Qian Xunji: Heaven Helps Me!

The moment Shadow Eye finished his report, Qian Xunji could no longer contain his laughter. He laughed from the bottom of his heart.

He reclined against the Pope's throne, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest. His eyes gleamed like those of a chess player watching an opponent make a foolish move.

"At first, because Li Family matriarch Yang Wanqing has that bit of Breaking Clan blood in her, I truly thought the Li Family would be a hard bone to chew."

He muttered to himself, though he seemed to be speaking for Shadow Eye to hear. "The Breaking Clan is a subordinate sect of the Clear Sky Sect. The Li Family has already done well to remain neutral, but who would have thought—"

Qian Xunji suddenly rose to his feet, his robe cutting a sharp arc behind him. "Those brutes from the Clear Sky Sect actually used such despicable means to pressure the Li Family! They aren't making enemies—they're handing Spirit Hall a grand gift!"

Shadow Eye stood with his head lowered at the side, secretly impressed.

His Holiness the Pope usually appeared indolent, but the moment he scented an opportunity, his decisiveness and speed truly lived up to the character in his name.

"Come, prepare three carts of lavish gifts—no, five! Bring the three-thousand-year-old Glazed Flower from the treasury, the luminous pearls from overseas, and that Soul Tool tea set Star Luo presented as tribute the other day. Bring them all!"

Qian Xunji was already striding toward the hall exit.

"Your Holiness, isn't this a little too hasty?" Shadow Eye quickly followed, lowering his voice in warning.

"If we go now, won't it make us seem..."

"Seem like what? Taking advantage of their misfortune?" Qian Xunji did not slow down. He glanced back at him, his eyes shining with an all-seeing light.

"No, we are delivering aid in the snow. What does the Li Family need most right now? An ally capable of checking the Clear Sky Sect, and sincerity from someone bold enough to come knocking at this moment."

He suddenly stopped and turned to face Shadow Eye. "Do you know that adding flowers to brocade is easy, but offering charcoal in the snow is hard?"

"Right now, the Li Family is being harassed by the Clear Sky Sect, while the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's stance remains ambiguous. This is when hearts are most unsettled, and when they are easiest to win over."

"If we wait until they solve the trouble themselves, or find someone else to rely on, and only then pay them a visit, that would truly be too late!"

Shadow Eye suddenly understood. He was about to speak when his gaze swept over the mountain of memorials and account books piled atop the Pope's desk—the government affairs that had to be reviewed today.

"Your Holiness, then these..." He pointed at the "small mountain," somewhat hesitant.

Qian Xunji followed his gaze, raising an eyebrow slightly before the corner of his mouth curled into an almost sly smile. Turning toward the hall entrance, he called out, "Someone!"

A servant hurried in at the call.

Qian Xunji pointed at the pile of documents, his tone as casual as if he were ordering dinner. "Send all of these to the Elder Palace and have my father handle them."

"Tell him I have urgent business requiring an immediate trip to Heaven Dou City, something concerning Spirit Hall's plans for the next ten years. I shall have to trouble the First Elder with these trifling matters."

With that, he flicked his sleeve and walked straight out, leaving the servant standing there blankly, staring at the mountain of documents with a bewildered expression.

Shadow Eye exchanged a glance with the servant and swiftly waved a hand. "I need to go inventory the gifts as well. Hurry and deliver these to the Elder Palace. If the First Elder asks, repeat His Holiness's words exactly."

Before he finished speaking, he had already gone after Qian Xunji, leaving the servant to smile bitterly at the stack of documents.

In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the mountain of memorials and account books had been carefully transported to the Elder Palace by several servants.

Qian Daoliu was playing chess with Elder Golden Crocodile in the hall. Black and white pieces fell upon the board with crisp clicks.

When he saw the documents flooding in like a tide, the hand holding his chess piece froze in midair.

"This... is..." He slowly rose to his feet, his gaze shifting from the mountain of memorials to the servant leading the group.

Under Qian Daoliu's gaze, cold sweat had already soaked the servant's back. Still, he could only steel himself and step forward, repeating Qian Xunji's words verbatim.

"First Elder, His Holiness said... he has urgent business requiring an immediate trip to Heaven Dou City, and these government affairs, he, he asks that you handle them..."

Qian Daoliu remained silent.

That silence was more suffocating than any roar.

The air in the hall seemed to freeze. Only the dripping water in the corner went drip, drip, drip, striking against everyone's hearts.

Suddenly—

"You unfilial brat!!!"

The furious roar exploded like thunder, shaking dust from the hall beams.

The chessboard before Qian Daoliu cracked with several fine fissures under the impact of invisible Soul Power, and the black and white pieces clattered to the floor.

"He ran off to Heaven Dou City again? And it's 'concerning the plans for the next ten years'? Does he think I've gone senile?!" Qian Daoliu was so furious that even his beard trembled.

"Last time, he claimed he was heading to the Far North to inspect Soul Beasts, then came back with a cartload of fiery icefield liquor! The time before that, he said he was inspecting the southern branch halls, then spent half a month watching the sea!"

Several elders emerged from the rear hall at the commotion. Seeing the stack of documents and Qian Daoliu's fury, they immediately understood.

"Xunji dumped his government affairs on Eldest Brother again?"

"From the sound of it, Eldest Brother probably wants to drag that boy back and lock him up."

"Lock him up? I think Eldest Brother wants to break his legs..."

The elders spoke in low voices, though their eyes held traces of helpless amusement.

Over the past few years, they had grown used to the way this father and son got along—one constantly finding new ways to slack off and cause trouble, the other cursing while cleaning up the mess.

Qian Daoliu took several deep breaths and forced himself to calm down.

He walked to the pile of documents, casually picked up the memorial on top, and opened it. After reading two lines, his brow furrowed even more deeply.

"Some southern branch halls have suffered destruction at the hands of Fallen Soul Masters, requesting approval for funds..."

"Dispute over ownership of the Soul Beast forest along the border with the Star Luo Empire..."

"Draft proposal for preparations for the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament..."

Every one of them was an important matter requiring the Pope's personal decision.

Qian Daoliu closed his eyes and rubbed his throbbing temples. When he opened them again, his gaze had become utterly calm—the calm of resignation.

He waved a hand and instructed the servants, "Enough. Move these to my study. Inform the Third Elder, Fourth Elder, and Seventh Elder to come discuss matters in half an hour."

The servants felt as though they had been granted a pardon and hurriedly acknowledged the order before withdrawing.

Qian Daoliu looked in the direction Qian Xunji had left and cursed quietly, "Damn brat... If you truly manage to win over the Li Family this time, I'll spare you. But if you're fooling around again..."

He did not finish, only a sword-sharp glint flashing through his eyes.

He had guessed his son's purpose in going to Heaven Dou.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the Li Family residence in Heaven Dou City was heavy as lead.

Li Yuntian sat upright in the seat of honor in his study, holding a freshly delivered list of losses.

His fingers were long and steady, yet when he saw the final number, even his fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly.

"Seven shops were smashed, goods in three warehouses were burned, and eleven guards were injured or killed. Three of them were seriously wounded and may be left permanently disabled."

Xiao Bai's voice was soft, but in the silent study, every word was painfully clear.

Yang Wanqing sat beside Li Yuntian, her hand clenched tightly within her sleeve, her nails digging into her palm.

When she saw that the intelligence in her hand suggested the Breaking Clan might have been involved, her face turned a shade paler.