At the same time, a hazy, sacred phantom quietly emerged from behind Caelus, solidifying without dissipating.
That was an elegant and dignified female phantom, none other than the Regent of Time, Istaroth.
She possessed long, silvery-white hair, pure as winter's first snow, soft and flowing, with a gentle luster like moonlight.
Some of her long hair was meticulously braided into delicate plaits, gracefully falling over her shoulders and chest, while the rest cascaded down like a pouring galaxy, flowing smoothly and shimmering with tiny starlight within her own subtle glow.
Above her head, a golden halo, composed purely of light, floated, emitting a warm and sacred radiance, like a miniature sun.
Around the halo, uniquely styled golden ornaments hung, swaying ever so slightly with the phantom's seemingly breathing energy fluctuations, scattering specks of light dust.
Her attire, predominantly sacred white, appeared to be woven from the softest cloud gauze and the light of dawn, exuding an inviolable purity and nobility.
Her face was beautiful beyond mortal imagination, possessing an inhuman sacredness and perfection.
Her eyes, like burning amber, seemed to hold the cycle of creation and destruction of myriad Worlds, containing endless tenderness and a profound, mysterious insight into everything.
A faint, peachy-orange blush naturally bloomed at the corners of her eyes, like the dawn's glow, adding a touch of liveliness to her.
A pair of exquisite purple long gloves accentuated her already slender and graceful fingers, making them appear even more perfect.
The phantom's posture was natural; the exposed skin was like morning dew, moist and translucent, with a graceful neck and subtle undulations at the collarbone, which, amidst her sacredness, added an indescribable, unique Charm stemming from the Origin of life itself.
The entire phantom exuded a faint, warm golden glow; the light was not dazzling, yet it carried a peculiar power that could soothe all restlessness and make the surrounding light calm and slow down.
When she appeared behind Caelus, the carriage seemed to instantly detach from the normal flow of time, filled with a tranquil, sacred, and profoundly vast atmosphere.
Xu Jiujiu's gaze was firmly captured the moment the Martial Soul appeared.
She was first shocked by the unprecedented Martial Soul form, which combined beauty and mystery, and then her gaze involuntarily fell upon Caelus.
Looking at those clock-like eyes that seemed to reflect the trajectory of time, feeling the indescribably profound aura that washed over her, her heart inexplicably skipped a beat, and her breathing slightly hitched.
It was a Charm that transcended gender, age, and even status; it was a direct hit to the Soul, an instinctive curiosity and longing for eternity and mystery.
She gazed at him in a daze, as if trying to see the very essence of time through those clock-like eyes.
The carriage was silent, with only the faint sound of the Martial Soul Tool carriage running smoothly.
"Cough."
A slight cough sounded from the side, coming from Nebula Douluo Man Yi, who sat as still as a shadow.
This cough was like a thunderclap, startling Xu Jiujiu from her brief trance.
She snapped back to reality, realizing that she had been staring intently at a six-year-old boy, and two imperceptible blushes instantly appeared on her fair face.
She subconsciously raised her hand in a slight panic, gently tucking a strand of purple hair behind her ear, using it to cover her earlier lapse.
"My apologies…"
Xu Jiujiu's voice was slightly lower than usual, with a hint of imperceptible embarrassment.
"Your Martial Soul… is indeed very… unique and beautiful."
She carefully chose her words, trying to regain her usual composure, but she dared not meet Caelus's clock-like eyes for too long, as if afraid of being drawn into the vortex of time again.
Grandpa Hui had already lowered his head even further, gazing at his nose and then his heart, as if completely unaware of everything happening in the carriage, though his slightly trembling eyelids revealed his inner turmoil.
Caelus himself was somewhat surprised.
With a thought, he retracted his Martial Soul; the phantom of Istaroth behind him quietly dissipated, and the clock markings in his eyes receded like a tide, returning to their original shattered golden color.
He touched his face, and some strange thoughts flashed through his mind.
'This Martial Soul possession… why does it feel a bit like a Charm skill? No, it shouldn't be Charm; it's more like… the natural attraction that higher life forms or Law manifestations have for lower life forms? Or perhaps, it's the curiosity and reverence for the concept of time itself, projected onto me?'
He looked at the Princess Your Highness opposite him, whose cheeks still held a faint blush as she tried to maintain her composure, and couldn't help but find it a little amusing and somewhat enlightened.
It seemed that the Regent of Time Martial Soul was far more than just controlling time; its very existence carried an indescribable divine Charm.
Xu Jiujiu took a deep breath, trying to calm her slightly racing heart.
Her amethyst-like eyes showed even greater curiosity as she asked:
"Caelus, your Martial Soul is so unique, does it… have a name?"
Caelus did not hide it, answering directly and plainly, his voice calm but carrying a strange weight:
"Regent of Time."
"Regent of Time…"
Xu Jiujiu softly repeated these four words; although she couldn't fully grasp all the profound meaning they contained, the word 'Time' already indicated the core, and the word 'Ruler' further revealed a kind of authority and majesty that transcended rules.
She nodded slightly.
"A very fitting name; it suits it."
In her opinion, such a beautiful, mysterious, and noble time-attribute Martial Soul deserved such an extraordinary-sounding name.
Moreover, this was a humanoid Martial Soul.
As the Star Luo Princess, Xu Jiujiu was well-informed, and she knew very well that in the Spirit Master's world, humanoid Martial Souls were almost synonymous with power.
Whether it was the Angel Martial Soul of the Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago or the strange and powerful Body Martial Soul of the Body Sect, the minimum achievement of their owners would inevitably be at the Titled Douluo level.
And Caelus, he not only possessed a humanoid Martial Soul but also combined Innate Martial Soul Awakening, Innate full Soul Power, and the time attribute, one of the supreme attributes.
An ordinary Soul Master who possessed any one of these would already be a one-in-a-hundred Genius.
But Caelus had all four of these top-tier characteristics combined.
What kind of astonishing talent was this? Xu Jiujiu even felt that calling him a Genius was an understatement.
At this moment, her level of importance for Caelus once again dramatically increased, reaching an unprecedented height.
The original plan was instantly overturned—how could such an unpolished gem be delayed? Every day wasted was a loss to the Empire.
She immediately made a decision and instructed the coachman outside the carriage:
"Change course; we are not going to Star Luo City. Turn around and head directly to the Star Dou Great Forest."