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...Bibi Dong, clad in a lavish purple-gold Supreme Pontiff's robe and wearing a crown, her exquisite face bearing the majesty of an Empress and a touch of well-placed gentleness. She took a step forward, her gaze sweeping over the slightly uneasy and shocked people from the Sun Moon Continent, her voice, amplified by spirit power, resonating in all directions:
"I, Bibi Dong, Empress of the Spirit Empire, on behalf of the Empire, welcome all talented individuals from the Sun Moon Continent!"
"Your arrival will bring new dawn and transformation to this continent! The Empire has prepared residences, laboratories, and all necessary resources for you! Anyone with a special skill will be generously rewarded by the Empire! Any contribution will be remembered by the Empire!"
"From today onwards, you are honored guests of the Spirit Empire, and also meritorious contributors to the Empire's march into a new era!"
Her voice was strong and powerful, carrying immense charisma. It demonstrated both importance and clarified their status—honored guests and meritorious contributors, but still within the framework of the Spirit Empire.
The newly promoted ninety-ninth-rank Sun Moon Imperial Advisor, feeling the unfathomable aura emanating from Bibi Dong, which even subtly pressured him, felt a chill in his heart.
This Empress's strength was definitely above his! Moreover, he keenly sensed that there were dozens of Titled Douluo-level auras in her faction! This power far surpassed that of the Sun Moon Empire!
Even the Hall of Worship, despite its rift with Bibi Dong, still had Qian Daoliu send Cyan Luan Douluo and Qian Jun Jiang Mo to attend such an important matter concerning the Empire's future. Their gazes were grave as they sized up this super Douluo from overseas, exchanging glances filled with vigilance and scrutiny.
The welcoming ceremony was brief yet grand. After Bibi Dong finished her speech, the well-prepared Imperial officials stepped forward to guide the tens of thousands of technical talents to specially designated, well-appointed areas within the city for settlement.
Watching the technical personnel from the Sun Moon Continent, guided by Spirit Empire officials, settle into the clearly well-prepared residences with curiosity and a hint of unease, and being informed that they would enjoy generous treatment and high social status, the surrounding Spirit Empire Spirit Masters and citizens also received a clear signal:
Her Majesty the Empress was serious.
Powerful military might remained the unshakable Foundation, but in the future, knowledge, technology, and contributions to the Empire might receive respect and rewards no less than, or even surpassing, the power of a mere Spirit Master... Cyan Luan Douluo, Qian Jun, and Jiang Mo, the three Priests, returned to the Hall of Worship and reported in detail to Qian Daoliu what they had seen and heard outside the city, especially about the ninety-ninth-rank super Douluo from overseas whose aura was in no way weaker than theirs, and the tens of thousands of technical personnel from the other continent who were treated as honored guests.
After listening to the report, Qian Daoliu stood before the Angel God statue, silent for a long time, a rare trace of deep confusion appearing on his usually majestic and calm face.
He increasingly failed to understand Bibi Dong and Xuan Ming's intentions.
Originally, he thought that the establishment of the Spirit Empire would involve using the Spirit Hall's powerful Spirit Master army as a spear, rapidly attacking and annexing the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires, establishing a vast Empire with Spirit Masters as its absolute core.
War, conquest, and plunder — these were the norm in chaotic times.
But the reality was completely opposite.
After Bibi Dong initially integrated the kingdoms and duchies on the border, she actively ceased large-scale military operations.
Xuan Ming, with terrifying power almost like a god, directly intimidated the Two Great Empires, forcibly maintaining a superficial peace.
Subsequently, Bibi Dong began drastic, even
Now, Xuan Ming had even brought ten thousand technical talents from overseas and treated them with the utmost courtesy.
Judging by this posture, they seemed to be genuinely settling down, wanting to "build" a nation, a completely new country with different rules from any previous Empire.
This completely exceeded Qian Daoliu's understanding of the word "Empire."
"High Priest, what... should we do?" Cyan Luan Douluo asked in a low voice, a hint of confusion in his tone.
The unpredictable behavior of their opponents left them at a loss, accustomed as they were to power struggles.
Qian Daoliu slowly turned around, the complex emotions in his golden eyes finally settling into calm. He gently shook his head: "No need to react, just wait and see."
His gaze drifted towards the depths of the Angel God Temple, where his granddaughter, Qian Renxue, was undergoing the most important Legacy.
"Currently, for us, there is only one most important thing—to ensure Xiao Xue successfully completes her Godly Trial." Qian Daoliu said calmly, "She has already reached the eighth test. With her talent and current progress, completing all nine tests and inheriting the Angel God Position will take at most a few years."
He paused, then continued: "As for the future of the Spirit Empire, the continental pattern... these things, let her decide after Xiao Xue becomes a god."
In Qian Daoliu's view, no matter what Bibi Dong and Xuan Ming were plotting or doing, as long as Qian Renxue could successfully inherit the Angel God Position and become the new Angel God, there would still be room for maneuver.
Divine Rank power was enough to break any mortal scheme.
Rashly intervening now might disrupt Qian Renxue's Legacy rhythm or even cause unnecessary conflict.
Since he couldn't understand, he would temporarily stand by and leave the final decision to Qian Renxue, who was about to ascend to God Position.
When Cyan Luan, Qian Jun, and Jiang Mo, the three Priests, departed after receiving their orders, and only Qian Daoliu remained in the empty and solemn Hall of Worship, the forced calm on his face slowly faded, replaced by a deep daze and an indescribable worry.
The scene from several months ago was still clearly etched in his mind.
Qian Renxue, like a bird with broken wings, was struck back by Xuan Ming from the direction of the Supreme Pontiff Palace, falling heavily onto the plaza in front of the God Temple. Not only was her body severely injured, with broken ribs and damaged internal organs, but more seriously, the shattered light in her golden eyes and her almost crushed pride.
This was the granddaughter he had watched grow up since childhood, the most perfect successor of the Angel Clan. How could she have suffered such humiliation and strike?
After her injuries had slightly improved, Qian Renxue entered the Angel Secret Realm without a word, beginning an almost masochistic, frantic Cultivation.
She poured all her time and energy into it, as if only by constantly becoming stronger could she fill the emptiness in her heart and the burning rage.
However, what made Qian Daoliu even more uneasy was that before Qian Renxue entered the Secret Realm, she had asked him in a tone he had never heard before, filled with despair and questioning:
"Grandfather... Father, how exactly did he die? Is it... related to that woman?"
At that time, he fell silent.
He couldn't answer. He could neither deceive his most beloved granddaughter nor speak the bloody, ugly truth.
At that moment, Qian Renxue's gaze, from initial expectation, to surprise and doubt, finally turned into a dead, icy coldness. She did not press further, merely gave him a deep look, then turned and resolutely stepped into the Secret Realm.
It was that glance that still made Qian Daoliu's heart tremble when he recalled it.
He was afraid.
Afraid that Qian Renxue had already guessed something, or that one day she would know the whole truth. That truth was too cruel. For someone as proud to the bone as Qian Renxue, learning that her birth stemmed from the most shameful scheme, learning that her revered father died by the hand of her own birth mother, learning that the very root of her existence was a tragedy... how could she bear it?