffled, "Also, what is this Domain she mentioned?"
Xiao Yuanshan's mouth twitched as he looked at Xiao Chenyu for a long time.
How could it not be terrifying?
That was the pressure of a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast. Not to mention a Spirit Grandmaster, even a Spirit Ancestor couldn't compare.
Xiao Yuanshan sighed softly and said, "Getting along well with your older sister will be beneficial for your future. As for the Domain, that is something only a small number of exceptionally talented individuals can master."
"Don't think too much; these things are too far beyond you."
Xiao Chenyu still wanted to ask about the Domain, but he saw his father shake his head: "I don't know much about the Domain either. Rest for a few days, then you and your older sister will report to Notting Academy."
"Your third uncle is the dean of Notting Academy. With him looking after you two, I will be more at ease." Speaking of this, Xiao Yuanshan seemed to remember something, "Speaking of which, he recently recruited a theoretical Grandmaster who was expelled from Spirit Hall."
"Although his Soul Power is only level 29, to be noticed by your third uncle, he must have some ability."
"If there's an opportunity, have your older sister get close to him. Perhaps it could be helpful for your Martial Soul cultivation."