Story and Complaints (This chapter might be a bit toxic)

"Well, big sister, what story do you want to hear?"

Qian Ningshuang tilted her head back, looking up at Qian Renxue, who was toying with her hair.

"I want to hear the one about Sun Wukong that you didn't finish last time!"

As soon as Tian Yao heard that Qian Ningshuang was about to tell a story, she immediately cast aside the matter of Hu Liena. She had always loved listening to the tales from Qian Ningshuang's mouth.

"Let's switch it up. Cut your sister Xue some slack—I've already heard that one. Xiaoshuang, didn't you say in your letter that you'd tell me a story about unification when I got back? Let's go with that."

Qian Renxue looked apologetically at Tian Yao.

It wasn't that she was being heartless, snatching the right to choose a story from a little girl. Rather, the tales Qian Ningshuang told weren't just childish fun; some of the lessons within them even inspired her own thinking.

Now that she had so little time to stay by Qian Ningshuang's side, she naturally seized every chance to hear one.

Especially one about unification—how could she not be thrilled? How many years had Martial Soul Hall been striving for unification?

"A new story works too. Hurry up and start."

Tian Yao shrugged indifferently. As long as it was Qian Ningshuang telling it, she'd listen.

"Then let's go with this one. Let me think... It's a story about unification, about three kingdoms fighting each other for dominance."

"In a distant land, there was a nation with a long history and vast territory. But its current state wasn't too good..."

Qian Ningshuang slipped out of Qian Renxue's embrace and slowly began recounting the Three Kingdoms history from her past life in the Zhonghua Family.

She had long wanted to tell the Romance of the Three Kingdoms to Qian Renxue and even the people of Martial Soul Hall. The reason she wanted to share this story with these Douluo natives was simple.

In the original work, whether it was the Shrek faction or the Martial Soul Hall faction, all the major characters seemed to think about nothing but boosting their own strength, falling in love, or nursing grudges.

Ah, I love her so much, I'd die for her. Boohoo, if we weren't enemies, I'd find a way to stay by your side.

Meow meow meow? When Qian Ningshuang, as a little Rabbit from the Zhonghua Family, first read this book in her past life, she didn't find anything wrong. But after graduating from university and revisiting it, she was left with nothing but question marks.

A group of people standing at the pinnacle of power in the world, and that's all that's in their heads? What about political ideals? What about social development?

Don't brush it off with "it's a feudal society"—even the ancients knew to pursue a world of great harmony. People whose minds are only filled with love and hatred—what's the difference between them and monkeys that only mate?

Well, that's a bit insulting to monkeys. When a monkey becomes king, it knows to think about its troop. At the very least, monkeys still fight for power and profit.

Of course, demanding ideals from an online novel is nitpicking. Online novels—you just need to have fun, and that's it.

But the problem was that Qian Ningshuang had transmigrated.

Since she was now living in this world, she naturally couldn't stand having people around her who were nothing but pig teammates with only love and hatred in their heads.

Such pig teammates wouldn't just hold her back—they'd be an eyesore too!

So, ever since she could jump and run, Qian Ningshuang had been tirelessly working to put a bit more substance into the minds of the people around her in Martial Soul Hall.

At the very least, stop obsessing over those petty romantic entanglements. Let's broaden our horizons, think bigger!

Her nominal big sister, Qian Renxue, was the top priority for reform!

If her mind had been even slightly normal in the original story, there wouldn't have been so much trouble from that source of all evil, Tang San!

And in Qian Ningshuang's view, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms was perfect for educating Qian Renxue.

In it, scoundrels, hypocrites, madmen, and idealists took turns on stage, covering everything from political struggles and the art of war to historical lessons!

As for whether telling such a story would make others suspicious of how a little girl knew so much, and thus question her origins—

She, Qian Ningshuang, didn't care. She had never hidden the fact that she knew a lot.

Time slipped by as Qian Ningshuang narrated.

By evening, outside the Star Dou Forest, a small town appeared before the group.

"After Cao Cao eliminated Yuan Shao and unified the north, he led his army south, intending to unify the entire nation."

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms couldn't possibly be finished in a single day.

Qian Ningshuang had started telling it in the morning, and by now, she had only just reached the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs.

"Alright, Shuang'er, stop for now. We're almost at Star Dou Town."

Tian'e called out, halting Qian Ningshuang's narration.

At the same time, he silently marveled. This story called the Romance of the Three Kingdoms was truly gripping—as if such a nation and such a group of people really existed, fighting and killing for their own interests and pursuits.

