Redemption in the Darkness

Qian Xunji's expression changed drastically, and he looked up.

A figure descended with the sword light, blocking Bibi Dong's path.

The surging Soul Power fluctuations rose and fell like waves, and seven Soul Ring yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, and red circled around his feet.

The unusual combination of Soul Ring that Soul Master is something even Titled Douluo would be wary of.

The next moment, the blue Tidal Domain was as deep as the sea, rivaling the Angel Domain emanating from Qian Xunji.

Then, streaks of sword energy rapidly emerged within the blue light, silently swirling around with an incomparably sharp sword intent.

The Sword Dao Domain!

However, the current Sword Dao Domain is completely different from the realm that Su Cheng once used in the real world.

The Seventh Soul Ring, which takes 100,000 years to form, brings about a qualitative change.

Moreover, this is not an ordinary 100,000 Year Spirit Ring, but a perfect Soul Ring that Su Cheng created himself by combining his strongest sword intent, perfectly matching his basic personal qualities.

With the superposition of the two domains, even though the dazzling golden Angel Domain was unleashed by a Titled Douluo, it was gradually suppressed.

Everyone present could clearly see that the brilliant golden light in the Angel Domain was being constantly cut and worn down by sharp sword energies, and then continuously devoured by the deep blue tide.

Qian Xunji paid no attention to the changes in the domain, but stared at Su Cheng, who had suddenly appeared in front of him, with a gloomy expression.

What made him most wary was the long sword in the other party's hand.

It didn't resemble an ordinary Tool Soul Avatar; rather, it seemed more like an extension of the other party's body.

At this moment, Su Cheng, holding a long sword, stood there like a divine sword with its sharp edge fully revealed.

This state is completely different from the situation when ordinary Tool Spirit Master unleash their Tool Soul Avatar, where the Tool Martial Soul itself is the main body.

As the Pope of the Spirit Hall, Qian Xunji was naturally very familiar with the specific effects of the powerful Martial Soul Avatar Soul Skill.

What is the Martial Soul Avatar?

For those who possess Beast Martial Soul, after using the Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul Avatar, it will transform into their true Martial Soul form, possessing tremendous explosive power, and their strength will increase exponentially.

Just like Qian Xunji himself at this moment, he had completely transformed into the appearance of Six-Winged Angel.

The situation is slightly different for Tool Spirit Master. Their Seventh Soul Skill is also Martial Soul Avatar, but its manifestation is different. It uses the user as the soul of the Tool Martial Soul, maximizing the power of a certain attribute that the Tool Martial Soul emphasizes.

If the user possesses a high-quality Tool Martial Soul, the power unleashed by the Tool Soul Avatar will be far more terrifying than that of Beast Soul True Body of the same level.

Before level 70, Beast Soul Master are generally stronger than Tool Spirit Master possess Martial Soul because they have the ability to possess Martial Soul Martial Soul Possession.

However, after reaching level 70, the strength of Tool Spirit Master can actually surpass that of a Soul Master, thanks to the Tool Soul Avatar, because of the ultimate enhancement effect brought about by the Soul Power.

After using the Tool Soul Avatar, it will merge the user's own soul with the Tool Martial Soul, gaining additional power.

Qian Xunji was unaware that this situation no longer applied to Su Cheng.

The reason, of course, lies in the soul.

After Su Cheng made progress in his research on the soul, his Tool Soul Avatar became very different from that of ordinary people.

Although he hasn't been able to fully unify his power yet, he can certainly stabilize his soul within his body.

After unleashing his Tool Soul Avatar, his Soul Power did not flow into the Sword Martial Soul in his hand. Under these circumstances, the Sword Martial Soul in his hand was passively fused with Su Cheng himself.

This also means that at this moment, he can not only display Su Cheng's own profound Soul Power, but also that other powers are intertwined with each other.

In other words, this is a fusion of various powers within the body to a certain extent, using the Martial Soul as a medium, and the state is somewhat similar to combining the advantages of both the Tool Soul Avatar and the Beast Soul True Body.

