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The golden light of the afternoon sun hit the large windows of the palace. Qian Renxue looked at the tall and kind man standing in front of her. She could not hold back her sadness any longer. All the pain she had kept inside for so long came out at once.
Her golden eyes filled with tears, and they began to roll down her cheeks. She moved forward quickly, like a small bird looking for a safe place to hide. She threw herself into the wide and warm arms of her grandfather, Qian Daoliu.
Qian Daoliu held her gently. He treated her as if she were the most valuable treasure in the entire world. He looked down and noticed a small smear of blood on her lips that she had not finished wiping away. A look of sadness and understanding moved through his deep eyes. He sighed softly and spoke to her. He asked her if she had gone to see her mother.
Qian Renxue became stiff in his arms for a moment. She did not want to talk about it, but she knew she could not hide it. She nodded her head slowly and made a small, sad sound to show he was right.
Qian Daoliu let out a long breath. He told her that Bibi Dong was also in a lot of pain. He explained that what happened many years ago was not really her mother's fault. He tried to tell her that Bibi Dong's feelings for her were not as bad as she thought.
When she heard this, Qian Renxue pulled back. she looked up at her grandfather with eyes full of tears. This was the man she trusted more than anyone else. She could not believe what he was saying. She asked him if he was really refusing to help her. She reminded him of how badly her mother had treated her over the years.
Qian Daoliu looked at the deep disappointment in his granddaughter's eyes. He felt a mix of many emotions. He shook his head slowly. His voice was calm, but he sounded very sure of himself. He told her it was not that he did not want to help, but that he simply could not do it.
He went on to explain that while Bibi Dong could be very aggressive, she had to think about the Spirit Hall. As the Supreme Pontiff, she had to make choices that were best for everyone's future. Then, he looked off into the distance. He looked like he was feeling a strange sense of relief. He told Qian Renxue that in the Spirit Hall today, Bibi Dong actually had more power than he did.
Qian Renxue was shocked. Her body shook, and her tears stopped immediately because she was so surprised. She thought she might have heard him wrong. She told him that was impossible. She reminded him that he was the High Priest and the one who protected the Angel God.
Qian Daoliu gave her a small smile. It was a kind smile, but it was also very realistic. He reached out and wiped the tears from her face. He told her that she must remember that the world is a place where the strong have the power. He said that whoever is the strongest gets to make the rules, and that was especially true in the Spirit Hall.
He praised Bibi Dong's talent and hard work. He told Qian Renxue that her mother was now just as strong as he was. Since she was still young, her future was even bigger. He thought she might become the first person in ten thousand years to reach the highest level on the Douluo Continent.
He told her that even the people in the Elder Palace were starting to support her mother. He said even he would support her now because she had the courage to lead the Spirit Hall to a better future. He told her she should try to help her mother instead of fighting her. At the end, he reminded her that no matter what, Bibi Dong was still her mother.
Qian Renxue stood there and stared at him. Her mind was a mess. After a moment, she spoke up again. She argued that if her mother really cared about the Spirit Hall, she would plan things better. She said Bibi Dong was acting too fast and without thinking. She complained that these actions were ruining her own plans and turning potential friends into enemies.
Qian Daoliu looked at her closely. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He asked her if she was talking about the time her mother sent people to kill Tang Chen.
Qian Renxue nodded her head. Her golden eyes were full of energy. She told him that Tang Chen was incredibly talented and had a very strong mind. She believed that if they could get him to join the Spirit Hall, he would be worth much more than he would be dead.
Qian Daoliu was silent for a while. He saw how much she wanted to protect the boy. He spoke in a very serious and heavy tone. He told her to clear her head. He reminded her that Tang Chen was the son of Tang Hao.
Their families had a blood feud that could not be fixed. He said the child's talent was scary and that he would become a huge danger to the Spirit Hall if he were allowed to grow up. He insisted that the boy had to be removed.
Qian Renxue was stubborn. She did not agree at all. She told her grandfather that she was confident she could change things. She believed that if he gave her enough time, she could make Tang Chen forget his hate and work for them. She said that killing was not the best way to solve a problem and that using a person's talent was much better.
Qian Daoliu saw how hard she was defending the boy. He saw a flicker of worry in his own eyes. He asked her if she had fallen in love with Tang Chen. He reminded her that his mother died because of her father. He told her there was too much hate between them for her to ever win him over.
Qian Renxue jumped as if she had been hurt. She interrupted him quickly. Her face turned very red. She told him she had not fallen for him and that she was only thinking about what was best for the Spirit Hall. She asked him why he always had to think she had feelings for the boy.
Qian Daoliu looked at his granddaughter. She was excited, embarrassed, and panicking all at once. He knew her very well, and he could see that she was not just thinking about logic anymore. He looked deep into her eyes, and she looked away from him because she felt uncomfortable.
He sighed a very long and tired sigh. He felt bad for her. He knew that if he pushed her too hard, she would only run away. He decided to give in a little. He promised her that he would not send anyone from the Hall of Worship to attack the boy for now. He waved his hand and told her to go back to the Heaven Dou Empire. He warned her that things might go wrong if she stayed away too long.
Qian Renxue felt much better after hearing his promise. She calmed herself down and acted like a professional again. She bowed to him and said she would leave now. As she walked away, she looked a bit heavier with worry than when she arrived.
Qian Daoliu watched her leave. He turned back to the large statue of the Angel God. He whispered to himself about how hard love is to understand. He hoped she would not end up like her mother because that path was full of pain.
The next morning, the sun began to rise. The light turned Spirit City a beautiful gold color. The big square outside the Supreme Pontiff Palace was already full of people. The ground was made of white jade and was so clean it looked like a mirror. Thousands of people were there, including Spirit Masters and nobles from all over. Everyone was excited for the grand finals to start.
People in the crowd were talking loudly. They were excited to see which team would win and meet the Supreme Pontiff. Some people pointed out the Star Luo Empire team, while others talked about the Heaven Dou Empire team and the "monster" named Tang Chen.
Suddenly, a loud horn sounded. The whole square went quiet. Everyone looked toward the palace. Twelve men in red robes walked out. They were the Cardinals. They stood in two rows like guards. One of them used his spirit power to make his voice very loud. He announced that the Supreme Pontiff was arriving.
The soldiers and the crowd began to cheer "Long live!" three times. The sound was so loud it felt like the earth was shaking. It showed how much they respected their leader.
The huge palace doors opened, and a bright light came out. Bibi Dong walked out. She looked very powerful and beautiful. She wore a purple and gold crown and held a scepter with many gems. Her golden gown was very fancy. She stood there like she was the most important person in the world.
Everyone in the square knelt down on one knee to show they respected her. It was a sign of total loyalty. However, one group did not kneel. The Tianxing Academy stayed standing. Tang Chen, Dugu Bo, Xiao Ruier, and Ning Rongrong stood straight and tall. They stood out like a sore thumb.
The people from Spirit Hall looked at them with anger. Bibi Dong noticed them too. She expected them to be rude because of Tang Chen and Dugu Bo. But then, she looked at Xiao Ruier, the girl standing next to Tang Chen.
Bibi Dong felt something very strange and sudden in her heart. She was a level ninety-eight Spirit Master, so her senses were very sharp. She wondered who this girl really was and why she felt so strange looking at her.