Chapter 13: The Seven High Priests
Elder Palace.
This was the largest building in Spirit City, second only to the Supreme Pontiff Palace. It represented the oldest, deepest, and most terrifying power within all of Spirit Hall.
Inside the high-domed building, a wide, cavernous hall greeted visitors. The vaulted ceiling soared nearly ten zhang high, supported by massive, ancient pillars. The hall was structured in four circular levels. The first level, the ground floor, was an open expanse, but from the second level upwards, each level contained precisely ten rooms, their doors shut tight against the world.
[Inorin's Note: A "zhang" (丈) is a traditional Chinese unit of length. Ten zhang is approximately 33 meters or 108 feet.]
Except for the most special circumstances, only those with spirit power at or above the 90th rank, possessing the strength of a Titled Douluo, were qualified to reside here.
This was the true seat of the highest authority in Spirit Hall; even the Supreme Pontiff, Qian Xunji, was subject to its restrictions.
Ultimately, it all came down to power.
This was especially true of the seven High Priests residing on the topmost floor. Any one of them, if they unleashed their power, would be stronger than the Supreme Pontiff. They were all Super Douluo, Peak Douluo, or even, in one case, a Limit Douluo, with spirit power levels reaching at least the 96th rank.
At this moment, the Elder Palace was utterly silent. There was not a single attendant, not even a guard, to be seen.
When Qin Xuan walked into the massive hall, his heart trembled violently. The hairs on his body instantly stood on end. He felt an overwhelming, ancient pressure that was not hostile, but simply was—like the weight of the ocean. At the same time, his Spirit within him seemed to be pulled by some invisible force, resonating with two targets ahead whose auras were even stronger and more terrifying than Qian Xunji's.
They were located at the innermost part of this huge hall.
In front of a Seraphim statue standing over ten meters tall, seven people stood quietly. They had their backs to the entrance, hands clasped together in a praying posture, their eyes closed as they faced the angelic statue.
From their backs, they appeared to be seven men. All were clad in distinctive, heavy golden armor, with only the color of their inner robes and cloaks differing.
The man in the very center was taller than most but not overly robust. His shoulder armor was masterfully sculpted into the shape of a Seraphim, and his inner robe and cloak were a deep, dark blue. His long golden hair cascaded down his back, neatly and perfectly combed.
He gave off a very peculiar feeling. It seemed as if all the sunlight streaming into the hall from the large windows converged on him alone.
Just by standing there, his figure seemed infinitely magnified, as if he had become the center of not just the Elder Palace, but the entire world.
Even the strong old man to his left—who was much taller than him and whose shoulder armor was shaped like a wildly arrogant crocodile—became a mere foil, a shadow beside the light. The man in the center inspired a sense of reverence and worship just by existing.
"Qin Xuan greets the two Teachers and the five High Priests."
Qin Xuan stepped forward. Even without the habit of kneeling, he understood the weight of this audience. He dropped to one knee and respectfully saluted the seven figures.
The seven still showed no intention of turning around, remaining quietly in their contemplation, gazing at the massive Seraphim statue before them.
After a long while, the silence stretched, becoming a test in itself.
Finally, the figure standing on the far left, who was unusually small compared to the others, was the first to lose patience. He turned his head slightly, his voice youthful and sharp, whispering just loud enough to be heard:
"Little Qin Xuan, I heard from the Supreme Pontiff that you're going to Slaughter City. Not bad, not bad, you have courage. This old man is starting to appreciate you."
His left eye was covered by what looked like a patch of frost, and he had long, wild silver hair. His left arm, due to his Spirit, was in a crystalline, ice-like form. Although his true age was that of an old man, his appearance and voice still resembled an impetuous youth.
This was the Fifth High Priest of Spirit Hall, Guang Ling Douluo, with a spirit power of 96 ranks.
"Guang Ling, be serious." The tall old man standing to Qian Daoliu's left—the one with the crocodile armor—cast a sidelong glance, his voice a low, sharp reprimand.
"Oh," Guang Ling Douluo pouted and softly acknowledged the rebuke. He did not dare to retort and quickly resumed his previous praying posture.
Qin Xuan also dared not disturb them, remaining silently on one knee, the marble floor cold beneath him.
