Eight Years Later, Ji Xuan Exits Seclusion

Eight years...

Travel-worn all the way.

A few days later, Qian Renxue and the other two finally returned to Spirit Hall.

Qian Renxue looked at the Papal Palace before her, her hands unconsciously clenching slightly.

She had left home at nine and gone to the Heaven Dou Empire for an undercover mission. More than eight years had already passed.

She wondered what attitude that woman had toward her now...

"You two may leave first."

Without turning back, Qian Renxue gave the order to the two Title Douluo behind her, Snake Lance and Pufferfish.

"Yes, Young Master." Snake Lance and Pufferfish bowed together in response.

After the two left, Qian Renxue stood alone before the gates of the Papal Palace.

She took a deep breath and released her clenched hands.

As the gates of the Papal Palace were slowly pushed open by the guards on both sides...

Qian Renxue stepped into the great hall.

The light streaming in behind her stretched her shadow long, casting it across the hall floor.

Qian Renxue looked ahead.

She saw Bibi Dong quietly offering whispered guidance to the focused Hu Liena beside her.

Qian Renxue's arrival immediately caught both their attention, and they looked over at the same time.

A hint of amazement flashed through Hu Liena's eyes.

Throughout Spirit Hall, she had always been quite confident in herself.

Yet the blonde girl before her surpassed her by several degrees in both appearance and bearing.

Who was she? Why had Hu Liena never seen her before?

What shocked her even more was that this woman...

Actually bore a faint resemblance to her teacher, Bibi Dong...

When Bibi Dong's gaze landed on Qian Renxue.

The faint smile on her face vanished instantly, and her expression became extremely gloomy.

Yet deep within her eyes, there was a barely detectable tremor.

Xiao Xue... why was she back?

A long-sealed emotion in Bibi Dong's heart seemed to have slightly loosened.

But immediately after, a trace of fierceness flashed through her eyes. Cold power surged forth, covering that slight loosening again.

"Your Excellency the Pope... no."

Qian Renxue clearly captured the change in Bibi Dong's expression.

She gritted her teeth and changed her address. "I'll still call you sister."

Why could Bibi Dong treat Hu Liena at her side with such gentleness?

Yet when facing her own biological daughter, all that remained was coldness?

Qian Renxue clenched her hands, pale from exertion.

Why?

No matter what she did, she could never earn Mother's approval...

"Hmph. Why are you back? Mission failed?" Bibi Dong's voice was cold.

Qian Renxue had secretly returned to Spirit Hall this time. Bibi Dong truly had not expected it.

Qian Renxue replied, "Don't worry. The mission went very smoothly."

"Then why did you come back?" Bibi Dong's tone grew even colder. "Aren't you afraid your identity will be exposed, causing all previous efforts to be wasted?"

Bibi Dong rose to her feet, driving the Papal Scepter heavily into the ground as she gazed at Qian Renxue.

"Do you know how important your mission is to Spirit Hall's future plans?"

Qian Renxue met Bibi Dong's gaze without retreating, a self-deprecating smile curling at the corner of her lips.

They had not seen each other for eight years, yet her mother's attitude toward her was still cold.

She only cared about Spirit Hall's plans and didn't care at all about her biological daughter...

"No need for sister to worry. I know what I'm doing!"

Qian Renxue's gaze swept over Hu Liena beside her.

"It seems I've come at the wrong time and disturbed sister's warm moment."

"I'm leaving now!"

The moment her words fell, Qian Renxue no longer hesitated and turned to leave.

Bibi Dong watched Qian Renxue's departing back, the hand holding her scepter tightening slightly.

As the gates closed, the light vanished... and the hall fell silent.

A moment later,

Unable to suppress her curiosity and confusion, Hu Liena softly asked:

"Teacher... who is she?"

Hearing Hu Liena's question, Bibi Dong slowly withdrew her gaze, an indescribably complicated emotion flashing through her eyes.

