Douluo: Qian Xunji's Joyful Life

Chapter 40: Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin

Nighttime, starlit skies. In a small wooded area by a picturesque mountain and clear waters on the Douluo Continent, three people sat cross-legged around a campfire.

Two of the men were tall and similar in looks, though one appeared younger and more spirited, while the other had a face full of beard and an even more composed air about him. He wore the leather attire of the Clear Sky Clan, sheathing his solid bronze-colored muscles.

These two were Tang Xiao and Tang Hao, often called the Clear Sky Twin Stars. This was their third year out on their training journey, with two years still to go before their planned five-year excursion would end and they returned to the Clear Sky Clan.

Over these three years, their cultivations had increased rapidly—Tang Hao had progressed to rank 82, while Tang Xiao had reached rank 87. At this pace, it wouldn't be long before Tang Xiao broke through to Titled Douluo.

Both men held oversized drinking bowls, and near them sat a wine jar. A year earlier, they would have just tipped the jar straight to their lips, but now they drank more "gently." The reason was clear if one looked at their eyes, fixed on the third person in the firelight—a blue-clad woman.

The woman wore light blue high-heeled shoes, revealing a pair of perfectly long legs. Higher up was a blue-gold dress with a high slit, the edge of her safety shorts faintly visible. Tracing upward from her figure, one saw an exceptionally beautiful face, her blue eyes glittering like flawless sapphires. Her name was Ah Yin.

Tang Xiao and Tang Hao had encountered Ah Yin in their second year of wandering; the three then traveled together and became sworn siblings, roaming the continent as a trio.

Ah Yin was seated where stalks of Blue Silver Grass grew. Unlike the common sort found everywhere, these had gold streaks etched in their blue leaves. Furthermore, within a certain radius around Ah Yin, the grass all carried this blue-gold hue. Centered on Ah Yin was a faintly perceptible domain, invisible to the naked eye.

This was Ah Yin's natural domain, the Blue Silver Domain, which could stimulate the growth of Blue Silver Grass. By tapping into it, anything within a hundred meters was within her awareness. Ever since she joined Tang Xiao and Tang Hao, her domain stayed active constantly. Tang Hao once asked her why she always kept it open, as it meant constant soul power expenditure. Ah Yin answered that she was merely a Soul King, and continuously using her domain helped her cultivate; she could also replenish her consumed soul power by drawing from the Blue Silver Grass.

Logically, Tang Xiao should already have reached Titled Douluo status, because for the first two years, he and Tang Hao traversed many soul beast forests, hunting ten-thousand-year beasts for soul bones. Since Tang Hao's cultivation was lower, Tang Xiao had given priority to Tang Hao, letting him gather resources first. Now Tang Hao had six soul bones, but Tang Xiao still did not. Tang Hao wanted to keep hunting beasts to collect bones for Tang Xiao, yet Tang Xiao firmly refused, and that was that.

"Come, cheers!" The three clinked their bowls. Two of them smelled strongly of wine, and the third emitted a refreshing fragrance. That delicate aroma belonged to Ah Yin. As disciples of the Clear Sky Clan, Tang Xiao and Tang Hao could handle seemingly endless amounts of liquor, but Ah Yin could not. She had barely drunk half a bowl when her face froze.

Tang Xiao and Tang Hao, who had both been closely watching her, noticed her change in expression. "Little Sister," they asked, "what's wrong? Did something happen?"

Ah Yin's soft, melodious voice emerged. "Brother Xiao, Brother Hao—my domain just got triggered. Someone is here, but I… I can't sense that person."

Tang Xiao and Tang Hao exchanged glances, rising at once, brows creasing. They were well aware of Ah Yin's Blue Silver Domain's detection prowess. Despite her Soul King cultivation, even they couldn't hide from her domain. The fact that she couldn't track this interloper spelled serious trouble.

"So it's been a while, Clear Sky Twin Stars. Your cultivation has risen at quite a pace." A serene voice echoed from above, and Qian Xunji silently appeared overhead, scanning Tang Xiao and Tang Hao before focusing on Ah Yin with a faint smile. "If my information is correct, people on the outside call you the Blue Silver Fairy."

At Qian Xunji's gaze, Ah Yin's body quivered, her expression turning pale. No martial soul, yet he stood on air, meaning he was a Titled Douluo! The Blue Silver Domain flared to its maximum as the Blue Silver Grass around sprang up vigorously with surging vitality.

The Pope—what's he doing here? Tang Xiao and Tang Hao had both attended the Seven Great Clans re-selection conference, so they recognized him at once.

Tang Xiao, seeing Qian Xunji fixated on Ah Yin, felt a sudden jolt of alarm and bowed. "Your Holiness the Pope, what is your purpose here? Our Clear Sky Clan has never offended the Wuhun Hall."

Qian Xunji remained unmoved. "I know that. As for why I'm here, Tang Xiao, you of all people should guess it. You haven't yet filled all your soul bone slots, have you?"

Tang Xiao felt an immediate chill, cold sweat forming on his brow. "Your Holiness… n-no. Soul bones are extremely rare, after all. Even though I'm from the Clear Sky Clan, obtaining one isn't easy."

Tang Hao grew wary as well. He assumed Qian Xunji had come to hold them accountable for slaughtering soul beasts to procure bones, which was officially forbidden in the soul master world. If the truth came out—that they had been targeting beasts of fifty-thousand years or more—everyone's opinion of the Clear Sky Clan would plummet.

But how did Qian Xunji even know, when they had been so careful? Tang Hao was perplexed.

Qian Xunji's tone cooled. "Tang Xiao, I'm not here to play riddles with you. A hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor—stop pretending. Come willingly, or shall I beat you into submission first, then you'll come with me?"

At that, Ah Yin's face turned deathly white. Tang Xiao's also went grim, Tang Hao looking at Ah Yin in utter shock. She was a hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor? A hundred-thousand-year shapeshifted soul beast?

Which meant a hundred-thousand-year ring and bone delivered straight to their door. Wait, I'm a Soul Douluo now—yet after being around Ah Yin for so long, I never realized she was a hundred-thousand-year beast. Must be because Ah Yin constantly had her domain open. So my older brother's expression… he must have known. No wonder he refused to let me hunt more beasts for his bones, worried about spooking Ah Yin.

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