"Cheng Xue, what are you doing?!" Qian Xunji suppressed his anger and questioned in a deep voice, his eyes flashing with cold light as he secretly estimated the other party's strength.

Although he was talking, it was clear that he was prepared to take action at any time.

"Cheng Xue ..."

Bibi Dong stared blankly at the figure in front of her.

In that instant, many images seemed to flash through her mind like fleeting shadows.

It seemed as if she hadn't thought of anything at all, her heart already completely filled with a certain figure.

Su Cheng did not turn around to look at Bibi Dong, nor did he answer Qian Xunji's question.

There's no need to say anything more now; just prepare for battle.

However, he was also aware of the situation. It was impossible to kill Qian Xunji within the Spirit Hall, nor was there any need to kill him. He could simply teach him a lesson, and someone else would naturally come to clean up the mess later.

Before making his move, he had already considered all the possible consequences.

The Elder Hall is not far from here.

This secret room was originally designed to shield against Spiritual Power detection, making it difficult for anyone to perceive what was happening inside.

Just now, when Su Cheng was in the Elder Hall, he noticed that Bibi Dong's aura had disappeared from his perception.

He immediately realized that Qian Xunji might be making a move, so he rushed out of the Elder Hall and used a physical method to break through the external barrier with a sword, exposing the situation in the secret room to the light of day.

To be honest, Su Cheng wasn't sure what Qian Xunji wanted to do by bringing Bibi Dong into the secret room; he only had some guesses.

During the half-year that Qian Xunji had been in Spirit City, he had never taken Bibi Dong to that secret room. This shows that Bibi Dong was unaware of the existence of this place at this time, and the master and disciple did not usually teach or learn knowledge here.

But today, when Qian Xunji returned to Spirit City and the two met, he brought Bibi Dong inside at this particular moment.

Adding to the matter of Bibi Dong and Yu Xiaogang, considering this guy's character, it's probably nothing good.

Of course, intervening was not Su Cheng's only option.

If he hadn't made a move and had instead observed the situation, even if Qian Xunji had actually committed a beastly act, given Su Cheng's earlier words to Bibi Dong as a prelude, it would most likely not have affected the subsequent plans. From a profit perspective, there wouldn't have been any problems.

However, taking action at this time carries a certain risk. If he guesses wrong, he will undoubtedly enrage Qian Xunji and severely damage the Spirit Hall's current goodwill towards him.

But Su Cheng still chose to make a move.

Even if he makes a wrong judgment, he can bear the consequences and find ways to compensate the Spirit Hall, thus mitigating the losses to some extent.

The only person who will have to pay the price will be Bibi Dong.

Su Cheng didn't consider himself a good person, nor did he hesitate to use others. In this world with its clear class distinctions and the supremacy of force, murder, robbery, intrigue, and exploitation were all perfectly normal things.

But there should always be a bottom line in doing things.

He did not approve of Qian Xunji's approach.

Let's have a fight and let our strength speak for itself.

Su Cheng looked at the contemporary Pope in front of him, the man standing at the pinnacle of power on the continent, the current successor of the Angel Clan, his expression calm and undisturbed.

He was too lazy to explain anything; their thought processes were completely different, and further discussion would be pointless.

"Eight Sides Tidal Surge!"

As Su Cheng used his Soul Skill, the originally calm and quiet deep blue domain suddenly surged violently.

A massive storm swept through, and the two domains merged together.

The sharp sword shadows were illuminated with a deep blue light, and dozens of huge longswords that looked like they were formed from flowing water hung in the air, exuding a terrifying aura.

In an instant, the small room gave one the illusion that the sea was about to overturn and the sky was about to collapse.

Su Cheng paid no attention to the changes around him, holding the long sword in both hands, slowly raising his hands, his eyes blank and unfocused.

"Sword Fifteen, Empty Mountain!"

The next moment, a huge sword shadow soared into the sky.

The hole above, which was originally only a few meters wide, was instantly pierced again by the sword shadow, expanding dozens of times.

Then the sword's shadow pierced the sky, shattering the clouds.

Bibi Dong looked at the back of the man in front of her.

