Puppet

"I still lost."

Sunlight shone down on the Sparring Platform, more than half of which had already been destroyed by Qian Ningshuang's single strike. Hu Liena lay among the rubble, gazing at the sky.

She turned her head to look at Xie Yue, her unconscious brother beside her, who had dispelled the Martial Soul Fusion Skill at the last moment and shielded her.

And Yan, who lay unconscious not far away as well.

She turned back again and looked at the golden-haired figure floating in the air above her.

She's so powerful. Incredibly powerful. I didn't even have time to use my Spirit Bone skill.

Is this the Second Miss of the Qian Family? The cherished jewel of the Worship Hall?

If the Second Young Miss is already this powerful, then just how powerful must the Young Lady be?

No wonder she doesn't care about the title of Saintess. Does someone this powerful need the name Saintess to adorn herself?

Qian Ningshuang, floating a meter above the ground, was also looking at Hu Liena.

"Are you admitting defeat? If you're not convinced, we can continue."

Her voice reached Hu Liena's ears.

She really is a Second Young Miss who never spares anyone with her words.

She clearly wants what's best for me, yet she has to say it in such a condescending, overbearing manner.

I'm not stupid. I can still hear the disappointment in her words.

"I admit defeat." Hu Liena, still lying on the ground, finally called out the words she should have said long ago.

Qian Ningshuang, who had been about to continue her verbal assault, choked on her words. Damn it, I thought you thickheaded brat were planning to keep being thickheaded.

Seeming to notice Qian Ningshuang's confusion, Hu Liena, still lying down, spoke again.

"I'm not someone who can't tell right from wrong. Second Young Miss, you held back at the end, didn't you? Otherwise, there would be three mutilated corpses lying here."

Qian Ningshuang rolled her eyes.

Obviously. If I really killed the three of you, Spirit Hall could start preparing to draw blades against itself. I believe that crazy woman Bibi Dong would be capable of it.

"Besides, Second Young Miss, you healed us again.

"I, Hu Liena, admit defeat wholeheartedly."

At the same time, Hu Liena's gaze toward Qian Ningshuang grew gentler and gentler.

Qian Ningshuang floated back several steps in fright. Why did that look feel so creepy?

Could it really be like those big shots in my past life's chat group said? Are all the women of Douluo Continent masochists? Beat them up once and they become completely obedient?

Shaking her head and throwing those strange thoughts out of her mind, Qian Ningshuang landed on the ground, walked over to Hu Liena, and extended a hand.

Now that Hu Liena had shown her goodwill, it would be a little inappropriate to keep acting like some great villain.

"You can stand, right?

"Don't tell me you could still stand after injuries like that just now, but can't stand now."

The brilliant sunlight overhead shone on Qian Ningshuang's blue-and-white knight battle dress and upon her dazzling golden hair.

Hu Liena's heart suddenly lurched.

She had to admit that, for one brief moment, she was moved.

A fierce gale howled, rain poured down, and Hu Liena fled desperately from the pursuit of countless black-clad figures. Then sunlight suddenly broke through, and a golden-haired knight slowly emerged from the light, smiling as she extended a hand toward her.

This was a scene Hu Liena had once imagined, the scene where she met the love of her life.

How similar were the fantasy in her mind and the scene before her now.

She's a woman. She's a woman!

Suppressing the flutter in her heart, Hu Liena took Qian Ningshuang's hand and rose to her feet, her usual foxlike smile returning to her face.

She had only been moved for an instant. Setting aside the fact that this knight's gender was rather wrong, she was also lying on the ground because of this very knight.

Qian Ningshuang had no idea what Hu Liena was thinking. She merely watched Hu Liena stand again. Seeing that she had regained her usual composure, she turned and walked down from the Sparring Platform, while a sentence entered Hu Liena's ears.

"Since you're fine, prepare to be a proper Saintess.

"And as for what it feels like to rise from the Abyss into heaven, I don't really understand.

"But I've seen a group of people struggle and crawl out of hell, while still wanting to pull up the others who had fallen into it.

"I don't know whether they succeeded in the end, but one thing is certain: a group of people did stand upon the earth again because of them. They did not long for heaven, nor did they fear hell or the Abyss. They only wanted more people to be able to stand on their own.

"I want to become such a person, and I'm already walking that path. I hope you become such a person too."

Hu Liena stared blankly at Qian Ningshuang's back. Did such people really exist? Why had she never heard of them?

Still, regardless of whether such people existed or not, becoming someone like that seemed rather good.

"Qian Ningshuang wins!"

Tian'e in the stands finally announced the outcome of the battle, an outcome that should have been obvious long ago.

"At the same time, this old man wishes to announce something else. Hu Liena shall become the Saintess of our Spirit Hall!

"A Saintess jointly recognized by the Pope Hall and the Worship Hall!"

Since they had already decided to grant it to her, they might as well make a gesture of goodwill.

"Congratulations, Your Highness the Saintess!"

"Greetings, Your Highness the Saintess!"

