First Meeting with the Young Master, Qian Renxue

Seeing Bai Wanwan's confusion, Azure Luan slowly explained as he led her deeper inside, "Something happened at the Papal Hall. The Grand Elder took several Elders and the Papal Hall's original personnel out, which is why the Papal Hall seems so deserted now."

Azure Luan's words exploded in Bai Wanwan's mind like thunder.

After a moment of stunned disbelief, Bai Wanwan immediately realized what had happened in the Papal Hall.

There was only one matter serious enough to make the Grand Elder personally lead several Elders and the Papal Hall's original personnel out of Spirit City to handle it: the current pope, Qian Xunji, had fallen.

The Grand Elder had taken people to the Clear Sky Sect!

Taking a deep breath, Bai Wanwan quickly calmed herself and began calculating inwardly.

Just yesterday, she had told Guangling that His Holiness the Pope would return gravely wounded. Yet His Holiness the Pope had not only returned gravely wounded—he had died outright.

Naturally, Bai Wanwan knew exactly how Pope Qian Xunji had died. More precisely, not only did Bai Wanwan know, but the Grand Elder of Spirit Hall knew as well.

But since the Grand Elder had not spoken of it, Bai Wanwan naturally would not bring it up either.

There was no point.

Grand Elder Qian Daoliu was a gentleman, and one with exceptionally high moral standards at that.

His principles were so firm that he always kept his word. So long as he promised something, he would do it. Even knowing who the true culprit was, he chose to support that person as pope, and because of Qian Xunji's sins, he would sometimes yield to her.

Otherwise, with Grand Elder Qian Daoliu's strength and prestige, removing the pope would have taken no more than a word from him. If the Grand Elder refused to relinquish power, then the pope of the Papal Hall would be nothing more than a pope in name.

Because Spirit Hall's true center of power had never been the Papal Hall, but the Worship Hall under the Grand Elder's control.

So whether the true culprit behind Qian Xunji's death was exposed or not made little difference. Even if it were revealed, given Grand Elder Qian Daoliu's lofty moral standards, there was a high chance he would take the initiative to suppress the matter.

And since the Grand Elder had personally led people to the Clear Sky Sect, the Clear Sky Sect had only one possible fate: retreating from the world and living in seclusion.

Once the Grand Elder and the others returned, the remaining two plot points would be the new pope's ascension and the Young Master going undercover in Heaven Dou.

Both matters left room for maneuver. It only depended on how much room there was, and how much her grandfather Guangling believed what she said.

As the Fifth Elder of the Worship Hall, Guangling truly held a position of immense authority and influence. He had a say in every matter. The more he believed in her ability to foresee the future, the more room Bai Wanwan would have to act.

The reverse was also true. If Guangling merely laughed off her words as he had yesterday, then there would not be much room to maneuver in anything.

While Bai Wanwan was quietly calculating, Azure Luan had already led her out of the Papal Hall and into the Worship Hall's grounds, stopping before a garden.

"Wanwan, the person in the pavilion is the Young Master. She's in a rather bad mood right now, and she hasn't had many companions since she was little. Once I introduce you, keep her company and try to make her feel a little better."

"After I introduce you, I'll have someone arrange a room for you in the Worship Hall. You'll live here from now on. If you need anything, just come tell me."

Azure Luan reached out and ruffled Bai Wanwan's hair, then pointed toward the pavilion.

Following the direction of his finger, Bai Wanwan saw a girl around eight or nine years old sitting in the pavilion ahead. She wore a pale golden palace dress and had buried her head in the crook of her arms.

Judging from the trembling of her shoulders, she seemed to be crying.

From afar, she looked like a weak, wounded little beast hiding in some deserted corner and crying in grief, stirring an instinctive desire to protect her.

After watching for a moment, Bai Wanwan nodded firmly at Azure Luan and walked with him toward the pavilion.

The distance between them gradually closed.

Qian Renxue, who had buried her head in her arms, twitched her ears slightly. Her trembling shoulders went still, as though she were composing herself.

A gentle breeze swept past.

It lifted her golden hair. Qian Renxue slowly raised her head and looked toward the two approaching figures.

Her calm expression carried an air of nobility. Her slightly narrow phoenix eyes added a trace of majesty to that calmness—the majesty belonging to Spirit Hall's Young Master.

But perhaps because she was still young, though she had hidden her emotions well, her faintly reddened pale golden eyes still revealed a fractured feeling born of overwhelming grief.

It was as though a lamp that had illuminated her world had just gone out, plunging her world into eternal darkness.

"Grandfather Azure Luan, who is this?"

Her voice was clear and melodious as an oriole's.

It made the somewhat cold-faced Azure Luan reveal a rare gentle smile.

"Young Master, this is Guangling's granddaughter, Bai Wanwan."

"She awakened her Martial Soul today. Her talent is very high, and she will live in the Worship Hall with Guangling from now on. You are close in age, so I brought her here for you two to get acquainted."

After introducing Bai Wanwan, Azure Luan turned his gaze toward her. "Wanwan, the person before you is the Grand Elder's granddaughter, Qian Renxue. She is also the Young Master of our Worship Hall."

Listening to Azure Luan's introduction, Bai Wanwan stepped forward and gave Qian Renxue a slight bow. "Greetings, Young Master."

Qian Renxue examined Bai Wanwan, tilting her head slightly as though pondering something.

"Wanwan, there's no need to be so formal."

"We're of the same generation. From now on, we can address each other as sisters."

Qian Renxue patted the spot beside her, gesturing for Bai Wanwan to come over.

Bai Wanwan sat down beside Qian Renxue.

Seeing the two of them, Azure Luan sensibly said nothing. Instead, he quietly left to arrange Bai Wanwan's room and other matters.

After Azure Luan left.

Only Bai Wanwan and Qian Renxue remained in the spacious pavilion.

A gentle breeze drifted through, stirring the blooming flowers in the garden and their hair.

Qian Renxue lifted a hand to smooth the hair by her ear, then looked at Bai Wanwan with eyes carrying a faint sense of brokenness. "Grandfather Azure Luan said you're very talented. What level is your Innate Soul Power?"

"Innate Full Soul Power."

As Bai Wanwan answered, she took a piece of candy from her pocket and held it out before Qian Renxue. "Sister, I can tell that you seem very sad right now."