Douluo: My power increases in Two levels

Taking advantage of the moment when the Infernal Flame Cat was dealing with the Retaliation Flame Ring, Bull-Masked Han Feng had already closed the distance. His eerie, chilling gaze locked onto the cat, sending a shiver down its spine.

"Hiss!"

The Flame Cat let out an instinctive shriek and hurled a burst of fire at Han Feng.

But it didn't go all out. Despite the stark difference between this bullheaded figure and Han Feng's usual presence, the cat's keen intelligence told it—this thing was deeply connected to Han Feng.

Bull-Han Feng didn't hesitate. His combat instinct was razor-sharp. He immediately raised the Black Shield, which shimmered as it absorbed the attack.

A shield that could withstand a full strike from a ten-thousand-year spirit beast wasn't going to break under a held-back blow—especially not from someone reluctant to cause harm.

Elsewhere, Han Dang—who was still keeping watch while Zhang Lingling absorbed her spirit ring—suddenly furrowed his brows.

He could feel it. The Black Shield had been struck. It hadn't shattered, but whatever hit it was strong.

"...No way," Han Dang muttered, unease creeping into his voice.

Meanwhile, the Infernal Flame Cat was also surprised. It hadn't expected that plain-looking black shield to completely block its attack.

But Bull-Han Feng didn't give it time to recover.

As soon as the fire was blocked, he dismissed the shield. Now, between his curled bull horns, a fist-sized ball of dark red energy began to form.

"ROAR!"

With a thunderous roar, the energy sphere launched forward in a focused, laser-like beam.

Hollow King's Flash.

The Flame Cat's pupils shrank. It sensed danger from that beam—real danger.

This "Hollow Flash" was several times more powerful than the one Han Feng had used before.

The cat didn't dare take it lightly. Instinct screamed at it to fight back. Flames burst forth from its body, warping the very air with heat. Trees withered, grass shriveled, and moisture on the ground evaporated instantly before it even had the chance to steam.

"HISS!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A massive crimson fireball clashed with the laser. Shockwaves blasted outward, flattening an entire grove. It wasn't even close—the fireball overwhelmed the laser almost instantly.

Bull-Han Feng's face twisted in frustration. With a snarl, he raised the Black Shield again, preparing to block the incoming blast.

At the same time, the Shield of Seraphim activated, and the first spirit ring glowed.

Guardian's Mandate!

"BOOM!"

The fireball slammed into the shield, cracking its surface. It held—for now.

But the force of the impact sent Bull-Han Feng flying backward. Even with the Shield of Seraphim absorbing part of the blast, he took heavy damage. His soul power was nearly drained. The bull-headed form began to flicker, shifting between his real appearance and the mask's monstrous visage.

"ROAR!!!"

With one final, defiant roar, the bull form dissipated.

Han Feng, eyes tightly shut, fell from the sky.

Sensing Han Feng's aura returning to normal, the Flame Cat immediately dropped its hostility and rushed toward him—only to realize, too late, that they had somehow wandered to the edge of a cliff.

Unconscious, Han Feng plummeted from the ledge and landed with a splash in the river below.

The cat darted to the edge and let out a heartbroken cry, but it couldn't follow—it was a cat, not an owl.

At that exact moment, Han Dang shot to his feet, his face pale and grave.

The Black Shield he had given Han Feng—had shattered.

Qian Renxue was not in a good mood.

As the awakened inheritor of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Spirit, she had never known what freedom felt like. Since childhood, it had been nothing but relentless training, the hopeful gaze of her grandfather, and the cold, disdainful eyes of her mother, Bibi Dong.

Just days ago, Bibi Dong had told her she could leave Spirit Hall. Qian Renxue had been delighted—thinking perhaps her mother had seen her loneliness and wanted her to experience the world a little.

She never expected the truth.

Bibi Dong wanted her to impersonate Xue Qinghe, the prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, to execute a long-term plan of political infiltration and usurpation.

