"Bang!"
A dull thud sounded, as though something had been slammed hard onto the table.
"Outrageous! Utterly absurd!"
Bibi Dong's voice trembled faintly with anger. "You are the young mistress of Spirit Hall, and the blood of the angels flows through your veins. How can you treat your future—and your marriage—like a child's game?"
"Some commoner studying Martial Soul Theory? Do you know what kind of impractical dreamer he is? Put an end to this ridiculous notion at once!"
"From now on, you are forbidden to bring this up again, and even more forbidden from seeing that person! Otherwise..."
The rest of her words were drowned out by even harsher scolding and Qian Renxue's muffled sobs, but the fury in the air was like a storm about to break.
Even Poseinan, secretly eavesdropping outside the door, felt a chill run down his spine.
After Qian Renxue left, Bibi Dong found herself frozen in place.
Why did those words sound so familiar?
In a daze, a face she loathed beyond measure appeared before her.
The exact same tone, the exact same words...
It was as if someone were mocking Bibi Dong for overestimating herself.
Bibi Dong's face turned ashen. She frantically told herself, No. Xiao Gang is different from everyone else!
How old was Xiao Xue this year?
How could she understand things like that?
Had someone tricked Xiao Xue into coming here to say this to her?
"Damn it!"
"Gui Mei, investigate who's been spending a lot of time with Xiao Xue lately!"
"Yes!"
A little while later, the side hall door was yanked open.
Qian Renxue rushed out, her little face streaked with tears. She was crying even harder than before, but there was noticeably more light in those violet eyes.
She spotted Poseinan behind a pillar in the corridor.
Without a word, she came running over and grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him away with surprising strength.
They ran all the way to the quiet corner of the courtyard from earlier.
Only then did Qian Renxue let go. With her back to Poseinan, her shoulders trembled slightly.
Poseinan leaned over to look at her. "Well? Was I right? Your mother cares so much she's practically fuming, doesn't she?"
Qian Renxue turned around, her eyes and nose red, like a wronged little kitten.
She stared at Poseinan, her voice muffled. "She got so angry. She scolded me and ordered me to stop thinking about it... But, but she's never reacted this strongly to anything involving me before..."
Even though she felt terribly wronged, she was happy.
For the first time in her life, her mother had scolded her in the name of love.
Before, she'd simply told her to get lost without a word.
"See? Doesn't that prove it?"
Poseinan spread his hands. "If she didn't care who you ended up running off with, or what you turned into, would she really get this angry?"
"They say the deeper the love, the harsher the reprimand... Uh, though her way of showing it is a little unusual."
He swallowed the word "awkward" just in time.
Qian Renxue fell silent. Head bowed, she nudged a little stone on the ground with her toe.
She was clearly trying to process this forceful proof.
"Hey, crybaby, does our bet still stand?"
Poseinan couldn't help reminding her. "Your mother's reaction proves she cares about you, right? So, about sending me to Sea God Island..."
Qian Renxue lifted her head. Her violet eyes were still misty, but some of her usual authority had returned.
She sniffled, her voice still nasal, but tried hard to put on an older sister's airs. "Hmph. Even if... even if you were sort of right, Grandpa was driven away by you today. He definitely doesn't want to see you now, much less listen to me and send you off."
Poseinan's little face immediately fell. "Huh? Then what do we do? You promised!"
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
Qian Renxue shot him a look. "I never said I wouldn't help. But at the very least, we have to wait until Grandpa calms down."
"Then when will your grandpa calm down?"
"I don't know... Maybe in a month? Or maybe in three or five years."
A sly glint flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes.
Actually, all she had to do to get Poseinan sent to Sea God Island was say the word.
But she'd finally found such an interesting little brother. How could she bear to send him away already?
At the very least, I have to wait until... until he teaches me how to make up with Mom... Then I can send him!
That was what Qian Renxue told herself.
"Seriously!"
Poseinan crouched down, looking thoroughly dejected.
Hadn't he just helped Qian Renxue come up with that plan for nothing?
"Hey, do you really want to go to Sea God Island that badly?"
"Of course."
Once I get to Sea God Island, I can sort out my Soul Rings with ease, and gain the backing of one of the most powerful people in the world in an instant. I won't have to put up with you here, either. What's not to like?
Seeing how utterly crestfallen he looked, Qian Renxue was a little confused. "Isn't it nice here in Spirit Hall? You have food and drink, and with your big sister around, who'd dare bully you?"
Poseinan gave her a look, as if to say:
Isn't the person bullying me you?
Qian Renxue felt a little awkward and hurriedly changed the subject. "By the way, you said earlier that your father is the Sea God of the Divine Realm. Is that true?"
"Obviously. What would I gain by lying to you?"
"Then can you tell me what the Divine Realm is like? To be honest, I've never even left Spirit City in my whole life!"
After living in one place for so long, what child wouldn't yearn for the world outside? Qian Renxue was no different.
"Sure. I'll tell you. The Divine Realm is..."
Poseinan was excited to talk about what he'd seen in the Divine Realm. After all, it was where he'd been born in this life.
Qian Renxue listened with rapt attention.
Talking plants and divine beasts, and the Death God Hela, who could bring ordinary mortals back to life with a wave of her hand...
Every tale filled the girl who'd spent her whole life sheltered inside Spirit Hall with excitement.
Qian Renxue's eyes brimmed with longing. "Ah, I wish I could go see the Divine Realm."
"Maybe someday..." Poseinan said softly.
"Really?!"
The little girl suddenly became incredibly excited.
"Of course."
Faced with the girl's beautiful hopes for the future,
Poseinan smiled and nodded, unable to bear shattering that cruel illusion.
After all, she really would become the Angel God, renowned throughout the world.
Though... only on a trial basis.
Qian Renxue's eyes curved into crescents as she looked at him expectantly. "That's wonderful! Poseinan, when I go to the Divine Realm, do you think I can ask Death God Hela to bring my father back to life?"
The corners of Poseinan's mouth, which had just lifted, instantly drooped.
He wanted to shatter that fantasy.
But reason told him that, rather than smashing that fragile hope outright,
he should let her hold on to that last bit of innocence.
After all, her life had been far too painful.
Painful enough that even Poseinan, who'd endured all kinds of beatings from society in his previous life, felt... sorrow.
"Um... probably."
"Wonderful! Thank you, Poseinan. Thank you for telling me all this. Don't worry, as soon as Grandpa calms down, I'll have him send you to Sea God Island!"
Qian Renxue smiled excitedly, then reached out... moving closer little by little.
At last, her five chubby little fingers took hold of Poseinan's hand.
Feeling the softness of her palm,
Poseinan looked at her in confusion. "Hm? What are you doing?"
"Going to eat. Aren't you hungry?"
"But if we're going to eat, why are you holding my hand?"
"Hmph, mind your own business! You're my little brother, so of course I'll protect you!"