Chapter 43: A Man's Mouth is a Lie
"As for this Immortal Herb catalog…"
Qian Jun held the thin booklet in his hand. The paper felt heavier than his Coiling Dragon Rod. He, a Consecrated Elder of Spirit Hall, felt a rare, almost youthful awkwardness. It was truly difficult to speak to a junior about taking such a priceless gift.
This catalog wasn't just information; it was a path to power, a foundation for the future of Spirit Hall.
Qin Xuan, sensing his master's hesitation, smiled. The year in Slaughter City had not erased his ability to read people, only sharpened it.
"Master, please take it. I've already memorized it by heart," Qin Xuan said, his voice calm and respectful. This was a calculated move, an offering of immense value to secure his position and bind his master closer.
"En." Qian Jun Douluo slowly nodded, accepting the gesture and the immense responsibility it represented. He carefully secured the catalog.
"You should first take Jing Ni back to rest for a night. That room on the top floor, your old one, has always been reserved for you. Someone cleans it every day. You have earned your rest."
He paused, his gaze hardening slightly. "I'll discuss this matter with the High Priest later tonight. We will arrange a new opponent for you tomorrow."
Qin Xuan nodded, then, as if remembering something, he suddenly said, "Oh, right, Master. Didn't you say you wanted me to find a way to create a sword move that could complete a Spirit Fusion with you, just like with Seventh Master?"
He flashed a confident smile. "I've already figured it out."
"Is that true?!"
Qian Jun Douluo's eyes instantly lit up. A wildfire of pure, unadulterated hope ignited within him, a desire that burned brighter than any ambition for Spirit Hall. A breakthrough. After decades of stagnation, a path to Level 97, perhaps even Level 98, was possible.
But he immediately recalled the world-changing Immortal Herb catalog in his hand. He visibly suppressed his personal impatience. His expression turned solemn.
In the face of Spirit Hall's interests, personal gains and losses were nothing.
Moreover, there was plenty of time. Even if he completed the Spirit Fusion and found a breakthrough opportunity, it wouldn't happen in a day or two. Since he had waited this long, what was the harm in waiting another day or two?
His duty came first.
"There's plenty of time," Qian Jun said, his voice now steady and firm. "Let's wait until you finish your match tomorrow. We will discuss the fusion then."
His gaze softened as he looked at Jing Ni, who stood silently by Qin Xuan's side, her hand resting on her swollen belly.
"I see Jing Ni's belly isn't small either. It's a miracle that the child wasn't harmed while you took her through the Hell Road. Get a good night's rest tonight."
"Additionally," he added, his gaze sharpening as he felt the faint, cold aura clinging to both of them, "the killing intent within both of you is still too strong. It needs to be calmed and retracted. Otherwise, when you venture into the Spirit Master's world in the future, that uncontrolled killing intent could easily expose your whereabouts and put you in great danger."
After taking Qin Xuan and Jing Ni up to the fourth and highest floor of the Elder Palace and arranging their rooms, Qian Jun Douluo left. His pace was hurried, impatient.
He was probably going to find Qian Daoliu in the central-most room, the one facing the main door of the Elder Palace, to report on Qin Xuan's return, the situation in Slaughter City, and, most importantly, the Immortal Herb catalog.
The Consecrated-level rooms were, in a word, vast. They were nearly a thousand square meters each, so spacious and bright they felt more like a personal mansion than a room.
To call it a "single room" was a severe understatement; it was an entire luxury suite.
It included a hundred-square-meter living room furnished with soft, deep-set sofas and carved tables. There were three bedrooms, each about a hundred square meters, with the master bedroom having an independent, palatial bathroom. There was also a public bathroom, a fully-stocked kitchen, and an extra-large, soundproof cultivation room for secluded training.
These were specially equipped for Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo Elders. The facilities were complete, featuring rare spirit tools from the outside world that regulated temperature and purified the air.
The Consecrated Elder's residence was of the highest standard, with everything imaginable. The living facilities were no less luxurious than those of the Supreme Pontiff himself.
Qin Xuan had grown up in Spirit Hall and had lived here before, so he was long accustomed to the opulence.
After guiding Jing Ni to the master bedroom and showing her the facilities, he returned to the living room. The moment he was alone, he finally let his tense nerves relax.
The weight of a year of non-stop survival, of sleeping with one eye open, of constant, unadulterated killing, came crashing down on him. He didn't just sit; he collapsed onto the soft, plush sofa, sinking into its depths. The silence of the room was a stark, deafening contrast to the endless screams and roars of Slaughter City.
Jing Ni walked out of the bedroom, having removed the heavy [Thousand Gold Coat]. She looked around the living room, her eyes taking in the gilded trim, the polished floors, and the soft, magical light orbs. She sighed.
"The facilities in this Elder Palace are truly luxurious. Compared to this, the palaces where the 'Seven Noble Kings' of our world resided are nothing."
