Chapter 370: Qian Renxue, Unbroken
"Shouldn't you be angry?"
Qian Renxue's voice suddenly rang beside Han Li.
He turned his head to look at her Miss Angel's expression was twisted in a way that was difficult to describe with words.
"Why should I be angry?"
"Because our esteemed Pope has betrayed my interests?"
Han Li appeared utterly calm, even leisurely picking up a grape and tossing it into his mouth. "But wasn't this outcome obvious from the start?"
"Besides, my things are never that easy to take."
His smile carried a hint of eerie amusement as he waved a finger in front of Qian Renxue's face. "Everyone in Spirit Hall took an oath before receiving the original version of Heavenly Mystery Art. The Pope cannot disclose it to Yu Xiaogang."
"She can't, and she won't. So what's there to worry about? Why would you think that something I released could be so easily taken… or modified?"
"You should know by now, I've never been a kind person. The last batch of people who tried to use me as a stepping stone still haven't recovered in Spirit Hall."
Qian Daoliu simply listened in silence. He knew Han Li was referring to Hu Liena and her companions.
He then glanced at his granddaughter, who was visibly unstable, and sighed internally.
"You did this on purpose?"
A never before seen malicious expression flickered across Qian Renxue's face.
Ever since her Seventh Trial began, the dark influence on her had grown stronger.
An expression like this something that should never have appeared on her face now surfaced naturally, and it was… stunning.
The contrast was absolutely exquisite.
…But still, please recover quickly, Han Li thought to himself.
Like this, I really can't trust you.
"Of course not," Han Li responded with a smirk. "How could I have predicted that Yu Xiaogang would set his sights on Heavenly Mystery Art?"
"But… you know me. I always leave a backup plan. Why don't you ask Grand Elder here does he dare to modify the art however he pleases?"
"And besides… let's be honest, I believe in Yu Xiaogang."
Han Li pointed at the grinning figure on the light screen, his expression completely serious.
"He may be useless at achieving anything good, but when it comes to ruining things, he's a top tier expert."
Han Li had Douluo's Will at his disposal. Even simplifying the technique had taken a long time.
And now?
Not even half a year had passed since Heavenly Mystery Art was made public.
Yu Xiaogang had no more fate left in him.
And yet, the fool had set his sights on Ren and Du meridians an absurd choice.
If he actually succeeded, Han Li swore he'd change his surname to Yu.
A man who hadn't even opened his own Ren and Du meridians, who didn't even dare to cultivate, was modifying the meridian routes purely based on old medical diagrams?
Half guessing, half assuming?
If he actually succeeded, Han Li wasn't worthy of being called a genius.
Han Li had already tested it using Douluo's Will.
For Spirit Saints and above, if they followed Yu Xiaogang's modified meridian flow, they'd be fine for a few days.
But by day seven?
Their soul power would violently explode.
If a Spirit Saint could last seven days without incident, Han Li would admit defeat.
As for those below Spirit Saint…
If their talent was high and their meridians were naturally wide, their soul power would just go berserk.
But if they had poor talent?
The moment their Ren and Du meridians were forcibly opened, their bodies would explode.
A slower death, maybe?
No worries within a month, their meridians would be so damaged that they'd be left as cripples.
The only "advantage" was a slightly faster cultivation speed at the start.
Short term gain, lifelong ruin.
On the light screen, Bibi Dong was already testing Yu Xiaogang's modification.
Yu Xiaogang, looking pleased with himself, was watching her expectantly.
Han Li felt an urge to laugh.
If Yu Xiaogang publicly released this, he wouldn't mind at all.
In fact, he hoped for it.
Because Han Li refused to believe that someone as stubborn as Yu Xiaogang and someone as mentally unstable as Bibi Dong would spend weeks properly testing it.
Even if they did, so what?
Everyone in Spirit Hall had already received the true version.
Who would waste a week, or even longer, cultivating a faulty version?
As for Spirit Masters outside Spirit Hall?
They wouldn't notice for at least a month.
And did Yu Xiaogang have that kind of patience?
Did Bibi Dong?
Even if they did, Han Li didn't care.
This was just a bonus reward his original goal was simply to show Qian Renxue her "sister's" true nature.
Either way, he profited.
Qian RenSnow Empressdn't respond.
She was staring intently at the screen, her soul power wildly fluctuating.
Her mind was in turmoil.
From this objective perspective, everything about Bibi Dong was painfully obvious.
It made her feel deeply disturbed.
"Hm?"
Han Li raised a brow.
Douluo's Will had just informed him someone was approaching the palace where Yu Xiaogang and Bibi Dong were speaking.
Han Li instinctively turned to Qian Renxue.
And for the briefest moment, he caught the slight hesitation in her gaze before she forcefully looked away.
"I'm fine."
The instant their eyes met, Qian Renxue spoke stiffly.
