Spirit City, Worship Hall.
Qian Daoliu stood in the center of the great hall. A stack of rice paper lay neatly arranged on the enormous long table before him, its ink already dry and giving off a faint scent of pine soot.
These were the simplified versions of the Five Great Cultivation Techniques that he had spent ten full days painstakingly adapting.
The seven Consecrated Elders gathered around the table, each holding a copy and reading through it word by word.
The hall was so quiet that only the rustle of turning pages remained.
The Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo, finished first. He slowly lowered the simplified copy of the Angel Sacred Guidance Skill, his voice somewhat hoarse as he spoke. "Great Enshrined, was this cultivation technique truly created by Her Highness Qian Renxue?"
Qian Daoliu nodded slightly, unable to conceal the pride in his eyes. "Xiao Xue spent six years undercover in the Heaven Dou Empire and read extensively through the imperial library. Drawing on a great many fragments of ancient texts, she spent two years integrating what she had learned.
"These six great cultivation techniques cover six areas: internal cultivation, movement, hand techniques, the eyes, close combat, and hidden weapons. Together, they form an almost complete combat system.
"I merely trimmed them slightly to make them more suitable for ordinary Soul Masters to practice."
Golden Crocodile Douluo drew a deep breath. "Even in its simplified form, this internal cultivation method is at least three times as efficient as the ordinary cultivation techniques currently found on the continent. And the entry requirements are so low that even ordinary people can begin practicing it."
The Third Offering, Azure Luan Douluo, picked up the conversation, holding the section on the Angel Saint Step, his eyes shining. "I have studied movement techniques for sixty years, yet I have never seen footwork this exquisite.
"This is no longer a question of speed. It fundamentally overturns the very concept of close-range combat.
"If everyone in Spirit Hall mastered this footwork, our close-combat capabilities would at least double!"
The fourth Consecrated Elder, Mighty Lion Douluo, rubbed the pages of the Angel Saint Hand section, growing more astonished the more he read. "I completely agree. Take these hand techniques...
"These methods of redirecting force and grappling are practically the bane of Power Attack System Soul Masters. In all my years, this is the first time I have seen anyone distill the essence of close combat into something like this."
The fifth Consecrated Elder, Light Feather Douluo, was reading the Angel Holy Eyes. After finishing, he remained silent for a long time before finally tilting his head back with a long sigh. "This section is actually a Spiritual Power cultivation method!
"I have been stuck at a Spiritual Power bottleneck for over a decade. If only I had seen this thirty years earlier...
"Seventh Consecrated Elder, hit me. Let me see if I'm dreaming."
Smack!
The seventh Consecrated Elder, Demon Subduing Douluo, gave a meaningful smile and slapped him, with more than a hint of using public duty to settle a private score.
"That hurts! It really hurts!"
The sixth Consecrated Elder, Qian Jun Douluo, was the last to put down his papers. His tone was grave. "Great Enshrined, from what you said earlier, you intend to make such precious cultivation techniques public. I fear..."
Qian Daoliu interrupted him with a wave. "I know what you mean. The versions we release publicly will retain only the basic framework. The deeper cultivation methods will not be shared outside for now."
Only then did Qian Jun Douluo relax. "Then that settles it."
Qian Daoliu waited for them to recover before continuing. "The simplified versions of these five cultivation techniques will gradually be spread throughout the entire Douluo Continent through Spirit Hall's channels."
"The first page of every cultivation technique must state: to practice this technique, one must first believe in the Angel God. Visualize the Angel God during cultivation and pray for the protection of the Angel's Light, and cultivation speed will double."
The Consecrated Elders exchanged glances and saw the same thought in one another's eyes: brilliant.
With cultivation techniques as bait and faith as the hook, they would exchange tangible benefits for the believers' devotion.
"Credit Qian Renxue as the creator of the cultivation techniques." Qian Daoliu paused, then added, "Oh, and I do not intend to distribute the hidden weapons section, Angel Hidden-Weapon Analysis, for the time being."
Golden Crocodile Douluo froze slightly. "Why? I found the techniques in Hidden Weapons: Hundred Solutions exceptionally ingenious as well. If they were widely taught..."
"The way of hidden weapons lies in catching the enemy unprepared."
