Past Events

"This goes back twenty years. Someone from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan..."

"..., and then Bibi Dong gave birth to you..."

"..., and then, while Xun'er was badly wounded, she killed him."

After he finished speaking, Qian Daoliu looked at Qian Renxue, whose eyes had grown red.

"So Dad forced her... No wonder she's never liked me, even when I was little."

"So she was the one who killed Dad."

Qian Daoliu signaled Lin Huai with his eyes to comfort Qian Renxue.

Lin Huai let out a long sigh.

"Teacher, Sister Xiao Xue, don't blame me for ruining the mood."

Seeing the two of them look at him in confusion,

"Maybe it's the influence of your Martial Souls, but you're both a little too upright."

"Actually, I don't think Senior Brother Qian Xunji was all that at fault. At most, he committed an immoral act with his disciple." (Let me make this clear: this is a fantasy world where the strong prey on the weak. Please don't project this onto real life. In reality, Qian Xunji would definitely be a criminal! I'm explaining because I'm genuinely worried the feminists will tear into me.)

"If this had happened in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, I'm certain Ning Fengzhi would've wrung every last bit of value out of Bibi Dong."

"Then he'd have killed her along with Yu Xiaogang, and afterward he'd have loftily blamed the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan for sending someone to take their own Holy Maiden away. Then he'd have demanded compensation from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."

Seeing the disbelief on Qian Daoliu's face and Qian Renxue's slightly parted lips,

Lin Huai added another heavy stroke to their pure hearts.

"Actually, it wouldn't just be the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Most factions would do the same."

"If I were in Senior Brother's position, I might explain the consequences to Bibi Dong. If she still couldn't turn back, I'd execute her along with that scumbag, then bury one in the Far North and the other in Star Dou."

He touched his chest and sighed.

"Alas! When I think about it, I'm still too kind."

Qian Daoliu asked, his thoughts complicated, "Xiao Huai, is that really what you think?"

Seeing his teacher's expression, and noticing Qian Renxue quietly release his hand,

"I'm still being pretty restrained. The reality is often far more brutal."

"Teacher, Sister Xiao Xue, there's nothing wrong with holding on to truth, kindness, and beauty under the influence of your Martial Souls."

"Teacher, you may never have been involved in anything like this, but Sister Xiao Xue, in the years you've played Xue Qinghe, you must've seen the dark side of the royal family, right?"

Lin Huai stared straight at Qian Renxue.

Qian Renxue thought back on what she had done over the past few years to become Crown Prince.

Her expression darkened as she nodded.

"So finish this game of taking over the Heaven Dou Empire as soon as possible. When you become a god, you'll be able to shape the world into something closer to what you want."

Hearing her years of hard work dismissed as a game by the little brat before her, who spoke as if he owned the heavens,

Qian Renxue instantly snapped back:

"You don't know anything! I've worked so hard all these years, dealt with the two princes who posed the greatest threat, and climbed step by step until I became Crown Prince."

"You think it was easy?"

Lin Huai spoke calmly.

"Sister Xiao Xue brought a Titled Douluo, didn't she?"

Qian Renxue nodded.

"Then why not just kill all the princes? That way, no one could compete with you for the Crown Prince's position."

Qian Renxue curled her lip in disdain.

A child really was a child.

"If I killed them all, Xue Ye would suspect me, you idiot!"

Lin Huai looked into Qian Renxue's eyes.

"Doesn't Xue Ye suspect you already?"

"Even if he does, if you're the only prince left, he'll have no choice but to make you his heir, even if you're an idiot."

"And you brought a Titled Elder. If it came to it, you could kill Xue Ye too, then make it look like he died suddenly or was assassinated by a Star Luo spy."

"Afterward, announce it to the world. Even if the ministers and nobles know you killed Xue Ye, they'll just think it was a struggle between brothers for the throne, a father and son fighting for power."

