"Don't worry about the Sun Pattern for now. First, arrange a position for me in Spirit Hall. Just give me... Hmm, what kind of position do you think would be good?" Yuan Qi thought it over, but couldn't come up with anything, so he simply tossed the question to Qian Xunji.
"Well, if you don't mind, you could take the position of Spirit Hall's Holy Son..."
"That's too high. I want to start from the bottom. That's what makes it a true trial."
"Then what about Platinum Bishop?" Qian Xunji suggested.
"I'm not good at managing things, and that doesn't sound like starting from the bottom either, does it?" Yuan Qi asked.
"It's not like I can make you a lowly city guard just because you said you wanted to start at the bottom, can I?" Qian Xunji pursed his lips, and his thoughts slipped out.
"Daddy!" Suddenly, a girl's voice rang out from the end of the corridor.
The two turned toward the sound and saw a girl in a white palace dress, with beautiful golden hair, exquisite features, and snow-white skin, running toward them.
She spread her arms and threw them around Qian Xunji.
"Hehe, Xue'er." At the sight of the girl, Qian Xunji's face softened with affection.
He patted her head and smiled as he called her name.
Yuan Qi, standing to one side, stared blankly at the girl's face for a moment.
Then he looked up at Qian Xunji and blinked.
He didn't say anything, but everyone could read his thoughts from his expression: He actually had such a beautiful daughter?
On the road back to Heaven Dou City from the Balak Kingdom.
'Xue Qinghe' gazed up at the scenes on the Sky Screen, disbelief filling her eyes.
This... Father? She had never thought that, after all these years, she would see Father's face again.
But had this scene really happened?
She didn't remember it at all. And that Yuan Qi—there was no one by that name in Spirit Hall, much less anyone her father had treated with such deference.
It was simply impossible!
"What on earth is going on?" After what had happened with Xue Hen and Tang San, she had investigated them both, and everything on the Sky Screen had checked out.
Besides, how could something as miraculous as the Sky Screen show false content?
But if it wasn't false, why couldn't she remember any of it?
Strange. Far too strange. She couldn't make sense of it at all!
Qian Renxue's mind was full of questions.
Bibi Dong, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and Ghost Douluo felt the same way.
Even Qian Daoliu, watching the Sky Screen in front of the Worship Hall, was just as baffled.
He had never seen or even heard of Yuan Qi before.
How could Yuan Qi have come to Spirit City with Ji'er?
It was impossible!
Still puzzled, everyone continued watching.
"Daddy, did you bring me a present this time?" The girl released her father after hugging him, stepped back, and smiled at him.
"Xue'er, I went out to take care of some important business this time, so..."
"Ahem." Someone coughed softly beside them.
"Hmm? Who are you?" The girl turned to Yuan Qi and looked him up and down, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
This guy's dressed even more lavishly than I am. Who is he?
"Xue'er, don't be rude. This is..."
"Hello, Miss Xue'er. My name is Yuan Qi. His Holiness the Pope has just taken me as his disciple." Yuan Qi cut off Qian Xunji's reprimand, edged him aside, and held out his hand to Qian Renxue.
"Daddy's disciple?" The girl's attention settled on the word "disciple."
She hadn't noticed that this boy, who looked even younger than her, had just shoved her father—the Pope of Spirit Hall—aside, and her father hadn't been angry at all.
"Daddy, is he really your disciple? Did you take him on while you were away?" Qian Renxue asked, looking at Qian Xunji.
"Well..." Qian Xunji didn't answer at once. Instead, he glanced at Yuan Qi, looking a little flustered.
Yuan Qi gave him a small nod.
Only then did Qian Xunji dare to answer. "Yes."
The girl's interest was instantly piqued.
She clasped her hands behind her back, walked around Yuan Qi once, then asked, "You look about two years younger than me. What's your Martial Soul, and what's your Soul Power level? How did you get my daddy to take you as his disciple?"
"I'm twelve. My Martial Soul is the sun, and my Soul Power is level thirty-nine," Yuan Qi replied.
"Level thirty-nine?" The girl stopped in her tracks. "What level did you say you were?"
"Thirty-nine."
"Xue'er, Yuan Qi has Innate Level 20 Soul Power, just like you!" Qian Xunji said.
The girl's eyes widened. She stared at the boy in disbelief and exclaimed, "You also have Innate Full Soul Power at level twenty?"
"That's right." Yuan Qi smiled and nodded.
"Oh." The girl gradually calmed down.
No wonder her father had taken him as a disciple. He had a talent as extraordinary as hers.
"Hello, my name is Qian Renxue. It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we'll get along," she said, taking a deep breath and smiling.
She reached out and shook Yuan Qi's hand, which he had offered a moment earlier.
"Likewise," Yuan Qi replied with a smile.
Qian Xunji stood to one side, watching them.
Almost without thinking, he raised a hand to rub his chin, narrowed his eyes slightly, and smiled.
His smile looked rather peculiar.
Then he straightened his expression, lowered his arm, and said to the girl, "Xue'er, Yuan Qi is my disciple. He's just arrived in Spirit City and doesn't know his way around yet. Would you help me show him around?"
"Of course, Daddy," Qian Renxue agreed.
Then she turned to Yuan Qi. "Come with me. I'll take you to see the Soul Fighting Arena in Spirit City first. There are exciting Soul Fights there every day."
"Thank you, Miss Xue'er," Yuan Qi said with a smile.
"You're my daddy's disciple. You don't have to call me Miss. Just call me Xue'er, like my daddy does."
"Okay, Miss Xue'er."
"You... Forget it. Come on, I'll take you to see the Soul Fights."
"Mm." Yuan Qi nodded, then said to Qian Xunji, "I'll be off. Thanks for preparing a room for me, Teacher."
"Not at all—oh, I mean, it's no problem," Qian Xunji hastily corrected himself.
"Hmm?" Qian Renxue frowned.
She looked at her father, then at this suddenly acquired junior fellow disciple, sensing that something was a little off.
But when she thought about how her father and... that woman got along as master and disciple, it didn't seem all that strange after all.
She shook her head and decided not to dwell on it. Then she urged Yuan Qi, "Come on. I'll take you to see the Soul Fights."
"Mm," Yuan Qi replied.
The two of them then headed out of the hall together.
Qian Xunji watched them leave, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Two joys at once. Heaven truly favors Spirit Hall!"
"How am I supposed to make sense of this? Can someone tell me who that Yuan Qi is?"
"Innate Full Soul Power at level twenty? Isn't ten the highest possible level of Innate Soul Power?"
"A Sun Martial Soul?"
"The former Pope actually had a daughter named Qian Renxue!"
Before you continue