Sixteen-Character Maxim

Spirit City.

After several more hours of brutal jolting, Qian Xunzong's backside finally returned to Spirit City the next day. Gui Mei and Yue Guan, who were driving the carriage, stared at the towering city walls and the three flamboyant characters for "Spirit City" on the plaque, their eyes filled with astonishment.

"My heavens, I thought this young master came from some major sect. I never expected him to be from Spirit City!!"

Spirit City was the location of Spirit Hall's headquarters and was revered as the holy land of soul masters throughout the world. Experts were everywhere here. Soul Kings and soul emperors, powerhouses who might only appear in a city or town outside, could practically be found at every turn here. Soul Sages and Soul Douluo-level experts were also abundant.

Even the legendary Titled Douluo could be seen here.

"Young Master, Senior, may I ask where our residence is?" Gui Mei asked quietly.

Hearing this, Qian Xunzong yawned. "Just head toward the Papal Palace."

The Papal Palace!!

That was the core of Spirit Hall. The young master actually lived there—just how great was his status?

Gui Mei and Yue Guan exchanged glances, both utterly shocked. They were merely unaffiliated soul masters, yet they had encountered someone of this caliber. They had truly struck it rich.

"Ah, yes, Young Master."

The carriage proceeded slowly. The roads of Spirit City were exceptionally smooth, and Qian Xunzong wanted to use this time to catch a little sleep.

Spirit City covered a vast area. It was no less impressive than the capitals of the two great empires, and was even more prosperous.

After roughly half an incense stick's worth of time, the carriage slowly came to a stop before the Papal Palace.

"Young Master, Senior, we have arrived at the Papal Palace."

As Gui Mei and Yue Guan looked upon the magnificent Papal Palace, excitement inevitably rose in their hearts.

Qian Xunzong grunted in acknowledgment, then got out after Qian Daoliu. The guards standing watch immediately dropped to their knees upon seeing the two of them.

"Greetings, His Holiness the Pope! Greetings, Second Young Master!"

His Holiness the Pope!!

Hearing the guards' words, Gui Mei and Yue Guan's legs nearly gave out beneath them. Heavens, what kind of luck was this? They had gone hunting for a soul beast and somehow encountered the Pope of Spirit Hall, a figure equal to the emperors of the two great empires.

Second Young Master? The Pope's son? Heavens, they had just tried to seize the Pope's son's soul bone.

What a sin!

Qian Daoliu gave a hum and headed into the Papal Palace. Qian Xunzong glanced at the weak-kneed Gui Mei and Yue Guan, the corners of his lips curling upward. "You two, follow us in too!!"

"No, no, no, Young Master. We think it's quite nice out here. Very nice."

How could Gui Mei and Yue Guan possibly dare follow? This was the Papal Palace. How could they dare enter it?

Seeing their expressions, Qian Xunzong felt like teasing them. Putting on a stern face, he said, "Half an incense stick's time. If I don't see you two by then, the consequences..."

After "threatening" them, Qian Xunzong swaggered up the stairs and walked into the Papal Palace.

Gui Mei and Yue Guan's eyes were full of fear. They knew they had no choice but to enter the Papal Palace today.

Tap, tap, tap...

The Jade Balance Xiejing Beast passed before them with tiny steps, climbing one stair every three strides.

The two raised their heads to look at the ninety-nine steps, feeling as though this was the hardest road they had ever walked in their lives.

"Enough. What are you afraid of? Either way, it's just one slash. Let's go!"

The two steeled themselves, lifted their trembling legs, and laboriously stepped onto the first stair. Once they had steadied themselves, they let out a long breath, as if they had climbed a mountain.

Then they dawdled their way toward the next stair, then the one after that...

Yue Guan swallowed and asked in a trembling voice,

"Gui Mei, how... how much farther is it?"

Hearing this, one of the guards looked at the pair, who had spent two whole minutes getting only to the fifth step, and could not help twitching his lips. Where had the Second Young Master found these two oddballs?

