The Angel God Temple stands at the highest point of Spirit City, shrouded in pale golden divine light year-round.
Qian Daoliu before the Angel God Statue, his white robes flowing down, his silver hair meticulously tied under his jade crown.
His aura was as still as a deep pool, and he naturally sensed the Rakshasa black energy surging in the Pope's Palace last night.
What concerned him even more was the pink figure that broke into Spirit City — Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit. It entered the Dragon Pool alone, not only surviving but also opening up a crack in Bibi Dong's heart.
The candles before the statue burned quietly, their flames flickering slightly.
Qian Daoliu raised his eyes and looked at the stone eyes of the statue that looked down on all living beings with compassion. In a daze, he suddenly remembered something from many years ago.
At that time, he was still very young and was recognized as the pride of heaven by the entire Spirit Hall and even the entire continent.
Innate Full Soul Power, a god-level Angel Martial Soul, entered the Soul Elder at ten, broke through to the Soul Saint at twenty, and stepped into the Titled Douluo realm at thirty.
Along the way, none of his peers could match him; all the accolades were bestowed upon him.
Everyone says he is the future number one person on the continent, the chosen successor of the Angel God.
He thought so too.
Until he met Tang Chen.
It was at the martial arts arena in Spirit City. The black-robed youth, carrying a black hammer, stood arrogantly below the stage, declaring that he would challenge the number one genius of the Spirit Hall.
That battle lasted a whole day, from sunrise to sunset. The clash between the Angel Holy Light and the golden light of the Clear Sky Hammer caused the heavens and earth to change color.
Finally, both of them collapsed on the stage, exhausted. Looking at each other's disheveled state, they laughed simultaneously.
They later became friends, but also rivals.
Together they traversed the icy plains of the Far North, ventured deep into the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest, drank the strongest liquor, and clashed the most ruthless.
Tang Chen's approach is unrestrained and domineering, relentless and unstoppable; yet, his methods are also disciplined, rigorous, and aboveboard.
The two have completely different personalities, yet they understand each other the best.
At that time, he thought that this was the confidant he had chosen, an unexpected twist of fate.
It wasn't until later that he learned that the Asura God and the Angel God had always been rivals and entanglements from past lives.
Even who he will meet and who he will become his lifelong enemy is already written in God's script.
As his thoughts drifted to Sea God Island, Qian Daoliu's fingertips twitched slightly.
The three exceptionally talented young people met on Sea God Island.
They met Bo Saixi, and their first encounter left them with a lifelong, unforgettable impression.
The woman in the navy blue dress stood on the rocks of Sea God Mountain. The sea breeze blew her long hair, and her eyes were like the deepest sea, calm yet containing immense power.
She was the high priestess of Sea God Island, one of those who, like them, stood atop the continent.
The days when the three of them exchanged ideas and discussed techniques were the most relaxed time of his life.
There's no need to concern oneself with the affairs of the Spirit Hall, no need to think about the mission of inheritance; one can simply watch the tides rise and fall with close friends and those one admires, and discuss the way of the Soul Master.
Later, Bo Saixi looked at Tang Chen and smiled, saying that whoever could ascend to godhood first would receive a chance from her.
Tang Chen immediately patted his chest and said that he would definitely find the divine relics to inherit the divine position and then return to see her in glory.
He stood to the side, smiled, and said nothing.
Only he himself knew that he was never qualified to participate in the competition from the very beginning.
As early as when he was twenty years old, the oracle of the Angel God had already been engraved into his soul. He was the Angel God's servant, a stepping stone paving the way for the next successor.
His ultimate mission was to sacrifice himself, ignite the flame of inheritance, and send his descendants to the throne.
He can't become a god.
His fate was sealed from the moment he was born.
So he lost that bet about godhood and about love from the very beginning.
He watched Tang Chen leave with high spirits, embarking on his path to godhood.
Looking at Bo Saixi standing on the reef, gazing in the direction Tang Chen had left, a tender expectation lingered in her eyes.
He said nothing, but silently returned to the Spirit Hall and took over his responsibilities.
This was the first time he clearly realized that, despite his seemingly glamorous life and powerful position, he had never actually had a choice in life.
After returning to the Spirit Hall, he became the Great Enshrined and Judgement Elder, gradually propelling the Spirit Hall to the pinnacle of the continent.
Over the years, he has killed many people.
There are sect leaders who refuse to submit, Evil Soul Master who commit numerous atrocities, and innocent people who stand in the way of the Spirit Hall's expansion.
His hands were stained with blood, and he bore countless infamy.
Some say he's ruthless, others say he's ambitious.
He never made excuses.
Every step he took was a path paved by Angel God.
What he needs to do is make the Spirit Hall strong enough and the Angel Inheritance stable enough so that when the next successor appears, he can smoothly take over the divine position.
He originally thought that the successor would be Qian Xunji.
