Morning mist lingered, and the entire Spirit City still lay in solemn silence.
The towering city walls still bore the moisture from the dew and the light rain from the previous night. In the distance, the rising sun peeked out, its golden-red sunlight shining forth and rendering everything magnificent and spectacular.
At this moment, the chill of Spirit City seemed to melt away slightly, like ice encountering the blazing sun, a rare and wondrous sight in the mortal world.
Time slowly passed, and daylight finally broke. Spirit City gradually became lively.
Countless households began a brand-new day. Various shops opened one after another. Knights patrolling the streets walked past with neat steps, and the rhythmic sound of footsteps at this moment sounded particularly pleasant.
The heavy city gates of Spirit City slowly opened. The long queue of carriages waiting outside the city slowly drove in. At the very end of the procession was an extravagantly decorated, super-large carriage.
Qian Renxue lifted the curtain on one side of the carriage, her gaze fixed on the distant majestic giant city and the awe-inspiring three characters "Spirit City" hanging on the city gate. A trace of nostalgia appeared in her eyes, followed by a kind of inexplicable blankness.
"After so many years, I've finally returned…"
"Long time no see, Spirit City…"
Qian Renxue murmured softly, her tone carrying an obvious weariness. There were too many things to worry about back in Heaven Dou City, and all major decisions had fallen on her shoulders. Over such a long time, she hadn't had a proper rest even once.
In the previous period, in order to break through to Soul Saint as soon as possible, she had expended a great deal of effort. Even though she had finally succeeded in breaking through, the exhaustion in both body and mind still left her barely able to hold on…
On the other side of the carriage, the Azure Luan Douluo was sitting with his eyes closed, resting. Heaven Dou City still needed someone to guard it, and Qian Renxue, who was returning to Spirit City, also needed protection. The calm and steady Azure Luan Douluo had naturally taken on this task.
In the rear of the carriage sat Xiao Wu, her eyes dull and lifeless, devoid of any spirit. Ever since Tang San's family had vanished before her eyes, she seemed to have suffered a mental shock and had completely turned into a dazed and foolish state.
However, the people of Spirit Hall felt no sympathy for this. They had thoroughly sealed the soul power within her body. Once they returned to Spirit City, she would be executed under Qian Daoliu's protection and become Qian Renxue's seventh soul ring.
Thinking of this, a rare smile appeared on Qian Renxue's face. It was like ten-thousand-year-old ice melting under warmth, exceptionally bright and charming for a moment.
The carriage safely passed through the gates of Spirit City and then entered the interior of the city.
The familiar streets outside made Qian Renxue's eyelashes tremble slightly. Since leaving home, Spirit City had seemed like a hometown she could never reach, even in her dreams. But now that she had truly returned, she no longer felt that way, only a heart full of helplessness and confusion.
The carriage came to a steady stop at the foot of Spirit Mountain. The knight on duty dutifully stepped forward to inquire, but upon seeing the token in Qian Renxue's hand, he suddenly froze. Then, in disbelief, he said with a trembling voice:
"This… this… this is…"
Qian Renxue did not pay attention to the knight's reaction. The token in her hand had been personally given to her by Qian Daoliu when she left Spirit City. It was engraved with only six golden wings, yet it granted its owner rights second only to one person and above ten thousand in Spirit Hall. This was because this token could only be possessed by the successor of the Angel Clan.
Back then, Spirit Hall had announced to the entire continent that their young master had passed away early, and had also destroyed everything and everyone that could prove her identity. Only this golden token had been kept. It was Qian Daoliu's contingency plan for Qian Renxue.
In critical moments, Qian Renxue could use this token to mobilize the entire Angel Legion as well as all the soul masters and powerhouses affiliated with the Angel faction in Spirit Hall. The strength she could command was so great that it was no less than that of a typical large sect.
The Azure Luan Douluo then stepped down from the carriage. His cold eyes swept over everyone present before he said:
"The young miss has returned. Our Spirit Hall should celebrate this. Announce this news to the world…"
With that, the Azure Luan Douluo flicked his sleeve and quickly followed Qian Renxue's steps.
Walking up the several thousand steps leading to the Papal Palace, Qian Renxue's expression was somewhat dazed. The Papal Palace, located high in the clouds, felt both familiar and unfamiliar to her. For a moment, her emotions were complex and turbulent, and she didn't know what words could describe them.
As she climbed the stairs step by step, the guardian knights surrounding her knelt down in unison. The sound of their armor clashing against the ground was neat and shocking for a moment.
