The Usurpation Plan

The next day, Bibi Dong followed the plan she and Qian Xunji had discussed the day before and went to Pope Hall to present the Heaven Dou infiltration plan.

As Bibi Dong gave her report, Qian Renxue also hid nearby under Qian Xunji's arrangement, secretly watching her.

"If we send one person to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and wait until they become its representative, then have Spirit Hall openly draw closer to the Heaven Dou Empire and support that representative, the Heaven Dou Empire, which is currently divided, will naturally rally around them," Bibi Dong said.

"Heaven Dou and Star Luo have been at war for years, and Heaven Dou has always been the one under attack. Once Spirit Hall takes control of the Heaven Dou Empire, we can launch an attack on Star Luo in the name of self-defense, and Spirit Hall's Soul Masters can join the war with legitimate cause. In this way, the entire continent will eventually belong to Spirit Hall."

Qian Xunji hesitated. "But war would burden the people and drain their resources. How could Spirit Hall do such a thing?"

Bibi Dong fought back her revulsion. "Your Holiness, the Two Great Empires are rotten to the core, and they have been at war year after year. The people are suffering terribly. The unification of the continent under Spirit Hall is the inevitable trend!"

Burden the people and drain their resources? What a joke!

She was the Saintess. Did he think she didn't know?

If Spirit Hall hadn't kept interfering, Star Luo would have destroyed the Heaven Dou Empire long ago!

The continent would already have been unified!

It was just that Star Luo revered martial prowess and ruled through military force. If Star Luo had been allowed to dominate, those elders of Spirit Hall would probably all have run off to become High Priests in Star Luo, carving out fiefdoms and making themselves lords!

Among the elders in Elder Hall, apart from those High Priests who obeyed Qian Daoliu without question, which one didn't have their own agenda?

They had large families of their own to support. If they didn't have to join Spirit Hall or die, they would have gone to one of the Two Great Empires and become its power behind the throne long ago.

At least half of the elders in Elder Hall had joined Spirit Hall out of fear!

Decades ago, Qian Daoliu had nearly wiped out all the unaffiliated Titled Douluo on the continent. Aside from those with clear ties to a sect, almost every other Titled Douluo had been killed!

Back then, the elders who now served Spirit Hall had still been Soul Saints and Soul Douluo. Wouldn't they have panicked when they saw what happened?

After breaking through to become a Titled Douluo, one would, as a matter of course, go to Spirit City to attend the Coronation Ceremony, presided over personally by the Grand Priest. That was why Titled Douluo were addressed as "Your Holiness."

After the coronation, Spirit Hall would invite the Titled Douluo to join, as was customary.

So, would they join—or die?

Aside from Titled Douluo who belonged to a sect, which one hadn't been threatened by Spirit Hall?

"Let's forget it," Qian Xunji said, shaking his head.

"This is a matter of great importance. There are Titled Douluo in Heaven Dou City, and Xue Ye is a Soul Douluo. Ordinary disguises won't fool them. If this matter is exposed, it will have a bad impact."

"Your Holiness, please think carefully about saving all the people of the world." Bibi Dong lowered her head to keep herself from gagging and giving herself away.

All the people of the world?

Even the weakest Soul Master, one barely past level ten, was incomparably respected in the ordinary world.

It was no exaggeration to say that Soul Masters and ordinary people were two different kinds of beings.

For ten thousand years, Spirit Hall had only concerned itself with Soul Masters. How many nations had risen and how many dynasties had changed during that time? Had Spirit Hall ever cared?

Even the Two Great Empires of today had been established long ago by Soul Masters who hadn't joined Spirit Hall.

A Soul Master wasn't necessarily a noble, but a noble was always a Soul Master!

The nobles were simply so absorbed in the comfortable life of ruling over ordinary people that they could enjoy fine food and clothing without cultivating at all.

Just as Nan Feng had said, Soul Masters did no productive work. What did they eat? What did they wear?

The Two Great Empires exploited ordinary people and thereby amassed great wealth.

And Spirit Hall?

It robbed the Two Great Empires, of course!

The wealth came from the people. Whether the continent was ruled by nobles or by Spirit Hall, nothing would change. One band of bandits had merely driven off another, more powerful band.

The oxen and horses would still be oxen and horses.

All that talk about the people of the world sounded better than a song.

The very nature of Spirit Hall meant it could never act for the sake of all the people of the world. It was an organization of Soul Masters, and it would only represent the interests of the Soul Master Class.

