Douluo Continent: A Thousand Miles of Cultivation

You should know that even an ordinary soul bone can be fought over fiercely. In a short-sighted situation, even if you don't want a 100,000-year soul ring, the temptation of a 100,000-year soul bone is still there.

To put it bluntly, your claim simply cannot be protected in human society without sufficient power.

Therefore, people generally kill first and ask questions later; it may be short-sighted, but the benefits are obvious and tangible.

Xiao Wu listened quietly to Qian Shui's story, staring blankly at him in his female form.

Qian Shui is the one who could resist the temptation of a 100,000-year-old soul ring and soul bone. No matter how absurd his reasons were, he actually did it.

"Huo Huo, thank you."

"what?"

"It's nothing! Sister Xiaowu, I'm not going to the competition. I'm going to refine my soul. Bye-bye!" After saying this in a nonsensical way, Xiaowu stood up and slipped away.

Qian Shui was confused again. He was clearly the one with superior intelligence, so why did he suddenly not understand?

Turning to look at Feng Jingyi, who had taken on the role of guard, with a puzzled expression, he asked, "Has this rabbit suddenly become clever?"

"Xiao Shui, you and your husband have such a good relationship."

Faced with Feng Jingyi's shake of her head and faint smile, and her irrelevant answer, Qian Shui was even more confused. What did this have to do with whether the couple's relationship was good or not?

"It's nothing, just don't be so nice to one girl all the time."

"Okay? This rabbit is either being hung up and beaten by me, or on her way to being hung up and beaten by me. Sister Feng, you're not suggesting she's fallen for me, are you?"

It's said that there's no such thing as a free lunch, but Qian Shui's impartiality seems too special in the dog-eat-dog world of Douluo Continent.

For a 100,000-year-old soul beast like Xiao Wu to transform into human form, the fact that you discovered her identity but didn't kill her to hunt her soul is beyond the character of a normal Douluo Continent person, not to mention protecting her and preventing others from hunting her soul.

It is precisely because of this impartial treatment, which is even seen as favoritism by the people of Douluo Continent, that it is so unusual. Just like Feng Jingyi's experience of meeting Qian Shui, wasn't she herself falling in love with Qian Shui in the same way?

"Xiao Shui, if only you weren't so dull..."

Before Feng Jingyi could finish speaking, Qian Renxue smacked Qian Shui out of the game, saying, "Sister Feng, Xiao Shui isn't dull!"

"Yes~ that's how much he loves you~" Feng Jingyi's expression was somewhat wry, yet it was neither a cry nor a smile.

These two wouldn't give anyone else a chance to interfere!

-----------------

The qualifying rounds of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament are not as exciting as the preliminary rounds. To protect the privacy of individual Soul Masters and for security reasons, no spectators are allowed to watch the qualifying rounds.

Therefore, the competition venue for the Tiandou region was arranged in the Royal Hunting Grounds west of Tiandou City, which was surrounded by the Royal Knights to ensure the privacy of the competition.

On the surface, Xue Qinghe did not have any army directly under his command as the crown prince. The Royal Knights and the Tiandou City Defense were nominally under Emperor Xue Ye, but in reality, the control was in the hands of the Third Prince, Xue Haicang.

This is also one of the reasons why Xue Ye can feel at ease about Xue Qinghe; otherwise, the power struggle within the royal family would be even more intense.

But this is also a calculated move by Qian Shui and Qian Renxue. They don't openly try to control things, but in reality, Xue Haicang only listens to his elder brother Xue Qinghe. His father, Emperor Xue Ye, may not be that important to him.

After all, he had an older brother who raised him, was enlightened and loved him, and Xue Qinghe's prestige had been rising over the years. Compared to a stubborn old man like Xue Ye, whose influence was waning, everyone knew which to choose.

The qualifying rounds for the entire Tiandou region are practically unnecessary; everyone knows that Huangdou Team 2 and Tianshui Academy Team are the top two contenders. These two teams are significantly stronger than the others.

However, to everyone's surprise, the Crown Princess was very direct, making Qian Shuishui the vanguard, while the other students didn't even show their faces.

Before the match, Ning Huahua made it clear that Huang Dou Team 2 would only send Qian Shuishui to fight during the qualifying rounds, and that Huang Dou Team 2 would concede defeat as long as they defeated her.

However, the title of 'Little Singer' wasn't given lightly. After the preliminary rounds, everyone was clear about Qian Shuishui's strength. Apart from Shui Bing'er, the only Soul King in the Heaven Dou region, Qian Shuishui was in a league of her own.

In a one-on-one duel, Shui Bing'er, having lost her Martial Soul Fusion Skill, lost her first encounter with Qian Shuishui. From then on, she faced seven opponents with almost no pressure.

The remaining matches are no longer in doubt; teams facing Qian Shuishui will either concede defeat or suffer a seven-game sweep.

