Investiture of the Holy Son

Even though they had been mentally prepared beforehand, hearing Wang Chen admit it personally still left them utterly shocked.

Thousand Jun Douluo's hand involuntarily trembled. If Wang Chen had not been watching him closely, he truly would not have noticed it.

The fact that Wang Chen was an inheritor of a god was clearly an unimaginable shock to them.

Qian Renxue tugged at Qian Daoliu's arm and coquettishly said, "Grandpa, I promised Little Brother Wang Chen that he could become Spirit Hall's Holy Son. You can't make me break my word!"

Qian Daoliu glanced at Qian Renxue. "Isn't it just the position of Spirit Hall's Holy Son? What's the big deal?"

Qian Daoliu looked at Golden Crocodile. "Second Brother, take Little Brother Wang Chen to the Papal Palace and discuss the Holy Son's investiture ceremony."

Qian Renxue then said, "I'll go with Little Brother Wang Chen."

Seeing this, Qian Daoliu knew that Qian Renxue wanted to see Bibi Dong and was not simply going to discuss Wang Chen's investiture ceremony as Holy Son. He waved a hand. "If you want to go, then go!"

After all, whenever Qian Renxue returned in the past, she would always find all sorts of excuses to see Bibi Dong, hoping to prove herself before her.

Papal Palace.

Bibi Dong sat high upon the papal throne, dressed in a purple-black, gold-trimmed papal robe. Semi-transparent silver-purple gauze pauldrons layered over her shoulders, and a nine-curved purple-gold crown rested atop her head. Her snow-white skin only made her furrowed brows more apparent.

Bibi Dong looked at Wang Chen. "You're saying that you want to make this eight-year-old child the Holy Son?

What contributions has he made? What qualifications does he have to become Spirit Hall's Holy Son?"

Qian Renxue stepped forward and answered, "Little Brother Wang Chen possesses extraordinary talent. He broke through to Rank 40 before even turning nine.

Moreover, his first soul ring was a thousand-year soul ring, while his second soul ring was a ten-thousand-year soul ring."

When she heard that Wang Chen possessed extraordinary talent, Bibi Dong smiled disdainfully.

Discussing talent before a genius like her, who possessed twin martial souls and innate full soul power at Rank 10, was rather laughable.

However, when she heard that Wang Chen had reached Rank 40 before turning nine, interest appeared on her face.

When she heard that his first soul ring was a thousand-year soul ring, Bibi Dong's pupils suddenly contracted. When she heard that his second soul ring was a ten-thousand-year soul ring, even her hand trembled for an instant.

The papal scepter in her hand swayed and scraped against the floor, producing a hiss.

Bibi Dong straightened up and stared fixedly at Wang Chen. "Show me your martial soul and soul rings."

Ignoring her pressure, Wang Chen extended his right hand. As his soul power surged, a pill furnace appeared, its walls entirely golden and flames burning within.

A blue wandering dragon that exhaled cold air was engraved upon the furnace's bronze walls. As it moved, it emanated soul power of extreme ice.

Within the pill furnace, the flames resembled an ocean. Amid them was a fiery red wandering dragon condensed from flames.

The blue ice-attributed wandering dragon on the furnace walls and the red fire-attributed wandering dragon inside the furnace complemented one another. They were both opposing and unified, achieving a perfect balance.

Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and Golden Crocodile Douluo all stared intently at Wang Chen's martial soul.

Qian Renxue frowned and asked in confusion, "Your martial soul?

Wasn't the outer furnace wall previously bronze-colored, engraved with a sun pattern, covered in verdigris and holes, with only a weak flame burning inside that looked as though it would be extinguished by a gust of wind?

When did it become like this?"

Golden Crocodile and Bibi Dong were shocked once more.

From Qian Renxue's words, they could tell that Wang Chen's martial soul had undergone at least one heaven-defying evolution.

It was not as though they had never heard of martial soul evolution, but it mostly occurred in children born from the union of two martial soul possessors.

