Chapter 63: Qian Xunji's Outrageous Actions
Jingni's spirit power circulated within her body, stimulating her blood. Her red lips parted slightly as she spat a mouthful of fresh blood onto the petals of the Yearning Heartbroken Red.
The world seemed to fall away. There was only her, the flower, and the man she loved.
The moment she spat the blood, Qin Xuan's image filled her mind.
It was not a single image, but a flood, a torrent of memories that defined her new life.
She saw their first meeting on that cold, rainy night, his indifferent eyes in the carriage, a stark contrast to the predatory men of the Net.
She saw him in the City of Slaughter, his hand on her, the shocking act that somehow felt less violating than a simple glance from her former masters.
She saw the birth of A Yan, the look in his eyes—not of love, but of resolute, protective acceptance.
She saw him teaching her the language of this continent, his patience as he pointed to words in a book, his voice calm and steady in the quiet of the Elder Hall.
She saw him giving her the invaluable, complete set of Spirit Bones, a treasure that empires would wage war for, handed over as if it were a simple gift.
Every little detail they had experienced together over the past six months was reflected in her mind. This was her husband, her protector, the father of her child (in name, and perhaps one day in deed), and the only person who had ever treated her as more than a tool.
He was her singular devotion.
As the blood landed on the petals, Qin Xuan's gaze fell upon the flower. Even A Yan, who was originally fast asleep, woke up at that moment, opening her eyes wide and watching silently.
The next second, the Yearning Heartbroken Red burst forth with a brilliant, blinding red light. It shook violently, its divine radiance confirming her love.
Just as Qin Xuan thought Jingni was about to succeed in picking it... A Yan's image suddenly flashed through Jingni's mind.
It was the image of the baby's small hand reaching for her. The wave of overwhelming, primal, maternal love. A love just as fierce, just as all-consuming as the romantic devotion she felt for Qin Xuan.
Her heart, which had been singular, was now divided.
Watching the Yearning Heartbroken Red, which was about to fall from the Wujue Stone, it suddenly stopped. It lacked that last bit of strength. It swayed, the brilliant light dimmed, and it returned to its original position. The blood Jingni had spat out gradually, and cruelly, disappeared.
"Sorry."
Jingni, holding A Yan, lowered her head guiltily. A tear, then another, streamed down her face, falling onto A Yan's chubby little face in her arms.
As a woman who had emerged from the abyss, she had never cried. Not when she was hunted by the Net. Not when she was starving. Not when she was fighting for her life.
But now, with someone she truly cared about in her heart, she cried.
She felt guilty, but more than that, she felt wronged. She had failed the test. She had failed him.
A Yan seemed to sense her mother's sadness, and stretched out her small hand, wanting to caress Jingni's cheek, but she couldn't reach it.
"You don't have to feel sorry for me. After all, we've never met before, and it's not your business anyway."
Qin Xuan, completely misreading the situation, thought Jingni was overthinking again and feeling guilty about failing the task. He put away the Yearning Heartbroken Red, took A Yan from Jingni's arms, and then took out the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone.
"If you really feel guilty, just have a few more children for me after we kill that guy."
He handed her the Immortal Herb. "Absorb this. I'll protect you."
Jingni nodded heavily, wiped away her tears, took the Immortal Herb, sat on the ground, and swallowed it according to the consumption method recorded in the Immortal Herb catalog.
Then she circulated the cultivation technique within her body and entered a cultivation state. She gave her answer with her actions.
Qin Xuan, holding A Yan, sat to the side. He released a clone to stand guard on the mountaintop and, at the same time, opened the system.
[Qin Xuan]
[Age: 20]
[Spirit: Changming Sword (Vermillion Bird)]
[Cultivation: Level 70 (Spirit Saint)]
[Spirit Ring Configuration: Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Black, Black, Black]
[Physique Level: Spirit Douluo]
[Mental Force Level: Spirit Douluo]
[Spirit Bone: Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull, 100,000-year Vermillion Bird Left Leg Bone]
[Domain: Slaughter God Domain, Vermillion Bird Domain]
[Talent: SSS]
[Self-created Spirit Ability: Longitudinal and Horizontal Swordsmanship, Ghost Valley Breathing Technique, Sword Control Technique (Wu Shuang Sword Case), Reincarnation Divine Art (Lao Ai Edition)]
[Emotion Value: 1,347,992]
[Blind Box: 0]
[Draw Chances: 7]
[Godly Revival Coin: 1]
"There are already seven draw chances?"
"I hope I can draw something good this time."
Qin Xuan, holding A Yan in his arms, opened the big roulette interface and clicked on the seven consecutive draws.
Spirit City.
"My spirit power has broken through to Level 90!"
"Hahaha! Five years! It's been five whole years! My spirit power has finally broken through to Level 90!"
