"When?"
Qian Renxue's purple eyes narrowed slightly as she looked around, she understood that Adam had used his abilities on her but he was nowhere to be seen.
'Well that clarifies some of my previous doubts, if Adam wanted me dead I won't be facing this kind of illusion ..... well it is not an illusion.'
The surrounding waters flowed quietly, reflecting countless distorted scenes. Some showed forgotten histories, while others displayed futures that might never happen.
Then her gaze stopped. Far ahead, in the middle of the endless river, stood a small isolated island.
Upon that island was a young girl with golden hair, the same one she had seen when she had ascended to become the Goddess of Dreams and Memories
The child Qian Renxue stood there silently beneath a pale sky, her expression calm and emotionless as she stared toward the flowing river.
Seeing this scene, Qian Renxue suddenly smiled.
"It seems, Adam, that even you are curious about this Mind Island hidden within the River of Memories."
Her voice echoed softly across the river.
"You were unable to pry out the truth yourself, so now you are trying to use me as the spearhead."
The flowing waters around her became slightly turbulent.
Qian Renxue continued calmly, "Fine. But the answer you will receive is something you already know."
Her eyes shone with deep purple light.
"That is… I am Qian Renxue."
After saying that, she took a step forward.
The moment her foot touched the surface of the Mind Island, ripples spread endlessly across and the Young Qian Renxue burst into countless fragmented scenes surfaced around her like reflections.
Fragments of memories, both familiar and foreign, flowed past Qian Renxue like an endless stream.
They told the story of a girl born with unparalleled talent, yet burdened by a fate filled with loneliness and tragedy.
This Mind Island contained the life of Qian Renxue from the original timeline of Douluo Continent.
Qian Renxue watched herself being born, awakening the supreme Seraphim Martial Soul. Blessed with talent that countless people could only dream of, she should have stood at the peak of the world.
Yet from the very beginning, what she desired most was never power but recognition from her mother.
For the sake of earning Bibi Dong's approval, little Qian Renxue accepted the mission assigned to her by Bibi Dong. She abandoned her youth and assumed the identity of the Heaven Dou Crown Prince, living as a spy within the empire for years.
The task was dangerous and lonely. Every day required perfect vigilance. Every word and action had to be carefully controlled.
She genuinely believed that peacefully controlling Heaven Dou would prevent a devastating war. If the empire could be absorbed easily by killing the top level nobles, countless ordinary civilians would be spared from becoming casualties on a battlefield.
Years of effort slowly bore fruit. The foundations of Heaven Dou were already under her control. Then Tang San appeared. Like an unforeseen variable, he shattered everything she had built. The undercover operation that had consumed her youth and countless years of preparation collapsed at the final moment.
Surprisingly, the memories did not contain overwhelming hatred toward Tang San. Instead, there was admiration.
Even after her identity was exposed, Qian Renxue had attempted to recruit him. She had sincerely hoped that such a talent could stand on Spirit Hall's side.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
After returning to Spirit Hall, what greeted her was not comfort, but the same coldness she had experienced since childhood.
Bibi Dong's indifference remained unchanged.
Perhaps because she no longer expected anything, Qian Renxue devoted herself entirely to completing the Angel God's trials.
The memories continued.
She saw herself climbing the path toward divinity, enduring trial after trial. The process was arduous, but she never stopped moving forward.
Then came the price.
The grandfather who had loved her unconditionally. The only family member who had always stood by her side.
For the Angel God's inheritance to be completed, he offered his own life.
Qian Renxue watched herself kneeling before the altar, watching Qian Daoliu's figure disappear forever.
Even now, the pain remained vivid. The memories trembled slightly.
Then came the Ninth Trial. A trial that should have been a test of the heart.
It was altered as Sea God had interfered and made sure her heart had Tang San's mark.
After enduring that trial, her state was far from perfect. Her foundation had become unstable, and her spirit was weakened.
As a result, even before Tang San had truly become a God, he was already capable of exchanging blows with her.
The memories surged forward once more.
The final war arrived.
Spirit Hall stood against the allied forces led by Tang San. Qian Renxue fought with everything she possessed.
When defeat seemed inevitable, she made a desperate choice. She shattered her own God Core.
For a brief moment, the power she unleashed surpassed her limits. Yet even that failed to change the outcome.
Not long afterward, Bibi Dong threw herself before an attack aimed at her daughter.
For the first time in her life, Qian Renxue understood the truth hidden beneath years of coldness.
Bibi Dong had loved her, perhaps imperfectly in a twisted and broken manner, but she had loved her.
By the time Qian Renxue realized it, it was already too late.
The woman who had spent her entire life longing for her mother's affection had only learned the truth through her mother's death.
Tang San emerged victorious. The Spirit Empire collapsed.
Although Tang San did not kill the powerless Qian Renxue after she lost her Godhood because of the promise he made was witnessed by many people.
To preserve his reputation, he allowed her to live.
The image of Spirit Hall was smeared throughout the continent. Every achievement it had accumulated over thousands of years was erased by the victors.
The memories continued to unfold.
Free Martial Soul awakenings disappeared. Without Spirit Hall's support, ordinary civilians once again found themselves at the mercy of local nobles.
Children who wished to awaken their Martial Souls were forced to pay enormous sums of money.
Many families could never afford such costs. Others were compelled to swear loyalty to powerful noble houses in exchange for opportunities.
The system that Spirit Hall had established for commoners gradually vanished.