Qian Renxue, despite being repelled, suffered no injuries; she stabilized her figure in a mere instant. It had to be said that even without using her Martial Soul Avatar, the enhancement granted by her Martial Soul possession as a Soul Saint far exceeded anything a soul master below that rank could fathom.
Furthermore, the Six-Winged Angel was a true god-level Martial Soul. Its legendary power was far more than mere hearsay.
After regaining her footing, Qian Renxue's wings flapped again. The Angelic Holy Sword in her hand slashed out several beams of divine golden sword qi, hurtling toward Dugu Yan. Facing these terrifying strikes—each comparable to the full-force attack of a Soul Emperor—even Dugu Yan did not dare to take them head-on. Dugu Yan possessed the strength to confront a Soul Emperor, but that strength relied entirely on her poison.
Currently, due to the suppression of the Angelic Domain, Dugu Yan's poison was effectively neutralized.
While Dugu Yan lacked the means to physically block such terrifying sword qi, she was not without an answer. "Fourth Soul Skill: Medusa's Gaze!" Her black fourth soul ring ignited, and two pillars of silver-white light erupted from her teal eyes.
The beams collided with the golden sword qi. In a flash, the divine energy was petrified mid-air, plummeting to the ground and shattering into countless golden shards.
Qian Renxue's expression remained unchanged as she offered a small smile. "Your talent is indeed impressive, and your poison is truly terrifying. In fact, no opponent of the same rank has ever forced me to use my innate domain. However... that is all it is."
"Between a Soul Saint and a Soul King, there exists an insurmountable chasm."
Qian Renxue's purple fourth soul ring lit up. As the ring released its power, the holy radiance surrounding her surged once more. She gripped the Angelic Holy Sword with both hands and slashed downward directly at Dugu Yan.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Angelic... Judgment!"
The blade in her hands expanded abruptly, reaching a length of over thirty meters, before thundering down toward Dugu Yan. Faced with the full-power strike of a Soul Saint, Dugu Yan was naturally unable to defend herself.
Even Zhan Yu would have found it nearly impossible to block such a blow. Facing the overwhelming majesty of the strike, Dugu Yan realized the profound gap between her and Qian Renxue.
At that moment, Gu Xuan of the Imperial Team suddenly stood up and shouted. "Yan'er, enough! Concede! You are not her match!"
Hearing Gu Xuan's voice, Qian Renxue's attack hesitated in mid-air. She did not rush to finish the strike, instead waiting for Dugu Yan to make her choice. If Dugu Yan intended to defy the heavens, Qian Renxue would strike without further hesitation.
Dugu Yan let out a helpless sigh and retracted her Martial Soul. "Seven Treasure Academy team concedes," she said softly.
Though she had never harbored much hope of winning, conceding so easily still left a trace of bitterness in her heart. With their captain's surrender, the rest of the Seven Treasure Team ceased their attacks and gathered by Dugu Yan's side.
Today's battle had been incredibly stifling for them. It wasn't just Dugu Yan being suppressed; while inside the Angelic Domain, their soul power was being constantly eroded and purified by the domain's innate light.
One thought unified them. Qian Renxue's strength far exceeded that of an ordinary Soul Saint, especially considering she hadn't even used her Martial Soul Avatar yet. Against a top-tier Martial Soul counter, Dugu Yan's abilities were rendered useless, shattering their only hope of an upset.
However, a new resolve took root in the hearts of the seven members of the Seven Treasure Team—they needed to grow stronger. Only with sufficient power could they ignore external suppression and unleash their true potential.
As Qian Renxue retracted her Martial Soul, she looked toward Gu Xuan with a smile and spoke softly. "Tomorrow, let me see your true strength."
She then led the ecstatic Spirit Hall team away. While they knew she was powerful, they hadn't imagined she was this dominant. Xie Yue and Hu Liena experienced the sensation of being "carried" for the first time, fostering a genuine, heartfelt admiration for Qian Renxue. Her power had completely conquered them.
Xie Yue, in particular, was dazed. For over twenty years, he had been the most brilliant genius of his rank, and no girl had ever caught his eye. But now, as he watched Qian Renxue's departing back, he found himself entranced.
'A woman like Her Highness... that is someone truly worth pursuing,' he thought. But a dark shadow quickly rose in his mind. 'How could you be worthy of her? At the same age, she is a Soul Saint, while you are just a novice Soul King. What right do you have?'
Yet, Xie Yue's resolve quickly hardened. Worthiness was a matter of opinion; he only needed to keep moving forward and strive to improve. Nothing was impossible. A fiery seed of ambition was planted in his heart.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Team's lounge, Gu Xuan comforted Dugu Yan. "Yan'er, today's loss isn't a failure. You are a top-tier genius, but so is Qian Renxue. It's simply that her abilities happen to perfectly counter yours."
Gu Xuan had known exactly how strong Qian Renxue was, but he couldn't tell them beforehand without it seeming suspicious. Moreover, a bit of a setback was good for the Seven Treasure boys, lest they let their success go to their heads.
Dugu Yan offered a wry smile. "Don't worry, Xiao Xuan. This setback won't break me. After all, she is a Soul Saint, and I am only a Soul King."
"I'm just worried about you. Tomorrow's battle will be fraught with difficulty. You saw her strength today—she only used three soul skills. The Angelic Domain alone suppressed us entirely. Without Rongrong's support, we would have lost before she even attacked."
Gu Xuan smiled. "Don't worry. While I don't have an absolute guarantee of victory, I will give it my all."
He paused, looking at his teammates. "To be honest, I'm not even sure where my own limits lie. And I won't hide it from you—I'm sure you noticed Yan'er's ten-thousand-year fourth ring. My fourth ring has also reached the ten-thousand-year level. So, even against Qian Renxue, I may still have a fighting chance."
Yu Tianheng laughed. "Captain, we already guessed as much. We believe in you." He looked toward the others with a serious expression. "So, Captain, just focus on dealing with Qian Renxue. Leave the rest of Spirit Hall to us. Tomorrow, we decide it all in one battle!"
Gu Xuan smiled. A soul master needed that fearless spirit. On the path of cultivation, blood and storms were inevitable; only those with a firm and powerful heart could achieve what others found impossible.
(End of Chapter)
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