Chapter 178: I Don't Believe You're Only Eighteen

Fortunately, at that moment, two powerful auras rapidly approached from a distance.

"Your elders are here."

Hearing this, Bibi Dong felt relieved and then grateful once again.

It was fortunate that they arrived at this moment. If they had come just a little earlier, there would have been two more witnesses to the scene just now, and she would truly have been embarrassed to face anyone.

Soon, two familiar figures landed beside them in succession. Of course, they were only familiar to Su Cheng; Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo obviously didn't recognize him.

At this moment, both Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo seemed calm, and there were no obvious signs of battle.

With their strength, as long as they didn't encounter soul beasts with a cultivation of over one hundred thousand years, their safety wouldn't be much of an issue.

"Your Highness."

Seeing Bibi Dong unharmed, they were not surprised.

They had already roughly sensed the situation and circumstances of the other party before. Apart from another powerful and unfamiliar aura by their side, there had been no battle.

"Huh?" At this moment, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan's expression changed slightly, looking somewhat surprised as he glanced at Bibi Dong. "You've broken through?"

And not just a simple breakthrough.

As a Title Douluo, Yue Guan had a good understanding of the usual situations after a breakthrough.

With the other party's previous cultivation, even if there was a breakthrough, it shouldn't have been this strong.

"Elder Chrysanthemum, I just absorbed a soul ring from a Abyssal Spider with over thirty thousand years of cultivation, successfully breaking through to the Soul Emperor realm, and my level has increased by two consecutive ranks."

Speaking of this, Bibi Dong couldn't help but recall the scene from earlier, and her face flushed with embarrassment.

However, Chrysanthemum Douluo was too preoccupied to notice the change in her expression. "You killed a Abyssal Spider with over thirty thousand years of cultivation on your own and absorbed its soul ring? How could you be so reckless?!"

The maximum limit of soul rings that a soul master can absorb at different levels, as well as the strength levels of different soul beasts, are all detailed records within the Martial Soul Hall.

These records contain countless tales of blood and tears from soul masters.

If the absorption fails, it's far more than just wasting the soul ring; it could even cost the soul master their life.

"Elder Chrysanthemum, I didn't defeat the Abyssal Spider alone. It was with the help of Senior Cheng Xue that we killed it. Even the subsequent absorption of the soul ring was successful under his care."

"Senior?"

Upon hearing this, Chrysanthemum Douluo turned to look at Su Cheng, who was standing quietly on the side, with a slightly strange expression.

In his perception, this person was definitely not old, at most around the same age as Bibi Dong.

"I haven't had the pleasure. May I ask who you are?"

Su Cheng bowed to the two Title Douluos. "I am Cheng Xue from Seagod Island. I came to the mainland's Martial Soul Hall to visit an old friend in the name of my master."

"Ah, so you are a distinguished guest from Seagod Island. Thank you for helping Her Highness earlier," Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo exchanged a glance, their expressions somewhat subtle.

They had heard of this place, but it was only hearsay. Moreover, it seemed that even the Pope had some other thoughts about the so-called Seagod Island.

After some thought, Chrysanthemum Douluo continued to inquire, "May I ask who your master is? And who is the old friend you are visiting?"

Su Cheng had no intention of hiding anything and said straightforwardly, "My master is the current High Priest of Seagod Island, Bo Saixi, and she is a close friend of the Grand Elder Quan Daoliu of the Martial Soul Hall. I believe you two must be the renowned Chrysanthemum Elder and Ghost Elder of the Martial Soul Hall, right?"

Quandaoliu?

Chrysanthemum Douluo was shocked.

The fact that the person's master was so close to the Grand Elder was unexpected.

Not only that, but Su Cheng himself was also extraordinary.

His aura was elusive.

It gave the impression of being very powerful, and even with his Title Douluo level strength, one could sense a hint of threat from him.

But his outward fluctuation of soul power didn't seem to reach the level of a Title Douluo, which was extremely strange.

And his age...

At this point, Bibi Dong interjected, "This senior is at the Saint-level."

"Saint level?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo raised his eyebrows slightly. So, his previous feeling about the other party was correct?

He looked at Bibi Dong and then glanced at the silver eyes under Su Cheng's mask. "I didn't expect that the friend of Grand Priest would turn out to be such a young talent. May I ask how old you are this year, Cheng Xue?"

"I just turned eighteen three months ago."

"Indeed..."

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo looked at each other with some astonishment, sighing, "Cheng Xue is truly a genius."

The age difference between them was almost the same as what they had sensed.

Although they hadn't tested bone age, there was no need for the other party to deceive them.

But precisely because of this, it was even more surprising.

