In the imperial palace of Heaven Dou City, the morning mist had yet to fully clear. Sunlight spilled across the roofs of the magnificent golden palace, glinting like flecks of gold.
Qian Renxue's carriage came to a slow stop outside the palace. She hopped down from it, her little face flushed with excitement.
Qian Daoliu came out to greet them. Seeing his granddaughter again after so long, he immediately broke into a loving smile and asked gently,
"Xue'er, you haven't seen Grandpa for days. Did you miss me?"
"No."
Qian Renxue didn't hesitate for a second. She shook her head, tilting it slightly to one side.
Even Qian Daoliu, a level-99 Limit Douluo, was instantly crushed.
His face stiffened. He crouched down, picked up a twig, and absentmindedly drew circles in the dirt. It was as if a spotlight of sorrow had fallen on him, leaving him looking utterly pitiful.
Seeing Qian Daoliu like this, Chen Qi and Qian Renxue exchanged helpless looks and spoke in unison.
"So childish."
Boom!
It was as if Qian Daoliu had taken a heavy blow to the chest.
The mood-setting method he'd racked his brains to come up with had been judged childish by both his granddaughter and his Martial Soul.
Hurt showed plainly on his old face. His heart even gave a faint ache.
Behind them, Golden Crocodile Douluo strode over, decked out in a newly made imperial cloak. It snapped in the morning breeze.
When he saw Qian Renxue, he too gave her a warm, hearty smile.
"Xiao Xue is here. Did you miss Grandpa Golden Crocodile?"
The moment Qian Renxue spotted Golden Crocodile Douluo, her eyes lit up. She was as happy as a little rabbit as she threw herself into his broad, sturdy embrace and answered sweetly,
"I did! I missed you most, Grandpa Golden Crocodile."
Boom!
Qian Daoliu's heart took another direct hit, as if a hundred-ton truck had run over his chest.
Watching his granddaughter hug someone else so affectionately, he silently screamed, Which of us is her real grandpa, and which is just her honorary grandpa?
"Hahaha, hearing that from Xiao Xue makes Grandpa Golden Crocodile happier than I can say."
Golden Crocodile Douluo laughed and patted Qian Renxue gently on the back.
"By the way, I heard you came this time to hunt your fourth Soul Ring?"
Qian Renxue lifted her head from his embrace and nodded seriously.
"Yes, Grandpa Golden Crocodile. I broke through level 40 some time ago, but I never had time to hunt for a Soul Ring. After spending a few days resting at Spirit Hall, I'm ready to officially make the push to Soul Ancestor."
"Then who are you planning to go with, Xiao Xue?"
Qian Daoliu had personally taken his granddaughter to obtain her first few Soul Rings.
This time, he was almost certain she would choose him.
He dropped the stick and confidently stepped beside Qian Renxue, eagerly waiting for her to say, "I want to go with Grandpa."
"I already talked it over with Sword Douluo from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He agreed to take me to hunt the rest of my Soul Rings."
Wait, that wasn't how this was supposed to go!
The smile froze on Qian Daoliu's face.
He could accept her not choosing her own grandfather, but why bring up the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, a place completely unrelated to them?
"No! I won't allow it!"
Qian Daoliu's expression darkened as he refused in a firm voice.
He could never allow an outsider to take his precious granddaughter into the dangerous Star Dou Great Forest.
Qian Renxue furrowed her delicate brows. Her little face showed undisguised impatience as she bluntly said,
"Grandpa, you're so annoying."
You're so annoying.
So annoying.
Annoying.
Annoying.
Qian Daoliu's fragile heart shattered completely.
His face turned deathly pale. He silently crouched off to one side again, his back forlorn as he drew circles with a twig and muttered to himself, as though praying to the Angel God.
Little Qian Renxue, who used to be so sweet, is gone forever. Great Angel God, please bring back the familiar Xue'er!
Qian Renxue couldn't be bothered to humor him any longer. Until she broke through to Titled Douluo, Grandpa was the most despicable person in the world.
"Good morning, Your Majesty Golden Crocodile."
Just then, Tang Ming walked out of the security booth that had only recently been built. His back was ramrod straight, and a respectful smile rested on his face. Chen Qi found him strangely familiar.