Qian Renxue had been stunned.

Disguising herself as Xue Qinghe meant only one thing—losing her identity completely. Not only was she denied the freedom she longed for, but now even her last bit of self would be stripped away.

She was only thirteen. This plan would take at least a decade or two to bear fruit.

By the time it ended, Qian Renxue would have spent her entire youth living as someone else. Her cultivation would stall. Her individuality would vanish.

Yes, she was born with innate rank-20 soul power, but even that wouldn't matter if she couldn't continue cultivating. How could someone become a powerhouse without constant effort?

Qian Renxue understood the stakes all too well.

But when she saw the indifference—and faint disgust—in Bibi Dong's eyes, she held back her tears. One tear traced down her flawless face, and after a long silence, she nodded.

She accepted the mission.

Today, she left Spirit City.

But instead of heading toward the imperial capital, she wandered aimlessly into the Star Dou Forest's mixed zone, where ten-thousand-year spirit beasts roamed.

Yes, she was a Spirit Ancestor, but venturing here alone, even with her talent, was extremely dangerous.

She knew.

She simply didn't care.

Call it recklessness, call it despair—Qian Renxue just needed a place to vent. Once she left this forest, she would no longer be Qian Renxue.

She would first become Xue Qinghe's "maid."

Then, Xue Qinghe himself.

Sometimes, she even thought… maybe it wouldn't be so bad to die here and stay in the forest forever.

At this moment, she had just brutally slaughtered a thousand-year-old spirit beast. Covered in blood, she walked toward a nearby stream to wash.

That's when she saw it—a small, battered figure lying on the riverbank.

The child looked around seven or eight. Though his face was muddy and disheveled, his delicate features and furrowed brows made him look gentle, even pitiful.

It was Han Feng who had fallen off the cliff.

Qian Renxue froze. Then, puzzled, she murmured,

"Why is there a little girl in the mixed zone? "

Han Feng, with his youthful and soft appearance, was often mistaken for a girl—especially while unconscious.

Qian Renxue, though confused, was still a 13-year-old girl. Her compassion hadn't been completely burned away. She lifted Han Feng and began channeling spirit power into his body to stabilize him.

But then, she frowned in shock.

"Eight and a half years old… with rank-20 spirit power?! And so refined?! This soul power's nearly on par with a Spirit Expert! "

Qian Renxue had reached Spirit Grandmaster at six years old—but she had innate full soul power.

Han Feng's purity and strength were too abnormal. A seed of doubt grew in her heart.

Is this kid… a ten-thousand-year spirit beast in human form?

She couldn't be sure. But she wasn't the type to kill a child over a suspicion. Not yet.

If Han Feng really was a spirit beast in disguise, he would have lost all his power anyway. As a Spirit Grandmaster, he posed no threat to her.

She decided to wait until he woke up.

Then she pulled out a small dress from her soul tool—something she had worn as a child—planning to clean him up and change his clothes.

But when she took his clothes off, her face turned bright red.

She had misunderstood something… very badly.

"Tch! Stupid brat! " she grumbled, cheeks flushed.

"There's nothing to look at! "

Han Feng's injuries were severe—mainly from falling and crashing into the rocks in the river. Under Qian Renxue's spirit energy, his condition slowly stabilized.

It wasn't until midnight that he finally stirred.

"Ugh…"

He let out a weak groan and sat up slowly, his mind still foggy.

The first thing he saw was a flawless, breathtaking face. Her pale golden eyes, though slightly tired and wary, sparkled like starlight. Her flawless skin outshone any girl he had ever seen—even in the photos of his past life.

Still dazed, Han Feng blurted out instinctively:

"Big sis… you're so pretty…"

The moment he said it, Han Feng snapped back to himself—shocked.

What the hell!?

Who am I!? I'm the embodiment of steel-reinforced straight masculinity!

In college, the first time he spoke to a girl, he gave up on dating for the next four years. And now, the first words out of his mouth weren't

"Damn, this chick's fire."