Qian Renxue did not even blink when her disguise was shattered and her true appearance stood revealed. Her expression remained tranquil, those purple eyes rippling with brilliance that seemed to pierce through all lies and illusions.
'This Ren Xuan's system…' she mused coldly, her thoughts weaving. 'It's nothing like Lin Yuan's. This one feels more… more powerful. Could there be hierarchies even among systems? Perhaps ranks—like divine artifacts of different grades.'
Her gaze sharpened slightly. 'However… no matter its level, he must die.'
When Ren Xuan's system had triggered its emergency protocol and thrown up mind defenses, Qian Renxue had already invaded deeply enough with her consciousness stroll to harvest fragments of memory. The time before the shield's activation had been brief—but for someone with her mental acuity, even a moment was enough.
She had seen glimpses—fractured yet telling—of Ren Xuan's intent, his methods. And more importantly, of his mission.
That alone sealed his fate.
'If subtle manipulation is impossible, then I'll tear through with force.'
Her gaze slid sideways toward Ci Xue, who was still frozen in disbelief, his mind unable to process the duel unfolding before him.
"Did you forget my order?" Qian Renxue's voice rang out, soft yet commanding. The air itself seemed to tighten around her words. "Take She Long and run toward Spirit City. Find Grandfather."
Qian Renxue directly used 'Manipulation' to get him to work
The effect was immediate.
Ci Xue's trembling eyes locked onto her glowing purple pupils—and it was as though something seized his heart. The hesitation vanished, replaced by a single, unshakable compulsion.
'Go to Spirit City. Find Qian Daoliu.'
Like a man possessed, he darted forward, gathering the half-conscious She Long in his arms. His body surged with strength he didn't know he had, and within moments, the two figures disappeared into the forest.
Eve, on the other hand, had long retreated, keeping her distance from the battlefield. Her disguise still held firm, her expression unreadable as her eyes tracked the clash between the two beings whose powers had long transcended the mortal realm.
Qian Renxue, meanwhile, adjusted her grip on her cracked sword and slowly began circling Ren Xuan, her expression calm, her movements calculated.
She had already assessed the situation.
Ren Xuan had surpassed Ultimate Douluo, stepping into a domain no ordinary mortal could touch. Even with her own strength, the difference existed.
'Killing him will not be easy,' she thought, her aura expanding gently, distorting the air with invisible waves.
'His mind is now protected—subtle control is useless. And with that system… if he decides to run, even I might not be able to catch him.'
The thought tightened her chest in irritation. Ren Xuan, free and alive, was a variable she could not allow to exist. Someone like him would not simply vanish; he would fester in the dark, gather power, and return at the worst possible time.
Her expression darkened.
'If he escapes… next time, when I find him again…'
At the end of that thought a strange chill ran down her spine.
'It's better if Grandfather and I clean up the scourge of the Douluo Continent together,'
Qian Renxue thought, her gaze never leaving Ren Xuan. The light in her eyes flickered cold, precise, resolute.
'All I need is to stall him until then.'
Her expression softened momentarily, then hardened into something steely.
'No… on second thought, I'll release all my trump cards and end him here.'
Her fingers tightened on her sword hilt. As her sense swept across the blade, she noticed faint, hairline patterns running along its edge—so thin they could have been mistaken for reflections, but her eyes caught every detail.
'Lou Gao truly lives up to his reputation,' she mused inwardly. 'With the right guidance, he managed to push soul forging beyond the realm of spirit forging in just three years. A genius of craft… one step away from true Divine Forging. If only his cultivation weren't so low, he might have already forged tribulation metals.'
But the cracks spreading across her sword spoke louder than words.
'Even so, a soul-forged blade showing damage after only a few clashes… that alone reveals the gap between Ren Xuan's current power and the rest of this world.'
These thoughts flashed through her mind within the span of a single heartbeat.
Then, behind her, six radiant golden wings unfurled with a hum that shook the ground. Her mutated Angel Martial Soul manifested.
Ren Xuan squinted at the sudden brilliance, but before he could raise his sword, Qian Renxue smiled.
That single smile was breathtaking yet disturbingly human, so sincere it pierced the veil of logic and brushed against the soul itself.
Ren Xuan's body stiffened for a moment. His system flared crimson warnings.
[ Warning! Charm-type ability detected! ]
"Sixth Soul Skill: Charm."
The words left her lips softly, almost lovingly. While she said this, Qian Renxue actually removed the disguise on her face that is always activated courtesy of her 3rd soul skill: Disguise.
While the system easily resisted the influence , it's host just stood still after seeing Qian Renxue's face.
Ren Xuan's mind blanked for a few seconds when he saw her true face. His grip loosened ever so slightly on the Xuan Yuan Sword.
And in that instant, Qian Renxue moved.
She willed the faith energy within her dantian to surge outward. The divine light intertwined with flame, running along her arm and into her weapon. The cracked blade ignited in a fiery halo, burning brighter than molten metal.
'Reincarnators…' she thought coldly. 'They should be preserved only as long as they're useful.'
She recalled Chen Dao, the reincarnator she came to know from Dugu Bo, the Fire Style Sword Technique she had taken directly from his memory. The same technique now used by her. This technique can be used by her because Angelic Soul power contains properties of fire and light.
If she wants to learn sword techniques of other elements she will have to absorb the soul ring belonging to that particular element. She is eligible to learn sword techniques of Gold(metal) and Space because of her 4th soul ring.
Qian Renxue stepped forward.
A sound like thunder echoed as her foot touched the ground. The next moment, she was gone—a streak of golden flame cleaving the air, her sword drawing a trail of radiant fire.
Clang!
Sparks erupted.