After spending a little while with her grandfather, Qian Renxue finally stepped out of Qian Daoliu's embrace.
She glanced around and quickly noticed something was wrong.
"Huh?"
The girl blinked. In the vast Worship Hall, there was no one besides her grandfather, Qian Daoliu.
The elders who spent nearly every day here were nowhere to be seen.
Qian Renxue puffed out her cheeks and pretended to be upset. "Grandpa, where are the other grandpas?"
"Don't they know Xue'er is coming back today? They didn't even come out to greet me."
She made a point of looking displeased.
Seeing his granddaughter's expression, Qian Daoliu could not help but laugh.
He reached out and gently patted Qian Renxue's shoulder.
"You little troublemaker. You're quick to lay the blame on them."
"Your brother's coronation ceremony is tomorrow. All of Spirit Hall is busy preparing for it, so of course your other grandpas aren't sitting idle." Qian Daoliu paused, thought for a moment, then continued.
"They have to maintain Spirit Hall's stability and security behind the scenes. Your Grandpa Golden Crocodile even has to attend the ceremony in person tomorrow. Naturally, they couldn't find time to welcome a little troublemaker like you."
"So that's why." Qian Renxue nodded in realization.
She had already guessed as much. She had only brought it up to lead into her next question.
The girl looked up at Qian Daoliu's mature, handsome face. "Grandpa, you just said my brother?"
"Is he really my father's eldest son? Is he really my brother? Why did you never tell me about him before?"
"And what about her? Where did she go to cultivate? Why did she leave without any warning?"
Qian Renxue looked at Qian Daoliu, confusion in her eyes. At last, she had asked the questions that had troubled her most these past few days.
Qian Daoliu fell silent. As he had expected, there was no avoiding them.
But since she had asked, he would stick to his earlier plan and reassure her for now. Everything concerning Bibi Dong had been kept under strict wraps. As long as he said nothing, Xue'er had no way of finding out. And as long as she did not know, everything would be fine.
"He really is your brother. I never told you because he secretly fled Spirit City at a very young age to gain experience in the outside world. For years, no one knew whether he was alive or dead."
"To be honest, even I can hardly believe he came back."
Qian Daoliu took Qian Renxue by the hand and led her to a seat, motioning for her to sit and rest.
"As for your mother, you know what she's like. She would do anything for her cultivation. I don't know where she went, but I'm sure she had her reasons for not telling you. Besides, she's so powerful that no one on the continent can hurt her. Xue'er, you don't need to worry about her."
Qian Daoliu told this well-meaning lie against his better judgment. He could only hope Xue'er believed him and would not be affected by what had happened to Bibi Dong.
After hearing her grandfather's explanation, Qian Renxue still felt that something was off. But on the whole, it made sense, so she did not dwell on it.
Under the night sky, grandfather and granddaughter talked for a long time. And through the ripple effects of all that had happened, some things once thought unshakable began to change.
At dawn, when the sky had barely begun to lighten, ceremonial cannons thundered from every direction around the Papal Palace.
Their deafening salutes marked the official start of Spirit Hall's grand occasion: the Pope's coronation ceremony.
Spirit City's main street had been cleared in advance.
Rows of Soul Masters in golden armor stood in formation on either side of the road, their spears angled toward the sky.
Every member of the Angel Legion had been mobilized. Soul Masters bearing the Six-Winged Angel crest stood silently in midair, as though waiting for something.
Today, they were not there to face an enemy. They were there to welcome Spirit Hall's new master.
A long red carpet had been laid out before the Papal Palace. Representatives of the major powers from across the continent had already taken their seats on the raised platforms to either side.
Farther out, crowds of Soul Masters who had come from all over had gathered. Everyone was eager to witness this grand occasion and the appearance of the new Pope.
At last, a long, solemn bell rang out.
Gong.
The whole of Spirit City seemed to fall silent.
Every gaze turned toward the Papal Palace.
Then, before the expectant crowd, the palace doors slowly opened.
A tall, straight-backed figure walked out.
Soft, long hair fell loosely down his back, and his commanding gaze swept across the surroundings.
He wore a new papal robe. Unlike traditional papal vestments, it had little elaborate ornamentation and looked almost simple.
Yet seven distinct elemental patterns were embroidered on it: wind, fire, water, light, darkness, earth, and space.
The seven elements intertwined, forming a sword emblem over his chest. It was the symbol unique to Qian Juechen: the Elemental Sword.
His appearance drew nearly every eye in the crowd. They all wanted to see this new Pope for themselves—to see what presence he commanded and what set him apart.
Among the leaders present, none was happier than Feng Bailong, sect master of the Wind Sword Sect. Watching his own nephew prepare to become Pope of Spirit Hall before countless eyes, he nearly wept on the spot.
Little sister, Father, ancestors of the Wind Sword Sect—can you see this?
The Pope of Spirit Hall, the greatest power on the continent, carries the blood of our Wind Sword Sect and has inherited a supreme Sword Martial Soul born from a mutation of ours!
And I, Feng Bailong, will truly be the Pope's uncle—a man of exalted standing!
I promise you, the Wind Sword Sect will flourish like never before under my leadership!
Unlike the elated Feng Bailong, the other sect leaders each had their own thoughts when they saw the young Pope's figure and his effortless air of authority.
With the Wind Sword Sect as an example, they naturally began to consider similar plans.
If the Wind Sword Sect could send a gifted daughter to form a marriage alliance with Spirit Hall, so could they. The Pope's Position was at stake—who would not want to vie for it?
Guided by the master of ceremonies, Qian Juechen walked at an unhurried pace. Yet every step he took seemed to land on the hearts of everyone present.
Behind him came a group of Spirit Hall elders, including Demon Bear Douluo, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and Ghost Douluo. Ling Yuan Douluo, the most distinctive among them, stood directly behind him in an elaborate red elder's ceremonial robe.
At a moment like this, only the Pope's wife could stand beside him. Ling Yuan stood just behind him, so close that it was clear the new Pope was deliberately showing how close their relationship was.
Golden Crocodile, who stood not far away presiding over the coronation, noticed it too.
Before you continue