Although the opponent was only at the Soul Saint level, far less powerful than the person opposite him.

But standing behind him now, it felt like having a mountain behind you, and you felt completely at peace.

At the same time, several figures flew over from the direction of the Elder Hall. They were Yue Guan, Gui Mei, and other elders of the Spirit Hall who had been alerted by the noise.

The once magnificent and majestic Pope's Palace is now mostly reduced to ruins.

Looking at the ruins before him, Yue Guan turned to the Gui Mei beside him, swallowed hard, and whispered, "Is this the strength of Soul Saint?"

Even the Gui Mei's perpetually stiff face twitched slightly. "Probably... not..."

"What's going on? Where is His Holiness the Pope?"

The other elders also spoke up, their expressions a mixture of heartache and panic.

That's the Pope's Palace.

Has the Pope's Palace ever experienced this situation since the establishment of the Spirit Hall?

"Let's go take a look first," Yue Guan said in a deep voice, calming himself down.

Others might not know who created that Soul Skill, but he did. After all, the two had met several times before, and he also knew that Cheng Xue possessed Sword Martial Soul and had extraordinary strength.

Upon approaching, everyone looked at the two sides engaged in battle on the ground.

Or rather, it cannot be called a battle, but rather Pope Qian Xunji being unilaterally suppressed.

Although they were far apart, the terrifying aura emanating from Su Cheng's swordplay still filled them with dread.

"Chrysanthemum Elder, what do you say? Should we go down and stop them?" The person who spoke hesitated slightly, clearly unsure of what to do.

After a moment's thought, Yue Guan shook his head.

It seems the Pope won't be in any immediate danger, so let's wait and see.

That kid's identity is not simple; he's even favored by the High Priest. Who knows what the situation is like now?

It's not their place to say anything about this.

At this time in Spirit City, in terms of status and strength, there were people who could suppress these two.

Sure enough, at that moment, another figure appeared silently in the sky above the Pope's Palace.

No one even knows how he appeared; it seems he has always been floating there and has never left.

"Stop it, everyone."

As the calm voice fell, both Su Cheng's sword energy and Qian Xunji's domain instantly dissolved, and his Soul Power was completely suppressed.

Qian Daoliu glanced at the dilapidated Pope's Palace, a hint of heartache flashing in his eyes, before turning to Su Cheng with a solemn expression.

"With the body of Soul Saint, his strength has actually reached this level... No wonder he is confident in obtaining the Sea God Nine Trials..."

This Cheng Xue, regardless of the power of her Tool Soul Avatar or her own accumulated Soul Power, far surpasses ordinary Soul Saint, and is even no weaker than ordinary Titled Douluo.

But what's even more terrifying are those few Self-Created Soul Skill.

While the other elders couldn't see it, he could sense that if Su Cheng used a few more sword strikes, Qian Xunji would be half-dead, if not killed.

Then Qian Daoliu turned his gaze slightly and glanced at Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong, immediately realizing that there seemed to be some hidden story behind it.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to first disperse the crowd to see if there was any way to remedy the situation.

Out of respect for Bo Saixi, Cheng Xue certainly wouldn't be too harsh on her, since she hadn't done anything irreparable.

Although the Pope's Palace is the facade of the Spirit Hall, it is ultimately just an external structure. This scene was not seen by outsiders, and the crime could actually be serious or minor.

Just as he was about to speak, Su Cheng unexpectedly launched an attack first.

"Qian Daoliu, when I was on Sea God Island, I often heard my teacher mention your name."

Qian Daoliu paused in his act of speaking and looked over in surprise.

She once said that the Angel Clan are all gentlemen of noble character and have always taken it upon themselves to protect the common people.

"As Angel's Protection, you have never had the slightest selfishness, and even she is ashamed of herself."

"Since I came to the Douluo Continent, I have inquired about the actions of the Spirit Hall. The people all praise it and regard it as their faith."

Su Cheng paused briefly at this point.

The elders were puzzled upon hearing this. Had they backed down after witnessing the High Priest's strength?

So they started to defend themselves and curry favor with the High Priest to avoid being punished later?

