Journey to the Future

Spirit Hall had raised Mother. When the time came for her to repay Spirit Hall, she fell in love with a man from an opposing faction, stayed with him for life, and even eloped with him. Wouldn't Spirit Hall's efforts in raising her have gone to waste, even benefiting that opposing faction instead?

Qian Xunji came to Qian Renxue's side and said, "People are born with many things beyond their control. Sometimes, it isn't simply a matter of doing whatever you want. Think carefully—do women born into noble families have the right to choose their own love?"

"No, they do not. They are born with silver spoons in their mouths, and their futures are to marry for the sake of their families." Qian Xunji said, "Princesses do not have the right to choose love."

Qian Renxue suddenly asked, "Then I... when Xue'er grows up, will I also have to marry for the Qian Clan?"

Qian Xunji laughed. "Hahaha, I'm afraid it will be difficult to find anyone in this world worthy of you. Our Qian Clan doesn't need to use women in marriage alliances to gain political leverage, either. Your duty, which Grandpa has already told you, is to fulfill the long-cherished wish of generations of Angel Descendants and inherit the divine position of the Angel God."

Qian Renxue nodded, half understanding.

"I know you have already learned what happened between your mother and me. To you, it was a dream, but I can tell you clearly that it really happened. That is also why your mother hates you—because you are my child. For that, I am sorry." Qian Xunji said, "Both she and I were at fault in this matter, but I do not regret it—"

"To stop a genius Spirit Hall had nurtured for years from becoming someone else's gain, I could do anything to stop it."

Though that incident had been committed by the original owner of this body, since he had become Qian Xunji, he had no choice but to bear the blame. Even if Qian Xunji stood in that position without being bound to that system—

He still would not have allowed Bibi Dong and Yu Xiaogang to end up together. He simply would not have used the same method as the original owner. Spirit Hall had nurtured a Soul Master with Twin Martial Souls into a talent, intending for her to serve Spirit Hall, yet the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan wanted to use a level-twenty-nine piece of trash to poach such a talent from Spirit Hall?

Even if Bibi Dong died, she had to die in Spirit Hall.

What had Yu Xiaogang done wrong in this entire affair? It could be summed up in one sentence: his very existence was a mistake!

A level-twenty-nine piece of trash came to Spirit Hall, actually fell in love with the Saintess, and even dreamed of eloping with her?

"To achieve extraordinary greatness, one must use extraordinary means. You need not dwell too much on this matter." Qian Xunji said, "Remember this: the strong are not trapped by love."

"Mm." Qian Renxue nodded.

Qian Xunji left. Watching his retreating figure, she sighed. Although she knew the root of the conflict between her parents, Qian Renxue understood that it was nearly impossible to make her father and mother reconcile.

Bibi Dong had her reasons, and Qian Xunji had his own. It was difficult to say who was right and who was wrong, but there was one thing Qian Renxue agreed with Qian Xunji on: Mother absolutely could not be lured away by Yu Xiaogang!

After returning to Papal Hall, Qian Xunji asked the maid at Bibi Dong's side. When he learned that Bibi Dong had not visited Angel Hall during this period, he set aside his doubts.

He picked up the card and glanced at it. It was time to recruit Rose Douluo.

Qian Xunji activated the card. A vortex formed before it, and Qian Xunji stepped into the vortex, arriving within a strange space.

The moment he entered, Qian Xunji understood the nature of this space!

Time and space formed the universe. All things came from the source of nothingness, and in the end, they returned to nothingness!

Space was the foundation that carried the tangible forms of all things, while time propelled the eternal evolution of existence.

This was the River of Time and Space, the location of the time-space node of the parallel universe where Qian Xunji resided!

Time-space coordinates selected. Anchor point: Year 4432 in the future, Douluo Continent, Rose Village.

The scene before Qian Xunji rapidly shifted, and he felt the flow of time and space around him changing.

He saw the future of Douluo Continent after Bibi Dong assassinated him: the rise of Tang San and Shrek, Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and Tang San becoming gods one after another, the Three Gods War, the ascension of the Shrek Seven Devils, and thousands of years of evolution on Douluo Continent.

The year 4432 lay midway between the eras of Douluo One and Douluo Two. Sun Moon Continent had not yet merged with Douluo Continent, and the balance of power on Douluo Continent remained much as it had been.

Spirit Hall had already vanished. In its place, Shrek Academy had risen to the supreme position in the Soul Master World. The Two Great Empires, Star Luo and Heaven Dou, still stood side by side, but Heaven Dou Empire had fallen into internal strife and was increasingly threatened by division.

Before the arrival of the powerful enemy known as the Sun Moon Empire, Shrek Academy, Tang Sect, Haotian Sect, and this series of forces belonging to Tang San had reached their peak on Douluo Continent.

Yet at the same time, a discordant force had appeared on Douluo Continent.

Evil Soul Masters!

Evil Soul Masters appeared on Douluo Continent—Soul Masters who cultivated evil arts, took crooked shortcuts to exploit their Martial Souls, and increased their strength through filthy methods such as devouring souls, drinking blood, creating human furnaces, and more.

Wherever they passed, corpses littered the ground. They had no fixed abode and hid among the populace. No matter how they were suppressed or exterminated, they could never be completely eradicated.

Shrek Academy took up the great responsibility of fighting Evil Soul Masters. However, Shrek's Sea God Pavilion Enforcement Team had not truly eradicated them. Whenever they emerged, they were suppressed; whenever they emerged again, they were suppressed again.

Evil Soul Masters were like weeds: a wildfire could not burn them all away, and the spring breeze would make them grow anew.

Qian Xunji could not help sneering at Shrek Academy's actions. Why had Evil Soul Masters existed during Spirit Hall's era without causing great chaos, yet in Shrek's era, the problem of Evil Soul Masters had remained unrooted for tens of thousands of years?

Shrek always treated the symptoms, but never the root cause!

How could they eliminate them without finding the root?

There were two reasons for the birth of Evil Soul Masters. The first was the abuse of Evil Martial Souls and taking shortcuts. For example, Bibi Dong's Soul Devouring Spider Emperor could devour other people's souls to cultivate. If she abused that ability, then she would be an Evil Soul Master. However, under Spirit Hall's guidance, Bibi Dong had never used the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor to slaughter innocents.

Of course, this was only one reason Evil Soul Masters were born—not controlling power, but being controlled by it. Yet the more important point was—

The corruption of the human heart was the key reason most ordinary Soul Masters fell into becoming Evil Soul Masters.