The Sword of Protection

As the sun set, Qian Daoliu watched Xiao Mo drink coconut juice and run along the shore, and his mood brightened as well.

"Great-Grandfather, come play with Xiao Mo!"

Hearing the call, Qian Daoliu did not hesitate. He immediately stepped forward and strolled along the beach with Xiao Mo.

Relaxed, content, happy—Qian Daoliu had not felt this way in a long time.

As he gazed at the setting sun on the horizon, he unconsciously summoned the Angelic Holy Sword.

This was not that divine artifact, but the sword his father had given him when he first began practicing swordsmanship.

This sword was also his old companion. They had accomplished many great deeds together and slain many Fallen Ones.

Holding the sword, Qian Daoliu looked at the laughing Xiao Mo, and a realization arose in his heart.

He had felt this way once before: when he took Spirit Hall from his father's hands and shouldered the Angel Clan's mission.

Seeing Qian Daoliu staring blankly at his sword, Xiao Mo walked over curiously and asked him.

"Great-Grandfather, did you remember something?"

Qian Daoliu came back to his senses. Looking at Xiao Mo, he sat cross-legged and planted the sword beside him.

"Xiao Mo, do you want to hear stories about your grandfather's youth?"

Xiao Mo nodded. He had heard others in Spirit Hall tell stories about Qian Daoliu, but hearing them from the man himself was far more exciting.

Qian Daoliu placed Xiao Mo on his lap. As he watched the waves crash against the shore, his thoughts drifted back to the past.

My name was Qian Daoliu, and I was the Grand Consecrator of Spirit Hall. I knew many people called me pedantic and indecisive.

But they did not know that I only suppressed my original nature because I did not wish to see the living beings of the continent suffer any longer.

That year, I was six years old. I awakened the Angel Martial Soul and possessed innate full soul power at Rank 20. Countless people called me a genius.

It was also that year that, for some reason, the major sects and the Fallen Ones became increasingly rampant.

My father was unfortunately defeated during a campaign against the Fallen Ones. By the time his body was sent back to Spirit Hall, it was already completely disfigured.

Looking at my father's corpse, I felt no grief, no sorrow, and shed no tears. There was only the raging fury of revenge against the Fallen Ones.

From then on, I worked tirelessly to grow stronger. At the age of twenty-five, I finally broke through to become a Title Douluo.

That same year, countless Fallen Ones gathered together and prepared to attack Spirit Hall.

At the time, Spirit Hall was severely lacking in capable successors. It was hard to imagine that there was only one Title Douluo in the entire city.

Uncle Golden Crocodile told me to run. He said I bore the responsibility of protecting Spirit Hall, and that as long as the green hills remained, there would always be firewood to burn.

But I refused. I remembered my father's teachings and the arrogant faces of the Fallen Ones outside.

Before everyone's eyes, I picked up the sword my father had given me and charged decisively into the ranks of the Fallen Ones.

That battle was extraordinarily brutal. There was hardly a single patch of uninjured flesh left on my body.

But with the conviction in my heart and my hatred for the Fallen Ones, I endured through it by sheer force of will.

They all thought I was insane. Relying on a desperate, life-risking fighting style, I won that war with great difficulty.

I led the rest of Spirit Hall in pursuit of the Fallen Ones. During that time, quite a few sects also attempted to attack Spirit Hall.

I was disappointed by their actions. The Fallen Ones were clearly our enemies, yet these people attacked us for their own interests.

As I looked at the sword in my hand, I gained another realization. Seeing the ugly faces of the Fallen Ones and the other sects, I decided to redefine the rules of the continent.

That year, I was forty-five. My soul power had reached the level of a Rank 99 Peerless Douluo. I had surpassed my father and become the new-generation Pope of Papal Hall.

However, I did not sit on the Pope's throne for long. I took Uncle Golden Crocodile and five friends I had met in battle to launch a final assault against the Fallen Ones.

I won that battle! Yet my sword did not improve in the slightest. No matter how I cultivated, my sword intent remained frozen at that point.

When I looked back, I found the continent in ruins. So I decided to call a truce and begin developing the continent.

Under my rule, the continent began to flourish, and Fallen Ones rarely dared to emerge again.

It was also that year that I accepted the ancestors' command and became a servant of the gods, beginning to await the arrival of the inheritor.

From the moment I became the Grand Consecrator, I put away my old ferocity and began cultivating my character. I no longer wished to involve myself in war.

I also began studying my own sword path, but after many years, I still made no progress.

Until I met a little girl. That child was like a ray of sunlight shining into my heart.

Watching her laugh and play, I realized I was wrong—completely wrong.

The sword in my hand had never been meant for attack. It was meant for protection.

To protect everything I cherished, to protect everything I cared about—that was the meaning of my sword's existence.

"Great-Grandfather, the child you were talking about couldn't have been me, right?"

Xiao Mo tilted his head up and saw the blissful smile on Qian Daoliu's face.

Qian Daoliu stroked Xiao Mo's head and smiled without speaking. The meaning was already clear.

At that very moment, Qian Daoliu closed his eyes, and the realization in his heart became even clearer.

Seeing this, Xiao Mo immediately jumped down from Qian Daoliu's lap and ran to the side.

Before long, a gigantic golden sword tore through the skies above Sea God Island and descended beside Qian Daoliu.

Countless tiny golden swords circled around him, ringing out with clear, resounding sword cries.

This scene drew many powerful experts to watch. When Qian Daoliu opened his eyes, his aura had become steadier and even more unfathomable.

"Congratulations, Qian Daoliu. It seems you have found the meaning behind your sword's existence."

Bo Saixi congratulated Qian Daoliu with envy. At their level, it was extremely difficult for soul power to improve unless one became a god.

To increase one's strength, one had to seek progress in other areas. Qian Daoliu was a perfect example.

His sword path had now entered an entirely new realm, and his strength had risen to another level.

Even if Tang Chen were here, he might not necessarily be able to defeat Qian Daoliu. Qian Daoliu could now be called the foremost among the three great leaders!

"Great-Grandfather, are you all right?!"

Qian Daoliu stepped forward, picked Xiao Mo up, and held him in his arms. "Grandfather is fine. Don't worry."

After saying that, he turned to Bo Saixi. "I have troubled you these past days. It is time for me to return. Until we meet again!"

With that, Qian Daoliu activated his martial soul and flew toward Spirit Hall with Xiao Mo.

He decided to sever his attachments to the past. From then on, he only wanted to live a peaceful life raising a child.

Two days later, the grandfather and grandson finally arrived at Spirit Hall. However, Xiao Mo did not return to Consecration Hall with Qian Daoliu right away, instead running toward Papal Hall.

Xiao Mo ran breathlessly to the entrance of Papal Hall. Just as he was about to go inside, he was knocked to the ground by a pair of huge soft mounds.

"Wow! What an adorable little kid."

Xiao Mo rubbed his backside. Only after hearing that did he look up at the newcomer.

Before him stood someone with neat, short orange hair, dressed in a fitted golden outfit. Her willow-slender waist and straight legs accentuated her fair skin, while a faint blush colored her cheeks. Most striking of all were those bewitching fox-like eyes, so alluring that it was impossible to look away.

"Who are you? Why did you run into me with your balls?"