After hearing Qian Daoliu lay bare his feelings, the High Priests no longer felt as conflicted as they had moments ago.
Qian Daoliu's choice could not be called wrong. It was simply that they were not inheritors of the Angel Martial Soul and could not understand his hopes for inheriting the divine position.
But neither could the High Priests be called wrong. In their hearts, Spirit Hall's strength was what mattered most.
"Xiao Liuer has already explained why he did what he did back then. Little Crocodile, do you have anything else to ask?"
Qian Chongling looked toward Tian'e. As the Blood Pope who had led Spirit Hall to prosperity, he had seen plenty of such disagreements. Everyone had their own reasons and motivations.
No one was right or wrong. In this world, there were only suitable choices, never choices that were one hundred percent correct. Once a choice was made, a price had to be paid in certain respects.
"No. I can understand Big Brother's choice."
With a sigh, Tian'e no longer pressed Qian Daoliu on the matter.
As he had said, Qian Daoliu's choice had not been wrong. Tian'e simply placed emphasis on different things.
"Since no one has any objections, then let this matter pass.
"In the future, it is best to explain your reasons clearly to one another before doing anything. We are all High Priests, all the foundation upon which Spirit Hall stands on this continent.
"It is normal to have differing views, opinions, and arguments. As long as our goals are the same, none of that is a problem."
Qian Chongling swept his gaze over everyone present. Just as he had said, it was normal for an organization to have disagreements and differing opinions. Only with disagreements and different opinions could an organization continue to develop and grow, so long as they were not opposing one another merely for the sake of opposition or dragging each other down.
"Yes, Ancestor."
All the High Priests, including Qian Daoliu, nodded in acknowledgment.
They understood Qian Chongling's meaning. They could voice their grievances and complaints, but after venting, they were still brothers striving for Spirit Hall's strength.
Qian Chongling did not even need to say that. The High Priests themselves knew that they were still brothers after an argument.
They were not black-and-white fools incapable of hearing a single differing opinion. The High Priests were all seventy or eighty years old; they understood that perfectly well.
"Then, Little Crocodile, continue. What happened afterward?"
"After Big Brother lost to Tang Chen, the Clear Sky Sect became even more unscrupulous. In the past, no matter how arrogant the Clear Sky Sect was, they would at least think twice when facing Spirit Hall.
"From then on, the Clear Sky Sect stopped taking Spirit Hall seriously altogether, repeatedly clashing with us in bloody conflicts.
"But there was little we could do about the Clear Sky Sect, because they had Tang Chen, the 'invincible under heaven.' We could only keep the conflicts limited in scale and prevent an all-out war.
"At the same time, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, which had once maintained a fairly good relationship with Spirit Hall, gradually reduced its dealings with us and began sitting on the fence, watching the continent's situation.
"As for the Earth Dragon Sect, originally one of the Upper Three Sects, it had always resented the Clear Sky Sect for taking the name of the Upper Three Sects. Later, as the Clear Sky Sect's oppression intensified, it ultimately chose to join Spirit Hall.
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, one of the Upper Three Sects that Spirit Hall had single-handedly supported, constantly made little moves. After recruiting Sword and Bone, they drove out the two Titles stationed in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect by Spirit Hall, who had served both as protection and surveillance.
"Afterward, Ning Fengzhi, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's leader, even had the nerve to proclaim, 'The Upper Three Sects share the same branches and breath.'"
At this point, Tian'e paused. Clearly, Seven Treasures' fence-sitting behavior had thoroughly enraged him, while Fourth Worship Qing Yu beside him could not help but sneer.
"Tsk. What a fickle little man. Does he really think the title of the continent's greatest sage was praise for Ning Fengzhi? Spirit Hall originally spread that title to mock him, yet he actually had the nerve to accept it."
After collecting himself, Tian'e continued his account to Qian Chongling.
"This chaotic situation continued until nine years ago.
"Nine years ago, Spirit Hall suddenly received an anonymous letter. It said that Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Sect's next sect leader, was traveling the continent and had met a woman during his travels, whom he had married. That woman was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
"Of course, we did not believe such a baseless letter at the time. We assumed it was an enemy of the Clear Sky Sect trying to provoke a war between Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect.
"But over the following period, Tang Hao and his wife repeatedly appeared before Spirit Hall, even carrying out actions that openly provoked us.
"That puzzled us. Although the Clear Sky Sect was full of lunatics who were not exactly bright, surely even they would not have their sect leader's heir provoke Spirit Hall. After all, if war truly broke out between the two sides, the Clear Sky Sect might not gain anything from it.
"And he was even bringing along a wife who was only a Spirit Saint to provoke us. If anything happened to her, what would you do, Tang Hao?
"That forced us to recall that baseless letter, and we began sending Titles to investigate Tang Hao's wife.
"At first, nothing seemed unusual. The Titles who returned told us Tang Hao's wife was human, merely a Spirit Saint with a somewhat strange Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.
"So we let the matter go. But afterward, at a blacksmithing competition held unexpectedly in Gengjin City, the Spirit Douluo who had gone there to observe returned and told us that Tang Hao's wife carried the aura of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
"This time, when we sent Titles to investigate again, we discovered that Tang Hao's wife was pregnant. We also confirmed that she truly was a soul beast.
"By that point, even a fool would have realized that the anonymous letter had been written by the Clear Sky Sect, perhaps even by Tang Hao himself.
"Perhaps Tang Hao still had some shame, or perhaps he had some other purpose and could not bring himself to act directly against his wife, so he thought of Spirit Hall.
"But Spirit Hall ignored him, so he began appearing before us repeatedly and even provoking Spirit Hall into attacking him.
"At the time, we could do no more than despise Tang Hao for such conduct. But we still had to take what was there to be taken. After all, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was something one could only encounter by chance.
"Later, we began contacting the Clear Sky Sect in secret and reached a deal. Spirit Hall would make the move, Tang Hao would take the Spirit Ring, and Spirit Hall would take the Spirit Bone.
"On the day of the transaction, Ji'er led his people out of Spirit City.
"But two days later, Ji'er returned severely wounded with his men, and he also brought Shuang'er back in his arms.
"According to what Ji'er told us at the time, just as they were making their move, that soul beast suddenly began a sacrifice, sacrificing herself to Tang Hao.
"After the sacrifice was complete, just as Ji'er and the others stepped forward to collect the Spirit Bone, Tang Hao suddenly ambushed them and fled with the Spirit Bone.
"Not long after returning gravely wounded, Ji'er died. I need not explain the cause of his death any further. We could not announce it directly, so we could only shift the blame onto the Clear Sky Sect."
Tian'e paused again and looked over everyone present. Indeed, the High Priests all knew why Qian Xunji had died, but it was Spirit Hall's family scandal.
Family scandals could not be aired in public. Yet many people had seen Qian Xunji return severely injured, and the Pope's death could not be concealed from the world. The Clear Sky Sect could only take the blame.
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