Qian Daoliu's Indecision

"Uh..."

Ji Xuan looked at Qian Renxue before him, and his face immediately fell. He secretly cursed himself for being only eight years old...

He raised a hand to straighten his messy hair and muttered under his breath, "Just wait a few more years, and I'll..."

Ji Xuan abruptly stopped halfway through, only then remembering that Qian Daoliu was still standing behind him.

"Pfft—"

Seeing Ji Xuan like this, Qian Renxue could not help but laugh.

"Little Brother Ji Xuan..."

Qian Renxue deliberately leaned closer, a warm and fragrant scent wafting over him. Once again, she reached out and messed up the hair Ji Xuan had just fixed.

"A few more years from now, what do you plan to do?"

"N-Nothing!"

Ji Xuan gave an awkward smile and hurriedly took two steps back.

"Alright, Xiao Xue, stop teasing Xiao Xuan."

Qian Daoliu watched the two from the side, the smile at the corners of his mouth deepening.

"Come on. It's rare for Xiao Xue to come back. Let's have dinner together tonight."

Ji Xuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief at that.

At the same time, he gained a deeper understanding of Qian Renxue's unwillingness to admit defeat.

He secretly glanced at Qian Renxue and thought to himself:

Just wait. In a few years, I'll teach you a proper lesson!

At the dining table in the main hall.

The dinner was lavish, consisting of high-year Soul Beast Meat that contained fluctuations of Soul Power and greatly benefited a Soul Master's cultivation.

Ji Xuan reached out with his chopsticks, intending to pick up a piece of Soul Beast Meat.

Just as he was about to touch it, the Soul Beast Meat vanished in an instant.

Ji Xuan looked up and saw that it had already landed in Qian Renxue's bowl.

Ji Xuan felt helpless. This little angel was far too vindictive. He had only made a joke earlier.

Qian Renxue shot Ji Xuan a provocative glare, then picked up the Soul Beast Meat and elegantly ate it.

Qian Daoliu looked at Qian Renxue, his gaze complicated and full of heartache.

It was the first time he had seen Qian Renxue show such a side of herself.

Since childhood, her mother had been as cold as ice toward her, while her father had passed away early.

She could only hide all her vulnerability away and force herself to become invulnerable.

But... deep down, she was still a girl.

Qian Daoliu turned his gaze to Ji Xuan and smiled meaningfully.

"Xiao Xuan, what do you think about having Xiao Xue as your fiancée?"

Before Ji Xuan could answer, the tips of Qian Renxue's ears reddened as she spoke first.

"Grandfather!" She shot Qian Daoliu a reproachful glare. "Y-You... what are you talking about?!"

She had not expected her grandfather to bring this up again!

Seeing Qian Renxue like this, Ji Xuan smiled inwardly and went along with it. "I'll listen to Master."

"You..."

Qian Renxue immediately turned her gaze toward Ji Xuan, staring at him in disbelief.

Then, she set down her chopsticks, a curve rising at the corner of her lips.

"You want to be my fiancé?"

"With your current ability... when you can't even snatch a piece of Soul Beast Meat?"

Before Ji Xuan could respond, Qian Renxue had already stood up. Looking down at him from above, a trace of cunning flashed through her eyes.

"Little Brother Ji Xuan, talk to me again when you can beat me!"

Qian Renxue looked at her grandfather, Qian Daoliu. "Grandfather, I'm full. I'll return to my room first."

With that, Qian Renxue deliberately carried away the last plate of Soul Beast Meat from right in front of Ji Xuan.

Before turning to leave, she shot Ji Xuan another vicious glare.

When Qian Renxue reached the doorway, she suddenly stopped. Turning half her face to the side, a sly smile curled across her lips.

"Work hard, my future... little fiancé."

Outside the door, Qian Renxue's footsteps gradually faded away...

Qian Daoliu looked at Ji Xuan and said gently, "Xiao Xuan, don't take it to heart. Xiao Xue didn't do it on purpose."

"I know, Master." Ji Xuan nodded.

"It's good that you understand."

After a moment of silence, Qian Daoliu looked at Ji Xuan, a trace of complexity flashing through his eyes.

