Douluo Continent: A Thousand Miles of Cultivation

"Xiao Shui, you must take good care of yourself!"

Qian Renxue didn't know if Qian Shui knew something, but he was relentlessly trying to instill political intrigue in her. She hated these grand theories and mostly ignored them, but they were still somewhat useful. Just as Qian Shui solemnly told her, 'Politics is cruel; people can die!'

Therefore, she understood at least one thing: what she was about to do was extremely dangerous, and even with the secret protection of a Title Douluo, not all crises could be prevented. And if she herself was in such a precarious situation, Qian Shui would be even more vulnerable if she were with her.

She couldn't face that important friend, because he would definitely be there for her, and saying goodbye would only reveal unnecessary information. Neither her teacher, Bibi Dong, nor the Spirit Hall could stop him. If he wanted to, he would definitely come to find her, just like always.

So there's only one way: stop everything, don't even say goodbye, don't tell him anything, block everything out, and then none of this will happen.

……

"Today is the day that the children of Angel Academy turn six years old and awaken their martial spirit. Xiao Shui, why don't you join us?"

Qian Shui didn't pay attention to the situation, and there was no such thing as trending topics in feudal times, but he still knew something about Bibi Dong becoming the Pope.

Qian Shui didn't refuse the dean's request, but she hadn't expected Bibi Dong to come in person. Bibi Dong would come in previous years, but Qian Shui had never paid attention. Now, Bibi Dong's identity was that of the Pope, and Qian Shui was the Pope's disciple.

'Is he trying to win people's hearts as the new pope?' Qian Shui thought to himself as he looked at the rows of people kneeling. The change in his status meant nothing to him. He didn't kneel either. Everyone seemed to ignore him. Bibi Dong only glanced at him.

Bibi Dong was satisfied with this talented disciple, but he was too willful. Although no one else felt anything was wrong with him, he was worthy of his willfulness.

Bibi Dong, however, did not think so. She believed that the consequences of being willful were disastrous, at least she had experienced it firsthand, and she saw Qian Shui's shortcomings.

Humans are social animals, and if we are separated from the group for too long, we will lose something, which cannot be exchanged for a little improvement in strength. That's why we force him to go to school.

The people below had everything arranged, and the Martial Soul Awakening began.

Although some are the children of Soul Masters who died fighting for the Spirit Hall, most are the descendants abandoned by ordinary people. Their awakenings are not so earth-shattering, but rather more disappointing.

Chapter 44 Hu Liena and Qian Shui's Rebellion

At first glance, the awakening of martial spirits seems novel, but after seeing it many times, it becomes just like any other game, because it's all the same.

Most of the children at Angel Academy are adopted orphans, and many of them are ordinary people without soul power. Their fate will be to be sent out of Spirit City from today onwards to surrounding towns to live the rest of their lives as ordinary people.

Aside from Qian Shui and two other talented children last year, no other genius has actually emerged from Angel Academy over the years. That's just how cruel the world is; that's the cold reality.

Bibi Dong sat in the head seat. She was not tall, and her long, golden dress fit her perfectly from head to toe. The dazzling dress shimmered with jewels, and it was adorned with more than a hundred red, blue, and gold gemstones.

The nine-curved purple-gold crown atop her head shone brilliantly, and she held a two-meter-long scepter inlaid with countless gems. Her fair skin and near-perfect features made her stand out from the crowd.

Especially the invisible nobility and holiness exuded from his body makes people unable to help but feel the emotion of worshiping him.

He didn't know if it was in his previous life, but that kind of deep-rooted shackles never took root in his heart. Qian Shui didn't have a trace of such emotions. Even ignoring Bibi Dong's crazy nature, he felt a little nauseous in the face of such a scene, even though Bibi Dong's faint smile was so beautiful!

"Next person!"

This time it was a girl with an ordinary appearance. Qian Shui had some impression of her; she was the girl who came to ask him who he was that day.

With a flash of golden light, a fox appeared!

"Demon fox?"

“Nana’s brother also awakened innate level 8 soul power last year. It seems that both siblings will become soul masters!” the dean couldn’t help but say.

