Among the information gathered, there was one particularly striking information was that Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong had become a couple.
They were seen in Heaven Dou City , walking together under a lantern-lit bridge. Liu Erlong was laughing, her head tilted back. Yu Xiaogang, awkwardly but sincerely, was holding her hand.
Qian Renxue finished reading the documents and leaned back slightly, her expression perfectly still. There wasn't even the flicker of a reaction. She had already read this report before.
Her mind was elsewhere.
She had long since begun laying the groundwork for her plans, that involved her so-called "mother", the Saint of Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong.
Qian Renxue remembered clearly: the moment she had unfurled her twelve-winged martial soul during her inspection of the Angel Corps, she had deliberately made no effort to hide it. Word had surely spread like wildfire. Her assumption was simple, Bibi Dong, obsessed with strength and martial evolution, would inevitably come to confront her and demand the remaining Martial Soul Evolution Pill.
But she never came.
'Is someone going to tell me how long her seclusion is supposed to last?' Qian Renxue thought coldly, her patience fraying.
Ghost Douluo, was present in the room.
"Is the Saint still in seclusion?" she asked without turning her head.
"Yes," Ghost Douluo replied with his usual calm.
Qian Renxue's golden eyes narrowed slightly, her fingers tapping the side of her chair in irritation.
'What kind of seclusion takes this long? Don't tell me that woman got drunk on and forgot what year it is,' she thought sarcastically.
What Qian Renxue did not know was that Bibi Dong was really drunk.
To understand how things reached that point, one must reverse time, back to a few months ago.
*****
It was around a month after Lin Yuan had been admitted into the Spirit Hall Academy.
He was walking quietly along the stone corridor, the early evening light slanting through the tall windows. His face was calm, but internally his mind buzzed like a disturbed hive.
"System," he muttered under his breath, "now that I've obtained my first soul ring, can I start approaching Qian Renxue again?"
The answer came swiftly, in its usual flat tone.
[Host may proceed at your own discretion. However, what exactly are you planning to show her—a 300-year soul ring?]
Lin Yuan grimaced. "Hey, is it my fault that the 1000-year soul ring was too hard to absorb? I nearly died!"
[Host should be grateful to the System for extracting you from that life-threatening situation.]
He crossed his arms and continued grumbling, "Still, shouldn't you have helped me with the absorption process?"
[Soul rings are not System-issued products. The System is under no obligation to assist in their absorption.]
Lin Yuan rolled his eyes. "That man-faced demon spider was barely 500 years old. When the academy teacher offered it, I hesitated but still went ahead. Why wasn't I able to absorb it?"
[Host has grossly underestimated the physical requirements needed for higher-age soul rings in the Douluo Continent.]
"But other protagonists can absorb thousand-year rings at the first stage!" Lin Yuan protested.
[Host, please remember—those individuals often possess exceptional bloodlines, powerful constitutions, or unique body-enhancing techniques. You, currently, have none.]
Lin Yuan clenched his fists. "Then what's the point of this system?! Isn't it supposed to help me cheat fate?!"
[System assists in the long term. It is not a crutch to bypass every difficulty. Growth through hardship is essential to the Host's eventual breakthrough.]
"Tch…" Lin Yuan clicked his tongue but didn't argue further. He hated the feeling of helplessness.
He whined again, "Then why don't you just give me a powerful bloodline?!"
[ Host for that you have to complete the novice mission. The system cannot give rewards if the host does not complete his mission.]
Lin Yuan slumped forward and held his head in frustration. "We're back to square one…"
[ Host don't be discouraged , your 300 year soul ring comes from Crypt Demon Spider. While it is not the top bloodline in soul beast, it is a strong one.]
Lin Yuan didn't reply. He simply walked on in silence, quietly approaching his residence, the one provided by Bibi Dong herself.
The system spoke again, this time in a more encouraging tone.
[ Host you have started to have the wine brewed from the blood 100,000 soul beast, since yesterday. An excellent cultivation resource for increasing soul power and physical strength.]
For once, Lin Yuan felt a surge of hope from the system's words—usually mocking or cold, but now oddly supportive. His eyes lit up.
He spoke in his mind, full of anticipation, "Once my body is stronger, I'll aim for a thousand-year second soul ring... and maybe, just maybe, an unprecedented ten-thousand-year third soul ring!"
Driven by newfound motivation, he quickened his pace and rushed into the courtyard.
Without delay, he entered his room, then hurried to the bed. With a flourish, he tore off the bedcover and flipped the mattress in excitement.
His smile froze.
"…Where is it?"
Confused, he muttered to himself, "I remember keeping two barrels here…"
He searched frantically, overturning chairs, pulling out drawers, throwing his clothes in every direction. Moments later, he stood in the middle of his now chaotic room, clutching his head in despair.
"My brew... it's gone!!"
His scream echoed into the air, but the large courtyard Bibi Dong had arranged for him was isolated. No one heard his desperate cries, except for a few squirrels resting in the trees. Startled, they leapt away into the branches, leaving Lin Yuan alone with his sorrow.