'I thought perhaps it would change things between us, she mused with a faint smile. But looking at her now… Wu Meng doesn't want to change.'
' She wants to stay in this role, to become my personal maid, my shadow. Persuasion seems impossible.'
Her purple eyes softened, carrying a warmth few were allowed to see.
"You've completed your mission fabulously."
Wu Meng lowered her gaze again, her tone humble, almost reverent.
"It was all directed by Young Master."
Qian Renxue chuckled lightly, her voice carrying a mix of playfulness and a hidden melancholy.
"Thank you, Wu Meng, for taking care of me."
At that, Wu Meng's lips trembled as if she wanted to reply, but she swallowed her words. Instead, she only bowed again, her devotion radiating in every small action.
Qian Renxue then sat down by the desk, her delicate fingers absentmindedly tracing the carved patterns on the armrest as her mind spun rapidly.
'Ren Xuan… where could you be hiding?'
Thirty years was not a short time. A Level 99 Ultimate Douluo who chose to disappear would not leave even a ripple unless he wished to. She thought of the farthest corners of the Douluo Continent, each possibility seemed plausible, yet hollow.
'To find a reincarnator who has masked himself so thoroughly… I'll need both the reach of the Twilight Hermits and the authority of Spirit Hall. No clue, no matter how faint, can be ignored.'
Her brows furrowed.
'But first, I must strengthen myself. To control the future, I must ensure no one can shake my foundation. … I've delayed long enough. I need to digest it completely for advancement. After all, I already broke through to Level 50 just a few days ago.'
Her golden eyes sharpened with determination. The path forward was treacherous, but hesitation was a luxury she could not afford.
While Qian Renxue wrecked her mind over cultivation, plans, and enemies unseen, Wu Meng stood quietly by the side, gazing at her with a mixture of reverence and fanaticism.
The flickering candlelight reflected in her eyes, making them burn with a strange intensity.
'Young Master…,' Wu Meng thought silently, her hands tightening around the fabric of her dress.
'I understand everything that happened within Spirit Hall was your doing, your orchestration. But I cannot comprehend how you did it. '
She closed her eyes briefly, recalling her own choice.
'At first, I only swore myself as your personal maid out of gratitude, to repay the grace of Grand Worshiper Qian Daoliu raising me. But now… now I know the truth. You are not just a child of Spirit Hall. You are someone destined to stand above all, someone who will summon storms upon this continent.'
If Qian Renxue had the habit of using her abilities casually, skimming the surface thoughts of those around her, she would have realized the gravity of what she had unknowingly wrought. That one "little plan" of hers—meant only to manipulate pieces into a more advantageous position, had not only shifted the structure of Spirit Hall itself, but had also given birth to an undying faith, in Wu Meng's heart
----
A week later
Inside a quiet side hall of the Angel Temple, the flicker of golden lamps cast long shadows across the marble floor.
Qian Renxue sat on a simple yet elegant chair, her back straight, her golden hair falling like a waterfall over her shoulders. Across from her, kneeling respectfully, was Soul Douluo Liang Zhao, the same man whom Qian Daoliu had fined forty thousand gold coins and ordered into confinement for four months.
The hall was silent except for the faint rustling of Wu Meng, who stood to the side with her head bowed.
Renxue's calm, childish voice broke the silence.
"Elder Liang, do you still feel your punishment was… excessive?"
Liang Zhao raised his head slightly, his eyes filled with unwillingness he dared not voice. His tone was cautious.
"Young Master… my family has always served Spirit Hall faithfully. The fine is too heavy. And confinement—four months wasted when I could be out contributing to the Hall… it feels unjust."
Qian Renxue's lips curved ever so slightly.
'As expected… despite bowing his head before Grandfather, he still resents the verdict.'
'If I had not asked the question laced with psychological cues he would not have answered directly.'
She slowly stood up, walking toward him. Each step echoed like a drum in his heart. When she stopped in front of him, her gaze locked onto his, her purple eyes glowing faintly under the lamplight.
"Elder Liang…" her voice softened, like silk brushing against the skin. "Do you truly believe the fine was punishment? Or perhaps… it is an opportunity?"
Before he could answer, Qian Renxue let a ripple of her Hypnotist power seep out, altering his subconscious.
Liang Zhao's eyes widened. He felt, as though the hall had grown warmer, brighter—until the only thing in focus was the young girl before him, radiant and untouchable.
"Think carefully," Qian Renxue continued, her words now resonating inside his mind. "What did you truly do? You oppressed civilians. You lined your pockets. You borrowed Spirit Hall's name to feed your greed. Tell me… was that loyalty?"
His lips trembled. "I…"
Her voice deepened, commanding yet soothing, a mix of rebuke and salvation.
"Your family's wealth was tainted. The fine cleanses it. Your confinement prevents you from sinking deeper into corruption. This punishment… is protection. Spirit Hall shields you from yourself."
Liang Zhao's heart quivered.
'Protection… not punishment…?'
Qian Renxue's smile was faint but magnetic. She stepped closer, lowering her voice to a whisper only he could hear.
"If we had wished, we could have executed you. Like the others. Your children, your wife… would be left with nothing but shame. But we did not. Why?"
Her hypnotism continued to alter his subconscious.
"Because Spirit Hall values you. Because your Young Master still believes you can change. This is mercy, Elder Liang. Mercy disguised as punishment. Do you understand?"
Tears welled up in his eyes. His resentment, which had been boiling within him for weeks, dissolved like snow under sunlight. He lowered his head until it touched the floor, his voice shaking.
"Young Master… forgive my blindness. You are right. This fine, this confinement… it is mercy! Spirit Hall… Spirit Hall has saved me."
Qian Renxue leaned back slightly, the glow in her eyes fading as she withdrew her Beyonder powers. She studied him for a moment, then gave a satisfied nod.
"Good. Remember this clarity. Use your confinement to reflect, to rise again as a man truly worthy of Spirit Hall. Do not make me regret showing you mercy."
"Yes…! I will never fail Spirit Hall again!" Liang Zhao declared, his voice filled with genuine conviction.
Qian Renxue waved her hand lightly. "You may leave."