Tang Chen said that, but he knew this sort of thing was impossible.
Even if he pulled one over on Qian Daoliu and lured his daughter to the Clear Sky Sect, he would still have to give her a sufficiently prestigious position.
Otherwise, given how much that old fellow Qian Daoliu cared about saving face, he would absolutely blow his top.
Meanwhile, Qian Daoliu arrived above the sea at breakneck speed.
He released his powerful spiritual sense and began searching for a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
Since Xunji's deficiency had been replenished with Radiant Orca whale rubber, he would find her a Hundred-Thousand-Year Radiant Orca.
He soon found his target.
With Qian Daoliu's strength, dealing with a hundred-thousand-year-old orca was easy, even out at sea.
Before long, he had beaten the Hundred-Thousand-Year Radiant Orca into submission.
Just as he was preparing to leave, he suddenly stiffened and looked into the distance.
At first, Qian Daoliu remained on high alert. But the moment he saw the newcomer's face, he was instantly captivated.
The newcomer was Bo Saixi, High Priest of Sea God Island.
One of the three Peerless Douluo of the age.
"You possess the power of a god?"
Bo Saixi looked at Qian Daoliu, her gaze growing solemn, with a hint of eagerness to test him.
She had come because she sensed a powerful expert arriving at sea, one whose strength was no less than her own.
"And so do you!"
Qian Daoliu temporarily left the hundred-thousand-year orca alone and faced Bo Saixi.
How could he pass up the chance to test his strength against someone else who stood at the pinnacle of the world—and who, like him, served a god?
The two then began fighting in perfect accord.
Out on the sea, Bo Saixi had the overwhelming advantage of home ground. On top of that, Qian Daoliu did not use the divine power of the Angel God, and throughout the battle he upheld the bearing of a true gentleman.
In the end, Qian Daoliu came up slightly short.
The battle left Qian Daoliu elated. Aside from Tang Chen, he had never met such a powerful opponent.
What was more, he had fallen for the woman before him.
It was a feeling he had not experienced in many years.
Bo Saixi did not fall for Qian Daoliu, but she did feel a certain fondness for him. He was refined and easygoing, a humble gentleman who knew when to advance and when to retreat. No woman could feel disgust toward someone like that.
She then took the initiative to invite Qian Daoliu to visit Sea God Island.
Qian Daoliu naturally accepted. After arriving on Sea God Island, he talked at length with Bo Saixi, exchanged cultivation insights with the Sacred Pillar Guardians, and guided them in their training.
Before he knew it, half a month had passed.
It had been the most carefree and joyful half-month Qian Daoliu had experienced in years.
But all feasts must come to an end. He remembered his duty clearly, and it was time to return.
"I understand how you feel. Some things are beyond our control. Each of us has a duty of our own."
Before he left, Bo Saixi did not drag things out. She directly and gently turned down Qian Daoliu's affection, which he had done a poor job of concealing.
"That's right. We each have our duties!"
Qian Daoliu said so aloud, but another thought had already taken root in his heart.
If his daughter could undertake the God Trial and take his place, he would be able to lay down his burdens and do what he wanted.
So he went back to the Hundred-Thousand-Year Radiant Orca, captured it alive, and brought it home.
Bo Saixi noticed what Qian Daoliu was doing, but this time she did not intervene.
As fellow guardians of gods, after spending this time together, she was sure the god behind Qian Daoliu was not an evil god.
A man so pure of heart must have had his reasons for doing this.
On his return to Spirit Hall, Qian Daoliu did not make a grand entrance like he had on the way there. Instead, he flew high above and returned in secret.
After all, he was transporting a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
"I wonder if Tang Chen is a match for Bo Saixi?"
As he traveled, Qian Daoliu pondered the question, his thoughts still lingering on Sea God Island, and on Bo Saixi.
The thought had barely surfaced before he stamped it out.
He had indeed wanted to invite Tang Chen to visit Sea God Island with him sometime, spar with Bo Saixi, and compare notes on their cultivation.
But for some reason, he had suddenly become selfish.
He did not want Tang Chen to meet Bo Saixi.
The thought in his heart was simple: this beauty was something he wanted for himself alone.
"My cultivation of the mind still leaves much to be desired!"
Qian Daoliu gave a self-mocking smile.
For his daughter, and to help her begin the God Ancestor's trial, he had changed his principles and personally gone out to sea to hunt a Soul Beast.
It was not for a Soul Ring, nor a Spirit Bone, but simply for whale rubber.
Now, for a love he might never attain, he had developed a small selfish streak.
Despite his self-mockery, Qian Daoliu still decided not to tell Tang Chen about Sea God Island or let him know Bo Saixi existed.
At that moment, Golden Crocodile Douluo was entertaining Chen Jianjun, the greatest swordsman of the age, at Spirit Hall.
Chen Jianjun had arrived at Spirit Hall openly and stated his purpose: to challenge Angel Douluo Qian Daoliu and seek a further breakthrough in the sword path.
Golden Crocodile had wanted to drive him out, but Chen Jianjun was unyielding and insisted on waiting for Qian Daoliu to return.
So Golden Crocodile Douluo simply attacked him.
He was nothing like Qian Daoliu, who had such a mild temper.
Chen Jianjun was undeniably powerful, with cultivation at the peak of level 97 and the Seven Kill Domain. Yet, against Golden Crocodile Douluo, he could not gain the upper hand.
Golden Crocodile Douluo might have been old, but at his level, he was in the prime of life.
His Golden Crocodile King Martial Soul was also the only super Martial Soul of its kind in this era.
And so Chen Jianjun got a brutal beating.
Even so, he still refused to leave.
He insisted on waiting for Qian Daoliu to return. Unless he personally witnessed the gap between himself and Angel Douluo, he would never be satisfied.
Golden Crocodile Douluo began to entertain an idea of his own.
Chen Jianjun was powerful, his son had already become a Titled Douluo, and the Seven Kill Sword was an exceptionally domineering Martial Soul. Wouldn't it be the best of both worlds to recruit someone like him into Spirit Hall as one of its elders?
So Golden Crocodile Douluo simply let him stay at Spirit Hall. He even claimed it was so Chen Jianjun could guide the children there in sword cultivation, and promised to arrange a match between him and the Grand Elder once he returned.
In Spirit Hall's Treasure Pavilion, Qian Xunji was picking out Spirit Bones for Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
This was her first time winning people over, and these were trusted subordinates at that. Qian Xunji felt she should not be stingy.
It would show her generosity as Pope and her belief that merit deserved reward, making those below her more loyal and willing to work themselves to the bone.
So she did not want to hand out subpar goods.
Instead, after consulting the foremost authority on Martial Soul research at Spirit Hall and thoroughly learning about Yue Guan and Gui Mei's Martial Souls, she came to choose their Spirit Bones.
Before you continue