Within the Spirit Hall, the Hall of Offerings held a status far surpassing that of the Pope's Hall, for no other reason than that all the top-tier combat power was gathered here.
Qiandao Liu stood before the Angel Statue, hands clasped together in his daily prayers.
"You've come." Without turning around, Qiandao Liu spoke. At his level of cultivation, he no longer needed to rely on sight alone to identify others; the faint fluctuations emanating from a person's presence were enough to accurately determine who was nearby.
"I need to borrow the Second Enshrinement for a trip to Heaven Dou City." Bibidong got straight to the point without any pretense.
"Now that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has joined the Spirit Hall, I don't want unnecessary trouble arising from minor disagreements." Qiandao Liu slowly turned around, his expression indifferent as he looked at Bibidong.
As the last remaining heir of the Qian family, information about Qian Renxue naturally flowed continuously into his ears.
Qiandao Liu was aware of Qian Renxue's resentment toward him over the past two years, but he dismissed it as the naive thoughts of a child. For the sake of the Spirit Hall and Qian Renxue's safety, he paid it no mind.
If necessary, he might even restrain Qian Renxue for the development of both Bibidong and the Spirit Hall.
But that was before. With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's allegiance and the current situation in the Heaven Dou Empire, his granddaughter now commanded considerable power.
Over the years, his relationship with his granddaughter had grown distant. If he continued to show favoritism, Qiandao Liu feared it would become increasingly difficult to mend their bond.
"What do you mean by 'minor disagreements'?" Bibidong frowned at Qiandao Liu. "With Xiaoxue's limited experience, she will only become Ning Fengzhi's puppet. Moreover, the Spirit Hall is not yet prepared. If Heaven Dou and Star Luo rashly go to war, it will be very detrimental to our future development…"
Before Bibidong could finish, Qiandao Liu raised a hand to interrupt her. "The current situation is already clear. Even if Heaven Dou fully absorbs Star Luo, it will still be under Xiaoxue's command, which poses no threat to the Spirit Hall's development. No matter how much she throws tantrums, she is still a member of the Spirit Hall. This is her roots. Once she's had her fill of playing around, she will return."
Qiandao Liu's gaze drifted toward Heaven Dou as if he could see across the vast distance to where Qian Renxue was busy. "Bibidong, I hope you will consider Xiaoxue's feelings. If this continues, the distance between you and her will only grow wider."
Though Qiandao Liu's words were sincere, Bibidong remained unmoved.
"Hmph, it seems the Great Enshrinement has forgotten who built the Spirit Hall into what it is today. If you truly care about the Spirit Hall and Xiaoxue's well-being, then focus on your duties as the Great Enshrinement. Matters of power are beyond your understanding."
An icy aura emanated from Bibidong. "I came here today only to inform you. If you refuse, it merely means I will have to make the trip myself."
Bibidong fixed her gaze firmly on Qiandao Liu. Over the years, there was one thing she had never understood: why hadn't Qiandao Liu killed her after she devoured Qian Xunji?
Yet she was also grateful he hadn't acted then. Now, her strength was far beyond what it once was. Even if her power had been diminished due to the God Trial, she no longer feared Qiandao Liu.
Noticing the chilling aura emanating from Bibidong, Qiandao Liu's gaze sharpened. As a divine attendant, he could naturally sense that the energy around Bibidong was not something a Soul Master should possess. Moreover, compared to two years ago, she had grown even stronger.
Qiandao Liu lowered his eyes, weighing the pros and cons, before suddenly unleashing a powerful aura that far surpassed Bibidong's: "I will send the Second Elder to check on Heavenly Dou, but how to proceed is none of your concern."
Feeling the overwhelming pressure, Bibidong's eyes flickered. She let out a cold snort and turned to leave: "Qiandao Liu, I hope you do not make the wrong decision."
Two months had passed since Li Xun left Seagod Island, and his Soul Power had now reached the 79th rank. With Heavenly Dou temporarily entering a period of calm, he seized this opportunity to return and reap some benefits.
On Sea God Mountain, Poseidon, sensing Li Xun's arrival on the island, slowly opened her eyes and turned her gaze toward the statue of the Sea God. She knew all too well that time was running out for her.
Had decades of waiting ultimately been in vain?
Poseidon had more than once entertained the thought of killing these outsiders, but out of devotion to the Sea God, she suppressed such impulses.
Dismissing these thoughts, she detected an anomaly in the Forbidden Area and vanished from the spot in an instant.
"Zhu Zhuqing, Grandpa Dugu and Li Xun haven't returned yet—who knows when they'll be back. Why don't we go out and hunt some Sea Soul Beasts?" Ning Rongrong chirped cheerfully as she circled around Zhu Zhuqing.
Since setting sail, she had never encountered a powerful Sea Soul Beast. Now that Zhu Zhuqing needed a Spirit Ring to break through to the 60th rank, it was the perfect opportunity to broaden their horizons.
"Even after reaching a bottleneck, Soul Power doesn't stop accumulating. Besides, the three of us sailing out alone wouldn't be safe," Zhu Zhuqing gently shook her head, outright rejecting the proposal.
Dugu Yan, standing nearby, glanced at Ning Rongrong with a sly glint in her eyes before smiling playfully. "I agree with Zhu Zhuqing."
As the saying goes, the more your rival wants something, the less you should let them have it. The two had been locked in a covert struggle for years, and causing each other trouble had become routine.
Knowing Ning Rongrong as well as she did, Dugu Yan could already guess what she would say next.
"It's not you who's advancing—what are you agreeing to?" Ning Rongrong bristled like a cat, hands on her hips, puffing her cheeks in anger.
Heh, just as expected... Dugu Yan's eyes sparkled, her smile growing wider and harder to contain.
Compared to herself, this girl was far out of her league—no match at all. If it weren't for her advantage of having grown up with Li Xun, she could have driven Ning Rongrong away with frustration alone.
But as things stood, it was quite entertaining to tease her every now and then.
Still, compared to Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing was the trickiest to handle—utterly impervious to persuasion, always maintaining a calm expression no matter the situation. Dugu Yan cast a casual glance at Zhu Zhuqing before sinking into thought.
"I'm rested," Zhu Zhuqing rose from the ground and headed straight for the Sea God Stairway.
Ning Rongrong's small face scrunched up as she reluctantly got to her feet, pleading, "It hasn't been that long! Can't we rest a little more?"
A look of resignation also flashed in Dugu Yan's eyes. Having someone so diligent nearby was exhausting, making one feel guilty for slacking off at every moment. And if she didn't keep up, the gap in their cultivation would only widen.
Zhu Zhuqing was well aware of the subtle tension between the two. She looked up at the long staircase and remarked, "Brother Li Xun is already close to level eighty."
That single sentence instantly silenced Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan.
"Look who's back!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind.
The three girls turned around in unison to see Li Xun striding across the sea, reaching the shore before the Sea Soul Beasts could even react.
"Brother! You're back!" Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up as she hurried over to Li Xun's side.
"Did my grandfather not come with you this time?" Dugu Yan, not wanting to be left out, followed closely behind Ning Rongrong.
Zhu Zhuqing also abandoned her thoughts of training. Unlike the other two, however, she did not rush forward immediately but instead revealed a faint smile.
"Grandpa Dugu stayed behind at the City Lord's residence," Li Xun said with a smile to Dugu Yan before greeting each of them in turn.
"Since everyone is here, I won't have to repeat myself."
A cool, detached voice rang out as Poseidon descended abruptly from the sky.
(End of Chapter)