Douluo Continent: Long Live the Spirit Hall

Qian Daoliu reached out and gently comforted Qian Renxue. The warmth of his hand seeped through her golden hair, calming Qian Renxue's heart slightly.

Qian Renxue looked up at her grandfather and couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa, did I do something wrong before?"

Qian Daoliu did not answer directly, but said calmly, "Actually, she is also in pain. After all, she wasn't the one who was wrong back then. And her feelings for you are not what you imagine. There are some things I don't have the courage to tell you."

Chapter 54 Thousand Paths

"Grandpa, I want to be alone."

Qian Renxue calmed down a little after being comforted by Qian Daoliu. She noticed a short figure approaching out of the corner of her eye. Feeling uncomfortable, she whispered something to Qian Daoliu.

"Child, you should go and rest first."

Qian Daoliu nodded, and Qian Renxue strode away from the angel sculpture in the main hall, leaving only her back view for Yan, who had just arrived.

"I have met the High Priest."

Yan arrived in front of the angel sculpture and bowed respectfully to Qian Daoliu, the high priest with gray clothes and black hair who looked young.

Qian Daoliu looked down at him, and after a long while, he sighed and said, "To be honest, I find it hard to believe that Bibi Dong would tell you everything. Before you met Xue'er, I never imagined that a seven-year-old child would be the one to influence everything."

"These things weren't actually told to me by the teacher; I found some clues myself through investigation. Just like I told Qian Renxue, sometimes the truth is actually quite easy to find out."

Yan told Qian Daoliu a reasonable 'truth', and the latter's eyes changed slightly after hearing this, and his gaze became more intriguing.

Qian Daoliu said calmly, "You have a lot of nerve. I thought you were sent by Bibi Dong, but it seems you acted on your own. Aren't you afraid?"

Yan replied to Qian Daoliu, "I think you, Grand Elder, will help me. After all, you and I both hope that they can move on from that past. Whether it's Qian Renxue or Bibi Dong, they can't let go of each other, and they both need to look forward."

Qian Daoliu fell silent. Yan's reason struck his weak spot. His granddaughter, Qian Renxue, was the only person he cared about in this world. It was because of his granddaughter that he did not kill Bibi Dong, who had devoured his son.

Qian Daoliu fell silent, but Yan continued, "Furthermore, I need the support of the Grand Elder. It's time for the Spirit Hall to change..."

"That reason is not enough."

Qian Daoliu raised an eyebrow slightly, then shook his head. The reason Yan gave was not enough to convince him. Although he admired the child in front of him, his age was simply not convincing.

Why don't you take a look at my plan?

Yan did not give up despite Qian Daoliu's response. When he tried to persuade him again, he took out a thick notebook from his spatial soul tool. Words are not enough, and this time he had done his homework to convince Qian Daoliu.

"These are all things you came up with."

After a moment of silence, Qian Daoliu took the note from Yan and casually flipped through a few pages. At first, he didn't pay much attention, but as he turned to the later pages, his attitude changed. By the time he put it down, his eyes had become more serious.

Yan smiled and replied, "One must always have long-term plans. I know you still have some reservations, but putting everything else aside, this ancestral hall needs some work done."

As he spoke, he looked up at the ten-meter-tall angel sculpture and said, "Look at the light on this statue. Although it is still dazzling, it is not as bright as it used to be."

Humans yearn for progress, and gods need faith. The glory of Mount Papal is now a thing of the past. From now on, the Spirit Hall will have only one sacred site: Spirit City. I think you also hope that this statue will once again shine brightly. The Elder Hall in Spirit City is a good place for that.

"You can make the decision for Bibi Dong."

Qian Daoliu looked at Yan and said in a deep voice that the reason given by the latter had truly moved him, especially the sentence, "God needs faith," which even pointed out some of the most crucial secrets.

Whether it's the sea god or the angel god, most of the energy they generate when passing on their divine positions comes from the transformation of faith power. The amount of faith power a god possesses directly affects the basic strength of his chosen ones and successors.

Taking Douluo Continent as an example, among the major gods who inherited their positions in Douluo Continent I, not counting the second-level gods, but only the four first-level gods, the successors of the Angel God and the Sea God, who have always had stable faith, have all been baptized by the gods many times, and their soul rings have been greatly improved.

In contrast, the Asura God and Rakshasa God do not receive divinely bestowed soul rings, nor do they benefit from the ability to increase the age of their soul rings. They have to find and hunt for suitable soul rings themselves. Apart from allowing them to inherit a godhood, they offer nothing else, which is in stark contrast to the other two.

Why is this the case? This involves the reflection of faith and reality. Angels and sea gods are both positive deities with many believers. It is relatively easy for them to accumulate faith power and to convert it into more benefits bestowed by the gods.

In contrast, both the Asura God and the Rakshasa God have negative attributes. They may have an advantage in combat power, but it is difficult for them to have a large number of believers. Even if they have believers, most of them are shallow believers and cannot accumulate much faith power. It would be good enough if they could open a godhood.

