The clamor of the Seven Sects Selection Conference and the shock of the Method of Soul Cores gradually subsided in Martial Soul City as the various factions departed. However, a deeper level of transformation had already quietly begun.
On the night after the selection concluded, in a quiet courtyard within Martial Soul City.
Yu Yuanchen, Qian Daoliu, and Tang Chen gathered once more. A few small dishes were set upon a stone table, and three jars of fine wine were already half-empty. The moonlight was like water, spilling into the courtyard; the atmosphere was not the tense, sword-drawn state of their usual sparring, but rather possessed a rare, leisurely sense of mutual appreciation.
"With the Seven Sects now established and the Method of Soul Cores passed down, the landscape of the continent can be considered settled for now." Yu Yuanchen raised his cup, his tone calm. His cultivation level was now profound, and his state of mind had become increasingly transcendent; though he had stirred up the wind and clouds, he could now view it all with equanimity.
"Hmph, it's only because your fists are hard enough, kid." Tang Chen gulped down a large mouthful of wine, wiped his mouth, and grinned. "Still, passing on this Method of Soul Cores is a great thing! From now on, when I fight, there will finally be a few more opponents who can last a while!" Though his words were rough, the admiration in his eyes for Yu Yuanchen was sincere. Had Yu Yuanchen not proposed and perfected this method, he would not have been able to hold the upper hand while fighting Qing Feng and Ning Zhiyuan alone on the selection stage.
Qian Daoliu elegantly sipped his wine, his golden eyes appearing exceptionally deep under the moonlight. He glanced at Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen and suddenly spoke: "Brother Yu, Brother Tang, in a few days, I need to go into seclusion for a period of time."
Both Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen were startled. At their level, so-called "seclusion" often implied an important breakthrough or encounter.
"Seclusion? You bird-man, what new tricks are you cooking up now?" Tang Chen asked curiously.
Qian Daoliu shook his head slightly, his face revealing a hint of indescribable solemnity, even carrying a trace of piety: "It is not a new trick. I am going to... accept the Path to Godhood."
The Path to Godhood!
As soon as the words were spoken, the courtyard fell quiet. Even Tang Chen put away his joking expression. A divine trial was, for any Soul Master, a supreme matter that concerned their very destiny.
Yu Yuanchen felt a slight stir in his heart. He had long known that Qian Daoliu carried the inheritance of the Angel God, but with his current level 95 cultivation, why had he only now gone to accept the trial? By common logic, inheritors of a god position usually began to encounter divine trials when their strength reached a certain foundation (such as Soul Sage or Soul Douluo) so that they could gradually improve during the assessments. Qian Daoliu was exceptionally gifted, yet he had delayed until now; there must be a reason for this.
However, this was a secret of Martial Soul Hall and the Angel lineage. Since Qian Daoliu did not say, he naturally would not ask. Everyone had their own path and secrets.
Yu Yuanchen raised his cup and said sincerely: "Brother Qian has peerless talent and a firm will; you will surely pass the divine trial, inherit the god position, and bring glory to the Angel lineage. I wish you success!"
Tang Chen also put away his playfulness and said sternly: "That's right! You bird-man, although I don't usually see eye to eye with you, you really do have some ability. It's just a divine trial; it certainly won't stump you! When you become a god, don't forget to treat me to a drink!"
Qian Daoliu looked at his two friends, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes, and raised his cup to clink against theirs: "I accept your kind words."
The three drank a few more cups and chatted about trivial matters before dispersing. They all knew that after this parting, the next time they met, perhaps the scene would be entirely different.
The next day, Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen each led their sect members away from Martial Soul City, returning to their respective sects. Martial Soul City seemed to return to its former majesty and tranquility.
However, deep within Martial Soul Hall, inside the Worship Hall atop the Angel Holy Mountain, a grand ceremony concerning the inheritance was about to begin.
Qian Daoliu did not immediately head to the Worship Hall. He first returned to his place of quiet cultivation, bathed and changed, burned incense, and sat in meditation, adjusting his state to the most perfect peak. His soul power was rounded and full, his spiritual power was clear and transparent, and the slight fatigue from the successive battles had long since been swept away.
He changed into a flawless white ceremonial robe embroidered with the Golden Angel Pattern, which made him look as handsome as a god, his temperament transcendent and refined.
After doing all this, he walked with steady steps, step by step, toward the hall that symbolized the supreme glory of the Angel lineage—the Worship Hall.
The hall doors slid open silently, and the interior space was far more vast and magnificent than it appeared from the outside. A giant Six-winged Angel Martial Soul statue stood at the end of the hall, emitting a soft and majestic sacred light.
Beneath the statue, an old man dressed in simple white robes with white hair and beard stood quietly; he was the current Great Angel Consecrator, Qian Daoliu's father—Qian Chongxiao.
