Qian Daoliu's sharp gaze lingered on his granddaughter's face. Her purple eyes reflected only calm sincerity, but no matter how deeply he searched, he could not discern a flaw.
Renxue let out a light sigh, her tone neither hurried nor defensive, only patient.
"Grandfather, when you wrote to me before, I had already explained. It was a mistake, nothing more. The wooden boxes were identical… and by chance, they were interchanged."
With a delicate motion of her wrist, a another box appeared in her hand. The same as the one on Qian Daoliu's table—plain cedar wood, identical seal marks.
She smiled gently.
"The events that followed… were purely coincidence."
Qian Daoliu's fingers tightened around the wooden box causing it to creak a little . From an evidential standpoint, her words were flawless.
The third box was proof enough. Yet in his heart, honed by decades at the pinnacle, there remained a thorn of unease.
Still, he chose to continue the questioning rather than press the matter further.
"Then tell me, Renxue," his voice was low, "why did you gather so much evidence against the Spirit Hall branch? For a child to dig so deep into matters that even some elders overlook… your intent cannot be so simple."
Qian Renxue tilted her head slightly, her golden hair catching the faint light of the lamps. Her smile carried only the innocence of a dutiful granddaughter explaining herself.
"Grandfather," she said softly, "after reading through countless tomes in Spirit Hall's libraries, I developed some small theories regarding blacksmithing. I wished to share them with the Divine Craftsman Lou Gao, president of the Blacksmith Association. If Spirit Hall could build a strong relationship with such a man, then not only could we access the finest weapons, but our influence among craftsmen across the continent would grow as well."
She paused, lowering her eyes slightly, as if embarrassed.
"But in preparing for such a meeting, I investigated the local Spirit Hall branch in Gengxin City. I needed to understand the environment. What I discovered… was troubling. Traces of oppression, exploitation of civilians. The more I followed the trail, the more I uncovered. At that point, it was impossible not to record it."
Qian Renxue lifted her gaze again, her eyes shimmering with quiet determination.
"My intention was simple. First, to earn Lou Gao's trust through knowledge and sincerity. Then, after a relationship was established, present these reports. Punishing the corrupt branch would not only cleanse Spirit Hall's image but also impress upon Lou Gao that we value justice."
The words were clean, reasonable, even noble.
Qian Daoliu leaned back slowly, exhaling a long breath. In front of him was his granddaughter—her expression gentle, her reasoning impeccable. If he judged by appearances alone, she was flawless.
And yet…
His instincts, the sharpened intuition of a man who had barely touched the realm of gods, whispered that something lay hidden beneath that serene exterior.
At last, he sighed. His hand lifted, gently patting her head.
"You…. Do you realize how much trouble this incident has brought me? My workload has doubled since Fourt Brother struck Demon Bear Douluo."
Qian Renxue covered her lips and chuckled lightly, as if embarrassed.
"Grandfather, I only wanted to help lessen your burdens, not add to them. Next time… I'll be more careful."
After saying this Qian Renxue just smiled, tilting her head slightly, because she knew Qian Daoliu was not angry at her
"He… He… He…"
Her laughter was soft, but it carried a strange weight that made Qian Daoliu's eyelids twitch.
For a moment, the fatigue in his aged body seemed to wash away.
"Hmph! You're laughing, but do you even know what I've been dealing with these past few months?" His voice rumbled like distant thunder.
"I, along with the other worshippers,now have spread our attention across every single branch of Spirit Hall in this continent. Do you know how many cases of corruption, arrogance, and outright betrayal I've uncovered?!"
His brows furrowed, and a heavy sigh escaped him. "Spirit Hall—our Spirit Hall—has been eaten hollow from within. Not by enemies, but by the rot festering in our own ranks. We spend more time hunting our own wolves than looking outward at the pack gathering beyond our gates. If I and the other worshippers were not vigilant, this so-called mighty Spirit Hall might have already collapsed into dust."
Qian Renxue listened, her purple eyes reflecting the flickering candle flame. She knew if she let him continue, this tirade could stretch for hours, her grandfather's sense of duty was as unshakable as the mountains themselves.
So, leaning forward slightly, she interrupted in a sweet but deliberate voice:
"Grandfather, you mentioned in your last letter… about the four strongest people in the Douluo Continent."
The question pierced the storm of his anger, making Qian Daoliu pause. His gaze flickered with both curiosity and amusement as he slowly sat back.
"Ah… that," he said at last, a faint smile curling his lips.
"So you wish to hear of them?" His tone softened, and for a heartbeat, he seemed less like the High Priest of Spirit Hall and more like a grandfather teasing his granddaughter. "Heh… or perhaps you'd rather hear the adventures of this old man in his youth, how I—"
But Renxue's cold voice cut him off mercilessly.
"No, Grandfather. I don't want to hear about your youthful romances or how many opponents you struck down with your sword."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, gleaming with a sharp light. "I want to know about the four Ultimate Douluo that stand at the peak of this continent. The library has little information on them."
Qian Daoliu chuckled dryly, stroking his chin as if stroking an old scar. "Hah… the library? That heap of papers is for scholars and priests, not for those who stand at the peak of power. You won't find the truth of the Ultimate Douluo hidden in dusty books."