The Enshrined rubbed his eyes, wondering whether his aging eyes were failing him.
But after blinking several times and confirming that he had not seen wrong, he did not know what to say.
In all his years, he had seen the arrogant and those who had no idea how to spell death,
but a little child who had only just awakened his Martial Soul actually dared to slash at the Supreme Pontiff Hall?
Were children these days all this arrogant?
Where were the guards at the main entrance?
Then he saw the sorry state of those four Soul Ring guards.
Surprise flashed through his eyes, followed by the fondness one felt upon seeing a genius, and he immediately descended beside Jing Shanshan.
Jing Shanshan met the Enshrined's gaze without flinching or looking away. He even nodded slightly, an amused curve that said "just as I expected" playing at his lips.
"This king wishes to see the Great Enshrined."
He spoke quietly, yet his voice reached the Enshrined's ears clearly.
"Sorry for the trouble. Please lead the way."
The Enshrined truly felt that the longer he lived, the more bizarre things he encountered.
Today, he was representing the Enshrined Faction in a discussion with Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong about Spirit Hall's future development.
Instead, he had encountered a surprise attack by someone who knew neither the height of heaven nor the depth of earth.
Being saddled with this task had already displeased him, and then this had happened.
His anger had surged, and he had struck, intending to slaughter a chicken to warn the monkeys-to tell every spy lurking in Spirit City that Spirit Hall was no soft persimmon for anyone to squeeze and test.
In the end, he had discovered such an arrogant, monstrous genius.
This Enshrined felt... the discussion with Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong could be put off for a while.
His eyes shifted slightly, and he looked again at the wings behind Jing Shanshan, brimming with a holy presence. Surprise and a trace of amusement showed in his eyes.
Entirely unconcerned by the child's attitude, he gave a kindly grandfather's smile.
"If you want to see the Great Enshrined, follow me."
The Enshrined swept his robes around and turned. Gentle Soul Power wrapped around Jing Shanshan's small body, and the two flew through the air toward the depths of the Worship Hall.
During the flight, Qian Renxue's voice had already erupted deep within Jing Shanshan's mind.
"Do you have any idea what you just did? If that slash had drawn someone other than Grandpa Jia-some other hot-tempered Titled Douluo-you really might have been killed with one palm..."
Jing Shanshan interrupted Qian Renxue, his tone so matter-of-fact that it made her teeth itch.
"Someone is taking this king to see the Great Enshrined. The process is unimportant."
Qian Renxue: ...
She gave up arguing with Jing Shanshan entirely.
The Worship Hall's interior was far grander than its exterior, with Angel God Statues from successive generations set into the walls on either side of the long corridor.
Enshrined Jia walked silently ahead while Jing Shanshan followed, his gaze drifting casually over the statues. A hint of approval appeared, as though he had understood something.
After walking for an unknown length of time, Enshrined Jia stopped before an enormous stone door and bowed slightly.
"Great Enshrined, this subordinate has something to report."
An aged, indifferent voice came from within, commanding authority without anger. "Enter."
The stone door slowly opened.
Enshrined Jia stepped inside and bowed to Qian Daoliu, who sat upon a raised platform. Pointing at Jing Shanshan, he spoke with a trace of the delight of someone who had discovered a treasure.
"Great Enshrined, this child wishes to see you."
After hearing this, Qian Daoliu looked past Enshrined Jia, his gaze settling on the small figure behind him.
Enshrined Jia tactfully withdrew, and the stone door closed again.
Only the Great Enshrined and Jing Shanshan remained inside. The air was so still that the faint crackle of burning candle flames could be heard.
Jing Shanshan offered no pleasantries, made no bow, and did not utter even a single polite formality.
Qian Daoliu's gaze, meanwhile, settled on the golden-white wings behind Jing Shanshan.
This Martial Soul gave Qian Daoliu a very familiar feeling.
Judging by its form and presence, this Martial Soul had some connection to the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul passed down through their Angel Clan.
But that alone should not have given him this inexplicable sense of familiarity.
A bloodline of the Six-Winged Angel Clan that had strayed outside?
He was quite certain that his clan should have only his own branch, and this could not be some romantic debt left outside by that wretched son who gave him endless headaches.
"You wanted to see me? Is there something you wish to tell me?"
Qian Daoliu decided to ask the child directly.
Jing Shanshan shook his head, his lips curling as he pointed at his golden-white wings and spoke lightly.
"Not this king. It is this king's Martial Soul. The consciousness residing within it has something to say to you."
In all his long life, this was the first time Qian Daoliu had heard of a Martial Soul possessing a consciousness capable of communicating with people.
A measure of curiosity immediately appeared in his eyes.
Jing Shanshan gently stroked his wings, his movements as tender as though he were caressing a rare treasure, and spoke each word in an almost leisurely tone.
"Isn't that right, Qian Renxue?"
The instant Jing Shanshan finished speaking that name, a greatsword burning with golden flames was already bearing down on his throat, less than ten inches away.
Yet across those ten inches, the greatsword could advance no further.
Within that ten-inch gap, chains that had appeared out of thin air had already wound around Qian Daoliu's entire body, and a pair of shackles bound his ankles.
Besides his barely suppressed anger, Qian Daoliu's face now held incomprehensible astonishment.
He could not understand how a mere chain and a shackle had actually suppressed him, the strongest person of the present age!
"What exactly is this?"
Against divine Martial Souls, the Chains of Heaven; against Soul Power Martial Souls, the Heavenly Punishment Shackles.
How could Jing Shanshan possibly tell Qian Daoliu these things? His voice brimmed with delight.
"You were careless, Your Excellency the level ninety-nine Great Enshrined. You clearly noticed, yet because this king was merely a boy without even a Soul Ring, you thought you could simply disregard this king's actions."
Jing Shanshan elegantly stepped back several paces and tilted his head slightly. Looking at Qian Daoliu's face as though he had seen something delightful, he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Delightful, even more delightful than this king imagined."
Crack.
A fissure split open in one of the chains binding Qian Daoliu. A second followed, then a third, spreading at tremendous speed.
The smile vanished instantly from Jing Shanshan's face. His expression abruptly turned grave, and he retreated to widen the distance.
Endless golden light poured from Qian Daoliu's body, forming a domain centered on him.
Jing Shanshan could feel his Martial Soul's suppressive effect rapidly weakening.
What had originally been enough to suppress Qian Daoliu for ten seconds now provided less than three seconds of suppression!
After breaking free, Qian Daoliu lowered his sword and stood still. Rather than continuing to pursue Jing Shanshan, who seemingly had harmed his granddaughter, he quietly observed him and spoke with an exceptionally grave, restrained expression.
"What exactly does my granddaughter, Qian Renxue, wish to tell me?"
At that moment, Jing Shanshan merely smiled, leaving Qian Daoliu unable to tell what he intended to do.
"As expected of the Great Enshrined. The moment you sensed something, you calmed down."
Jing Shanshan suddenly laughed, then turned smartly and strode toward the hall doors.
"You are even more interesting than this king expected. Everything that needed saying has been said. Take your time pondering it."
At that, Jing Shanshan stopped and looked back at Qian Daoliu, who stood where he was, his emotions no longer discernible.
"What will you do next? The very thought is delightful."
Before his words had faded, Jing Shanshan precisely caught an object flying toward him.
"This is a token representing my clan. Your identity now is that of a nephew of my Angel Clan who has been living outside. With it, you will find it much easier to act beyond these walls."
Qian Daoliu's words reached Jing Shanshan's ears at just the right moment.
Holding the token, Jing Shanshan raised an eyebrow.
Qian Daoliu's voice followed with another sentence, his tone carrying an additional hint of meaningful indifference.
"That token is actually for my granddaughter. Surely you, a king, would not seize someone else's belongings?"
Hearing this, Jing Shanshan scoffed.
"Heh! A tedious attempt to goad me. Consider it a reward for your granddaughter allowing this king to witness something so delightful. This king will keep it for her."
Golden ripples spread before Jing Shanshan, and he casually tossed the token into them.
Qian Daoliu watched Jing Shanshan's departing figure in silence for a long time. Finally, he found a chair and sat down, pondering Jing Shanshan's words.
He had many questions about this child, but for now, he could set them aside without considering them.
There was one thing he could be certain of now, and it was also the most important thing.
Something he knew nothing about had happened to Xiao Xue.
At that thought, Qian Daoliu abruptly opened his eyes. Golden light shot from them, and the majesty of a level ninety-nine Titled Douluo poured forth like a mountain.
His gaze pierced the hall walls and fell coldly in the direction of the Supreme Pontiff Hall, his voice as low as rolling thunder.
"Bibi Dong, it seems that all these years of keeping out of things out of guilt have given you the illusion that Spirit Hall belongs to you?"