Qian Daoliu Appears

Qian Xunji's gaze was locked firmly onto the phantom image behind Deng Tianxin.

The pink-gold light was not blinding, yet it caused the air throughout the Pope Palace to stagnate.

That illusory figure was draped in sheer gauze, holding a heart-shaped scepter, with six-winged light feathers slowly unfurling behind its back. Countless red threads and heart-shaped light motes drifted and swirled around it, radiating an aura that was at once infinitely gentle and infinitely majestic.

This was no ordinary martial soul.

Qian Xunji's pupils contracted slightly.

As the Pope of the Spirit Hall, he knew of tens of thousands of martial souls, from the trash-tier Blue Silver Grass to the pinnacle Six-Winged Angel; no martial soul had ever made him wear such an expression.

But at this moment, for the first time, a visible tremor appeared on his usually calm, unruffled face.

He could not recognize what this martial soul was.

Every known top-tier martial soul on the continent flashed rapidly through his mind.

Clear Sky Hammer, Six-Winged Angel, Nine-Heart Begonia, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon...

None of them matched.

There was no martial soul that would manifest in such a form or emit such an aura.

This aura was not the oppressive pressure of a powerhouse, but something far more profound.

Bibi Dong stood to the side, her pupils also trembling slightly.

She had been extremely curious about what Deng Tianxin's martial soul was, but Deng Tianxin had refused to let her see it; now that she saw it, she was incomparably shocked.

The gaze of that phantom was gentle and compassionate, as if it were looking down upon all living beings, or perhaps embracing everyone who looked up to it.

Bibi Dong suddenly felt a surge of emotions in her heart, but she quickly suppressed them.

Qian Xunji finally recovered from his shock.

He took a deep breath, shifted his gaze away from the martial soul phantom, and landed it once again on Deng Tianxin's young, delicate face.

"Not bad."

Just at that moment, a majestic male voice rang out.

Hearing the voice, both Bibi Dong and Qian Xunji once again wore expressions of astonishment.

They knew very well who the owner of that voice was.

Qian Daoliu!

The head of the Elder Hall of the Spirit Hall, the Great Elder, the head of the Douluo Hall, a ninety-nine-level peerless Douluo of the assault system, titled Angel, and nicknamed the Invincible of the Sky.

The moment Qian Daoliu stepped into the great hall, the air in the entire Pope Palace seemed to freeze.

He wore simple white robes without any ornate decorations, yet that innate majesty caused everyone in the hall to subconsciously hold their breath.

His gaze swept past Qian Xunji, lingered on Bibi Dong for a fleeting moment, and finally settled steadily on Deng Tianxin.

The pink-gold God of Love phantom behind Deng Tianxin had not yet dissipated; the six-winged light feathers were slightly unfurled, and the heart-shaped scepter emitted a gentle and holy radiance.

Qian Xunji had already recovered from his shock; he stepped forward quickly and bowed in salute: "Father, why have you come?"

Qian Daoliu did not answer his question, but instead walked slowly to stand before Deng Tianxin, looking down from his height at the little boy with dragon horns on his forehead.

"Little one," Qian Daoliu's voice was aged and majestic, yet carried a hint of strange gentleness, "what is your name?"

Deng Tianxin looked up at the peerless Douluo before him; his heart was actually pounding, but he maintained a well-behaved and polite expression on his face.

Inside, however, he was completely numb, wondering why on earth Qian Daoliu had shown up.

Deng Tianxin performed a proper salute and replied: "Reporting to the senior, my name is Deng Tianxin."

Qian Daoliu nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on the martial soul phantom behind him for a moment before he suddenly asked: "Do you know what this martial soul of yours is called?"

Deng Tianxin shook his head. Of course he knew, but he couldn't say it.

For a six-year-old child to open his mouth and claim his martial soul was the God of Love would be far too suspicious.

"The God of Love." Qian Daoliu slowly uttered these words.

Deng Tianxin was a bit surprised; he hadn't expected Qian Daoliu to actually know.

However, thinking about it carefully, it was normal; it would be strange if Qian Daoliu didn't know.

Qian Xunji turned his head abruptly to look at his father, his eyes filled with undisguised shock.

If a martial soul could be linked to a deity, it was the pinnacle of the top-tier.

"God of Love?" Bibi Dong subconsciously repeated the words, her voice carrying a sense of trance she hadn't even realized herself.

She looked at Deng Tianxin, watching the well-behaved expression he was struggling to maintain on his young face, and looked at the six-winged phantom behind him that radiated a gentle light.

Suddenly, many things she hadn't been able to figure out before all connected at this moment.

No wonder this little brat could say those things. No wonder a six-year-old child could analyze her emotional problems so logically and hit the nail on the head.

No wonder he was so concerned about Yu Xiaogang's affairs, with every word precisely poking at the places she was most afraid to face.

She had previously thought he was just precocious, just sharp-tongued, and just happened to guess right.

Now it seemed, it wasn't a coincidence at all.

Most likely, the God of Love Martial Soul granted Deng Tianxin the ability to perceive everything related to emotions.

Her wavering, her hesitation, and her uncertainty regarding Yu Xiaogang were probably as clear as if they were written on her face in front of this little brat.

Thinking of this, Bibi Dong's cheeks burned slightly.

In other words, those little thoughts she was unwilling to admit had been seen through clearly by this little brat from the very beginning.

"Senior knows of this Martial Soul?" Deng Tianxin looked up, gazing at Qian Daoliu with those round, wide eyes, his tone carrying just the right amount of curiosity.

Qian Daoliu did not answer immediately.

He walked slowly to stand before Deng Tianxin, his gaze lingering on the child's small face for a long time as a look of reminiscence surfaced in his eyes.

"Many years ago, when I was still young, I once saw records regarding the God of Love in ancient texts," Qian Daoliu said while recalling the past. "In the God Realm, there are many deities, each with their own duties. But in ancient legends, the status of the God of Love was extremely unique. He did not govern elements, did not oversee life and death, and did not rule over territories, yet he possessed a power that even God Kings could not compare to: emotion."

Qian Daoliu paused, his gaze falling back onto Deng Tianxin, his voice tinged with a hint of emotion. "Legend has it that the God of Love controls the emotional bonds of all living beings in the world. Romantic love, familial affection, friendship, and even hatred and obsession all fall within his authority. All sentient beings exist under the gaze of the God of Love. This power may seem soft, but in reality, it is pervasive and impossible to guard against. When I read those records back then, I thought it was merely a myth, but I never expected... that there would truly be an inheritor of the God of Love Martial Soul in this world."

Qian Xunji stood to the side, his brows furrowing even tighter after hearing his father's words.

He re-examined the little one in front of him, the scrutiny in his eyes gradually being replaced by a different, complex emotion.

If what his father said was true, then the value of the child before him far exceeded that of a gifted young genius.