The Pope's Ordeal

Lucifer's words were utterly sincere!

He truly cared about whether Qian Renxue could grow in a darker direction!

"A family has a tremendous influence on a child's upbringing!"

"I've always been very curious about the relationship among the three of you!"

"The daughter longs for maternal love but cannot have it!"

"The mother is extremely cold and distant toward her daughter, even calling her a bastard child!"

"I wonder what role you, the father... play in this family dynamic?"

Lucifer put on a suitably puzzled expression.

He stared intently at Qian Xunjie. "Could you clear up my confusion?"

Qian Xunjie's face immediately darkened.

Was he supposed to say that his role was the Douluo of the Secret Chamber?

It was the first time Qian Xunjie had been asked such a question.

Of those who knew about their cold relationship, Qian Daoliu knew the reason, while everyone else did not dare ask.

At that moment, Bibi Dong gave a cold laugh. "That's right! Your Eminence the Pope surely knows the reason. Why not clear up his confusion?"

Qian Xunjie: "..."

With Your Eminence the Pope's temper, he normally would have flown into a rage by now!

But these two before him would not fear his anger!

Lashing out recklessly would only turn him into a clown.

Qian Xunjie snorted. "Even an upright official can hardly settle family disputes. You are meddling far too much!"

Lucifer had originally only meant to provoke him casually, but seeing Qian Xunjie react so strongly, he decided to have some fun with him.

He put on a thoughtful look. "Hmm... bastard child..."

"That term usually carries disgust toward the child's parents!"

"But Bibi Dong was the one who used it!"

Qian Xunjie: "..."

"Aren't you master and disciple? And the current leader and future leader of Spirit Hall?"

"How did your relationship become so terrible?"

Qian Xunjie: "..."

Suddenly, Lucifer cried out, "Could it be..."

"You forced yourself on her?"

Qian Xunjie's face darkened even further!

He had not expected Lucifer to actually "deduce" it just like that!

With the scar ripped open, Bibi Dong's expression became exceedingly ugly as well.

Lucifer put on another act. "Oh! Judging by your reactions... I guessed right!"

Qian Xunjie: "..."

Bibi Dong: "..."

Your Eminence the Pope felt his dignity had been utterly swept away, leaving him humiliated and enraged.

Bibi Dong also somewhat regretted fanning the flames and bringing up this subject. No one liked reliving pain.

But Lucifer was having too much fun to possibly stop.

He clicked his tongue and sighed.

"So something like this happened between you?"

"Sigh!"

Lucifer stepped forward and patted Qian Xunjie on the shoulder.

"Your female disciple was so beautiful. It was normal to have a few thoughts!"

"But forcing her was rather..."

"Not the act of a true man!"

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong developed a bit of goodwill toward Lucifer.

She felt that he was absolutely right!

If Qian Xunjie had truly been a real man, this nightmare would never have existed in her life!

Lucifer was practically pressing Qian Xunjie's face into the ground and grinding it under his foot!

Qian Xunjie clenched his fists, his body trembling faintly despite himself.

His rage nearly rushed straight to his head!

But he retained his last shred of reason—Lucifer was someone capable of fighting Qian Daoliu!

If he made a move, he might only humiliate himself!

Qian Xunjie gritted his teeth. "You simply don't understand the situation back then!"

"I had no choice. Who told her she couldn't distinguish what mattered?"

"Besides, a true man does not fuss over trifles. I did it all for Spirit Hall!"

"Of course, it was also for her own good!"

"Yu Xiaogang is nothing more than trash who will never surpass Rank 29 in his lifetime!"

"If a Twin Martial Souls genius like Dong'er stayed with him, she would only waste her entire life!"

"..."

The more Qian Xunjie spoke, the more impassioned he became, as though he were the embodiment of justice!

Bibi Dong lowered her head and remained silent, becoming unusually calm.

But Lucifer could sense that the darkness in her heart had grown even stronger!

A few years ago, Bibi Dong would still have angrily denounced Qian Xunjie's shamelessness and erupted with killing intent!

But now, she had learned to endure and restrain her emotions.

She understood that showing some resentment was fine, and being a little cold was fine too. After all, she had gone through something like that.

But if she constantly appeared irreconcilable and full of killing intent, Qian Xunjie would sooner or later be driven to develop the intent to kill!

She was still weak for now and needed to endure and lie low.

Seeing her like this, Lucifer could not be bothered to fan the flames any further.

The main party had tucked her head in. He could hardly personally jump in and argue with Qian Xunjie!

"By the way! What did you come to see me for?" Lucifer directly changed the subject.

"You..." The turn was too abrupt, and Qian Xunjie could not even adjust his emotions in time!

But he did not want to continue the subject either.

After all, though he believed his goal had been righteous, his methods had ultimately been somewhat disgraceful.

He took several deep breaths and adjusted his emotions.

"I've read the book you gave Xue'er! Where did you get it?"

"That question has no value. Next!"

"..." Qian Xunjie's expression, which he had painstakingly composed for serious business, darkened again!

What an awful personality!

But Lucifer was one of the few people he could do nothing about, and he needed something from him now.

He could only patiently say, "The contents of that book are all highly valuable!"

"Bullshit! Get to the point!"

"..."

Qian Xunjie struggled to suppress the urge to flick his sleeve and leave!

Seeing this, Bibi Dong became very curious.

What kind of book could make Qian Xunjie restrain his anger and negotiate so politely with Lucifer?

Qian Xunjie stopped wasting words. "Spirit Hall wants exclusive rights to use this book. Name your conditions!"

"No!" Lucifer still refused without hesitation.

"Why?"

"This book must be spread across the continent!"

"What benefit does that bring you?"

"None of your fucking business!"

Lucifer did not want to reveal his true purpose, nor could he be bothered to make up lies.

Qian Xunjie was thoroughly irritated by Lucifer.

But his ambition made him reluctant to give up the benefits that book could bring to him and Spirit Hall!

He also knew that even if he refused this condition and insisted on privately monopolizing the book, Lucifer had the ability to spread it himself. It would not be difficult.

Qian Xunjie settled for the next best thing. "The first few formulas are fine, but even if the later formulas are spread, the vast majority of Soul Masters will not have the means to gather all the raw materials!"

"So could only the first few formulas be spread?"

That way, Qian Xunjie would not feel so pained by it. He could treat it as benefiting the continent and accumulating some prestige for Spirit Hall.

"No!" Lucifer still refused.

Qian Xunjie frowned deeply, not knowing what else to say.

But no matter what, he had no intention of giving up on that book.

Even if it were all spread, as long as it was done in Spirit Hall's name, Spirit Hall could still gain enormous benefits!

Though they would lose the advantage of exclusivity, at the very least, he and Spirit Hall could gain tremendous prestige!

Turning the ubiquitous yet useless Blue Silver Grass from worthless waste into treasure could benefit everyone on the continent!

Otherwise, the noble Your Eminence the Pope would never have endured Lucifer's awful personality here!