Sensing Qian Daoliu's arrival, Qian Chongxiao slowly turned around. His gaze fell upon his son, and those deep eyes contained complex, unspeakable emotions: love, comfort, expectation, and also a trace of imperceptible... relief?
"Liu'er, you have come." Qian Chongxiao's voice was calm, yet carried a sense of heaviness born from experiencing the vicissitudes of life.
"Father." Qian Daoliu bowed, his posture respectful.
Qian Chongxiao looked him over and nodded slightly: "Your state is well-adjusted. It seems that your association with those two young friends, Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen, was not a bad thing for you." He paused, his tone shifting, and his gaze became a bit sharper: "Liu'er, have you always had a doubt in your heart? Why have I always held you back, not letting you encounter the divine trial too early, insisting that you wait until you advanced to Titled Douluo, or even reached level 95?"
Qian Daoliu looked up, meeting his father's gaze, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appearing on his handsome face: "Father's arrangements must surely have deep considerations. Although I am dull, I understand that when parents love their children, they plan for them far into the future. Father would never harm me. However..."
He paused subtly, his tone remaining respectful but carrying a hint of slyness: "If Father wishes to clear my doubts today, I will naturally... listen attentively." The implication was: Father, don't keep me in suspense; I know you have something to say, so please say it!
Qian Chongxiao was stunned for a moment, then laughed and shook his head, pointing at Qian Daoliu and scolding with a smile: "You brat! After hanging out with Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen for so long, you've learned to be a bit slippery! But... that's fine, it looks much more pleasing than that old-beyond-your-years, stiff and serious look you had before."
After laughing, Qian Chongxiao's expression turned serious again. He sighed and said: "Liu'er, do you know how harsh the requirements for talent are for a divine trial, especially one of the top-tier level?"
His gaze was distant, as if piercing through time and space: "Our Qian family inherits the Six-winged Angel Martial Soul, with innate full soul power of level 20 for generations, our talent crowning the continent. But even among those with the same Angel bloodline, there are differences in quality. Your talent is indeed a notch stronger than mine was back then, but... the difference is limited."
Qian Chongxiao's tone carried a hint of heaviness: "According to the experience and records of our ancestors, with your original talent and foundation, it was highly likely that the final result would have been the same 'Top-tier Eight Trials' as mine."
Top-tier Eight Trials! It meant being infinitely close to the god position, yet ultimately... falling short, missing the chance to become a god!
Qian Daoliu's pupils shrank. Although he had long guessed this, hearing it from his father's own mouth still caused waves in his heart.
"Actually," Qian Chongxiao continued, "in ancient records, there was not no turning point. Gods possess a certain authority during the trial process and can, under the guise of trial rewards, improve and compensate for the inheritor's talent and foundation. Historically, our Angel lineage had several ancestors who received divine grace during the trials, and their talent was improved, but because their initial talent was insufficient, they only received the Top-tier Eight Trials and could only miss the god position."
His voice carried a hint of confusion and regret: "But I don't know when it started, such trial rewards seemed to... disappear. At least, for hundreds of years, there have been no clear records. The Path to Godhood seems to have become more dependent on the inheritor's own innate talent. It is as if... the help the gods can provide has become limited." He naturally did not know that this was because the Angel God himself had encountered problems.
"Therefore," Qian Chongxiao looked at Qian Daoliu, his eyes carrying a hint of guilt, "after knowing your talent, I always had a heavy stone hanging in my heart regarding whether you could truly inherit the god position. Invisibly, perhaps I gave you too much pressure, making you suppress your nature from a young age, demanding that you hold yourself to a standard of steadiness and diligence beyond your years, fearing that you would fail expectations... I have seen all of this."
Qian Daoliu was silent. What his father said was indeed the truth. That heavy expectation was once his greatest motivation in his youth, but also his deepest burden.
"However," Qian Chongxiao changed the subject, his face revealing heartfelt comfort and pride, "ever since you returned from that training trip when you were a Soul Emperor, you have changed. You have become more proactive, more spirited, and possessed more... of a stubborn drive to never admit defeat! You began to attempt to Absorb Soul Ring beyond your level, temper your physique, and refine your swordsmanship! What surprised me even more was that you were able to befriend those two brilliant young friends, Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen, and together deduce such a heaven-defying method as the 'Soul Core'!"
"Condensing a soul core, reaching level 95 in one step without a bottleneck! What a foundation! What a base!" Qian Chongxiao's voice was filled with excitement. "Seeing your achievements today, the stone in my heart can finally be put down! My son, Qian Chongxiao, possesses potential and courage that surpass all our ancestors! I believe you will definitely obtain the complete Nine Trials, inherit the Angel God Position, and bring glory to our family!"
