Win Over Some, Strike Down Others. Qian Xunji: Are You Willing to Take Me as Your Master?

"Your subordinate knows his crime! Your subordinate was foolish!" Wilson fell to his knees with a thud, his entire body trembling like chaff in the wind.

When he accepted the benefits from Yu Xiaogang, he had only assumed the man was a down-and-out sect disciple looking for a quiet place to read; he had never considered the implications of such a connection.

Bibi Dong looked down at him from her position of authority, her tone icy:

"It is good that you know your crime. Guards! Take Wilson to the Judgment Hall and deal with him according to the law!"

Two red-robed Spirit Masters appeared silently, hoisted the limp Wilson up, and dragged him away.

His pleas for mercy gradually faded, disappearing at the end of the bookshelves.

Bibi Dong's gaze slowly shifted to Yu Xiaogang, who instinctively took half a step back.

"Take this 'Master Yu' into custody, throw him into the dungeon, and interrogate him strictly."

"Make him spit out every single thing he has read and memorized during this time, without missing a word."

"W-wait!" Yu Xiaogang's face turned deathly pale, his retreat blocked by the bookshelf behind him.

He raised his hand, his fingers trembling. "You... all of this is mere speculation! You have absolutely no proof!"

"How can you convict me of being a spy just because of my sect background!"

He took a deep breath, trying to straighten his back, but his trembling voice betrayed him.

"I am the Second Young Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect! If you dare to use extrajudicial punishment on me, my father will never let this go!"

"Do you want to incite a war between the sects and the Spirit Hall?!"

"Take him away!" Bibi Dong remained unmoved, her gaze unwavering. "I will report this matter truthfully to His Holiness the Pope."

"If His Holiness blames anyone, I shall bear all the responsibility!"

"Yes!"

The two red-robed Spirit Masters immediately stepped forward, firmly restraining the struggling Yu Xiaogang.

At the same time, a cold notification sounded in Zhao Linchuan's mind.

[You have successfully prevented a future catastrophe and saved a young girl about to fall into the abyss.]

[Reward obtained: Second Martial Soul -- Ancestral Spirit Beast • Compassionate Spirit of All Things Growing...]

A long time later.

Spirit City, a tavern.

Bibi Dong and Zhao Linchuan chose a seat by the window.

She raised her hand to summon a waiter and ordered two glasses of fruit wine.

Bibi Dong pushed one glass toward Zhao Linchuan, lifted her own, and looked at him with sincere eyes.

"Thank you so much for today." Her tone was earnest, devoid of any airs of a Holy Maiden. "If not for your warning, I fear our Spirit Hall would have suffered irreparable losses."

"I am a part of the Spirit Hall, after all," Zhao Linchuan said, taking the glass with a relaxed tone. "These things are what I ought to do."

Bibi Dong watched his calm and indifferent demeanor, a flicker of admiration crossing her eyes.

The two clinked glasses and began to chat idly.

Before they knew it, the wine in their glasses had reached the bottom.

"That's about enough," Bibi Dong said, setting down her glass and preparing to stand. "We should..."

"Your Holiness the Holy Maiden."

A low voice suddenly sounded from the side.

Both turned their heads to see a black-robed Spirit Master standing by the table.

"His Holiness the Pope requests your presence and that of Administrator Zhao."

Bibi Dong's brows twitched slightly, and she nodded. "I understand."

She looked at Zhao Linchuan, a hint of speculation in her eyes. "Teacher wants to see you; perhaps he has a reward for you."

Zhao Linchuan's expression remained unchanged, and he simply nodded. "Let's go."

About fifteen minutes later, the Pope's Palace.

Qian Xunji stood in the center of the hall with his hands behind his back, his posture upright, the golden patterns on his papal robes shimmering in the light.

Hearing footsteps, he turned slowly.

His gaze fell upon Zhao Linchuan, first with a calm appraisal, then becoming as sharp as a hawk's.

After a long silence, he withdrew his gaze, looked out of the hall, and spoke in a low, dignified voice:

"Zhao Linchuan, sixteen years old, Martial Soul Supreme Ease Golden Edge, Level 67 Battle Spirit Emperor, family background..."

"This is the information you filled out when you applied to become a Spirit Administrator." He fixed his gaze back on Zhao Linchuan's face. "I want to know, is all of this true?"

Zhao Linchuan raised his eyes to meet his gaze. Everything he had said was true; he had arrived in this world ten years ago, and during that time, he had spent almost every moment cultivating in the deep mountains.

It was only after some recent incidents that he finally emerged from the deep mountains.

He said with a calm expression, "Naturally."

As he spoke, he made a grasping motion with his right hand, and a golden stream of light suddenly flared to life.

Once the radiance faded, a slender golden longsword appeared in his hand.

The blade looked as if it had been forged entirely from gold, and a pale yellow gemstone was embedded in the crossguard, shimmering with a gentle luster under the light.

Immediately following, six spirit rings—purple, purple, black, black, black, black—rose from beneath his feet and began to rotate slowly around his body.

Bibi Dong's pupils constricted, and she instinctively covered her lips.

Level sixty-seven... he was actually a level sixty-seven Spirit Emperor?!

And this spirit ring configuration—two purple and four black—what an astonishing foundation!

"A peak metal-type weapon spirit with the holy attribute?" A flash of joy crossed Qian Xunji's eyes, and his tone softened slightly. "Put it away."

Zhao Linchuan flipped his wrist, the longsword dissipated, and his spirit rings faded back into his body.

Qian Xunji cast his gaze toward the outside of the hall once more. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, "What is your take on the situation across the continent?"

The question came abruptly. Zhao Linchuan's brows twitched, and he glanced at Bibi Dong standing to the side; she looked equally surprised.

He pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, "The current situation on the continent can be said to be very unfavorable for our Spirit Hall."

"Oh?" Qian Xunji seemed interested and turned around. "Go on."

Zhao Linchuan continued, "Several years ago, the former Pope of our Spirit Hall, Qian Daoliu, was defeated by the Clear Sky Douluo Tang Chen. Since then, the situation on the continent has shifted."

"They seem to have glimpsed the possibility of opposing our Spirit Hall, so the sects have begun to form alliances with one another. The two great empires are recruiting troops and buying horses, paying lip service to our Spirit Hall's decrees while defying them in secret."

Zhao Linchuan hinted pointedly, "What's more, there are even sect masters who have sent their own sons to infiltrate our Spirit Hall, hoping to pry information from the Saintess."

"It is evident that the outside world no longer holds our Spirit Hall in high regard."

"If this continues, it is possible that the sects might truly join forces with the two great empires to overthrow our Spirit Hall."

The hall fell into a brief silence.

Qian Xunji closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. "Father... should not have lost..."

He opened his eyes, staring intensely at Zhao Linchuan. "If you were sitting in my position, what would you do?"

Zhao Linchuan did not answer immediately. He lowered his head slightly, seemingly weighing his words.

A moment later, he looked up and said, word by word, "Win over a group, strike down a group."

"Begin establishing a spirit master legion, organize a specialized intelligence department, and find ways to control public opinion so that the common people lean toward us subconsciously."

"Win over a group, strike down a group?"

Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong repeated the phrase almost simultaneously.

Qian Xunji's eyes brightened, the gloom on his face swept away, replaced by a look of delight.

He took a step forward, his voice filled with excitement. "Are you willing to take me as your master and become my student?"

Just then, a deep, resonant voice echoed from outside the hall.

"Wait--!"

--

(Someone might ask, "Host, host, where is there a concept of 'peak attributes' in Douluo I?" Answer: This is for the audience's benefit.)