A Love Triangle at Dusk / Xue Ke's Betrayal

Spirit Hall Empire, Spirit City.

The midday sun was scorching and blinding, but it couldn't compare to the curiosity and inquiry in the eyes of the crowd lining the streets. A heavy prison wagon, escorted by strict guards, creaked and groaned as it slowly made its way toward the city's prison.

The cages held captives from Sea God Island overseas.

Their attire, so different from that of the mainland Soul Master, and the lingering scent of the sea breeze on them, drew whispers from the onlookers.

"To be captured at this time... are they remnants of the previous dynasty? Or have they offended the empire?"

"Judging from their attire, are they Sea Soul Master?"

"I heard that the disobedient nobles and Soul Master in the Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire have been mostly purged. These people from overseas, they must have done something heinous..."

Amidst the murmurs, the most eye-catching figure was the woman in the lead prison van. Even with her slightly disheveled hair and her magnificent crimson dress stained with dust, her breathtaking beauty and dignified bearing remained undeniable.

She was none other than Bo Saixi, the High Priestess of Sea God Island. Even in this predicament, she calmly gazed ahead, as if the surrounding clamor and her own situation were irrelevant to her. That composure, born from unparalleled strength and the passage of time, was not diminished in the slightest by the shackles, as if she were still the high and mighty High Priestess.

At the edge of the bustling crowd, a tall figure draped in a black cloak stood motionless like a statue. The shadow of the hood obscured his face, but his gaze pierced through the crowd, fixed firmly on Bo Saixi, his expression complex and unfathomable. He watched silently for a long time, until the prison cart was about to disappear around the street corner, before finally turning away resolutely and disappearing into the crowd, as if he had never been there.

Some things are simply not the same as before...

Just as he turned to leave, Bo Saixi, seemingly sensing something, suddenly turned back. Her gaze swept over the throng of people and precisely caught that familiar figure blending into the background, about to disappear.

It was him... Qian Daoliu.

Bo Saixi understood. She knew that this man had, and perhaps still did, harbor those feelings for her.

She also knew that if she set aside her dignity and begged him at this moment, he might be able to save her and the people of Sea God Island by virtue of his status as Qian Xunji's father.

However, her pride wouldn't allow her to bow down to anyone, especially to someone to whom she couldn't reciprocate her feelings.

At a deeper level, her obsession and love for Tang Chen, who had long since died, prevented her from doing anything that could be seen as "betrayal."

She silently turned her head, straightened her spine again, completely extinguishing that faint possibility, clasped her hands together, and prayed to the Sea God with a humble and devout expression.

At this moment, she believed, and could only believe, that the Lord Sea God would not abandon his people.

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High on a pavilion overlooking the bustling scene of the entire Spirit City, Qian Xunji, along with his daughter Qian Renxue, were "spying" with great interest at the scene below where the old man and his first love were reuniting after many years.

Unfortunately, she likes Tang Chen.

"... So, Xiao Xue, you must never follow your grandfather's example!" Qian Xunji briefly recounted the old love triangle between Qian Daoliu, Bo Saixi, and Tang Chen to Qian Renxue in a slightly teasing tone, his words full of "learn from this experience."

Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue's "good granddaughter" instincts kicked in immediately, her purple eyes filled with resentment. In her heart, besides her father Qian Xunji, her grandfather Qian Daoliu was the second most powerful and handsome person in the world.

Why did that Bo Saixi look down on my grandfather and instead choose that Clear Sky Sect guy named Tang Chen?

"Does she have bad taste?" Qian Renxue pouted. "Grandpa is so good! Our Spirit Hall is much stronger than the Clear Sky Sect! In every way, our Qian Clan's heritage and appearance are superior to the Tang family's!"

"Who knows?" Qian Xunji shrugged, appearing detached, her wise golden eyes filled with indifference. "These elderly people's twilight romances are always so strange, I just don't understand them."

When Qian Daoliu, Tang Chen, and Bo Saixi met, Qian Daoliu's son, Qian Xunji, was already an adult, and Tang Chen's grandson Tang Hao, had already been born.

Fortunately, both of their original wives had already passed away by then.

Otherwise, this drama would have to be further complicated by the melodramatic plot of Bo Saixi becoming a mistress, which would make it truly unbearable.

In fact, as an adult son, he secretly felt a little relieved that Bo Saixi wasn't with his father. Otherwise, having a "stepmother" of similar age out of nowhere would have been awkward.

After witnessing their grandfather's "gossip session," Qian Xunji and Qian Renxue tacitly composed themselves, pretending nothing had happened, and quietly returned to the Pope Palace.

