The dust of the Diamond Mountain Range gradually settled, yet the scent of blood still lingered in the valley. The coalition army of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was busy clearing the battlefield and tallying the spoils, the air thick with the grim, bustling atmosphere that follows a great battle.
After a brief conversation with his grandfather, Yu Boxuan, Yu Yuanchen declined the suggestion to return to the camp for rest. His gaze drifted toward a pavilion perched alone atop a perilous peak deep within the mountain range.
The pavilion appeared long abandoned, yet under the blood-red glow of the setting sun, it possessed a transcendent, otherworldly quality. Almost at the same moment, another streak of golden light swept toward the pavilion—it was Qian Daoliu.
The two landed before the pavilion nearly simultaneously, sharing a smile as if the tension of their previous standoff had never occurred.
On the stone table in the pavilion sat a few delicate side dishes and a flagon of wine emitting a crisp, fragrant aroma. Yu Yuanchen and Qian Daoliu sat opposite each other, raising their cups in a toast; the atmosphere was surprisingly relaxed, as if the earlier clash of blades had never happened.
Qian Daoliu poured a cup for Yu Yuanchen and gestured with his own, his expression carrying a hint of apology: "Brother Yuanchen, Elder Jin'e was impulsive earlier, and his pressure was overbearing. I apologize to you and Clan Head Yu on his behalf. He is an elder of mine, loyal to Martial Soul Hall his entire life, and while his nature is somewhat domineering, he bears no real malice—it is simply... a difference in perspective."
Yu Yuanchen raised his cup in return, his expression calm: "Brother Qian, you are too kind. Different stances lead to different paths; it is hard to say who is right or wrong. If it were me, and my family's foundation were repeatedly provoked while my subordinates were being purged, my reaction might have been even more intense than Elder Jin'e's. Let us leave this matter here."
His tone was indifferent, showing he did not take the previous conflict to heart, a composure that only deepened the admiration in Qian Daoliu's eyes.
Qian Daoliu drained his cup in one go: "Brother Yuanchen is broad-minded. Indeed, it is merely a difference in stance. If I were in your shoes, I suspect my actions would be no different from Elder Jin'e's, perhaps even more radical."
He paused, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible emotion, "However, I personally believe that with a man like you, even as opponents, we should compete with integrity rather than relying on the pressure of cultivation, which only invites ridicule."
The two tacitly avoided mentioning the Elephant Armored Sect and the Tuoba Family. Winners are kings and losers are villains; once the dust has settled, there is no use in saying more. Though Qian Daoliu felt it a pity, he knew Huyan Kuang and the others had brought it upon themselves. Martial Soul Hall was already in the wrong for intervening, and being able to preserve their remaining strength was already no small feat.
After a few cups of wine, the conversation gradually shifted to the current situation on the continent.
Qian Daoliu sighed softly and said: "Brother Yuanchen, have you noticed that in the last few decades, the development of the Soul Master World has been alarmingly fast? The number of known Titled Douluo, both in the open and in the shadows, has already exceeded twenty. Emerging top-tier forces like the Star Crown Sect and the Wind Sword Sect all have Titled Douluo guarding them. And old-school overlords like your sect and the Clear Sky Sect have even deeper foundations, with more than one Titled Douluo."
"It is a good thing that the world is producing so many strong individuals. But power breeds ambition, and order becomes prone to instability. The continent may seem calm now, but undercurrents are surging. Friction between major forces is increasing, and the air is growing thick with the scent of gunpowder. Though my Martial Soul Hall is strong, with my father having ignored worldly affairs for many years, we are already finding it difficult to suppress the world."
When he mentioned his father—the current Great Consecrator of Martial Soul Hall and the only Titled Douluo of the Limit level in the world—a trace of worry flashed in his eyes: "Years ago, to defend against a rare, massive beast tide in the Star Dou Great Forest, my father fought a life-and-death battle against a Fierce Beast of immense cultivation, the 'Dark Demon Evil God Tiger'. Though he eventually killed it, he was struck by the poison of its Evil God Hook during its final counterattack, leaving behind a hidden injury that is difficult to cure. Now that he is advanced in age, the injury recurs from time to time, and he can no longer act easily."
