The Search

The violet lightning that Qian Qizhou had transformed into tore through the night like a bolt from the heavens. At an unimaginable speed, he raced toward Spirit City, heedless of everything.

Electro raged and roared around him. In his wake, the air was left with a searing smell that lingered and the shrill crack of thunder. The spectacle was terrifying.

The phenomenon caught the attention of countless Soul Masters and factions along the way. One after another, people stared up at the sky in shock.

After all, the lightning was moving so fast that even a Titled Douluo might not realize it was a person without paying close attention.

Qian Qizhou's mind was in chaos. Countless thoughts intertwined into a raging flood, battering his reason.

He didn't know what he would do once he reached Spirit Hall. Demand answers? Break down in tears? Seek an explanation?

Or did he simply want to see the one person in this world who shared his blood—his older sister?

Perhaps even he couldn't make sense of what lay beneath the fury and confusion roiling inside him.

Far behind him in the night sky, three streaks of light were chasing after him at astonishing speed. Yet they could only watch as the violet lightning ahead pulled farther and farther away.

Guang Ling and the others had pushed their speed to the limit. Their faces were etched with worry, but there was nothing they could do.

The Ice Empress was astonished. She had never imagined that this human boy could unleash such a monstrous burst of speed.

"Too fast! The boy's control over lightning has improved again!" Guang Ling said anxiously, his voice full of disbelief.

He was a Peak Douluo of rank 97, yet he couldn't catch up with a Soul Ancestor?

Could this be the power of that esteemed person's disciple?

All they could do was chase with everything they had and pray Qian Qizhou didn't do anything he couldn't take back.

Qian Qizhou was moving too fast!

The guards atop Spirit City's towering walls saw only a blinding flash of lightning, accompanied by a deafening sonic boom and a gust of wind.

They had no time to react—not even enough to make out the newcomer's silhouette. The lightning had already shot into the city, heading straight for the Worship Hall.

The guards cried out in alarm, and Spirit City went on high alert in an instant.

But Qian Qizhou paid none of it any mind. He had one clear destination—the Worship Hall!

"BOOM—!"

Like a falling star, he slammed down onto the solemn plaza before the Worship Hall. The tremendous impact cracked the hard ground, sending stones flying!

The commotion immediately alerted the guards nearby.

Just then, a blue-green figure strode over. It was the Third Offering, Azure Luan Douluo.

His brows knitted slightly. The deafening crash and commotion outside had clearly disturbed him, and he had come to inspect the situation.

When he saw Qian Qizhou standing in the middle of the plaza, the lightning around him gradually fading as his face came into view, surprise flashed across his features. "Xiao Zhou? Why are you back? And what was all that commotion?"

But almost immediately, Azure Luan sensed that something was wrong.

The boy before him was pale, his eyes slightly red, his breathing ragged. The aura around him was wild.

He must have seen the letter the Pope left behind...

"Xiao Zhou, are you all right?" Azure Luan asked with concern, stepping forward.

Qian Qizhou seemed not to hear him. "Third Offering, where is my sister?"

All he wanted now was to see Qian Renxue—the sister who was his closest blood relative in the world.

Looking at Qian Qizhou, Azure Luan felt a faint unease stir in his heart.

He fell silent for a moment, then slowly replied, "Miss... went on a mission. She won't be back for several years."

"She's not here...?" At Azure Luan's answer, Qian Qizhou seemed to have all the strength drained from him. He stumbled half a step backward.

The urgency in his eyes dimmed, replaced by helpless confusion.

He had raced back to Spirit City without a thought, with only one thing in mind: finding his sister.

Finding the family member he might still have trusted and depended on, deep in his heart, and pouring out everything he wanted to say...

But she wasn't here?

"Where did she go? When did she leave? Who sent her?" Qian Qizhou suddenly looked up, grabbed Azure Luan by the arm, and pressed him for answers.

Faced with Qian Qizhou's near-obsessive questions and the pain and turmoil he could barely suppress, Azure Luan sighed inwardly.

Qian Qizhou's identity was special. He wasn't an outsider, and in his current state, there was no way he would accept silence for an answer.

After a brief hesitation, Azure Luan lowered his voice. "Xiao Zhou, calm down and listen to me."

"Miss... was sent to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire by the Pope and the Great Enshrined."

"This concerns matters of great importance and the future plans of Spirit Hall. It's an absolute secret."

He paused, his tone growing even more solemn. "Besides, the situation within Spirit Hall is complicated right now. The Pope..."

"Haah. Since you're back, don't leave again. Take some time to rest and clear your head. The Great Enshrined misses you, too."

But at his words, the light in Qian Qizhou's eyes faded completely, leaving only emptiness.

After a long silence, he slowly nodded. Without looking at Azure Luan again, he turned and walked toward the Pope Palace, his steps unsteady and his spirit broken.

"Xiao Zhou!" Seeing him like this, Azure Luan was startled and called out at once.

But Qian Qizhou seemed not to hear him at all. He kept walking forward, numb and unresponsive.

Azure Luan's expression changed. He knew this was bad.

Who knew what might happen if Qian Qizhou went to the Pope Palace in this state?

His figure flashed, turning into a streak of blue-green light as he hurried into the Worship Hall.

This whole family... Fine. Let the Great Enshrined deal with the headache himself.

Dazed and dispirited, Qian Qizhou walked toward the Pope Palace, rebuilt in all its towering, resplendent glory, exuding an air of authority.

The guards before the palace had already been roused by the earlier commotion and stood on high alert.

But when they recognized Qian Qizhou, their faces filled with surprise and hesitation.

They were the same guards as before; none had been replaced. Qian Qizhou's appearance had changed somewhat as he grew older, but they still recognized him.

His status in Spirit Hall was far too unusual for them to stop him lightly.

All they could do was let him climb the cold jade steps one by one and push open the doors of the Pope Palace.

The palace was empty and silent. Light streamed through the colored glass windows, casting mottled shadows across the floor.

At the far end of the hall, a figure sat quietly upon the high papal throne.

She wore the opulent robes of the Pope and a purple-gold crown. In her hand, she held the scepter that symbolized supreme authority.

It was Bibi Dong.

From the moment Qian Qizhou entered Spirit City, her spiritual power had already sensed him.

Her deep purple eyes calmly watched the boy approaching one step at a time from the doorway.

She asked coldly, "Why are you back?"