"Xue'er, where... where have you been?"
Seeing his granddaughter, lost and now found, Qian Daoliu's heart filled with joy. All his sorrow and killing intent vanished in an instant, and he hurried forward to ask.
"Grandpa, this isn't the place to talk."
"And my mission..."
Qian Renxue quickly realized that her sudden disappearance had set off this series of events.
Her first concern was whether her grandfather and the others' appearance would cause something to go wrong with her mission.
"Eldest Brother, take Xue'er back first. As for this so-called mission, leave it to me."
Just then, Golden Crocodile Douluo spoke.
He had opposed Qian Renxue's mission from the very beginning. Now he could take this opportunity to settle it once and for all.
Besides, with things having reached this point, the mission had long since ceased to exist.
Spirit Hall had mobilized on such a grand scale that even without any top-tier powerhouses, the Heaven Dou Empire had noticed something.
"Second Brother, I'll leave it to you."
Qian Daoliu hesitated only briefly before making his decision.
During the days his granddaughter had been missing, he had felt unprecedented panic, and had begun to realize how foolish and muddleheaded he had been.
If he continued to leave her all alone in the Heaven Dou Empire, there was no telling what might happen.
For that reason, he made the rare choice of leaving matters to Golden Crocodile Douluo this time.
As for Bibi Dong, she had quietly left after seeing Qian Renxue appear.
It was as though she had never come at all.
Afterward, Qian Daoliu left with Qian Renxue and several of the other enshrined, leaving only the two Titled Douluo, Qian Jun and Jiang Mo, to assist Golden Crocodile Douluo.
"Qian Jun, release that Soul Douluo-level fallen soul master we captured recently. Have him throw the Heaven Dou Imperial Family into chaos, then kill him and pin everything on him."
"Jiang Mo, find a puppet emperor and put him on the throne."
"Snake Lance, Pufferfish, here's your chance to redeem yourselves through service. Protect this puppet emperor and control him. Take every opportunity to transfer resources, interests, and land into Spirit Hall's hands, or install our own people from Spirit Hall in positions of real power. Anyone who refuses to comply-kill them!"
Golden Crocodile Douluo swiftly issued his orders, his voice cold and aggressive.
He had always considered the undercover plan Qian Daoliu and Qian Xunji devised back then utterly foolish, but out of consideration for Qian Daoliu's dignity, he had never interfered. Now that he had this opportunity, he would naturally act without restraint.
"Yes!"
Upon hearing Golden Crocodile Douluo's orders, the others immediately sprang into action.
In just three days, the Heaven Dou Empire underwent earth-shattering changes.
Prince Xue Xing colluded with a fallen soul master to launch a coup, killing Xue Ye and Crown Prince Xue Qinghe. The young prince Xue Beng escaped Heaven Dou City under the protection of guards who sacrificed their lives for him and sought help from Spirit Hall. Spirit Hall intervened, helping slay the fallen soul master and executing the treasonous Prince Xue Xing...
Then Xue Beng, the sole surviving scion of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, ascended the throne just like that.
As for Jade Phosphor Douluo Dugu Bo, who had only recently become an enshrined, he disappeared for no apparent reason.
Of course, that was the public account. In truth, Golden Crocodile Douluo had casually killed Dugu Bo.
Anyone with discerning eyes could see that something fishy was going on, that Spirit Hall's schemes were involved.
The question was, in this day and age, who dared say anything? Who could say anything?
And so the whole affair was left unresolved.
In Spirit City, Qian Renxue had spent the past few days studying the Rising Dragon Strike and Holy Light Flash Jiang Li had given her.
It had to be said: a genius was a genius.
In just five days, Qian Renxue had gained an initial grasp of both skills.
"Self-created soul skills. To think he had such talent."
As Qian Renxue spoke, she vanished from where she stood, leaving neither a trace nor a trail. When she reappeared, she was already in the Worship Hall.
This was precisely the skill Jiang Li had created himself: Holy Light Flash.
Qian Renxue had learned about it through the books Jiang Li had given her, and through this, she had recognized his talent for the first time.
As a result, she could not help thinking more highly of him.
