Chapter 42: The Jealous Qianjun Douluo
However, when his gaze fell upon the two individuals, Qianjun Douluo instantly let out a soft "eh" sound.
What did he see?
He actually saw a female Spirit Master genius whose cultivation talent was no less than Bibi Dong's.
Both were in their twenties and had already reached the quasi-Spirit Saint level.
Jingni was fine; after all, it was their first meeting. It was acceptable for such a genius to occasionally appear on the Douluo Continent. But Qin Xuan...
Qin Xuan was his disciple, having grown up in Spirit Hall since childhood, so he knew everything about him.
If it shocked him that Qin Xuan had only taken a short year to leave the City of Slaughter, then his current cultivation was enough to shatter his understanding of the world.
He was at Level 68, almost reaching Level 69.
Qianjun Douluo remembered clearly. Before departing, Qin Xuan had only been Level 56 after absorbing a Spirit Bone. To raise his spirit power by twelve levels in one year—especially in the Spirit Emperor realm, where each level was a significant hurdle—was truly unbelievable.
Could it be that his disciple had used some forbidden secret art? Something that burned potential and overdrawn life force in order to escape the City of Slaughter?
Thinking of this, Qianjun Douluo frowned, his expression growing more troubled. The potential for such a talent to be wasted, or worse, corrupted by a desperate act, filled him with a cold dread.
Qin Xuan seemed not to notice his master's change in expression. He smiled warmly as he stepped aside, placing a guiding hand on Jingni's back. "Master, let me introduce you. This is Jingni, her Spirit is the Jingni Sword. She is a Level 73 Attack-type Battle Spirit Saint."
"She grew up in the desolate lands of the far west and was taken as a disciple by a reclusive expert in her youth. After that expert passed away, she chose to wander the continent alone but mistakenly entered the City of Slaughter."
"We met in the City of Slaughter. Now, she is already carrying my child."
"It's shameful to say, but the reason this disciple was able to pass through Hell's Road and leave the City of Slaughter was entirely due to Jingni's assistance."
"Madam, please release your Spirit for Master to see."
Qin Xuan spoke the lines he had already prepared. He had considered the issue of Jingni's spirit rings long ago.
Before entering Spirit City, he had swapped their clothes.
Jingni wore the Phoenix Fire, which could disguise Spirits and spirit rings.
Qin Xuan wore the Thousand Gold Coat, a simplified version of the Phoenix Fire.
With the Phoenix Fire's enhancement, Jingni could perfectly disguise any spirit ring configuration.
The only criticism was still the language barrier. No matter how talented Jingni was or how strong her memory, she couldn't fully master a completely new language in just over ten days.
However, simple conversations could now be managed with effort.
Upon hearing Qin Xuan's request, Jingni nodded politely to Qianjun Douluo and slowly raised her right hand.
Yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—seven spirit rings rose from beneath her feet, the pressure causing the very air in the room to thicken. A pinkish-red light condensed in her palm, transforming into a peculiar, beautiful long sword.
The sword had an unusual design: the guard was a salamander head, the pommel was a lotus, and the blade had three concave grooves on each side. Its overall color was pink, and its appearance was exquisite.
One inch below the sword guard, the white bat demonic pattern representing the Slaughter God Domain was particularly conspicuous, pulsing with a faint, chilling light.
The moment the long sword was grasped in her hand, Jingni waved her slender hand, and a pink sword pressure, mixed with the chilling power of the Slaughter God Domain, swept outwards from her center.
Qin Xuan's clothes and long hair, closest to her, fluttered without wind.
"Slaughter God Domain, a 1,000-year second ring, a 10,000-year fourth ring…"
Seeing Jingni's Spirit and the revealed spirit rings, the usually calm and composed Qianjun Douluo couldn't help but exclaim, his eyes wide, no longer able to hide the profound shock in his heart.
He admitted that he had somewhat underestimated this young girl's talent. Both were twenty-four years old, both Spirit Saints, excluding the Twin Spirits talent.
Her talent might even surpass Bibi Dong's.
But how could he know that this was merely disguised using the Phoenix Fire?
However, this was already Qin Xuan's conservative estimate.
Although Jingni had never absorbed spirit rings or Spirit Bones, her physique was far inferior to that of a Spirit Saint of the same level, only at the Spirit Grandmaster level.
But absorbing a 1,000-year second spirit ring and a 10,000-year fourth ring was still more than enough.
If she could acquire a complete set of Spirit Bones, starting with 10,000 years would be effortless.
Qin Xuan, on the side, spoke nonsense with a serious expression, continuing the lie he had so carefully crafted.
"Master, I was also very surprised the first time I saw Jingni's spirit ring configuration. According to her, when she was young, her teacher once gave her an Immortal Herb to consume, but she didn't know what it was."
"I am quite familiar with Senior Yue Guan. Before entering the City of Slaughter, he gifted me an Immortal Herb catalog."
