Hall of Offerings inner chamber.
Qian Renxue and Qiandao Liu sat facing each other, engaged in their daily prayers.
The relationship between grandfather and granddaughter had improved considerably over the past year. Today marked Qian Renxue's breakthrough in the Third Trial of the Angel God.
To celebrate his granddaughter's progress, Qiandao Liu had specially prepared a table full of sumptuous dishes, all of Qian Renxue's childhood favorites, just like when she was young.
Qian Renxue slowly opened her eyes but didn't immediately reach for the chopsticks on the table. Instead, she quietly waited for Qiandao Liu to complete his prayer ritual.
Compared to herself, her grandfather was undoubtedly more devout to the Angel God.
"Xiaoxue, you can start eating first. There's no need to stand on ceremony with your grandfather," Qiandao Liu said as he opened his eyes, smiling as he picked up the chopsticks and placed a piece of Earth Bear Meat in Qian Renxue's bowl.
Through Xunyang Pavilion's continuous research over the years, it had been discovered that Soul Beast Meat contained abundant nutrients and energy.
Although Soul Masters might not see immediate effects, consistent consumption could gradually improve their physical constitution.
However, in recent years, there had been ongoing debates and regulations regarding Soul Beast Hunting quotas, making it quite expensive and far beyond what ordinary families could afford.
Nevertheless, in the past six months, rumors suggested that Xunyang Pavilion was seeking changes, planning to develop the Soul Beast Industry through animal husbandry. While profit was secondary, their main goal was to explore the Cultivation Path of Soul Beasts.
"Grandfather, I can serve myself. You should eat too."
Seeing that Qiandao Liu was about to serve her more food, Qian Renxue moved her small bowl aside.
Every meal ended with her eating while her grandfather continuously served her dishes. Though she appreciated the warmth, it also made her somewhat heartache.
"Alright," Qiandao Liu laughed heartily. Just as he was about to take a bite, footsteps echoed from outside.
Frowning slightly, he gently set down his chopsticks.
Only a handful of people could enter the Hall of Offerings without announcement.
Aside from Xiaoxue and one other person, while others had the privilege, they wouldn't simply walk in unannounced.
"Is there something you need?"
Qiandao Liu looked at Bibidong and Huliena, his expression shifting slightly with confusion.
Bibidong's visits to the Hall of Offerings were few and far between, mostly occurring only when Qian Renxue returned.
But since their verbal conflict a year ago, Bibidong hadn't shown her face here at all.
"..."
Upon entering, Bibidong immediately saw the warm scene between grandfather and granddaughter, her emotions momentarily complex before she suppressed them.
Regaining her composure under Qiandao Liu's inquiring gaze, she gently pulled Huliena forward. "Nana's spirit seems to have been corrupted. I want you to examine her for me."
"Teacher, I'm perfectly fine!" Huliena said anxiously.
She hadn't known why her teacher brought her to the Hall of Offerings.
No one understood Bibidong's attitude toward the Great Enshrinement better than her.
Seeing her teacher almost pleading for her sake made Huliena feel inexplicably flustered and heartbroken.
And she truly was fine.
Since emerging from the Road to Hell, a voice had appeared in her mind, revealing information about the God Trial.
However, the first trial gave her pause, as she hadn't yet conceived a reasonable approach...
"Corrupted?"
A grave expression flashed across Qiandao Liu's face.
When Huliena entered, he sensed a sinister aura. Compared to his own restrained expression, Qian Renxue was far more direct.
The disgust on her face was almost uncontrollable.
Bibidong and Huliena naturally noticed this situation but did not express any dissatisfaction.
"Stand properly."
As Qiandao Liu spoke, a pale golden energy surged from within him, enveloping Huliena.
If angels detest evil, then evil must surely detest angels in return.
When the golden light shone upon her, Huliena clearly felt discomfort. However, out of reverence for the Great Enshrinement, she could not muster any thought of resistance.
A long time passed.