But that doesn't seem to be the case. Judging from his expression, something seems off.

Ignoring the opinions of others, Su Cheng stared at Qian Daoliu and continued coldly, "But today's events have truly disappointed this junior. The Spirit Hall is nothing more than a den of iniquity. As for this current Pope, heh heh..."

Su Cheng turned his head and looked coldly at Qian Xunji, "It's utterly disgusting."

"What?!"

Do you even know what you're saying?!

"How dare you!"

"..."

The other elders were furious upon hearing this and began to rebuke him, with some even considering taking action.

To them, the Pope is the representative of the Spirit Hall and their leader.

Although there may be differences in the style of conduct of different Pope, none of them should be criticized by outsiders.

Standing behind Su Cheng, Bibi Dong looked at him angrily rebuking Qian Daoliu and Qian Xunji with a somewhat dazed expression.

Bibi Dong had not expected, much less dared to hope, that the other party would go to such lengths for her.

A jolt of electricity seemed to run through my heart, sending waves of tingling sensation through me.

Tears that had never flowed even in despair before now surged forth uncontrollably.

Ignoring Qian Xunji's resentful gaze, Su Cheng turned to look at Bibi Dong, who was in tears behind him.

This was also the first formal conversation between the two since they last parted ways.

"Bibi Dong, if you want to talk, you can tell them what just happened. I want to see how the Spirit Hall will handle it. If they want to silence you, I can guarantee your safe retreat."

"Of course, this concerns your personal reputation. If you don't want to say it, you don't have to. I can compensate the Spirit Hall in a way that will definitely satisfy them."

"My actions just now were my own choice, and have nothing to do with you. You don't need to consider my thoughts."

"..." Bibi Dong looked at Su Cheng.

Through blurred vision, the silver mask of the person in front of me shimmered with mottled light and shadow.

A sudden impulse welled up inside her.

She wanted to rush forward, remove the mask, and see what kind of face was hidden underneath.

But thinking about the friction that had happened between the two of them before, she suddenly felt timid again.

If she hadn't insisted on her own way, things wouldn't have escalated to this point.

Everyone except Bibi Dong looked at each other in bewilderment upon hearing this.

Amidst doubt and a touch of indignation, they felt the boy was incredibly arrogant.

With so many Titled Douluo and the High Priest gathered here, how dare he say such things?

Qian Daoliu didn't pay attention to Su Cheng's remarks, and frowned as he glanced at Qian Xunji.

Noticing his son's expression, his heart sank.

But he didn't say much, and turned to look at Bibi Dong, quietly waiting for what would happen next.

He said...

Bibi Dong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her emotions, and her voice trembled slightly when she spoke.

"He said he wanted to possess my body and keep me in the Spirit Hall forever..."

"..."

As Bibi Dong finished speaking, the scene fell silent.

Everyone was stunned by what she had just said.

That's the Pope, after all.

That's the symbol of the Spirit Hall, the faith of countless Spirit Hall disciples. How could they possibly do such a thing!

"Saintess..."

"Saintess, be careful what you say..."

"..."

A few elders couldn't help but speak up.

They didn't want to deny the truth, they just couldn't believe it, they just wanted to convince themselves.

The impact of this event was truly enormous.

Qian Xunji remained silent and did not deny it.

In fact, even now, he doesn't think there's anything wrong with what he did.

Everything he did was for the benefit of the Spirit Hall.

Whether the methods are despicable or contemptible, what do they matter for the sake of the Spirit Hall?

Moreover, everything Bibi Dong has achieved so far is a gift from the Spirit Hall, so her contributions are only natural.

Unfortunately, he was out of luck and encountered Cheng Xue, whose strength far exceeded his expectations, causing him to fail at the last minute.

Otherwise, once the matter is accomplished, any subsequent hidden dangers can be gradually eliminated through various means.

But Qian Daoliu's moral standards are clearly not on the same level as his.

After listening to Bibi Dong's brief explanation, my heart sank to the bottom.

He was quite knowledgeable and could generally tell whether what the other party said was true or false.