Qian Daoliu's gaze was deep. "Once they become widespread, they will lose their greatest value. I intend to keep Angel Hidden-Weapon Analysis separate and organize craftsmen to research it.
"If we can combine the principles of hidden weapons with Soul Tools, they will become a decisive weapon capable of changing the course of future wars, as well as a trump card for our Spirit Hall."
The Consecrated Elders looked at one another, then nodded one after another.
"Great Enshrined, you are truly farsighted."
"This matter is to be classified as the Worship Hall's highest secret," Qian Daoliu instructed at last. "Conduct trial practice in the inner hall for three days first. Once we confirm there are no problems, gradually distribute them through the branch halls. The Pope Hall will receive word sooner or later. When that happens... I will deal with Bibi Dong."
Pope Hall.
Bibi Dong sat on the papal throne, five cultivation manuals freshly delivered by a spy laid out before her.
She opened the first page of the Angel Sacred Guidance Skill, and her gaze abruptly froze.
The opening page was a preface. She read on, word by word.
"In the three thousand seven hundredth year of the Angel Calendar, divine grace flowed boundlessly, blessing all living beings.
"Now, Saintess Qian Renxue, bearing the lineage of the Angel God and the great wish to aid the world, read ten thousand volumes, contemplated day and night, and exhausted her heart's blood to at last create this sacred technique.
"This technique can internally refine energy and nourish the spirit, strengthen the foundation and nourish the essence.
"On the day the Saintess completed it, she declared generously: 'This technique was bestowed by the Angel God, not achieved through my efforts alone. All Soul Masters beneath heaven possess a heart that seeks the Way; all common people may bask in divine light.
"'I do not wish for this technique to be confined to Spirit Hall. I wish to spread it throughout the Four Seas and Eight Wastelands, so that all common people beneath heaven may practice it, provided they sincerely seek goodness and hold reverence for the divine.
"'Those who practice must remember: to practice this technique, one must first believe in the Angel God. At the beginning of each day's cultivation, close your eyes, visualize the Angel God Statue, and pray with devotion for the blessing of divine light. Then cultivation and faith will nourish one another, yielding twice the result for half the effort and a thousand miles of progress each day.'
"Saintess Qian Renxue's virtue blesses all people. Such magnanimity is truly an angel descended, divine miracles made manifest!
"Respectfully recorded by the Spirit Hall Worship Hall."
Bibi Dong's gaze lingered on that page for a very, very long time before she continued turning the pages.
The first technique, the Angel Sacred Guidance Skill, had clearly been abridged, as Bibi Dong could tell. Yet the remaining framework alone was enough to reveal its ingenuity. Its efficiency far surpassed that of any cultivation technique Spirit Hall currently possessed.
The second technique, the Angel Saint Step: movement.
The third technique, the Angel Saint Hand: hand techniques.
The fourth technique, the Angel Holy Eyes: a method for tempering Spiritual Power.
The fifth technique, the Angel Saint Seizure: the art of close combat.
The hall was so quiet that a falling pin could have been heard, broken only by an occasional faint crackle from the candles.
Bibi Dong's understanding of cultivation techniques far exceeded that of ordinary people, so she knew better than anyone that these materials were valuable enough to change the balance of the entire continent.
She had assumed this was merely a set of cultivation techniques being promoted within the Worship Hall. She had never expected something on such a scale.
That daughter of hers was not merely gathering faith for the Angel God. In an unstoppable fashion, she was also stripping away Bibi Dong's power base within Spirit Hall, bit by bit.
Bibi Dong's brows knitted tightly, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the armrest. "Quite an undertaking."
Qian Renxue had been thrown into the imperial palace of the Heaven Dou Empire at nine years old, spending six years undercover alone amid deceit and intrigue.
She had thought the girl would be lucky just to survive. She had never expected her not only to survive, but to become a force to be reckoned with.
At fifteen, she had created a cultivation system of this caliber and planted the hook of the Power of Faith on the very first page. The depth of such planning was truly unfathomable.
She suddenly realized that the daughter she had despised since childhood had truly grown up-grown enough to sit across the same chessboard and play against her.
"Have Chrysanthemum Douluo come see me."
The guard outside the hall acknowledged the order and left.
The candle flames danced silently in the hall, casting shifting light and shadow across Bibi Dong's cold, beautiful face.
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