A golden pillar of light, tinged with the faint, exotic hue of a chrysanthemum, shot into the sky.
Yue Guan, clad in golden armor, with his two clawed arms slightly spread to his sides, floated in mid-air, laughing wildly. His laughter, mixed with spirit power, spread far and wide, echoing over the entirety of Supreme Pontiff Mountain.
At this moment, almost everyone in Spirit City knew that Elder Yue Guan's spirit power had broken through to Level 90.
Countless Spirit Masters below the Titled Douluo level knelt, congratulating him one after another.
While congratulating Yue Guan on his spirit power breakthrough, they also celebrated Spirit Hall's impending addition of another Titled Douluo.
"What a wonderful feeling... Old Gui, I still got ahead of you," Yue Guan stopped laughing, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the admiration and worship of the crowd, thinking to himself.
This sense of adulation lasted until a cold, oppressive aura washed over the city.
Qian Xunji and his two personal guard Douluo arrived.
Yue Guan suddenly shivered, the joy freezing on his face. Everyone present, including him, immediately knelt on one knee. "Greetings, Supreme Pontiff!"
"Good. Very good. Excellent." Qian Xunji, with his hands behind his back, said "good" three times in a row. His face was a mask of evil, handsome, and indifferent authority. "Now our Spirit Hall has another Titled Douluo."
With a wave of his hand, he said, "All of you, rise."
"How is Gui Mei doing?" This was said to Yue Guan.
"Reporting to Supreme Pontiff, Old Gui is still in seclusion. But according to my estimation, he will be out of seclusion and break through to Level 90 in at most ten days." Yue Guan slowly rose, but still maintained a bowing posture, not daring to look up, and said respectfully.
'It seems I can't rely on these two guys for now.'
Qian Xunji secretly frowned and said majestically, "You stay here and protect Gui Mei. After Gui Mei comes out of seclusion, both of you will go out together to hunt for your ninth spirit ring. On the day of your return, I will personally lead you into the Elder Hall and bestow your Titled Douluo titles."
"And the rest of you are the same." Next, Qian Xunji, as the Supreme Pontiff, encouraged the Spirit Hall Spirit Masters present who had not yet broken through to Titled Douluo, saying some empty words to win over their hearts.
Everyone dispersed one after another.
Back in the Supreme Pontiff Palace, the atmosphere turned cold.
"How are the preparations going?" Qian Xunji looked sideways at the personal guard Douluo to his right behind him.
The personal guard Douluo on the right said respectfully, "Reporting to Supreme Pontiff. All personnel have been prepared. This operation will deploy a total of four Titled Douluo, eighty Cardinals, and over two thousand Spirit Masters in total. As per your instructions, the Holy Maiden will personally lead the team."
Qian Xunji nodded. "Hmm, you handled it very well. Currently, our Spirit Hall branches almost cover the entire Douluo Continent, and even the Two Great Empires dare not interfere. Only Sea God Island ignores my Spirit Hall and disregards the authority of Spirit Hall. They should be given a profound lesson."
"Does my father know about this?" He looked sideways at the personal guard Douluo to his left.
The personal guard Douluo on the left replied, "As per your instructions, this matter is extremely confidential and has not been disclosed to the High Priest. Those four Titled Douluo Elders were all summoned individually according to your orders. It's just…"
"You seem to have something more to say." Qian Xunji raised an eyebrow.
"I wouldn't dare, it's just that I'm a bit confused. Why do you want to bring that useless Yu Xiaogang along?" The personal guard Douluo on the left said with some hesitation.
"Hmph. This is the last chance I'm giving my good disciple." A dangerous, cold light flashed in Qian Xunji's golden pupils.
"I just want her to see Yu Xiaogang's weakness and insignificance with her own eyes. I want her to watch him cower and fail in the face of true battle. If she still remains stubborn after that…"
If Qin Xuan were here and heard Qian Xunji's words, he would probably secretly curse Qian Xunji as an 'idiot'.
His intelligence was simply touching.
He was practically giving people a phobia of stupidity.
He was actually naive enough to want Bibi Dong to realize Yu Xiaogang's weakness through a battle.
Did Bibi Dong still need to realize Yu Xiaogang's weakness through this?
Bibi Dong already knew, alright. She loved him despite his weakness, not because she was ignorant of it.
On the contrary, by throwing them both into a life-or-death situation, Qian Xunji was creating the perfect scenario to deepen their relationship.
After experiencing life and death together, it's no wonder Bibi Dong's hands would itch and her head would get hot, leading her to say foolish things like 'if she can't be with Yu Xiaogang, she'll leave Spirit Hall'.
Qian Xunji wasn't just giving Yu Xiaogang a chance to look weak; he was giving him a chance to be protected by Bibi Dong, forging a bond of tragic, shared struggle. It was the most idiotic, self-sabotaging plan imaginable.
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