At this moment, this Peerless Douluo, who had cultivated his character for decades and was usually as gentle as jade, spoke with a slight tremor in his voice, "Qian Xunji, is there anything else you want to say?"

"..." After a moment of silence, Qian Xunji shifted his gaze from Su Cheng and turned to look at Bibi Dong.

Then she looked up at Qian Daoliu, "I have nothing to say. Bibi Dong, as the Spirit Hall Saintess, was nurtured by the Spirit Hall and received countless resources from it, yet she wanted to submit to a useless Soul Master from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and even threatened to leave the Spirit Hall. Naturally, I will not allow it."

Upon Bibi Dong trembled slightly and subconsciously glanced at Su Cheng beside her.

Su Cheng didn't look at her, but stared at Qian Daoliu, waiting for the other party's judgment.

Qian Daoliu avoided his gaze and fell silent.

After a long pause, he spoke again, "Go to the Elder Hall and reflect on your mistakes in seclusion for fifty years. You no longer need to sit on the Pope."

Upon hearing Qian Xunji's reply, for a fleeting moment, he even felt the urge to kill his own son.

But this was, after all, his son, and the only bloodline descendant of the Angel Clan.

He couldn't possibly do it.

She had just avoided Su Cheng's gaze because she felt she had selfish motives and that the treatment was unfair.

He was overthinking it.

In fact, Qian Daoliu's approach had exceeded Su Cheng's original expectations.

After all, nothing actually happened. As one of the world's top experts, Qian Daoliu can make decisions on many things with a single word. If he really wanted to protect her to the death, no one could say anything to him.

Even if there are limits, removing the Pope from the throne is already the absolute limit.

Fifty years of facing the wall in repentance is not a short time.

Qian Xunji is already quite old now. In fifty years, he will be over a hundred years old, which means his life will basically be over.

Upon hearing this conversation, the others fell silent, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

Directly deposing the current Pope, even though Qian Daoliu is the Elder Hall and the Judgement Elder, is not in accordance with the proper procedures.

But there's obviously no need to say anything more at this point.

Having done such a thing and having it exposed, it's impossible for him to continue serving as Pope.

Qian Xunji did not object to this result.

The victor is king, the loser is villain; he had long anticipated the consequences of this matter being exposed.

After giving Cheng Xue a deep look, he turned and left, voluntarily going to the Elder Hall to accept his punishment.

Qian Daoliu then looked at Bibi Dong and said in a deep voice, "Dong'er, from today onwards, you will temporarily assume the position of Pope. Chrysanthemum Elder and Ghost Elder will serve as your assistants. Once you become Titled Douluo, you can directly succeed as the Pope of the Spirit Hall."

"..."

Bibi Dong fell silent upon hearing this.

She no longer wanted to stay in the Spirit Hall. She loathed it and wanted to leave.

After today's events, the wildness that has been dormant in my heart is finally beginning to awaken little by little.

Bibi Dong subconsciously looked in Su Cheng's direction.

At that moment, only this person could offer her some encouragement.

Su Cheng still didn't look at her, but silently pondered the subsequent impact.

Qian Daoliu still had some ulterior motives; at the very least, he couldn't let go of the Spirit Hall.

The act of appointing Bibi Dong as Pope was both a form of compensation and an attempt to bind her to the Spirit Hall.

The words spoken by Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong earlier revealed a lot of information.

With Qian Daoliu's wisdom, he could certainly guess that Bibi Dong harbored some thoughts of leaving the Spirit Hall.

With this incident as a catalyst, it's clear that retaining talent will be difficult without incurring some cost.

"Cheng Xue ..." Bibi Dong stammered when she saw that the other party was ignoring her.

"The choice is yours: face it or run away."

Su Cheng did not want to interfere with Bibi Dong's decision.

From now on, he will begin to mentor the other party.

In truth, he didn't really want Bibi Dong to leave the Spirit Hall.

There are resources here that can help her cultivate better and also provide her with more training.

Most importantly, it is the tempering of one's mindset.

If she chooses to escape today, this matter may become a shadow in her heart in the future, which will not be conducive to her future spiritual practice.

