Yang Yuan looked at the four corpses on the ground and curled his lips into a smile.
After a kill, how could he skip the looting phase?
But the grin was soon wiped off Yang Yuan's face.
"Ptooey, four complete paupers."
After searching them one by one, Yang Yuan spat on the bodies, disgust written all over his face.
"Damn it—four Spirit Grandmasters in their twenties and they don't even have a hundred gold coins between them."
It wasn't even a tenth of what his good buddy Xiao Chenyu had given him.
Hidden in the shadows, Snake Lance Douluo had personally watched Yang Yuan dispatch four Spirit Grandmasters in one clean sweep; by now his face was slack with shock.
At the same time a razor-sharp glint flashed through his eyes.
"This child's talent may not be inferior to the Young Lord's."
"If he can't be recruited, he must be strangled in the cradle."
Snake Lance Douluo knew the matter had already surpassed what he could decide alone, so instead of acting rashly he raced back to Qinglan Town at top speed.
The town was only a few li away; a Titled Douluo could cover the round trip in a dozen breaths.
Inside a pavilion in Qinglan Town.
When Qian Renxue saw Snake Lance Douluo return, she asked in puzzlement, "Elder Snake Lance, why didn't you bring the child with you?"
Snake Lance Douluo shook his head, expression grave. "It's complicated; I fear the Young Lord must make the trip herself to decide."
Qian Renxue's curiosity grew.
"Could there be something special about that child?"
"I'll explain on the way," Snake Lance Douluo said. "Any later and the boy may get too far away."
"Very well!"
As she listened to Snake Lance Douluo's account along the road, Qian Renxue's gaze sharpened.
The boy's strength was terrifying—he had killed four Spirit Grandmasters in a row.
No wonder Snake Lance Douluo attached such importance to him.
After all, the child looked only six or seven.
To possess such dreadful combat power right after his Spirit Awakening was something Innate Full Spirit Power could never explain.
Therefore, only one possibility remained.
This child was born with Innate Level-Twenty spirit power!
And his Spirit was definitely no ordinary one.
Otherwise he could never have become so strong so soon after Awakening.
At that thought, a brilliant light burst in Qian Renxue's eyes.
An irrepressible excitement coloured her flawless face.
It was the excitement of meeting a kindred Spirit!
She herself had Innate Level-Twenty spirit power; though she had yet to meet Yang Yuan, she already felt a spontaneous kinship.
If the two of them joined forces, wouldn't the Douluo Continent one day belong to them alone?
Soon Qian Renxue and Snake Lance Douluo overtook Yang Yuan about twelve or thirteen li outside Qinglan Town.
This time they did not bother to conceal their presence; the moment they drew close, Yang Yuan sensed them.
He spun around, eyes blazing as he swept his gaze toward them.
"Who's there!"
"Sharp eyes, little brother!"
Even as Yang Yuan's words rang out, Qian Renxue and Snake Lance Douluo appeared in the distance and walked slowly forward.
Qian Renxue rarely showed her true face to outsiders, yet she made no effort to hide it from Yang Yuan.
After all, he was merely a child alone, plainly dressed—obviously of common birth.
She saw no risk in revealing herself.
Little did she know Yang Yuan had read the original story.
Although her appearance was at best fifty or sixty per cent similar to the animated version he remembered, he still recognized her.
Moreover, his double pupils could see through to the Origin; a single glance was enough to discern another's Spirit.
Through his double-pupil vision, inside Qian Renxue a faint-gold Seraphim figure shimmered.
With such an unmistakable feature, who else could this stunning girl be but Qian Renxue?
Frankly, even Yang Yuan was surprised to meet Qian Renxue in the Star Dou Great Forest.
He swept his eyes over her twice.
He had to admit: though Qian Renxue might be a fool for love, her looks were top-tier.
She seemed sixteen or seventeen, skin like snow, nose straight and proud, beauty without flaw.
Golden hair cascaded over her shoulders; her slightly narrow phoenix eyes exuded nobility and sanctity.
Though she wore a loose black robe, its draping lines still revealed a exquisite figure.
No wonder people claim beauty is justice.
With a face like that, who wouldn't be dazzled?
"Who are you?"
Yang Yuan feigned puzzlement, a perfect hint of wariness on his face as he unconsciously lifted his longsword a fraction.
He gave himself full marks for the performance.
Qian Renxue spoke gently. "No need to be nervous, little brother; we mean you no harm."
"Not long ago, just after you left Qinglan Town, we noticed you."
"Seeing how young you were and that you were being followed, I wanted an Elder to watch over you in secret."
"We never imagined you'd deal with those enemies so effortlessly."
When she finished, Yang Yuan glanced at Snake Lance Douluo and felt a jolt—he hadn't sensed anyone hiding nearby.
He kept up the act, lowering his sword again and asked evenly,
"If that's so, why appear before me now?"
Qian Renxue smiled.
She could sense his wariness toward them easing a fraction.
So she threw a straight pitch.
"With talent and strength like yours, who wouldn't want to befriend you?"
"Fair point."
Yang Yuan nodded noncommittally, letting his "guard" drop another notch, clearly flattered by her words.
Seeing this, Qian Renxue rejoiced inwardly.
With a six- or seven-year-old like Yang Yuan, a direct approach worked best.
The straighter the talk, the more he believed.
Once his caution lessened, Qian Renxue pressed on.
"May I ask your name, little brother?"
"I'm Yang Yuan—Yang as in willow, Yuan as in abyss."
"Yang Yuan…"
Qian Renxue repeated it, then smiled. "My name is Xue Xun'er; you can call me Sister Xue."
Yang Yuan obliged cheerfully.
"Sister Xue."
Inside, however, he thought,
"Nice try, Qian Renxue, feeding me a fake name."
Unaware her cover was blown, she casually asked,
"Little Brother Yang, what brings you to the Star Dou Great Forest alone?"
Yang Yuan spread his hands.
"I'm here for a spirit ring—why else would I come?"
Qian Renxue looked puzzled.
"Your Family or Sect isn't worried about you?"
"With your talent, if anything happened to you outside, they'd have nowhere to cry."
Yang Yuan shrugged. "Why worry? I've got no Sect or Family behind me."
The moment those words left his mouth, both Qian Renxue and Snake Lance Douluo flashed a look of pleasant surprise.
A spotless background, astonishing talent, and still a child—
he was the perfect recruit.
To Qian Renxue, winning over one Yang Yuan was worth five Super Douluo.
(End of Chapter)
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