At that moment, all seven great enshrined had gathered in the Worship Hall.
"Xue'er, is this a skill you obtained on that continent?"
After returning, Golden Crocodile Douluo had immediately learned from Qian Daoliu where Qian Renxue had gone after disappearing. Even so, seeing her appear out of thin air surprised him.
Even with this skill alone, ordinary Soul Emperors and Soul Saints would struggle to detect any sign of her. If she combined Holy Light Flash with her Angel Head Soul Bone, even a Titled Douluo would have difficulty finding her tracks.
"Grandpa Golden Crocodile, you're back too."
"When I go to the Holy Demon Continent this time, I'll definitely try to collect some skills like this for you as well."
Qian Renxue made her promise with a smile.
Both Rising Dragon Strike and Holy Light Flash required the attributes of light and holiness. Among Spirit Hall's great enshrined, no one except her grandfather could practice them, so she wondered whether she could collect some other self-created soul skills for her enshrined grandfathers.
Jiang Li had told her that the other world had not only Knights, but also cultivation systems for Assassins, Warriors, Mages, Summoners, Priests, and more.
"Xiao Xue, must you go to the Holy Demon Continent?"
"From your description, that world is very dangerous."
Hearing that Qian Renxue still wanted to go to the Holy Demon Continent, Qian Daoliu was clearly worried.
Although they could gain benefits unavailable on the Douluo Continent there, the risks were considerable too.
If he or another enshrined were going, Qian Daoliu would naturally have had no objection, but he was still somewhat worried about letting his granddaughter go alone.
"Grandpa, don't worry. I won't be in any danger."
"Cultivating on that continent will let me grow stronger faster and make up for the years I've lost. I can also obtain ways to make our Spirit Hall stronger."
"Besides, Jiang Li and I have already agreed."
Everything Qian Renxue mentioned was merely incidental. Her true purpose was simply her curiosity about the Holy Demon Continent.
Now that she no longer needed to carry out the undercover mission, she could do some things she wanted to do.
Jiang Li!
Hearing that name sent a surge of anger through Qian Daoliu's heart.
If not for that damned fellow, why would his granddaughter have suddenly gotten the idea of venturing into that unfamiliar world?
Still, Qian Daoliu knew that going to that world benefited Xue'er. The qualitative change in her Soul Power after her return alone was a tremendous opportunity.
Perhaps this opportunity would help Xue'er attain godhood more easily in the future.
That was why he had not stopped her outright.
"Grandpa, Grandpa Golden Crocodile... I'll be leaving now."
After saying this, Qian Renxue reached out with her consciousness to the contract within her soul. With a ripple of spatial power, she vanished from where she stood. When she reappeared, she was already on the Holy Demon Continent.
On the Holy Demon Continent, in the Haoyue Branch Hall, Jiang Li was cultivating through meditation.
Over the past few days, he had not only stabilized his cultivation but also raised his Internal Spiritual Power from 832 to 850.
He had also thoroughly familiarized himself with and mastered all his power.
During his cultivation, Jiang Li clearly felt a change within himself: his talent had improved.
Although the improvement was not particularly dramatic, he was no longer someone with only three points of innate Internal Spiritual Power. By his rough estimate, his innate Internal Spiritual Power was now around eleven or twelve points.
Moreover, as time passed, this subtle, gradual transformation continued.
This came as quite a surprise to Jiang Li. To think the equal contract offered such a benefit.
He was already beginning to look forward to the blood pact and the feedback it would bring.
No matter what, he had to find a way to make it happen.
With a flash of light, Qian Renxue appeared in Jiang Li's field of vision.
"You... you're... Xue Qinghe..."
Looking at Qian Renxue, who had appeared out of thin air before him, Jiang Li wore a horrified expression.
He truly had not expected Qian Renxue to come here in her true form.
The Qian Renxue before him wore her own face, rather than appearing as Xue Qinghe.
Seeing the horrified expression on Jiang Li's face, a faint smile quietly emerged on Qian Renxue's frosty face.
At that moment, Qian Renxue rather had the air of someone declaring, "I'm done pretending. Cards on the table: I'm a beautiful woman."
Before you continue