The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wasn't alone in its worries. The Clear Sky Sect shared them. Spirit Hall's destruction of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had been too sudden, too swift.
No one had even had time to react. In a single night, the mighty Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had simply vanished?
As the leaders of the major powers wondered whether Spirit Hall had another move planned, inside Spirit City...
In the Papal Palace, Qian Xunji stretched. He had finished all the day's administrative work. Did everyone outside think Spirit Hall was planning another move?
If Qian Xunji knew, he would only say they were overthinking it. Their pope was dead on his feet. What next move?
Qian Xunji picked up a dossier and began reading. It detailed the movements of the major powers over the past few days.
"Looks like wiping out the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan really did scare plenty of people. The Clear Sky Sect... the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, even the Two Great Empires..."
"Some are even asking whether Spirit Hall plans to go to war with those powers. What a joke! Spirit Hall loves peace. We're the continent's protectors. Why would we attack anyone for no reason?"
Qian Xunji glanced through it, then set the dossier aside. As for what those people thought Spirit Hall would do next?
They could think whatever they liked. Spirit Hall had already achieved its goal. There probably wouldn't be another move anytime soon.
If there was one, it would only be to name a new member of the Upper Three Sects. But who would it be?
Under normal circumstances, they would naturally choose the strongest of the Lower Four Sects. But those were normal circumstances.
Qian Xunji had no intention of letting that happen. He would see who first declared their submission to Spirit Hall.
That sect would become the next member of the Upper Three Sects!
Qian Xunji slowly rose from the chair that had worn him out and murmured, "I need to put the Cabinet on the agenda as soon as possible. Handling everything myself is tiring, sure, but worse, it's slowing down my cultivation!"
Still thinking about it, Qian Xunji left the hall and headed for a garden behind the Papal Palace.
"Mama... say Mama."
A large crib stood in the garden's Pavilion. Inside lay Qian Renxue and Qian Renfeng.
Beside it sat Ah Yin, an elegant woman. Both her children were exceptionally bright, and she was teaching them the words "Mama" and "Papa."
"Xunji..." Hearing footsteps, Ah Yin looked up at Qian Xunji with a smile.
"Are you done with work?" she asked.
"Mm." Qian Xunji nodded and sat beside her. "Only today's work. I'm exhausted."
"You've worked hard, Xunji." Ah Yin placed her hands on his shoulders and began to massage them.
"Mm, that feels good!" Qian Xunji looked thoroughly content. "You're getting even better at this, Ah Yin."
Ah Yin smiled. "There isn't much I can do to help you, so I learned how to give massages. At least I can help you relax when you come home."
As she spoke, guilt crept in. She was the pope's wife, yet she could do so little for him. She felt like a failure.
Qian Xunji seemed to notice. He raised a hand and gently stroked her hair. "Ah Yin, don't blame yourself. This isn't something you need to worry about."
Ah Yin nodded slightly and kept massaging his shoulders.
"It won't be much longer, Ah Yin," Qian Xunji said quietly.
"What won't?" Ah Yin asked, curious. "What do you mean, Xunji?"
Qian Xunji smiled. "Soon I won't have to work so hard. I'll have plenty of time to spend with you and the children."
He looked at the two babies in the crib and chuckled. "They look just like me. They're my kids, all right!"
Ah Yin smiled. "These two are so clever, especially their little brother, Qian Renfeng. I've started teaching them to speak."
"They're still too young, though. They'll probably start talking when they're a little over a year old."
Qian Xunji nodded, unconcerned. Whenever they started talking was fine with him...
"I'm planning to establish a Cabinet. Its members will help me handle administrative affairs. They'll review matters first and make recommendations, then I'll make the final decision if their proposals are sound!"
"That way, the Cabinet will handle the work instead of me. All I'll have to do is approve their decisions or send them back."
"But wouldn't that mean the Cabinet would take some of the pope's authority?" Ah Yin asked worriedly.
It felt as though doing so would greatly diminish the pope's power within Spirit Hall.
"Hahaha." Qian Xunji laughed. "Ah Yin, you're too naive. Whatever authority they gain will be limited."
"In this world, strength rules. Power and authority go hand in hand! As long as Worship Hall stands and Spirit Hall has its foundations, no one can throw it into chaos!"
"I'm the pope, but I'm also a Titled Douluo. Don't judge Spirit Hall the way you'd judge the Heaven Dou Empire!"
The Heaven Dou Empire's system was rotten. The main reason was that its imperial family was too weak while everyone else was too strong. Whatever the imperial family tried to do, others could obstruct them at every turn, and they could do nothing about it.
"Mm..." Ah Yin considered his words and said nothing more.
That was exactly why she blamed herself. She realized she couldn't help Qian Xunji at all. It seemed she could only sit there and look pretty.
"Don't overthink it. Did I marry you because I needed you to help me? Giving me a son and a daughter is the greatest help you could have given me!"
"You have no idea how my father used to look at me before you and the children came into our lives! Just look at him now!"
Qian Xunji spoke with a reassuring smile. Perhaps being back in Spirit City and seeing how powerful Spirit Hall was had affected Ah Yin. Or perhaps it was watching him come home exhausted every night. Either way, she had always wanted to help him.
But she knew nothing about running Spirit Hall, large matters or small, and could offer him no help. So she blamed herself for being useless.
Qian Xunji knew all this. He didn't care whether Ah Yin could help him, but he did need to ease her worries.
"That's enough of that. Shall we go out for a walk?" Qian Xunji went to the crib and lifted Qian Renxue into his arms.
Ah Yin picked up Qian Renfeng.
"Where to?" Ah Yin asked. Since their return to Spirit City, Qian Xunji had been exhausted every day, yet he had always found time to take her and the children out around the city.
"Hmm? How about north? We can stop by Worship Hall and let my father see his granddaughter and grandson again." Qian Xunji smiled.
His father, Qian Daoliu—well, it wasn't that he disliked his son. He was simply disappointed that Qian Xunji hadn't lived up to his expectations. But he adored the two children.
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