Qian Renxue remained completely unmoved, walking upward with firm and swift steps, until she arrived at the entrance of the Papal Palace.
She raised her hand and pushed open the door she had once deeply hated. The surrounding light instantly dimmed. Countless candles lit up out of thin air, and on the high platform, a handsome middle-aged man dressed in plain clothes was looking at her with a gentle smile.
Qian Renxue's pupils shrank slightly. Surging emotions were stirred in an instant. Her vision gradually blurred, and tears slid down uncontrollably, wetting her cheeks.
Qian Daoliu's figure instantly disappeared, then quickly reappeared in front of Qian Renxue. His face still bore the same gentle and kind smile as in her childhood memories. Countless times after being neglected and hurt by Bibi Dong, she had cried like a wounded little beast in this elder's embrace, licking her wounds, and it was precisely through the countless gentle consolations from the figure before her that she had endured those miserable and painful years.
"Grandpa…"
"Your unfilial granddaughter has finally returned…"
Qian Renxue's voice trembled uncontrollably. Then, with a thud, she knelt straight down. The expression in her eyes was filled with both sorrow and joy.
The composure that Qian Daoliu had cultivated for many years completely cracked at this moment, and he could no longer control himself.
The tall man squatted down directly, coaxing Qian Renxue gently, just like when she was a child, then slowly helped her to her feet.
"Little Xue… you're already so grown up, yet you still cry like when you were little. This won't do. In the future, you are the one who will inherit the glory of our ancestors. How can you still act like a little crybaby…"
Qian Daoliu's voice sounded in her ear. Gone was the calm and domineering tone he used with outsiders; instead, it was filled with warmth and kindness.
"Grandpa, I missed you so much…"
Qian Renxue's voice was somewhat hoarse. She then threw herself directly into Qian Daoliu's arms.
Qian Daoliu gently patted Qian Renxue's back and said:
"Grandpa missed Little Xue very much too. Now everything is over. You don't need to participate in the continental struggle anymore. If there are any problems, Grandpa will step forward to solve them for you…"
Qian Renxue shook her head heavily and said in a muffled voice:
"I don't need Grandpa to help me. I can do it myself. The moment our Spirit Hall unifies the continent, I must witness it personally…"
Qian Daoliu kept a smile on his face the whole time. He then nodded gently and said:
"Good. Grandpa won't stop you from doing anything. But you have already stepped into the seventieth rank. It is time for you to undergo the Angel God Trial. Grandpa has a premonition that my granddaughter will achieve great things in the future. The heavy responsibility of restoring the glory of our Angel Clan rests on you, Little Xue…"
Qian Renxue nodded seriously. She then messily wiped away the tears on her face with her hand. After the grandfather and granddaughter had a good chat to relieve the pain of longing, Qian Renxue finally said softly:
"Grandpa, what about that woman? Shen Hanyu said her existence is very dangerous, especially in that regard…"
Qian Daoliu frowned slightly and then said:
"She went mad and fought with me once before, but she couldn't withstand the restrictions on her own strength, and I barely suppressed her in terms of attributes and power. That's how I barely gained the upper hand. Ever since she was injured, she has completely retreated into her own secret chamber. Even when I used my spiritual power to probe, I couldn't obtain any useful information. It seems something is shielding her presence…"
As Qian Daoliu spoke, Qian Renxue suddenly noticed that his complexion was extremely pale and his aura was slightly unstable. This was clearly a sign of injury.
"Grandpa, how is your body? Did that woman also injure you…"
Qian Renxue asked somewhat anxiously. As for Bibi Dong's life or death, she had completely let it go. Even if Spirit Hall had made countless mistakes, the biggest and most fundamental mistake in this matter was that they had once saved Bibi Dong, that ungrateful wolf, from the brink of death and spent endless resources to cultivate her, which ultimately led to today's situation.
Under Shen Hanyu's guidance and influence, the emotions Qian Renxue still harbored toward Bibi Dong had gradually changed. The remaining love had begun to deteriorate, until now it had turned into complete indifference and even disgust. Qian Renxue did not regret any of this.
Qian Daoliu looked at the undisguised killing intent in Qian Renxue's eyes, sighed softly, and said:
"Little Xue, she is ultimately your mother. Moreover, this matter itself was our Spirit Hall's fault in the first place…"
Qian Renxue let out a cold laugh and then said slowly:
"Grandpa, from beginning to end, this matter was never us owing her. It was Bibi Dong who owed us. If it weren't for you and Father, where would this cheap life of Bibi Dong be now? How could there be any talk of Bibi Dong, the Pope of Spirit Hall? You are just too kind. For someone like her, you should have directly found an opportunity to kill her back then instead of leaving her as a hidden danger…"
"Little Xue, you…"
Qian Daoliu looked somewhat dumbfounded at the greatly changed Qian Renxue before him, unable to understand why her mindset had shifted so drastically.
