Chapter 84: Qin Xuan: Qian Xunji is an Idiot
When facing such rule-based Spirit Abilities, one should evade if possible.
Qin Xuan's mind worked quickly, analyzing the new tactical data. If evasion is impossible, does that mean he can't use his own ultimate move to clash with the enemy?
He might even be able to prevent the opponent from having a chance to use their Spirit Abilities at all.
His Horizontal and Vertical Sword Techniques were not rule-based; they were pure skill. His Slaughter God Domain was a suppression field. If his opponents were dead, how could their "rules" pose a threat to him?
Amidst his thoughts, Yue Guan had already flown to Gui Mei's side, his usual affected grace replaced with giddy, unrestrained excitement. He didn't just embrace him; he practically tackled him, wrapping his arms around the stoic Gui Mei's shoulders.
"How about it, Old Ghost, did you see? Did you see?!" Yue Guan's voice was a high-pitched, joyous shriek. "I also have a 100,000-year Spirit Ring now! Look at it! It's beautiful! I'm not inferior to you, you old corpse!"
"Alright, Yue Guan, it's fine if you disgust me, but Lord Qin Xuan is still here. Have some dignity," Gui Mei said with a look of profound disdain. He roughly shoved the other Titled Douluo off him.
He then changed his tone, his voice a serious rasp. "Your Spirit Ability is indeed powerful. But..."
"But what?" Yue Guan snapped, his pride pricked.
"But it's very easy to injure teammates," Gui Mei stated bluntly. "If you encounter large-scale troop battles in the future, not everyone can 'eat' your 'Little Chrysanthemum' indiscriminately. You will be a liability."
Gui Mei was a pragmatist. He knew Qin Xuan's ambition was greater than that of the current Supreme Pontiff, Qian Xunji. And unlike the latter, Qin Xuan didn't just have ambition without the corresponding means to achieve it.
He thought of the impending expedition to Sea God Island.
Even the High Priest, that Level 99 Super Douluo, had returned without success from that place. Yet, Qian Xunji still wanted to send people to incorporate it. Wasn't that just asking for humiliation? Yue Guan's uncontrollable new power would be useless there.
"Uh... I got a little too excited and didn't think that far ahead," Yue Guan admitted, looking slightly abashed. "But it's not a big deal! The moment I obtained this 100,000-year Spirit Ring, it awakened a talent Domain for me!"
Yue Guan reluctantly let go of Gui Mei, his pride surging back. His seventh Spirit Ring glowed, and he released his Spirit Avatar. A giant golden-yellow chrysanthemum, with a diameter of tens of meters, bloomed beneath his feet, lifting him into the air.
A ray of light, the same color as the chrysanthemum but deeper and more solid, was released from the flower's center. It pulsed outwards, covering Qin Xuan, Ling Yuan, Jingni, and Gui Mei entirely within this Domain.
Ling Yuan, who had been watching with a mix of amusement and annoyance, couldn't help but curse again. "Damn it. I'm going crazy."
There's no harm without comparison.
A 100,000-year Spirit Ring was one thing, but this flamboyant fool also awakened a Domain?
Compared to that, Ling Yuan's own evolution into the Fire Spirit Iris Emperor suddenly didn't feel as good to her. She had gained power, but he had gained a strategic, battlefield-defining ability.
"Calm down. When we go back, I'll get you a 100,000-year Spirit Ring. Maybe you'll also awaken a Domain," Qin Xuan said, holding Ling Yuan's hand and comforting her with a Spirit Power transmission.
"Lord Qin Xuan, this is my Domain, the Adamantine Domain," Yue Guan announced, preening from his floral throne. "Within this Domain, our allies will condense an indestructible golden light on their bodies. At the same time, their strength is amplified by 100%!"
He gestured grandly. "The golden light is born with the Domain. Without breaking the Domain or completely exhausting my Spirit Power, it's difficult to break through the golden light's defense. Although it can't completely ignore all attacks below the god-level like the 'Adamantine Little Chrysanthemum' ability, it can still defend against throwing knives released by ninth Spirit Abilities, and it's far more durable."
"Now even I'm envious," Gui Mei said, his voice flat, which for him was a wild show of emotion.
"Not bad," Jingni's evaluation was still as cold as her personality, with only two short words.
Qin Xuan also symbolically nodded. "A defensive Domain is indeed not bad."
While the Adamantine Domain was good, it wasn't top-tier. Yue Guan's Spirit Power wasn't infinite, making it impossible to maintain for long. However, Qin Xuan's mind instantly saw its true value.
Perhaps this Domain would have a miraculous effect in defending against some of Xiao Bie San's future Hidden Weapons.
[Inorin's Note: "Xiao Bie San" is a derogatory nickname the protagonist uses for Tang San, the protagonist of the original Douluo Dalu.]
After absorbing the 100,000-year Spirit Ring, Gui Mei and Yue Guan had officially advanced to Titled Douluo. The five of them returned to the valley of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"It just so happens that your Spirit Power has also reached Level 93," Qin Xuan noted, looking at Ling Yuan. "That's equivalent to the Spirit Power increase from absorbing a 100,000-year Spirit Ring and a 100,000-year Spirit Bone. After you go back, you should have thought of a reason to explain your ninth Spirit Ring, right?"
Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged glances. Yue Guan respectfully said, "While my subordinate and Old Ghost were hunting for the ninth Spirit Ring, we fortunately discovered two transforming 100,000-year Spirit Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest that had not yet reached maturity. We will claim we were lucky."
"As long as you've thought of a good reason, that's fine," Qin Xuan said, satisfied with their foresight. "Now, I'm giving you two a mission: quickly gain Qian Xunji's trust and stay in the Supreme Pontiff Palace to monitor his every move. The Holy Maiden is the same. Once the two meet alone, notify me immediately."
He actually called the Supreme Pontiff by his name?
Gui Mei was somewhat alright; he had been present for Qin Xuan's "Artificial Spirit Ring" deception and already knew Qin Xuan's ambition.
Yue Guan's face, however, turned ugly. He seemed to have thought of something, and cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He worried, "Lord... Lord Qin Xuan, the Supreme Pontiff—oh no, Qian Xunji—has the High Priest backing him. And the other Elders and Priests are also on his side."
"I know what you want to say," Qin Xuan said with a smile, cutting off Yue Guan's panic. "My goal is to be the Next Supreme Pontiff, and I won't have a direct conflict with him over this. Besides, I've promised Gui Mei that I won't do anything to harm Spirit Hall. You just need to stay by his side and monitor him with peace of mind."
Qin Xuan spoke with a smile to Yue Guan. He had no intention of revealing his plan to eliminate Qian Xunji to anyone other than Jingni.
"Yes, Lord Qin Xuan." Yue Guan instantly breathed a sigh of relief. Although he owed Qin Xuan his life and had pledged allegiance to him, even if Qin Xuan told him to kill Qian Xunji, he would grit his teeth and do it.
But if one can live, who wants to die?
If Qian Xunji were truly killed, once the High Priest found out, everyone present would likely die without a burial place.
Gui Mei, standing beside Yue Guan, heard this and seemed to think of something. He frowned slightly and mused, "Lord Qin Xuan, regarding the Holy Maiden, I did recall something."
"Speak," Qin Xuan said.
"Before we left Spirit City to obtain Spirit Rings in the Star Dou Great Forest, we saw the Supreme Pontiff send the Holy Maiden and four Titled Douluo, including Demon Bear and Ghost Leopard, to lead over 2,000 Spirit Masters from Spirit Hall to attack Sea God Island."
Gui Mei hesitated for a moment, then added, "This matter was done by the Supreme Pontiff behind the High Priest's back."
Upon hearing this, Qin Xuan's smile vanished. The air around him dropped ten degrees. He was furious and couldn't help but curse, "Idiot!"
That man was a complete, utter, brain-dead idiot!
He vaguely remembered that the original novel seemed to mention that Spirit Hall had once attacked Sea God Island, resulting in heavy casualties. Not only did they lose two Titled Douluo, but over 2,000 elite Spirit Masters were also decimated, with fewer than a hundred remaining.
This was a catastrophic loss of high-level combat power, all for Qian Xunji's pride and ambition.
As the Holy Maiden and the future Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall on the surface, Bibi Dong naturally survived under the desperate protection of those hundred people.
And Yu Xiaogang, on the other hand, benefited from Bibi Dong's presence.
With Spirit Hall Spirit Masters protecting Bibi Dong, and Bibi Dong protecting Yu Xiaogang, probably no one on that battlefield was safer than that parasite.
At the time, Qin Xuan couldn't understand why Qian Daoliu hadn't stopped it. Now it seemed that Qian Xunji, that fool, had acted on his own initiative, doing it behind Qian Daoliu's back.
He wasn't truly concerned about the lives of those two Titled Douluo and 2,000 Spirit Masters. They were strangers to him, and as long as Spirit Hall's foundation—the Elder Hall—wasn't shaken, even if they all died, he wouldn't care.
What he was truly worried about was Bibi Dong, that love-struck fool, and Yu Xiaogang, that good-for-nothing.
From a very early time, Qin Xuan had been pondering a question.
Although the current Bibi Dong already liked Yu Xiaogang, it wasn't yet as insane as in the original novel, where she surpassed the level of a simp, licking Yu Xiaogang until her death.
Qin Xuan guessed that while Qian Xunji's assault on her, which led to her blackening and making Yu Xiaogang her sole emotional anchor, was a factor... this insane, all-consuming love wouldn't come from that alone. Hatred, yes. But that level of devotion?
It was most likely that something happened between them during their courtship.
And what could best elevate a relationship, especially in the mind of a naive, sheltered, and passionate woman? Experiencing life and death together.
The battle of Sea God Island was a very good entry point.
He could picture it perfectly. Bibi Dong, a genius surrounded by chaos, watching her comrades and Elders die to protect her, all while she, in turn, desperately uses her own power to protect the "weak" Yu Xiaogang.
After this battle, Bibi Dong would unilaterally feel that since they had even gone through the crucible of life and death together, what else could possibly separate her and Yu Xiaogang?
Yu Xiaogang, who was protected throughout the entire ordeal, however, would not have this feeling. He would only feel the relief of surviving a disaster.
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