The grand worship hall of the Spirit Hall stood solemn and majestic. Beneath the towering statue of the Angel God, a group of elders gathered, their expressions a mix of concern and solemnity.
In the center, Qian Renxue sat cross-legged, her face pale from the lingering wounds she had sustained.
Beside her, Qian Daoliu stood with an air of authority, his palm gently pressed against the crown of her head. A divine golden glow emanated from his hand, merging with the sacred aura of the Angel God statue behind him.
As the power of the gods coursed through her body, Qian Renxue's injuries—ones that should have taken at least six months to heal—mended rapidly. Within moments, she had already recovered nearly seventy percent of her strength.
As the sacred energy dissipated, Qian Renxue slowly opened her eyes. The first sight that greeted her was the familiar face of her seemingly unremarkable grandfather—Guangling Douluo—his concerned expression looking almost comically out of place on his usually carefree face.
"Xiaoxue'er, finally! You're awake!" Guangling Douluo sighed in relief, but then, as if realizing something, he immediately added, "But I still think you're not fully recovered yet. You shouldn't return to the Tiandou Empire so soon. If you insist on going, then at least let me accompany you. Those two useless fools, Ci Xue and She Long, clearly failed to protect you properly. How can I trust them to keep you safe?"
Hearing his words, Qian Renxue rubbed her temples, exasperation creeping into her expression. "Grandpa Guangling, if you just want an excuse to go out and play, you don't have to use me as a reason. If I bring you to the Tiandou Empire, I'm afraid I'll end up having to take care of you instead of the other way around."
She already had enough responsibilities—handling political affairs, maintaining her cover, and even raising Xue Ke. The thought of adding another "child" to her plate was exhausting.
"As for staying here and not returning, that's out of the question," she continued, her voice firm. "I must be back before the imperial court session on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. If I don't, it will raise suspicion and all my years of effort will go to waste."
Guangling Douluo chuckled, an amused glint in his eyes. "Oh? Are you really that worried about your years of effort? Or… is there another reason?"
Qian Renxue frowned, sensing something off about his tone. "What do you mean?"
"I did a little investigating these past few days." Guangling Douluo crossed his arms, his expression turning smug. "I thought that brat you met was extraordinary, but in the end, he's just a good-looking kid. When it comes to family background, strength, and talent, he's far beneath you. He only has an eighth-level innate soul power, hardly anything impressive. He's not worthy of you, and frankly, I don't like him. If he thinks he can become my granddaughter's husband, he's dreaming."
Qian Renxue's eyes twitched. She opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, Guangling Douluo continued with an exaggerated sigh.
"I know you want to use him to gain control of the Gu Lei Kingdom, but is there really a need to go that far?" He shook his head dramatically. "Besides, he's only ten years old—almost half your age! Have I influenced your taste so much that you've developed a preference for younger boys? Xiaoxue'er, pedophilia is not acceptable, you know?"
Qian Renxue choked, nearly coughing up blood from sheer frustration. "Grandpa Guangling!" she snapped, her voice laced with anger and embarrassment. "What nonsense are you spouting?! Who's a pedophile?! I only see Feihuang as a useful ally! There's absolutely nothing between us!"
She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "And yes, he is worth winning over—but not because of the Gu Lei Kingdom behind him. Rather, it's because…"
She stopped mid-sentence. A strange hesitation crept into her mind, making her unwilling to reveal the full truth about Nan Feihuang to the people around her.
Guangling Douluo raised an eyebrow. "Because of what?"
Qian Daoliu, who had been silently observing, suddenly spoke. His piercing gaze rested on Qian Renxue as he calmly completed her unfinished sentence.
"Because his martial soul is an innate god-level martial soul—just like the Sea God's Trident from many years ago, isn't that right?"
The room fell into stunned silence.
A burly, red-haired man with a lion-like mane slammed his fist against the table. "What?! An innate god-level martial soul? That's a gift from the heavens! Such power appearing again after so many years… Great Priest, we can't allow someone like him to remain unchecked. Either he belongs to us, or we eliminate him before he grows stronger!"
Qian Renxue's fingers tightened into a fist. This was exactly why she had hesitated to reveal Nan Feihuang's secret.
Another elder, one with sharp green eyes and a composed demeanor, spoke next. "Old Four, calm down. The Great Priest will decide how to handle this matter. But indeed, someone with such potential should not be left to roam freely."
Ignoring their discussions, Qian Daoliu turned his gaze back to his granddaughter. His voice remained steady. "Xiaoxue, did you really think I wouldn't recognize a god-level martial soul when I saw one? Do you think that someone with that level of power could escape my notice? Besides, the aura of his Fang Tian Ji is still lingering on your right hand."
Qian Renxue froze.
"But you underestimate me." Qian Daoliu's voice grew deeper. "I may not be a saint, but I do not repay kindness with betrayal. He saved your life—that alone is reason enough for me not to act against him."
Relief washed over Qian Renxue. "Thank you, Grandpa."
"Don't thank me just yet," Qian Daoliu warned. "No matter how great a favor is, it eventually runs out. My bottom line is clear—if he swears loyalty to you before he reaches the seventieth rank, I will not only spare him but also help him grow stronger. However, if he refuses… I will never allow him to advance to Titled Douluo."
His words were resolute. No matter how strong an innate god-level martial soul was, it would pose no immediate threat before reaching the Spirit Sage level. But once he crossed that threshold, he would become a force that could no longer be controlled.
Qian Renxue nodded solemnly. "I understand."
With the matter settled, she left the worship hall, her heart somewhat lighter—only to stop in her tracks when she saw an all-too-familiar figure standing before her.
Pope Bibi Dong.
Qian Renxue's breath hitched. She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Why are you here?"
For a brief second, she entertained the ridiculous hope that Bibi Dong had come out of concern for her well-being.
"I heard you were injured by a powerful and mysterious soul beast," Bibi Dong stated, her tone cold and businesslike. "Describe it to me—its appearance, abilities, age, and the location where you encountered it."
Qian Renxue's heart sank. Of course. It was never about her. Bibi Dong didn't care about her wounds—she only wanted information on the soul beast for her own gain.
Taking a deep breath, Qian Renxue replied icily, "It was fire-attributed, its appearance shrouded in red light. At least 500,000 years old. A true fierce beast. It resides near the Lake of Life. That's all I know. If you want its soul ring, go find it yourself."
Without another word, she turned and walked away.
Bibi Dong opened her mouth slightly, as if she wanted to say something else—but in the end, she remained silent. She simply stood there, watching her daughter's retreating figure before turning in the opposite direction and leaving.
The gap between them was insurmountable.
At that moment, Qian Renxue couldn't help but envy Nan Feihuang.
At least he had a mother who truly loved him.Anyone could see how deep Lan Xue's motherly love for Nan Feihuang was. That was something she could never reach.
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Lemme know if you found a translation error or any type of mistakes. Next upload in 48hours.