A Duel of Two Foxes

"Even so, how are we supposed to get that child back from the hands of that Old Fox, Qian Gu Die Ting?"

Although everyone present agreed with Le Jing Chen's idea, the most crucial question was how to bring her back. Qian Ren Xue held extraordinary appeal for them, and she was equally attractive to Qian Gu Die Ting and Bei Gong Li.

Le Jing Chen had naturally prepared for this long ago. "I will personally go to Spirit Pagoda headquarters and bring that child back. After Spirit Hall's destruction, only we possess the method for the Angel Martial Soul Second Awakening. That child surely won't refuse."

At this, everyone's eyes lit up. After an Angel Martial Soul awakened, one needed to enter seclusion for a Second Awakening, something Spirit Pagoda could never provide.

"However," Le Jing Chen shattered everyone's beautiful fantasy, "we cannot bring that child back from Spirit Pagoda without giving anything in return. Prepare for a heavy loss."

Shrek City, Spirit Pagoda.

Qian Gu Huang Yu leisurely brewed tea as she teased Qian Ren Xue, who sat across from her. "You really are a treasure! Shrek has invited you directly into the inner court, where you can meditate within the Golden Ancient Tree every day, and the Sea God Pavilion Master will personally teach you. Tang Sect promised you an Immortal Herb from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye, while War God Hall wants to give you a full set of soul bones."

At this point, Qian Gu Huang Yu could not help clicking her tongue inwardly. "Whether Immortal Herbs or soul bones, both are top-tier treasures in this era. Immortal Herbs can improve one's aptitude. As someone who personally lived through Tang San's era, you should understand how much Immortal Herbs helped the Original Shrek Seven Devils. As for soul bones, since all soul beasts have been killed off, their numbers are exceedingly scarce. For War God Hall to produce a full set, they must have made up their minds."

Yet Qian Ren Xue did not care much. "As expected. But what did the Holy Angel Family say?"

As a force she planned to conquer, Qian Ren Xue was very curious about their movements.

"Le Jing Chen only said he would come today. Other than that, he said nothing..."

Before Qian Gu Huang Yu could finish, a knock sounded from outside. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she rose to open the door.

When she opened it, she found her own elder brother standing before her. He said somewhat anxiously, "Xiao Yu, Father asked Le Qian Xue to go to his office. Le Jing Chen is here."

Since Leng Yang Jun had discovered Qian Ren Xue, Qian Gu Die Ting no longer hid her away. Over time, she had also become familiar with Qian Gu Dong Feng and the others.

"Sister Xue'er, the rest is up to you." Qian Gu Huang Yu spoke, not forgetting to give a playful wink.

"Sister Huang Yu, don't worry."

After Qian Ren Xue left, Qian Gu Dong Feng asked curiously, "Xiao Yu, why do you both call each other Sister?"

"Secret~"

Let us turn back the clock a little.

The office of the Tower Master of Spirit Transmission Tower.

Qian Gu Die Ting stood before the window, calmly gazing at the scenery outside. Heavenly Spirit Tower, Spirit Pagoda headquarters, was the tallest building in the entire Sun Moon Federation. From its summit, one could overlook all of Shrek City.

Qian Gu Die Ting greatly enjoyed this feeling—standing here, looking down upon Tang Sect and Shrek, imagining the day he could truly trample them beneath his feet.

A pure, sacred light flickered behind Qian Gu Die Ting. Amid a ripple of spatial fluctuations, an old man stepped out.

It was Le Jing Chen. Qian Gu Die Ting did not turn around, but he still sensed Le Jing Chen's arrival. Without looking back, he merely said in a low voice, "You're here?"

"I'm here."

"You shouldn't have come."

"But I came anyway."

Qian Gu Die Ting turned and looked directly at this military Great One, who was as famous as his mother. He knew that if the Southern Legion had not been so deeply influenced by the Holy Angel Family, Le Jing Chen would already have become a Federation general.

Because, like Bei Gong Li, he was a quasi-god!

Yet Qian Gu Die Ting showed no fear before such a military Great One whose slightest stomp could shake the world. "You already rejected her request to return to the family. What are you doing here now?"

Le Jing Chen froze. A trace of confusion flashed through his azure eyes. Though he had long prepared his arguments, he did not know how to begin, and could only force himself to say, "What do you mean by that?"

Qian Gu Die Ting smiled slightly, revealing an expression of certain victory. He pulled up a screenshot from his Communication Soul Tool, sent by "Xiao Wu, Eastsea City Spirit Pagoda Deacon" to "Southern Legion Official," and handed it to Le Jing Chen.

There were ten messages in total, all sent by "Xiao Wu of Eastsea City Spirit Pagoda," and every one was identical: We have discovered a suspected overseas orphan of the Holy Angel Family. Hurry and take her home!

Qian Gu Die Ting explained at the right moment, "We sent you ten messages, yet you kept reading them without replying. You broke that child's heart. That was why she agreed to take me as her master and abandoned the thought of returning to her family."

"Qian Gu Die Ting, you're playing dirty!" Le Jing Chen was furious at the sight. A deacon from a Spirit Pagoda branch directly calling out to the Southern Legion, claiming to have found some suspected overseas orphan—who would believe that?

As Qian Gu Huang Yu would put it, it was about as absurd as an ordinary civil servant from Bear Country calling Eagle Country's president and saying, "I found your illegitimate child."

Any normal person would take it as a prank, wouldn't they?

"You could have contacted me directly. Why did you have a deacon send it?" Le Jing Chen asked in an unfriendly tone. If Qian Gu Die Ting had said it himself, then whether it was true or false, Le Jing Chen would have personally come to take a look, and this situation would never have happened.

Although Le Jing Chen's tone was hostile, Qian Gu Die Ting was not angered. He merely said calmly, "If I had said it, then what you would have valued was me, the Tower Master of Spirit Transmission Tower, rather than that child herself. What that child wanted was for the family to value her—not for me, the Tower Master of Spirit Transmission Tower, to receive the Holy Angel Family's attention."

Le Jing Chen knew there was no point in dwelling on the matter, so he immediately changed the subject. "Even if we were at fault before, it is not too late to make amends. I will take that child back to acknowledge her ancestors and return to her roots. After that, we will help her undergo her Martial Soul Second Awakening."

Qian Gu Die Ting's brows furrowed slightly. He truly did not know how to carry out the Second Awakening of an Angel Martial Soul, but if Qian Ren Xue's Six-winged Angel did not complete its Second Awakening, it would surely affect her future.

Seeing Qian Gu Die Ting fall silent, Le Jing Chen knew his opportunity had come.

"For someone with an Angel Martial Soul, a Martial Soul that has not undergone its Second Awakening is incomplete. It can only lead to a comparatively failed future."

Le Jing Chen's implication was obvious: without the Second Awakening, Qian Ren Xue would not possess the aptitude to become a god.

And this clearly struck Qian Gu Die Ting's weak point. If Qian Ren Xue had no chance of becoming a god, then what was the point of taking her as his disciple?

The positions of attack and defense had already reversed!