Dignity lies only on the sword's edge!

--

The rear hall.

Bibi Dong slammed her hand furiously against the hardwood table. Backed by her powerful soul power, the table shattered instantly, sending clouds of dust billowing through the rear hall.

"The Elder Hall has gone too far!"

"Beautiful sister, don't be angry. Anger makes you age! Just look at Jiang Mo. All I did was fire a few barbs at him, and he got so angry he looked ten years older. You mustn't end up like him..." Qin Chao remained as glib as ever, as though he hadn't taken the matter to heart at all.

"You brat, you're still joking at a time like this..." Although Bibi Dong complained, the heavy anger weighing on her heart finally eased somewhat. "Tell me, what devious idea have you come up with now?"

Qin Chao chuckled, turned to face his companions, and went straight to the heart of the assessment.

"Brothers, are we afraid to fight?"

The Golden Generation were the cream of the crop. Aside from their exceptional gifts, Bibi Dong's years of painstaking cultivation had put their soul power, Taijutsu, and teamwork far ahead of their peers. How could they fear a fight? The only cause for concern was Qin Chao...

"Of course we aren't, but you..." Xie Yue looked worriedly at the tiny child before him. "Things change in an instant on the battlefield. We might not be able to protect you through the assessment..."

"Exactly!" Hu Liena immediately chimed in. "Since the Elder Hall proposed this assessment, it'll apply equally to every member of the Golden Generation. You're still so young. You'll definitely be their main target. We're afraid..."

"Then that makes things easy!" Qin Chao interrupted Hu Liena and gave her a reassuring smile. When he turned back to face Bibi Dong, his eyes were already filled with resolve.

"Your Holiness, the Golden Generation is willing to accept the challenge!"

"But..." Bibi Dong began, about to say something, only for Qin Chao to speak again...

"Although we'll accept the challenge, we have conditions..."

"The first is naturally the timing of the assessment. I know I have far too many shortcomings. Whether it's Taijutsu or soul power, I'm lagging far behind. But as long as you give me time, I'll definitely catch up!"

The author had devoted extensive passages to describing the training system in Douluo. Having read the novel thoroughly, Qin Chao naturally knew it like the back of his hand. Given enough time, he believed his talent would let him catch up.

After hearing Qin Chao's words, Bibi Dong shook her head worriedly.

"The Elder Hall aren't fools either. If we delay too long, they'll never agree..."

"Six months. I only need six months!" Qin Chao lifted his head and puffed out his chest, brimming with confidence. "The branch halls will need time to select talented candidates too. The Elder Hall will definitely agree..."

"Six months? Can you really do it?" Bibi Dong was doubtful.

Qin Chao said nothing. He simply stood there, straight and tall as a poplar...

Seeing Qin Chao so full of confidence, Bibi Dong suddenly felt reassured.

"Very well. Then we'll set the assessment for six months from now. Do you have any other conditions? You can tell me all of them!"

"Of course!" Qin Chao replied immediately. "There also needs to be an entry threshold. Candidates must be under fifteen, with soul power above rank twenty-five. That will weed out a large number of Soul Masters and save us plenty of effort..."

"But your soul power is only rank twenty-three. Can you meet that standard in six months?" Hu Liena looked at Qin Chao with concern.

"Trust me! I definitely can!"

Those Little Monsters from Shrek in the novel had improved at lightning speed through meditation and running alone. He believed his talent was no worse than theirs!

"Qin Chao, your conditions are rather stringent. I suspect you have something else in mind..." Bibi Dong looked at Qin Chao, something more entering her gaze...

"Your Holiness is wise and mighty. Nothing gets past you..." Qin Chao served up a fresh, juicy helping of flattery, his smile utterly harmless, though it never reached his eyes.

"Since the Elder Hall proposed an assessment, they must have made preparations. They want to plant pawns in the Pope Hall. We can use this opportunity to capture every one of those pawns..."

"Capture them? You mean..." Xie Yue raised a hand and drew it lightly across his neck. "But Spirit Hall's rules prohibit killing in internal challenges unless it's a life-and-death match..."

"If we break the rules, we'll accept the punishment..." Qin Chao shrugged. "Even if we have no intention of killing, there's no guarantee the Elder Hall won't have other plans..."

"Of course we can't kill indiscriminately. But if our opponents come with murderous intent, we can't simply sit and wait to die..."

"Anyone who meets the requirements for this assessment will be a future pillar of Spirit Hall. It's best to draw clear lines between the factions..."

"So this time, we not only have to win, we have to win brilliantly!"

"Weighing gains and losses is human nature. For those in the Pope Hall, the strength we display will reassure them. For those wavering, our strength will make them lean toward Spirit Hall. And for those in the Elder Hall..."

"It's a deterrent..." Hu Liena understood at once, and the way she looked at Qin Chao underwent a subtle change...

"Exactly. Dignity lies only on the sword's edge. Only when we're strong enough can we earn others' respect. That holds true for the Pope Hall and the Elder Hall. Even across the entire Douluo Continent, strength is the only truth!"

"Good! Well said-dignity lies only on the sword's edge!" Bibi Dong clapped her hands and laughed, the frustration in her heart swept away. She beckoned to him. "Qin Chao, come here..."

Qin Chao approached as instructed. Bibi Dong lifted him onto her lap and carefully studied his delicate, childish face.

"Little fellow, you're clearly a child, yet your mind is far too mature. Sometimes I really wonder whether you're some deity reborn..."

Feeling the soft fullness pressed against his body, Qin Chao's cheeks grew warm.

"Beautiful sister, don't worry. My age is absolutely genuine!" Qin Chao declared solemnly.

After all, a six-year-old could openly sit or lie in a beauty's lap, but if he were a man in his thirties, the scene would become rather adults-only...

Upon returning to the Pope Hall, Bibi Dong had already regained her usual noble, icy elegance.

"They say an elder in the family is a treasure. To Spirit Hall, the Great Enshrined could certainly be called a family heirloom..."

Although they had decided to take part in the assessment, Bibi Dong still spoke through somewhat gritted teeth.

The four members of the Golden Generation exchanged glances, then lowered their heads to hide their laughter.

Bibi Dong's little mouth was like a blade dipped in poison. She was only a step away from pointing at Qian Daoliu's nose and calling him an interfering old fossil...

Despite Bibi Dong's sarcastic tone, Demon Subduing Douluo could only smile bitterly.

He had already lost all face in the Pope Hall today. His immediate priority was to achieve his objective. Otherwise, losing both substance and face would truly mean losing the wife and the soldiers alike...

"From what Your Holiness has said, you've accepted the Great Enshrined's suggestion?"

"It's merely an assessment, and it's all for Spirit Hall's future. If we can recruit more talented people, I could ask for nothing better. However..."

Bibi Dong explained Qin Chao's conditions to Demon Subduing Douluo one by one.

Jiang Mo considered them for a moment. Finding the conditions reasonable, he nodded his agreement on the spot.

With his task complete, Demon Subduing Douluo bowed and took his leave, making sure to haul Snake Lance Douluo away with him.

Although the fellow wasn't strong enough to become an enshrined, he was still a Titled Douluo. A nail could still be used after being pulled out. A little hammering once they returned would suffice; he could consider it making use of waste...

Having witnessed Spirit Hall's internal strife firsthand, Qin Chao's mind swirled with thoughts.

It seemed Spirit Hall was far more complicated than he had imagined. But that was fine too. Only troubled times gave rise to heroes. Since someone would always rise above the rest amid the chaos, why couldn't that hero be Qin Chao himself...