Chapter 9: I Am Not a Soul Master; I… Am a Cultivator

As Qian Renxue finished speaking, all eyes turned toward him.

"The Crown Prince? The Crown Prince himself is here?" 

"He's probably here to humble this arrogant man, right?"

"Compared to the foppish Fourth Prince, the refined Crown Prince is far more fitting to be the next Emperor of our Heaven Dou Empire!"

"Not to mention, the Crown Prince's teacher is none other than Ning Fengzhi, the master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan. This man insulted the Seven Treasures Clan just now, so it makes sense that the Crown Prince would step in to restore face."

Hearing the murmurs around him, Lu Yunzhou's gaze shifted toward "Xue Qinghe."

Feeling Lu Yunzhou's penetrating stare, Qian Renxue—disguised as Xue Qinghe—found herself inexplicably nervous, swallowing hard, a strange sense of fear creeping in.

"Why do I feel like he's seeing right through me?"

"No… this must be a trick of the mind," she thought, steadying herself. "My head Soul Bone is nearly at the hundred-thousand-year mark. Even Grandpa Jin Crocodile, a Level 98 Super Douluo, can't see through me. How could he?"

Steadying her anxious heart, Qian Renxue managed to calm herself.

"Go ahead and ask if something's unclear. I'm in a good mood today, so I might answer your questions," Lu Yunzhou said with a snap of his fingers, recalling all the swords to their rightful places.

"My precious sword came back; I was worried it was gone for good," someone muttered in relief.

"Why are you worried? I was the one scared—he sent out my Martial Soul!" another whispered.

"Is he even human? He can control others' Martial Souls… terrifying!"

As the crowd murmured about the return of their weapons, "Xue Qinghe" spoke up, his voice polite yet curious.

"Pardon me, Senior, but I noticed when you struck just now, there was no fluctuation in soul power. Instead, I sensed an energy I've never felt before. And you mentioned you're not a Soul Master."

"I must ask, Senior… just who are you?"

Though Qian Renxue was only a Soul Emperor, her near-hundred-thousand-year head Soul Bone granted her mental strength rivaling even some Soul Douluos, those near the level of a Titled Douluo. This curiosity pushed her to question him directly.

Just as Qian Renxue's voice faded, a cold voice sounded in Lu Yunzhou's mind—his "Cultivation" system had activated:

[Heart Cultivation in the Mortal Realm: Second Mission Issued]

[Mission Title: Sit and Discuss, Reveal the Path of Cultivation]

[Mission Details: Share information and knowledge about cultivation with those present. The more people who listen—and the more intently they do—the greater the host's reward will be.]

[Mission Reward: Golden Light Array!]

Accepting the task with pleasure, Lu Yunzhou was tempted not only by the quest but by the reward itself—a powerful formation.

The Golden Light Array, one of the Ten Absolute Arrays, captures the essence of sun and moon, wielding a potent force that destroys all who enter—be they mortals or immortals. It's a rare treasure, and Lu Yunzhou couldn't resist adding it to his arsenal.

Today, he decided, was a perfect day to open the eyes of these "natives" of Douluo Continent and show them that there's always a higher mountain and a stronger force.

As the question lingered, Serpent Spear Douluo Yu Long reflected to himself.

"I'm a Level 92 Titled Douluo. Anyone who strikes, even a little, should reveal some fluctuation of soul power. Yet with him, there was nothing—not even a trace. And his energy was indeed foreign…"

The room fell silent as all eyes focused on Lu Yunzhou, who spoke with calm certainty:

"I'm no exalted being nor some supreme master. I… am simply a humble cultivator," Lu Yunzhou announced, his voice steady.

Then, he added, "I am not a Soul Master. I have no innate soul power, nor do I need it."

The crowd looked at him in stunned silence.

"Cultivator? What's that? Something to eat?"

"I know 'cultivation' means practice, but what does 'immortal' mean?"

"No soul power, yet such astounding techniques? I can't believe it."

"You must be joking, Senior. If you're not a Soul Master, how can you use such skills and wield such strength? Please, don't tease us."

It was natural that the people of Douluo Continent couldn't understand the concept. To them, Soul Masters ruled supreme. The idea of anyone powerful without soul power was absurd.

"Is he jesting?"

"No innate soul power? How could he wield such power?"

"He's just playing with us."

Serpent Spear Douluo Yu Long felt irritation rise as he entertained these thoughts.

But Lu Yunzhou knew precisely what they were thinking. With a slight smile, he spoke.

"You doubt me? Very well, let me enlighten you."

As he finished, a vast ocean of spiritual energy surged forth from within him, spreading like a tidal wave over everyone present.

~~~~~~~~~~~

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