Yu Yuanchen felt a chill in his heart. He finally understood why Martial Soul Hall, while still powerful, had lost that sense of absolute control in recent years; the Great Consecrator, their anchor, was actually suffering from an injury.
Qian Daoliu continued: "With the Great Consecrator unable to act, some monsters and demons have become restless. Some... even some ignorant, newly emerged small forces have dared to collude with local nobles to secretly suppress and deceive the branch halls and sub-halls that Martial Soul Hall has established in their regions!"
At this point, a hint of coldness entered Qian Daoliu's tone: "They obstruct the Martial Soul Awakening for commoners and intercept reports meant for Martial Soul City, attempting to completely erase the influence of Martial Soul Hall within their sphere of influence, engaging in deception and carving out their own territories! If not for an elder accidentally discovering that children in a village had passed the age of ten without ever having their martial souls awakened, who knows how much longer this would have been hidden!"
Yu Yuanchen raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Such a thing exists? Obstructing the awakening of commoners is an evil act that cuts the roots of the Soul Master World, and it is a public provocation of Martial Soul Hall's authority."
"And that is not the only case!" Qian Daoliu snorted coldly. "A thorough investigation revealed that similar situations were not isolated! Even worse, a small number of branch leaders have been corrupted, colluding with local forces to oppress the good and line their own pockets! While the percentage is not high, the absolute number is shocking!"
"My family also deeply admires the righteous act of Martial Soul Hall in providing free martial soul awakening for the children of the continent, and we would never allow such foul winds to blow within our sphere of influence," Yu Yuanchen said.
"This matter has left His Majesty the Pope furious. Beyond the purges and restructuring, the upper echelons of the hall have had to reflect deeply," Qian Daoliu nodded and continued. The Pope he referred to was the current one, also a member of the Qian family, though his martial soul was not the Six-winged Angel but a weakened version, the Holy Angel. However, his cultivation had reached level 96, and he was acting as Pope until Qian Daoliu truly came of age.
He set down his wine cup, his voice low: "Some believe that it is precisely because there are too many top-tier forces on the continent that certain people have developed the wrong impression that they can challenge the order established by Martial Soul Hall. There has been disagreement within the hall regarding this."
Yu Yuanchen listened quietly; he knew this was one of the core reasons Qian Daoliu had sought a deep conversation with him tonight.
Qian Daoliu continued: "Many elders, led by Elder Jin'e, believe that we should use thunderous means to purge one or two blind top-tier forces and subdue others to serve as our hounds, only then can we restore the supreme authority of Martial Soul Hall and deter the small-minded."
He paused and looked at Yu Yuanchen: "His Majesty the Pope, however, believes that blocking is not as effective as guiding. Rather than using force to suppress and provoke a backlash from the world, it would be better to cooperate with a few old-school, top-tier forces that have deep foundations and good reputations to define order. For example, proposing the selection of the 'Upper Three Sects' and 'Lower Four Sects' to set an example for the sects of the world and jointly maintain the stability and prosperity of the Soul Master World."
Yu Yuanchen understood. With the foundations of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Clear Sky Sect, they would certainly be among the "Upper Three Sects." This was both an honor and a responsibility, as well as an invisible form of constraint and binding. This move by Martial Soul Hall was a blatant strategy, and Qian Daoliu was essentially giving him a heads-up.
"Though Elder Jin'e is radical, his loyalty to Martial Soul Hall is beyond doubt, and his strength is among the best in the hall. He is deeply trusted by the Great Consecrator and is seen as the future Second Worship."
Qian Daoliu's tone was complex: "I cannot agree with his style of doing things, but I still respect the man, and I must admit that his domineering style has indeed been effective."
