Qian Renxue Learns of Dugu Jue's Death

"You bastard, Old Bone, is that even something a human would say? Don't forget, Aotian did all this for the sect. The Immortal Herb taken from Dugu Bo's grandson was meant to help you break through to the peak Douluo level. Do you have even a shred of conscience?"

Sword Douluo spoke furiously.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Bone Douluo could only change the subject. "What's the use of taking your anger out on me? The urgent matter is how we handle tomorrow's engagement banquet. We don't even know where Rongrong has run off to. Even if we find her, she definitely won't make it back in time for tomorrow's banquet. Besides, we should think about how to explain this to Aotian."

As soon as he finished speaking, the two men looked at Ning Fengzhi in unison, wanting their sect master to make the decision.

Ning Fengzhi naturally resorted to his usual tactic: making preparations on both fronts.

They would search for Ning Rongrong with all their might. If they truly could not find her—

Then, when meeting the guests the next day, they would claim that Ning Rongrong had reached a crucial point in breaking through to Soul Ancestor and could not come out to receive visitors.

Naturally, they failed to find her.

As a result, at the engagement banquet the next day, every other groom-to-be appeared to receive guests alongside his fiancée.

Only Long Aotian stood there all alone.

However, he did not think much of it. Cultivation came first, after all. Their marriage had already been arranged, and once he became a Titled Douluo—or even a god—they would have all the time in the world to be together.

Seeing how sensible and considerate Long Aotian was, Ning Fengzhi felt somewhat guilty. To placate him, after the guests had departed, Ning Fengzhi announced before Sword Bone Douluo that once Long Aotian advanced to Soul Emperor, he would hold a wedding for him and Ning Rongrong.

Long Aotian was naturally overjoyed and returned to cultivate with renewed vigor.

At the same time, after attending the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's engagement banquet, Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, received two pieces of information.

One came from a spy Spirit Hall had planted within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Rongrong had fled from her marriage and remained missing. The entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was searching for her, while Long Aotian was still being kept in the dark.

The other message came from Spirit City.

The Pope's disciple, Xuan Jian, had safely returned to Spirit City last night. He had also brought back news that he had slaughtered Old Poison's grandson, Dugu Jue.

Dugu Bo had always relied on his own strength and shown little respect for Spirit Hall.

He had not even gone to Spirit Hall for his Titled Douluo investiture.

It was an utter act of disrespect.

After learning that Xuan Jian had killed Dugu Jue, the vast majority of the higher-ups were naturally greatly pleased.

Of course, some objected, believing Xuan Jian had been too reckless.

He had thoroughly offended a level ninety-seven peak Douluo—a level ninety-seven peak Douluo with extraordinarily powerful area-killing abilities.

He had cut off any possibility of recruiting him into Spirit Hall.

Pufferfish Douluo Ci Xue stepped forward and respectfully said:

"Young Mistress, for anyone, having one's other half flee from the marriage on the day of their engagement is the greatest humiliation. Should we secretly reveal this information to Long Aotian? Perhaps he will turn against Ning Fengzhi and defect from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"There is no need to rush for now. I have met Ning Fengzhi's daughter. She has always been lawless and unruly. Once she runs off outside, she will sooner or later cause a tremendous disaster. Since Ning Fengzhi wants to hide it from Long Aotian, let him keep hiding it for a while longer. The longer he conceals it, the more deeply Long Aotian will feel betrayed. When that time comes, that will be when they turn against each other."

Qian Renxue sat high upon a gilded Soul Beast hide chair. Her left arm rested on the armrest, her palm supporting her fragrant cheek, while her right hand lightly swirled a wineglass. With her legs crossed, she wore an expression of complete confidence.

"Young Mistress is wise." Pufferfish respectfully retreated to his original position.

"Young Mistress, as for Dugu Jue..." Snake Lance Douluo She Long stepped forward, speaking somewhat hesitantly.

"Since he died at Xuan Jian's hands, it proves he had lost his value for recruitment. Dead was dead. We only need to keep watching the remaining two. Also, see whether there are any geniuses in the Soul Master world capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with them—or even surpassing them."

The other two Qian Renxue referred to were naturally Yu Tianlong and Long Aotian.

In her eyes, only those two were worthy of her notice, but no more than that.

After all, she had learned through Dugu Jue that although the two possessed exceptional talent, their advancement to Soul Ancestor at the age of twelve had depended more on Whale Rubber and the Immortal Herbs they had traded away from Dugu Jue.

Neither of them even possessed a ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring.

They still fell somewhat short of Xuan Jian, whom that woman from Spirit Hall had nurtured.

As for Qian Renxue herself, although she had only discovered the wondrous uses of Whale Rubber at the age of fifteen, resulting in her first four soul rings being the ordinary two yellow and two purple—

Over the following six years, she had consumed large quantities of aged Whale Rubber, including some over fifty thousand years old.

Combined with gaining the recognition of the Angel Set's head Soul Bone in advance, as well as the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower Dugu Jue had given her—

Her fifth soul ring was thirty thousand years old, her sixth was over fifty thousand years old, and her seventh was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast personally hunted by her grandfather.

Her last three soul rings had already reached the soul ring age limits Xuan Jian had planned for himself when Bibi Dong requested the Spirit Condensation Wisdom Head for him, so that he could prove to the various offerings and elders that he was worth nurturing.

She was now a level seventy-three Soul Sage.

Combined with her uniquely blessed Seraphim martial soul, Qian Renxue did not believe Xuan Jian could possibly surpass her, even if he possessed Twin Martial Souls.

And the reason she cared so much about Xuan Jian was not for any particular reason. His appearance alone was enough to ensure that, as someone obsessed with looks, she would never have any romantic thoughts about him.

Although Dugu Jue was fairly good-looking, his strength was inferior to Xuan Jian's, and he had approached her of his own accord. Naturally, she thought even less of him.

The one she truly cared about was her mother, Bibi Dong.

All this time, Qian Renxue had been competing with Bibi Dong out of spite.

It was like that in every other respect.

And it was the same when it came to nurturing geniuses.

After seeing Bibi Dong cultivate such an outstanding genius as Xuan Jian, Qian Renxue had also developed the idea of nurturing a genius herself—then having that genius step forward and defeat Xuan Jian.

To prove herself to Bibi Dong.

That was precisely why Yu Tianlong, Long Aotian, and Dugu Jue had entered her sights.

Now that Dugu Jue was dead, Yu Tianlong and Long Aotian naturally became the focus of her attention.

As for Dugu Jue's little intentions, how could Qian Renxue possibly have failed to notice them?

But with her beauty and talent, if she stood before the world, there would be countless people who liked her.

If someone could defeat Xuan Jian—or simply kill him—then she might look upon that person more highly. Unfortunately, Dugu Jue had ultimately disappointed her.

Dugu Jue was dead, Ning Rongrong had fled from her marriage, and Qian Renxue was searching for a genius who could surpass Xuan Jian in order to compete with Bibi Dong out of spite.

Lin Yuan knew nothing of this. If he had known, he would likely have been greatly surprised.