"Xiao Xuan, can you promise your Master that if... one day I am no longer here, you will take care of Xiao Xue for me?"

Ji Xuan's heart jolted at those words.

He understood at once. What his Master, Qian Daoliu, meant was likely the ninth trial of the Angel God inheritance—sacrificing himself.

Ji Xuan rose to his feet and solemnly bowed to Qian Daoliu beside him.

"Master, a teacher for a day, a father for life."

"As long as I, Ji Xuan, still draw breath, I will protect Sister Xue."

Ji Xuan shifted the subject.

"Besides, Master, your strength is immense. You still have a long future ahead of you."

Qian Daoliu smiled in relief, stood up, and patted Ji Xuan on the shoulder.

"Good! Xiao Xuan, I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

Ji Xuan's gaze narrowed slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

The Angel God Trial was probably not so simple. After all, the Angel God had long since fallen.

As for his Master... if he could one day comprehend the Power of Order to its utmost limit...

Perhaps... he could prevent the tragedy from happening.

"Master, could you tell me about Sister Xue?"

Ji Xuan raised his head and looked at Qian Daoliu.

Though he knew the full story, he could not reveal it on his own initiative.

Qian Daoliu fell silent for a moment and sighed inwardly.

Standing with his hands behind his back, he slowly walked to the window behind him and looked outside.

"Xiao Xue..."

Qian Daoliu recounted Qian Renxue's past in detail, only glossing over the grudge between Bibi Dong and the Qian Family.

After all, what his son Qian Xunjí had done was far from honorable.

Once Qian Daoliu had finished, Ji Xuan spoke at the appropriate moment.

"Master, Sister Xue is a genius with level twenty Innate Soul Power. Wouldn't carrying out that Undercover mission delay her cultivation?"

Ji Xuan was speechless inside.

That madwoman Bibi Dong came up with such a plan just so she would not have to see Qian Renxue—sending the Young Master of Martial Soul Hall, a once-in-a-century genius, to infiltrate an enemy nation.

And Qian Renxue was far too stubborn as well. Just to prove herself before Bibi Dong, she actually agreed to such an absurd plan and squandered her golden years of cultivation.

With Qian Renxue's talent, if she had devoted herself to cultivation, she should at least have surpassed the Soul Emperor realm by now.

"I tried to persuade Xiao Xue back then as well, but that child was too stubborn..." Qian Daoliu said helplessly.

Ji Xuan pondered for a moment before continuing.

"Master, are Martial Soul Hall's future plans to unify the continent?"

Qian Daoliu turned around, surprise flashing through his eyes. He had not expected Ji Xuan to see through it at a glance.

"That's right. Bibi Dong intends for Xiao Xue to take Heaven Dou Empire without shedding blood, then join forces with Martial Soul Hall to annex Star Luo Empire."

He had never harbored ambitions of unifying the continent. All of this had been Bibi Dong's plan.

Thinking of what the Qian Family owed her, he had given Bibi Dong the position of Pope and granted her authority. So long as Bibi Dong did nothing that harmed Martial Soul Hall, he would not interfere too much.

Ji Xuan said, "According to what you just said, Master, Sister Xue has the best chance of inheriting the Angel God among all her predecessors."

"Have you never considered having her abandon the plan and focus on cultivation? Once she becomes a god, wouldn't sweeping through the two empires be as easy as turning over one's hand?"

Qian Daoliu sighed. "But that would cause massive casualties."

The Angel God had always cherished all living beings. Deeply influenced by this, Qian Daoliu had never wished to see a scene of devastation and death.

Ji Xuan sighed inwardly.

Master is still too kind. In this world where the strong prey on the weak, hesitation will only make one miss the right opportunity.

With absolute strength, wouldn't it be faster to sweep through the two great empires directly with thunderous force?

Why go through so much trouble to carry out an undercover plan?

As for devastation and death, war has always been like this. Why should those who seek great achievements be bound by trivial details?

If Qian Daoliu had been as ruthless as Tang San, willing to have Dugu Bo poison an entire city in order to secure victory...

With Martial Soul Hall's strength, the continent would likely have long since fallen under Martial Soul Hall's rule.