Why did Bibi Dong move the Papal Palace to Wuhun City? One reason was to consolidate her power. Another important reason was that the Rakshasa Temple was located underground in Wuhun City, which would allow her to collect faith power and use it to initiate the Rakshasa God Trial.

In the original story, later on, Qian Daoliu moved the angel statue, which was crucial to the succession of the Angel God, to the Elder Hall of Wuhun City. This was so that he could have the power of faith to support Qian Renxue's ascension to godhood. Now, Yan's suggestion has indeed struck a nerve.

"With your support, I have a way to get the Pope to agree."

Yan did not give a definite answer. He was keeping his conversation with Qian Daoliu completely from Bibi Dong, so how could he give a definite answer? But with Qian Daoliu's support, he was confident he could persuade Bibi Dong.

This tactic is somewhat like getting something for nothing, but Yan is young and doesn't have enough leverage, so he can only resort to this kind of back-and-forth maneuvering. If he were confident and had the strength, who would want to go through all this trouble? Sigh, it's still his fault for not being strong enough.

Qian Daoliu lowered his head slightly and gazed at Yan, saying softly, "You are very smart, very good, but... I still find it difficult to make a decision."

“I will try to persuade Sister Xue’er for you. I also think that she shouldn’t waste her talent.”

Yan bowed slightly to Qian Daoliu, understanding that Qian Daoliu had already relented and now he needed to offer more sincerity and incentives.

Who is he most likely to gain support from right now? It's none other than the distraught Qian Renxue. If he can win over this Sister Xue'er, wouldn't the Grand Elder support him?

Qian Daoliu slowly turned around and looked at Yan's departing figure. He shook his head again and turned to the angel statue to pray, "I hope you can succeed. Whether it's Xue'er or Bibi Dong, they really need to look forward."

Chapter 55 Searching for Soul Beasts

Yan walked out of the archway of the main hall and saw Qian Renxue looking up at the sky. At that moment, she looked so lonely and desolate, with a trace of confusion in her eyes.

"Do you know that my father has always taught me since I was a child to carry forward the Spirit Hall?"

Yan slowly walked up behind Qian Renxue, who suddenly spoke up: "I remember he once said something like this: Everyone has their own sense of justice and evil. But in the real world, the victor is the one who is just and righteous."

After a moment of silence, Yan said softly, "These words are not wrong. The victor is king and the loser is villain. This is the ultimate truth of the world. But this kind of worldly power struggle is not suitable for you."

"why?"

Qian Renxue turned to look at Yan, hoping he could give her a reason to convince her. She believed herself to be the most intelligent person in the world, so how could she be unsuitable for the ways of power and strategy?

Yan didn't answer her question immediately, but instead asked in return, "What do you think of me in this regard?"

Qian Renxue lowered her head and thought for a moment before replying, "You are valued by her and can strategize for her. At least in this respect, I am not as good as you."

“You are not as good as me, that is true. But do you know that the reason I get involved in these things is only to make myself stronger? Everything I do is to enable myself to cultivate better.”

Yan chuckled and shook his head, walking ahead of Qian Renxue and leaving her with his back turned. "So-called political intrigue, meticulous planning, masterful maneuvering, and even absolute power are ultimately nothing more than external forces. Only when great power returns to oneself is it true strength."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Qian Renxue, at the age of twelve, you already have a soul power cultivation of level thirty-nine, and you are about to break through to the fourth ring Soul Master. Looking across the Douluo Continent, there should be no one with higher talent than you."

How ridiculous it is that someone like you, instead of focusing on spiritual cultivation, is wasting time scheming and plotting against others.

Look at yourself now. You can't even defeat me, and you haven't even reached the pinnacle of cultivation. Why bother with such useless things? If you were truly determined, it would be nothing more than a matter of ending it all with a single sword strike twenty years from now.”

"True power comes from within oneself."

Qian Renxue gazed at Yan, her eyes shining again. She murmured, "Is that so? I was wrong all along. The best way to confront her directly is to diligently cultivate and improve my strength."

Qian Renxue's lips curled slightly, her beautiful eyes slowly closed, and she opened her arms to let the sunlight pour over her. The warm sunlight covered her body, and Qian Renxue's skin, as white as jade and as white as snow, shone brightly under the sunlight.

"This is...this kind of talent is just too unreasonable."

At first, Yan was quite interested in admiring the beautiful girl who was completely unguarded towards him, but he soon stopped laughing. As the radiance on Qian Renxue's body became brighter and brighter, her aura also changed slightly. Feeling the aura that had broken through the limit of Soul Venerable, Yan's lips twitched slightly.

He never expected that his verbal sparring would actually help Qian Renxue regain her confidence, and then she would break through.

Holy crap, I work so hard cultivating every day, and she just strikes a pose and she breaks through? That's so unfair! The gods of the divine realm... well, well, she's a descendant of gods, the successor of the Angel God. We mortals can only be envious.

