"The previous Pope... what happened to my father?"
Just as Lin Qian and Qian Daoliu were exchanging intense looks, sparks and lightning flying between them, Qian Renxue spoke quietly from beside them.
If one had to find a way to describe her, she was now much like the dark fallen angel in the divine trial, with a rather sinister, terrifying air.
Her intuition told her the waters here ran deep... very deep...
Perhaps learning this secret would let her understand why her mother, Bibi Dong, disliked her.
For almost twenty years, how desperately she had wanted her mother to show her concern, even if it was only a pretense!
"Well... let's leave the fiancé matter for another time. Grandson-in-law, wouldn't you agree?"
Lin Qian said, "Yes... wait, no. Aren't you addressing me wrong?"
Just as the two kept changing the subject and were about to gloss over the matter, Qian Renxue cried sharply, "Why won't you answer me?"
The wheel of fortune turned, and now it was Lin Qian and Qian Daoliu's turn to fall silent.
Meanwhile, Qian Renxue truly wanted to know the reason. The truth was right before her eyes-meaning Lin Qian and Qian Daoliu-and she refused to let any opportunity slip away!
The Angel Domain enveloped the entire hall. "If you don't tell me today, none of you are leaving through that door!"
Poor Lin Qian had yet to carry out his locked-room plan, only to get the locked-room treatment himself first.
A moment of sympathy!
What do we do? Hurry up and think of something!
Qian Daoliu transmitted his voice.
Isn't this your family's business? Why ask an outsider like me?
Lin Qian transmitted back, kicking the ball into his court.
Xiao Xue inherited her mother's stubbornness. She's ruthless and obsessive. Once this secret gets out, you might not live to see tomorrow's sun!
"..."
After thinking for a long while, Lin Qian finally bowed to reality. He would never admit that he had agreed to help because he lusted after her body~
Besides, they were already engaged. What was wrong with lusting a little-his voice cracked!
"Ahem... Xue'er~"
With his change of allegiance, even Lin Qian's way of addressing her changed.
"Hmm?"
Preoccupied, Qian Renxue failed to notice the change and motioned for him to continue.
"Well, about what you asked, the reasons are complicated. It's hard to explain right away, and explaining it properly would take a lot of time. So I suggest we set aside our differences for now and get down to business..."
"Angel Holy Sword!"
A sword suddenly rested against his neck. Cold sweat ran from Lin Qian's forehead to the tip of his nose. "Xue'er, let's talk this over calmly. Don't murder your own husband, or your happiness for the rest of your life will..."
"Shut up!"
Qian Renxue cried sharply, pushing the sword another few centimeters forward.
Now Qian Daoliu could no longer stay calm. "Xiao Xue, I'll tell you whatever you want to know. Lin Qian is right. Don't ruin your lifelong happiness over a moment's impulse!"
Though he had not said so openly, after everything that had happened, Qian Daoliu had already taken Lin Qian and Qian Renxue's marriage as a given. He was merely waiting for the right time to set the wedding date.
Seeing his granddaughter so agitated, his affection as a grandfather, compounded by having raised her from childhood, made him hesitate briefly before deciding to lay his cards on the table!
Hey, hey, hey, my dear grandfather! I'm still holding out here. Why are you dropping the ball already?
Seeing his teammate about to stab him in the back, Lin Qian hurriedly transmitted his voice.
Qian Daoliu replied, Then tell me what to do. I really can't hold out anymore!
I...
"I'll count to three. If you still won't answer, our bonds as grandfather and granddaughter, husband and wife, are severed!"
At this point, Qian Renxue no longer cared about saving face and delivered her ultimatum.
Qian Daoliu gave Lin Qian a look, ready to face death. "Actually..."
"Great Enshrined, His Holiness the Pope requests your presence."
Like hearing music from heaven, Lin Qian and Qian Daoliu saw hope of rescue.
