The Sand That Cannot Be Held, Better to Scatter It

Martial Soul City.

Qian Daoliu sensed the familiar, immense aura of the Six-Winged Angel within the Pope Hall and let out a sigh of relief; Qian Xunji was unharmed.

"Remain hidden within Martial Soul Hall for the time being. I will summon you when the timing is right," Qian Daoliu said, his gaze fixed upon the Death Spider Emperor, who had assumed a human form.

Given the strength of the Death Spider Emperor, if it chose to remain concealed, no one in the entire Martial Soul Hall—save for himself—would be able to detect it unless they were in extremely close proximity; even Golden Crocodile Douluo would likely be none the wiser.

Just as in the original history, when Qian Renxue executed the infiltration plan for the Heaven Dou Empire, the Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo—who were at the bottom of the Title Douluo hierarchy with cultivation levels of only 91 or 92—remained perfectly hidden, undetected by either Sword Douluo or the secretly observing Tang Hao.

The Death Spider Emperor nodded, suppressed its aura, and began to observe Martial Soul Hall from the shadows.

Martial Soul Hall, Pope Hall.

Qian Daoliu had been away for nearly ten days, a week of which was spent tracking the Death Spider Emperor. The Death Spider Emperor had spent three days recovering from the injuries he had inflicted, and another two days traveling to the Life Lake to slaughter the Sky Azure Bull Python and capture Ah Rou before returning to Martial Soul Hall.

In those ten days, Golden Crocodile Douluo had already led the elders of the Elder Hall to pressure the Clear Sky Sect and return to Martial Soul Hall, not to mention the matter of Bibi Dong's attempted assassination of Qian Xunji.

In the Pope Hall's conference room, Qian Xunji, whose injuries had mostly healed, was once again processing the mountain of paperwork for Martial Soul Hall. With no secretary or assistant to help him, he was nothing more than a high-ranking wage slave.

As Qian Daoliu entered the conference room, he spoke: "Little Jier."

"Father, you have returned."

Qian Xunji noticed a woman lying beside Qian Daoliu. She was severely injured yet possessed a beauty that in no way paled in comparison to Tang Hao's wife, the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor. His expression turned puzzled; why had his father brought a woman back from his trip? Judging by the woman's soul power, she was such a minor character that she shouldn't have been worth Qian Daoliu's personal intervention.

For a transformed soul beast that had reached the quasi-Title Douluo level, it was impossible to discern its true form unless a soul master's spiritual power reached the divine level.

Qian Daoliu stated, "This soul beast is a 100,000-year transformed soul beast. Keep her well-caged."

"Father, your luck is truly incredible. A 100,000-year transformed soul beast—I never expected two to appear in a single era."

"Elder Ghost."

After Qian Xunji ordered Ghost Douluo to take Ah Rou away and imprison her, he recounted how Golden Crocodile Douluo had led the elders to pressure the Clear Sky Sect, noting that he had left Ghost Leopard Douluo behind to keep a secret watch on the sect.

Because Martial Soul Hall had mobilized ten Title Douluos at once, the continent's soul masters had to recalibrate their perception of Martial Soul Hall's strength, and the prestige that had been damaged by Tang Hao was restored.

When the soul masters of the continent learned that Martial Soul Hall was publicizing how Tang Hao had fallen in love with a 100,000-year transformed soul beast, sired an ominous creature, and intended to join forces with the soul beast clan to overthrow humanity, they were all filled with righteous indignation. They supported Martial Soul Hall's pressure on the Clear Sky Sect, demanding that the sect hand over the human traitor, Tang Hao.

Qian Daoliu nodded slightly. Everything was developing exactly as he had envisioned. Given the average intelligence on the Douluo Continent, manipulating public opinion and rallying a banner was effortless for him.

"What is wrong with you? Why the long face?" Qian Daoliu asked, observing Qian Xunji, who was hanging his head.

Qian Xunji replied slowly, "Father, you were right. Dong'er was acting. Her hatred for our Angel Clan is deep-seated. I fear that no matter what I do, I will never be able to earn her forgiveness."

