"So that was it."
"I was wondering why the atmosphere had gotten so strange."
"Sister Xue, your mom is way too devious! How could she set me up like this?"
"Good thing you were here. Otherwise, I'd have been left hanging here. How awkward would that have been?"
Li Qinglian suddenly understood and could not help but curse aloud.
Bibi Dong had clearly wanted to give him a show of force.
Without the Pope personally leading him up Pope Mountain, even if he became the Holy Son, the sanctity of it would be greatly diminished. But now that Qian Renxue had come, everything had been resolved.
The appearance of Qian Renxue, the Qian Clan's legitimate daughter who had not shown herself publicly for a long time, would only make the effect even better.
"Pfft."
"She really is rather awful. If you feel uncomfortable staying at Spirit Hall, you can come find me anytime. The place where I carry out missions is pretty nice."
Listening to Li Qinglian complain about Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue laughed so hard that she trembled like a flower in the wind.
Why did it sound so pleasant when those words came from Li Qinglian?
She had originally thought she was the only one who felt that way. She had not expected Li Qinglian to think the same.
Most importantly, Li Qinglian actually dared to say it in front of her.
"We'll talk about it later. I don't have any plans to run around everywhere right now."
Li Qinglian shrugged.
He planned to settle down and cultivate diligently at Spirit Hall for a while before deciding anything else.
The cultivation of human Soul Masters and soul beasts was different. Li Qinglian needed to plan his cultivation all over again.
"Alright. But you really do need to build a solid foundation first."
Qian Renxue was not too disappointed.
Looking at the serious profile of the blonde girl beside him, Li Qinglian's heart stirred slightly.
He realized that there seemed to be more and more older sisters around him.
Older sisters who rode the winds and broke the waves~~~
An older-sister-type girlfriend was actually not bad.
The main thing was that older sisters knew how to spoil people.
But both the Goddess of Life and the Silver Dragon King put too much pressure on him.
Even though Li Qinglian was confident that he would not be weaker than them in the future, confidence was not the same as arrogance.
The current Li Qinglian was far too weak, and the gap between him and them was simply too great. No matter how broad-minded he was, he could not completely erase that sense of distance.
"What are you looking at?"
Qian Renxue gave a light spit, growing a little embarrassed under Li Qinglian's gaze.
"Sister Xue is really beautiful."
Li Qinglian sighed.
Qian Renxue had traveled all this way to support him. Whatever her reasons, Li Qinglian was somewhat moved.
He was telling the truth.
Qian Renxue wore a silver-white gown, its hem adorned with tiny diamonds.
Her golden hair cascaded down like melted sunlight, and a delicate jeweled crown rested among her locks. The sapphire at its center perfectly matched the color of her eyes.
Her skin was as fair as the finest mutton-fat jade, almost translucent against her golden hair. The cut of her silver-white gown outlined the curves of her chest just right, revealing an innate nobility within her elegance.
Qian Renxue possessed the ultimate beauty of a human woman, while the Goddess of Life and the Silver Dragon King possessed a divine beauty that could not be profaned.
He truly had no feelings for the Goddess of Life, much less any romantic attraction.
It was not because the Goddess of Life was not beautiful.
Rather, the gap between their levels was too vast. Even though Li Qinglian was a man, he could not feel any desire toward her. All he felt was appreciation for beauty.
The difference in their levels of life was simply too great.
Unless Li Qinglian became a god, it was unlikely that he would develop romantic feelings for the Goddess of Life.
Qian Renxue might currently be vastly inferior to the two God Kings, but her present status actually made Li Qinglian feel closer to her.
Although he had reincarnated as the Death Divine Tree, he had always considered himself a member of the Human Clan. Now, he had even cultivated himself back into a human.
"Really?"
Even Qian Renxue's ears had turned hot. She instinctively tucked a strand of golden hair hanging beside her ear behind it, her fingertips pausing slightly as they brushed against her burning ear.
She would not treat Li Qinglian as a child.
She knew that Li Qinglian was much older than she was.
He had merely cultivated himself anew.
What does Li Qinglian mean by this? Is he simply praising me, or...
Qian Renxue's heart could not help but tremble.
Li Qinglian was a natural-born god who merely needed to wander the mortal world for a time.
If she could be with Li Qinglian...
Perhaps I really am a materialistic woman.
Qian Renxue thought to herself.
In truth, when she learned that the woman beside Li Qinglian was the Goddess of Life, she had already begun entertaining such thoughts.
