"Ah."
With a sigh, Qian Ningshuang looked at the charging Hu Liena, no longer intending to hold back.
"I don't know what you people in Pope Hall are thinking, leaving all those materials and theories at the Wuhun Research Institute unread."
With a casual sweep of Abyss Flower, Hu Liena's charging figure was sent flying sideways.
"You insist on believing that so-called Grandmaster, a fraud who stole others' work. I've read his theories too. Are all of you in Pope Hall blind?"
Standing where she was with Abyss Flower in hand, Qian Ningshuang looked coldly at Hu Liena as she clutched her stomach and struggled to rise.
"Forget anyone else. You're a spiritual-type Spirit Master. Why didn't you acquire a few offensive soul skills? What were you thinking, putting everything into Charm?"
She kicked the charging figure away once more.
"Yes, specializing in one area is good. Having all your soul skills related to Charm can make you an indispensable leader in team battles."
Yet that figure still struggled to rise.
"But have you considered that your life cannot possibly be nothing but competitions? Sooner or later, you'll have to fight alone!"
This time, without waiting for that figure to charge again, Qian Ningshuang rushed forward and smashed her to the ground with a strike from her spear.
"I believe you're not some brainless idiot. You should be able to understand all this."
She looked at the figure beneath her foot, still struggling and trying to stand again.
"Why? Why insist on believing theories copied out by that brain-dead fool, and even risk your own life to test them?"
Yes, at first, Qian Ningshuang had merely wanted Hu Liena to see the gap between them. But now, watching Hu Liena constantly try to rise and continue fighting, an inexplicable fury suddenly surged within her.
Why?! Your will is clearly so strong. You're clearly a perfectly good girl, so why did you have to become the love-struck idiot from the original story?! And why did you have to believe that brain-dead fool Yu Xiaogang's theories?! Did you attend Wuhun Academy for nothing?!
With Hu Liena beneath her foot, Qian Ningshuang turned to look at Bibi Dong in the stands.
And you, Bibi Dong. I know you bear deep hatred toward Spirit Hall. If you truly only seek revenge, I have no objection. But why do you have to keep acting like some love-struck idiot?! As if the whole world would vanish without love! And the person you love is even a worthless brain-dead idiot!
Love was only an embellishment to life. It should not become the goal and entirety of someone's life!
Today, I, Qian Ningshuang, am going to tear apart the so-called Prince Charming, the moonlight in your heart, Yu Xiaogang!
This time, Bibi Dong saw Qian Ningshuang clearly. After passing the sixth Rakshasa Trial, this was the first time she had seen Qian Ningshuang's figure with perfect clarity!
But the figure she saw clearly again had eyes full of fury, as though flames wanted to burn her to ashes!
Gone was the gaze from her childhood, like a young beast looking upon its mother.
Looking into Qian Ningshuang's eyes, Bibi Dong was no longer surprised that she could see her clearly. She should have been angry—angry at Qian Ningshuang's identity as a member of the Qian Family, angry that Qian Ningshuang had Hu Liena beneath her foot.
Yet she was not. There was no surprise and no anger. There was only fear in her heart.
She was not afraid of Qian Ningshuang's fury. The fury of a Soul Grandmaster could not possibly do anything to a Super Douluo like her, no matter how intense it was.
What terrified her was that Qian Ningshuang looked too much like Qian Renxue: the same golden hair, the same stunningly beautiful face, the same aura of an Angel descending upon the mortal world. What terrified her was the fury erupting from that golden-haired figure.
She was terrified that Qian Renxue might be looking at her with the same fury right now.
She was afraid. Deep down, she had always cast Qian Renxue into some unknown corner, avoiding everything related to Qian Renxue.
But now, looking at the furious Qian Ningshuang, she thought of Qian Renxue and understood.
Some things did not cease to exist simply because one avoided them. After all these years of neglect and avoidance, would Qian Renxue now also be filled with anger and hostility toward her, just like Qian Ningshuang?
"Why? Because my teacher believes in his theories, and I believe in my teacher."
After struggling for a long time, still unable to stand beneath Qian Ningshuang's foot, Hu Liena spoke.
"I studied at Wuhun Academy too. I didn't go to the Wuhun Research Institute, but I did visit the Library in Spirit City!
"Of course I know! I know those theories are nothing but a pile of garbage, copied a little from here and a little from there!
"But my teacher believes in them. My teacher told me to do it.
"Do you know what my teacher means to me? She is my mother! She is the person who saved my brother and me from the Abyss that was the orphanage!
"Yes, I understand. Spirit Hall is the only organization on the entire continent that has orphanages. Being able to grow up in one is already fortunate. I'm grateful to Spirit Hall too, and I have already sworn to dedicate everything to Spirit Hall!
"But the orphanage still meant the Abyss to me! Meals that never filled our stomachs, ragged clothes, beds where my brother and I could only huddle together for warmth in winter, adults who might beat us at any time, the contemptuous stares from children with parents on the street, and my brother being beaten black and blue by the other children whenever he protected me!
"But when my teacher took me out of the orphanage, all of that disappeared. Food I had never even seen before, warm and beautiful clothes, a comfortable large bed that belonged only to me, admiring gazes—it was as if I had arrived in another world, in the paradise described in books.
"Do you understand that feeling? Do you understand what it feels like to go from the Abyss to heaven?
"Of course I trust the teacher who pulled my brother and me from the Abyss into heaven! I trust her. I trust everything about her!
"Even if I knew there was a bottomless cliff ahead, I would jump if my teacher told me to!
"Oh, right, I forgot. You are Grand Worship's second granddaughter, the treasured Second Young Miss of Worship Hall, the Second Young Miss of all Spirit Hall.
"You don't understand any of this. How could you possibly understand!
"You only know arrogance, arrogance just like Tian Yao's!
"You arrogantly trample me beneath your foot, arrogantly criticize everything about me, arrogantly criticize my teacher. After all, no one dares do anything to you.
"Just like Tian Yao, standing arrogantly before me and telling me as though granting alms that my talent was passable and I was qualified to join you.
"But why?! Why do you get to say such things so arrogantly?! You never experienced everything I did, so what right do you have to judge everything about me?!"
Looking at Hu Liena, whose face was already streaked with tears, Qian Ningshuang froze. Then she removed her foot from Hu Liena's body. Yes, what gave her the right? Because she was a transmigrator? Because she knew the original story? Because she knew the fates and experiences of these characters from the original story? Because of the knowledge she had learned in her previous life?
But everything she had learned in her previous life had not told her that she could rashly judge others or open her mouth and criticize them at will.
Instead, it had taught her not to urge kindness upon others when she had not suffered their hardships.
She truly was arrogant. Was this the arrogance of a transmigrator?
"Ah."
With another sigh, Qian Ningshuang turned and prepared to leave the Sparring Platform. She truly should not have let her temper flare today. It seemed that she would need to think more carefully before acting in the future and rein in a transmigrator's arrogance.
"Announce the result, Second Grandpa."
Having lost all interest, Qian Ningshuang called toward the stands.
But Tian'e did not react and continued watching everything on the Sparring Platform.
Qian Ningshuang realized something. Turning around, she saw that figure rise once more!
She should have been seriously injured!
Her face was covered in bruises from the fall. After spitting blood onto the ground, Hu Liena wiped away her tears and the blood from the corner of her mouth.
"Second Young Miss, this match isn't over yet! Now begins the second round!"
Before you continue