An eighteen-year-old Saint, and his aura was almost as strong as ordinary Title Douluos. It was somewhat exaggerated.

A question arose in their minds at the same time, "How could a place like Seagod Island have such heritage?"

Even if the person in front of them was the most outstanding younger generation from Seagod Island, it was still quite remarkable. At least, there was no such figure in the Martial Soul Hall.

Even with the talent of the Saintess beside them, it was far from enough.

In this light, perhaps the thoughts mentioned by the Pope before about Seagod Island needed to be reconsidered.

Seeing the expressions of Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, Bibi Dong widened her eyes in surprise.

She hadn't expected this person to truly be only eighteen, younger than herself.

She couldn't gauge the other person's age, but Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo, two distinguished Title Douluo experts, with their extensive experience, wouldn't make a mistake.

Since they didn't refute and only sighed in admiration, it was likely that the other party was indeed of the same age as her.

Bibi Dong was not one to belittle others, otherwise she wouldn't have felt a fondness for Yu Xiaogang, who had only reached Rank 0.5 of innate soul power.

But she also wouldn't underestimate herself. She knew her own talent well.

However, the fact that two people of similar age had such a huge gap in strength made her somewhat difficult to accept.

However, talents and strengths were not her most pressing concerns at the moment.

What was surging in her mind incessantly was the accident that had just occurred.

If she could still console herself by saying that the other party was her senior, what should she say now?

Moreover, the other party was even a year younger than her.

For a moment, her previously calm heart was once again in turmoil. Her complexion changed from pale to red, and her fingertips trembled slightly.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Chrysanthemum Douluo sensed something was amiss and glanced at Bibi Dong.

"Nothing," she muttered, trying to suppress the various emotions within her.

With the two Title Douluos leading the way, Su Cheng and Bibi Dong followed behind.

All four of them were powerful, and they quickly entered the Martial Soul City without any hindrance.

The scene here was not much different from what Bibi Dong remembered.

Su Cheng casually glanced around and noticed that there were still quite a few people gathered near the city gate, with many of them being admirers of the Holy Maiden Bibi Dong.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, Bibi Dong beside him suddenly turned her head and made eye contact with someone in the crowd. Her facial expression softened noticeably.

Sensing her reaction, Su Cheng turned his head to look as well.

He saw a young man in the crowd, with short hair, gazing at Bibi Dong with intense and complex emotions in his eyes.

Though the young man's cultivation was not high, just reaching the rank of Soul Grandmaster, his attire indicated he came from a well-off family. Yet, there was a hint of melancholy on his face, dampening the typical vigor of someone his age.

Su Cheng's heart stirred. "Yu Xiaogang?"

Glancing at Bibi Dong beside him, he couldn't help but ponder.

It seemed that they had known each other for some time, and there appeared to be mutual fondness between them.

However, Su Cheng wondered how far their relationship had progressed and if they had confided in each other.

Based on the timeline, it would be a few more years before Qian Xunji made his move, so their relationship might not have developed much yet.

As for Yu Xiaogang, he had likely just left the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan, evident from his visible sense of frustration.

Such emotions were normal for him now.

After all, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan was known for possessing the world's top martial soul, and being the son of the clan leader, Yu Xiaogang had an extraordinary background.

Feeling underappreciated and facing setbacks after losing power, he would undoubtedly need time to adjust his mindset.

Su Cheng glanced at Bibi Dong and casually asked, "Do you like him?"

Hearing this, Bibi Dong was momentarily stunned. She opened her mouth as if to refute, but then hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

Indeed, she did have quite a fondness for Yu Xiaogang from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan, finding him exceptionally intelligent.

Seeing her reaction, Su Cheng understood and didn't press further.

Chrysanthemum Douluo clearly valued Su Cheng's arrival.

After entering the Martial Soul City, he didn't have to wait long before being summoned to the Elder's Hall.

Guided by Chrysanthemum Douluo, Su Cheng and Bibi Dong entered the depths of the Elder's Hall together.

Qian Daoliu seemed unchanged from decades later.

With his shoulder-length black hair and handsome appearance, his calm and serene demeanor seemed capable of dispelling all darkness.

As Su Cheng stepped into the hall, Qian Daoliu's gaze fell upon him.

His gaze was penetrating, as if he could see through everything, yet devoid of any aggression, resembling the vast and pure sky.

Seeing Bibi Dong accompanying Su Cheng, Qjan Daoliu was somewhat surprised but didn't pay much attention.

At present, he was no longer concerned about many things.

"Are you the successor of Bo Saixi?" Quandaoliu looked at Su Cheng. "Can you show me your martial soul?"

Su Cheng extended his hand, summoning a deep blue longsword in his palm, while seven soul rings silently floated beneath his feet.

