Chapter 14: The Three-Person Soul Fusion
This soft-heartedness, this fatal flaw of indecisiveness, was the root of the rot. It was what allowed Qian Xunji to commit such despicable, unforgivable acts against Bibi Dong.
That single act of violation, which Qian Daoliu likely knew about but chose to ignore for the sake of "stability" and the "purity" of the Angelic line, was the catalyst for the end.
It caused Bibi Dong to become corrupted by a hatred so deep it twisted her very soul. Ultimately, not only did his son reap what he sowed—dying a pathetic and deserved death by her hand—but Spirit Hall itself, under Bibi Dong's eventual leadership, made enemies everywhere.
She steered the organization with a poisoned heart, driving it gradually but unstoppably towards its final destruction.
While one might argue that Bibi Dong's choices contributed to her suffering, the reality was far harsher. What teenage girl, no matter how talented, could tolerate being defiled by her own teacher and forced to bear the child of her enemy?
The hatred she manifested was only a fraction of the poison that had been forced upon her.
But Bibi Dong was only one symptom of his weakness. What truly exposed Qian Daoliu's core character flaw was his baffling soft-heartedness towards the Clear Sky Sect.
He held back, citing consideration for his old rival, Tang Chen.
This baffling sentimentality persisted despite their mortal enmity, an enmity cemented when Tang Hao crippled his son, Qian Xunji, and fled with a 100,000-year Spirit Beast.
Qian Daoliu's inaction gave the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Hao, and his eventual son, Tang San, the critical chance to breathe, to recover, to grow stronger.
He was soft-hearted, but the Clear Sky Sect and the line of Tang Hao would not give him the slightest consideration for this mercy. They saw it not as kindness, but as weakness.
Not only did they fail to develop a healthy sense of awe or fear towards Spirit Hall... Instead, their hatred only grew deeper, festering in their self-imposed exile.
This incident became their capital for ridiculing Qian Daoliu and Spirit Hall's weakness. They firmly believed that Qian Daoliu was afraid—afraid of the Clear Sky Sect's hidden power, and terrified of their ancestor, Tang Chen, returning.
This, they reasoned, was why he dared not annihilate them completely, why he dared not even step foot into their mountain range.
As a direct result of that inaction, the Clear Sky Sect, later led by the ultimate "cheat king" Tang San, was allowed to rise.
They bit back at the hand that had spared them. They gradually encroached on Spirit Hall's authority, and finally, they destroyed the entire organization.
They annihilated them.
Similarly, Qian Daoliu knew that Qin Xuan liked the Holy Maiden, Bibi Dong.
Given the fame of Bibi Dong and Qin Xuan—the 'First Genius' and 'Second Genius' of Spirit Hall's younger generation—this was no secret at all. Everyone in the upper echelons knew of the young man's infatuation.
And just as with his son's monstrous actions, Qian Daoliu turned a blind eye.
In his mind, both were prized assets of Spirit Hall. It was better to keep the wealth within the family.
Whether Bibi Dong married his son Qian Xunji, or whether she married Qin Xuan, Qian Daoliu was happy to see it happen. Both outcomes strengthened Spirit Hall.
Only now, things seemed to be moving in an unpredictable, chaotic direction.
Perhaps even Qian Xunji himself did not know the true extent of his father's attention—his investment—in Qin Xuan.
If Bibi Dong was openly the Supreme Pontiff's successor being trained by Qian Xunji, and secretly (in Qian Xunji's twisted mind) regarded as his forbidden toy, a reproductive tool for his Angel Clan to produce powerful offspring...
...Then Qian Daoliu completely regarded Qin Xuan as something far more important: a future High Priest of Spirit Hall. A pillar of the next generation of the Elder Palace.
This high estimation was not only due to Qin Xuan's S+ talent, but more so because of the unique, miraculous nature of his Spirit.
Because Qin Xuan's Changming Sword was the only Spirit found in generations that could simultaneously attract and resonate with the Spirits of his teachers: Qian Jun and Jiang Mo's Coiling Dragon Rods.
What does it mean for Spirits to attract and resonate with each other?
Any Spirit Master with even a basic bit of advanced knowledge knows that this means there is a very high, almost certain, possibility of a Martial Soul Fusion Technique being born.
[Inorin's Note: A Martial Soul Fusion Technique (or Spirit Fusion Ability) is an extremely rare skill that occurs when two or more Spirit Masters' Spirits can resonate, allowing them to merge their power and unleash an attack far beyond their individual capabilities.]
In the original story, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were not individually considered the strongest among their Titled Douluo peers. Yet, they held an extremely high and respected status in Spirit Hall, far surpassing that of ordinary Titled Douluo Elders. Their authority was second only to the Supreme Pontiff and the Seven Great Priests.
Why was this?
It wasn't just because their spirit power both reached Level 95. More importantly, they possessed a two-person Martial Soul Fusion Technique.
This was proven later in the story. After Ghost Douluo was ambushed and killed by Tang San's divine weapon, Chrysanthemum Douluo's status in Spirit Hall rapidly declined.
Besides the political damage of offending Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong, what was the real reason for his fall from grace?
It was the loss of the Martial Soul Fusion Technique. He was only half of a whole.
When Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo joined forces and unleashed their Martial Soul Fusion Technique, the Two Extremes Forbidden Domain, they could briefly restrain even the two overt overlords of the Star Dou Great Forest: the 100,000-year soul beasts, the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python.
That was the power to trap beasts that even a Limit Douluo would struggle to defeat.
[Inorin's Note: A Level 99 Titled Douluo is referred to as a Limit Douluo, the absolute peak of power just one step below becoming a god. Qian Daoliu is a Limit Douluo.]