'Nana? A fox spirit? Is she Hu Liena?' Qian Shui glanced at Bibi Dong subconsciously.

As expected: "Level 9 Innate Soul Power!"

Bibi Dong, whose smile seemed somewhat stiff, finally moved. She walked slowly but quickly to Hu Liena.

"Child, tell me, what is your name?" Bibi Dong was unusually gentle, as if she had become a different person.

"My name is Hu Liena."

"Okay, Nana, would you like to be my disciple?"

Hu Liena was unsure, so she looked at the dean, who nodded back.

"I do!" the little girl smiled sweetly.

Bibi Dong nodded in satisfaction, and then announced to the public: "I, in my capacity as Pope, declare that Hu Liena is now my disciple!"

"Congratulations, Your Holiness the Pope!" the crowd exclaimed in unison.

Then Bibi Dong led Hu Liena back to the main seat.

However, the meaning of such a move was somewhat different in the eyes of those who were interested. Those who knew the inside story looked at Qian Shui more or less, but Qian Shui remained expressionless from beginning to end.

Qian Shui's behavior has been somewhat unusual lately, and Bibi Dong wants to take this opportunity to give him a warning, since she usually doesn't have time for him.

Qian Daoliu was putting on a show by personally hunting down Tang Hao. This was a brief power vacuum in the Spirit Hall, and she needed to secure more benefits for herself.

She understood why Qian Shui was behaving strangely, just like Qian Renxue had back then, except that this child had nothing, knew nothing, and could do nothing.

However, he was clever; upon returning to the Angel Academy, it was clear he roughly understood Qian Renxue's situation. Bibi Dong simply wanted to distance herself from that daughter, not Qian Shui, this millennium-old genius; she harbored no ill will towards Qian Shui. In fact, some of Qian Shui's rebellious actions made her feel as if she were disciplining her own child.

Before long, the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony ended, and the children's fates were thus determined.

Bibi Dong was about to leave with Hu Liena when they passed Qian Shui. Bibi Dong stopped and said to him, "I know what you're thinking!" Then she left, leaving Hu Liena confused.

Clever people often like to speak in riddles, but Qian Shui was the kind of person who could understand them. Watching Bibi Dong slowly walk away, he responded to Bibi Dong with his actions.

Before anyone could react, Qian Shui pulled out Wen Xin, and the three spirit rings, yellow, purple, and black, shone brightly as he launched an attack on Bibi Dong!

As the dust settled, Bibi Dong, unsurprisingly, blocked Qian Shui's attack.

"Your Holiness the Pope!" The surrounding guards dutifully surrounded him.

Bibi Dong then signaled them to retreat, and after everyone had retreated to a safe distance, Qian Shui began his seemingly endless and continuous attack!

Bibi Dong didn't even have a martial soul attached to her body; she simply summoned two spider legs and blocked all the attacks. After absorbing Qian Xunji, Bibi Dong's overall strength had surpassed that of a level 90 Title Douluo, except that she hadn't yet added any spirit rings. In the end, Qian Shui was sent flying with a single palm strike.

Seeing Qian Shui coughing up blood but staring at her with a furrowed brow, Bibi Dong grabbed him by the neck, lifted him up, and said, "A mere level 32 soul power!" Then she threw him to the doorway. "What do you want to do?!" Next, she slowly walked towards the stubborn child lying on the ground. "What can you do?!"

"You don't even know where she is, so what can you do?"

Qian Shui raised her head, looked north, and calmly said, "I know."

Then she looked at Bibi Dong and said, "I am indeed only level 32, so I am not stupid! I am not stupid enough to follow along or do anything else stupid!" Qian Shui got up, picked up her sword, and limped towards the door. "So, teacher, I will follow your arrangements."

While everyone was still in shock, they watched as Qian Shui gradually disappeared into the distance.

……

"Old Ghost, do you think this kid's gone mad? He actually attacked the Pope in public!"

"If one day I suddenly disappeared, and you knew who the culprit was, what would you do?"

"Uh...okay..."

Those who know the inside story generally guess this way.

"Teacher, who is he?"

"He is your senior brother."

"Senior brother?"

"Yes, he is also the teacher's disciple."

"But why did he hit the teacher?"