The apprentice had no concept of giving face or holding back. In Qian Shui's view, it was good enough that she could keep an eye on her and prevent her from killing anyone.

Although the final result was that only one person participated in the qualifying rounds and won all fourteen matches, no one was surprised, because it was entirely expected.

Therefore, among all fifteen teams, the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy ranked first and was the best in the Heavenly Dou Empire region.

The qualifying rounds concluded with a passionate speech on a snowy night, and the curtain was finally about to rise on the finals.

As an emperor, Emperor Xue Ye could not leave Tian Dou City without permission. Crown Prince Xue Qinghe represented him as an envoy of the Tian Dou Empire to participate in the judging of this competition.

The fifteen teams from the Heavenly Dou Empire will be led by the Crown Prince, the most important person in the empire, in the competition.

"Let me make this clear: once we get to Wuhun City, you are not allowed to say anything recklessly, and you are absolutely not allowed to leave the group, or you will bear the consequences." Qian Shui also told his team members about Wuhun City when leading them away from the Royal Hunting Grounds.

"I've always wanted to ask this. Judging from previous competitions, the finals are usually held alternately between Heaven Dou City and Star Luo City. Logically, this year's finals should still be held in Heaven Dou City, so why is it in Spirit City?" Ning Rongrong noticed the key point.

Ning Huahua glanced at Ning Rongrong and nodded slightly in agreement. "Qinghe said that the finals were not originally scheduled to be held in Wuhun City, but for some reason, Wuhun Hall suddenly proposed to hold the finals in Wuhun Hall's main city."

"Is that so?" Ning Huahua gave Ning Rongrong a simple explanation, and she roughly understood that it was some kind of power struggle at the top.

Qian Shui roughly knew the reason, but he couldn't just say outright that his teacher wanted to show off the Golden Generation and the newly built Papal Palace, and that the purpose of doing so was to enhance Bibi Dong's own authority.

Seeing this, Ning Huahua continued, "Wuhun City belongs entirely to Wuhun Hall. It is located at the border of the two great empires, but neither of the two empires has any ownership of it."

All you need to know is that there are countless powerful figures there, and the number of Title Douluos is in the double digits, so it is very important to behave yourself and keep to your own level.

We'll have three days to rest, then we'll set off again. Spirit City is even farther than Soto City, where Shrek Academy was originally located; the main force will probably need about twenty days to travel there.

After Ning Huahua finished speaking briefly, she turned to leave, but Ning Rongrong called out to her, "By the way, where's Xiao Wu? I haven't seen her since the qualifying rounds started?"

"Her family had something to do to bring her home, so she couldn't participate in the qualifying rounds and the finals."

"Oh, but you mean you want to do it yourself?" With Xiao Wu not around, there's only one person missing, so Ning Rongrong figured that Ning Huahua would have to do it herself.

"What if we don't go?" Ning Huahua rolled her eyes and continued walking forward, muttering to herself, "Although the prize for the finals is three soul bones, I might not be able to win even if I go. I suggest you give up the idea of ​​winning the finals."

"You've already reached the Soul Saint level..."

"So what if I'm a Soul Saint? I'm a support character!"

"You? Support?!"

……

In a mansion on the outskirts of Tiandou City, the door, which had been closed for several months, was finally opened, and Yu Tianheng, the captain of the Royal Fighting Team, finally stepped into Tiandou City again.

The major case that occurred during the Elite Tournament qualifiers was finally brought to the forefront, and the news that Yu Xiaogang had been murdered by his disciple Shunfengche naturally spread like wildfire.

All of this was like a rising storm, a prelude to a larger one. After all the teams in the Elite Tournament finals set off, it seemed as if there was an unseen force behind it all, making the rumors spread and intensify.

Chapter 254 Qian Shui's Speechless Anger, An Unplanned Assassination [6000 words]

"Hua Hua, is the Immortal Douluo still in Heaven Dou City?"

"Probably. Anyway, he said he didn't want to go back to the Spirit Hall. Who cares? Who knows what he's up to?"

Three days after the qualifying rounds ended, the fifteen participating teams, along with their teachers and five hundred Royal Knights soldiers, a group of over a thousand people, set off for Wuhun City, the venue for the finals.

Originally, Xue Qinghe, as the highest power center, was not someone to be easily moved. Fortunately, Emperor Xue Ye was making some small moves behind the scenes, which spared the couple trouble and gave them the opportunity. They ran away together with their son.

At this moment, Ning Fengzhi, Ning Rongrong, and their family were all inside a carriage. Their son was fast asleep, lying on Xue Qinghe's body, completely oblivious to the adults' conversation.

"Uh... he's really willful... isn't he afraid His Holiness the Pope will arrest him and take him back?"

"Probably not, they would have arrested them already if they wanted to."

Ning Fengzhi and Ning Huahua were talking about Qian Shui herself. Since she was talking about herself, they knew her very well, truly acting like drama queens.

