Looking at the Heart of Holy Light, Qian Jun Douluo exclaimed, "Great Enshrined, this Heart of Holy Light is simply miraculous!"
His words naturally met with the approval of the other Offerings.
The Fifth Offering, Light Feather Douluo, in particular, stared at the Heart of Holy Light with such burning eyes that he looked ready to swallow it whole.
"It's more than that, Sixth Brother. The Heart of Holy Light is worth far more than you imagine."
It couldn't be helped. After all, his Martial Soul had both light and ice attributes.
It was precisely because he possessed the light attribute that Guang Ling understood the true value of the Heart of Holy Light even better.
Unfortunately, the Heart of Holy Light was an opportunity that belonged to the Great Enshrined alone, so he could only gaze at it enviously.
At that moment, the Third Offering, Azure Luan Douluo, said eagerly, "Great Enshrined, please hurry and go into seclusion to fuse with this Heart of Holy Light."
When the Great Enshrined emerged again, his strength was sure to have improved tremendously.
Azure Luan Douluo's suggestion naturally met with everyone's unanimous approval.
Besides being happy that the Great Enshrined's Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul would evolve and his strength would improve,
they were even happier for the Qian Family and Spirit Hall.
When the time came, Spirit Hall's appeal and influence would surely expand to new heights.
In the past, they Offerings had kept a very low profile, and few in the outside world even knew they existed.
But times had changed. The appearance of the Heavenly Screen was bound to change the balance of power on the continent.
To deal with those unknown risks, Spirit Hall naturally had to be on its guard with twelve parts of its attention.
Listening to the Offerings' advice, Qian Daoliu said nothing. He simply gazed at the Heart of Holy Light floating before him.
As the owner of the Heart of Holy Light, and a level ninety-nine Peerless Douluo with the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, Qian Daoliu could sense more.
He sensed light, but there was not a trace of the Angel God's presence within it. There was only a silent, ancient summons, as though asking him: Has the god you faithfully worship ever allowed you to touch something like me?
For that very reason, Qian Daoliu's pupils contracted slightly, and the hand he had instinctively reached out froze in midair.
"Great Enshrined..." Demon Subduing Douluo was about to say something, but Golden Crocodile Douluo cut him off at once.
At that moment, Qian Daoliu's gaze became exceptionally resolute.
Without hesitation, he reached out and held the Heart of Holy Light in his palm.
The eight-sided crystal floated an inch above his palm, slowly rotating.
Holy light runes unlike any writing on the Douluo Continent flowed and flickered within the crystal.
Each flicker was accompanied by a faint hymn, as though countless souls were singing in unison.
The iconic six wings of an angel unfurled involuntarily behind Qian Daoliu.
Not because of combat instinct, but because his Martial Soul resonated of its own accord.
Six snowy white wings spread out fully in the secret chamber.
Every feather trembled slightly, as though drawn toward the holy light, wanting to approach yet fearing something.
Qian Daoliu looked down at the crystal above his palm, its flowing, sacred white light reflected in his eyes.
He sensed light.
Pure light, untainted by any will.
The Angel God's light was a light of bestowal and judgment, shining down from above.
But this light was simply light itself. It did not command, judge, or bestow grace. It merely existed there in silence, waiting for him to reach out or not.
"Great Enshrined." Light Feather Douluo's voice came from behind him, his tone straining to contain an urgency he could not hide. "This Heart of Holy Light... when do you intend to begin fusing with it?"
Qian Daoliu did not turn around.
He knew why Guang Ling was anxious.
Guang Ling's Martial Soul had both light and ice attributes, making him more sensitive to holy light than any other Offering present.
The resonance just now, in particular, seemed to have affected Guang Ling's mind.
Those eyes fixed on the Heart of Holy Light must now be filled with burning desire.
But Qian Daoliu did not answer Guang Ling's question.
This was one of the rare moments of hesitation in his life.
As Spirit Hall's adjudicating elder and the Angel God's representative in the mortal world, Qian Daoliu had not hesitated in many years.
His every word was a judgment, and his every action an extension of his will.
But at this moment, Qian Daoliu had indeed frozen.
Deep within his consciousness, the runes flowing through the Heart of Holy Light above his palm were translating themselves into a language he could understand most readily.
It was neither an oracle from the Angel God nor a teaching from Spirit Hall's scriptures, but an exceedingly brief sentence-
"Light needs no authorization."
Light needs no authorization?
Then what of the Godly Examinations I have undergone all my life?