After another long period of silence, the man in the very center finally opened his eyes. He slowly turned around. He appeared to be in his 30s or 40s, his face bearing some resemblance to Qian Xunji's, but his aura far surpassed the latter. A faint, serene smile always played on his face, his demeanor calm and vast, giving off a very comfortable, almost holy, feeling.
And he was precisely the High Priest of Spirit Hall, the 99th-rank Limit Douluo, Qian Daoliu.
The remaining six, including his two teachers, deliberately slowed their movements by a beat. After bowing devoutly to the Seraphim statue, they too turned around, following their leader.
"Rise!" Qian Daoliu spoke. His voice was not loud, but it filled the hall. A gentle, irresistible spirit power lifted Qin Xuan to his feet.
"Thank you, High Priest." Qin Xuan felt somewhat flattered. In his memories, he had very little interaction with Qian Daoliu, having only met him once over a year ago when he formally became a disciple of Qian Jun and Jiang Mo.
The High Priest himself had actually used his spirit power to lift him from a distance, almost as if he had personally helped him up.
Although Qin Xuan wasn't particularly moved by it, he recognized the significance. Apart from that deceased Qian Xunji, it seemed only the six other High Priests and the future Qian Renxue received such direct, personal treatment.
"I heard from my son that you intend to go to Slaughter City for training," Qian Daoliu clasped his hands behind his back. His voice was gentle but held an undeniable authority. "He has highly praised your performance during this period and strongly approves of this matter. What do you say?"
"High Priest, Qin Xuan is willing to go," Qin Xuan stated firmly, his voice steady.
At the same time, he sneered inwardly. That old fox Qian Xunji really wishes I was dead. He didn't mention a single word to his father about agreeing to my marriage with Bibi Dong. He only mentioned the part that would send me to my death.
If it weren't for the system being activated, Qin Xuan would have tried to find a way to refuse indirectly. At worst, he could have delayed it for some time.
But now? He had the [Yearning Heartbroken Red]. He had the Phoenix Fire to protect him from the miasma and poison in Slaughter City. He had the Longitudinal and Horizontal Swordsmanship and the Ghost Valley Breathing Technique to reduce the impact of the city's corrupting aura. What did he have to hesitate about?
Continuing to stay in Spirit Hall would only make him a visible thorn in Qian Xunji's side. Going to Slaughter City was, ironically, the safest path forward.
"Alas, my foolish child," Qian Daoliu sighed softly, his gaze seeming to pass through Qin Xuan, looking at something far away.
As the saying goes, a father knows his son best. How could Qian Daoliu not know Qian Xunji's true character, his flaws, and what schemes he was truly plotting?
As the Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall, over 50 years old, yet still unmarried and having not yet expanded the Angel Clan's lineage.
On one hand, he had high standards and looked down on common women, believing they were unworthy of bearing the Angel Clan's sacred bloodline.
In this regard, he was somewhat similar to Qian Daoliu himself. Otherwise, Qian Daoliu wouldn't have had Qian Xunji at the age of 70. It was just that Qian Xunji was more extreme, more arrogant.
On the other hand, it was because of Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong possessed the Death Spider Emperor and Soul Eating Spider Emperor, two top-tier twin spirits. She had innate full spirit power, and she was, without question, a great beauty.
Whether in terms of temperament or appearance, throughout the entire Douluo Continent, few could compare to her.
From the very moment Qian Xunji took Bibi Dong as his disciple, Qian Daoliu had noticed that his son's eyes had changed.
Greed and desire had appeared in those golden eyes.
Although it was well-hidden, it could not escape his father's notice. That look was not one a teacher should have for a disciple, nor an elder for a junior. It was the look a predator gives its prey.
It was the look of a perverted uncle gazing at a young girl, wishing he could devour her completely, leaving no trace behind.
It was just that... Qian Daoliu had turned a blind eye.
He felt that if Qian Xunji could, one day, make Bibi Dong fall in love with him, and they could naturally come together, it wouldn't be a bad outcome. Perhaps they could give birth to a quasi-Angel God for the Angel Clan.
That was why he had not exposed it. That was why he had remained silent.
Thus, Qian Daoliu's greatest character flaw was exposed without reservation.
He liked to be overly cautious in everything he did. He saw the rot in his own house, but he waited, hoping it would miraculously turn to gold.
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