However, Qian Renxue's acting skills were ultimately slightly inferior; her eyes always wandered unconsciously, and her mind was clearly still Entanglement with the matter of Bo Saixi and Qian Daoliu.

She eventually softened a little; after all, he was someone her grandfather had cared about for so many years.

"Dad," she began, seemingly casually, as if asking just a question, "What do you plan to do with those people on Sea God Island?"

"Kill them all." Qian Xunji didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone as calm as if he were commenting on the nice weather, precisely seeing through his daughter's little scheme.

"Ah!?" Qian Renxue was startled by the merciless answer and looked up sharply, instantly meeting her father's golden eyes, which seemed to see through everything, cold and deep.

"You're still so easy to read," Qian Xunji said calmly. "You should inherit the Angel Godhood sooner rather than later." Only absolute power can allow her to better conceal herself and avoid being manipulated or deceived.

Otherwise, he worried that one day Qian Renxue would be sold out and the seller would be counting the money for her.

"But I always unconsciously relax in front of Dad, and I don't act like this in front of strangers." Qian Renxue retorted softly, with a hint of coquetry, before steer the conversation back on track, "And... do they really all have to be executed?"

Qian Renxue didn't really want Bo Saixi to die, because her grandfather loved her, and if she died, he would probably be sad and heartbroken...

That's what family is like; they always extend their love to everything connected to the family, even though Qian Renxue doesn't actually like or even dislikes Bo Saixi.

Just like when she was a child, Qian Xunji gently stroked her golden hair, his movements still tender, but his words carried an undeniable tone. "No."

"You've grown up." Qian Xunji looked at her, his tone turning serious. "Do you know why your grandfather would rather watch the prison cart drive away alone than come to me to ask for help?"

He didn't need Qian Renxue's reply, and continued, "Some things aren't impossible, they're simply not meant to be done!"

The Spirit Hall and Sea God Island have never been allies. During the initial expedition, countless Spirit Hall Soul Master died overseas, and even some Titled Douluo were buried far from home. How could this enmity be erased because of personal feelings?

Qian Daoliu is Great Enshrined of the Spirit Hall, so there's no way he could bring himself to say that.

Qian Renxue remained silent. It wasn't that she truly didn't understand; it's just that she still wanted to act like she did when she was a child, pleading and making demands...

Maybe Dad will soften his heart?

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As dusk fell, the Pope Palace in Spirit City remained brightly lit.

Qian Xunji buried himself in his documents; he still had important matters to attend to today, including reviewing the latest developments regarding the remnants of the two great empires.

The seemingly insignificant move of letting Xiao Qiao and Pei Qinhu go back then has proven surprisingly effective.

The remaining forces of the Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire regarded these two as the only ray of light in the darkness. Especially after learning that they had passed the divine trial, they devoted all their remaining resources to nurturing them—the best Soul Bone and carefully selected top-level Soul Ring, hoping that they could grow up quickly and become the sharp sword for restoring their kingdoms.

However, the "hope" they poured their hearts and souls into cultivating was precisely the two nails that Qian Xunji had buried deepest.

This is why, no matter how well these remnants hide or how meticulously they plan their operations, their core intelligence always manages to quietly leak to the Spirit Hall, causing them to fail time and again and suffer heavy losses.

Even Qian Xunji, when reviewing the report, couldn't help but feel a touch of "admiration" for Emperor Dai Yutian of Star Luo Emperor's ruthless decisiveness.

This emperor was so heartless as to abandon his own son, ordering his loyal subordinates to prioritize the evacuation of Pei Qinhu, a member of the imperial clan with greater talent and considered a future Super Douluo. He even went so far as to use his other two sons as bait to draw the main firepower of the Spirit Hall, creating an opportunity for Pei Qinhu to escape.

He was by no means a good father, but he was certainly a ruthless emperor who was willing to sacrifice even blood ties for the continuation of the empire.

The two empires, having ruled for a thousand years, possessed indeed profound foundations. According to the intelligence relayed back by Pei Qinhu and Xiao Qiao, Qian Xunji had already commanded his troops to precisely dismantle ten deeply hidden large-scale armories, seize three enormous treasure troves intended for the restoration of their kingdoms, and annihilate several hidden private armies composed of Soul Grandmaster Soul Master level and above, totaling several thousand men... These were the very assets that the two empires had been using to attempt a comeback, and now they were being eroded and stripped away bit by bit.