"Maybe it's because he's angry."

After settling Hu Liena in, Bibi Dong felt a sense of helplessness. Others might not have understood Qian Shui's words, but she did. And no one in the world understood them more deeply than she did, because she was the foolish one!

Back then, without any real power to resist, she rashly sought Qian Xunji's approval, and the result was tragic.

Qian Shui's words touched her deeply. His unspoken meaning was: "I know where Qian Renxue is, but I'm not stupid. I won't go to her now. I'll listen to you until I have the absolute power to control my destiny! So either you kill me in public now, or no one can stop me. I have that ability!"

Those who listen are moved, and those who are angry need an outlet, and this outlet can be open and aboveboard! Because everyone understands the reason for doing so, it is reasonable, but it cannot be just for the sake of venting! Similarly, this is his blatant mockery of Bibi Dong!

The same thing happened again today. As a mother and a teacher, Bibi Dong, what will you choose? Do you want to repeat Qian Xunji's path and completely block the possibility of having two children?

"Xiao Gang, if only we had half the talent of this child, we wouldn't have ended up like this..." Bibi Dong lamented the tragedy of the past, but it was all too late; the beautiful past had long since left her.

In her eyes, Qian Shui was like her former self, and in comparison, how foolish she had been back then, actually proposing to Qian Xunji that she either agree to be with Yu Xiaogang or leave the Spirit Hall.

All these foolish acts acted as a catalyst, causing Qian Xunji's demonic nature to emerge prematurely, dragging her into a terrifying abyss.

These events served as a wake-up call for Qian Shui. On Blue Star, as an observer, he could mock the lowbrow aspects of fantasy, but now, being in the thick of it, his meager strength rendered him powerless. Everything was like quicksand in his hands; no matter how he tried to control it, he couldn't stop it from slipping away.

Therefore, what he needs to do is to face this dangerous, power-driven, and cruel world with caution and composure.

He used his attack on Bibi Dong to tell her that he was not only a Soul Master, but that he could be even stronger. However, he would not run away anymore; he would submit to Bibi Dong's will and gain even greater power from it.

He clearly stated that he knew where Qian Renxue was, proving that this wasn't difficult for him to guess, and that he wouldn't foolishly follow her. This shows that he made his decision based on complete understanding, proving that he has the wisdom and ability to handle this power!

"At least for her sake, I must be impeccably strong!"

Chapter 45 After the Turning Point

After recovering from her injuries, Qian Shui went back to school, but she trained even more intensely, seemingly tireless.

Bibi Dong's complete takeover of power transformed the atmosphere at Martial Soul Academy from somewhat lax to extremely tense. The Iron-Blooded Pope's style became increasingly prominent, with fewer theoretical classes and more practical combat classes.

Although it suited Qian Shui's wishes, the students of the same grade were no match for him, so he continued to travel between the Silvers Arena and Spirit City.

In his regular practical classes, he would usually ask his teacher to spar with him. Just like on this day, he had just been brutally defeated by a teacher at the Soul Emperor level.

Qian Shui wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stepped down from the Soul Battle Platform.

"Xiao Shui, are you alright?" Chen Sha quickly walked over and helped Qian Shui, who was unsteady on her feet.

"No...it's nothing, thank you, Sister Sasha..." "Sigh, I'm dizzy again, need some treatment!"

This kind of thing has almost become the norm. Everyone has seen Qian Shui's problem, but he just can't get over it, even though he has to despise himself for being pretentious and affected every time.

"Yin Jin, come quick and help!"

"Sasha, this has happened so many times already. Just ignore it and give it to the therapist."

"No, he didn't take my healing ice again, his teeth are clenched tightly, and he's severely exhausted. He won't be able to attend his afternoon classes!"

"Is this kid doing this on purpose?! How many times has this happened already?"

"Stop talking, you take him to the school gate, I'll go call Nana."

"what?"

Hu Liena enrolled in a primary school immediately after awakening her martial soul, attending a junior soul master academy. Because the young girl possessed innate soul power level 9, she quickly obtained her first soul ring.

She found it hard to understand her senior brother, who always seemed aloof and distant. It was said that he wasn't actually like that, but somehow he had changed.