Return [Inner World]

"Pufferfish, Snake Lance, stand down!" Qian Xunji's gaze turned cold. The pressure of a level 99 Peerless Douluo, mixed with the pure aura of an Angel Martial Soul, bore down on the shoulders of the two Title Douluos without reservation. At the same time, Qian Xunji produced the Elder Token given to him by Qian Daoliu.

Seeing that familiar Elder Token, along with the genuine Angel Martial Soul, the two exchanged a glance. Although a stormy sea of shock surged within their hearts, their ingrained loyalty forced them to grit their teeth, offer a respectful bow, and quickly retreat from the study.

The study door was closed once more.

Qian Renxue trembled all over, struggling to dispel her disguise. Her long golden hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and her face—usually capable of masking joy or anger—was now filled with frost and wariness.

"Who are you!" Qian Renxue stared at him intensely, her voice icy.

"You are not my father at all! My father died long ago!"

"Xue'er, I am indeed not him." Qian Xunji softened his voice and walked slowly forward.

"I am the Qian Xunji from another world."

Under Qian Renxue's vigilant gaze, Qian Xunji repeated the explanation he had given to Qian Daoliu. However, he only spoke of the potential destruction of the Martial Soul Hall, omitting her predetermined future; he knew that from the moment he arrived in this world, that future would never come to pass.

Martial Soul Hall... gone?

Qian Renxue understood in an instant. If Martial Soul Hall were gone, and she, her grandfather, and all the elders and titled supporters had failed, what would that mean? Was there any point to what she was doing now? She dared not think further...

Yet, upon hearing that the Angel God King of the other world was a God King, and that he had even sent the father of that world to find her, she felt incredibly fortunate.

She had lost her father in childhood, her mother viewed her as an enemy, and since the age of nine, she had been a spy in this foreign land. She was like duckweed drifting in the wind and rain. For over a decade, she had never felt a day of parental affection or the warmth of a home. And now, a father from another world had crossed the boundaries to find her.

"Dad..."

Qian Renxue's tears fell like a bursting dam. She could no longer hold back; she threw herself into Qian Xunji's arms, clutching his waist tightly and sobbing uncontrollably, as if to vent all the grievances, loneliness, and fear of the past decade in this single moment.

"Good child, cry. It will be better once you let it out." Qian Xunji gently stroked her long golden hair, his eyes filled with the tender love of an old father.

A full half-hour passed before Qian Renxue's emotions gradually calmed.

Qian Xunji wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said earnestly, "Xue'er, don't stay here anymore. This so-called infiltration plan for the Heaven Dou Empire is a complete waste of your talent and time! Stop now. Whether it is this [Surface World] or the [Inner World], there are places for you to show your worth, but this is not one of them!"

Qian Renxue was stunned, but a flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes.

"I... I still want to try." Qian Renxue lowered her head, her hands tightly intertwined.

"I have been undercover for so many years, and I have laid deep plans within the Heaven Dou Empire. I don't want to just give up like this..."

"Because of Bibi Dong, isn't it?" Qian Xunji pierced through her thoughts with surgical precision.

Qian Renxue fell silent. Yes, she possessed the pride of the Angel clan in her bones. She wanted to prove to that woman who treated her like dirt that she was not only not a mistake, but far more outstanding! She wanted to seize the Heaven Dou Empire with her own hands and smash this achievement into Bibi Dong's face!

Qian Xunji sighed; he understood the obsession born from such a family environment.

He ruffled Qian Renxue's hair again, a hint of doting indulgence in his eyes. "Fine. Since you have this fire in your heart, then Dad will go along with you. Play however you want. Even if you poke a hole in the sky, your old man will cover for you!"

With that, Qian Xunji flipped his wrist, took an exquisite white jade box from his storage ring, and opened the lid.

In an instant, a sacred, radiant aura filled the entire study. It was a celestial herb that glowed with dazzling golden light, its petals as pure as glass—the [Nine Sun Holy Lotus].

"This is a celestial herb I scavenged from a treasure vault in my world." Qian Xunji handed the jade box to Qian Renxue.

"Take it first; it will purify your Angel bloodline. Remember, infiltration is one thing, but you must never let your own cultivation fall behind. Only strength is the ultimate trump card to silence all doubt."

Qian Renxue looked at the celestial herb, a surge of endless warmth rising in her heart, and nodded heavily.

After these instructions, to avoid further suspicion, Qian Xunji donned his mask once more. His figure turned into a gust of wind, and he departed the Crown Prince's Residence.

She already possessed a full set of inherited spirit bones, and it was not yet time to absorb her next spirit ring. Moreover, Qian Xunji thought about returning to the [Inner World] first. Should he really let Xue'er inherit the Angel God position? That would complicate the plundering; he needed to discuss it thoroughly with the Angel God King.

Qian Xunji did not go directly to rendezvous with Huang Tian. Instead, he went straight to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. After a round of looting, he left behind a method to purge poison from the bones and departed. Dugu Bo already had one there; it would feel strange to subdue him as well, so he left it at that.

Late at night, in the top-floor suite of a hotel.

As soon as Qian Xunji pushed the door open, a figure pressed against him.

Huang Tian sniffed at Qian Xunji's chest and collar like a cat. Her silver vertical pupils narrowed slightly, revealing a dangerous hint of jealousy.

"The scent of a daughter on you is really quite strong." Huang Tian snorted, crossing her arms.

"What, was the scene of a father-daughter reunion very touching?"

Qian Xunji coughed twice and awkwardly changed the subject. "Don't mess around; I went to handle serious business. What about you? What resources did you manage to scrape together? Let me see."

Hearing Qian Xunji ask about business, she tapped her fingertip lightly in the void, and several storage spirit tools filled to the brim fell onto the table.

"Time was short, so I could only scavenge through the Star Dou Forest and a few dangerous overseas locations."

"Inside are the core mother-ores of three top-tier rare metal veins, the springs of two small Life Springs, over a hundred spirit herbs over a thousand years old, and two pieces of Life Gold. As for spirit bones and the like, I have plenty of my own, so I didn't need them."

Qian Xunji picked up a ring and scanned it with his spiritual sense; the harvest was indeed substantial.

"Let's go. It's time to go back and report."

Qian Xunji stood up, his internal spirit power surging. He gripped his right hand in the air, and the super-artifact [Oath of the Angel] appeared in his palm.

"Great Angel God King, your believer requests to return."

Qian Xunji spoke in a low voice, pouring his spirit power into the blade without reservation, while his other hand grabbed Huang Tian.

"Hum--!"

In an instant, an irresistible force emanated subtly from the blade, enveloping Qian Xunji and Huang Tian. There was no need to endure the tearing and drifting of a spatial rift; in a mere fleeting moment of trance, the two returned to the [Inner World] God Realm.