This was the first time they had seen someone like Wang Chen, who had awakened an ordinary martial soul and then, through his own cultivation, evolved it into a top-tier martial soul.

Bibi Dong looked at Wang Chen. "Little Wang Chen, can you tell me how your martial soul evolved into its current form?"

She had once been involved with Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang's martial soul was a pig martial soul, and his innate soul power had been only half a rank.

He had only reached Rank 29, and by the time he tried to break through, he was already nearly fifty years old.

If Yu Xiaogang could learn Wang Chen's method, would there be a way to evolve his pig martial soul as well and break the curse that prevented someone with innate half-rank soul power from surpassing Rank 29?

At that thought, Bibi Dong looked at Wang Chen with intense longing in her eyes.

At that moment, she suddenly felt that Qian Renxue was not quite so detestable after all, and the sacred angelic aura emanating from Qian Renxue no longer seemed so repulsive.

Golden Crocodile Douluo also looked at Wang Chen with an eager expression.

Over the past hundred years, no descendant of the Golden Crocodile family had awakened the Golden Crocodile King martial soul.

Their Golden Crocodile family was now being supported solely by him, Golden Crocodile.

If he could obtain Wang Chen's method for evolving martial souls and allow the martial souls of the Golden Crocodile family's younger generation to evolve, then the Golden Crocodile family could once again rise to the pinnacle of Spirit Hall.

Even after his death, the Golden Crocodile family would at least have successors.

Wang Chen did not rush to explain. Instead, he stomped his right foot, revealing four soul rings around himself: purple, black, black, and black.

Bibi Dong abruptly rose from the papal throne and, in a flash, arrived beside Wang Chen.

Bibi Dong's eyes were locked onto the four soul rings Wang Chen had revealed—purple, black, black, and black.

"His first ring is a thousand-year ring, and his second ring is a ten-thousand-year ring."

Bibi Dong cried out in shock.

In her understanding, aside from Wang Chen possessing twin martial souls, this pill furnace was his second martial soul. The only beings capable of enabling Wang Chen to achieve such a thing were gods.

Even though he had already seen it once, Golden Crocodile was still shocked by Wang Chen's heaven-defying soul ring configuration.

Wang Chen answered, "Wanting a martial soul to evolve is actually very simple: make a god take an interest in you and designate you as the inheritor of a divine position.

Then, like me, absorb a thousand-year soul ring as your first soul ring and a ten-thousand-year soul ring as your second soul ring. That will allow your martial soul to evolve."

A look of disappointment flashed through Bibi Dong and Golden Crocodile's eyes.

Obtaining a divine inheritance was not so simple.

This meant that their idea of obtaining a method from Wang Chen that could be widely promoted to evolve martial souls had fallen through.

Bibi Dong returned to the Pope's seat and once again put on a stern expression.

Bibi Dong stroked the Pope's scepter and pondered for a long while before saying, "Wang Chen can become the Spirit Hall's Holy Son, but my disciple Hu Liena must become the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden."

Qian Renxue frowned and asked in confusion, "Who is Hu Liena? Has she also received a god's inheritance?

Did she also break through to Rank 40 before turning nine?

Is her first soul ring also a purple thousand-year ring, and her second a black ten-thousand-year soul ring?"

During these past few years, Qian Renxue had been undercover in the Heaven Dou Empire. Her focus had been on scheming against the empire's upper ranks and seizing authority, so she had not paid much attention to the development of a child within Spirit Hall.

Moreover, Hu Liena had yet to be named the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden and had not yet been brought into the spotlight.

That was why Qian Renxue had not looked into her in detail.

Qian Renxue's questions made Bibi Dong choke up instantly. She wanted to refute her, but did not know what to say.

Golden Crocodile Douluo knew that Qian Renxue was unfamiliar with Spirit Hall's situation, so he explained, "

Hu Liena's martial soul is the Demon Fox. She was born with Rank 9 innate soul power, is now nine years old, and has Rank 18 soul power."