Ning Rongrong, who was standing to the side, did not stay with her teammates. After falling out with Dai Mubai, she wanted to stay away. The Royal Fighting Teams 1 and 2 had also merged, and they were discussing Yu Tianheng's experience in detail along the way.

The carriage, made with Soul Guidance Technology, and the roads built within the Heaven Dou Empire made the journey smooth and stable.

This was naturally thanks to Qian Shui, who brought the concept of a business vehicle to Huan Hongchen, including features like fully enclosed leather seats, suspension shock absorption, barrier-free doors, and even refrigerators and air conditioners created using a cooling soul-guiding array, making it a truly luxurious experience.

Thanks to the development of the donkey for transportation, Qian Shui even had Huan Hongchen put rubber-like materials on the wheels. Apart from the unsolvable power problem, it was still horse-drawn, giving off a strong primitive punk vibe.

Listening to her elders chat, Ning Rongrong took out an ice cream from the soul-guided refrigerator and ate it in small bites. "Dad, aren't they master and disciple? Why are they having conflicts?"

Faced with his youngest daughter's question, Ning Fengzhi pondered for a moment, "It's probably a difference in ideology. The current Pope of the Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong, although she is a female Pope, is unfathomable and is hailed as the most powerful leader in the history of the Spirit Hall. Her style of doing things is tough, and she is known for her ruthlessness and decisiveness. She almost always uses force to suppress others in foreign affairs."

This kind of pope is completely different from the style of Qian Shui, who stays behind the scenes and controls everything.

After analyzing Bibi Dong and Qian Shui, Ning Fengzhi turned to Xue Qinghe with a meaningful look: "Qinghe, although I haven't asked, he supports you, right?"

With eyes focused on the nose and nose on the heart, Qian Renxue, as Xue Qinghe, naturally had his own explanation: "Brother Qian Shui cannot say that he supports me personally, but rather that he is satisfied with my policies, which are relatively beneficial to the people."

"I see, that's typical of him." This answer was exactly what Ning Fengzhi had expected about Qian Shui.

In Ning Fengzhi's mind, Qian Shui was an unparalleled genius whose talent, strength, intellect, and integrity were all excessive, making him an absolute force to be reckoned with.

"Qinghe, although the Spirit Hall seems detached from worldly affairs, its power actually overwhelms the entire Douluo Continent. If there is internal strife between master and disciple, it is an opportunity, but remember not to get too deeply involved."

"Teacher, these are all facts, Qinghe Province."

However, Ning Fengzhi had no idea that this arrogant guy was yawning with a bored expression on his face, looking like he was about to fall asleep.

Qian Shui, who appeared to be falling asleep, was not actually falling asleep. Unbeknownst to him, at that moment, his physical body had left his body.

The thousand-man team was about to reach a valley, which, from a military perspective, would be an excellent ambush point.

When Qian Shui came out, he saw Yin Jin picking flowers by the roadside, guessing that he was going to coax his wife.

Xiao Wu didn't come, and Ning Rongrong and Ning Huahua were in Xue Qinghe's carriage. The Huangdou Second Team's carriage only had five people.

Ning Rongrong ran away, and the girls, Zhu Zhuqing and Qian Shuishui, who were focused on cultivation, couldn't stay still in the face of such a ruthless person. They took Oscar and ran off to joke around with the other group.

Naturally, Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan from the first team switched places, along with Yu Tianheng, who was taciturn and only wanted to cultivate to numb himself.

Before long, the carriage door opened, and a richly dressed person slipped in: "Hehe, Lingling, I'm here~"

However, Ye Lingling, dressed in a black dress and wearing a black veil, and not in her school uniform, ignored her and didn't even open her eyes, which were tightly closed due to cultivation. Clearly, she didn't want to pay attention to this person.

The sound of the door opening and closing startled the others. The young apprentice opened his eyes and glanced at the person, while the other three stared intently at him.

Dugu Yan smiled mischievously and asked first, "Teacher Yin~ you couldn't hold back anymore?"

"Tsk? How can a child talk like that?!" Yin Jin was clearly very unhappy.

Dugu Yan's green pupils were incredibly cunning. She wouldn't let her dear teacher off so easily, especially since he had been involved in Yu Tianheng's affairs. "Lingling is about my age. If I'm a child, then she is too~"

"Hey hey hey! I can't argue with you, can I! Lingling~ Ah!"

Yin Jingang tried to touch Ye Lingling's hand, but was kicked away.

"Hmph! Serves him right! He can just cancel the wedding like that! Lingling, break up with him right now!"

Yin Jin touched the footprints on his face. Ever since Qian Shui told him not to get married yet, he had been afraid and kept quiet until he agreed to prepare for the wedding in Tian Dou City. However, Qian Shui followed him on the day he was supposed to leave, and that's when he was finally exposed.

As the most important thing in her life, even someone as aloof as Ye Lingling was angry, and the two had been in a cold war for a long time.