Your God Does Not Answer You, but... I Will (1)

A Limit Douluo!?

Qian Xunji's expression changed dramatically.

One had to know that, over the past thousand years across the entire continent, there had been exceedingly few ordinary soul masters capable of cultivating to rank 99.

Even in this era, there were only three Limit Douluo anyone had heard of...

One of them was even his own father.

And yet you... just blurted one out?

What did you take a Limit Douluo for?

Cabbages at a wholesale market!?

Under Qian Xunji's scrutinizing gaze, Yue Guan felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Yue Guan opened his mouth and said with a bitter smile, "Your Holiness... I would not dare speak carelessly. The injuries on my body were inflicted by that person."

Qian Xunji glanced at the other two elders. They were both seriously injured. Only Bibi Dong's aura was roughly the same as before, though her expression was unpleasant as well.

Though he found it difficult to accept, his tone softened somewhat.

"How are you? You aren't seriously hurt, are you?"

Bibi Dong lowered her head. A trace of hatred flashed deep in her eyes, but her voice remained flat.

"Thank you for your concern, Teacher. I'm fine."

"As long as you're fine. You may go rest now."

Qian Xunji was already accustomed to Bibi Dong's icy attitude and did not mind it. Turning to Yue Guan, he said, "Come with me."

Very soon.

The two arrived at the Worship Hall.

The grand hall was vast and empty. At its center stood a Six-Winged Angel Statue over thirty meters tall. Strands of golden light spilled down from it, suffusing the place with a sacred aura.

Qian Daoliu stood beneath the statue. Dressed in a simple golden robe, he looked only middle-aged, yet he possessed an imposing majesty without needing to show anger. Especially the pressure naturally radiating from him, unique to a Limit Douluo, made one instinctively feel reverence at the mere sight of him, with an urge to kneel.

Yue Guan swallowed, on the verge of tears.

This was what the presence of a Limit Douluo was supposed to be like!

Standing at the pinnacle of mortals, one should inspire this kind of awe!

"Father." Qian Xunji stopped three zhang away from Qian Daoliu and bowed slightly.

Behind him.

Yue Guan immediately dropped to one knee, lowered his head, and spoke respectfully.

"Your subordinate, Yue Guan, greets the Grand Worshipper."

Qian Daoliu looked at his son, then casually swept his gaze over Yue Guan kneeling on the ground without lingering for even a moment. He asked indifferently.

"What is it?"

"It's like this. Elder Ju said that, in the Star Dou Forest, he encountered a mysterious expert who seemed to be a Limit Douluo."

"A Limit Douluo?"

Yue Guan lowered his head. "This subordinate suspects... he was at least a Limit Douluo."

"Suspects? At least!?"

Qian Daoliu's gaze darkened slightly.

He disliked such uncertain wording. He gave Yue Guan a cold glance.

Just one glance.

The pressure belonging to a Limit Douluo suddenly descended.

Yue Guan's face stiffened as he felt overwhelming pressure.

He was already severely injured, and now he could barely breathe.

At the same time... shock rose in his heart.

He did not know whether it was because his memories had been altered, but he suddenly felt that fellow's aura seemed even stronger than the Qian Daoliu before him—the Grand Worshipper of Spirit Hall and one of the three great Limit Douluo of the current age...

But he did not dare say that aloud.

"Y-Yes... the aura I sensed from him was only slightly weaker than yours, Grand Worshipper... slightly weaker than yours, but he was definitely at the level of a Limit Douluo!" Yue Guan said, trembling.

Fortunately, the Second Worshipper, Golden Crocodile Douluo, was not here.

Otherwise, if he asked, "Who is stronger, me or that guy?"

Wouldn't I be dead...

Qian Daoliu said nothing further.

He stared at the Six-Winged Angel Statue in silence for a long time.

There were only a handful of Limit Douluo in the current age.

Bo Saixi guarded Sea God Island and had not left it for decades.

As for himself, he guarded Spirit Hall.

And the remaining one...

Qian Daoliu lightly tapped the Six-Winged Angel Statue with a finger.

Could this mysterious person be...

Tang Chen!?

Ever since their journey to Sea God Island ended all those years ago.

Tang Chen had vanished without a trace and never appeared in the world again.

Even the Clear Sky Sect did not know whether he was dead or alive.

Qian Daoliu had once sent people to investigate in secret and search for him for years, but they had found no trace whatsoever.

His life and death were unknown... which meant... he was dead!

Although many believed Tang Chen had most likely fallen somewhere unknown.

Qian Daoliu knew clearly in his heart.

Tang Chen's strength had already stood at the peak of the age. There were very few people in the world capable of injuring him, let alone killing him.

Without seeing his corpse with his own eyes, it was difficult to believe he was truly dead.

Could it be that Tang Chen had been in seclusion all these years? Had he only emerged now, just in time to run into Ju Douluo?

"What did he look like?"

Qian Xunji had thought of this as well. His brow furrowed. "Could it have been Tang Chen!?"

