Don't worry, Little Ghostie

Lin Xiao remembered something then and added:

"The Spirit Ascension Platform also has beginner, intermediate, and advanced tiers.

The Soul Beasts in the beginner tier generally won't exceed 5,000 years.

So we restrict entry to Soul Masters with no more than four rings.

The intermediate tier has beasts ranging from 5,000 to 30,000 years.

Likewise, it's suitable for Soul Masters with no more than seven rings.

The advanced tier is for Soul Masters with seven or eight rings, and the Soul Beasts inside can reach nearly 100,000 years.

As for Soul Spirits over 100,000 years old, that's a secret. Allow me to keep you in suspense...

So once you become a Titled Douluo, you can no longer enter the Spirit Ascension Platform...

That's also to prevent excessive slaughter.

You'll understand the finer details once you experience it yourself."

"Oh, oh..."

Qian Renxue nodded like a chick pecking at grain, still rather muddled.

"What about Soul Bones? They're far rarer than Soul Rings... There will always be Soul Masters who can't suppress their greed and go hunting."

"Soul Spirits can grant Soul Bones... As long as they reach ten thousand years, even if you raised them to that level yourself, they'll fuse a Soul Bone into your body."

"The Spirit Pagoda also has a large stock of Soul Bones to reward its core members and so on..."

"The world of Soul Beasts has its own competition too. It's simply survival of the fittest."

"I'll let them compete naturally, and collect the Soul Bones those beasts leave behind when they die.

As for poachers and the like, we'll have to discuss that in detail after your grandfather arrives."

Qian Renxue nodded, feeling that it did make sense.

But on closer thought, something felt wrong.

Monopoly!

The word suddenly surfaced in her mind.

She looked at Lin Xiao.

With his strength and his technology, there could only be one outcome in the end.

Join the Spirit Pagoda and devote your whole heart to it.

Then you could obtain vast resources, even Soul Bones.

But if you refused to join...

Apart from poaching, or those existing Soul Bones passed down through generations...

You would have no way to pursue the path of a Soul Master!

Soul Masters out on the ocean would fare all right.

But inland Soul Masters like them would have no way to survive.

It looked like a gentle, accommodating partnership, with the conflict between humans and Soul Beasts as its starting point.

But in reality, it was a monopoly.

Not to mention its partnerships with the Far North and the Star Dou Great Forest.

Grandfather had once said there were presences deep within the Star Dou Great Forest that frightened even him.

The Far North was an outright forbidden zone for humans.

Lin Xiao's ability to cooperate with them meant he definitely had the backing of the Soul Beasts' top experts.

It certainly wasn't just those two ordinary hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts in the forest.

She had originally thought the Spirit Pagoda was merely on the same level as Spirit Hall as a whole.

But now it seemed...

She was also immensely relieved that she had secured a partnership with Lin Xiao first.

She had the chance to tell Grandfather everything.

Spirit Hall could become a steadfast ally that shared in the spoils, and ultimately continue to endure in her hands.

Speaking of Spirit Hall...

"Young Master Lin Xiao, what do you think of the current Supreme Pontiff?"

Lin Xiao took a sip of tea, not finding the question abrupt at all.

Others might not know, but how could he not?

He thought it over. He really had no fondness for that crazy woman.

All he could say was that anyone who liked her either lusted after her body, had been by her side from the start with a way to whitewash her, or had started winning her over when she was a child.

But none of those applied to Lin Xiao.

So what he faced was a crazy woman whose obsession with Yu Xiaogang had gone to her head.

Still, she was only a Rakshasa God. He didn't consider her worth worrying about.

"All I can say is that pitiable people invariably have something hateful about them."

He looked straight at Qian Renxue, his gaze deep.

"Those words aren't just meant for her. They're meant for you too."

Qian Renxue didn't understand what he meant, but nodded anyway.

"Then I'll take my leave. I'll send the information to Grandfather as soon as I return."

She had barely taken two steps when something else occurred to her, and she turned back apprehensively.

"One last question, Young Master Lin Xiao. Do you know about gods?"

Lin Xiao smiled. No wonder Qian Renxue dared to come on her own.

She thought I was also a god's successor and knew who she was.

But hasn't Qian Renxue yet to begin the Angel God Trial?

Does being born at rank twenty automatically qualify her to inherit the Angel God's legacy?

What innate rank was Qian Daoliu again?

He looked at Snow Empress, who relaxed her brows and gave him a soft smile.

"Perhaps there is a divine legacy."

Meanwhile, Gui Mei and Yue Guan had also made their way to the outskirts of Sunset Forest.

It was just a work assignment, the deadline was generous, and Spirit Hall was covering their expenses.

Naturally, the two dawdled, enjoying themselves along the way.

They had worked for Bibi Dong for so long and gained nothing.

She treated them purely as slaves.

If not for the pressure of her position and strength...

If not for their inability to break through to rank ninety-six and enter the Worship Hall...

Who would want to work for her?

Just then, Yue Guan suddenly patted Gui Mei's shoulder and gave a lively little hop.

(The Yue Guan here uses his appearance from the manhua. His animated version is a little ugly.)

"Old Ghost, Old Ghost, isn't there someone over there? Should we go ask?"

Gui Mei's voice was hoarse as he looked fondly at Chrysanthemum Guan, his longtime partner.

"All right, whatever you say. Let's go take a look..."

The two approached, only to discover Snake Lance.

Qian Renxue frowned. That crazy woman had sent people after all.

"Elder Yue Guan, Elder Gui Mei, have you found the Spirit Pagoda?"

To make sure she could pass the information to her grandfather first...

Qian Renxue chose to lie, seizing the initiative with a question.

Yue Guan and Gui Mei were puzzled, but the person before them was Spirit Hall's true heir.

Although the Elder Hall had always been somewhat at odds with her...

That was only because of Bibi Dong.

Gui Mei and Yue Guan were merely caught between the two sides.

So they concealed nothing and answered honestly.

"Young Master, Old Ghost and I have only just arrived in Sunset Forest. We haven't found it."

Qian Renxue furrowed her brows and stared at them thoughtfully for a long while before speaking slowly.

"All right, I understand. Thank you both for your efforts in searching here. We searched for a day and found nothing either.

If you obtain any information, remember to report it truthfully."

Then she left with Snake Lance.

Yue Guan was puzzled.

"Was the information false? Why couldn't the Young Master find it after searching all day? Little Ghostie, what do you think?"

Gui Mei shook his head.

"Have you forgotten the Young Master's mission? She's undercover in Heaven Dou City right now. Even if she came searching, she would do so under her cover identity.

Why would she come as herself?"

Gui Mei clearly didn't believe it. He did have some wits about him.

"So the Young Master definitely found it, and even spoke with them. That's why she showed her true face."

"We've been given too little information..."

By the end, Gui Mei sounded less certain himself. After all, Bibi Dong had only told them that such an organization existed.

They knew none of the specifics.

All they knew was that it had a Titled Douluo and was located in Sunset Forest.

They had to investigate everything else themselves.

Gui Mei felt utterly helpless.

Yue Guan caught on too. He gently patted Gui Mei's shoulder and comforted him.

"It's all right, Little Ghostie. This isn't our fault. If we're late, we're late. When we report everything honestly, Bibi Dong won't take it out on us.

What if we can bring back some useful information once we find them?

Besides, what if they haven't found it either?

Don't worry, Little Ghostie. I'm here."