"Why are you dawdling? Move it, or we'll have someone carry you in!!"

Upon hearing that, the two hurried toward the Papal Palace, but they practically tripped every few steps.

It could not be helped. They were commoners by birth, and the highest-ranking person they had ever met in their lives was the dean of their Advanced Soul Master Academy, who was merely a soul emperor.

It was like diligently farming your fields in ancient times, with the highest official you had ever seen being the county magistrate, only for the emperor to suddenly summon you to the imperial court. Who would not be nervous?

Inside the Papal Palace.

"Zong'er, you have now embarked upon the path of cultivation. Your talent is unprecedented, but remember not to become too arrogant.

"Our Qian Family has the Sixteen-Character Maxim: 'Gods suppress evil souls, enduring through eternity; radiance never ceases, the path reaches far.' These are both the ancestral teachings of the Qian Family and the source of the generational characters in our descendants' names. Your grandfather belongs to the Xi generation, I belong to the Dao generation, and you and your elder brother belong to the Xun generation. However, no matter which generation you are from, you must keep this Sixteen-Character Maxim firmly in your hearts: punish evil and protect the people of the continent."

Qian Xunzong nodded. "Dad, I have no problem with the Sixteen-Character Maxim, but I have another question?"

"What question?"

"So, these sixteen characters correspond to the Qian Family's sixteen generations, right?"

"That's right. What about it?"

"There are only sixteen of them. Does that mean the Qian Family can only continue until your great-grandchildren's generation at most?"

Hearing Qian Xunzong's words, Qian Daoliu froze for a moment before slapping the table. Blowing his beard and glaring, he said, "Nonsense! The Qian Family is destined to endure for ten thousand years. How could we have only sixteen generations!"

Qian Xunzong curled his lips and muttered inwardly, To be fair, the original novel didn't even make it to the sixteenth generation.

"You brat, the Sixteen-Character Maxim isn't something that can only be used once! After the Yuan generation is used up, naturally we begin another cycle and start again from the Shen generation. I..."

Seeing Qian Daoliu's furious appearance, Qian Xunzong hurriedly waved his hands. "Hey, hey, hey, Dad, I was just joking. No need to take it so seriously."

"Uh... right, I need to pack my things and head to Cloud-Treading Villa. I'm off!"

With that, Qian Xunzong hurriedly ran outside. Seeing this, Qian Daoliu said irritably, "You brat, remember to go to the Worship Hall tomorrow!"

"Got it!"

The instant before stepping out of the Papal Palace, Qian Xunzong silently recited in his heart, System, check in at the Papal Palace.

[ Ding, detected that the host is at the Papal Palace. Check-in successful! (Location cooldown: one year.) ]

[ Reward: Judgment Knights ×300 (all soul sages, can be deployed at any time). ]

Damn, three hundred soul sages just like that. I doubt even the two great empires could produce this many soul sages. Not bad, System. Qian Xunzong gave the system a mental thumbs-up.

[ Hehe. ]

Just as Qian Xunzong left the Papal Palace, he saw Gui Mei and Yue Guan, who had gone through "untold hardships" to finally reach its entrance. The two were sprawled weakly on the ground, gasping heavily, their backs drenched in sweat.

The moment they saw Qian Xunzong come out, the two hurriedly bowed. "Young Master."

Qian Xunzong smiled. "Oh? It seems you two have already exceeded the time limit..."

The two were startled. Qian Xunzong continued, "Then I'll punish you by making you carry my things."

"Ah..." Gui Mei and Yue Guan were stunned.

Qian Xunzong simply smiled and walked away. The Jade Balance Xiejing Beast leaped onto his shoulder. Cloud-Treading Villa had everything, so there was no need to prepare anything at all. He was merely teasing the two of them.

"Follow me. If you lag behind again this time, I'll have someone hang you from the city walls."

"Y-yes, we're coming, Young Master!" The two immediately set off and jogged after him.