She did not understand love, but she understood one thing.
Only a powerful man was qualified to conquer her.
What was wrong with marrying into a good family?
Did she have to be as foolish as Bibi Dong? Falling madly in love with a man like Yu Xiaogang?
"Xue'er actually came back and personally brought him up Pope Mountain?"
"Just who is this kid? Why would Xue'er come here for him?"
The moment Bibi Dong saw Qian Renxue, her mood soured completely.
Watching Qian Renxue, like an angel, hold Li Qinglian's hand and walk toward her step by step, Bibi Dong's expression became incomparably ugly.
"Your Holiness the Pope. I have brought the Holy Son here."
"It is time to announce him to the world."
Qian Renxue's lips curled with a trace of mockery.
She had never felt even a trace of maternal love from Bibi Dong, her mother. They could only ever be enemies.
Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes fixed fiercely on Qian Renxue.
She had known this day would come sooner or later, but she had not expected Qian Renxue to begin resisting her so quickly!
"I hereby announce. From this day onward."
"Li Qinglian shall be the Holy Son of Spirit Hall."
Bibi Dong's gem-inlaid scepter struck the ground heavily.
Her eyes glanced toward Yue Guan in the distance, and Yue Guan immediately stepped forward.
"Wait."
"Your Holiness the Pope, appointing a Holy Son is a century-long undertaking for Spirit Hall. Is it not somewhat inappropriate to do so in such haste?"
"The Holy Maiden's brother Xie Yue and Spirit Hall Academy's genius Yan are both renowned prodigies of Spirit Hall. If they are passed over and the Holy Son is chosen directly, I fear it will be difficult to convince the public."
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan stepped out from among the many elders and spoke with righteous conviction.
"Damn it. Bibi Dong hired a plant."
"Isn't this way too obvious?"
Li Qinglian felt embarrassed just watching it.
Everyone knew Yue Guan was Bibi Dong's man. How could he possibly defy Bibi Dong's orders?
Clearly, Bibi Dong had also arranged this little performance.
"She is merely playing petty tricks. As long as you reveal your strength later, no one will have any objections."
"Xie Yue and Yan are nothing more than stepping stones for you."
Qian Renxue squeezed Li Qinglian's hand and whispered.
She also found it rather amusing.
Bibi Dong's methods were still this clumsy!
Pope Mountain was filled with sounds of discussion.
The corners of Bibi Dong's lips lifted, but outwardly she remained composed.
"Chrysanthemum Douluo. Li Qinglian is the Holy Son jointly recommended by every worshipper of the Worship Hall. This is the first time in Spirit Hall's history!"
"Appointing a Holy Son is no trivial matter. Li Qinglian is only six years old. Even if his talent is extraordinary, he still needs time to prove it!"
"I think it would be better to delay this for now. Six or seven years from now, once Li Qinglian has made progress in cultivation, let him compete with Xie Yue and Yan. The winner shall become the Holy Son. Only then can everyone be convinced!"
As Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice fell, Pope Mountain fell completely silent.
Li Qinglian was too young.
Even if his talent truly was monstrous, who could guarantee that nothing would go wrong during his future cultivation?
Moreover, top geniuses of Spirit Hall Academy such as Yan and Xie Yue should also have a chance to compete for the position of Holy Son.
The corners of Bibi Dong's lips rose as her gaze swept across the surroundings.
She knew.
After this line of argument, most people had already taken her side.
Perhaps six or seven years later, Li Qinglian really would become powerful enough to defeat Yan and Xie Yue and reclaim his position as Holy Son.
But!
By then, she would no longer care.
What she wanted was to use this opportunity to suppress the authority of the Worship Hall and let the people of Spirit Hall know that the one in power was the Pope, not some worshippers!
"Li Qinglian. Chrysanthemum Douluo's doubts are perfectly reasonable. What do you think?"
Bibi Dong's gaze finally fell on Li Qinglian, placing all the pressure on him while removing herself from the matter.
For a moment, countless gazes fell upon Li Qinglian.
"I think Elder Chrysanthemum's doubts are indeed reasonable."
"Since Spirit Hall Academy still has two geniuses qualified to compete for the position of Holy Son, they should indeed be given a chance."
As soon as those words fell, the place became deathly silent.
But in the next moment, Li Qinglian's words once again caused an uproar.
"However, six or seven years is far too long. I seize every moment."
"Since someone believes they can compete with me for the position of Holy Son, step forward now."
Before you continue