"From Jingni's description, we learned that the Immortal Herb was called the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone. After consuming it, it can strengthen the foundation, nourish muscles and bones, and open up the eight extraordinary meridians."
"Jingni absorbed spirit rings beyond her age limit after consuming the Immortal Herb, under her teacher's guidance. I also benefited from Jingni; at her teacher's place of passing, I found an Immortal Herb, the Quirky Nimbus Chrysanthemum, which is the same as Senior Yue Guan's Spirit. After advancing to Spirit Emperor, my spirit power increased so rapidly."
Immortal Herb catalog?
Will there be no side effects from improving cultivation through external means?
Qianjun Douluo frowned slightly, his gaze sharp. "Bring that Immortal Herb catalog for me to see."
"Yes, Master." Qin Xuan took out the Immortal Herb catalog from his spirit tool and respectfully handed it to Qianjun Douluo.
Qianjun Douluo did not directly take the Immortal Herb catalog. Instead, he grasped Qin Xuan's wrist, his movement as swift as lightning.
A vast, terrifying surge of Level 96 spirit power, as mighty as a roaring tide, poured into Qin Xuan's body. It was not an attack, but a meticulous inspection.
When he found that Qin Xuan had no abnormalities—that his meridians were clear, his spirit power stable and pure, and his physique was exceptionally strong, already comparable to a Spirit Douluo—his tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. The worry that had gripped his heart vanished, replaced by a wave of profound relief and pride.
He took the Immortal Herb catalog and began to flip through it.
After a while, Qianjun Douluo could no longer hide the joy on his face, and his gaze towards Jingni and Qin Xuan grew even more satisfied.
He grabbed Qin Xuan's shoulder, his grip firm and proud. "Xuan'er, your fortune is not shallow! Not only did you find such a beautiful and talented daughter-in-law for your Master, but you also obtained an Immortal Herb. Your future is limitless; perhaps your future achievements will even surpass mine and your Second Master's."
"When I was just now examining your body, I noticed that the aura within you seems to have undergone some changes. It's not just stronger, but… purer, and colder."
"Honestly tell me, besides the Immortal Herb, did you gain anything else from your trip to the City of Slaughter?"
"Master has keen insight." Qin Xuan smiled and, after some careful embellishment, recounted the process of passing through Hell's Road.
He spoke of the desperate battles, of how Jingni's guidance had been crucial, and of the final, harrowing confrontation with the Ten-Headed Fierce Yang Serpent.
He stated that he had absorbed the Ten-Headed Fierce Yang Serpent's inner core to form his sixth spirit ring, which further enhanced the ancient mythical beast, the Vermilion Bird, sealed within the Changming Sword.
As for the unsealing of the Vermilion Bird, he kept that a secret.
Qin Xuan had a premonition that when the Changming Sword cultivated to nine spirit rings, he might be able to use the Vermilion Bird as a second Spirit, attaching spirit rings to it.
And it wouldn't be an ordinary second Spirit; it would be a second Spirit that could be used simultaneously with the first Spirit.
"Another Immortal Herb, and an ancient mythical beast's inner core—you little rascal."
After hearing this, even with Qianjun Douluo's composure, he couldn't help but feel a little envious. If he had had Qin Xuan's opportunities back then, he would have already reached a higher realm.
Not to mention rivaling the High Priest, Level 97 would definitely be achievable, and even Level 98 might not be without hope.
Qin Xuan chuckled, "This is all thanks to both of my Masters."
Qianjun Douluo scolded with a smile, "Don't act coy when you've gained so much. This training of yours far exceeded my expectations."
"Originally, I had already found an opponent to test your strength, but now it seems I'll have to change who it is."
[Inorin Note:
Your Support Keeps This Story Alive!
If you're enjoying this novel, your support means the world to me. Simple actions like leaving a review, power stone, comment, or sharing the story let me know you're out there. It's the greatest motivation for me to keep translating until the very end and ensures this project continues.
For those who wish to support me more directly, you can join my Patreon at [patreon.com/InorinTL]. As a thank-you, you'll receive access to 50 advanced chapters.
This translation is my full-time passion, and your support is what makes it possible for me to dedicate myself completely to bringing you this story. Thank you for reading!
As a special offer, I've opened a few limited-time tiers at a discounted price! You will get all the benefits of "The Plot Uncoverer" (normally $25), but at a much cheaper rate.
These slots are extremely limited:
"The Dedicated Fan": $9.99 (Save 60% / $15.01) - Only 3 slots
"The Lore Diver": $14.99 (Save 40% / $10.01) - Only 7 slots
"The Founding Pillars": $19.99 (Save 20% / $5.01) - Only 15 slots
Grab your slot before they run out! Besides membership, you can also donate via Ko-Fi [https://ko-fi.com/inorintl].
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]