So What If Seven Divine Trials Are Upon Me? I Don't Want to Be a God of Later Generations, I Want to Create Worlds, Supreme!

Qian Renxue bit her lip, her little face full of disappointment.

Could it be...

Could it be that what she did just now disappointed the ancestor?

Was that why he hadn't taken her with him?

Qian Renxue felt uneasy.

She did not know what to do.

Just as Qian Renxue was lost in wild thoughts—

A figure slowly walked over to her side.

"Xue'er."

A gentle voice rang out.

Qian Renxue froze, then instinctively raised her head.

She happened to see Qian Daoliu's smiling face.

"Grandpa..."

Qian Renxue called softly, her little face filled with grievance.

Seeing her like this, Qian Daoliu could not help but feel a pang of heartache.

He crouched down, rubbed Qian Renxue's little head, and said with a smile.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you unhappy because the ancestor left?"

Qian Renxue bit her lip and nodded.

She raised her head to look at Qian Daoliu, her little face full of unease.

"Grandpa..."

"Did the ancestor... did the ancestor become disappointed in Xue'er?"

"Did Xue'er... did Xue'er do badly?"

"What should Xue'er do?"

Qian Daoliu smiled faintly at her words.

He looked at Qian Renxue, his eyes full of affection.

"Silly child."

"How could that be?"

"Our ancestor is a very thoughtful man."

"If he were disappointed in you, he wouldn't have given you the position of Spirit Hall's young mistress."

Qian Renxue blinked her golden eyes, looking somewhat dazed.

"R-Really?"

Qian Daoliu smiled and nodded.

"Of course it's true."

"When has Grandpa ever lied to you?"

"The ancestor... thinks very highly of you."

"Even more highly than you imagine."

As Qian Renxue listened to Qian Daoliu's words, some of the unease on her little face gradually faded.

While Qian Renxue and Qian Daoliu were speaking—

Not far away.

Bibi Dong watched the scene, a trace of complexity flashing through her eyes.

She looked at Qian Daoliu, then at Qian Renxue.

Originally, her eyes should have been filled with disgust and cold hatred.

But at this moment...

There was none of it.

Or rather...

She did not dare reveal it so easily anymore.

The lesson Qin Zheng had taught her earlier had been far too profound.

Now, she did not even dare show her hatred.

She was afraid that man would return.

Bibi Dong took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the tangled emotions in her heart.

She turned around and looked at the six elders beside her whose powers had been crippled.

She spoke slowly, her voice cold and alluring, carrying the authority of a Pope.

"Go."

The six elders were all stunned when they heard this.

Go?

His Holiness the Pope was... telling them to come along?

But...

They were no longer Titled Douluo.

Their martial souls had been crippled, and their combat strength had plummeted.

They might appear to be Soul Sages now, but in reality, they could not even wield the strength of Soul Emperors. What use was there in having them follow her?

The six elders exchanged glances, their eyes filled with confusion.

They opened their mouths, wanting to ask something.

But when the words reached their lips, they did not know how to ask.

Seeing their hesitant expressions, Bibi Dong's brows furrowed slightly.

She looked at them coldly, her voice carrying unquestionable authority.

"What?"

"Are my orders as Pope no longer effective now?"

The six elders' hearts suddenly trembled!

They did not dare delay in the slightest and hurriedly bowed.

"We would not dare!"

"We obey!"

"We will follow at once!"

As soon as they finished speaking, the six elders hurried after Bibi Dong.

Before long, Bibi Dong's figure vanished at the far end of the plaza.

Qian Daoliu watched Bibi Dong's departing back, a hint of complexity flashing through his eyes.

He sighed and slowly shook his head.

Bibi Dong...

I hope you know what is good for you.

Gravestones stood scattered throughout the woods in neat rows.

Some looked as good as new, while others had long been weathered and worn by the passage of time.

At some unknown point, Qin Zheng appeared here.

He walked slowly through the cemetery, his gaze sweeping across one gravestone after another.

Some of those names still rang faintly familiar to him, while others were utterly unfamiliar.

Two thousand years were enough for generation after generation to be born and die, to rise to glory and fade into silence.

At last, he stopped.

Before him stood a grave that did not appear particularly conspicuous.

The tombstone was made of bluestone, and the inscription upon it was clear.

Tomb of Qian Xifeng, Pope of Spirit Hall and First Consecrator of the Consecration Hall.

Qin Zheng fell silent as he looked at those three characters on the tombstone.

Qian Xifeng.

That name had been buried in the depths of his memories for far, far too long.

Yet when he saw those three characters again, the sealed memories surged forth like a tidal wave.

Two thousand years ago.

Back then, he had just arrived in this world.

Lost and helpless, only one year old, he had been captured by human traffickers and meant to be sold as a slave to the two great empires.

He had thought of running, but he could not escape. After all, he was only a one-year-old child. He could not even walk, his martial soul had yet to awaken, and surrounded by a group of Soul Masters, what could he do?

It was then that Qian Xifeng appeared.

He saw Qin Zheng's extraordinary nature, brought him back to Spirit Hall, took him as his disciple, and personally taught him.

It could be said that without Qian Xifeng, there would have been no Qin Emperor of later years.

Qin Zheng stood before the grave, silent for a long while.

He simply stood there quietly, as though he had become one with the tomb.

No one knew how much time passed.

At last, Qin Zheng moved.

He straightened his robes, then solemnly clasped his hands, bent at the waist, and offered a deep bow.

This bow honored his teacher's grace.

This bow honored those days from two thousand years ago.

"Teacher."

"It has been two thousand years."

"Your disciple... has returned."

Qin Zheng's voice was very soft, so soft that it seemed he feared disturbing the person within the grave.

He straightened up and looked at the name on the tombstone, a trace of complicated emotion flashing through his eyes.

"Teacher, did you know?"

"Ever since I woke up this time, everything has felt surreal."

"Back then, in Spirit Hall, I was still the most junior one. At every meeting, I could only stand at the very back. I did not even have the right to speak."

"But now..."

Qin Zheng gave a self-mocking smile.

"My seniority has suddenly surpassed everyone else's."

"The elders and consecrated members I knew... are all gone. Even you, Teacher, are left with only this grave."

"Two thousand years..."

Qin Zheng raised his head and looked into the distance.

His gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, seeing the Spirit Hall of two thousand years ago.

Back then, Spirit Hall had not yet become what it was now.

Back then, Qian Xifeng was still around, still chasing after him with a ruler in hand to beat him.

Back then, the elders would marvel at his talent and be plagued by headaches because of his mischief.

"It seems... everything has changed."

"And yet it also seems... nothing has changed."

Qin Zheng sighed and withdrew his gaze.

He looked once more at Qian Xifeng's tombstone, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

"Teacher, something happened today."

"Seven elders of Spirit Hall offended me."

"Not only did they disrespect me, they nearly... caused the Qian Family bloodline to end."