The topic became slightly heavy. The two were silent for a moment before drinking again.
A cool breeze blew, and the moonlight was bright. Qian Daoliu suddenly looked up at the moon, his tone becoming ethereal, carrying a trace of yearning and piety: "Brother Yuanchen, do you believe... that there are gods in this world?"
Yu Yuanchen's heart stirred, but his expression remained unchanged: "Ancient records state that there were gods in the past. Since it is recorded, it must not be without foundation."
A brilliant golden light rose in Qian Daoliu's eyes, the light of heartfelt faith and longing: "I believe. Not only do I believe, I know that the inheritance of gods truly exists." He looked at Yu Yuanchen, his gaze burning: "My Six-winged Angel lineage has been passed down for generations, and its source is a supreme deity—the Angel God! Pacifying the chaos of the continent, integrating the power of soul masters, guiding the world toward the light, and finally inheriting the godhood to ascend to the God Realm is the long-cherished wish and mission of countless generations of my Qian family!"
These words contained astonishing information and Qian Daoliu's firm belief. He did not hide his ambition or his goals.
He paused, his eyes filled with complex emotions as he looked at Yu Yuanchen: admiration, envy, and a trace of imperceptible competitiveness: "Looking at the younger generation of this world, I have surveyed the entire continent. Only you, Brother Yuanchen, and Tang Chen of the Clear Sky Sect possess the talent, temperament, and opportunity that are of the highest order, making you the most likely to touch the legendary Spirit-level Domain and obtain the chance to become a god."
Qian Daoliu's gaze seemed to pierce through the heart as he said slowly: "Especially you, Brother Yuanchen... you have already condensed a trace of true 'divinity' within you. Although it is faint, its status is so high that it is heart-palpitating. This is definitely not something that can be created by ordinary opportunities. I suspect you have already gained the attention of some great existence, or perhaps... He has already paved the way for you to reach godhood in the dark, waiting only for your cultivation to be sufficient for you to accept the guidance and inherit the glory of His godhood."
Yu Yuanchen's hand holding the wine cup paused slightly. Qian Daoliu's words exploded in his heart like a thunderclap! Divinity? Guidance? Inheriting godhood?
In an instant, his mind flashed back to the Thunder Law imprint that had condensed on his forehead after absorbing his seventh Soul Ring, and that intermittent, mysterious attraction originating from the distant west!
So... that was not an illusion! That was... the guidance of a god?! Yes, only the power of a god could cause that imprint to react, and only that could make him feel such a connection!
A raging storm surged in his heart, but his face remained calm and waveless. He simply said lightly: "Brother Qian is joking. The matter of gods is ethereal; I dare not covet it. I only wish to keep my feet on the ground and improve myself."
Seeing his calm expression, Qian Daoliu did not expose him, but smiled meaningfully: "Brother Yuanchen is too modest. Perhaps the timing is not yet right, but the divine fate has been sown. If you feel something in the future, follow your heart, and you may see the truth."
He raised his wine cup: "Speaking with you today, Brother Yuanchen, and being able to speak freely, was a joy! I hope that in the future, even if we are on different sides, we can still sit and discuss the path as we have today. I even... look forward to the day we ascend to the God Realm together and look down on all beings!"
Yu Yuanchen raised his cup to meet him: "I will take your kind words, Brother Qian."
The two wine cups clinked softly in the air, emitting a crisp sound. Under the moonlight, the gazes of the two peerless geniuses met, containing both mutual appreciation and a firm, undisguised competitiveness regarding their future paths.
The night talk in the pavilion revealed the tip of the iceberg of the continent's situation and touched upon the even more vast and mysterious realm hidden above the mortal world—the inheritance of gods!
Yu Yuanchen's heart had already quietly flown toward that distant west, to that place of mysterious summons. A path leading to godhood seemed to have revealed a glimmer of light before him.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan