I, Qian Xunji, Tricking Tang Hao, Is Perfectly Reasonable (Bonus Chapter for Fanchen Yuanxingji Wang)

Sea God Poseidon was speechless.

Whenever his High Priestess encountered Qian Xunji, the Asura Successor, she would summon Him to fight in her stead because she couldn't defeat the man herself.

In the past, when Qian Xunji was merely the Asura Successor, He hadn't dared to do anything to him, fearing that the Asura God—a fellow who was desperate to retire and bordering on insanity—would strike Him down with the Asura Blood Sword.

That was the past.

The current Qian Xunji was no longer just the Asura Successor.

Asura Successor did not equal the next Asura God.

Following a resolution and vote by the Five Great God Kings of the God Realm Supreme Committee, Qian Xunji was already the designated next Asura God.

The man was only one step away from inheriting the Asura God Position: converting the soul power within his body into divine power.

As a cultivation fanatic, it wouldn't take Qian Xunji much time at all to convert his soul power into divine power if he truly wanted to.

Eighty percent Asura Divine Power Affinity—did they think that was just for show?

And this fanatic spent his days drawing down lightning, swallowing it, and absorbing the energy of the ocean.

Sea God Poseidon deeply suspected that the only reason Qian Xunji hadn't inherited the Asura God Position yet was that he felt his foundation was unstable and he wouldn't be able to inherit one hundred percent of the divine power.

"Sea God Excellency, long time no see." Qian Xunji greeted him with a smile, his manners impeccable.

Poseidon wore a smile, his tone gentle: "Asura Successor, greetings."

Poseidon's sudden shift in attitude was baffling.

Qian Xunji did not dwell on such trivial matters.

The Sea Soul Masters were long accustomed to Sea God Poseidon addressing Qian Xunji as the Asura Successor and failed to detect the change in his tone.

But the members of the Clear Sky Tang Clan were left slack-jawed by this scene.

Qian Xunji, the Pope of Spirit Hall, actually dared to converse and greet Sea God Poseidon as an equal.

The dignified Sea God Poseidon was actually communicating with him in such a calm and composed manner.

What does "Asura Successor" mean? Tang Xiao was desperate for an answer.

As a meticulous man, he knew that words spoken by a deity were never ordinary.

Ever since Qian Xunji inherited the position of Pope of Spirit Hall, he had left Spirit City within days, and in over five years, he hadn't returned once.

His whereabouts were a mystery to all, as if he had vanished into thin air.

Now that he had appeared on the ocean, his appearance had also undergone a massive change.

A change in appearance was a minor detail.

The point was the oppressive aura radiating from Qian Xunji, which was even more powerful than that of the three Limit Douluo powerhouses: Tang Chen, Qian Daoliu, and Bo Saixi.

In just over five years, a mere Soul Douluo had grown to a level surpassing a Limit Douluo; it was nothing short of a miracle.

There must be a great secret within Qian Xunji. This was the collective thought of the Clear Sky Tang Clan.

They desperately wanted the secret to such rapid cultivation growth.

"Sea God Excellency, aren't you going to say something about your believers heading to the mainland and abducting mainland soul masters?"

The moment Qian Xunji spoke, he branded the Sea Soul Masters of Sea God Island as human traffickers.

Having witnessed Qian Xunji's actions in Heaven Dou City, Sea God Poseidon knew that if he didn't offer an explanation, the lives of his believers would be forfeit today.

He knew how much Qian Xunji loathed human traffickers and how ruthless he was when dealing with them—he would pull them out by the roots, cut them off at the source, and leave no one behind.

Poseidon hurriedly said: "Slander, this is absolute slander! This God merely instructed the High Priestess to go to the mainland and bring back geniuses I had taken a fancy to—those with the potential to become gods—to Sea God Island for cultivation."

"There is absolutely no abduction of mainland soul masters."

"I am a dignified Sea God; my followers are pure and kind. How could they engage in such human trafficking?"

"Asura Successor, you must understand, among my followers, there are no criminals, let alone fallen ones."

Sea God Poseidon was terrified that if he failed to explain himself clearly, Qian Xunji would slaughter his place of inheritance, Sea God Island.

This fellow had a criminal record; he had wiped out the hundreds of thousands of fallen ones in Slaughter City, leaving not a single soul alive.

