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The soft echo of their footsteps resonated through the grand hall, as the towering dome cast solemn shadows.
As they crossed the last threshold, their eyes met a majestic Seraphim statue, radiating a sacred glow under the candlelight.
In front of the statue, a slender figure stood silently.
Qian Daoliu had his back to the hall entrance, and Qian Renxue's steps unconsciously slowed.
Feng Xiao could feel the tension in her fingertips.
"You've arrived?" a voice suddenly asked, so calm that no emotion could be discerned.
He slowly turned, his golden gaze lingering for a moment on their clasped hands.
The hall became eerily silent, even the crackling of burning candles was clearly audible.
Qian Renxue took a deep breath, and holding Feng Xiao's hand, stepped forward.
Her high heels tapped a crisp sound on the floor, each step seemingly treading on a taut string.
Feng Xiao felt the fine beads of sweat on her palm and subtly tightened their clasped fingers.
The two stopped in unison about ten steps away from the figure.
This distance maintained respect without appearing too distant.
Qian Renxue took a deep breath, her fingertips gently slipping from Feng Xiao's palm.
She lifted her skirt, her right knee slowly touching the ground, performing a standard Spirit Hall audience Thank you.
Seeing this, Feng Xiao immediately knelt on one knee, following her movements; though his actions were not as elegant and practiced as Qian Renxue's, they were solemn and proper.
Just as their knees were about to touch the ground, a golden light suddenly flashed.
Qian Daoliu's figure Teleported like Gui Mei before them, and with a gentle flick of his wide sleeve, a soft but irresistible spirit power steadily lifted them both.
"No need for such formality."
His voice remained calm, but Feng Xiao keenly noticed that the spirit power that lifted them softened noticeably when it touched them.
Qian Daoliu's gaze lingered on his granddaughter for a moment, then turned to Feng Xiao.
Qian Daoliu's gaze fell on Feng Xiao like a tangible force, and the pressure of a ninety-ninth-level super Douluo made the air solidify.
Suddenly, his deep eyes narrowed slightly—under his extremely strong perception, Feng Xiao and Qian Renxue were actually entwined with threads of connection woven from the power of faith, a connection that only the Angel God's highest-level "Sacred Oath" could produce.
Qian Daoliu's fingers, clasped behind his back, trembled slightly, and golden spirit power flowed at his fingertips.
He gazed at the subtle bond between the two, his heart filled with extreme complexity.
Once this oath was established, it meant sharing life and death, and even he, as her grandfather, could not interfere.
Qian Renxue lowered her head slightly, her golden hair slipping from her shoulder, obscuring her flushed cheeks.
"Grandpa," her voice was soft, with a rare hint of awkwardness, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the gold embroidery on her sleeve—this was her nervous habit.
Qian Daoliu's gaze lingered on his granddaughter for a moment, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes.
Those eyes, usually so authoritative, now rippled with tenderness; how could he not see that the oath formed by the power of faith was merely…
"An oath, huh? This child, Xue'er..." Qian Daoliu mused inwardly.
Feng Xiao opportunely stepped forward half a pace and respectfully performed a junior's bow: "Greetings, Senior."
Qian Daoliu sighed softly in his heart, but a barely perceptible softness appeared on his stern face.
He withdrew his probing spirit power, and when he spoke again, his voice held a gentleness unique to an elder: "Rise, child." This was said to Feng Xiao, but even more so to Qian Renxue, who was still bowing her head.
Qian Daoliu's deep gaze lingered on Feng Xiao for a moment, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes.
"To be able to move the power of heaven and earth at such a young age," Qian Daoliu's voice was as resonant as a bell, echoing through the hall, "even I, in my prime, might not have achieved such a feat."
Feng Xiao humbly lowered his head, yet inadvertently revealed a hint of hesitation.
He glanced at Qian Renxue from the corner of his eye, seeing her nervously clutching the corner of her skirt, before carefully speaking: "Senior overpraises..." Before he finished, he suddenly felt a gentle yet irresistible spirit power sweep over him.
Qian Daoliu's deep gaze seemed to penetrate hearts, and he slowly said: "You are wondering, why did I not make a move today?"
Feng Xiao's heart trembled, and he immediately bowed respectfully.
His lowered eyelashes concealed the thoughts in his eyes, but his voice remained steady: "This junior dares not speculate.
Senior's actions surely have deeper meaning."
Qian Daoliu suddenly let out a meaningful chuckle, his golden eyes sparkling with the wisdom of one who understood the World: "I am old now; since I have long entrusted the authority, these disturbances should be a trial for you young people."
His gaze passed over the hall entrance, looking towards the Supreme Pontiff Palace, "If I, an old bone, were to rashly intervene, it would only make Bibi Dong more suspicious."
"She can sit firmly on the Supreme Pontiff's throne, so she naturally has her own judgment and considerations."
He then turned to Feng Xiao, his eyes gleaming, "If she can't even control a situation like this, she's not worthy of that Supreme Pontiff's scepter."
Feng Xiao cupped his hands and chuckled softly, his tone sincere and not obsequious: "Senior deeply understands the wisdom of 'not meddling in affairs outside one's position'; this breadth of mind and bearing truly earns this junior's admiration."
As he spoke, his eyes were clear, maintaining both the respect of a junior and the integrity of a Spirit Master.
"Hmph."
Qian Renxue couldn't help but let out a soft snort from the side, her golden eyes glancing over, her gaze carrying three parts of pique and seven parts of amusement.
Clearly, Qian Renxue was very pleased with Feng Xiao's performance.
Qian Daoliu took in his granddaughter's subtle actions, and a slight smile played on his lips as he chuckled softly: "'Not meddling in affairs outside one's position,' indeed.
You certainly know how to speak."
Qian Daoliu's eyes sparkled, his tone carrying both admiration and a hint of teasing.
His deep gaze fell on Feng Xiao like a tangible presence: "What do you think of Bibi Dong?"
This simple question suddenly made the air taut.
Feng Xiao's breath hitched, and he instinctively glanced at Qian Renxue beside him—at some point, the soft light in the girl's eyes had faded, replaced by a chilling intensity that sent shivers down one's spine.
Feng Xiao took a deep breath, his hands quietly clenching in his sleeves.
He bowed slightly, his voice steady and restrained: "This junior dares not comment on Supreme Pontiff."
Qian Daoliu's eyes shone with divine light: "Speak freely.
This question concerns your and Xue'er's future." Every word seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, echoing in the empty hall.
Feng Xiao caught a glimpse of Qian Renxue's tense profile; her knuckles were already white from clenching.
He pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "Supreme Pontiff's ability to reach the pinnacle is naturally due to the full support of Spirit Hall."
He skillfully paused slightly on the word "support," "This junior deeply admires Supreme Pontiff's grand vision and strategy."
As soon as he finished speaking, he keenly sensed Qian Renxue's chilling aura intensify, while a barely perceptible hint of satisfaction flashed in Qian Daoliu's eyes.
Feng Xiao keenly noticed the subtle shift in the atmosphere within the hall—when Qian Daoliu mentioned Bibi Dong, his calm face did not show any hatred; instead, it revealed an indescribable complexity.
His gaze was distant, as if piercing through time to look at some unknown past.
However, when his gaze turned to Qian Renxue, his heart suddenly tightened.
The girl's golden eyes churned with an almost tangible obsession.
Feng Xiao suddenly realized that there was such a huge chasm in the attitudes of this grandfather and granddaughter towards Bibi Dong.
In Qian Daoliu's eyes was the release that came with weathering life's storms, while in Qian Renxue's eyes burned a nearly obsessive fixation accumulated over years.
Qian Daoliu's expression suddenly turned stern, and a captivating gleam burst forth from his golden eyes: "But do you know that Xue'er still refuses to acknowledge her as her mother?"
Feng Xiao felt a vast spirit power pressure surge towards him, yet he maintained a respectful and unyielding posture: "I know a little."
Qian Daoliu suddenly took a step forward, and the ninety-ninth-level super Douluo's aura made the air in the hall condense: "Since you know Xue'er's knot in the heart," Qian Daoliu's voice suddenly rose, "why don't you firmly stand by her side?"
This question was extremely calm, but an invisible aura spread through the field.
Qian Renxue came back to herself slightly, but saw that Feng Xiao still stood tall under such pressure, though the cold sweat seeping from his temples revealed the pressure he was enduring.
Feng Xiao took a deep breath, his gaze shifting between Qian Renxue and Qian Daoliu.
He noticed a complex glint in Qian Renxue's eyes, and in Qian Daoliu's calm eyes, there was an even deeper expectation.
Feng Xiao's voice was very soft, yet carried an undeniable firmness: "I believe that between Supreme Pontiff and Xue'er, there is only a lack of an opportunity for mutual understanding."
He met Qian Daoliu's sharp gaze, not flinching, "The bond of blood will eventually overcome temporary estrangement."
Before Feng Xiao finished speaking, Qian Renxue trembled all over upon hearing his words, her golden eyes fluctuating violently, and she suddenly looked up.
"Impossible!" Her voice trembled with an unprecedented intensity, as if emotions suppressed for years had finally burst forth, "Feng Xiao, listen to me carefully—" Her slender white fingers clenched tightly at the fabric over her heart, "In this World, I only have one relative, and that is Grandpa!"
As the last word fell, a clear tear slid down her porcelain-white cheek, splashing into tiny halos of light on the temple floor.
Before Feng Xiao could react, she had transformed into a golden streak of light, rushing out of the hall.
"Xue'er!"
Qian Daoliu's deep gaze followed the distant golden streak of light, and an indescribable complex expression appeared on his calm face.
"Alas."
This sigh seemed to traverse long years, carrying twenty years of unresolved regret and heartache.
