Chapter 4: First Encounter with the Grandmaster
Qin Xuan stood in the silence of the dense forest, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and ancient trees. The only sign of his presence was a massive, scorched gully carved into the forest floor—the result of testing his new power.
He let out a slow breath, the adrenaline fading, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the system buzzing in his mind.
His thoughts immediately turned to the "Emotion Value" the system craved. How to get more?
Tang Hao.
Yu Xiaogang.
The names of two prime targets surfaced in his mind. In this era, before Tang San—that little "Xiao Bie San"—was even born, these two were the most obvious marks to be fleeced.
[Inorin's Note: "Xiao Bie San" (小瘪三) is a derogatory Shanghainese slang, roughly meaning 'little punk' or 'brat', often used for someone of low status.]
Oh, right. And Qian Xunji.
A cold light flashed in Qin Xuan's eyes. That perverted hypocrite was a source of negative emotions, but also a mortal threat. From the moment Qian Xunji revealed his killing intent in the Supreme Pontiff Palace, he was already on Qin Xuan's death list.
There's a saying: 'If Xunji doesn't die, Qin Xuan won't be at peace.' That was the simple, unshakeable principle. He was a time bomb. Dealing with him would require meticulous planning.
For now, he needed to focus on immediate gains. "System," he projected internally, "explain these Blind Boxes. How do I get them?"
[You can get Happiness Blind Boxes by making goddesses happy, up to five for each target. Cannot be obtained repeatedly. The levels of Happiness Blind Boxes, from highest to lowest, are Diamond/Gold/Silver/Bronze/Iron.]
[A blind box is obtained when the favorability reaches 70 or more.]
[A blind box is obtained when the favorability reaches 80 or more.]
[A blind box is obtained when the favorability reaches 90 or more.]
[A blind box is obtained when the favorability reaches 100.]
[A blind box is obtained when becoming a father.]
[Limited to goddesses from the original Douluo story.]
[The higher the goddess's talent, the greater the chance of obtaining a high-level blind box. Becoming a father guarantees a Diamond Blind Box.]
Qin Xuan was speechless. What kind of strange setting was this? It was practically forcing him to become a polygamist. It might as well be renamed the 'Harem System' or 'Love System'. This was a path to power that required... relationship management.
Amidst his sighs, the system prompt sounded again, sharp and sudden: [Ding! Detecting opposing characters and capturable goddesses in the vicinity. Please bind as soon as possible!]
At the same time, there was a faint sound of twigs being crushed.
The sound was distant, but he was a Spirit King. His senses were extraordinarily keen, making it difficult not to notice.
Qin Xuan's expression hardened. He glanced at the massive, smoking ditch on the ground—evidence he couldn't hide. He quickly retracted his Spirit into his body, his aura vanishing. With a light leap, he concealed himself deep within the dense green leaves of a large, ancient tree, his fiery red robe blending surprisingly well with the shadows.
The footsteps grew closer, accompanied by voices. One was a man's, low and somewhat arrogant, the other... a woman's, crisp and tender as a silver bell.
The first to appear was not the man, but the woman. Qin Xuan's breath caught. He was instantly stunned. Although he recognized her identity, he had never seen such a breathtaking woman in his previous life, or his new one.
Snow-white skin that seemed to glow. A beautiful, flawless face. Perfect body lines and proportions that defied logic. Bright, intelligent eyes shadowed by long lashes. And most striking of all, that wine-red hair that cascaded down her back, seeming to belong to a goddess from a mythical world.
It was many times more beautiful than he had imagined when reading the book. Even the animated versions he'd seen weren't a fraction as stunning.
Following her was the man, and the sight of him made Qin Xuan's lip curl. He looked to be in his 20s, of medium build, slightly thin, with thick lips and black hair parted in the middle. He wore a shy, almost humble expression, but his eyes held a contradictory arrogance.
In terms of appearance, he was not outstanding in the Douluo Continent, where high looks were common, but he wasn't ugly either. Just... plain. And that plainness was in stark contrast to the divine beauty of the woman beside him.
The girl's voice rang out, confirming their identities. "Xiao Gang, Xiao Gang, look! There's such a big ditch on the ground here!"
Hearing this, Qin Xuan, hiding in the dark, almost staggered. It was them.
[System Introduction:]
[Yu Xiaogang, abandoned son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, 22 years old. Spirit Power: Level 29. Spirit: Piglet (Luo San Pao). Talent: D-. Favorability: 0 (inferiority, jealousy, contempt)]
[Bibi Dong, Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall, disciple of Supreme Pontiff Qian Xunji, 23 years old. Spirit Power: Level 68. Spirit: Death Spider Emperor, Soul Eating Spider Emperor. Talent: SSS. Favorability: 50 (slight aversion)]
Qin Xuan processed the data, his mind racing. As expected of the only woman in Douluo Continent to become a god on her own without the guidance of predecessors. That talent... SSS. Absolutely monstrous. He was a level 54 Spirit King at 19 and considered a genius, but she was a level 68 Spirit Emperor at 23. The gap was still immense.
I'm afraid that even Qian Renxue, who will have a god-level Spirit and innate spirit power of level 20, and Tang San, who will rapidly improve with the author's... assistance, are far inferior in terms of raw, unadulterated talent.
