A Single Move Decides the Realm (I) (Revised)

Slaughter City was located in the far western wilderness.

Using the Star Dou Great Forest and Spirit City as dividing lines, Slaughter City nominally lay within the borders of the Star Luo Empire and belonged to Dragon Flame Province.

Of course, that was only in name.

As a prison for Evil Soul Masters, its warden was a level ninety-nine Ultimate Douluo, while its enforcement captain was a level ninety-one Titled Douluo. Even the Star Luo Imperial Family adopted a laissez-faire approach toward this region. Much less a mere Dragon Flame Province—regardless of who ruled it—none would dare demand that Slaughter City submit to its authority.

Douluo Continent was this kind of world.

The strong were revered, and fists were reason.

A Titled Douluo could claim land and establish a domain. If they did not wish to do so, believing it would dull their passion for cultivation, they did not have to. Yet even without claiming territory, any Titled Douluo would be an honored guest of an emperor in any empire. In any kingdom beneath an empire, they could stand on equal footing with the king.

The appeal of strength was plain to see!

And today, a carriage from the Heaven Dou Empire appeared in a region where it should not have been. Under the protection of two Titled Douluo, it stopped outside the forest surrounding the exit of Hell Road, waiting for an old friend it had not seen in two years to return victorious.

"Young Mistress, aren't you giving that brat too much credit?"

"That brat's talent is indeed impressive."

"His future potential is no lower than ours."

"But there's no need for you to humble yourself so much and personally come welcome him back!"

Inside the carriage sat two middle-aged men in golden armor and a blonde young woman holding a book. At that moment, the slimmer of the two golden-armored middle-aged men spoke, trying to persuade the blonde young woman opposite him, who occasionally turned a page in her book.

The other golden-armored middle-aged man, broad-built and even somewhat fat, nodded in firm agreement upon hearing this.

Who were they?

They were Titled Douluo!

One was Titled Pufferfish, and the other was Titled Serpent Spear.

They belonged to Spirit Hall.

The only person they could address as Young Mistress was Qian Renxue, Spirit Hall's future Pope, future Angel God, and granddaughter of Great Grand Elder Qian Daoliu.

They could understand valuing talent and treating worthy people with courtesy.

Besides, even if Qian Renxue ascended as a god and entered the legendary Divine Realm, in an unfamiliar environment, one's own people would still be more reassuring and easier to use.

Building up her own faction was by no means useless work.

Furthermore, Spirit Hall would surely unify the continent and establish the Spirit Hall Empire in the future. Thus, all the outstanding talents of the realm at present would become the backbone of the Spirit Hall Empire. Since Qian Renxue had both the ability and the courage to recruit these future pillars, why not let her do as she pleased?

Her mother was not someone who would easily relinquish power!

They had heard that she had taken in a female disciple in recent years.

She was probably planning to appoint her as Saintess.

She wanted to exclude Qian Renxue—the legitimate daughter who should have been Spirit Hall's Saintess—and continue keeping the Pope's authority firmly in her own hands.

Competing against that woman...

One Angel God, one Rakshasa God...

After fighting back and forth, wouldn't it ultimately come down to whose hand was stronger?

The two current gods had failed to determine a victor.

The two future gods would likely be unable to settle it either.

Qian Renxue had recognized this and begun making preparations long ago. To these two old fathers who had watched her grow up, it was quite gratifying, and they strongly approved of what she was doing.

But she still needed to know where to draw the line!

Those in high positions should not reveal their emotions!

If she lowered herself so much, what if that brat took advantage and pushed his luck?

He was not doing things for her. If he returned victorious, welcoming him would at least help win his loyalty.

Yet the blonde young woman seated opposite the two Titled Douluo calmly turned another page. Using one finger as a bookmark, she temporarily closed the book, looked directly at the two Titled Douluo with due respect, and smiled as she solemnly refuted them.

"Trust those you employ; do not employ those you distrust."

"You are overthinking this."

"If he can emerge from Hell Road and complete his plan, then he is indeed worthy of having me receive him. But even if he emerges from Hell Road without completing his plan, I am still willing to come receive him."

"Someone as outstanding as him is gold buried beneath the sand. Perhaps no one will discover him today, perhaps no one will discover him in the future, but his value will not diminish simply because no one has found him."

"As long as he remains gold, there will always be a god willing to unearth him."

"There are some things you do not know."

"So that is all I can explain to you."

"If I say any more, you will not believe it, nor will you understand."

Qian Renxue's inexplicable confidence left the two Titled Douluo utterly dumbfounded.

But since their Young Mistress had already said so much, the two Titled Douluo who had been deemed people who "would neither believe nor understand" naturally had nothing more to say.

If they did not understand, what else could they say?

The two silently exchanged a glance.

They decided to wait and see.

After all, their Young Mistress was right about one thing: they truly did not know what plan that brat had. But from the sound of it, their Young Mistress knew. That meant she must also know secrets they did not, just as she knew of this plan they knew nothing about.

Seeing that neither of them spoke any further, Qian Renxue picked up her book again. With a flex of her slender fingers, she reopened it to the page she had not yet finished reading and continued enjoying it.

Time slipped quietly by amid the turning pages.

Before they realized it, noon had become evening.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell upon the luxurious carriage engraved with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's crest, draping it in a veil of gold and crimson. It also shone upon a huge white vortex that suddenly appeared. Under the gazes of the three, it spat out a tiny figure before silently vanishing.

"He came out?"

Snake Lance Douluo asked uncertainly.

Spiny Porpoise Douluo also looked utterly bewildered.

They both knew that Divine Slaughter's Domain could only be obtained in Slaughter City, and that the prerequisite for obtaining Divine Slaughter's Domain was clearing Hell Road. But they truly had no idea what route one took after clearing Hell Road.

They had assumed this was the rendezvous point.

They had not expected the exit to be here.

That white vortex that had suddenly appeared just now should have been the exit, right?

It had to be, right?

"Go receive him." Qian Renxue glanced at the two Titled Douluo who were still standing there in a daze. Closing the unfinished book, she took a small fragrant-wood table engraved with a chessboard from her Storage Soul Guidance Device and began making preparations. "Judging by the state he is in, he should be badly injured. Watch your attitude. No matter what, he is my friend."

"Yes, Young Mistress!"

"Understood, Young Mistress!"

Snake Lance Douluo and Spiny Porpoise Douluo left with respectful expressions.

But when they returned, they were the ones brought back by Ye Qingcang, their faces filled with shock.

Qian Renxue, inside the carriage, froze as well.

She looked at Ye Qingcang, whom she had not seen in two years.

Her gaze fixed on the red sword mark at the center of Ye Qingcang's forehead.

She licked her suddenly dry lips, abandoning her usual composed demeanor of keeping everything under control. Even her voice trembled slightly. "You really became a God Trial Taker?"

"How could that be fake?"

"Do you want to come closer and take a look?"

"By the way, you should be able to sense the divine power contained within it, right?"

Ye Qingcang shrugged frivolously.

He looked at the blonde young woman whose mind had clearly drifted elsewhere.

In an instant, he recalled the first time they had met two years ago.

A teasing smile suddenly appeared on his flawless, handsome face as he joked, "Wait, two years have passed. Don't tell me you still haven't become a God Trial Taker? Why don't I see a similar mark on your forehead?"