Yue Guan opened his mouth, then froze.

Tang Chen...

Damn it... I can't remember...

That person seemed to be an eight-year-old boy... seemed to be a white-haired young man... and also seemed to be...

But whoever he was, he could not possibly have been Tang Chen.

Otherwise, the moment I saw him, I would have run away obediently. How could I possibly have attacked him? And his martial soul wasn't the Clear Sky Hammer either! Right... what was that guy's martial soul again!?

"Uh..."

After thinking for a long time, Yue Guan shook his head and forced out a sentence. "This subordinate... cannot remember..."

"!!?"

Two gazes suddenly fell upon him.

Yue Guan's face turned pale, and sweat broke out across his forehead from fright.

"You can't remember!?"

"Y-Yes..."

Yue Guan lowered his head, a trace of fear appearing on his face. "This subordinate only knows that he was very strong—terrifyingly strong... But what he looked like... I truly cannot remember."

The hall fell silent for a second.

Qian Xunji's expression changed slightly as he said in a low voice.

"You are a Title Douluo, yet you can't even remember someone's face?"

"...This subordinate would not dare lie."

"Last night, Her Highness the Saint and we hunted that Death Spider Emperor together, then pursued it all the way into the core region..."

Pale-faced, Yue Guan gave a bitter smile and haltingly recounted the rough course of what had happened the previous night.

"It wasn't just me. Her Highness the Saint and the other two elders who went with us were the same. No matter how hard we tried to recall it, we could only remember that person... was terrifying. As for what he looked like... it was very vague, as though... our memories had been altered..."

"Altered memories!?"

After hearing this, Qian Xunji was startled and hurriedly looked at Qian Daoliu.

Being able to alter the memories of a Title Douluo was simply unheard of. He had never heard of such a thing before.

Qian Daoliu fell silent as well.

He himself was a Limit Douluo, and his spiritual power had reached the ceiling of what mortals could achieve.

If he used a spiritual attack to cause someone to lose their memories, that would be easy enough. But to influence a person's memories... he believed he could never accomplish such a thing.

Unless it was... god-level power!?

But was that person a god?

That did not seem possible either.

Whoever this person was, he was far too terrifying.

Spirit Hall would never permit someone so powerful to exist in this world without them knowing the slightest thing about him.

Qian Daoliu still leaned more toward the possibility that the mysterious person was Tang Chen.

"I'll make a trip to the Star Dou Forest," Qian Daoliu suddenly said.

Qian Xunji was stunned. "Father?"

"If Tang Chen has truly returned, I must go meet this old friend."

Qian Daoliu rose to his feet, his voice calm. "Stay in the hall and watch over Spirit Hall."

Qian Xunji opened his mouth as if to say something, then swallowed the words.

He lowered his head. "Yes."

Qian Daoliu's figure flickered, and he instantly vanished from the Worship Hall.

Afterward.

Qian Xunji and Yue Guan also left the Worship Hall and returned to the Papal Hall.

Yue Guan had originally thought that after returning to Spirit Hall, he would finally be able to rest properly. Instead, he had been running all over the place, and his face grew even paler.

The key was that Qian Xunji seemed to have more business with him and would not let him go recover. Standing to one side, Yue Guan felt miserable.

"Yue Guan..." Qian Xunji suddenly said.

"This subordinate is here. What are your orders, Your Holiness?"

A secret letter suddenly appeared in Qian Xunji's hand. With a flick of his finger, he tossed it to Yue Guan as he pondered inwardly.

Although Yue Guan said that mysterious expert was not Tang Chen, what if he had mistaken him?

But if it was Tang Chen...

The secret report in the letter said so.

At this moment, that transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Grass Empress was living together with a burly man.

And that man was none other than Tang Hao, the publicly acknowledged next successor of the Clear Sky Sect!

He was also Tang Chen's great-grandson!

If they acted now... they would forge a deep enmity with the Clear Sky Sect.

A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast...

Was it worth making an enemy of a Limit Douluo?

He was conflicted.

After reading the secret letter once, Yue Guan's face immediately broke into wild joy. "Congratulations, Your Holiness! We've finally found that little grass again!"

But when he saw that Qian Xunji's expression was not as pleased as expected, but instead gradually darkened.

He instantly understood.

"Your Holiness, are you worried... that person was Tang Chen? I swear, that person could absolutely not have been Tang Chen."

Qian Xunji sneered. "You're that certain? Don't forget, your memories may not be real."

Yue Guan's expression stiffened. His mind spun rapidly, and he hurriedly said, "Uh... if he truly were Tang Chen, the Clear Sky Sect would have already announced his return and welcomed him back. Tang Hao would not need to hide from place to place, would he?"

"Even if we take a step back and assume that person was Tang Chen, he has remained hidden away cultivating all this time, which shows that he does not wish to involve himself in worldly conflict. If we seize that little grass before the Clear Sky Sect can react, then as long as we don't kill Tang Hao, even if Tang Chen returns, he will have nothing to say..."

Listening to Yue Guan, Qian Xunji gradually narrowed his eyes.

That made sense...

He could not wait any longer!

The longer the night, the more dreams there were!

A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Bone.

Those were worth taking the risk for.

Having thought this through.

Qian Xunji stopped hesitating and gave a grave order.

"Go inform Ghost Douluo. Then go to the Elder Hall and summon several elders. They will accompany me to hunt this creature!"

M-Me too?

Yue Guan opened his mouth. He was still seriously injured right now. Couldn't he take sick leave and catch his breath for a while...

But looking at Qian Xunji's excited expression.

After hesitating for a long while, he ultimately gave up struggling.

After all, he had just failed to hunt the Death Spider Emperor with Her Highness the Saint. If he tried to shirk responsibility now... it would be too unreasonable...

However.

With His Holiness the Pope personally taking action, along with Old Ghost... taking down Tang Hao, a Soul Douluo, would surely be effortless—more than enough.

While Qian Xunji and the others led a team to hunt that Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Grass Empress,

Bibi Dong stayed behind on the pretext of needing to recover from her injuries. Qian Xunji did not force her to go.

So at that moment,

she had already returned to a cultivation chamber.

Before her lay a massive Hundred-Thousand-Year Death Spider Emperor, curled up and barely clinging to life beneath the formation, shrinking there in its dying state.

Bibi Dong stared at it for a long time. She reached out and gently brushed the Death Spider Emperor's cold carapace, her expression extremely complicated, unable to put her feelings into words.

At the same time, that vague face she could not remember surfaced in her mind again...

That bastard had given her this Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast so easily... What exactly was he planning? What did he truly want?

But she...

Did she hate him?

Or was she afraid of him?

Or perhaps... grateful to him?

Bibi Dong did not know either.

She only knew that bastard who loved slapping people... was truly detestable...

Yet she owed him this favor, and she had etched it deeply into her heart.

She would just wait...

And repay him someday...

Bibi Dong took a deep breath. When she opened her violet eyes again, her gaze had turned cold. A thread of soul power slowly gathered at her fingertips...

Deep within the chamber, the aura of the Hundred-Thousand-Year Death Spider Emperor gradually faded into oblivion.

Three days later.

Dozens of carts loaded with soul beast meat and medicinal herbs creaked as they slowly rolled out of the tribe.

Long Ling rode a large red horse at the very front of the procession.

Chu Zisheng sat in front of her, his head seeming to rest against a soft cushion. It was rather comfortable.

People from the various tribes gathered in twos and threes, chatting and laughing in great ease.

This trip into the city was dangerous and fraught with risks, but it was also the most relaxing time of their month.

It was even easier than hunting in the mountains and forests.

After all... with a Soul Elder protecting them, they did not need to do anything at all.

This was the outermost region of the outer zone of the Star Dou Forest.

Basically,

most of the soul beasts here were hundred-year soul beasts. Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were not nonexistent, but they were rare and almost never showed themselves.

Besides,

Long Ling had taken the lead and cleared away any dangers that might appear, so there was no need for them to do anything.

They traveled steadily for over half a day without encountering the slightest danger.

Everyone felt even more relaxed.

Long Ling rode her horse, humming a tune. She chewed half a flatbread with the corner of her mouth, fed the other half to Chu Zisheng, then gave him beast milk to drink, smiling without a care in the world.

Over these three days,

Long Ling had most enjoyed teasing Chu Zisheng.

Every day before sleeping and after waking up, she had to watch him drink down the beast milk.

For some reason, forcing him to drink beast milk and then seeing the disgusted look on his face gave her an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

And besides...

They had clearly agreed that she only held him while sleeping because she was worried that, on his first night in an unfamiliar place, he might have a nightmare and be unable to find anyone.

But afterward... it was as if Long Ling had completely forgotten about that.

As long as night fell, she naturally pulled him into her arms to sleep.

She could not explain why she was like this.

Perhaps it was because she felt that they would have to part ways after entering the city. Deep down, she was reluctant to leave him, so she especially cherished the time they spent together.

She was enjoying herself.

But when Long Ling's father saw this, he did not know what to say. Every day, he could only shake his head and sigh, lamenting the decline of morals...

They had originally thought the journey would continue peacefully like this.

But...

By noon,

just as the convoy stopped to eat lunch, a burst of hurried hoofbeats came from behind them.

A horse charged over like it had gone mad. The person on its back was covered in blood, and before he even reached them, he fell headfirst from the saddle.

"Long Ling!! Long Ling!!" The man crawled forward in panic, his face filled with terror.

Long Ling's expression changed. She rushed over in a few strides and helped him up. "What happened!? What's wrong!?"

"The tribe... the tribe..."

The man cried so hard he could barely speak, as though he had been frightened senseless. "Wolves! A huge pack of Two-Headed Demon Wolves! They rushed into the tribe! They're biting people everywhere! The houses are on fire too! People... so many people died..."