The image of him swinging his sword to slaughter the fallen with an expressionless face, his cold eyes and thick, suffocating killing intent, made him look like the Asura God of Death himself.

From Sea God Poseidon's words, Qian Xunji gathered useful intelligence and thought: Geniuses with the potential to become gods—he must be referring to Tang Hao.

Poseidon wanted Bo Saixi to bring Tang Hao back to Sea God Island for proper training, then have him undergo the Sea God Divine Trial and inherit the Sea God Position.

Setting aside Poseidon's desire to pass on his position and leave the God Realm, he wanted Tang Hao to receive the Sea God Divine Trial and inherit the Sea God Position through it?

What a beautiful dream.

Anyone else might have been fine.

But a member of the Clear Sky Sect, and Tang Hao of all people—the man who shared such deep karma with his original body?

Qian Xunji had not forgotten how he died in the original Douluo story.

If he hadn't been hammered into a hospital bed by Tang Hao, how could he have been murdered by Bibi Dong?

In the blink of an eye, Qian Xunji decided that in this game, he would not be a mere spectator; he would enter the board as a player.

I am Qian Xunji, and sabotaging Tang Hao is something I must do.

"My dear nephew Tang Xiao, your talent is indeed impressive. You are mature, steady, and possess a good temperament. If Sea God Excellency wishes to cultivate a successor, you are truly an excellent choice."

Qian Xunji turned to look at Tang Xiao, reaching out to pat his shoulder in encouragement. "You are lucky to have caught the Sea God's favor, to be granted the God Trial, inherit the Sea God Position, and ascend to the God Realm to contribute to its glory."

Tang Xiao did not know if he should be happy.

Qian Xunji had misunderstood that he was the one favored by the Sea God, leaving him unable to voice his grievances, yet the praise still warmed his heart.

Ever since Tang Hao awakened his Clear Sky Hammer martial soul at age six with innate full soul power, he had never received a single word of praise from his own family or kin.

As the elder brother, he knew he shouldn't envy a younger brother who was more outstanding than himself.

"Qian Xunji, I am the man favored by Lord Sea God."

Tang Hao looked up, his eyes bloodshot, his face full of resentment. He pressed his lips together stubbornly and stared straight at Qian Xunji.

"Who are you to look so unrefined? Sea God Excellency is such a handsome male god; how could he ever choose a fellow like you, with such an ugly appearance and poor temperament, as his successor?"

"Sea God Excellency possesses immense power and holds an extraordinary status in the God Realm. He is not someone a mere mortal like you can claim kinship with to bully others under the guise of his authority."

Qian Xunji began by elevating the Sea God and disparaging Tang Hao.

The Sea God might not necessarily have any thoughts on the matter, but this fellow Tang Hao certainly would.

And then, the fool would have a "brilliant" idea.

Wasn't that exactly how he got his wife A Yin killed in the original story, and nearly starved Tang San to death?

He even had the track record of literally angering his own father to death.

Upon hearing this, Bo Saixi looked at Qian Xunji, her eyes uncharacteristically devoid of anger, filled instead with approval and appreciation.

This bastard finally said something human, she thought.

Bo Saixi strongly agreed with Qian Xunji's words; Tang Hao's rugged appearance was simply too unsightly.

Lord Sea God Poseidon was so handsome; how could he have an ugly successor?

Bo Saixi made up her mind: she would not hold back during the God Trial. She would go all out to protect the Sea God Position from Tang Hao.

Poseidon glanced at Qian Xunji, the upward curve of his lips harder to suppress than the recoil of a fully automatic AK.

He truly hadn't expected this Asura Successor to have such a sweet tongue.

He loved hearing these words.

Tang Hao was indeed a bit ugly, and his temperament was lacking.

Talent was merely the ticket to becoming a god, but temperament was the critical leap.

Those with wavering wills and flawed temperaments could never pass the Seven Emotions Trial of the Ninth God Trial.

Perhaps I should learn from Asura, Poseidon thought. Instead of giving the complete nine trials, I'll give one, then another. Whoever passes the nine trials first shall be the next Sea God.

In any case, he was only a Tier 1 god. A successor to his position didn't need the approval of the God Realm's God Kings to officially pass on the mantle, unlike Asura.

Just as Qian Xunji said, Tang Hao's elder brother, Tang Xiao, was indeed steady, and more sensible and responsible in his conduct.