Ning Lin felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at her sullen face.
"And what about you?" he asked.
"Did your training today still hurt?"
Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue's earlier momentum instantly deflated, and she hung her head, looking somewhat dejected.
"pain."
"My father said that my six-winged angel martial soul must be cultivated in the most domineering way in order to unleash its greatest power."
He also said that he must make a breakthrough before the end of the year.
She counted on her fingers and realized there were less than three months left.
"I don't think I can do it..."
"You can do it," Ning Lin said.
"You are the most amazing person I have ever met."
This is not flattery, but the truth.
It's a miracle that a six or seven-year-old child, enduring training intensity and mental pressure far exceeding that of adults, has only cried a few times.
Qian Renxue raised her head, and a glimmer of light rekindled in her golden eyes.
"And what about you? You need to work hard too!"
"You can't be last in the next assessment."
"Okay," Ning Lin replied.
The two sat on the stone steps in the garden, one talking about unattainable cultivation goals, the other dealing with daily assessments that offered no hope.
The setting sun cast their shadows long, long.
"Ning Lin," Qian Renxue suddenly spoke.
"Um?"
"Let's grow up quickly, okay?"
"When you grow up, no one will dare to scold you, and no one will force me to cultivate."
Ning Lin was silent for a moment, then said, "Okay."
Qian Renxue seemed satisfied with the answer. She stood up, dusted off her skirt, and announced in an extremely serious tone:
"When we grow up, I'll have Father order you... to marry me!"
She seemed to think the word wasn't quite right, and added another sentence.
"No, I'm the one who should marry you!"
"From now on, you'll live in my Holy Maiden Temple. Let's see who dares to bully you then!"
Ning Lin looked up at the blonde girl in the moonlight with a "I've got your back" expression and couldn't help but smile.
"good."
He only said one word.
But this single word seemed to carry the weight of a thousand pounds, landing in Qian Renxue's heart.
She nodded in satisfaction, turned and ran into the night, her golden hair drawing a beautiful arc in the air.
Ning Lin watched her leave, the smile on his face slowly fading.
Just then, a cold, mechanical voice rang in his mind.
[bite!]
[Detected that the bond between the host and the chosen one (challenger) Qian Renxue has deepened; the completion rate of the childhood node correction has increased to 30%...]
[Congratulations, host! You have received a phased reward: Three Thousand Burning Flames (Mutated Version)!]
Ning Lin was startled.
A strange fire?
Before he could think it through, an extremely hot power suddenly erupted from his body!
It was a purplish-black flame, formless and invisible, yet seemingly capable of burning away the soul.
Ning Lin groaned, feeling as if all the meridians in his body had been plunged into lava. The pain was a hundred times more terrifying than the reverse three cycles of the Heavenly Cycle that Qian Renxue had described!
He gritted his teeth, not uttering a sound, his thin body curled up in the shadows, trembling violently.
The system notification sounded again.
The Three Thousand Burning Flames can absorb the power of stars to temper itself; it is known as the immortal flame.
[Mutated Version Characteristics: Can bind to the host's soul, transforming into a soul ring, reshaping one's constitution, and defying fate.]
[Should it be immediately converted into the first spirit ring?]
"Transformation..."
Ning Lin squeezed out two words through gritted teeth.
He knew this was his only hope.
The moment he finished speaking, the purplish-black flames completely subsided, surging wildly towards his dantian, eventually condensing into a soul ring that emitted a faint purple light.
The color of the spirit ring is white.
ten years.
But Ning Lin could clearly feel that his body had undergone tremendous changes.
The meridians that were once blocked are now unobstructed, and the once weak soul power is now like a gentle stream, flowing endlessly.
In an instant, his soul power level soared from a pitiful level three to level ten!
He can now obtain his first spirit ring.
And this soul ring formed from a different kind of fire was his best choice.
...
...
Time flies, and several years have passed in the blink of an eye.
The two children from back then have both grown up and lost their childishness.
Qian Renxue grew increasingly radiant, like a blazing sun hanging in the sky. Her soul power was already unmatched among her peers, and the name of the Holy Maiden resounded throughout the entire Spirit Hall.
Ning Lin was no longer the lowly servant who could be bullied by everyone.
With his "decent" talent, he graduated from the training institute step by step and became a steward, handling complicated paperwork in an inconspicuous department of the Spirit Hall.
He hid it very well; apart from Qian Renxue, no one knew his true strength.
That garden remains their only secret base.
However, when Qian Renxue arrived that day, her usual smile was gone.
The Papal Palace, the council chamber.
The atmosphere was solemn and respectful.
Qian Xunji sat high on the papal throne, his gaze majestic as he looked down at his graceful daughter.
"Xue'er, you have completed the first three of the Nine Trials of Angels. It's time to move on to the next step."
Qian Renxue listened quietly without saying a word.
"The Heaven Dou Empire is growing stronger every day, and it has always been wary of our Spirit Hall."
"I need you to replace someone."
Qian Xunji's voice echoed in the main hall.
"Crown Prince of Tiandou, Xue Qinghe."
Qian Renxue's pupils suddenly contracted.
Replace Xue Qinghe?
Doesn't that mean...?
"That's right." Qian Xunji seemed to see through her thoughts.
"From today onwards, you are Xue Qinghe."
"You will live in the Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace as him, and step by step, bring the entire empire into our hands."
Qian Renxue's face turned pale instantly.
Disguised as a man?
We still have to leave Wuhun City and go to the distant Tiandou?
How long will you be gone? A year? Five years? Or ten years?
An idea flashed through her mind, prompting her to blurt it out.
"Then what about me... Ning Lin?"
Upon hearing this, Qian Xunji frowned slightly.
"Ning Lin?"
He vaguely recognized the name; it seemed to belong to a low-ranking steward in the data department.
"Is a mediocre butler really worth your concern over such an important matter?"
Qian Xunji's tone carried a hint of displeasure.
"He isn't!"
Qian Renxue stubbornly raised her head and looked directly at her father.
"Father, I cannot accept this mission."
"I will not leave Wuhun City, and I will not pretend to be a man!"
This was the first time she had so clearly defied Qian Xunji's will.
The air inside the hall seemed to freeze instantly.
Qian Xunji looked at his daughter's face, which was full of resistance, and a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes, which was then replaced by a deep look.
"reason."
He only said two words.
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(End of chapter)