In the early stages, the advantage of talent may not seem to have much of an impact, but after advancing to the Titled Douluo, even with the help of Twin Martial Souls, there will be many difficulties.

An improved state of mind has nothing to do with right or wrong behavior; the key lies in whether one can follow one's own path and whether one can face one's failures and fears.

Even the most violent person will not develop inner demons as long as they do not doubt their own actions.

Qian Daoliu looked at Bibi Dong, and seeing that she remained silent, he did not press the matter.

He simply said, "Dong'er, you should rest well first. Chrysanthemum Elder, please take care of the Saintess."

After saying that, he looked at Su Cheng and said, "Cheng Xue, come with me for a moment."

Su Cheng did not refuse upon hearing this, but turned around and exchanged a glance with Bibi Dong, whose eyes were still slightly red.

Bibi Dong looked worried and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something. But faced with those dark eyes behind the mask, she felt as if her throat was choked, and she couldn't say anything.

Su Cheng nodded to her and said softly, "Don't overthink it, it's just a minor setback."

After saying that, he turned and left, quickly following Qian Daoliu.

Bibi Dong stared blankly at the departing figure.

She suddenly realized that everything had already changed since they first met more than six months ago.

That day was the most emotionally turbulent moment of her life.

She also tried to forget those scenes.

Whether it was being rescued by the other party, having her body exposed, or even hearing the words that echoed in her memory day and night, she tried her best to adjust and calm down.

She pretended not to care about these things, regarding the events of that day as an accident, and that the relationship between the two was merely one of gratitude.

She will strive to cultivate herself and repay the other party when she achieves some success in the future.

But what is fake is ultimately just fake.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so absent-minded when she was with Yu Xiaogang, wouldn't have felt dissatisfied because of his neglect, wouldn't have gotten angry over a few words, and wouldn't have taken the initiative to confess her feelings to Qian Xunji.

In the Elder Hall, Qian Daoliu stood in front of Su Cheng, his expression somewhat gloomy.

Clearly, Qian Xunji's actions today have dealt him a significant blow.

"It's my fault for not disciplining him properly; I'm sorry you had to laugh at me."

Su Cheng shook his head. "Senior, there's no need to say that. Qian Xunji isn't a child. He did what he did, and naturally, no one else needs to bear the consequences for him. Your handling of the situation today has earned my utmost respect. My teacher was right about you."

That's the truth.

Given Qian Daoliu's status, position, and strength, there was no need to deal with him so drastically.

"It is the father's fault if the son is not taught properly; I bear responsibility for this matter," Qian Daoliu sighed.

However, he didn't delve deeper into the topic, instead saying, "Your strength is extraordinary. I now finally believe that you are truly qualified to undergo a God-level trial."

"You flatter me, senior," Su Cheng said calmly. "I have already voluntarily given up the test, so there will be no more opportunities."

"Yes, there's no chance anymore..." Qian Daoliu sighed, his expression complicated.

Even with his current state of mind, he couldn't be so carefree, and he couldn't help but feel even more emotional.

"So what are your plans for the future?"

"Let's gain some experience on the mainland first. I haven't decided what to do after that. Maybe I'll return to the sea in the future."

"On the vast sea..." Qian Daoliu silently pondered the meaning behind Su Cheng's words, "You have truly impressed me."

Su Cheng's words implied very clearly that he might return to the sea, but that would only be the sea.

Once you turn eighteen, you will no longer have the opportunity to be assessed.

Without passing the test, one cannot reach the Sea God Island.

In other words, Su Cheng may return to the sea in the future, but he also knows that he can't go back to Sea God Island.

"Cheng Xue, I'd like to ask you, would you be willing to guide the Spirit Hall Saintess in her cultivation in the future?"

"Me? But my age and cultivation level..." Su Cheng was somewhat surprised.

He thought that Qian Daoliu must have something else to say when he called him over, but he didn't expect it to be this.

He originally thought that after Qian Xunji was confined, the many elders of the Spirit Hall would preach on his behalf, or perhaps Qian Daoliu would personally take action to train this future Pope.

But to his surprise, the other party took the initiative to contact him.