Qian Daoliu was not surprised in the slightest and asked, "Oh? And where is Bibi Dong now?"

Qian Xunji replied, "If not for the Angel Divine Power you bestowed upon me, I fear I would have been killed by Dong'er in my cultivation chamber. I have currently sealed her soul power and locked her away in my chamber. As for Xiao Xue, I have temporarily brushed her off by saying that Dong'er is in seclusion to break through."

Qian Daoliu looked at Qian Xunji, feeling a slight sense of speechlessness. In the original history, if not for his own deterrent presence, and if he hadn't given Qian Xunji that Angel Divine Power to save his life, Qian Xunji would have likely been hacked to pieces by Bibi Dong long ago—much like the Death Spider Emperor had tortured Xiao Wu—only for his soul to be devoured by the Soul-Eater Spider Emperor, leaving him no chance of reincarnation and condemning him to eternal suffering.

The woman wanted to kill you, and you simply locked her up? Even if you didn't kill her out of consideration for Qian Renxue, you could at least have pinned her down and taught her a lesson, yet you did nothing?

Qian Daoliu felt that the latter part of Qian Xunji's name shouldn't be "Xunji" (Seeking Disease); it should be changed to "Lander"—calling him Qian Lander would be far more fitting.

Among the many love triangles in Douluo, such as Tang Hao, Tang Xiao, and Ah Yin; Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong, and Flender; or Tang Chen, Bo Saixi, and the original Qian Daoliu... they all shared a common trait: those who loved each other had to endure great hardships before they could be together.

Tang Hao and Ah Yin had to wait twenty-five years after her sacrifice to be reunited. Yu Xiaogang ran away on his wedding night, hid from Liu Erlong for over a decade, and then spent another dozen years as a spiritual couple.

Tang Chen and Bo Saixi were separated for decades while Tang Chen was possessed by the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King, only expressing their true feelings when they finally met again.

And the third party in these triangles, without exception—even the losers—had to be hopelessly devoted to the goddess, guarding her in silence and never marrying, regardless of their duties to continue the family line or their responsibilities as sect masters to produce excellent heirs to strengthen their sects.

These were the third parties in "healthy" love triangles. But in unhealthy ones, like the original Qian Daoliu, Qian Xunji, and Bibi Dong... if you dared not place love above all else, if you didn't guard them silently from the shadows, act as a submissive lapdog, and offer constant devotion, your end would almost certainly be miserable.

"Little Jier, if you cannot hold onto the sand, you might as well scatter it. Since Bibi Dong harbors such resentment toward our Martial Soul Hall and the Angel Clan, and believes our Martial Soul Hall to be filthy, then just let her go."

Since the Death Spider Emperor had already arrived at Martial Soul Hall, Bibi Dong could just get lost.

Qian Daoliu didn't hold Bibi Dong in any regard. Without the Rakshasa inheritance and the strengthening of her martial soul through Rakshasa divine power, a single illumination from the Angel martial soul would cripple her, and even if she reached the 99th-rank Limit Douluo, he could still crush her with ease.

As the High Priest of the Angel God, he naturally had to remain under the light; how could he be the one to handle the dirty work of exterminating sects and clans? Letting Bibi Dong do it would be perfect.

If Bibi Dong left Martial Soul Hall, it went without saying that she would go looking for Yu Xiaogang. If Xiao Wu had transformed, the romantic trajectory between Tang San and Xiao Wu would undoubtedly be ruined. At the Life Lake, the Death Spider Emperor had appeared wearing Bibi Dong's face, after all. Xiao Wu might even have been traumatized by the Death Spider Emperor.

"Father, what are you thinking? How can we let Dong'er go? If she leaves Martial Soul Hall, she will surely go to find Yu Xiaogang. Are you trying to let Yu Xiaogang..."

Qian Xunji's face turned dark. He had done those things to Bibi Dong and even had a daughter with her; regardless of the circumstances, she was his wife. If she ran off to find Yu Xiaogang and something happened, wouldn't he have a few extra things on his head?

To let a 29th-rank piece of trash Soul Grand Master cast a soul skill on his head—did he, Qian Xunji, have no face left to lose?