With a solemn expression, Qiandao Liu withdrew his Soul Power and said to Bibidong in a deep voice, "I cannot change her current condition in any way. You should know very well what state she is in now."
He had initially thought Huliena had been tainted by some Evil God Aura, but his investigation revealed that the source within her body was actually the same as the aura Bibidong occasionally emitted.
The reason it was so noticeable now was likely because it had been recently acquired or she had not yet learned to conceal it.
"Is there really no way? What if we just disperse some of the chaotic aura on Nana?" Bibidong stared intently at Qiandao Liu, her hands clenched so tightly in her sleeves they turned pale.
Qiandao Liu remained silent, slowly shaking his head.
Seeing the tense atmosphere, Huliena fearfully tugged at Bibidong's sleeve and whispered weakly, "Teacher, I'm really fine..."
Bibidong glanced at her disciple out of the corner of her eye but paid no attention, because she refused to believe Qiandao Liu had no solution.
Just as Qiandao Liu could sense the aura she emitted, she too could perceive the Angelic Stench emanating from him.
The two stood in a stalemate, while Qian Renxue nearby remained silent, as if Bibidong and Huliena were complete strangers.
She had thought seeing Bibidong so concerned about Huliena would sadden her, but now she found she felt very little.
Perhaps this was growth...
She was no longer that little girl yearning for Bibidong's caring gaze.
"Nana, let's go."
Seeing Qiandao Liu remain unmoved, Bibidong's face darkened. She turned and strode toward the hall's exit.
Huliena responded promptly, quickly trotting to Bibidong's side and tightly grasping her slightly warm hand.
Just as they were about to cross the threshold, as if remembering something, she turned back to Qiandao Liu and Qian Renxue with a smile and nodded.
Crack—
The chopsticks in Qian Renxue's hand snapped, a shadow of gloom flashing across her face. "What did she mean by that?"
She could have pretended not to care, but that smile combined with the look in Huliena's eyes conveyed many implications.
Was it smugness? Or mockery?
Qiandao Liu sighed and quickly tried to soothe her.
Bibidong maintained a cold expression throughout, not uttering a single word as she led Huliena all the way back to the Pope's Hall.
"Summon all the elders."
After giving the order to the attendant, Bibidong could no longer suppress her anger. She didn't believe Qiandao Liu's words, but there was nothing she could do since he refused to help.
Now she could only rely on herself.
She had already passed the fifth God Trial, and it was time to obtain the eighth and ninth Spirit Rings for her Second Spirit.
These so-called Angel God Believers were nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. Once she achieved godhood, Huliena would naturally return to normal.
However, the sixth trial required vast amounts of death aura—she couldn't allow Qian Renxue and Ning Fengzhi to continue unchecked like this.
Bibidong contemplated the current continental situation, her mind racing: "Relay my command—order the Heaven Dou Empire to immediately cease their assault on the Star Luo Empire."
"Since the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has joined the Spirit Hall, they must act like a subordinate sect. Summon Ning Fengzhi and his disciple Li Xun to Spirit City."
"Recall all Spirit Hall Soul Masters scattered abroad and conduct a full inventory of our military forces."
A rapid succession of commands made the surrounding attendants instinctively wipe sweat from their brows.
They didn't understand what had come over Bibidong, but they knew one thing—the continent was about to undergo earth-shaking changes.
A short while later
Several figures suddenly shot out from Spirit City, heading straight for the Star Dou Great Forest.
At the forward position of the Cassas Mountains in the Starfall Empire, not far from the Mountain Range of Forging Gods, lay the strategic Star Luo city of Gengxin just three to five hundred li beyond these mountains.
Yet now this area had become the encampment for the Heaven Dou army.
Dense clusters of military tents sprawled across the land, forming a brilliantly illuminated scene when viewed from the night sky.
As Li Xun's group descended from the sky, sentries immediately grew alert.
"What is that thing?"
When the sentries recognized the identities of the newcomers, their gazes fixed on the irregular spherical object.
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