Gu Qiu'er

The next day, with the sun already high in the sky, at the Martial Practice Arena in Spirit City.

Besides the elders and High Priests standing around the Martial Practice Arena, there were only the family members and disciples they had brought. There were no outsiders.

This was arranged by the Worship Hall. It did not matter if outsiders, or even the entire continent, watched the battle over the Saintess position, but since it involved Qian Ningshuang, secrecy was essential.

It had needed to be kept secret before, and now that the Worship Hall knew Qian Ningshuang was preparing to go to Heaven Dou City, it had to be kept even more confidential.

Those allowed to watch, even if they belonged to the Pope's faction, would not dare blab everywhere. Anyone with such a loose tongue would receive a warning from the Worship Hall.

Amid the murmuring crowd, Tian'e arrived with four children.

They were Qian Ningshuang and Tian Yao, along with Gu Yuena and another little girl with a head full of golden hair.

"I say, Second Grandpa, is this really necessary? Didn't I already say I wasn't interested in being the Saintess?

"Besides, I'm already preparing to go to Heaven Dou to find Sister Xue'er. What use is the Saintess position to me?"

Qian Ningshuang looked thoroughly unwilling as she reiterated that she truly had no interest in the Saintess position.

Before anyone could say anything, Tian Yao spoke up as well.

"Grandpa, me too! I'm going to Heaven Dou City with Xiaoshuang. What's the point of taking the Saintess position?"

The previous night, Qian Ningshuang had taken Tian Yao to find Qian Chongling and told him that Tian Yao also wanted to go to Heaven Dou City. Qian Chongling had merely said, "Go. You can all go. As for the Martial Soul issue, I'll conceal it myself."

A former First-Class God, even if he was only condensing a physical body now and had yet to regain his cultivation, could easily conceal a Martial Soul.

"You two, shut up! This isn't just about who gets to be Saintess. It's about the Worship Hall's reputation! If I don't send you two up there, who am I supposed to send?"

Tian'e turned and shot his two granddaughters a fierce glare.

"Okay."

The two golden-haired girls lowered their heads in unison, both unwilling.

"Alright, it's just a fight. Don't tell me Shuang'er and Yao'er are afraid of losing?"

Gu Yuena said with a smile. She had merely come to watch the excitement.

"Mm-hm, Sister Na is right."

The other golden-haired little girl behind Qian Ningshuang and Tian Yao said this.

Her words were unclear because she was currently holding a loaf of bread in her mouth, while clutching a bag in her hands—one she had swiped from Qian Ningshuang's kitchen.

Her name was Gu Qiu'er, the imperial Auspicious Beast of the Star Dou Great Forest—the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.

The reason she was now in Spirit City was quite a long story.

When Qian Ningshuang first went to the Star Dou Forest, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had happened to be out hunting. When she returned to the Lake of Life, Gu Yuena was gone, and Di Tian was gone too.

Later, she learned from Bi Ji—the Emerald Swan Qian Ningshuang had met at the Lake of Life last time—that Gu Yuena and Di Tian had already left the Star Dou Forest for Spirit City in the human world.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion, who had always loved excitement, could not stand it. If everyone had stayed at the Lake of Life being shut-ins, that would have been one thing; after all, she could not make an exception of herself. But now people had gone out to have fun without taking her along!

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion immediately clamored about leaving the Star Dou Forest to find Di Tian and Gu Yuena. But within the Star Dou Forest, aside from Di Tian and Gu Yuena, which beast dared decide to let the imperial Auspicious Beast run outside? They could only coax her while stopping her from leaving.

Of course, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion also understood that without Di Tian and Gu Yuena's permission, she had better not wander out of the Star Dou Forest. If she truly wanted to run, those Beasts would not be able to stop her.

So what could they do? She could only make a fuss. Thus, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion caused minor disturbances every three days and major ones every five, throwing the entire Star Dou Forest into chaos.

