At that moment, the worldview of every Titled Douluo in Spirit Hall completely collapsed.
The gods, usually lofty and ethereal, had shown up today like cabbages at a market. Three of them, all at once?
And from the looks of it, all three gods were fighting over one person?
Was this the kind of prestige their young lord commanded?
At the center of the storm, Lin Qiu remained perfectly calm.
He looked at the three enormous apparitions around him, showing none of the fear or reverence of the others.
Just then, that familiar mechanical voice rang out in his mind.
[ Ding! The host is merging with the Supreme Bone, triggering a celestial phenomenon.]
[System notice: It seems some sect elders in your vicinity are spying on you.]
[ Ding! Your talent has resonated with something and drawn its attention. A fortuitous opportunity has been granted to you.]
[Congratulations, host. You have obtained: Fragment of the Great Dao of Destruction x1, Fragment of the Great Dao of Life x1.]
[Merge them?]
Lin Qiu paused for a moment, then understood.
So it was those fellows from the Divine Realm.
In the Shrouding the Heavens system, these so-called "Fragments of the Great Dao" were supreme treasures that could let someone comprehend the laws and even touch the path of an Emperor.
"Merge them."
Lin Qiu silently confirmed in his mind.
Since they'd been delivered right to his doorstep, why would he refuse?
As for the Angel Godhood, the godhood of a mere First-Level God was far too small-minded for Lin Qiu, who possessed the Covering Sky Method.
As soon as Lin Qiu confirmed his choice,
the apparitions of the Goddess of Life and the Destruction God King shattered in the void, turning into two beams of the purest light—
one emerald green as jade, the other purplish black as an abyss.
The two beams did not dissipate. Instead, they plunged straight into Lin Qiu's body, then surged toward the Chaos Green Lotus and the Nine-Nether Ao.
Boom!
Lin Qiu's body shuddered violently.
This wasn't a simple increase in Soul Power. It was an evolution of his Martial Souls!
The once-blurred veins on the Chaos Green Lotus became distinct, every line seemingly containing the ceaseless truths of the Great Dao.
Its original three leaves sprouted two more tender buds, becoming five leaves!
The Nine-Nether Ao underwent an even more earth-shaking transformation.
The scales on its body began to fall away, and the newly grown ones bore intricate, dark-gold runes.
Its nine heads were no longer merely fearsome. A fissure opened between the brows of each one, as if concealing a vertical eye capable of extinguishing all things.
An aura that surpassed the mortal world, and even ordinary gods, spread from Lin Qiu.
"Th-this is Martial Soul Evolution?"
Bibi Dong covered her mouth, delight filling her beautiful eyes.
She also possessed Twin Martial Souls, so she knew how difficult it was for a Martial Soul to evolve.
And Lin Qiu's Martial Souls had already been top-tier. Just how powerful would they become after evolving?
By now, Qian Daoliu had completely forgotten the Angel God's instructions.
He stared fixedly at Lin Qiu as if gazing upon a peerless treasure.
A Dual Godhood inheritance?
No, this was more than an inheritance.
He had directly devoured a wisp of a God King's origin power to strengthen his own Martial Souls!
This boy's ambitions reached higher than the heavens!
As the light slowly faded,
Lin Qiu descended back to the ground.
His bearing was now even more otherworldly.
If he'd once been a divine sword with its edge bared, now he was a peerless killing weapon sheathed in its scabbard—quiet as death, but sure to shake the heavens once unleashed.
He slowly opened his eyes. His left pupil brimmed with life, while destruction roiled in his right.
"Whew..."
Lin Qiu exhaled a breath of stale air. Feeling the power surging through him, he smiled with satisfaction.
The bonus that came with merging the Supreme Bone had made this an incredible bargain.
He glanced around.
Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, and the others were already on one knee, heads bowed in utmost respect.
Even Qian Daoliu, usually so lofty, now inclined his head slightly, his eyes filled with eagerness and a hint of ingratiation.
Only Bibi Dong rushed forward without a care for anyone watching.
"Qiu'er!"
She pulled Lin Qiu into her arms, heedless of the crowd, and frantically felt him all over, as if afraid he'd lost a piece of himself.
"You scared me to death. There was thunder and lightning, and then those apparitions..."
A faint tremor ran through Bibi Dong's voice.
Lin Qiu let her hold him, warmed by the genuine concern, and felt his heart soften.
"I'm fine."
He gently patted Bibi Dong's back and said warmly, "Not only am I fine, I've also gained a tremendous opportunity."
"Good. As long as you're all right..."