Yan felt his mood suddenly sour. As the dazzling light slowly dissipated, Qian Renxue, whose temperament had changed drastically, walked slowly to Yan.

She bowed slightly, lowered her head, reached out and pinched Yan's cheek, and said softly with a smile, "Little Yan, am I beautiful? Do you think I'm more beautiful, or is the Pope more beautiful?"

"What's going on? Something's wrong with her. What's going on?"

Yan sensed an inexplicable crisis and didn't know how to respond. The image of the elegant and noble Bibi Dong flashed through his mind, while Qian Renxue in front of him seemed to have some of Bibi Dong's girlish charm. This mother and daughter were both incredibly alluring beauties.

"puff……"

Qian Renxue watched Yan's expression change rapidly in a short time, and finally, his conflicted look made her laugh. "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Look at you, am I that scary? You're still a child, don't you know how good your older sister is?"

As Qian Renxue spoke, she suddenly picked up Yan. Light intertwined behind her, and a pair of holy, golden wings appeared. With a movement of her delicate body, her wings spread wide and she soared into the sky. Holding Yan, she flew into the sky and flew high above the heavens.

"Where are we going?"

Yan clung to Qian Renxue almost like an octopus. Although Qian Renxue wasn't flying fast, if he accidentally fell from this height, he would definitely be done for. He really needed to get his flying soul skill ready as soon as possible.

"Heh... little guy, you're scared now, huh? I thought you only had that cold, aloof face."

Qian Renxue couldn't help but reach out and tease Yan again, as if she wanted to get revenge for the loss she suffered in the Hall of Offerings.

She didn't fly very fast; a gentle breeze caressed her long, pale golden hair, which fluttered and brushed against Yan's face. The latter inhaled the faint fragrance emanating from her hair, and his heart felt much calmer.

"Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore."

Qian Renxue didn't go too far. After teasing Yan for a while, she put her arm around him and continued flying, while her eyes searched for something in the surroundings. "You are now at level 20 in soul power, and I am at level 40. There are quite a few soul beasts with the attributes of light and fire near the Pope Mountain. It's a good opportunity to bring you here to hunt for soul rings."

"You should have said so earlier, you almost scared me to death..."

Yan was speechless. Qian Renxue's temper was definitely inherited from Bibi Dong. Looking at Bibi Dong's nostalgia every time she saw Hu Liena's lively appearance, one could easily imagine what she used to be like. Now that this one had resolved most of her inner knots, she was finally letting her true nature out.

Yan's lips twitched involuntarily. He had a feeling that he had gotten himself into big trouble. Three women make a drama, and he was sure he would have a lot of trouble in the future.

Qian Renxue was unaware of Yan's inner thoughts. As she embraced him and soared through the sky, wisps of divine light emanated from her body, spreading in all directions. She constantly sensed the auras of the surrounding soul beasts and followed the feedback from all directions to confirm them.

"This light is dangerous, and the temperature is incredibly high. It's not just radiance; it also possesses the power of flames—the fire of the sun?"

Qian Renxue followed a scorching aura forward, but stopped when she passed a ray of light that was gradually dissipating into the sky. The scorching light was like a rising flame, and its power was quite remarkable.

Chapter 56 Sun Worm, Fiery Golden Bird

"A strange soul beast, I've never seen one like it before? But such pure solar power is quite suitable for me."

Qian Renxue followed the aura of this unfamiliar soul beast and went to investigate. She had a feeling that this soul beast was quite suitable for her, so she might as well go and take a look.

"What kind of spirit beast is this?"

Qian Renxue, carrying Yan in her arms, quickened her pace. They followed a strange aura of light and soon discovered a peculiar soul beast in the low sky.

This soul beast was quite strange, surrounded by flames, like a blazing sun hanging in the sky. Unexpectedly, at the center of the flames was an insect, somewhat resembling a wasp, but with three pairs of golden-red translucent wings. At this moment, it was constantly releasing flames, seemingly chasing something.

At this moment, the soul beast, which resembled a blazing sun, flapped its wings, scattering some shimmering insect powder into the dense forest below. Instantly, thick smoke rose and flames ignited everywhere.

"Look at its methods, aren't they somewhat similar to yours before? Do you recognize this kind of soul beast?"

As Qian Renxue observed the attack methods of this soul beast, she subconsciously recalled the scene when Yan used phosphorus powder to inflate the flames when he defeated her. She then lowered her head and spoke softly to Yan.

Yan looked down at the strange soul beast, shook his head and said, "It's still a bit different. The phosphorus powder I use is refined from some things, but the insect powder of this soul beast should naturally have the property of spreading and burning. It's very dangerous, so be careful."

"I know."

Qian Renxue nodded, still observing the insect. "A powerful flame, seemingly related to the sun, and a rather dangerous insect powder ability. It's a pity it's a bit young, probably not even six thousand years old."

Yan whispered in Qian Renxue's arms, "It doesn't matter if it's a little younger, as long as it's suitable. Besides, this soul beast has quite a remarkable bloodline. It should be some kind of top-tier soul beast that has never been discovered before."