Han Li hadn't even said anything yet.
He glanced at her again but didn't press the issue.
Because as he had already warned her
The worst was yet to come.
The courtyard in Tian Dou City was eerily silent as the three watched the light screen unfold.
Inside Spirit City, thanks to Han Li and Qian Daoliu's arrangements, Yu Xiaogang had already received news of Bibi Dong's emergence from seclusion.
From early morning, he had been waiting at the base of Papal Mountain.
Now, his greeting card had been delivered.
Of course, even without that card, Bibi Dong would have received word of his presence.
For years now, tracking Yu Xiaogang's whereabouts had become routine.
Even Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had grown accustomed to wasting Spirit Hall's intelligence network on a nobody like him.
Bibi Dong's mood was surprisingly good today.
But the aura radiating from her body made it impossible for that joy to spread to anyone else.
Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo exchanged uneasy glances before silently lowering their heads.
Inside the resplendent Pope's Palace, golden murals of holy angels shone brilliantly, their presence righteous and majestic.
Yet, sitting upon the throne was a Pope entirely at odds with that divinity.
The dark, malicious, and bloodthirsty aura she emitted made even her own subordinates feel suffocated.
Was this… truly the Holy Spirit Hall of the Angel God?
For a moment, the two Titled Douluo felt a strange sense of dissonance.
Bibi Dong absentmindedly flipped through the latest reports.
She had successfully passed the Eighth Trial, acquiring the Rakshasa Heart, but it had come at a great cost.
The ominous energy that now clung to her body like a plague was proof of that.
She had given herself six months six months to recover before attempting the Ninth Trial.
According to the Rakshasa God, now that she had the Rakshasa Heart, the final trial wouldn't be too difficult.
As long as she fully recovered, she could pull out the Rakshasa God's weapon and inherit the divinity.
At that moment, she would become a true god.
To guarantee her success, she would launch a continental war alongside her final trial.
The war's carnage and corruption would serve as the perfect fuel for her godhood ascension.
"Any news from the Worship Hall?"
Bibi Dong asked casually.
Spirit Hall's power was vast whether Qian Daoliu and his group returned or not would not change the war's outcome.
In fact, their absence would make things easier, allowing her to wage war without holding back.
Her true priority was Qian Renxue's progress.
Her "dear little sister" had only recently started her divine trials.
Even with high talent, she wouldn't catch up.
After all, it had taken Bibi Dong over a decade to reach her final trial.
Even if the Angel God's trial was easier, Qian Renxue couldn't possibly match her speed.
But Han Li…
Bibi Dong's expression darkened slightly.
Something about Han Li bothered her.
Even the Rakshasa God found him unusual.
His growth rate shouldn't have been possible.
And yet, during the Spirit Master Tournament, he had publicly slaughtered the Haotian Twin Stars.
The Rakshasa God had even warned her someone from the Divine Realm had placed a heavy bet on Han Li.
But when she demanded to know which god, the Rakshasa God fell silent.
For a long time.
She never answered.
Just urged her to watch him closely.
Bibi Dong didn't like that answer.
But she had no choice but to obey.
"Your Holiness, the last confirmed sighting of the Holy Son was at the Spirit Research Institute."
Chrysanthemum Douluo reported.
Bibi Dong frowned.
"Why was he there?"
"Apparently, he overheard something… and appeared only to issue a warning before vanishing again."
Chrysanthemum Douluo hesitated before adding,
"Your Holiness… I believe he was right to do so. If it had been me, I would have executed them."
Bibi Dong didn't ask further.
At least there was some news of him.
She continued flipping through the reports then paused when she saw a familiar name.
At the same moment, a guard entered with a formal greeting card.
Yu Xiaogang's.
This time, without a Grand Elder's token, Yu Xiaogang couldn't claim authority.
Instead, he had sent his request using his father's name as the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's Master.
Even the guards despised him.
But they still had to deliver the message.
Because…
While Yu Xiaogang himself meant nothing, his father was a Titled Douluo.
"Bring him to the side hall."
Bibi Dong's expression barely concealed her pleasure.
She gave the order, then turned to Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo.
"You two are dismissed for the day. I will not be in seclusion for a while. Summon all senior members tomorrow. We will discuss the next step."
The two Titled Douluo glanced at each other.
Then they bowed and silently withdrew.
Left alone, Bibi Dong's expression flickered between joy and resentment.
It was uncertain what she was expecting…
But expecting something she was.
In Tian Dou City, Qian Renxue crushed the stone armrest of her seat.
Han Li cast a glance at Qian Daoliu who was still silent.
"Your granddaughter… you're really not going to say anything?" Han Li sighed internally.
He turned back to Qian Renxue and offered,
"So, shopping or drinking?"
The light screen vanished.
Han Li felt as though snowflakes were swirling around Qian Renxue.
Which… suited her name quite well.
"Both."
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