Ye Hao left first, followed by Xiao Hong.
Only Qian Daoliu was left standing in the wind, utterly bewildered. He stared blankly at the unconscious Bo Saixi lying on the ground.
"Bo… Bo Saixi?" Qian Daoliu crouched down and checked her condition, his brows furrowing.
"She's injured? It looks like the backlash from using an overpowered soul skill."
He shook his head. He had witnessed Bo Saixi's strength firsthand—for someone like her to be reduced to such a state…
"My grandson's power is becoming more and more unfathomable." Qian Daoliu wiped his sweat, then picked Bo Saixi up and carried her toward the bedroom.
"We'll talk after you wake up," he sighed.
How could Qian Daoliu not understand Ye Hao's intentions? He shook his head again and muttered, "I'm an honest man. Taking advantage of someone in this state… that's not something I'd do."
---
Outside the Elder Hall, Ye Hao panted heavily. Good thing I ran fast.
Right after, Xiao Hong also scurried out.
"Stupid dog, this was your idea. If Grandpa asks, you explain it to him," Ye Hao said, rolling his eyes.
Originally, Ye Hao had planned to leave Bo Saixi there and let fate decide her outcome. But this dog always had some shady ideas at critical moments.
"I was creating an opportunity for Qian Daoliu! Don't you get it?" Xiao Hong huffed indignantly.
"I doubt it'll work. Forget about the two of them—just think about the Spirit Hall and Sea God Island. How could those two ever get along?" Ye Hao questioned. The two factions were already locked in a life-and-death struggle, not to mention that Ye Hao had also killed Sea Horse Douluo.
"I know Grandpa's character. He's not the type to take advantage of someone's weakness," Ye Hao said confidently.
"Let's wait and see. Observe carefully…"
---
When Ye Hao returned to his room, he was immediately met with Qian Renxue's sharp, questioning gaze.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy, the silence almost suffocating.
"Nice weather today, huh?" Ye Hao chuckled awkwardly, trying to slip out.
"Hold it!"
A flash of golden light—the Angel Sword embedded itself in the ground right in front of him, its hilt trembling slightly.
"Tell me, where did you take that woman you brought back?" Qian Renxue cornered him against the wall, her eyes burning with intensity.
"The Elder Hall," Ye Hao scratched his head. "What's the problem?"
Instantly, Qian Renxue's face darkened.
"What's the problem? The problem is huge! What were you thinking? Am I suddenly going to have another grandmother out of nowhere?!" Her anger was palpable, flames practically dancing in her eyes.
"Don't get mad, calm down. Getting angry isn't good for your health," Ye Hao waved his hands placatingly.
"Calm down? How can I calm down?! You're coming with me to the Elder Hall right now to take that woman away!"
Without another word, she grabbed Ye Hao and started dragging him toward the Elder Hall.
"Don't rush! It's not that urgent."
"Not urgent? If we're late, it'll be over!"
"Over? It won't be that fast…"
"..."
"Relax, the person I brought back is the High Priest of Sea God Island, Sea God Douluo, Bo Saixi—an old friend of Grandpa's."
The moment Ye Hao said this, Qian Renxue immediately calmed down.
"Sea God Douluo, Bo Saixi… I remember you went to Sea God Island not long ago. How did you end up capturing her? Do you realize how strong she is? Back then, even Tang Chen and Grandpa together couldn't defeat her. You…"
She took a step back, eyeing Ye Hao skeptically. "This strong?"
Ye Hao smirked and wrapped an arm around her waist. "You'll find out tonight."
"Get off!" Qian Renxue's face flushed as she swatted his mischievous hand away.
"Explain. What's going on?" she demanded.
"Well, it all started like this…"
...
...
...
"And that's how it happened. So I brought Bo Saixi back."
"I see…" Bibi Dong nodded. "Then what's your plan? Just handing her over to Qian Daoliu? You really came up with that?"
Ye Hao quickly defended himself, "Wrong! That was Xiao Hong's idea, not mine!"
"Let's not dwell on that," Bibi Dong cut in. "You captured Bo Saixi. Once she wakes up, how do you plan to face her?"
"Head-on, no hesitation," Ye Hao said nonchalantly.
"You just handed her over to Grandpa like that? That's way too reckless," Qian Renxue complained.
