Qian Daoliu's Fury!

Ah Yin looked in surprise at the assortment of food in Gui Mei's arms, then suddenly understood and turned toward Qian Xunji beside her.

He turned his head away, avoiding Ah Yin's gaze.

Ah Yin took a skewer of candied hawthorn from Gui Mei's arms. Looking at it in her hand, a gentle smile rose to her lips.

"Thank you, Brother Gui Mei."

"No need to thank me. There's so much delicious food here, Miss Ah Yin. Why don't you pick out some more?"

Gui Mei smiled gently as well.

Although Ah Yin was a Soul Beast, her kindness and purity throughout their time together had already made Gui Mei unconsciously overlook her identity as a Soul Beast and truly regard her as a human.

"No, this skewer of candied hawthorn is enough. Brother Gui Mei, please help me eat the rest."

Gui Mei looked at Qian Xunji, who waved a hand, and Gui Mei withdrew.

Qian Xunji and Ah Yin continued strolling. Along both sides of the street, workshops appeared here and there, pounding rice cakes and molding little clay figures. Every one of them drew Ah Yin's interest.

Although she had passed through quite a few cities while traveling the continent before, cities as prosperous as Spirit City were rare.

The only time she had entered a major city, the three of them had gone into an auction house, only for Ah Yin's identity to be exposed, forcing them to flee in panic.

Here in Spirit City, however, Ah Yin experienced the prosperity and pleasures of a human city.

As midnight approached, large crowds began converging on the square.

Qian Xunji and Ah Yin were among them, following the crowd to the square.

In Spirit City's immensely spacious square, a ring of bonfires had already been lit, and the atmosphere was bustling.

There were also acrobatics and fire-breathing performances beside the bonfires, drawing spectators in ring after ring.

At that moment, ordinary people and Soul Masters alike immersed themselves in the atmosphere, enjoying this moment of relaxation.

Then the acrobats and fire-breathers all left the performance area, and music suddenly rang out.

The people around them took out masks and put them on, then stepped inside the ring of bonfires and began dancing in pairs.

Gui Mei appeared beside Qian Xunji at just the right moment and handed over two masks.

"Young master!"

Qian Xunji accepted the masks, and Gui Mei vanished.

As Ah Yin was looking at the masks people wore, her vision suddenly darkened, and something pressed against her cheeks.

Ah Yin turned to look and saw that Qian Xunji had already put on a dark gold mask.

"Come on, let's dance too!"

Qian Xunji took Ah Yin's hand and led her into the dancing area. Looking down at her, he asked softly.

"Do you still remember the steps I taught you back then?"

Ah Yin's memories instantly carried her back to that little town all those years ago.

The youth had held her hand, teaching her how to dance, step by step.

"Yes, I remember!"

Ah Yin nodded lightly.

In the firelight, the mask on the face of the man before her seemed to blur and fade, before turning into the face of a youth.

At that moment, Ah Yin's heart was completely occupied.

Outside, everyone watching the scene fell silent.

Love could turn all opposition into the palest embellishment.

Tang San's fists clenched and loosened, then loosened and clenched again.

Mom, you can't. You can't fall in love with him!

Dad, where were you at this moment? Why didn't you come and take Mom away?!

Xiao Wu, however, gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with fury.

My mother was suffering in the Soul Beast Forest, yet you were here courting beneath the flowers and moon, Qian Xunji. How could you face Mom?

Bibi Dong stared blankly at the scene. The first feeling to rise in her heart was not resentment, but jealousy.

Why? Why had Qian Xunji never treated her like this?!

What right did this Soul Beast have?! What right did she have to receive his love?!

In the hills behind Holy Soul Village.

Bang! Bang!

Amid the sounds of violent impacts, towering trees toppled one after another.

"Ah! I hate this! I hate this so much!"

Tang Hao rammed headfirst into a large tree, snapping it in half at the trunk.

"Ah Yin! You're mine!"

"No! No!!"

Tang Hao fell to his knees, clutching his head in both hands as he threw his head back and roared at the sky.

At the bottom of the abyss beneath the fissure, Qian Renxue wore a complicated expression.

If Mom saw this, would she be sad?

Dad, did you ever truly love Mom?

On the Heavenly Screen, the scene of Qian Xunji and Ah Yin dancing shifted to an empty, spacious hall.

A figure stood there. The doors opened, and someone entered, then knelt on one knee before him.

"Great Enshrined!"

"His Holiness the Pope, he... he..."

"What are you stammering for?! Speak!"

"What happened to Xun'er?"

Qian Daoliu's commanding voice rang out.

"His Holiness the Pope is taking that Hundred-Thousand-Year Transformed Soul Beast around the city. The two of them are like lovers..."

Boom!

Before the man could finish, a violent surge of Soul Power struck, instantly sending him flying. He slammed into the hall wall with a thud, then fell heavily to the floor.

"Classify this matter as a top-level secret. If word gets out, you know the consequences."

"Yes, I understand, Great Enshrined!"

The figure struggled to his feet, acknowledged the order, and withdrew from the hall.

Inside the hall, Qian Daoliu clenched both fists as he stared at the statue of the Angel God before him, his face livid and his eyes filled with shock and fury.

Late that night, the bonfire festivities in the square ended.

Qian Xunji escorted Ah Yin back to her residence. As soon as he returned to the Pope's Hall, he found Qian Daoliu waiting there, for who knew how long.

"Father, it's so late..."

Qian Daoliu interrupted Qian Xunji, his tone icy.

"What were you doing tonight?"

"Father, I..."

Qian Xunji looked at Qian Daoliu, the rest of his words dying away.

"Do you not want to say it, or do you not dare?"

Qian Daoliu's piercing gaze made Qian Xunji even more certain.

"The esteemed Pope of our Spirit Hall has actually developed feelings for a Soul Beast."

"Qian Xunji, do you still remember that you are the Pope of Spirit Hall?"

Qian Daoliu's supremely commanding voice echoed through the empty hall.

Qian Xunji remained silent.

"Soul Masters and Soul Beasts are natural enemies who hunt and kill each other. The hatred accumulated over ten thousand years is like a bottomless abyss. Calling it a blood-deep feud would be no exaggeration, and our Spirit Hall is a sacred place in the hearts of the continent's Soul Masters!"

"Now you're entangled with a Soul Beast. If word of this gets out..."

"How will the two great empires and the other sects view Spirit Hall? How will all the Soul Masters on the continent view Spirit Hall?"

"How will our Spirit Hall maintain its footing on the continent?"

Qian Daoliu's voice brimmed with fury!

"Father, I was wrong!"

Qian Xunji lowered his head as he answered.

Hearing this, Qian Daoliu's anger eased slightly, but his expression remained cold and stern.

"Didn't you say before that you would kill that Soul Beast and obtain her Soul Ring once you advanced to Titled Douluo?"

"I'll give you the Angel Soul Bone Set now and help you break through to level 90. Go kill that Soul Beast and obtain her Soul Ring. Then we can announce the good news that you've become a Titled Douluo alongside the Holy Maiden's ceremony."

To sever this forbidden love, Qian Daoliu was already prepared to spare no expense of his own Soul Power, refining it and pouring it into Qian Xunji.

At those words, Qian Xunji abruptly raised his head, a pleading look appearing on his face.

"Father, can you spare Ah Yin?!"