Until some time ago, when Qian Ningshuang obtained her second Spirit Ring and returned to the Star Dou Forest with Gu Yuena.

The moment the Three-Eyed Golden Lion sensed Gu Yuena's aura, she rushed over and demanded to go to Spirit City with her.

Looking at the Three-Eyed Golden Lion rolling around and throwing a tantrum, then at the chaotic Star Dou Forest, Gu Yuena thought about it. Bringing along one more was not much of a problem.

After turning the Three-Eyed Golden Lion into human form and giving her the name Gu Qiu'er, Gu Yuena brought her to Spirit City with Qian Ningshuang.

And so, Qian Ningshuang was followed by Gu Yuena, who was in turn followed by Gu Qiu'er.

After Gu Qiu'er arrived in Spirit City, she completely transformed into a foodie. Qian Ningshuang's kitchen in particular suffered daily disasters.

"Lose? Don't make me laugh. The Pope Hall only has that slutty fox worth mentioning.

"If I really lose to that fox, I'll find a block of tofu and smash myself to death on the spot."

Tian Yao spoke with a disdainful expression.

"So today, Sister Yao, you don't need to make a move. I'll do it."

The group stopped beneath the Sparring Platform, and Qian Ningshuang suddenly said this while rubbing her chin.

"Why?"

"Because fighting you all every day is boring. It's not easy to get a new opponent, so let me have some fun."

Boredom was merely an excuse. Qian Ningshuang simply suddenly wanted to see how strong the leader of the Golden Generation from the original story truly was.

"Whatever. We're winning either way, so it doesn't matter who goes up."

Tian Yao casually snatched a loaf of bread from the bag Gu Qiu'er was holding and began chewing on it, looking utterly unconcerned.

"Ah! My bread!"

Gu Qiu'er let out a belated wail. Unfortunately, her hands were full; otherwise, she would have pounced on Tian Yao long ago with teeth and claws bared.

"What do you mean, your bread? Didn't you take it from Xiaoshuang's house too? So it belongs to Xiaoshuang, and Xiaoshuang's things are mine. I'm just eating my own bread."

Tian Yao looked at Gu Qiu'er as though she found her reaction strange.

"Oh, that seems right."

Seeing Gu Qiu'er seemingly get talked into it, Gu Yuena covered her face with one hand. How embarrassing. No, how embarrassing for a beast.

"Ah, that hurts, hurts! Xiaoshuang, what are you doing?"

"Having fun tricking Qiu'er, are you? And what do you mean mine is yours? Aren't you the one always mooching food and drinks off me?"

Qian Ningshuang pinched the soft flesh at Tian Yao's waist, venting Gu Qiu'er's anger for her.

She truly felt sorry for this foolish girl who had been secretly harmed by the Pure and Clean God King Tang in the original story.

More importantly, this silly foodie Gu Qiu'er, who spent every day acting adorably dumb, really struck her soft spot.

As for Tian Yao, she had been abandoned. Qian Ningshuang had always preferred the new to the old. She was just that straightforward and unpretentious a woman.

Watching the group fool around, Tian'e, who had already come up behind them, rubbed his forehead. The match was about to begin. Could they not be more serious?

"These young ladies are certainly lively."

Fourth Worship Qing Yu remarked from the stands.

"Fourth brother, who do you think will win?"

Jiangmo Douluo, the Seventh Worship, asked from the side.

"Seventh Brother, are you still half-asleep? Is that even a question? Tell me, how exactly are Yao'er and Shuang'er supposed to lose?"

"Of course Shuang'er or Yao'er will win. I was just making conversation. By the way, why hasn't the Pope arrived yet?"

Jiangmo obviously did not think Qian Ningshuang or Tian Yao would lose either, so he immediately changed the subject.

"Isn't she here now?"

Following the direction Qing Yu indicated, Bibi Dong could be seen slowly approaching the Martial Practice Arena with Hu Liena and Xie Yue.