After obtaining their Soul Rings, the four of them and their two Soul Spirits left Star Dou Forest and returned to Spirit City.
As soon as they returned to Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong came rushing out in a panic and threw her arms around Qian Xunqian, her eyes filled with worry.
"Xunqian, something terrible has happened! Teacher is missing. He hasn't been at Pope's Palace for three days! At first, we all thought he'd just gone out for a short while. Who could have guessed there'd still be no word from him?"
"Don't panic. Tell me slowly." Qian Xunqian steadied Bibi Dong.
"Teacher didn't tell us anything about going out. Even the two people closest to him, Elder Ju and Ghost Elder, don't know. The two elders have already gone out to look for him. Xunqian, did you see Teacher while you were away?"
Qian Xunqian shook her head. Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind. Could it be...
Qian Xunqian couldn't help exchanging a glance with Qian Renxue beside her. Qian Renxue understood at once.
The moment their eyes met, they spoke in unison:
"Oh no!"
Qian Xunqian made a quick decision and ordered a guard captain:
"Recently, that fellow Tang Hao has been wandering around our Spirit City with his Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast wife. Take some people and search the city. See if Tang Hao and his wife are still there!"
The guard captain hurried off to gather men.
"Wait! Take portraits of the two of them and show them to the residents of Spirit City. They might have some information!"
Bibi Dong asked, "Xunqian, did you figure something out?"
Qian Xunqian furrowed her brows and said:
"I have a suspicion that Big Brother went after that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who can take human form! But I'm not certain yet. If Tang Hao isn't in Spirit City, then it's almost certainly true!"
"We'll prepare for both possibilities. Have the guards search the city, and send people outside the city to look for him as well. Tang Hao is a disciple of Clear Sky Sect, so I'm worried he might have a powerful protector with him."
"We'll split into four groups and search in all four directions—north, south, east, and west! Each group needs at least two Titled Douluo-level experts!"
Bibi Dong had calmed down as well. With the Pope gone, she had to shoulder the responsibility as the Saintess at this critical moment!
"Good! Xunqian, you and the two worshippers, Qian Jun and Jiang Mo, head east right now. I'll arrange people for the other three routes!"
"Good! We'll go on ahead!"
After a brief farewell to Bibi Dong, Qian Xunqian set out with Qian Jun and Jiang Mo, the two Titled Douluo who had just returned from Star Dou Forest, and threw herself into the search for the Pope without a moment's rest.
This was simply too unexpected. She'd never imagined that Qian Xunji would dare go after Tang Hao alone.
In the original story, he'd discussed it at Pope's Palace, then set out with two Titled Douluo and a group of Soul Douluo and Soul Saint experts!
Had he gotten carried away after absorbing the Immortal Herb and deciding his strength had soared?
Qian Xunqian was suffering too. How could she have known that Qian Xunji would dare challenge Tang Hao one-on-one?
Her original plan had been to follow the original story: she'd take a group of Titled Douluo and follow behind Qian Xunji, ready to capture Tang Hao the moment things went wrong. That was how the plot was supposed to go!
She'd never imagined Qian Xunji would suddenly come up with his own plan, go alone, and tell no one before setting off to find Tang Hao.
The very man who had left everyone in Spirit Hall anxiously on edge was now in a remote village, displaying his Angel Avatar as he looked down coldly at Tang Hao.
"Tang Hao! Hand over the transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, and I'll spare your life!"
"Qian Xunji, don't even think about it! Ah Yin is the wife I love most in this life! I'll protect her! Take this!"
Ah Yin, a transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, had just given birth. In her arms was the future illustrious Great God King Tang—Tang San!
But Ah Yin, who was already a Soul Saint, was now terribly Weakness-stricken. Several wounds marked her body, and she gasped for breath, barely able to hold Tang San.
How could Tang Hao, a mere level-89 Soul Douluo, possibly match Qian Xunji, a level-96 Super Douluo who had taken Immortal Herbs and completed the Black Level Four Trials!
"Ninth Soul Skill: Angel Judgment!"
Tang Hao's heart lurched. Qian Xunji had no sense of honor—he'd unleashed his strongest move right off the bat. It looked like he intended to take the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring and Spirit Bone all for himself!
Seeing Ah Yin sway behind him, Tang Hao was consumed by regret.
He shouldn't have taken his pregnant wife, Ah Yin, all over Spirit City!
He shouldn't have let himself be blinded by the temptation of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring and made a deal with Qian Xunji!
But it was too late for regrets. If only he'd known, he never would have done it!
As the thought crossed his mind, his expression gradually hardened.
I have to pay the price for my mistakes!
"Clear Sky Avatar!"
"Ten Thousand Jun Break!"
Tang Hao swung his Clear Sky Hammer and activated his Martial Soul Avatar. His body instantly grew to a towering three zhang.
The Clear Sky Hammer crackled, its surface faintly shimmering with the might of thunder.
Tang Hao raised the massive hammer, roared, and brought it crashing down on Qian Xunji!
Qian Xunji sneered. "Pathetic tricks! Against my Angel Judgment, you're nothing!"
With a single strike, Tang Hao's hammer and Clear Sky Avatar shattered to pieces.
Tang Hao shot toward the ground like a meteor and crashed into it, gouging out a massive crater.
When the smoke cleared, Tang Hao lay at the bottom of the crater, his bones broken, blood streaming from his orifices, his flesh torn and mangled. He was on the verge of death, the bone in his left arm exposed. It was clear how brutally Qian Xunji had struck!
Qian Xunji was far too complacent. He didn't finish off his nearly dead opponent, but simply hovered in the sky, savoring this rare moment of victory.
After killing the most gifted young talent in Clear Sky Sect in a thousand years and capturing a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, surely Father, Yun'er, Xue'er, and Little Sister would look at him differently. Then his position in Spirit Hall would be secure!
Who would still say he was an incompetent Pope?
"Ha ha ha ha! So what if you're Clear Sky Sect's greatest talent in a thousand years? You're still going to die by my hand! Tang Hao, I admit that given enough time, you might surpass me. What a pity, what a pity—you're out of time!"
Qian Xunji gazed at Tang Hao's wretched state, his eyes nearly feverish. He was relishing the thrill of tormenting a genius.
Suddenly, he thought of someone: his cousin, Qian Xunqian.
His cousin was a genius too, one even more astonishing than Tang Hao.
A thought suddenly occurred to him: after killing Tang Hao, he would return to Spirit Hall and properly torment that genius who was every bit his equal.
He imagined locking Qian Xunqian in a secret chamber and violating her, crushing the pride she took in being a genius beneath his feet!
He would make her kneel and beg for mercy like a dog. He would make everyone know that he, Qian Xunji—
was the greatest genius of the Angel Family! The eternal king of Douluo Continent! The eternal god!
Qian Xunji's obsession grew ever stronger. Qian Xunqian had tried to talk to her big brother about it before, but Qian Xunji only thought his cousin had come to make trouble or take pity on him—to Taunt him.
Their relationship had turned extremely strained ever since Qian Xunqian began to outshine him.
Qian Xunji licked his lips as if savoring the moment, as though he could already see what the future held.
"Tang Hao, prepare to die!"
"No! Brother Hao!" Ah Yin cried out in despair. She had no tears left to shed; they had all run dry!
She gently placed Tang San on the ground, then slowly pushed herself upright and took one step, then another, then another, then another...
With immense difficulty, she made her way toward Tang Hao. Beneath her feet, blue-gold patterns slowly began to appear.
"Oh no! It's a sacrifice!" Qian Xunji hadn't seen it coming. He snapped out of his fantasy of victory.