Bibi Dong answered blandly, "An unimportant person."

Bibi Dong said no more and returned the conversation to cultivation.

It was as though Qian Renxue's sudden arrival had been nothing more than a minor interruption.

Hu Liena was full of questions, but since her teacher Bibi Dong refused to speak, she did not dare ask further...

Inside the Worship Hall.

Qian Daoliu was devoutly kneeling beneath the Angel God Statue.

Sensing the familiar aura behind him, he opened his eyes and slowly rose to his feet.

"Xiao Xue, you're back?"

Qian Daoliu turned around and stood with his hands behind his back.

"You went to see her?"

Seeing his granddaughter Qian Renxue lower her head in dejection, his eyes instantly filled with heartache.

"Grandfather..."

Qian Renxue could no longer hold back. She threw herself into Qian Daoliu's embrace, her voice slightly choked.

Qian Daoliu raised a hand and gently stroked Qian Renxue's hair, sighing silently.

"Xiao Xue, don't blame her either... she has her own difficulties."

Qian Daoliu's voice carried deep helplessness and his usual indecisiveness.

In his heart, the Qian Family had ultimately wronged that woman.

Qian Renxue did not answer. She only hugged her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, even tighter.

Over the years, Bibi Dong had always treated her this way, and she had gradually grown used to it.

A long while later.

Qian Renxue put aside her thoughts about Bibi Dong. Her main purpose in secretly returning this time was Ji Xuan.

She immediately left her grandfather's embrace, raised her head, and softly asked:

"Grandfather, where is Ji Xuan, the disciple you took in?"

"Xiao Xuan? He's cultivating on the mountain peak."

At the mention of Ji Xuan, a trace of gratification unconsciously appeared in Qian Daoliu's eyes.

"That child is exceptionally diligent in cultivation. He can't stay idle for even a moment."

Cultivating on the mountain peak?

Hearing this, a playful look flashed through Qian Renxue's eyes.

"I understand, Grandfather. I'll head back first."

Qian Daoliu nodded slightly.

After watching Qian Renxue leave, he returned before the Angel God Statue and continued his day-after-day devout kneeling.

Two days later.

At the peak of Martial Soul Divine Mountain.

"Rumble!" Peals of thunder exploded one after another.

Within the lightning, a figure suddenly opened his eyes!

It was Ji Xuan. Fine arcs of electricity coiled around his body, crackling sharply.

An incomparably fierce Sword Intent shot into the sky, stirring the surrounding Lightning Element into a frenzy.

Ji Xuan's body slowly rose into the air, hovering three feet above the ground.

The Sword of Order blazed with golden light and hummed continuously.

Ji Xuan raised his hand, holding the sword upright before him, its tip pointed directly toward the heavens.

"Lightning Sword Intent," Ji Xuan shouted in a low voice.

"Divine Sword Controls Thunder."

In an instant, several finger-thick bolts of lightning in the sky crazily converged upon the blade!

Ji Xuan locked his gaze on a huge boulder in the distance, large enough to require three people to wrap their arms around it.

Holding his sword in one hand, he slashed downward fiercely.

"Boom—!"

The violent Power of Thunder instantly tore the boulder apart, reducing it to shattered stones across the ground!

As the dust dispersed...

The broken stones on the ground were charred black by the lightning, wisps of green smoke rising from them as lingering arcs of electricity continued to flicker.

The thunderclouds overhead dispersed. Ji Xuan sheathed his sword and stood still as the surging Soul Power and Sword Intent around him gradually calmed.

Looking at the scene before him, an uncontrollable, satisfied smile rose on his lips.

"I finally broke through!"

The Lightning Sword Intent had reached Great Accomplishment, greatly increasing his attack power.

After nearly ten days of tempering by lightning, his Soul Power had also risen another level, reaching level twenty-five.

"Hmm...?"

Just as his mind relaxed, an aura silently locked onto him from behind!