Seven Years Later

Spirit City, Pope Palace.

After seven years of continuous expansion, Spirit City is now a huge and suffocating super imperial capital.

The layout of the entire city has been turned upside down. The two former empires of the Star Luo Empire and Heaven Dou are now indivisible provinces on the territory of the Spirit Hall Empire.

Most of the checkpoints that crossed the border between the two countries seven years ago have been demolished. The old tax cards have disappeared, replaced by the unified customs ultimatum Spirit Hall Empire.

The changes in the army were even more radical.

The numbers of the old Star Luo Empire Army and the old Heaven Dou Army were gradually broken up, and Soul Master and ordinary sergeants were reorganized as Empire Military Order.

On the throne, Qian Renyuan sat quietly.

He is no longer the eleven-year-old boy he was seven years ago.

Eighteen-year-old Qian Renyuan has a slender and tall figure, like a peerless fierce soldier sheathed.

The youthfulness between his brows has long since disappeared, replaced by a kind of terrifying majesty that is extremely restrained, yet makes people feel as if they have fallen into the abyss at just one glance.

There seemed to be endless darkness hidden in his deep eyes. Even if he just sat there calmly without any movement, it was enough to make everyone standing in the hall feel breathless.

Destruction Angel God Trial's progress, after seven years of accumulation, has been pushed to the last moment when he is approaching the end. The vast divine power is dormant in his body, ready to tear the sky apart at any time.

"Your Highness."

Hu Liena took a step forward and bowed slightly.

Seven years have passed, and she has become more mature and charming, but in front of Qian Renyuan, her posture is more respectful than before, even with a hint of awe from the soul.

She does not serve as any specific legion commander or intelligence leader, but as Personal Guard beside Qian Renyuan, she represents an absolute will.

"The autumn patrols in various provinces have ended. Everything is under the control of the empire. No short-sighted remnants dare to take the lead." Hu Liena's voice was clear and crisp.

Qian Renyuan nodded slightly. "I understand."

Just then, a rush of footsteps broke the silence.

"Report--!"

An elder Spirit Hall walked quickly into the hall, with a look of unconcealable surprise on his face, and knelt heavily on one knee.

"Say." Qian Renyuan spoke calmly, without even raising his eyelids.

"Your Highness!" The elder took a deep breath and tried to keep his voice steady, "There is an urgent military situation on the coast of the East Sea. The patrol team stationed along the coast sent an urgent report that a large-scale abnormal phenomenon suddenly appeared over the East Sea area!"

Qian Renyuan paused slightly while playing with his fingers.

"Go into details."

"Yes! According to the reports from the defenders, the originally calm East Sea seawater suddenly took on an extremely strange color. More importantly, an extremely abnormal fluctuation of divine power came from the direction of the deep sea. Although the fluctuation Although it is messy, it carries a palpitating and depressing feeling, as if something is crazily stirring the vitality of heaven and earth in the depths of the sea. The patrol team does not dare to approach without permission, so they can only send the message back to Spirit City as soon as possible!"

The atmosphere in the hall instantly solidified.

Qian Renyuan slowly raised his head, a cold dark light flashed in his deep eyes.

Unknown divine power fluctuations, East Sea's shore.

Qian Renyuan stood up and looked coldly to the east outside the hall.

"Pass the order."

"Block the message and keep an eye on the East Sea."

"Also, call the four of them."

Hu Liena understood who this "them" was referring to. He raised his eyes and looked at Qian Renyuan. Without questioning, he turned around and took the order.

The emergence of divine power fluctuations at this time means that the seven years of peace are coming to an end.

Some things should be said clearly before the real war comes.

That night, Qian Renyuan did not stay with the Pope Palace.

The doors and windows of the courtyard were all open, and the night wind passed through the courtyard, blowing the four cups of tea on the table.

Hu Liena, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong have arrived.

Qian Renyuan sat at the table and did not let the attendants stay.

"East Sea has experienced fluctuations in divine power."

He got straight to the point and pushed the day's urgent report to the center of the table.

"In the past seven years, Tang San has never shown up. Now there is no place on the mainland that can hide the fluctuations of a god's power, so this matter is probably related to him."

Ning Rongrong picked up the emergency report and read it again, and quickly frowned. "He disappeared for seven years, and when he appeared, he showed supernatural power. It seems that what he found is not small."

"The faster it comes, the greater the price." Qian Renyuan said, "The real godhood is not that easy to obtain. Tang San does not have the time, nor the qualifications to complete a divine path step by step. If he wants to come back, he can only sacrifice his own life."

Xiao Wu was sitting opposite, and his expression did not change at all when he heard Tang San's name.

What she cares about is that Qian Renyuan called them all at the same time, obviously not just for an urgent report from the seaside.

"Do you have anything else to say?" Xiao Wu asked directly.

"Yes."

Qian Renyuan looked at her, raised his right hand, and a very thin black line appeared from the fingertips.

Xiao Wu's body suddenly tensed up. She was so familiar with this breath. Seven years ago, it was the same power that entered her soul and turned into an irreversible mark.

Only this time, the force did not tighten inward, but was gradually pulled away from the center of her eyebrows.

Xiao Wu felt a soft sound coming from the depths of his soul, like a chain that had been locked for seven years was broken.

She stood up suddenly, pressed her palms on the table, and her breathing was obviously a little faster. In the past, whenever she showed real resistance to Qian Renyuan, the brand would immediately tighten, making her unable to even stand in pain.

But now, she tried to turn around and walk towards the door, but there was no response deep in her soul. Qian Renyuan had let go of her.

"Why?" Xiao Wu stared at him.

Qian Renyuan took back his hand, "It was my choice to keep you back then. It is also my choice to remove the brand tonight. As for whether to keep you in the future, it is your choice."

Xiao Wu was silent for a long time. She had thought about the day when freedom would truly come countless times.

She thought she would immediately rush out of Spirit City, return to Star Dou Forest, and never look at Qian Renyuan again.

But the door was right behind her, but she didn't move.

Qian Renyuan did not rush her, but turned her attention to the other three people.

"East Sea's divine power is just the beginning. If Tang San really brings God down, what he will face next is not just a fugitive. If you continue to stay with me, you may face God together."

"Hu Liena, you can take off your identity as Personal Guard. Zhu Zhuqing, you no longer owe anyone. Ning Rongrong, I can let the Seven Treasure lineage withdraw from this fight. As for Xiao Wu, you are completely free now."

He pushed four cups of tea in front of them one after another.

"If you want to leave before the tea is finished, you can leave. Spirit Hall Empire won't stop you, and I won't chase you."

Hu Liena was the first to pick up the tea cup, but instead of drinking it, he put his own Personal Guard Token beside the cup.

"I have worn this token for many years." She looked at Qian Renyuan, "If you want me to take it off, you can. But it's not to let me go, but because there are some things that should have been said in a different identity."

Zhu Zhuqing didn't take the token or explain. She walked to the door, reached out and closed the open courtyard door, then returned to her original position and sat down.

The sound of closing the door was crisper than any oath.

Ning Rongrong tapped the teacup lightly. "Seven Treasure has made a lot of money over the years, but now he is in danger and will quit? If word spreads, will I, Ning Rongrong, be shameless?"

Finally, Xiao Wu picked up the slightly cold tea and drank it all in one gulp.

She placed the empty glass heavily back on the table.

"I stayed before because I couldn't leave."

"Now that I can leave, I won't leave."

Qian Renyuan looked at the four untouched teacups, and then at the closed courtyard door. The coldness in his eyes finally faded a bit.

"Very good."