Lin Huai sighed inwardly. It's only because I don't want to manage a huge faction. Otherwise, I'd let you waste your time in Heaven Dou while I secretly took control of Spirit Hall. What could you do then?

Then he rose onto his tiptoes and patted Qian Renxue on the head.

"It's not your fault. Under the influence of her Martial Soul, Sister Xiao Xue still leans toward kindness."

"You don't need to overthink it. I rather like you keeping that kindness. If you run into trouble later, send me a letter. Your little brother will help."

Qian Renxue's pretty face instantly flushed red. She batted Lin Huai's hand away, pressed both hands to her cheeks, and muttered,

"W-who said I wanted you to like me?"

Qian Daoliu stroked his chin and asked,

"Xiao Huai, why have you said all this? What are you trying to do?"

Lin Huai's heart stirred. As expected of a centenarian. He finally got to the point.

"Ahem... From the way you and Sister Xiao Xue describe her, Bibi Dong definitely won't let this go. We just don't know what she's planning yet."

But some information came to Qian Daoliu's mind. Since Bibi Dong had become Pope, even more ordinary Soul Masters had joined Spirit Hall.

Though he stayed in the Worship Hall, the other worshippers still kept an eye on Bibi Dong's achievements.

"But Bibi Dong has done pretty well these past few years. Some things have even improved."

Lin Huai shook his head.

"That's not how you should look at it. Even if Bibi Dong wants to do something, it's impossible without enough people to carry it out."

"This is just the calm before the storm."

Thinking of this, Lin Huai decided to give them another tidbit.

"And when I spoke with my Martial Soul earlier, she told me there was a trace of Evil God aura in the Pope Palace!"

"???"

Qian Renxue hadn't expected that anyone besides her could inherit a god's legacy—and that the person would be her mother!

Qian Daoliu's pupils instantly widened.

"I knew she was inheriting a divine position. I just didn't expect her to inherit the Evil God's legacy."

"I thought she'd favor Spirit Hall. Even if she inherited a divine position, she'd use it to expand Spirit Hall's influence."

Thinking of how, as the Angel High Priest, he could quietly go easy on Xiao Xue during her divine trials,

"Besides, she doesn't have a High Priest to support her. It'll be much harder for her to become a god than it will be for Xiao Xue."

Lin Huai had wanted to argue, but he swallowed the words before they could leave his mouth.

If no god had interfered behind the scenes, things really would've gone as Qian Daoliu thought in the original timeline.

But now, some shameless fellow had stuck their nose in!

Lin Huai pursed his lips.

"Better safe than sorry!"

"Sister Xiao Xue, I hope we meet again in Spirit City, not because I have to come to Heaven Dou City to help you."

An indescribable look crossed Qian Renxue's face.

"But Mom... Bibi Dong, she..."

Lin Huai patted Qian Renxue's smooth, delicate hand.

"Don't worry. I can't make her stop hating you, but I can redirect it a little."

"As long as Teacher protects me then, I'm confident I can make her hate Yu Gang instead."

Qian Daoliu had a vague sense that the god Bibi Dong had inherited must be opposed to the Angel God.

Perhaps the god was even hoping for the situation to unfold this way.

"Xiao Huai, what if that god left something behind inside Bibi Dong?"

At worst, we drink and eat skewers; at best, we get reduced to ashes and stuffed in a jar.

Of course, Lin Huai didn't dare say that out loud. He was afraid Qian Daoliu would get worked up.

"I'll talk to my Martial Soul later and see if there's anything we can do."

Lin Huai theatrically let out a breath.

"A great angel over a hundred years old, a little angel barely ten, and the final burden lands on me, a seven-year-old brat."

Qian Renxue watched her little sworn brother pretend to be mature.

She pulled Lin Huai into her arms, rubbed her pretty face against his little cheek, and even kissed him.

Lin Huai stared at Qian Renxue in confusion.

Damn, her face is so soft! And her lips are so warm!