What of those nights spent kneeling before the Angel God Statue, praying until dawn?
What of the Sword of Judgment I have swung countless times in the Angel God's name, the evils I have slain, and the lives I have judged?
The sacrifices and offerings made in the name of "the god's will," the foundations of his faith that he had never questioned.
If light needs no authorization, then what exactly has the Angel God given me?
Qian Daoliu was at a critical moment. He was questioning his faith, and even more, his own heart.
"Great Enshrined?" The Third Offering, Azure Luan Douluo, spoke up again, a barely perceptible note of concern in his voice. "Have you sensed something amiss?"
Qian Daoliu finally spoke.
"Nothing is amiss." His voice was as steady as ever, without a hint of disturbance. "I simply need to go into seclusion for some time."
He closed his fingers around the Heart of Holy Light.
The instant the crystal touched his skin, a warm pulse came from his palm. It was neither a vibration of Soul Power nor a resonance from the Godly Examination.
It was something more primal, as though a string deep within his bloodline had been gently plucked.
"I will enter the innermost secret chamber." Qian Daoliu turned, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the six Offerings one by one. "While I am in seclusion, no matter what happens, I am not to be disturbed."
"Yes." The six Offerings bowed in unison.
As Light Feather Douluo straightened, he could not resist glancing at the hand in which Qian Daoliu held the Heart of Holy Light.
"Guang Ling." At that point, Azure Luan Douluo could finally stand it no longer.
His soft shout, empowered by a Soul Skill, finally roused Guang Ling from his trance.
Meanwhile, the door to the secret chamber slowly closed behind him.
Qian Daoliu stood alone in the center of the chamber. Around him were holy light rune lamps that had burned for ten thousand years without going out, and the walls were covered with the Angel God's oracles and the teachings left by Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined of past generations.
For members of the Qian Family, though this was not the place where the Godly Examination was passed down,
it held extraordinary significance for Qian Daoliu.
He had knelt here countless times, praying alone to the Angel God.
And now, Qian Daoliu stood here.
The Heart of Holy Light in his palm was still pulsing, as though waiting for his decision.
Qian Daoliu looked down at it for a long time, then slowly opened his fingers, letting the crystal float above his palm once more.
"Light needs no authorization," he repeated softly.
His voice was so quiet that he seemed to be speaking to himself.
But the moment he spoke, the holy light rune lamps on the chamber walls all flickered at once, as though they had heard him, or as though some ancient and sacred blessing was quietly coming loose.
What was certain was that the Heavenly Screen's presence blocked the Divine Realm's perception.
Thus, all of this was a reflection of Qian Daoliu's inner response.
Without a doubt, Qian Daoliu had made his choice.
Though Tang Chen had once called him a weak man, this time Qian Daoliu was exceptionally resolute.
The future is so interesting. Why can't I keep moving forward?!
Qian Daoliu closed his eyes, spread his six wings, and fully released his Martial Soul.
The phantom of a Six-Winged Angel appeared behind him, its golden eyes looking down at the Heart of Holy Light above his palm.
Then Qian Daoliu sensed it-there was no malice in the phantom's gaze, but no warmth either.
The Angel Phantom simply looked at the crystal, as though it were looking at something it had never seen before.
A light that did not belong to the Angel God.
A light that did not belong to the Douluo Continent.
Yet it was light all the same.
Qian Daoliu took a deep breath and slowly poured his Soul Power into the Heart of Holy Light.
The crystal suddenly blazed.
It was not the golden, sacred light of the Angel Martial Soul, but a pure white, a sacred white born of all the colors of the spectrum fused together and refined.
Light surged from the eight-sided crystal like a tide, spreading along Qian Daoliu's arm and over his entire body, then to his wings.
The feathers of his six wings began to change color from their roots.
They were not being dyed white. Rather, it was as though the light had washed them clean, revealing the wings' original color.
The golden sacred glow faded bit by bit, replaced by flowing holy light runes that appeared along the feather shafts.
Qian Daoliu's body shuddered violently.
He sensed it: that power did not belong to the Angel God, did not come from the Godly Examination, and did not pass through offerings and prayers.
It was pure holy light, surging directly from light itself, from some distant existence he could not comprehend.
That existence did not ask him to kneel, make sacrifices, or pledge loyalty.
It only needed him to accept it.
A silent wave spread outward with Qian Daoliu at its center.
The Angel God's oracles on the chamber walls began to flicker, as though they had lost the power that had sustained them.