Wait... wasn't this Tang Ming, the Clear Sky Sect's Grand Elder from the Douluo Continent manhua? How had he ended up working security for Spirit Hall? Was this really something the haughty Clear Sky Sect would do?
Seeing Tang Ming, Golden Crocodile Douluo nodded slightly and introduced him to Qian Renxue.
"Xiao Xue, this is my new security guard, Lei Ming. He'll be watching the gate for me from now on."
Qian Renxue looked at the approachable old man and nodded politely.
"Hello."
As the group entered the palace, they passed Tang Qingqing, Tang Ziyi, and other Clear Sky Sect elders who were busy cleaning. Chen Qi stared in bewilderment, thinking, Is this the imperial palace of the Spirit Hall Empire, or the Clear Sky Sect's new headquarters?
Just then, his stomach suddenly felt distended, as if a floodgate were about to burst.
"Um... I think I need to use the bathroom."
Qian Renxue nodded. The two had been together so long that they'd long since worked out how to handle bathroom breaks.
As soon as Chen Qi entered the bathroom, he heard a fierce racket of bangs and clatters.
In one of the stalls, a man with bulging veins on his forehead and a murderous expression was violently plunging the toilet with a tool. Low curses kept spilling from his mouth.
Chen Qi took a closer look. Wasn't that Tang Lie, the most hot-tempered elder of the Clear Sky Sect? Why was he plunging toilets here? Were people so competitive about plunging toilets now that you had to be a sect elder to get the job?
A few minutes later, Chen Qi came out of the bathroom, still looking confused.
He walked over to Golden Crocodile Douluo and asked in a low voice,
"Golden Crocodile Douluo, it seems like a lot of the caretakers are Clear Sky Sect elders."
Golden Crocodile Douluo chuckled, completely at ease.
"Who knows what got into them? They think changing their clothes will keep me from recognizing them. I recognized every one of them at first glance. I hired them purely to have some fun."
Just then, the Seven Kill Sword carrying a person descended slowly from the sky. Its sword aura was sharp, yet perfectly controlled.
Chen Xin stepped off the sword steadily, looked at Qian Renxue and the others, and cupped his hands.
"I've come at Sect Master Ning's request to take Miss Qian Renxue to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a Soul Ring."
"When did you learn my real name?"
Qian Renxue asked in surprise.
"Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has eyes and ears everywhere. It didn't take much asking to find out."
Chen Xin answered calmly.
"What a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! How dare you pry into our Spirit Hall's family affairs? You're asking for death!"
Qian Daoliu's eyes lit up. Seizing his chance to win back his granddaughter's favor, he scolded them sternly.
"Grandpa, what are you doing? Grandpa Sword Douluo is taking me to hunt a Soul Ring. So what if he knows my real name? Are other people not allowed to know it?"
At her words "Grandpa Sword Douluo," a hint of delight clearly flashed in Chen Xin's eyes.
Seeing his granddaughter speak up for an outsider again, Qian Daoliu's fragile heart shattered once more. What do you mean, a little padded jacket with holes in it?
"No! I don't trust you going with Chen Xin. The Star Dou Great Forest is so dangerous. One Titled Douluo isn't enough."
"I'll accompany you as well, Young Master."
A cloud of green Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison suddenly appeared beside Qian Renxue. A moment later, Dugu Bo's imposing figure slowly emerged from it.
"It's Dugu Bo!"
Qian Renxue's eyes widened in delight.
Seeing Dugu Bo, Qian Daoliu cursed inwardly. Why couldn't that old poisoner just enjoy his retirement? Why did he have to get involved?
"Dugu Bo just broke through to Titled Douluo. He's still too weak. We'd need at least three—"
"Young Master, the two of us will accompany you as well."
Pufferfish Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo walked over from the side at the same time, their auras steady.
Qian Renxue was even more delighted. With four Titled Douluo accompanying her on the hunt, who on the whole continent could beat that?
"Grandpa, do you still have anything to say?"
Looking at this lineup, Qian Daoliu was utterly speechless.
Four Titled Douluo were more than enough even to hunt a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. If he made up another excuse, Xue'er would probably get angry again.
Qian Daoliu let out a long sigh. His face was full of reluctance, but there was nothing he could do. He said quietly,
"No."
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