Bibi Dong was in a fit, searching for a supposed son-in-law who deserved to be torn limb from limb.
She had never even seen this son-in-law, didn't know his name, and yet the Grand Worship, Qian Daoliu, had already acknowledged him. This infuriated Bibi Dong, who couldn't stand the idea of someone unworthy deceiving her daughter, Qian Renxue.
What if he was some scoundrel with no talent, merely toying with Xue'er's affections?
Dai Mubai: "..."
His hair was indeed golden, but he was no scoundrel!
"Who could it be?"
Bibi Dong scanned her surroundings, but she couldn't figure out whom Qian Renxue had chosen.
First, anyone from the Star Luo Empire was excluded. Qian Renxue was stationed in the Heaven Dou Empire's capital, so it was impossible for her to have any connection to someone from Star Luo.
Dai Mubai: "..."
Second, someone ordinary-looking or weak could also be ruled out. Then again, hadn't Bibi Dong herself once been deceived by a worthless weakling?
If that were the case, there was no way she'd allow it!
For a moment, Bibi Dong surprisingly sympathized with her old teacher, Qian Xunji.
"Teacher, is this how you felt back then?" she murmured.
While Bibi Dong pondered this, she failed to notice that Qian Renxue and Dai Mubai had already arrived at the Worship Hall.
Qian Renxue escorted Dai Mubai to the Worship Hall before quickly leaving, as per Qian Daoliu's instructions. She had to return to maintain her disguise as Xue Qinghe.
Standing in the grand Worship Hall, Dai Mubai glanced up at a divine, compassionate statue—a representation of the Angelic God, worshipped by generations of the Qian family.
A middle-aged man clad in golden armor, with slicked-back golden hair, appeared beside Dai Mubai.
This was none other than Qian Daoliu, a 99th-level peerless Douluo and the Grand Worship of Spirit Hall.
"Xue'er has good taste," Qian Daoliu remarked, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed at the Angelic God statue.
"Of course!" Dai Mubai replied with a confident smirk.
Qian Daoliu's presence truly embodied the image of a peerless Douluo.
Throughout his life, Qian Daoliu had been upright and honorable, except for the matter involving Qian Xunji. His story was one of frustration and unfulfilled potential.
In the original timeline, individuals like Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun managed to ascend to godhood. Meanwhile, true geniuses like Qian Daoliu, Tang Chen, and Bo Saixi were left behind.
"Fate is a cruel master," Dai Mubai thought.
"You're quite confident. And rightly so. At seventeen, you've reached Level 80 as a quasi-Soul Douluo. Even Tang Chen can't compare to you," Qian Daoliu said, turning to look at Dai Mubai.
Among the three peerless Douluo of his time, Tang Chen had the greatest talent, while Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi were on par, reaching Level 99 through divine trials. Tang Chen, on the other hand, had achieved his level purely through his own abilities.
Tang Chen was also the only one of the three with a genuine chance of becoming a god. Unfortunately, divine blessings came with limitations. The Angelic God and Sea God had bound Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi, barring them from divinity.
Dai Mubai wasn't surprised that Qian Daoliu could discern his soul power. Standing before one of humanity's pinnacles, it would've been shocking if Qian Daoliu couldn't see through him.
"You have the potential to become a god!"
Dai Mubai: "..."
For some reason, Qian Daoliu's words sent a shiver through Dai Mubai's entire body. He felt an ominous sense of causality descending upon him, making him tremble involuntarily.
The last person Qian Daoliu had said this to... hadn't met a good end.
"I don't make idle remarks. What's with that expression?" Qian Daoliu asked, frowning.
His intent in bringing Dai Mubai here was to discuss matters of divinity. Qian Renxue was likely to inherit the Angelic God's mantle, and as her partner, Dai Mubai needed to keep pace. After Xue'er's ascension, she might even be able to help him—but a man should forge his own path.
Satisfied with his grandson-in-law, Qian Daoliu wanted to offer some guidance. However, Dai Mubai's reaction to his praise seemed... odd.
Without divine trials, reaching Level 99 and then seeking godhood would be an arduous and thorny journey for Dai Mubai. Qian Renxue, on the other hand, merely needed to complete the Angelic Nine Trials and merge with the Angelic God's armor to ascend directly.
"Old man, I was just marveling at your insight," Dai Mubai quipped.
He then pointed to the center of his forehead, where a gray scythe-shaped mark appeared.
"See this mark? I'm already a god's inheritor!"
Qian Daoliu was stunned. Then silent. Then utterly dumbfounded.
This revelation had never been mentioned by Qian Renxue, and the power of Dai Mubai's Death God inheritance was so formidable that even Qian Daoliu hadn't noticed it until now.
After a long pause, Qian Daoliu finally muttered, "You truly are fortunate."
There was a twinge of bitterness in his voice, along with a deep pang of self-pity. If not for Dai Mubai's presence, Qian Daoliu might've shed tears.
His own journey, worthy of a protagonist in a cultivation tale, had been overshadowed by others like Tang Chen. And though he served as the Grand Worship of the Angelic God, his path to divinity was forever blocked.
Knowing there was a higher realm yet being unable to reach it—how could he not feel despair?
"Judging by the mark, your inheritance resembles that of the Rakshasa God," Qian Daoliu observed.
"Can you tell me about its origins?" he asked eagerly, his curiosity piqued.
Originally, Qian Daoliu thought Qian Renxue's fate was unparalleled. But now, Dai Mubai's fortune seemed even more extraordinary.
"Rakshasa God?" Dai Mubai's mouth twitched. He understood the confusion. The gray scythe-shaped mark likely resembled something associated with the Rakshasa God.
But in front of Hardina, the Death Goddess, even the Rakshasa God—let alone the higher-tier Asura God—was insignificant.
"The Death God is an extremely powerful goddess. Beyond that, she forbids me from saying more," Dai Mubai replied, feigning obedience.
In truth, Hardina hadn't imposed such restrictions. Dai Mubai simply didn't want to delve into unnecessary explanations.
"Death God..."
The very title sent shivers down Qian Daoliu's spine. A Death God divine inheritance? That alone suggested an unimaginably terrifying deity.
That even as a 99th-level Douluo, Qian Daoliu hadn't sensed this power until Dai Mubai revealed it spoke volumes.
This goddess' strength far surpassed the Rakshasa God.
After a long silence, Qian Daoliu suppressed his emotions and finally managed to utter:
"..."
(End of Chapter)