Qin Xuan rested his hands behind his head, shifting to a more comfortable position, his body melting into the cushions. "After all, this is the Elder Palace. It represents the highest combat power of the continent's number one Spirit Master organization. Except for special cases like me, who here isn't a powerful Titled Douluo?"
Jing Ni sat beside him on the sofa. She looked at him, her expression analytical. "Is it alright to just hand over that precious Immortal Herb catalog?"
During their journey back, Qin Xuan had mentioned the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to her, explaining its profound value.
"If that place were so easy to find, it would have been discovered long ago, and wouldn't have existed for tens of thousands of years," Qin Xuan replied, his eyes closed.
"But you don't seem happy here," Jing Ni stated, her voice soft but certain. "You even feel like you're treading on thin ice."
Qin Xuan naturally shifted his head, resting it on her lap. It was an intimate, trusting gesture that surprised them both. He felt her stiffen for a split second before she relaxed, her hand gently stroking her own round, protruding belly.
"Did you notice?" Qin Xuan opened his eyes, looking up at her.
Jing Ni nodded. "Yes. These past few days, following you, I've seen all sorts of people in this world. While there are certainly those who engage in petty theft, crime, and murder for profit, one thing is clear: they don't have very deep schemes or cunning."
Her gaze became distant, her assassin's mind working. "More often, it's an inherent pride. The stronger they are, the more pronounced it is."
"The things you just said to your Master downstairs... he didn't suspect them at all. He didn't even have any intention of verifying them."
Her eyes met his, and he saw the cold clarity of her world reflected in them. "If those words were heard by some of the capable superiors in my world, like the Lord of the Net, they would be seen as full of holes and would be quickly exposed."
Qin Xuan sighed softly, his hand finding hers. "You hit the nail on the head. When a superior in this world possesses power that can disregard entire armies, they gradually lose themselves in that power. They only believe in the strength they wield."
"They disdain using schemes and tricks," he continued, "and even if they do, their attempts are incredibly clumsy."
"The result of this is that when such a superior encounters an adversary who is skilled in scheming and also possesses power, even if that adversary's own cunning isn't particularly great, it can easily lead the superior's entire faction down the path of destruction."
Jing Ni fell silent upon hearing this, processing the fundamental flaw of this new world. After a long moment, she suddenly lifted her beautiful eyes and looked directly at Qin Xuan.
"Actually, if you are in trouble, you can ask your Master for help. I can tell he's not being disingenuous with you."
Qin Xuan remained noncommittal, his fingers tracing patterns on her hand. "He's certainly not being disingenuous. I know his kindness to me is genuine. He truly treats me as his disciple."
He paused, his voice hardening. "But compared to me, a disciple he took in halfway, he is more loyal to Spirit Hall. Loyal to the Angel Clan. And the Supreme Pontiff... he is the current successor of the Angel Clan."
"Do you have a conflict with the Supreme Pontiff?" Jing Ni asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
As far as she understood, the Supreme Pontiff was the highest overt ruler of Spirit Hall. Except for the seven High Priests in this very building, even the Titled Douluo Elders had to obey his command.
Qin Xuan, a Consecrated Elder's disciple, was exceptionally talented. He was hailed as the second-greatest genius in Spirit Hall, surpassed only by the Holy Maiden, Bibi Dong.
The Supreme Pontiff should have placed high hopes on this rising star.
"Could it be..." she hypothesized, "because you threaten his disciple's position as the Supreme Pontiff's first-in-line successor?"
"Yes," Qin Xuan said. Then he explained, his voice devoid of emotion, how he had rashly proposed marriage for that very disciple, and how the Supreme Pontiff, his "new brother," had "generously" suggested a "training expedition" to Slaughter City as a result.
Jing Ni fell silent again after hearing it, her expression turning to ice. Indeed, it seemed that no matter the world, there was no lack of ugly, possessive human hearts.
To actually covet his own disciple's body.
"If it were the leader of your Net," Qin Xuan asked, a dark curiosity in his tone, "what would he do upon hearing I'd returned?"
He embraced her, pulling her closer, his hands beginning to wander on her body.
Though Jing Ni felt a little uncomfortable, she didn't stop him, her mind focused on the tactical question. She answered decisively, "You wouldn't have returned. The Lord of the Net would never rely on a place like Slaughter City. You would have been killed by his men on the way there."
Qin Xuan laughed, a cold, sharp sound. "But Qian Xunji isn't the leader of your Net. Although his strength is greater than your leader's, and his heart is just as dirty, he lacks the corresponding means of control."
"The strength of a Titled Douluo, the identity of an Angel Clan successor, and a Limit Douluo father who is invincible in the sky."
He scoffed. "He completely relies on these factors to sit firmly in his position as Spirit Hall's Supreme Pontiff. He was born at the top and has never had to truly scheme for his power."
"If I hadn't wanted to propose marriage to the Holy Maiden Bibi Dong, he wouldn't even have paid attention to a minor character like me."
"In his heart," Qin Xuan finished, his voice a low growl, "only a Titled Douluo is worthy of his attention. And that arrogance... that will be his downfall."
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