That was his son, with the same Angel Martial Soul and exceptional talent. From a young age, he was groomed to be the next Pope.
He poured all his heart and soul into teaching his son, hoping that his son could take over the responsibility and complete the path he had not finished.
But Qian Xunji ultimately disappointed him.
Narrow-minded, stubborn, and talented but lacking the corresponding mindset and perspective.
He has been stuck at level 95 for many years, unable to make any further progress. He can't even get close to becoming a god, let alone a top-tier Titled Douluo.
Qian Daoliu was not without disappointment.
But what could he do? He couldn't even control his own destiny, so how could he force his son's path?
Then, the famous locked-room incident happened.
Qian Xunji rescued a girl from outside, named Bibi Dong.
Born with Twin Martial Souls, the Death Spider Emperor and the Death Spider Emperor, they are filled with darkness and ferocity.
The entire hall opposed it, saying that such an evil Soul Master should never remain in the Spirit Hall, let alone become a saintess.
Only Qian Daoliu overruled the objections and kept her.
No one knew that he had received a divine message from the Angel God.
The oracle said that this woman was the vessel chosen by the Rakshasa God, an inevitable tribulation on the path of Angel Inheritance, and a piece that had to be laid.
Keep her here, watch over her, let her follow the script, only then can the Angel Godhood be fulfilled.
Therefore, he accepted Bibi Dong as his disciple, made her a student of Qian Xunji, and even helped her ascend to the position of Pope.
He watched her transform from a bright-eyed girl into a cold and ruthless one, gradually consumed by the resentment of Rakshasa.
He watched her break up with Yu Xiaogang, watched her give birth to Qian Renxue, yet he remained indifferent to his daughter.
He saw it all, but did nothing.
What right does he have to advise her?
Isn't he himself a puppet on a string in the hands of another god?
Later, Qian Xunji died at the hands of Bibi Dong. Everyone thought Tang Hao was the one who killed him, but he knew it wasn't him.
When Qian Daoliu received the message, he stood in the Angel God Temple, facing the statue of the god, and sat there all night.
Did you experience the pain of losing a child? Of course you did.
But more than anything, it was a calm that was expected.
Just like the script has reached its intended plot, the chess pieces have been placed in their proper positions.
He didn't even have time to wallow in grief before immediately changing course: since his son wasn't up to the task, he would raise his granddaughter instead.
Qian Renxue became the new Angel Inheritance.
He personally taught and protected her, so she never had a childhood.
He knew that when his granddaughter took her final step, it would be time for him to offer himself as a sacrifice.
This was his destiny, the mission he was born to fulfill.
He's long since accepted it.
He has followed the script written by God step by step to where he is today, without deviation or surprise.
He thought his life would continue in this predictable way until the moment of sacrifice, when he would transform into the flame of inheritance and completely dissipate.
Until last night.
The abnormal fluctuations in the Rakshasa Divine Power, and the Soft Bone Rabbit that intruded into the chess game.
Qian Daoliu slowly pulled himself out of his thoughts and looked up at the statue.
The flickering candlelight cast his shadow on the tall stone wall, making him appear exceptionally lonely and thin.
He lived for over a hundred years, stood atop the continent for nearly a century, held the power of life and death, and was revered and looked up to by all.
In the end, he couldn't even control his own life.
The friends you want to make are your destined rivals; the people you want to love, you were never qualified to fight for in the first place.
The successor they wanted to groom was utterly hopeless; even the person they personally placed on the Pope was a pawn chosen by God long ago.
Throughout his life, he always walked in God's name.
The so-called Great Enshrined, the so-called strongest person in the world, is nothing more than a competent actor, simply playing his part according to the script.
But now, a piece that wasn't in the script has fallen onto the chessboard.
The Soft Bone Rabbit didn't hide as everyone expected, nor did it wait to be rescued.
Instead, he walked into a den of thieves, and with a single, casual remark, he managed to break down Bibi Dong's defenses that she had maintained for decades.
She was not part of any god's plan.
She is a variable.
Qian Daoliu lowered his eyes. He should have intervened, eliminated this variable, and put everything back on track.
This was his duty as the Great Enshrined, yet at this moment, he hesitated to move.
It's been over a hundred years.
He watched this game of chess unfold methodically for nearly a century, watching everyone live, struggle, and die according to God's will.
He suddenly became curious to see just how much this little rabbit, who had unexpectedly wandered in, could stir up this stagnant game of chess.
If someone could truly break free from fate...
Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, it seems worth waiting.
The morning light outside the temple shone through the high windows and fell on the Angel God Statue, gilding it with a soft golden edge.
Qian Daoliu stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the statue of the deity, remaining silent for Jiujiu.
A breeze slipped in through the cracks in the palace door, causing the candlelight to flicker and reflecting in his eyes a ripple that, for the first time, didn't belong to the script.
Deep within the temple, Qian Renxue, who was in seclusion for divine trials, seemed to sense something and slowly opened her eyes.