Qian Daoliu's voice trembled. "Is that Chrysanthemum Douluo?"
Whoosh!
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan flashed into the hall. "Yes. His Holiness the Pope summons His Highness the Holy Son and the Saintess."
When he mentioned Qian Renxue, he deliberately glanced at her.
"Mother wants to see me... Mother finally wants to see me!"
The years of waiting made Qian Renxue forget the so-called truth. She put away her sword and headed out of the hall.
But upon reaching the doorway, she swept her beautiful eyes sideways. "We'll continue this afterward!"
Lin Qian and Qian Daoliu felt both tense and relieved-
Their execution had been postponed. They still had a chance!
The Papal Palace.
Bibi Dong was not deaf. Naturally, she knew something of the uproar in the Worship Hall.
She knew that Lin Qian, as the Saint Son she had personally appointed, would inevitably clash with Qian Renxue, the Worship Hall's Saintess.
Because, after all... this was all part of her plan.
After devouring Qian Xunji, she had immediately begun her revenge against the Qian Family, sidelining Qian Daoliu and giving Qian Renxue the cold shoulder, proceeding in an orderly fashion.
And now...
She was going to cook up a new scheme!
Seated on her throne, Bibi Dong secretly studied them. Seeing Qian Renxue's stiff, cold expression and Lin Qian's strange look, and considering their fight in the square earlier, she knew the two had certainly not gotten along.
She had thought she would be happy, but searching her heart, she found no joy. In fact, upon seeing Qian Renxue's sorrow, her own heart throbbed with pain too?
What was wrong with me... I should clearly be happy!
"Qian Xunji hurt you. As his daughter, Qian Renxue is guilty too!"
Like a devil's whisper, the Rakshasa God's evil thoughts began interfering with and eroding Bibi Dong's mind. Though she barely managed to resist, evil still gained the upper hand.
A trace of madness flashed through her eyes, yet when she spoke, her voice remained that of a regal, mature woman. "I summoned you here to make an announcement-
"Effective immediately, Qian Renxue, Saintess of the Worship Hall, will go to the Heaven Dou Empire to carry out Spirit Hall's infiltration plan and replace Crown Prince Xue Qinghe!"
"!!!"
Was it finally coming?
The other shoe had dropped. Lin Qian could not help looking beside him.
A flicker of astonishment crossed Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes, and she asked, "Me?"
Only then did Bibi Dong glance at her. "Yes. The Great Enshrined should have told you long ago. Surely I don't need to explain further?"
Looking between this mother and daughter with their complicated relationship, Lin Qian tried to salvage the situation. "I'm familiar with the Heaven Dou Empire, and I'm a man as well. I can go in Her Highness the Saintess's place!"
Bibi Dong gave a cold smile, no longer even willing to pretend.
She had thought about this for a long time and made extensive preparations. It would let her take revenge on the Qian Family while also throwing away the burden that was Qian Renxue-out of sight, out of mind. How could she possibly agree to let Lin Qian replace her?
She found a high-sounding excuse. "You are the Saint Son. You will take over Spirit Hall in the future. How could you do something like this?"
Lin Qian said, "..."
With those words, she had driven a wedge between them, dealt Qian Renxue a blow, and taken revenge on the Qian Family. Who knew how many birds she had killed with one stone?
Lin Qian felt that if Bibi Dong put this much thought into her career, never mind the Douluo Continent-she could probably unify the Sun Moon Continent in the other hemisphere too, couldn't she?
He did not know what to say. There were simply too many things to criticize for words, but for his fiancée's sake, he decided to make one last attempt to salvage things. "Teacher..."
"Heh."
From the moment she entered until now, apart from when she had asked that question, Bibi Dong had not spared her a single glance. Stung by her words as well, Qian Renxue's heart turned cold as iron, chilled through and through.
She lowered her head and laughed twice. When she raised it again, her gaze seemed tempered in ice, and her voice was frigid-
"I accept."