Only then did Bibi Dong relax. Her eyes were even a little damp.
Just then, a new notification suddenly appeared in Lin Qiu's mind.
[Warning: The host has been locked onto by the divine sense of an extreme expert.]
[Recommendation: Keep a low profile and develop in secret.]
Lin Qiu sneered inwardly.
An extreme expert?
It was probably the Destruction God King himself, keeping an eye on things from afar.
But with the system concealing the secrets of heaven, even a God King wouldn't be able to see through him.
The commotion that had shaken the Divine Realm finally subsided—for now—after Qian Daoliu ordered, "Today's events are to be classified as Spirit Hall's highest secret. Anyone who disobeys will be executed without mercy."
But some things had quietly changed.
Over the next several days,
Lin Qiu noticed something strange.
Qian Daoliu, the elusive Grand Pontiff who usually appeared as rarely as a dragon, had practically become his shadow.
When Lin Qiu went to the dining hall, Qian Daoliu watched him from afar with a beaming smile.
When Lin Qiu strolled through the garden, Qian Daoliu pretended to prune the flowers, though his eyes never left him.
When Lin Qiu finished cultivating and opened his eyes, he would find Qian Daoliu standing outside with a bowl of some mysterious restorative soup.
That look was so kindly it made Lin Qiu's skin crawl. It was as if Qian Daoliu were looking at his one and only grandson, someone who needed to be cherished with the utmost care.
"Lin Qiu, this soup was stewed with ten-thousand-year-old snow ginseng. Drink it while it's hot and build up your strength."
Sure enough, as soon as Lin Qiu came out of the Mimicry Training Ground, Qian Daoliu sidled over again, his face blooming like a chrysanthemum.
Lin Qiu took the soup and looked helplessly at the Peerless Douluo.
"Grand Pontiff, if you have nothing to do, you could go give the other elders some guidance."
"Come now, don't call me Grand Pontiff. It sounds so distant."
Qian Daoliu waved a hand, his expression earnest. "If you don't mind, you can call me Grandpa Qian. What's the point of guiding those elders? They're rotten wood that can't be carved. You, on the other hand, are a precious piece of jade worth my time."
Lin Qiu took a sip of soup, quietly amused.
The old man was kind of endearing, after all.
In the original story, Qian Daoliu had sacrificed his life so Qian Renxue could become a god. He was a tragic figure.
Since Lin Qiu had come into this life, he could save the old man's life while he was at it.
At the thought of Qian Renxue,
Lin Qiu set down his bowl and looked toward the northern sky.
"I wonder what that haughty woman is doing now."
He'd caused such a commotion in Spirit Hall. Although the news had been sealed, Lin Qiu felt he should still reassure that "older sister" of his, who was so determined to prove herself.
After all, according to the old man's plans, she was going to be his future wife.
Lin Qiu returned to his study, spread out a sheet of paper, and began to write.
The letter wasn't long, but he'd put some thought into it.
When he finished, he called in a trusted subordinate and instructed him to deliver it personally to the Crown Prince Mansion of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Several days later.
Heaven Dou Empire, imperial palace, Crown Prince Mansion.
Night had fallen.
"Xue Qinghe," the crown prince, had just finished a day of tedious state affairs and insincere socializing.
After dismissing all the attendants and guards, she made sure that Soul Tools were providing the strictest protection against eavesdropping.
The gentle smile on "Xue Qinghe's" face vanished in an instant, replaced by exhaustion and cold detachment.
With a flash of light, the refined image of a young man melted away like rippling water.
In its place stood a stunning young woman with golden hair and skin as fair as snow.
Qian Renxue.
She lounged against the cushioned couch and rubbed her aching brow.
"Living behind a mask like this is truly tiresome."
She muttered the complaint under her breath.
Then she seemed to remember something. She carefully took a letter from a Soul Tool she kept close to her body.
A Spirit Hall informant had delivered it that evening.
There were only two simple characters on the envelope: Lin Qiu.
Seeing the familiar handwriting, the coldness in Qian Renxue's eyes instantly softened, though she still refused to let her words show it.
"Hmph, that annoying fellow actually remembered to write to me?"
"He's probably just bragging about his cultivation again."
"Like I care about his letter..."
Though she claimed not to care, her hands moved faster than anyone's. She was so careful that even tearing open the envelope became a delicate affair.
She unfolded the letter.
Lin Qiu's forceful, vigorous handwriting appeared before her eyes.
There was no long-winded essay, nor any dull report about his cultivation.
The very first line read:
"Xue'er, seeing your words is like seeing you."
Before you continue