But this favorability... 50 (slight aversion). Qin Xuan had to laugh. Should I say that it's not surprising he's a simp who simps to death? Simping until he has nothing left? Even with his looks, talent, and backing, his original self couldn't even reach the passing line in her eyes. This body's previous owner was truly a failure.
As for Yu Xiaogang... prematurely aged. As a Spirit Master, his apparent age was actually greater than his actual age. A side effect of his stagnation and bitterness. And his favorability... a perfect 0. Not surprisingly, he feels inferior and jealous because of my talent and status, and he feels contempt because my original self didn't pursue Bibi Dong, while he 'won' her. A pathetic mix of conflicting emotions.
But the ages... Bibi Dong is 23, and Yu Xiaogang is 22. He's one year younger than her.
Qin Xuan vaguely remembered that Bibi Dong was around 50 years old during the Spirit Master Competition. Qian Renxue was 24. That means Bibi Dong gave birth to Qian Renxue when she was 25 or 26 years old.
Removing the ten months of pregnancy... That means there are at most three years, or even two, before Bibi Dong is forced by Qian Xunji.
My time is running out. I have to change that future.
Yu Xiaogang glanced at Bibi Dong, attempting a look of indifferent profoundness, but his eyes lingered on her. He then took out a book marked with the five characters 'Spirit Hall Confidential' and attached with a Seraphim-patterned beast skin cover. He opened it and pretended to read quietly, an air of scholarly focus around him.
Bibi Dong, however, wanted to pester him. She found something to say, her voice sweet, "Xiao Gang, who do you think is cultivating here? This damage is incredible!"
Yu Xiaogang closed the book, as if being interrupted from deep thought. He walked to the side of the deep ditch with a profound look, touched the scorched soil, and a flash of jealousy passed through his eyes, so quick that even Bibi Dong didn't notice it.
This jealousy quickly transformed into a look of 'wisdom' and deduction. He replied, "This gully should have been split by a sharp weapon, and the soil has traces of scorching. Combining this with the scope of the destruction, it should be Qin Xuan, the one who was exceptionally accepted as a disciple by the two Consecrated Elders, Qian Jun and Jiangmo."
Bibi Dong clasped her hands in front of Yu Xiaogang's face, bringing a gust of fragrance. Her eyes were full of worship, "Wow, Xiao Gang, you're so amazing! You can actually deduce who did it just by the traces left on the scene. I believe you will definitely become a generation of theoretical Grandmaster in the future!"
In fact, she also guessed who it was. She just knew that Yu Xiaogang was inferior and wanted to find opportunities to build his confidence.
The gully in front of her was obviously caused by a sword-like Spirit. There were also traces of scorching left behind. Looking at the entire Spirit Hall, only Qin Xuan fit that description. His Changming Sword Spirit contains the power of the ancient beast Vermilion Bird, possessing both thunder and fire attributes.
"Hehe." Yu Xiaogang smiled stiffly, but a long-lost sense of pride surged in his heart instantly. Being worshipped by the Holy Maiden, the most talented genius in Spirit Hall, gave him an unparalleled sense of satisfaction.
"This is just the most basic theoretical deduction," he said, trying to sound humble. "I still have a long way to go before becoming a theoretical Grandmaster."
Just as he was about to continue his pompous speech, a clear, slightly amused male voice suddenly came from the depths of the jungle. "It seems you know a lot."
Accompanied by a series of unhurried footsteps, Qin Xuan stepped out from the shadows, his red robe immaculate, a faint smile on his handsome face.
"Qin Xuan? Why are you here?" Bibi Dong visibly tensed, and she immediately stood in front of Yu Xiaogang, as if to shield him. Her movement was so fast it almost looked guilty.
Her eyes darted to the book in Yu Xiaogang's hand. That was a secret of Spirit Hall! It recorded the greatest secrets of the Angel Clan, the Seraphim Spirit and the inherited Spirit Bone Angel Set. Only the Supreme Pontiff and the High Priest were supposed to view it!
She had begged Qian Xunji for a long time before he finally gave her permission to read it, and she had secretly brought it out to show Yu Xiaogang, hoping his 'wisdom' could find something new in it.
If people knew she gave this to an outsider, and reported it to the Supreme Pontiff, Yu Xiaogang would not be able to bear the consequences. He would be lucky to escape with his life.
But Yu Xiaogang was completely unaware at the moment. Out of consideration for his fragile self-esteem, Bibi Dong had not explained the true importance of this book, only saying that it was an ordinary, rare book.
Of course, even if he knew, Yu Xiaogang would not have refused. He would at most just read it in secret, but he would never refuse a chance to peel back Spirit Hall's core secrets.
"What do you think?" Qin Xuan replied, his smile unwavering. He didn't seem to notice the book in Yu Xiaogang's hand, looking sideways at the gully he had created. "I was just testing a new technique."
Bibi Dong felt that the Qin Xuan in front of her had changed. He had become... different. He no longer offered that same fawning courtesy, that simpering humility. There was a confidence, an indifference, that she had never seen before.
But she didn't care about that. The top priority was to leave here and not let Qin Xuan see the book in Yu Xiaogang's hand.
[Inorin Note:
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