Even now, in the current timeline, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo have not yet advanced to Titled Douluo, but with their Martial Soul Fusion Technique, they already hold a status in Spirit Hall no less than that of ordinary Titled Douluo Elders.
What does all this indicate?
It indicates the immeasurable, strategic importance of a Martial Soul Fusion Technique.
And the Coiling Dragon Rods of Qian Jun and Jiang Mo—two Level 96 Peak Douluo—could simultaneously attract and resonate with Qin Xuan's Changming Sword.
This meant a Martial Soul Fusion Technique was not just possible; it was a certainty.
Moreover, it would not be an ordinary two-in-one fusion. It would be an unprecedented, history-shattering three-in-one technique.
This was Qian Daoliu's hidden ace.
Qian Daoliu had already planned to promote Qin Xuan to the rank of High Priest exceptionally, the moment he advanced to Titled Douluo, bypassing all seniority.
The reason this plan was not publicized—the reason it wasn't even told to anyone outside the other High Priests—was the entire purpose of this secrecy.
He had simply arranged for Qian Jun and Jiang Mo to take Qin Xuan as their disciple and repeatedly, sternly warned all three of them never to reveal the matter of their Spirits attracting and resonating with each other.
This was to protect Qin Xuan in a roundabout way. A genius of this magnitude, one who held the key to such a terrifying power, would be assassinated by their enemies before he ever reached his peak.
He didn't even tell his own son, Qian Xunji.
It wasn't that he didn't trust others in Spirit Hall besides the six High Priests.
It was truly that a three-person Titled Douluo Martial Soul Fusion Technique was too astonishing. It was a power that could, and would, change the balance of the entire continent.
This was especially true with two Level 96 Peak Douluo as the foundation. Qin Xuan, as the nexus binding the three, could not afford to make any mistakes or be lost.
One must know that a three-in-one fusion technique is not as simple as 1+1+1=3. The power grows exponentially.
It was hard for even Qian Daoliu to imagine what the scene would be like when Qin Xuan finally advanced to Titled Douluo and performed the Martial Soul Fusion Technique with Qian Jun and Jiang Mo.
He, Qian Daoliu, a Level 99 Limit Douluo, a demigod-level existence... might not even be able to defeat the power they would unleash.
This technique would undoubtedly, overnight, more than double Spirit Hall's ultimate foundation.
One can only imagine what a magnificent sight it would be when Spirit Hall possessed two demigod-level combat powers—Qian Daoliu himself, and this new three-person fusion.
As for whether there would be a backlash, whether this power could be controlled, Qian Daoliu was not worried.
Firstly, Qian Jun and Jiang Mo were absolutely loyal to Spirit Hall and the Angel Clan. They were the kind who would never betray their faith. Even if Qin Xuan truly had ulterior motives, a mere Titled Douluo would not be able to cause any trouble against two seasoned Peak Douluo.
Secondly, Qian Daoliu had secretly observed Qin Xuan many times over the years. Although the boy was a bit humble, and a bit of a simp in front of Bibi Dong—somewhat like his own pathetic behavior towards Bo Saixi, he admitted—the boy was, at his core, absolutely loyal to Spirit Hall.
Now, however, an absurd and dangerous situation had arisen. The Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall and the organization's most prized future asset were vying for the same woman.
Crucially, Qin Xuan 'didn't know' that he had offended the Supreme Pontiff. He was standing on the edge of a precipice without even realizing it.
To make matters worse, Bibi Dong wasn't particularly interested in either of them. Instead, she had a soft spot for a useless outcast from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
What kind of damnable situation was this? It was truly, utterly absurd.
So, when news came from the Supreme Pontiff Palace that Qin Xuan had "proposed" to the Supreme Pontiff to challenge the City of Slaughter... and at the same time, a Titled Douluo-level spirit power fluctuation was sensed from within that same palace...
Qian Daoliu guessed the situation with great accuracy.
He was very clear about Qin Xuan's current strength. Although he could be considered outstanding among his peers and rarely met an opponent at the Spirit King level, he was nowhere near strong enough to challenge the City of Slaughter.
If he rashly entered that place, it would be a nine out of ten chance of death.
No, Qian Daoliu corrected himself. For a Spirit King, it was a ten out of ten chance of death.
The reason he "wanted" to challenge the City of Slaughter was, without a doubt, because his own disappointing son had forced him.
Qian Xunji had used his power as Supreme Pontiff to threaten the boy. Even if it wasn't a direct, overt coercion, there was definitely an element of temptation and manipulation involved.
Qian Daoliu truly did not want to see a promising talent, one who had the potential to become his 'eighth brother' in the Elder Palace, fall so senselessly.
At the same time, he also didn't want to diminish his son's dignity and face as the Supreme Pontiff.
No matter how bad Qian Xunji was, he was still his son, and the Pontiff of Spirit Hall. Although he was the worst one... he had more or less contributed to the development of Spirit Hall since he took office, hadn't he?
Thinking of this, caught between his ultimate plan and his problematic son, Qian Daoliu finally made a decision. He sent a message to the Elder Palace:
"Tell Qin Xuan that he is not yet strong enough to pass through the City of Slaughter. How about waiting until he advances to Spirit Saint before going? With this old man here, I believe no one in Spirit Hall will say anything..."
Hmm. As indecisive as ever.
He neither said not to let Qin Xuan go, which would have been a direct rebuke to his son. Nor did he say to let Qin Xuan go, which would have sacrificed his prized asset.
He chose a compromise.
[Inorin Note:
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