No person or organization could escape the limitations of its class, because that was its lifeblood...

Damn!

Bibi Dong shook her head.

What spellbinding knowledge!

Where had Nan Feng learned all this?

"Dad, can I see that plan?"

Bibi Dong had left. Qian Xunji hadn't agreed outright; he'd only said he would think about it. As for Bibi Dong, she had acted extremely enthusiastic about the matter, just as Qian Xunji had asked her to.

Now, just as Qian Xunji had expected, Qian Renxue had grown interested in the matter her mother cared about.

"Xiao Xue, this is dangerous. Don't get involved." Qian Xunji casually slid the Usurpation Plan beneath the memorials on his desk.

"Oh..." Qian Renxue silently memorized where he'd put the plan.

If she completed the plan, her mother would be very happy, wouldn't she?

A few days later, Qian Renxue took the opportunity to get her hands on the plan, read it, and then quietly went to Saintess Hall to find Bibi Dong.

"Do as I say in a moment, understand?" Nan Feng said.

Bibi Dong looked reluctant, but still nodded.

Qian Xunji had told her that after Qian Renxue brought it up, she was to mock her, put her down, and look down on her. If necessary, she was to release her Killing Intent and put pressure on Qian Renxue.

That way, given Qian Renxue's personality, she would definitely insist that Qian Xunji let her carry out the plan.

One would play the good cop, the other the bad.

She would take all the blame, ensuring Qian Xunji's image as a loving father wasn't affected in the slightest.

But Nan Feng wanted her to act in a "tsundere" manner.

She had to follow Qian Xunji's instructions and show distrust and disdain toward Qian Renxue, while also subtly conveying that she hoped for the child's success and worried about her.

That would satisfy Qian Xunji without completely ruining the way Qian Renxue saw her...

"Mom?"

After hesitating outside the door for a long time, Qian Renxue finally gathered her courage and gently pushed open Bibi Dong's door, poking her head inside.

Bibi Dong opened her eyes and glanced at Qian Renxue coldly. "What do you want now?"

"Get out!"

Qian Renxue seemed used to Bibi Dong acting this way. She didn't take it to heart and took out the plan she'd managed to get her hands on.

"Mom, do you want to carry out this plan?" Qian Renxue asked.

Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes slightly. "What are you getting at?"

"If..." Qian Renxue took a deep breath.

"If I carry out this plan, would you... would you be happy?"

Bibi Dong sneered. "You? You..."

Nan Feng, who was crouched beside her, pulled a long cat face and tapped Bibi Dong.

Damn it!

Don't just focus on insulting her and making her hate you!

You have to give a little, too!

"..."

Bibi Dong took a deep breath. "Do you know what things are like in Heaven Dou City?"

"Do you know how vicious the scheming within the Imperial Family can be?"

"You? You think you're capable of doing this?"

Qian Renxue froze.

Was this concern? Was her mother worried she might be in danger?

"I can do it!" Qian Renxue said earnestly.

"You can do jack shit!" Bibi Dong gave Qian Renxue a cold look.

"Stay by your grandfather's side and stop going out and making a fool of yourself."

"I can do it!" Qian Renxue grew even more determined.

"You can?" Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes as Killing Intent slowly spilled out.

Feeling that terrifying Killing Intent, Qian Renxue's body went completely rigid.

The Killing Intent vanished in an instant. Bibi Dong had somehow come to stand right in front of Qian Renxue. She bent down. "You can't even handle this little Killing Intent. What exactly do you think you can do?"

"I..." Qian Renxue bit her lip, unable to argue.

She really was afraid!

It was terrifying!

"This is no child's play. If it fails, it will deal a considerable blow to Spirit Hall's reputation, and that's not even taking your identity into account..." Bibi Dong sneered and turned her back to Qian Renxue.

"With your abilities, you wouldn't even make it as an infiltrator. You probably couldn't survive outside Spirit City."

"Enough. Go back to your grandfather. Stop going out and making a fool of yourself."

"I..." Qian Renxue's eyes reddened.

"Cry, cry, cry. All you ever do is cry!" Bibi Dong said impatiently.

"What else can you do besides cry?"

"I won't cry!" Qian Renxue tilted her head up and forced her tears back.

"Get out!" Bibi Dong waved her hand, sending Qian Renxue flying outside, then shut the door.

Qian Renxue had fallen to the ground. Gritting her teeth, she got up and wiped away her tears. "I'll prove myself!"

"Get lost!"