Ye Hao shrugged helplessly. "What else could I do? I just killed Sea Horse Douluo, and Bo Saixi chased me all the way here. At life-and-death moment, I had to clash two divine skills against Sea God's Twilight just to escape.
"Besides, if I didn't hand her to Grandpa, who else could I give her to? Is there anyone in the Spirit Hall who's familiar with Bo Saixi? Grandpa has some history with her. If not for Tang Chen back then, maybe Grandpa would've had a tiny chance. This time…"
"Stop, stop! I don't want to hear your jinxing mouth anymore," Qian Renxue sighed.
---
Inside the Elder Hall.
Bo Saixi lay on the bed, breathing steadily. Qian Daoliu stood on the balcony, glancing at her briefly before sighing.
"What a headache," he muttered with a bitter smile, then vanished in a flash of golden light.
---
Half a month later…
On this day, Bo Saixi, who had been unconscious all this time, finally woke up.
Her vision blurred as she slowly opened her eyes. The surroundings were unfamiliar—this wasn't Sea God Island.
"How long was I out?" She sat up weakly, pressing a hand to her throbbing head.
"You're awake," Qian Daoliu's voice came as he entered.
"It's you." Bo Saixi frowned.
"It's me," Qian Daoliu smiled faintly.
"It's been a while."
"It certainly has." Bo Saixi's expression turned serious. "Tell me, where is this? Did you bring me here?"
"This is the Spirit Hall. But no, I didn't bring you here," he answered truthfully.
"Not you?"
Bo Saixi's frown deepened.
Suddenly, her gaze sharpened. "Was it you who sent people to Sea God Island?"
This was the first possibility that came to her mind.
Sea Horse Douluo's death had been too suspicious. That black-robed man—she felt like she'd seen him somewhere before.
Moreover, that person was a god's heir, someone who had even withstood a direct attack from the Sea God.
And now, after waking up, she found herself in the Spirit Hall. It was impossible not to suspect.
The pressure in the room skyrocketed. Bo Saixi summoned her staff, the phantom of the Sea God faintly appearing behind her.
In response, Qian Daoliu simply shook his head.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Ye Hao stepped inside.
"It's you." Bo Saixi recognized him immediately.
Back when Ye Hao had hunted the Demonic Evil Spirit Tiger King in the ocean, the two had crossed paths.
"Senior Bo Saixi, it's me," Ye Hao smiled.
"So you were the one who brought me to the Spirit Hall. And you were also the one who killed Sea Horse." As she spoke, the killing intent in her eyes intensified.
But then, Qian Daoliu's aura erupted, matching hers without hesitation.
The two 99th-ranked Limit Douluo stood as titans of the continent. With Tang Chen gone, Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi were the last remaining powerhouses of their era.
"It was me," Ye Hao admitted plainly.
"Give me a reason," Bo Saixi demanded coldly.
This was the Spirit Hall—Qian Daoliu's territory. Here, her combat power was significantly diminished. Moreover, she could sense another presence nearby, one no weaker than her own, lurking restlessly.
"Senior Bo Saixi, as I mentioned earlier, I am the heir of a god. One of the trials in my divine examination was to kill a Titled Douluo from Sea God Island," Ye Hao replied calmly.
"This…" Bo Saixi was momentarily speechless. What kind of god is he inheriting? To have a trial that required killing one of Sea God Island's Douluo—this was a blatant disregard for the Sea God's authority.
"Ye Hao speaks the truth. I can vouch for him—he is the heir of the Death God" Qian Daoliu interjected.
"Death God?" Bo Saixi scrutinized Ye Hao carefully.
"That's right, the Death God," Ye Hao clasped his hands respectfully. "But before we continue, I'd like to share a story with you, Senior Bo Saixi—one that involves the Death God and the Sea God."
"A matter concerning the Sea God?" Bo Saixi took a deep breath and nodded. "Speak. I'm listening."
Ye Hao smiled faintly and gestured for her to sit. The three of them settled on the floor, and Ye Hao began:
"Senior Bo Saixi, do you remember when I went to the sea to hunt the Evil Spirit Orca King?"
"Of course. Is this related?" she asked.
