A Fine Show: The Causes of Yesterday, the Consequences of Today

Qian Daoliu and the others felt their hearts sink at those words.

This supplementary Divine Oracle completely tore away its veneer of warmth, exposing its cold calculations without reservation.

Qian Daoliu's sacrifice was not merely meant to help Qian Renxue become a god. It was also meant to create a "complete Angel God" to serve as a pawn in testing the Pokemon World!

The God Realm needed to know whether the Pokemon World's bizarre rules and tactics would still work against a true First-Level God. And how would the supreme existence behind it react?

They wanted to use the lives of every Spirit Hall worshipper to make a child like Qian Renxue a god ahead of time, all in exchange for a chance to probe the enemy's true strength!

"Heh... hehe... So this is the God Realm?" Qian Daoliu slowly opened his eyes. A smile appeared on his face, incomparably bitter and desolate, yet carrying a trace of understanding and mockery.

Sure enough... divine grace was like a prison, and the price had long been destined. He just had not expected that price to be paid so hastily, so... "efficiently."

Through layers of buildings, he seemed to see his granddaughter above Heaven Dou City, struggling within the pillar of Divine Oracle light, her face filled with resistance and pain.

"Xiao Xue... you are the hope of the Angel Clan. My existence is meant to make you into a true Angel God. Even if it costs me my life, I will have no regrets.

You are Grandpa's pride. You always have been. I know you are kind at heart, but this is my fate as the Grand High Priest."

Qian Daoliu's gaze gradually hardened, yet it was also filled with the sorrow of parting.

As a grandfather, how could he possibly be willing to sacrifice himself and force his granddaughter into this? But as the Angel God's Grand High Priest, as the pillar holding up Spirit Hall, as... a bargaining chip meant to "test" the enemy in the Divine Oracle, it seemed he had no other choice.

No, perhaps... there was another possibility?

Watching the Sky Screen shifting overhead, such a thought suddenly surfaced in Qian Daoliu's mind.

Just then, Golden Crocodile Douluo stepped forward. "Big Brother... do we really have to do this? If it can make Spirit Hall great again, we are willing to sacrifice ourselves as well. We would die without regret."

"But... can we really win? Xiao Xue is still just a child. She has spent all these years in the Heaven Dou Empire and has barely experienced any battles. Can she truly stand against those Pokemon prodigies?"

"If Xiao Xue loses and is badly injured, she will be alone and without support in the outside world. Can you bear to see that happen?"

"Didn't the Angel God say that gods cannot easily descend to the lower realm? I refuse to sacrifice myself. I cannot stand by and watch Xiao Xue be left alone in Douluo Continent. I refuse to believe they can erase us so easily."

"Second Brother is right. This is going too far. They are leaving us no way out at all. Everyone has to die just for a test, and there is not even the slightest chance of victory. Aren't they treating us like cannon fodder? I would rather cripple my martial soul than do something like this!"

"We are the ones being asked to sacrifice ourselves for Xiao Xue now. Big Brother, how can you be sure that after Xiao Xue becomes a god, she will not be prepared as someone else's wedding dress?"

The other worshippers also voiced their agreement.

"You all..."

Qian Daoliu's heart was violently torn between loyalty, familial love, despair, and a faint, strange thought.

But after seeing Qian Renxue's pained expression, his eyes became resolute once more.

Qian Renxue looked down at the worshippers below, their faces grim, and tears finally spilled from her eyes. They were not entirely born from the excitement of becoming a god, but more from the helplessness and pain of being manipulated by fate and divine will, as well as the immense fear of losing her loved ones.

"Grandpa... I do not want to become a god like this... I do not want this... And all of you..." she murmured, her voice drowned beneath the sacred radiance.

Qian Daoliu took a deep breath. "Then let us be reckless just this once. As long as I am alive, I will not let my granddaughter suffer even the slightest bullying in this world!"

Meanwhile, the Angel God within the Angel God Temple was utterly baffled. She had only just infused Qian Renxue with power when the Heaven Dou Empire was obscured by an inexplicable force.

Once the blockade was lifted, she sensed that everyone harbored resentment toward her.

The Angel God then issued Qian Daoliu a Divine Oracle, ordering him to immediately sacrifice himself and help Qian Renxue inherit the divine position.

"Impossible. I refuse! Do not even think about using me again. My life is right here. Gods in the heavens, if you have what it takes, then kill me!"

The Angel God had never expected Qian Daoliu to refuse.

What was going on? Had he not understood his duties after becoming the Grand High Priest?

Besides, that was his own granddaughter. He could not even accept sacrificing himself for his own family?

What was more, she had bestowed divine power upon Qian Daoliu's other brothers. With them around, was he really afraid that his granddaughter would be bullied?

Especially Golden Crocodile Douluo. If she had not intervened, he would still be seriously wounded and not yet recovered.

"Angel God, you are a bitch! Even if I die, I will never help you!"

Golden Crocodile Douluo immediately cursed her in an authentic Old Beiyuan accent, leaving the Angel God utterly dumbfounded.

"Huh? What is going on? Can someone tell her what happened?"

"Why had her most loyal subordinates suddenly turned against her and stabbed her in the back? She had not done anything outrageously evil. A Grand High Priest sacrificing himself to create a god was hardly unprecedented. Wasn't it the same with the Sea God? Why had they suddenly turned hostile? Hadn't it been agreed upon long ago?"

"Qian Daoliu had not been this sort of person before."

Meanwhile, Lu Feng, merged with nature itself, watched the reactions of those below and revealed a smile of success.

"A Divine Oracle? A mere Angel God does not even use encrypted communication. It is nothing more than light and telepathy. As if I cannot do that too."

"With a little maneuvering from me, stirring up internal conflict is child's play. I only need to fan the flames a little more, and Spirit Hall will become the Spirit Hall of the Pokemon World."

This was Lu Feng's first time doing something like this, but seeing Qian Daoliu and the others' reactions, even he began to question his own methods.

"Are these people really that easy to fool? They did not even question it before falling out with the real Angel God. Now they have completely cut off their own retreat. Even if they do not want to join, they have no choice."

"What a fine show. But I still need to add more fuel to the fire. I can try some brand-new methods during the Arena Tournament and firmly pin the blame on the God Realm."

"Who told them to play around with this worshipper-sacrifice approach? This is the cause of yesterday, and the consequence of today..."

Seeing that the others would not yield, the Angel God turned her attention toward Qian Renxue and sent down another Divine Oracle.

"This is your only chance to become a god. Once you enter the God Realm, you will transcend the ordinary. If circumstances had not forced this, you would not be qualified to become a god at all."

"It is me... I am the one inheriting the divine position... Why must it cost them their lives?"

Qian Renxue grabbed at her wings and questioned the Divine Oracle. Sacred white feathers drifted down one after another, as though she were stripping away an honor she was unworthy of bearing.

"Grandpa is my only family. The worshippers are elders who watched me grow up, yet I have become their altar of sacrifice. If becoming a god means stepping over their sacrifices, I would rather remain a mortal for the rest of my life."

At this moment, the Angel God finally noticed that something was wrong.

When had she ever said the other worshippers needed to be sacrificed? Becoming a god only required the Grand High Priest's sacrifice.

Only Qian Daoliu was needed. The others were unnecessary.

But the Angel God had no time left. Without Qian Daoliu and the others' cooperation, she had no way to begin the Inheritance Ceremony.

She could only raise Qian Renxue to the Demigod state and send her into the Arena Tournament.