After thinking about it, Qian Daoliu suddenly thought of Shen Hanyu, but then he dismissed the idea himself. He didn't care about the change in Qian Renxue's attitude on this matter. In other words, he didn't care about Bibi Dong's life or death either. From beginning to end, the only person he cared about was his granddaughter, Qian Renxue.
"Grandpa, do you know what I want to do most when I wake up from nightmares about my childhood in the middle of the night?"
Qian Daoliu was slightly stunned, but before he could respond, Qian Renxue continued on her own:
"I really want to slap my past self hard, multiple times, so she could clearly see the truth and stop humiliating herself by pitifully begging for the love of a worthless piece of trash. To me, this is the deepest shame I carry. I've tried countless times to let it go, but I've realized that Bibi Dong is my nightmare. Every time I achieve something, her ugly face pops up in my memories and dreams, making me wish I could tear her into eighteen pieces…"
Qian Daoliu heaved a heavy sigh, then stroked Qian Renxue's head. His voice carried a trace of confusion as he said:
"My Little Xue has grown up and has her own thoughts. Whatever you think, Grandpa doesn't mind. Whatever you want to do, Grandpa will help you. As long as you don't regret it in the end…"
Hearing Qian Daoliu's words, the ferocious expression on Qian Renxue's face suddenly vanished completely, replaced by a sweet smile.
"Alright, Grandpa. We've finally reunited after so long. Let's not talk about those unlucky people and things anymore. I haven't come back even twice in so many years, and even when I did, it was as a guest. It's made me feel like a stranger to Spirit Hall. Grandpa, accompany me for a walk around. It's a good chance to get reacquainted…"
Qian Daoliu smiled gently and said:
"Whatever Little Xue wants to do, Grandpa will accompany you. Grandpa also has countless words he wants to say to you. After so many years of separation, our grandfather and granddaughter have finally made it through…"
Qian Renxue also let out a soft laugh, then took Qian Daoliu's hand and walked out of the Papal Palace.
Before leaving, Qian Daoliu subtly glanced toward a certain corner, then paid it no more attention. With a smile on his face, he quickly caught up with Qian Renxue's steps.
After the two left, a shocking piece of news suddenly spread throughout the entire Spirit Hall at an extremely fast speed.
That was Spirit Hall's former young master, Qian Renxue, who had returned. The Angel Clan, whose fame had once resounded across the entire continent, had once again entered people's sight. For a time, it caused quite a stir in various places.
While the entire Spirit Hall was filled with joy and celebration, three figures stood alone in a distant corridor. All three had faces full of confusion. They were none other than the former Golden Generation trio of Spirit Hall.
Several years had passed, and all three of them had matured considerably. Yan and Xie Yue looked taller and steadier, while Hu Liena had a seductive figure, every movement radiating strong charm, truly embodying allure to the bone.
But at this moment, they looked like frostbitten eggplants, each one appearing dejected and confused, completely devoid of their previous high-spirited demeanor.
After a long silence, Hu Liena finally spoke with difficulty:
"So she is the teacher's only daughter… After so many years, I almost forgot that Spirit Hall still had such a person…"
Yan and Xie Yue exchanged a glance. Then Xie Yue stepped forward, patted Hu Liena's shoulder, and said softly:
"Little sister, with the Pope… His Holiness Bibi Dong is no longer here, we'd better behave ourselves. Before, with Elder Chrysanthemum and Elder Ghost around, our days were still bearable. But now, if we take even one wrong step, I'm afraid tomorrow the mass graves of Spirit Hall will have three more bodies…"
Hu Liena's face was full of confusion. She just nodded blankly, staring dazedly, lost in thought.
Yan and Xie Yue looked at her like this, both heartbroken and helpless. In this power struggle among the strong, they had instead become the last unlucky ones.
Now, the Pope faction within Spirit Hall had fallen apart. Various powerhouses who had once been loyal to Bibi Dong had returned to the Angel faction one after another. This even included the master of Xie Yue and Yan. With the general trend of Spirit Hall shifting, the three of them were like ants seeking survival in the cracks, one careless move, and they would be crushed to death by any falling stone…
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master the novel is already finished on Patreon."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon the novel is already finished on Patreon."
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