Qian Renxue stared straight at Bibi Dong. "That trash with only Rank 9 innate soul power, who is about the same age as little brother Wang Chen yet has only cultivated to Rank 18—what right does she have to stand alongside little brother Wang Chen? What right does she have to become the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden?"

Qian Renxue's voice was not loud, but it was cold—bone-chillingly cold.

A trace of reluctance flashed through Bibi Dong's eyes for an instant, but only for an instant.

Bibi Dong's gaze soon turned cold and merciless once more.

Bibi Dong did not explain. Instead, she looked at Golden Crocodile. "Golden Crocodile Offering, what is the Offering Hall's opinion?"

Golden Crocodile asked, "What if the Offering Hall does not agree to Hu Liena becoming the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden?"

Bibi Dong was not angered. She brushed aside the hair at her forehead and said, "Then Wang Chen's position as the Spirit Hall's Holy Son will have to be reconsidered.

After all, according to Spirit Hall's rules, one must have the Pope's approval to become the Holy Son."

Golden Crocodile frowned. "Wang Chen is an inheritor of a divine position. Aren't you afraid that the god behind him will come looking for trouble?"

Bibi Dong sneered, straightened her posture, and asked in return, "Do you think I would be afraid?"

Golden Crocodile sighed. He had learned from Qian Daoliu that Bibi Dong was an inheritor of a divine position.

Both sides were inheritors of divine positions, and Bibi Dong had already cultivated to over Rank 90. Her strength far surpassed Wang Chen's.

If it came down to who would become a god first, Wang Chen likely could not compare to Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong truly had no need to fear Wang Chen.

Qian Renxue clenched her hands tightly, her face full of unwillingness.

She was not angry that Bibi Dong was preventing Wang Chen from becoming the Spirit Hall's Holy Son. She was angry that some wild fox who had appeared out of nowhere had the right to compete for her mother's love.

The current Qian Renxue was still a child. By Wang Chen's standards from his previous life, she was at most a middle school student, still incapable of completely ignoring such things.

Though Qian Renxue's eyes remained defiant, she could only say helplessly, "As long as little brother Wang Chen can become the Holy Son, Hu Liena can be given the position of Holy Maiden."

Bibi Dong looked at Qian Renxue and questioned, "Wang Chen's matter is settled. Now let's talk about you.

Why did you suddenly return?

The plan to steal the country is so important, yet you left your post without authorization. Do you still have any respect for Spirit Hall's rules?"

Qian Renxue said, "Little brother Wang Chen said that I have a chance to inherit the Angel God's divine position, so I came back."

Golden Crocodile Douluo looked at Qian Renxue in shock. "Xue'er, can you really inherit the Angel God's divine position?"

Bibi Dong also opened her mouth wide, looking at Qian Renxue in astonishment.

Qian Lingfeng added at the right moment, "That's right. My god told me that Sister Qian has a great chance of inheriting the divine position. As long as Sister Qian undergoes the Angel God's trial, she can basically obtain the Angel God's inheritance."

Golden Crocodile laughed loudly. "Good, good, wonderful! This way, our Spirit Hall will have three gods in the future."

Although Bibi Dong and the Angel Qian family of Spirit Hall did not get along very well, they had not yet reached the point of openly falling out. Moreover, the future Spirit Hall would belong to Qian Renxue.

And Qian Renxue was Bibi Dong's daughter, so Golden Crocodile Douluo naturally could not say that Bibi Dong was not Spirit Hall's future god.

Bibi Dong had sent Qian Renxue to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire because she did not want to see Qian Renxue.

Her feelings toward Qian Renxue were complicated. There was love for her own daughter; there was disgust and resentment that arose whenever seeing Qian Renxue and her Angel martial soul reminded her of Qian Xunji; and there was the aversion brought about by the interference of the Rakshasa God's divine power.

Moreover, she was not very clear-headed. She was prone to stubbornness, prone to falling into extremes, and prone to avoidance.

Amid all those tangled emotions, Bibi Dong chose to avoid them.

