Fate, Gangzi

"Ahhh!"

At those words, the anger Bibi Dong had nearly dispersed was instantly reignited and exploded.

"Seventh Soul Skill—Martial Soul Avatar!"

Bibi Dong's figure vanished, replaced by an enormous Nether Demon Spider. Above the spider's head was Bibi Dong's breathtaking upper body, with fine scales covering everything below her neck and accentuating her stunning curves.

"Qian Mochen, you idiot, go die!"

The rumbling in the valley quickly reached its entrance. The mist churned violently, and a massive creature could vaguely be seen wreaking havoc within the valley.

Dugu Bo glanced at the pebbles trembling beneath his feet, then at the calm Ju and Gui beside him. He still could not help asking, "Are we really not going in to take a look?"

"Old Poison, you've only just arrived, so you don't know. His Highness and our former Holy Maiden are just fooling around."

Yue Guan draped an arm over Dugu Bo's shoulder and explained in high spirits.

"Whenever His Highness and the former Holy Maiden meet, they always make some sort of commotion."

The moment Yue Guan finished speaking, a one-ton boulder flew in from behind them, whistling through the air and flattening a stretch of forest ahead.

Dugu Bo stared at the boulder and instinctively blurted out, "With such a huge commotion, Spirit Hall still hasn't been torn down? Its construction must be incredibly sturdy."

Yue Guan rubbed his nose without saying a word.

He could hardly admit that this was also the first time he had seen those two make such a fuss.

In Yue Guan's eyes—no, in the eyes of anyone from Spirit Hall who had seen Qian Mochen and Bibi Dong together—the two were simply flirting. No one had yet pierced the thin veil between them.

But judging by this commotion, Bibi Dong might really be trying to murder her husband.

"Old Gui, let's go take a look."

After some time, the commotion in the valley still had not stopped. Yue Guan could no longer sit still and called his old friend into the valley.

The instant Yue Guan and Gui Mei passed through the watery mist, the enormous Nether Demon Spider vanished. Qian Mochen and Bibi Dong stood quietly before them, as though nothing had happened.

The falling rocks along the cliff walls and the several-meter-wide craters scattered across the ground silently spoke of how fierce the battle here had been.

"Your Highness, it's getting late. We should set off."

Qian Mochen gave a soft grunt. "Elder Dugu will be responsible for guarding this place. Leave behind two teams from the people we brought to stand watch with Elder Dugu."

"Elder Yue Guan, you are also quite knowledgeable about medicinal theory. Once we return, teach the children at the academy more lessons. This place will be the future of our Spirit Hall."

"Yue Guan understands! Rest assured, Your Highness. Once we return, I'll train those children properly!"

Seeing that Qian Mochen said nothing more, Yue Guan took Gui Mei and withdrew.

The instant the two disappeared, Qian Mochen could no longer maintain his calm facade. He let out an "Ow!" and his entire face scrunched up like a bun.

"I'm dying, I'm dying!"

"Hmph, you're screaming so loudly. I'd say you're far from dying!" Bibi Dong had barely touched him when he began crying out in pain, making her glare at him.

Qian Mochen said nothing and merely rolled up his sleeve. His entire arm was covered in red and purple bruises, without a single patch of uninjured skin.

Bibi Dong immediately lowered her head, the tips of her ears reddening as though they might drip blood.

"I... I'll apply medicine for you."

After applying medicine and taking pills, they fussed about for quite some time before Qian Mochen's injuries finally recovered by more than half, and he left the valley.

They settled all the men they had brought inside the valley. With Dugu Bo and over twenty Soul Emperors stationed there, there was no need to worry about the valley's safety so long as no more than three Titled Douluo arrived.

Qian Mochen also suggested using the miasma naturally surrounding the valley to strengthen its defenses.

Dugu Bo and the others unanimously praised the idea. Next, Yue Guan and Dugu Bo paid visits to the lairs of every poison-type soul beast in Sunset Forest.

No matter how strong the soul beasts were, more than half the poison in their bodies was extracted. They could only huddle in their lairs to recover, which instead greatly improved the survival rate of Soul Masters entering and leaving Sunset Forest during this period.

A month later, the once-thin miasma had become as dense as ink, spreading a hundred meters inward from outside the valley.

Qian Mochen captured a thousand-year soul beast for testing. He drove it into the miasma, and before it had run thirty meters inside, the soul beast succumbed to poison and died.

Only then did the valley gain a semblance of security.

"Senior Dugu, I'll have to trouble you to guard the valley from now on. If you need anything, send word directly, and I'll immediately arrange for someone to handle it."

"Rest assured, Your Highness. With me here, not even a mosquito will get in!"

After arranging everything in the valley, Qian Mochen led his people out of Sunset Forest.

"You've kept saying you wanted to reform Spirit Hall, and you only mentioned those Merit Points once. What about the rest?"

Once they were far from the valley and surrounded only by their own people, Bibi Dong asked directly.

Qian Mochen looked around and discovered that not only was Bibi Dong interested, but even Yue Guan and Gui Mei had quietly pricked up their ears. He chuckled and explained, "Merit Points are a way to quantify everyone's contributions to Spirit Hall."

Qian Mochen gave an example.

"For instance, the valley Dugu Bo donated to Spirit Hall can be valued at ten thousand Merit Points. In addition, Dugu Bo will receive no fewer than two thousand points every year from the valley's earnings."

"How much is one Merit Point worth? And how are Merit Points calculated?" Bibi Dong immediately asked the two questions she cared about most.

"In my plan, one Merit Point is equivalent to one hundred Gold Soul Coins."

"That much?!"

Bibi Dong thought of the Merit Points Qian Mochen had just mentioned Dugu Bo possessed. Did that not mean Dugu Bo could earn twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins a year without doing anything?

"More or less. Once I return, I'll begin quantifying everyone's previous missions."

"Do you really have enough treasures for everyone to exchange for?" Bibi Dong looked at Qian Mochen suspiciously.

After all, Spirit Hall had established branch halls in every city and town across the entire continent, with at least a hundred thousand people in total.

"Since I have a plan, I naturally have enough things for everyone to exchange for."

Naturally, Qian Mochen would not say that it was because he had the system. Some items in the System Mall would make even those lofty God Kings covetous if released.

Of course, Qian Mochen could only drool over those treasures for now. With prices starting at several million Emotion Points, they were truly things he could only admire from afar.

After walking for a while, Qian Mochen sensed vibrations in the ground ahead. Someone was fighting a soul beast, and the commotion was steadily drawing closer to them.

"Someone's coming!"

The instant he spoke, Yue Guan and Gui Mei immediately stepped in front of Qian Mochen and Bibi Dong.

An Amethyst Dragon more than twenty meters long rampaged through the forest, crushing everything that stood in its way beneath its massive body.

"Elders, please help stop the three people behind that soul beast."

After seeing who was behind the soul beast, Qian Mochen broke into a delighted smile.

Gangzi, my dearest friend, it's been far too long!