Qian Daoliu's gaze lingered on his seventh soul ring for a moment, showing a hint of surprise, then shifted to Su Cheng's forehead.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the silver mask, directly seeing the face underneath. During this process, Su Cheng felt a faint spiritual fluctuation, causing a chill in his heart.

"You didn't undergo the Sea God's trial?"

When Yue Guan Douluo came to report this earlier, Qian Daoliu had many doubts.

As far as he knew, the Sea God's inheritance was different from the Angelic God's, and any soul master could undergo the trial.

Moreover, there were rules on Sea God Island, where one must undergo the trial at the age of eighteen, or be expelled if failed.

Su Cheng was now eighteen, but he left Sea God Island. Could it be that he was expelled?

However, if he couldn't pass the trial, his talent would only be mediocre, so how could he become Bo Saixi's disciple?

But Su Cheng couldn't be lying.

The relationship between the three transcendent Douluo was something only close acquaintances would know.

Even his son, Qian Xunji, didn't know about the enmity and grievances between him, Bo Saixi, and Tang Chen.

At this moment, Qian Daoliu completely believed in Su Cheng's identity.

With such talent, he wouldn't be buried anywhere, and it didn't make sense for him to lie.

This raised another question in his mind.

Based on Su Cheng's current situation, if he underwent the trial, he would at least reach the top level.

If he failed, he wouldn't survive. The only possibility was that he didn't choose to undergo the trial at all.

What was the reason behind this?

Su Cheng didn't conceal anything and said frankly, "No."

"Why?" Qian Daoliu didn't believe he was afraid of failure.

To achieve such cultivation at such a young age, and to break through to Soul Saint level by absorbing a hundred-thousand-year soul ring in Soul Emperor realm, he couldn't be a weak-willed person.

Su Cheng looked directly at Qian Daoliu and said simply, "I heard that if you pass the nine trials of the Sea God, the teacher needs to make a sacrifice."

Qian Daoliu didn't expect such an answer.

After a moment of distraction, he sighed and said slowly, "You're a good kid."

Su Cheng didn't say anything more.

"Is your teacher doing well?" After hesitating for a moment, Qian Daoliu continued, "Did she send you to find me?"

"Yes." Su Cheng fabricated a story without changing his expression, "She said that Elder Qian Daoliu of the Martial Soul Hall is not only powerful and invincible in the sky, but also has the demeanor of a nobleman, caring for the younger generation. If I had intentions of coming to the mainland, I should meet you. We had a short time together in the past, but there were some regrets. Unfortunately, she is occupied as the High Priest of Sea God Island and cannot spare the time. She asked me to convey her regards to you during this visit."

Qian Daoliu listened to Su Cheng's words with a fluctuation of emotions in his eyes.

After a long while, he spoke again, "Child, you can stay in the Martial Soul City for now. If you have any questions, you can always ask the elders. Of course, if you have any problems, you can also consult me at any time. Although I may not be as good as your teacher in the path of the Sea Soul Master, I have rich experience in cultivation and can still give you some guidance."

Su Cheng immediately bowed, "Thank you, Elder."

Bibi Dong, who was standing aside, watched this scene dumbfounded, her brain somewhat frozen.

The Grand Elder of the Martial Soul Hall, who rarely appeared, didn't even have the chance to consult him as the Holy Maiden.

Not to mention consulting, she couldn't even meet him once a year.

But in front of this man named Cheng Xue, he acted like an elder, even saying "you can consult me anytime." What was going on?

What was Sea God Island?

What was the Sea God's trial?

Who was the person they referred to as Bo Saixi?

After meeting with Qian Daoliu, Su Cheng got the desired result and would have time to spend with him in the future, so there was no need to rush.

He prepared to leave immediately.

Seeing this, Bibi Dong quickly spoke up, "Grand Elder, I have a question."

"Ask."

"He..." Bibi Dong hesitated, glanced at Su Cheng, then gritted her teeth and asked, "Is he really only eighteen years old?"

Qian Daoliu looked at her with some surprise, seemingly not expecting her to ask this after accompanying Su Cheng. He chuckled softly, "Of course, it's true."

Then he became serious and said with emphasis, "Dong'er, you're still young, and there are many things in the world that you haven't seen. Exceptional talents are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns; never be complacent."

He was quite satisfied with the Holy Maiden of the Martial Soul City.

However, she was just a Holy Maiden and didn't need to consult him like this.

It didn't mean he didn't value her; he just felt it wasn't necessary to intervene in the teaching of Qian Xunji's disciple.

He usually didn't show up, not because he didn't care about Bibi Dong, but because he didn't see the need.