Xue Ke's Stance

Inside the Dao Demon Space.

"Xiao Ke, why are you late today?"

Qian Renxue had finished reviewing the memorials early that evening and had entered the Dao Demon Space first to cultivate for a while.

"I went to the Heaven Dou Auction House tonight, and I even ran into your teacher, Sister Xue!"

"Oh? You met Ning Fengzhi? Did he say anything to you?"

"What would I have to say to him? We just exchanged a few pleasantries." Xue Ke spread her hands helplessly.

"But tonight, Sword Douluo Chen Xin saw through my Soul Power Level at a glance. I'm afraid the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will pay even more attention to me from now on."

"Enough talking. Let's cultivate already. I've completely fallen in love with this feeling of my cultivation soaring." Qian Renxue looked impatient.

"Wait a moment, Sister Xue. There's something I want to ask you first." Xue Ke waved her hand.

Qian Renxue adopted an attentive expression.

"Sister Xue, when I went to the Heaven Dou Auction House tonight, I witnessed its criminal dealings firsthand. I never expected human trafficking to be carried out so openly right under the emperor's nose. Doesn't imperial law explicitly forbid the buying and selling of people? Does Xue Ye not care?" The more Xue Ke spoke, the angrier she became, her fists clenched tight.

"Sigh, Xiao Ke, there's a lot you don't know." Qian Renxue sighed helplessly. She had raised this matter with Xue Ye before, but there had still been no solution.

"As the saying goes, 'With full bellies and warm clothes comes lust.' The nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire wanted for neither food nor clothing and mostly lived extravagant, indulgent lives, rarely caring whether commoners lived or died. They spent their days in emptiness and misery, so naturally they needed something to fill that void. And because the nobles had such a demand, human trafficking arose in response."

"Although imperial law explicitly forbade human trafficking, the nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire wielded immense power. Some even controlled parts of the empire's army. For the sake of the empire's stability, Xue Ye naturally did not dare act rashly and could only turn a blind eye to human trafficking."

"At least the nobles in Heaven Dou City did not dare disregard Xue Ye too openly. They still put on a pretense, using contracts of self-sale to cover up their crimes. But the nobles of the various duchies outside Heaven Dou City were even more unscrupulous, openly abducting women from the streets. Local officials colluded with the nobles, while ordinary people had nowhere to turn for help. It was simply a living hell."

What Qian Renxue had described was something Xue Ke had never encountered in books before.

In her previous life, Xue Ke had been a young person of the new era with firm convictions. At that moment, her blood suddenly surged, and a powerful desire rose within her—a desire to thoroughly change this country, even to change this world.

"Sister Xue, I suddenly want to change this country!" Xue Ke declared solemnly.

"I'd like to hear what you have in mind." Qian Renxue's expression also turned serious.

"In the world today, the Heaven Dou Empire, the Star Luo Empire, and Spirit Hall stand in a three-way balance, while sects abound. Conflicts between nations and between sects never cease. Beneath the crushing oppression of the nobles and sects, common people live in constant misery."

"In these troubled times, destruction must come before renewal. Douluo Continent needs a new system and a new era. And the first step is to begin with unifying the realm. The great trend of the world is that what has long been united must divide, and what has long been divided must unite. And I believe that no one but Spirit Hall can accomplish this grand feat of unifying the realm!"

Qian Renxue's eyes lit up as she listened, an indescribable gleam flashing through them. "Why did you choose Spirit Hall? Why do you think Spirit Hall can unify the realm?"

"Because Spirit Hall has given the common people an opportunity—an opportunity to contend against the nobles and change their own fates. That opportunity is martial soul awakening."

This world of Douluo Continent differed from Blue Star. Here, individual strength could grow to terrifying heights. Once someone became powerful enough, they could even fight an entire nation alone. Awakening a martial soul was the first step on the path to becoming strong.

As long as commoners could awaken a martial soul and possessed Innate Soul Power, they could rise into the ranks of Spirit Masters. After registering with Spirit Hall, they could even receive a monthly subsidy. Once commoner Spirit Masters cultivated to a certain level, they gained the ability to protect themselves and could no longer be casually bullied by ordinary nobles. After all, Spirit Masters held a special status in this world.

"In my view, Spirit Hall is a union of the interests of nobles and commoners. To a certain extent, it represents the interests of the common people and can meet some of their demands. Spirit Hall branches are spread across the entire continent, helping commoners awaken their martial souls for free. It enjoys considerable prestige among the common people and thus possesses a broad popular foundation."

"He who wins the hearts of the people wins the realm. Besides, are kings and nobles born with superior blood? To unify the realm and return a bright, clear world to the people, none but Spirit Hall can do it!"

Qian Renxue remained silent for a long time, lowering her head without a word. Even Qian Renxue, the Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall, had never imagined that Spirit Hall could bear such a great and glorious mission.

Qian Renxue recalled why she had traveled so far to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire. One reason was to secure more benefits for Spirit Hall, and another was to prove her abilities to that woman. But neither was the most important reason.

As a descendant of the Angel Clan, restoring the glory of the angels and establishing faith in the Angel God across the entire continent was the mission Qian Renxue had been destined to bear from the day of her birth. It was also her goal in life.

But after hearing Xue Ke's impassioned words, Qian Renxue was deeply moved, and her thoughts began to change quietly.

"Xiao Ke, I promise you that one day, when I become the emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, I will devote myself to the nation, bring blessings to the people, establish an enduring legacy, and leave behind achievements carved in gold and stone. I will return a bright, clear world to the people. Are you willing to help me?" Qian Renxue looked at Xue Ke with grave seriousness.

"I am!" Xue Ke tightly grasped Qian Renxue's hands, her gaze resolute.

After returning from the Dao Demon Space to her dormitory at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Xue Ke felt refreshed and invigorated.

The reason Xue Ke had said so much to Qian Renxue was not only to show her determination to change the Heaven Dou Empire. More importantly, it was to make her stance clear to Qian Renxue.

What Xue Ke truly wanted to tell Qian Renxue was that, between Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire, she, Xue Ke, stood firmly on Spirit Hall's side.

But Xue Ke knew in her heart that she only supported Qian Renxue, not Spirit Hall as a whole. After all, Spirit Hall was not solely dominated by the Qian Family. Wasn't the current Pope, Bibi Dong, at odds with Qian Renxue?

Based on the memories of her previous life, Xue Ke faintly sensed that the conflict between Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong was not merely one between mother and daughter. Their discord also reflected, to a certain extent, the conflict between Bibi Dong and the Elder Hall.

Xue Ke guessed that Bibi Dong, an outsider by blood, had become Pope only with the tacit approval of Qian Renxue's grandfather, Qian Daoliu. But Qian Daoliu would never have been completely unguarded against Bibi Dong. He must have placed many obstacles in her way and restrained the expansion of her influence. The most obvious conflict between them was that the Papal Palace would appoint Hu Liena as Holy Maiden in the future, while the Elder Hall recognized only Qian Renxue as the Holy Maiden.

Therefore, Spirit Hall was also divided into different factions, and Xue Ke naturally stood firmly with Qian Renxue.

From today onward, there will be two updates every day.