After leaving the death dungeon,
Li Zhexian arrived at an extremely secluded spot halfway up the mountain of the former Pope's Palace.
Deep within this sunless prison, he found Qian Daoliu.
The once awe-inspiring Angel Douluo now stood with dimmed holy light, skin and bones visible.
With the strength of a peerless powerhouse,
he should have been able to draw energy from heaven and earth to sustain himself.
Yet this prison was saturated with Rakshasa Spirit Power,
with almost no trace of light energy remaining.
Had it not been for the formidable physique of an ultimate expert, he would likely have long since withered away.
Sensing someone approaching, Qian Daoliu slowly opened his eyes.
When he saw the white-robed youth—unchanged from two years ago—a relieved smile appeared on his gaunt face.
So long as Li Zhexian was unharmed, all was well.
Back then, he had fought two Limit Douluo alone precisely to protect this youth.
Thinking that he had safeguarded his granddaughter's beloved, he felt that all his suffering had been worth it.
Only—
he wondered what the world outside had become in these two years.
As his thoughts stirred, he heard the young man speak gently:
"Senior, I'll take you out of here now."
"Go find a few Elders. These chains aren't something you can—"
Chi—
Before he could finish,
the youth raised two fingers and brushed them across the dark-purple chains.
They snapped instantly.
Qian Daoliu: "…"
It seemed the changes of the past two years were… rather significant.
...
Stepping out of the prison and seeing the light of day once more, the gray robe hanging from Qian Daoliu's body fluttered without wind.
Vast torrents of light energy poured in from all directions like rivers returning to the sea, forming a vortex above his head and flooding into his depleted body.
As the light energy surged in,
his emaciated frame visibly straightened, and his withered golden hair regained its luster.
In just a few dozen breaths,
he had already recovered a portion of his vitality.
It was also at this moment
that he finally sensed the aura of the youth beside him clearly.
That transcendent yet worldly presence—harboring peerless sharpness and vast fortune—sent an uncontrollable shiver through his very soul.
That feeling…
was like standing before an Angel God statue.
"Li Zhexian!"
Even someone as composed as Qian Daoliu could not hide his shock.
"You… you've become a god?!"
"Not yet, I believe."
Li Zhexian smiled and shook his head.
Even he himself could not clearly define his current state.
His Spirit Power was clearly level 90,
yet his combat strength had already surpassed the limits of the mortal realm.
If he had truly become a god, he should have felt the rejection of worldly laws or the summons of the Divine Realm.
Yet he still moved freely within the mortal world.
Transcendent, yet immersed.
Just then,
several figures dove down from the peak of the divine mountain.
"Grandfather!" / "Grand Worship!"
Qian Renxue and the six Elders cried out in delight upon seeing the familiar golden-haired figure.
They rushed to Qian Daoliu's side, excitedly examining him from head to toe.
"I'm fine,"
Qian Daoliu said with a smile.
"All thanks to Zhexian for saving me."
The six Elders looked at Li Zhexian with eyes full of gratitude.
If not for this youth,
forget about rescuing the Grand Worship—even surviving the war between the two empires would have come at a terrible cost.
To still be standing here safely—
They owed the youth an immeasurable debt.
"Thank you, Zhexian!"
Qian Renxue could no longer suppress her emotions.
Even in front of her elders, she cast aside all restraint and tightly wrapped her arms around the youth's waist.
Seeing this,
the Porcupine and Snake Lance Douluo—who had rushed over—instinctively turned around and fled.
Qian Daoliu and the six Elders exchanged knowing smiles and likewise averted their gazes, quietly departing.
A cool, faint fragrance lingered at Li Zhexian's nose.
"Xue'er, Bibi Dong—"
"Zhexian."
Qian Renxue spoke softly, interrupting him as she buried her cheek against his chest.
"Can we not talk about her today? Right now… I just want to properly thank you."
"Between us, why speak of thanks?"
"Of course I must!"
Qian Renxue suddenly lifted her face. Her pearly teeth gently bit her crimson lips, golden eyes shimmering with shy yet stubborn light.
"Today, you have to listen to me!"
As the words fell,
she wrapped her arms around Li Zhexian's waist and gracefully swept him toward the bedchamber.
Spirit Power enveloped the two of them—intense, fervent—until passion overtook restraint.
Their lips met as they crashed through the palace doors, surging Spirit Power slamming them shut behind them.
Silks and gauze drifted down like flowing clouds, sketching the most enchanting scenery in the world.
Even Li Zhexian, who had tempered his heart through worldly trials, was willing to sink into this intoxicating springtime beauty, unwilling to awaken.
As the scene grew ever more tender,
Li Zhexian suddenly remembered something.
"Xue'er! You once said that before inheriting the Angel God—"
"The Angel God will forgive me!"
Qian Renxue's golden eyes were veiled in a misty glow. Seeing that he was still hesitating, she suddenly rolled over and pinned him beneath her.
"Li Zhexian!"
"Are you trying to make me play the knight?"
"Fine! Then I'll grant your wish!"
...
Inside the divine hall,
Qian Daoliu sat quietly in meditation before the Angel God statue.
"So Xue'er has already passed the eighth Angel Trial… good, very good…"
He murmured with relief.
Then, as if remembering something, his smile faded.
"In that case, it is time for me to fulfill my duty."
As the Guardian of the Angel God, his purpose was to sacrifice himself to open the final trial for the inheritor.
Thinking of the joy on Qian Renxue's face when she reunited with her grandfather, a trace of sadness surfaced in his eyes.
"This world has been far too harsh on Xue'er…"
"Fortunately, she found a worthy man… she met Zhexian…"
"Now…"
"I can finally depart in peace."
Boom—!
At that very moment,
a pillar of sacred light suddenly pierced through the heavens, enveloping the entire divine hall.
Within the pillar,
the cry of a sword and the roar of a dragon echoed in harmony.
Auspicious clouds of fortune surged and rose.
Golden Crocodile, Azure Luan, Glowing Feather, and the others standing beside Qian Daoliu were overcome with joy.
"The Ninth Angel Trial!"
"The Ninth Trial has begun!"
Qian Daoliu stared blankly at the sky-reaching pillar of light. The divine pressure contained within nearly forced him to kneel.
This was indeed the Ninth Angel Trial.
But—
he had not yet sacrificed himself.
Why had the divine trial activated on its own?
...
Inside the bedchamber,
holy light flowed.
Feathers of angels drifted down in profusion, veiling the still-surging springtime passion within the room.
"The Ninth… Angel… Trial…"
Qian Renxue gently bit her lip,
yet still could not bear to release the man beneath her.
A flicker of surprise passed through Li Zhexian's eyes.
Even he had not expected the Angel God Trial to open without Qian Daoliu's sacrifice.
Yet on second thought,
it made sense.
He possessed the Flawless Glazed Body, had been tempered by the Dragon God's essence blood, and carried the densest fortune in the world.
The vast vitality and light power within him were more than sufficient to open the Ninth Angel Trial.
Li Zhexian suppressed his wandering thoughts and gently caressed the flushed cheek of the person in his arms.
At this moment—
He was more willing to be intoxicated in the angel's tender affection.
The Angel God's gentleness—
Was meant for him alone.
An hour later, Qian Renxue, draped in a gown woven of pure light, reluctantly stepped into the pillar of radiance.
"Zhexian, once I complete the God Trial, I'll come find you!"
"Alright."
Li Zhexian replied with a smile.
"I may take a trip to the deep sea."
"Xue'er, once you become a god, just come find me in the ocean."