Foolish! Short-Sighted!

At the sound of that voice, Yue Guan and Ghost Charm instantly fell silent. Without the slightest hesitation, they dropped to one knee, their postures respectful to the extreme.

Ghost Charm lowered his head deeply and clasped his hands. "Great Enshriner, please forgive me! This subordinate, Ghost Charm, humbly begs you to save His Excellency the Saint Child!"

"Saint Child?" Qian Daoliu's voice carried obvious confusion.

Since when had Spirit Hall appointed a Saint Child?

He slowly opened his eyes. Divine light shimmered within his golden pupils. "Come in and speak."

"Yes!" As though granted amnesty, Ghost Charm hurriedly rose and strode into the Sacred and Vast Main Hall.

Yue Guan also suppressed the terror in his heart and followed close behind.

Inside the hall, the two men once again dropped to one knee beneath Qian Daoliu's calm yet seemingly all-seeing gaze.

"Rise." Qian Daoliu's voice revealed neither pleasure nor anger as his gaze settled on Ghost Charm. "Speak. What is this 'Saint Child' about?"

Ghost Charm did not dare rise. Maintaining his respectful posture, he recounted everything concerning Bibi Dong and Zhao Linchuan exactly as it had happened.

He particularly described Zhao Linchuan's world-shocking, utterly unprecedented Soul Ring configuration, as well as his terrifying feat of instantly killing a Soul Douluo and two Soul Saints.

At last, he struggled to explain how Qian Xunji had known full well that Zhao Linchuan bore a grudge against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, yet deliberately refused to provide him with proof of identity and forcibly ordered him to go to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to "negotiate" that nearly humiliating agreement.

He also explained how Zhao Linchuan had ultimately succeeded in signing the agreement, only to vanish without a trace afterward.

Qian Daoliu's originally calm expression gradually darkened. He frowned as an invisible pressure spread through the hall.

"You mean that Ji'er, for the sake of the Saintess, personally pushed such a peerless genius—one who could be called unprecedented throughout all ages—onto a path of certain death?"

His voice was icy, devoid of any discernible emotion, yet it seemed to freeze the air in the hall.

Ghost Charm lowered his head even further, his body trembling slightly.

The secret entanglement between the Pope and the Saintess was not something a mere Titled Douluo like him could comment on recklessly.

He could only remain silent.

Qian Daoliu narrowed his eyes slightly, and a flicker of anger flashed in the depths of his golden pupils.

No one knew a son better than his father. How could he not know the filthy thoughts in Qian Xunji's heart?

For the sake of a woman, he had schemed so meticulously and had even intended to snuff out a genius who might one day surpass the limits?

Foolish! Short-sighted!

"Do you have any exact information about him?" Qian Daoliu's voice returned to calmness, but it carried even greater weight.

Ghost Charm hurriedly answered, "In reply to the Great Enshriner, although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect bears a grudge against the Saint Child, since he was able to sign that agreement successfully and leave unharmed, he should have been safe at the time."

"Only..." He hesitated.

"Speak freely," Qian Daoliu said blandly.

Ghost Charm took a deep breath and voiced the greatest concern in his heart. "Great Enshriner, because of the matter between the Saintess and His Holiness the Pope... the Saint Child must be harboring deep resentment."

"Having left this time, I fear that... he will not readily return to Spirit Hall anytime soon."

"And when he returns, given his temperament and strength, I fear... I fear he will stir up a bloody storm against His Holiness the Pope." His words were already exceedingly blunt, implying that when Zhao Linchuan returned, he would likely stand in complete opposition to Qian Xunji, perhaps even to Spirit Hall's entire upper echelon.

"That bastard!" Qian Daoliu suddenly clenched his fist. A low sonic boom rang through the air as a sharp aura flashed past.

He rose abruptly, his golden robes stirring despite the lack of wind. "Follow me!"

Before his words had even faded, Qian Daoliu transformed into a dazzling Golden Flowing Light and shot out of the divine hall toward the Pope's Palace.

Ghost Charm and Yue Guan exchanged a glance. Daring not delay in the slightest, they immediately used their movement techniques and transformed into two phantom figures in pursuit.

Within the Pope's Palace, Qian Xunji sat upright upon the throne that symbolized supreme authority, listening to a subordinate's report.

"He... really signed that agreement?" Qian Xunji's voice carried a trace of barely perceptible astonishment and gloom.

At that moment, Qian Daoliu appeared in the center of the hall Without Warning, as though he had been standing there all along.

His golden eyes, brimming with endless pressure, coldly locked onto his son on the throne.

"Ji'er," Qian Daoliu said in an even, unruffled voice, though it made Qian Xunji's heart quake violently, "since when did my Spirit Hall gain a 'Saint Child'?"

"Why was I not informed of such a major matter?"

"F-Father!" Qian Xunji was horrified. He had clearly sealed off every scrap of information regarding Zhao Linchuan. How had his father learned of it?

He hurriedly rose from the throne.

At that moment, Ghost Charm and Yue Guan also appeared at the entrance to the hall.

Qian Xunji's gaze swept over the two of them, and he instantly understood the reason. A sinister, vicious glint flashed through his eyes.

"Father, please hear my explanation!" Qian Xunji hurried down the steps and approached Qian Daoliu, lowering his posture to the utmost.

However, before he could speak, Qian Daoliu swept out an arm, and a fierce gust from his palm suddenly lashed out!

Slap!

A crisp, resounding slap echoed through the hall!

Caught completely off guard, Qian Xunji staggered from the blow. Half his face instantly swelled high, bearing clear finger marks.

He clutched his face, his eyes filled with shock, fury, humiliation, and disbelief. Yet he did not dare react in the slightest. He could only lower his head and force out, "Your son... knows his mistake."

"Oh?" A cold, almost mocking smile appeared on Qian Daoliu's face. "Then tell me. Why did I strike you? What was your mistake?"

"Yes, Father!" Qian Xunji gritted his teeth, casting a venomous glance at Ghost Charm and Yue Guan by the entrance before turning to Qian Daoliu. He tried to make his voice sound respectful. "Father, Dong'er is Spirit Hall's Saintess and the future heir to the Pope's position!"

"Her status is noble, and she concerns Spirit Hall's succession."

"If she were to unite with someone like Zhao Linchuan, a man of unknown origins but heaven-defying talent, their descendants would surely possess extraordinary talent and would very likely become the Pope after the next!"

"Then... the rightful lineage of our Angel Lineage..." He paused, his tone becoming increasingly shrill. "And that Zhao Linchuan is ambitious and covets the highest position!"

"He once arrogantly declared that he wanted to become Spirit Hall's Pope!"

"This child is deeply calculating, and his talent is so terrifying. If he were to unite with Dong'er as well, then given enough time, Spirit Hall's foundation of tens of thousands of years might change hands and fall completely into the grasp of outsiders!"

"Father, everything I did was for the sake of protecting the bloodline inheritance of our Angel Clan and ensuring Spirit Hall's prosperity for generations to come!"

Qian Daoliu listened expressionlessly, his golden eyes as deep as an abyss.

He knew how much selfishness was mixed into Qian Xunji's defense, but he had to admit that the concerns regarding the inheritance of power did indeed touch upon Spirit Hall's core interests.

The union of two peerless geniuses, without sufficient checks and balances, truly posed a potential danger to the Spirit Hall led by the Angel Family.

He remained silent, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. The air in the hall was so oppressive that it was suffocating.