"Yes," Ye Hao nodded with a sigh. "You must understand—the Evil Spirit Orca King was part of the fourth trial in the Sea God's Nine Trials. Back then, my actions led to the simultaneous appearance of both the Sea God and the Death God…"
Ye Hao recounted in detail the wager between the two gods. Throughout his explanation, Qian Daoliu remained silent.
Bo Saixi, on the other hand, maintained a calm expression, but internally, her mind was in turmoil.
"The Sea God made a bet with the Death God… and the stakes were you and Tang San?" Bo Saixi inhaled sharply. This revelation shook her to the core.
"Correct. The Death God and the Sea God agreed to let Tang San and I both ascend to godhood before settling the final outcome. Before Tang San obtained the Sea God's Nine Trials, I was forbidden from killing him. But now…"
Ye Hao paused to take a sip of tea before continuing:
"Now that Tang San has officially begun the Sea God's trials, I no longer have any restrictions. However, Senior Bo Saixi, as the Sea God's representative in this world, you are duty-bound to protect his chosen heir. You would never allow any harm to come to Tang San."
Bo Saixi nodded. "You're right. Tang San is the Sea God's chosen successor. It is my responsibility to ensure his safety. No one on Sea God Island can kill him—not even you."
Her words were firm. This was her sacred duty as High Priest. Even if she harbored reservations, she had no choice but to follow fate's arrangement.
"Senior Bo Saixi… are you truly willing to sacrifice yourself for someone you've never even met?" Ye Hao's gaze sharpened.
"What do you mean by that?" Bo Saixi's brows furrowed. She sensed deeper implications behind his words.
As the High Priest of Sea God Island, she had her own destiny—one that ended in sacrifice.
When Tang San completed the first eight trials, Bo Saixi's final role would be to become his stepping stone, paving the way for his ascension to godhood.
"Nothing more than what I said. Surely, Senior, you don't wish to throw away your life for a complete stranger?" Ye Hao sighed softly.
For a long moment, Bo Saixi fell silent, her eyes downcast in contemplation.
Finally, she exhaled deeply. "This is the mission bestowed upon me by the Sea God. There is nothing I cannot accept. Your grandfather, Qian Daoliu, is no different—in the end, he too will walk the same path."
"My grandfather is different," Ye Hao smirked.
"Oh? How so?" Bo Saixi was puzzled. Both were divine representatives—one for the Angel God, the other for the Sea God. Their fates were inevitably intertwined with sacrifice.
"My granddaughter, Xue'er, is the heir to the Angel God's Nine Trials," Qian Daoliu said simply.
"What does that change? In the end, you'll still follow the same path," Bo Saixi countered. Their destinies had long been set in stone.
"She is my granddaughter. I would willingly give my life for her success—even if it means my death, I have no regrets," Qian Daoliu stated firmly.
"Senior Bo Saixi, you must not forget—I am inheriting the God of Death's power. My trials are nearly complete. Once I ascend, I will be able to revive my grandfather, even if he has already sacrificed himself," Ye Hao declared confidently.
Bo Saixi was silent.
So this is why Qian Daoliu is so unshaken…
"According to the agreement between the Sea God and the God of Death, you must kill Tang San, is that correct?" she asked again.
"Yes," Ye Hao nodded. "This is not just a divine agreement—it is also personal. Senior Bo Saixi, what are your thoughts on Tang San? Do you truly believe he is worthy of being the Sea God's heir?"
Bo Saixi frowned. "What are you implying? Tang San was chosen by the Sea God. I have no reason to doubt His judgment."
"But is the Sea God's decision truly just?" Ye Hao questioned.
"Right or wrong, I stand by the Sea God's will," Bo Saixi replied resolutely. As High Priest, her faith was unshakable.
"Very well. If that's the case, there's nothing more to say," Ye Hao shook his head. Then, he extended his right hand, summoning a small orb of light.
"Sea Horse?"
Within the orb, the faint silhouette of Sea Horse Douluo could be seen. Hadn't he already been killed by Ye Hao?
"What is the meaning of this? Do you intend to use him to threaten me?" Bo Saixi's gaze turned icy.
"No, no, no," Ye Hao smiled. "This is Sea Horse Douluo's soul. First, I never wished to be an enemy of Sea God Island—my actions were compelled by the gods' wager. Second… Tang San is truly unworthy of being the Sea God's heir. Before you return to Sea God Island, I suggest you travel the continent and learn more about him."