Qian Renxue muttered to herself, "Soul power level 33."
She felt slightly, unsatisfied.
'This time, there was no leak of extra energy this time' she thought.
Then without hesitation, she sank into her spirit sea.
Tianmeng Silkworm was once again shivering in the farthest corner, like a ball full of fear.
Qian Renxue approached, her gaze indifferent. With a dismissive wave, a translucent hand formed from spiritual force slapped the trembling worm, sending ripples across the sea.
"Useless," she whispered.
She turned away, ignoring his frantic protests, and walked toward Electrolux. The ancient necromancer stood still, eyes like gray whirlpools, calm, yet bottomless.
He looked into her eyes and said simply, "The source of those whispers… was elusive as always."
------
Back in her room, the air was filled with the faint metallic scent of blood.
Several skeletal soldiers were scrubbing the blood-stained floorboards under her command. Bones clicked, and the room filled with an eerie, rhythmic scraping.
Electrolux, floating at the side with arms folded, raised an eyebrow.
"This is the first time I've seen skeleton soldiers used for cleaning duty," he remarked, dry amusement in his voice.
Qian Renxue didn't respond. Her gaze had shifted to the wooden box Dugu Bo had left on her table. It sat quietly, but a faint fishy fragrance emanated from it.
Just as she reached for it, Tianmeng suddenly leapt forward inside the spirit sea, his voice loud and childishly curious:
"What are your abilities?! Tell me! You were boasting so much about this soul beast!"
Qian Renxue's lips curled into a small, unreadable smile.
"I'll be using them soon," she said calmly. "You'll have to find out for yourself."
The room's temperature subtly dropped.
Behind her, a golden light shimmered, and then bloomed. The figure of an angelic martial soul rose silently, majestic yet indistinct. Its form was ethereal, its features impossible to pin down. Three glowing soul rings rose from the floor in sequence, each one a radiant golden hue.
Then, in the blink of an eye, the rings flickered as if it was changing.
First soul ring changed from platinum gold to yellow. Then the second soul ring also changed to yellow. The third soul ring became a steady, regal purple.
A textbook configuration for soul masters of this age.
Yet it was all… false.
The martial soul's shape twisted subtly until it resembled the Seraphim of Qian Daoliu himself. Six wings flared open, then another six emerged, forming a full twelve.
A divine presence enveloped the room, mixed with something else. The wings shimmered with soft golden light, yet an aura of illusion wrapped around them like silk.
Tianmeng watched, wide-eyed.
"Illusion!" he cried out in realization. "You're using illusion!"
Qian Renxue said nothing.
Then something even stranger occurred.
The third soul ring, the purple one, faded away into nothingness.
Simultaneously, Qian Renxue's aura dropped sharply. Her soul power fell to Level 28.
Tianmeng was flabbergasted.
Even Electrolux narrowed his eyes, analyzing the situation silently.
It wasn't just an illusion. It feels as if, Qian Renxue had actually demoted from Soul Elder to Soul Grandmaster realm.
But there was no panic on her face , only calm observation.
After the disappearance of the third purple soul ring and the sudden drop in cultivation, Tianmeng was the first to break the silence.
"How is this even possible?!" he blurted out, eyes wide in disbelief. "That was a million-year soul ring! No one can just... lose that! Let alone revert in cultivation without backlash!"
His voice echoed within the room, his confusion and alarm practically radiating from his spiritual presence. Even Electrolux narrowed his eyes, as if trying to analyze some strange energy flow in Qian Renxue's body.
Her gaze was calm, even indifferent, as she straightened her robe. She murmured coolly,
"Guess for yourselves."
She stepped forward, her golden hair glinting softly in the ambient light, purple eyes regaining their familiar composure.
As she glanced around the room, she found that the skeletons had completed their task of cleaning and now they stood quietly in a formation.
Qian Renxue said " It seems that the skeletons have done their work."
Electrolux also shifted his attention from his disciple and with a faint wave of his hand, he recalled them into the Undead Demiplane, their bones vanishing into shadowy mist.
She glanced up at the fading sunlight outside her window, unsure of how much time had passed. Without a clock, she had no clear sense of duration.
So she called, "Wu Meng."
The maid, who had been waiting patiently outside, entered with her head lowered.
"How long has it been since Poison Douluo left?" Qian Renxue asked directly.
Wu Meng thought for a moment, then replied, "Two sticks of incense."
Qian Renxue did a quick mental estimate.
'That means roughly an hour.'
'He's probably still in meeting with Grandfather and the other elders.'
She turned toward the door with renewed intent.
'Time to see whether my soul skill holds up… under the eyes of Super Douluo and Ultimate Douluo.'
She said calmly, "Wu Meng, let's go. I need to meet the elders , who are probably present in the main hall."