Qian Daoliu pursed his lips slightly.
Beside him rested the golden coffin, inside lay "Qian Renxue."
She looked exactly like someone who had simply fallen into a deep sleep.
Nearby stood Bibi Dong, whose once flawless face now showed clear signs of exhaustion and dark circles framed her eyes. For the past several days, she had barely left the side of the coffin.
Quietly staring at her daughter's unmoving face.
Qian Daoliu watched her silently and faint sigh escaped his lips.
After learning the truth few days ago, Bibi Dong had not spoken much as she accompanied the coffin only occasionally reaching out to gently touch the cold hand of the girl inside.
Qian Daoliu's eyes dimmed slightly.
'You realized your love...a little too late.'
---
As the crowd continued to grow, more and more important figures stepped forward to offer their condolences.
Representatives from various branches of Spirit Hall, nobles from powerful families, and envoys from influential clans all approached the platform one after another. Each bowed respectfully before the golden coffin, offering a few solemn words before quietly stepping aside.
The mourning ceremony had become a gathering of nearly every major power on the continent.
Not far from the main platform, a group of young soul masters stood together in silence.
Jiang Mo, Tian Yue, Shi Ming, Qian Dan, and Dugu Yan.
They had intentionally chosen to stand a little farther away from the main crowd. The news of Qian Renxue's death had struck them like a bolt of lightning.
To many in Spirit Hall, Qian Renxue had been a goal they had all secretly chased.
Her talent had been something they could barely comprehend. Whenever they felt proud of their own progress, her existence reminded them how far the true peak still lay.
Now—That peak had suddenly disappeared. The realization left them strangely empty.
Jiang Mo clenched his fists quietly. Tian Yue lowered her head, her eyes red.
Dugu Yan stared at the golden coffin from afar, her usually sharp gaze filled with complicated emotions.
At that moment, two groups of envoys approached the platform.
The representatives of the Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire.
Although both empires had long maintained a complicated relationship with Spirit Hall, this occasion demanded proper respect. The envoys bowed deeply before the coffin and expressed formal condolences to Qian Daoliu and the Elders.
Once their ceremony ended, another figure stepped forward. Ning Fengzhi.
As the leader of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, his presence naturally drew the attention of many people.
Ironically— Among the original Three Great Clans, it was also the only one that remained active and thriving.
The once-mighty Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had been annihilated by a natural disaster.
The Clear Sky Clan had withdrawn from the world. Only the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan still stood openly upon the stage of the continent.
As Ning Fengzhi slowly walked toward the golden coffin, his expression remained calm and respectful.
Yet deep within his mind, a quiet thought surfaced.
Sometimes—He could not help but reflect on the decision he had made years ago.
The decision to bow before the Angel Goddess and align his clan network with Twilight Hermit Order..
But looking at the situation now—That decision might have been one of the wisest choices he had ever made.
Just as Ning Fengzhi stepped onto the high platform together with Bone Douluo, Gu Rong, his calm expression suddenly froze.
His footsteps stopped mid-stride.For a moment, the usually composed sect leader looked as if he had turned into stone.
Because he had finally seen the face resting inside the golden coffin.
The young woman lay there quietly, as if merely asleep. Her golden hair was carefully arranged around her shoulders, and her delicate features carried a serene beauty untouched by death.
But to Ning Fengzhi—That face was not unfamiliar.
It immediately stirred a memory buried deep in his mind, an encounter in the Star Dou Forest.
That terrifying presence…
For the briefest moment, Ning Fengzhi felt a chill run down his spine.
Beside him, Gu Rong's reaction was even more obvious. The old Bone Douluo began trembling slightly.
His pupils contracted violently, and even felt an invisible phantom pain in his non existant right hand. Unlike Ning Fengzhi, who excelled at hiding his emotions, Gu Rong had never been particularly good at concealing shock.
The same terrifying existence they had encountered deep within Star Dou Forest.
A thin layer of cold sweat quickly formed on Ning Fengzhi's forehead.
Before either of them could regain their composure, a calm voice suddenly sounded from nearby.
"Do you know my granddaughter?"
The voice was not loud. Yet it carried a weight that instantly pressed down on the two of them like a mountain.
Ning Fengzhi slowly turned his head. Standing beside the coffin was Qian Daoliu.
The old man's gaze was steady and unreadable, but those eyes seemed capable of seeing through everything.
Clearly— He had noticed their abnormal reaction.
For a split second, Ning Fengzhi's mind raced. Then his face quickly returned to its usual refined smile.
He respectfully cupped his hands and said,
"No, Your Holiness."
He casually wiped the sweat from his forehead before continuing in a calm tone.
"We were merely saddened that such a talented soul master… someone who could have brought new vitality to the continent… left this world so early due to illness."
The official explanation Qian Daoliu had given to the outside world, just before the mourning started is he has lost his grand daughter due to an illness.
Qian Daoliu quietly looked at Ning Fengzhi for a moment.
His expression did not change.With his experience, it was obvious that Ning Fengzhi was hiding something. However, this was neither the time nor the place to pursue the matter.
After a brief silence, Qian Daoliu simply replied,
"Hm."
----
(AN : Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong were so scared because their instincts as Titled Douluo was screaming at them. So what is going to happen next?)