"This child..." Qian Daoliu's voice was almost inaudible, its echo dissipating in the empty hall, carrying endless tenderness and helplessness.
Feng Xiao bowed solemnly to Qian Daoliu, his eyes shining with firm resolve: "Senior, rest assured, this junior understands your good intentions."
As he straightened up, he said earnestly: "I will find a way to resolve the knot in their hearts."
Before he finished speaking, his figure had already swept out of the hall like a gentle breeze.
As he stepped over the threshold, Feng Xiao suddenly looked back, meeting Qian Daoliu's gaze full of expectation.
"This junior bids farewell."
Feng Xiao's voice echoed in the grand hall, and Feng Xiao's figure had already transformed into a streak of light, rushing after Qian Renxue's figure.
Qian Daoliu watched the direction where the two had successively departed.
The Seraphim statue subtly flickered without notice, as if foretelling that some turning point was about to arrive.
Qian Daoliu stood silently in the center of the temple, his deep gaze fixed for a long time on the direction where Feng Xiao had disappeared.
The old man's golden eyes rippled with relief, and a long-lost smile unconsciously curved his lips.
He slowly turned, looking up at the majestic Seraphim statue; the statue's solemn face seemed to come alive under the candlelight.
Qian Daoliu's voice softly echoed in the spacious hall, "Perhaps this child truly can guide Xue'er to find..."
His words suddenly stopped, and Qian Daoliu looked up at the extended wings of the statue.
"The warmth of an Angel God's heart."
The last two words were almost inaudible.
Qian Daoliu slowly closed his eyes, his lips moving slightly, and he began to pray devoutly.
The moment Feng Xiao stepped out of the hall, the crisp moonlight poured down.
He looked up to see Qian Renxue standing alone before the white jade railing; the bright moonlight cast a silver glow upon her, yet it only made her figure appear more solitary.
The night wind blew, and her golden hair danced like flowing water, yet it exuded an indescribable loneliness.
"Xue'er."
Feng Xiao called softly, his voice blending into the night wind.
He saw Qian Renxue's shoulders tremble almost imperceptibly, but she did not turn around.
Under the moonlight, a clear tear slid down her delicate jawline, falling onto the white marble railing, shattering into countless tiny points of light.
Feng Xiao's lips curved into a gentle arc, and he quietly approached a few steps.
Under the moonlight, Qian Renxue turned her body away as if in a huff, her golden hair tracing a graceful arc in the air with the movement, her hair tips still glistening with unshed tears.
She hugged her arms, casting a trembling shadow in the moonlight, looking exactly like a little wife who had been wronged.
"Still angry?" Feng Xiao tilted his head, deliberately trying to peek at her lowered profile from below.
This angle perfectly showed her slightly puffed cheeks and reddened eye corners, with tiny tear droplets still clinging to her long lashes, looking like scattered diamonds in the moonlight.
Qian Renxue moved another half-step to the side, her skirt rustling softly as it swept the ground.
Feng Xiao, however, persisted, following her and taking out a silk handkerchief from his embrace.
"Here, wipe it," he deliberately dangled the handkerchief in front of her eyes.
"Who wants you..." Just as she was about to be stubborn, a tear uncooperatively fell.
Feng Xiao took the opportunity to gently wipe away the tear stains from her eye corner with the handkerchief, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a fragile treasure.
"I know you're hurting inside."
His voice was very soft, yet every word was clear, "But don't you want to know the true reason behind this?
If you truly knew everything, no matter what choice you make, I would stand by your side."
The night wind suddenly grew gentle, carrying a few leaves that fell between them.
"Feng Xiao," her voice was a little choked, and she finally turned around slowly.
Under the moonlight, those golden eyes, always so proud, were now filled with indescribable grievance and vulnerability.
Feng Xiao slowly opened his arms, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a rare treasure.
When his fingertips touched Qian Renxue's slightly trembling shoulders, he felt her instinctively want to retreat, but she stopped at the last moment.
"It's okay."
His deep voice was like a warm breeze, gently brushing her ear.
Qian Renxue's rigid body gradually softened, finally leaning against his chest.
Feng Xiao gently stroked her waterfall of golden hair with one hand, while the other slowly drew soothing circles on her back.
The warmth of his palm radiated through her thin palace dress, allowing her taut nerves to relax little by little.
"It's all over now," Feng Xiao's chin gently rested on the top of her head, smelling a faint fragrance.
He could feel the girl in his arms sobbing silently, her warm tears soaking his clothes.
Under the moonlight, their shadows intertwined on the ground, forming a complete circle.
"Cry it out; only I am here."
He whispered in her ear, his voice so gentle as if afraid to disturb the night butterfly resting on a rose.
Qian Renxue finally let down all her guard, clutching his clothes tightly and burying her face deep into the crook of his neck.
The tears suppressed for years finally found an outlet at this moment.
Feng Xiao quietly held her like that, letting her tears soak his clothes, his movements always gentle and firm.