Tang San stepped into the center of the hexagonal formation. His expression was serene, but deep within, his heartbeat had already quickened.He extended his hands.
Su Yuntao closed his eyes and began channeling his soul power. Threads of energy surged through the awakening stones, forming rippling circles of light that converged on Tang San.
In that instant, Tang San felt a familiar pull from within — the resonance of his twin martial souls, like two sleeping beasts stirring in response to a call.He suppressed the Clear Sky Hammer instinctively, allowing only one to be released outside.
In his right hand, a faint green light began to glow, spreading outward and intertwining into a slender vine. It shimmered with dew and swayed gracefully in the air.
"Martial Soul—Blue Silver Grass," Su Yuntao announced flatly, his tone filled with disappointment. "Another one. Ordinary and useless."
The Blue Silver Grass swayed lightly, catching a beam of sunlight streaming through the high window. Su Yuntao ignored that unlike normal Blue Silver Grass this one had, a golden gleam ran along its veins, like divine threads of light pulsing through its body.
"Alright," Su Yuntao said mechanically. "Place your hand on the crystal. Let's check your innate soul power."
Tang San silently obeyed, resting his palm on the cool surface of the orb.
A moment later—
Buzz!
The crystal orb blazed to life, erupting with brilliant light. Golden-white radiance filled the entire Spirit Hall branch, refracting through the windows and scattering like tiny stars. The children gasped; Old Jack stumbled back in shock.
"Wha—!?" Su Yuntao's wolf eyes widened, his voice trembling in disbelief. "Innate… full soul power!? Level 10!?"
Then the light faded.
Su Yuntao took a deep breath and looked at Tang San earnestly. "Tang San, your talent is extraordinary. You should come to Spirit City with me. With your potential, Spirit Hall will nurture you to greatness. You could even become a bishop one day!"
Tang San's calm gaze met his. "Thank you, sir. But I already I have still not decided."
It was polite yet firm — the same answer he had given in his past life.
Su Yuntao sighed, a mix of regret and admiration on his face. "A pity… Spirit Hall would have made you shine." He turned to pack up his tools.
The ceremony concluded. The children and parents began to leave, chattering excitedly.
But in the dim light of the Spirit Hall branch, something else stirred—
Beneath the towering construct of the Angel Goddess symbol, where light and shadow intertwined, a golden-haired girl sat quietly, as if she had been there since the beginning.
Her hair glowed faintly, catching the sunlight like threads of divine silk. Her eyes—amethyst purple—swirled with the reflection of countless stars.
The sunlight passing through the stained glass window refracted through her figure, and as it did, her shadow extended across the floor — stretching, expanding — until it silently covered everyone.
Yet none of them noticed.
Su Yuntao, Old Jack, even Tang San… all of them stood within her shadow, unaware that they were being watched.
----
Location: Heaven Dou CityPrince Xue Qinghe's Mansion
The golden afternoon light spilled softly through the high glass windows, illuminating the study room with a divine warmth. Papers and sealed reports lay neatly stacked on a large mahogany desk. Behind it sat a blonde girl in elegant attire — her features serene, refined, and noble.
This was Eve, Qian Renxue's , virtual persona who had gained a real body. She was calmly reading through a mountain of reports with inhuman precision, her quill scratching rhythmically across the paper.
A few feet away, a tabby cat curled up on the sill, purring softly, undisturbed by the heavy air of authority that hung in the room.
Then — the air shimmered.
From the corner of the room, bubbles appeared like a dream and made a ripple in the calm environment. Within that light stepped out another blonde figure — identical in appearance, yet carrying an aura which seemed to weigh down the entire room.
"Ah!" Eve gasped dramatically, clutching her chest as if struck. "You scared me, Xue'er! I swear one of these days you'll give me a heart attack!"
Qian Renxue crossed her arms, one elegant brow arching. "Drama queen."
Eve placed a hand on her heart, feigning deep offense. "Excuse me? I'm the drama queen? You've turned the entire Douluo Continent into your personal stage play. Compared to you, I'm just an understudy in the corner of the script."
Eve muttered under her breath before switching tone. "So? What brings you here in person? I thought your schedule is very busy."
"I made a small detour," Qian Renxue said simply, her golden eyes glimmering with depth. "To the Holy Soul Village."
Eve froze mid-motion, her quill stopping abruptly. "Holy Soul Village?" Her voice dropped, laced with curiosity. "You mean that place? Don't tell me… you went to see him?"
Qian Renxue gave a slight nod.
Eve leaned forward eagerly, her eyes sparkling. "So? Did you get anything new from him? I mean, you already copied and decoded every last line of the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record from his memory. Surely there's nothing more to see?"
Qian Renxue's tone remained calm, but her words carried weight. "You underestimate the depth of fate or I should say conspiracy."
Eve blinked. "Wait. What are you saying?"
"He remembers his life as a God King," Qian Renxue said softly, folding her arms.
The air in the room froze for a moment. The cat, sensing the sudden chill, flicked its tail and hid behind the curtains.
Eve gawked. "A… God King? From a parallel timeline?"
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Author notes: Read the Post on Ranks