Seemingly noticing Bai Wanwan's confusion, Azure Luan spoke slowly as he led her farther inside. "Something happened at the Papal Hall. The Grand Elder took several elders and the Papal Hall's usual staff away with him. That's why it seems so deserted now."
Azure Luan's words exploded like thunder in Bai Wanwan's mind.
After a moment of shock, Bai Wanwan immediately realized what had happened at the Papal Hall.
There was only one matter that could make the Grand Elder personally lead several elders and the Papal Hall's usual staff out of Spirit City to deal with it: the current Pope, Qian Xunji, had died.
The Grand Elder took them to the Clear Sky Sect!
Taking a deep breath, Bai Wanwan calmed herself and began swiftly weighing her options.
Only yesterday, she had told Guangling that His Holiness the Pope would return gravely injured. Yet not only had he returned gravely injured, he had died outright.
Naturally, Bai Wanwan knew exactly how Pope Qian Xunji had died. To be precise, she was not the only one who knew. Spirit Hall's Grand Elder knew as well.
But since the Grand Elder had not revealed it, Bai Wanwan would not bring it up either.
There was no point.
Grand Elder Qian Daoliu was a gentleman, and one with exceptionally high moral standards.
His moral standards were such that he always kept his word and fulfilled any promise he made. Even knowing who the true killer was, he had chosen to support that person's rise to the papacy, and because of the wrongs Qian Xunji had committed, he would sometimes yield to the killer.
Otherwise, with Grand Elder Qian Daoliu's strength and prestige, he could depose the Pope with a single word if he wished. In fact, as long as the Grand Elder refused to relinquish power, the Pope of the Papal Hall would be Pope in name only.
After all, Spirit Hall's center of power had never been the Papal Hall, but the Worship Hall under the Grand Elder's control.
Thus, revealing the true culprit behind Pope Qian Xunji's death would make little difference. Even if it came to light, there was a good chance that Grand Elder Qian Daoliu, with his exceptionally high moral standards, would choose to suppress the matter himself.
And with the Grand Elder personally leading a party to the Clear Sky Sect, there was only one possible outcome for the sect: retreating into seclusion.
Once the Grand Elder and the others returned, the two remaining plot points would be the new Pope's accession and the Young Master's departure for Heaven Dou on an undercover mission.
Both events offered room to maneuver. It was merely a question of 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 great power and status, with a say in any matter. The more he believed in her ability to foresee the future, the more room she would have to maneuver.
The reverse was also true. If Guangling simply laughed off her words as he had yesterday, there would be little room to maneuver in anything.
While Bai Wanwan was silently weighing her options, Azure Luan had already led her out of the Papal Hall and into the grounds of the Worship Hall, stopping before a garden.
"Wanwan, the person in the pavilion is the Young Master. She's feeling rather down right now, and she's hardly had any playmates growing up. I'll introduce you in a moment. Spend some time with her and try to help her feel a little better."
"Once I've introduced you, I'll have someone arrange a room for you in the Worship Hall. You'll be living here from now on. If you need anything, just come and tell me."
Azure Luan reached out to ruffle Bai Wanwan's hair, then pointed toward the pavilion.
Bai Wanwan followed his finger with her gaze and saw a girl of about eight or nine sitting in the pavilion directly ahead. Dressed in a pale gold court gown, she had buried her face in the crook of her arms.
Judging by the trembling of her shoulders, she seemed to be crying.
From a distance, she looked like a frail, wounded little animal hiding in a deserted corner and weeping in sorrow, involuntarily stirring a desire to protect her.
After watching for a moment, Bai Wanwan gave Azure Luan a firm nod and walked with him toward the pavilion.
They drew closer and closer.
With her face buried in her arms, Qian Renxue's ears twitched slightly. Her shoulders stopped trembling, as though she were composing herself.
A gentle breeze swept past.
As it stirred her golden hair, Qian Renxue slowly raised her head and looked at the approaching pair.
Her calm expression lent her an air of nobility, while her slightly narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes added a measure of authority-the authority of Spirit Hall's Young Master.
Yet perhaps because she was still so young, despite how well she concealed her emotions, her faintly reddened, pale gold eyes still held a hint of brokenness born of overwhelming grief.
It was as though a lamp that had lit her world had just gone out, plunging everything into eternal darkness.
"Grandpa Azure Luan, who is this?"
Her clear voice rang out like an oriole's song.
It brought a rare trace of tenderness to Azure Luan's somewhat cold expression.
"Young Master, this is Guangling's granddaughter, Bai Wanwan."
"She awakened her Martial Soul just today and is very gifted. She'll be living with Guangling in the Worship Hall from now on. Since you're close in age, I brought her here so you could get to know each other."
After introducing Bai Wanwan, Azure Luan turned his gaze to her. "Wanwan, the girl before you is the Grand Elder's granddaughter, Qian Renxue. She is also the Young Master of our Worship Hall."
At Azure Luan's introduction, Bai Wanwan stepped forward and gave Qian Renxue a slight bow. "Greetings, Young Master."
Qian Renxue studied Bai Wanwan, tilting her head slightly as though considering something.
"Wanwan, there's no need to be so formal."
"We're of the same generation. We can just call each other sisters from now on."
Qian Renxue reached out and patted the spot beside her, beckoning Bai Wanwan over.
Bai Wanwan sat down beside Qian Renxue.
Seeing how the two were getting along, Azure Luan tactfully remained silent and slipped away 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 stirred the flowers blooming in the garden, along with their hair.
Qian Renxue smoothed the hair beside her ear and looked at Bai Wanwan with those slightly broken eyes. "Grandpa Azure Luan said you're very gifted. What level is your innate soul power?"
"Innate full soul power."
As she answered, Bai Wanwan took a piece of candy from her pocket and held it out to Qian Renxue. "Big Sister, I can tell you seem very sad right now."
Before you continue