And she did not want to give up the position of Spirit Hall Pope. The best way to avoid it was to make Qian Renxue leave Spirit City.

Preferably for the kind of departure that would last several years, or even over a decade.

After becoming a god, whether she chose to destroy Spirit Hall and go to the God Realm with Yu Xiaogang, or reconcile with Qian Renxue and remain in Spirit Hall—

She would have the right to choose. The initiative would be in her hands.

Bibi Dong looked at Qian Renxue, her gaze complicated, filled with surprise, resistance, and disgust.

In the end, it returned to a water-like calm. "What do you plan to do?"

Qian Renxue wanted to hear Bibi Dong ask her to stay. She wanted to hear that her mother wanted to see her.

But Qian Renxue was disappointed.

The longing in Qian Renxue's eyes faded, returning to a water-like stillness. "Cultivate diligently, take part in the divine trials, and inherit a godhood."

Bibi Dong closed her eyes and waved a hand. "Withdraw!"

After Qian Renxue, Wang Chen, and Golden Crocodile Douluo left, Bibi Dong leaned back in the Pope's seat, her face full of weariness.

Three days later came the grand ceremony to appoint Wang Chen as Holy Son.

It was then that Qian Lingfeng saw the future Golden Generation trio for the first time.

Hu Liena stood in the middle. She was petite, with fair skin and soft light-golden hair falling to her shoulders, its ends slightly curled.

Her fox-like eyes naturally tilted upward at the corners, her irises amber-colored. Even now, a faintly alluring charm showed in every glance.

Her small face still carried baby fat, making her look delicate and lovely, yet her eyes revealed a calmness and intelligence far beyond her age.

Standing to Hu Liena's left was Xie Yue. He had a tall, straight figure, neat silver-black short hair, and a handsome, cold face.

His black eyes were sharp as blades, and his temperament was icy. Despite his young age, he already exuded a proud, steady air that kept strangers away, his gaze appraising and keen.

Standing to Hu Liena's right was Yan. He was much sturdier than children his age, with short fiery-red hair like burning flames.

His brows and eyes were arrogant, his expression fervent, and his entire body radiated a scorching aura. His personality was somewhat flamboyant, and his gaze held the pride of one unwilling to admit defeat.

Though the three were still young, they already possessed exceptional bearing, faintly carrying the air of powerful experts.

At this moment, all three stared intently at Wang Chen, curious about what qualifications he had to stand alongside Hu Liena and become Spirit Hall's Holy Son.

However, with the Pope and the many Spirit Hall elders all present, even though they harbored anger and doubts, they did not dare voice them.

"The time has come. Holy Son and Holy Maiden, step forward to receive the appointment!" Spirit Kite Elder, who was presiding over the ceremony, proclaimed loudly.

Wang Chen and Hu Liena stepped out from the crowd and came before the Pope, bowing in salute. "Wang Chen (Hu Liena) pays respects to the Pope."

Seated in the Pope's chair, Bibi Dong examined Hu Liena with satisfaction.

On the surface, Hu Liena was Bibi Dong's disciple. In truth, she was the object onto which Bibi Dong projected compensation for her complicated feelings toward Qian Renxue.

Now that the Holy Son and Holy Maiden were being appointed, Qian Renxue had come as well, standing among the crowd.

However, Qian Renxue had not come in her true appearance. Instead, she had disguised herself and attended as a representative of the Angel Legion.

It was simply because Qian Renxue had no desire to become the Holy Maiden that she had not made a high-profile appearance.

If she had wanted it, even if Bibi Dong opposed her, the position of Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden would have belonged to Qian Renxue. It would not have fallen to Hu Liena.

Bibi Dong glanced at Qian Renxue, her eyes complicated, then turned back to Hu Liena and Wang Chen. "Wang Chen, Hu Liena, receive your appointment. Today, you are appointed Spirit Hall's Holy Son and Holy Maiden. Contribute more to Spirit Hall. Are you both willing?"

"Wang Chen is willing."

"Hu Liena is willing."