This story also somewhat mirrored the current continent's situation. Several factions clashed and schemed openly and covertly. But the people in those factions weren't as calculating as the characters in the tale—after all, in Douluo, as long as your fist was big enough, any scheme was just a cloud.

Still, on second thought, their Martial Soul Hall didn't truly have the power to dominate everything. At least, Tian'e thought so. Historically, Martial Soul Hall had tried several times to unify, only to fail inexplicably. That could only be chalked up to insufficient strength.

So, some of the strategies in the story weren't unusable. Once they returned, he'd try using the Worship Hall's power.

"Grandpa Tian, are we there? Didn't the book say it would take about two days?"

Qian Ningshuang pulled open the carriage door and asked curiously. Tian'e didn't answer, but Walter beside him pointed at the horses pulling the carriage.

Looking at the two horses with scales on their heads, Qian Ningshuang suddenly understood.

She had been carried into the carriage by Qian Renxue that morning and hadn't noticed the horses. The book's two days referred to normal horse speed, but these two, clearly Spirit Beasts, were a different matter.

"Let's enter Star Dou Town and rest for the night. Tomorrow morning, we'll take Shuang'er into the Star Dou Forest to obtain her Spirit Ring."

As he spoke, the group had already entered the town.

"Greetings, Lord!"

Outside a small building that was relatively grand compared to the other structures in the town, two guards stationed at the door immediately knelt on one knee after recognizing the token in Walter's hand, reverent words spilling from their lips.

"Find a place to park the carriage."

Walter and Tian'e didn't spare the two guards a glance. After casually issuing the order, they led the three juniors directly into the building.

Once inside, Qian Ningshuang curiously surveyed the interior of this Martial Soul Hall outpost established outside the Star Dou Forest.

How to put it? As the first warning point for humanity against the Spirit Beasts charging out of the Star Dou Forest, this town also served as a supply station for Spirit Masters of all ranks entering the forest.

By all logic, Martial Soul Hall's outpost in this town should have been a military fortress. But what Qian Ningshuang saw was nothing more than an ordinary hall.

Several Martial Soul Hall staff members who had been chatting together in the hall immediately scattered and eyed the group warily when they noticed unfamiliar faces entering.

One middle-aged man with a sturdy build stepped forward, cautiously sizing up Tian'e and Walter before cupping his hands in greeting.

"Elders, do you have business here? Why enter our Martial Soul Hall without being announced by the guards?"

It seemed this outpost wasn't a military fortress, but the stationed Spirit Masters were quite sharp! Qian Ningshuang's eyes lit up.

The staff's positioning allowed them to strike immediately if Tian'e and the others made any suspicious moves, without getting in each other's way.

Seeing this, Tian'e remained expressionless as ever, while Walter simply pulled out the token he had shown the guards outside and flashed it again.

"We greet the Lord! We were only doing our duty just now; please forgive any offense."

Upon seeing the token, the staff knelt on one knee, just like the guards outside.

"No matter. Understandable. Go fetch the person in charge here."

Hearing Walter's order, the middle-aged Spirit Master who had stepped forward immediately rose and headed for the second floor.

Before long, an elderly man with a slender build descended from the second floor. Judging by his attire, he was a Platinum Bishop at the Spirit Douluo level. After recognizing Tian'e and Walter's faces, he too wore a respectful expression.

"Subordinate greets Lord Golden Crocodile, Lord Death God."

Clearly, this Platinum Bishop had met Tian'e and Walter before.

"No need for formalities, Pullman. First, arrange some food and lodging for us."

Tian'e glanced at this Platinum Bishop, who belonged to the High Priest faction, and gave a calm order.

"Yes, please follow me."

Pullman respectfully acknowledged and began leading the way up to the second floor.

"Are the two Lords here to hunt for Spirit Rings? Is there anything this subordinate can assist with?"

Once on the second floor, Pullman cast a curious glance at the three girls behind the two Title Douluo. With this lineup, it could only be for acquiring Spirit Rings for the younger generation.

He just wondered how high these three's statuses were, to warrant the help of an Elder and a High Priest.

"This time, we may indeed need your help, Pullman. This old man and Walter haven't been to the Star Dou Forest in a long time. The positions of various Spirit Beast clans there must have shifted."

"An honor. If there's anything this subordinate can do, just command it."

Hearing that his help was genuinely needed, a flicker of delight crossed Pullman's face. This was a command from a High Priest! In the past, he had no way to even seek out tasks for the High Priests!

"First, get us some food. We'll rest for the night, and tomorrow morning, you'll come into the Star Dou Forest with us."

"Yes, this subordinate takes his leave."