Congratulations and salutations rose one after another from the arena, flooding toward Hu Liena on the Sparring Platform.

At the same time, most people's gazes were directed toward Qian Ningshuang, who had already begun fooling around with Tian Yao and Gu Yuena.

Hu Liena had certainly shocked them today, but Qian Ningshuang was even more astonishing. At such an age, with such talent and such combat strength, could Spirit Hall fulfill its long-cherished wish in this era?

Yes. Of course it could! Excitement already stirred within them, their cooled blood boiling once more. Their gazes toward Qian Ningshuang grew increasingly fervent!

Hu Liena smiled and waved to everyone in the arena. She was happy, not because she had obtained the position of Saintess that she had waited three years for, nor because she had fulfilled Bibi Dong's expectations.

It was because she had suddenly found her goal and understood what she ought to do.

She looked at Qian Ningshuang, who had already left the Martial Practice Arena with Tian Yao and the others, looking at her departing back.

Qian Ningshuang, Second Miss of the Qian Family, Knight of Glory.

I hope that one day, I can truly stand before you and walk alongside you, instead of exhausting every means only to be unable to even touch the hem of your clothes.

Silently making that vow in her heart, Hu Liena raised her head and looked at the figure who had arrived on the Sparring Platform, that dignified and noble figure.

It was Hu Liena's teacher, the Pope of Spirit Hall—Bibi Dong.

Without any other movement, Bibi Dong pulled Hu Liena into an embrace.

"Nana, you did very well. Better than I imagined."

"Teacher, but I lost."

"It's all right. After all, you finally obtained the position of Saintess, didn't you?"

Looking at the tear stains still lingering at the corners of Bibi Dong's eyes, Hu Liena said nothing more and simply fell silent.

She remained silent until Bibi Dong seemed to realize that something was wrong with Hu Liena's state.

"Nana, what is it? Are your injuries from the match not healed yet?"

"No, the Second Young Miss healed me completely. I feel very well now. It's just that, Teacher, I want to tell you something."

As though she had made some decision, Hu Liena looked at Bibi Dong again, her eyes filled with resolve.

"I hope that our Pope Hall faction can let go of its old grudges with the Worship Hall in the future and properly examine the theories and materials within the Wuhun Research Institute.

"I also hope that among my future soul skills, I can obtain two active offensive skills instead of using all my soul skills to strengthen Charm.

"Strengthening only Charm or skills related to Charm can indeed make me an indispensable core of the team in team battles.

"But, Teacher, my life cannot be only about matches from now on, and I cannot always have a team by my side.

"There will eventually be times when I walk alone.

"At the same time, I hope my teammates can also consider themselves more when obtaining soul skills, instead of acquiring every soul skill solely around victory in team competitions.

"Teams are important. No one can do without companions. But in the end, one's own strength is true strength. You can't rely on a team and companions for your entire life. People like that are less companions than parasites!"

After Hu Liena finished speaking, Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes and looked in the direction Qian Ningshuang had left.

Have Qian Ningshuang's words really influenced Nana this much?

Qian Ningshuang had once again become a hazy light in her eyes.

"Teacher?"

Hu Liena asked cautiously. She had thought Bibi Dong would fly into a rage the moment she said those words, and she had already prepared herself to endure her anger.

But no matter how angry Bibi Dong became today, she would insist on this. It was not only for her own good, but for her companions' good as well.

More importantly, how could someone who stood on her own walk a wrong path because of emotional factors?

Hu Liena wanted to become the kind of person Qian Ningshuang had described. The first step was to stand before Bibi Dong, rather than remain someone who simply did whatever Bibi Dong said.

She still regarded Bibi Dong as her mother and her benefactor, but she had her own path to walk. A fledgling beneath an eagle's wings would eventually have to fly on its own.

"Mhm. Nana, do whatever you want."

Bibi Dong did not oppose the advice Hu Liena had given her. She was not blind. Though she had been unable to clearly see Qian Ningshuang's movements during today's match, she could clearly see Hu Liena's condition afterward.

Spirit Masters raised entirely for team battles were obviously powerless when faced with certain situations.

And Spirit Masters were ultimately a profession judged by individual strength, not so-called team strength.

It seems Xiao Gang isn't perfect after all. There are still flaws in his theories.

Bibi Dong sighed inwardly. Yet just as that thought surfaced, a certain force within her suddenly stirred.

No, how can I think that! Xiao Gang is perfect, and all his theories are flawless! It's only that the common people of this world cannot understand them! Xiao Gang is a genius misunderstood by the world!

As the thoughts in her mind shifted once more, the evil hidden within Bibi Dong became even deeper, and her Rakshasa Divine Power seemed to grow more compatible with her.

At the same time, Qian Chongling in the Douluo Hall atop the distant mountain peak and Gu Yuena beside Qian Ningshuang both turned their gazes toward Bibi Dong's direction.

What a pitiful person.

This was Gu Yuena's inward sigh.

It seems the God Realm's methods of manipulating Puppets have improved once again.

This was the thought that surfaced in Qian Chongling's mind as he wore a cold smile.