But the repeated, precise raids and the unerring intelligence leaks finally made these frightened remnants no longer able to comfort themselves with "coincidence."

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At the same time, in a dark and damp underground base.

The dim Soul Guidance Lamp flickered weakly, illuminating several tired, disheveled, and anxious faces.

The second and third princes of the Heaven Dou Empire, Prince Xue Xing, and others slumped on simple stone benches. Their luxurious clothes were already tattered and stained with mud and blackened blood.

This disheveled appearance, which they would have found utterly unbearable in the past, has now become the norm on their escape route.

"Another failure!" The Third Prince slammed his fist against the stone wall with a dull thud. His eyes were bloodshot. "Every time! Every single time our plans are laid bare before the Spirit Hall Empire! How could this be possible without a traitor?!"

"We must drag that rat hiding in the shadows out!" The Second Prince's voice was hoarse, his eyes sweeping coldly over everyone present. "Otherwise, forget about restoring the kingdom; we won't even be able to save our lives sooner or later!"

"Investigate? How can we investigate?" an old minister said dejectedly. "We're the only few of the core personnel who know the whole plan. Are we supposed to suspect each other and kill one another?"

"Could it be that the plan was leaked at the execution stage after it was formulated?" someone suggested another possibility.

"Impossible! Many of the details of the operations are known only to a few of us. The people below are only responsible for carrying out orders and have no idea what the specific operations are!"

The sounds of debate echoed in the cramped space, filled with suspicion, fear, and a sense of powerlessness.

The foundation of trust is crumbling, and everyone is scrutinizing their allies with a critical eye. A suffocating sense of oppression permeates the air.

A nearly identical scene was unfolding in a secret stronghold of the Star Luo Empire.

The surviving nobles and generals, too, blamed and doubted each other due to a series of inexplicable defeats.

They could never have imagined that the "future" they had placed their hopes on and nurtured with all their resources—the core of their restoration cause— Pei Qinhu and Xiao Qiao, would become the double-edged sword that would destroy all their hopes.

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Xiao Qiao shut out the endless arguments and scheming outside the door, immersing herself completely in cultivation. She knew very well that in this chaotic world where strength reigned supreme, only personal power was her only reliance.

This so-called "restoration organization" is so complex that it's a real headache. It's a microcosm of the Heaven Dou Empire —the kings and princes of various duchies, the old noble dukes all have their own agendas, and the second and third princes of Xue Ye are even fighting openly and secretly for the vague and uncertain throne... The whole organization is like a tangled mess, all talk and no action, but inside it's a disorganized mess.

After cultivating for an unknown amount of time, feeling slightly tired, Xiao Qiao pushed open the door, wanting some fresh air. However, as soon as she stepped out the door, she ran into Xue Ke, who was walking towards her with her head down.

The two girls' eyes met briefly in mid-air.

Women in chaotic times often have no control over their own lives.

The old duke whom Xue Ke was forced to marry was old enough to be her grandfather, and his strength was only at the level of Soul Douluo.

However, this hasty and simple political marriage did not bring her much "stability" for long. The old duke was unlucky and died in the Battle of Jialing Pass not long after. Xue Ke, who was newly married, became a widow in the blink of an eye.

Tragically, despite losing her husband, her status as a princess and the legitimate bloodline of the Heaven Dou Royal Family she represented still made her highly valuable for marriage alliances.

Thus, she was like a precious object, kept by her second brother's side, moving between various factions, becoming one of his bargaining chips for winning over allies and consolidating power.

Once the jewel of the empire, now only numbness and a deep-seated sorrow remain in its eyes.

The two did not speak, but merely nodded slightly before passing each other.

Chapter 276 Xue Ke's Betrayal

The atmosphere in the makeshift meeting hall was oppressive and anxious. The nobles, who had once been dressed in fine clothes and behaved with elegance, now mostly looked tired, and their gorgeous clothes were even covered with dust that they hadn't had time to clean off.

The series of defeats and escapes not only depleted their army but also nearly emptied the foundation that their family had hidden for many years.

Having lost the aura of wealth and military power, anxiety and fear robbed them of their former composure. They argued heatedly, their faces red and their voices shrill, over the few remaining resources and the pitiful command over the surviving army.

"We've been discovered again! We must find that mole!"

"How could we find it? If we could find it, we would have found it already."

"Then what do you suggest? Surrender to the Spirit Hall Empire?"

"Surrender? You think surrendering will save your life?!"

Just as the chaotic argument was about to escalate into an internal conflict, the simple wooden door creaked open.

A figure stood against the light at the doorway.