So that was it! Qian Daoliu felt enlightened. His father had held him back from starting the divine trial to let him accumulate a deeper foundation and increase his chances of obtaining the Top-tier Nine Trials! And the success of the Method of Soul Cores had undoubtedly brought this certainty to its peak!
"And the reason I let you delay accepting the divine trial was precisely based on this," Qian Chongxiao concluded. "According to custom, one can attempt to make contact at the Soul Sage level. But I wanted you to welcome this sacred trial in the most perfect state. Until you broke through to Titled Douluo, absorbed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, and reached level 95 through the soul core, with a foundation as stable as a mountain, only then did I feel the timing... was right!"
He stepped aside and pointed to the Six-winged Angel statue that radiated endless brilliance, saying in a deep voice: "Alright, Liu'er, go. Go and accept the trial that belongs to you! Go and step onto that heavenly path leading to the divine realm!"
Qian Daoliu took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, and bowed deeply to his father: "I will certainly not fail Father's high expectations!"
He turned around, his gaze firm, and walked step by step toward the giant Angel statue. With every step he took, his aura became a fraction purer, his soul power and spiritual power highly condensed, resonating faintly with the sacred light emitted by the statue.
When he finally stood directly in front of the statue, looking up at that supreme and sacred face, he knelt on one knee, placed his right hand on his chest, and in an ancient and pious tone, resonating with his soul power, he chanted aloud:
"Angel God above, your descendant Qian Daoliu, upholding the bloodline and holding piety in my heart, now swears by my soul, willing to inherit the god position, walk the path of the Angel, cleanse the world of evil, and protect the light of faith! Please descend the divine trial, test my heart, and temper my soul!"
Hum--!
As his voice fell, the entire Worship Hall shook violently! The massive Six-winged Angel Martial Soul statue seemed to come alive in an instant! A dazzling, brilliant golden divine light erupted like the sun, illuminating the entire hall in splendor! A vast, majestic, sacred, and supreme will suddenly descended, enveloping Qian Daoliu!
Qian Daoliu felt his soul tremble violently, as if he were submerged in a golden ocean, with countless profound runes, ancient images, and sacred hymns flooding his mind! His Six-winged Angel Martial Soul released uncontrollably on its own, six snow-white wings spreading out behind him, every feather flowing with sacred radiance!
The statue's eyes suddenly lit up like two true suns, their gaze piercing through the void to land on Qian Daoliu. That gaze carried scrutiny, expectation, and even a hint of... an indescribable, complex emotion?
Immediately following, a beam of pure, extremely condensed golden light shot out from the center of the statue's brow, instantly enveloping Qian Daoliu completely!
Qian Daoliu let out a suppressed groan, feeling an indescribable sacred energy pour into his body, scouring his meridians, flesh, bones, and soul! This power was most divine and sacred, yet it carried a terrifying pressure, as if it intended to completely purify and reshape his body and soul!
The Soul Core within him spun frantically at an unprecedented speed, struggling to absorb this divine power. On his forehead, a clear Golden Angel Mark slowly emerged, radiating an increasingly intense Divinity Fluctuation!
The process lasted for a long time; Qian Daoliu was drenched in sweat and his body trembled slightly, but he gritted his teeth and persisted, his eyes remaining as firm as ever.
Finally, the golden beam of light slowly receded. Qian Daoliu's aura had undergone a heaven-turning, earth-shattering change; although his Soul Power Level had not increased, its quality had already taken on a sacred essence! On his forehead, a complete, complex, and exquisite Golden Angel Pattern shone brilliantly!
At the same time, nine golden rings rose one after another from beneath his feet, spiraling upward! Each golden ring radiated a heart-palpitating majesty and sacred aura!
Nine Angel Trials!
The highest trial of divine inheritance had descended!
Qian Chongxiao watched those nine brilliant golden rings, tears streaming down his face, his entire body trembling with excitement: "Nine Trials! It truly is the Nine Angel Trials! Ancestors above, my son Daoliu has received divine grace and obtained the Nine Trials inheritance!"
Qian Daoliu slowly opened his eyes, his pupils having turned a pure gold, filled with sanctity and majesty. Feeling the surging sacred power within his body and the clear content of the Nine Trials in his mind, a soaring ambition welled up in his heart!
The divine trial had begun! The Path to Godhood lay right beneath his feet!
He looked toward the sky outside the hall, his gaze seemingly piercing through the clouds to see the endless God Realm. Yu Yuanchen, I will not fall behind for long! The day I become a god shall be the moment the glory of the Angel is revealed to the world once more!
Inside the Worship Hall, the divine light gradually faded, but a new legend had already begun to be written. And far away on the road back to Dragon City, Yu Yuanchen seemed to sense something, instinctively looking toward the direction of Martial Soul City.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan