"Everyone, please proceed to the tournament. Spirit Hall will not trouble you again."
Qian Renxue took charge, speaking solemnly to all teams.
"Thank you, Miss Qian…" The Dragon Duke and Snake Lady bowed, deeply respectful. "Truly an angel…"
"We will obey."
The five elemental academy deans hesitated, then continued toward Spirit City. Though the earlier events were nasty, losses weren't heavy.
After killing three from Shrek, Su Wen appeared in time—hard to say if it was aimed at Shrek, but regardless, everyone else survived, most only lightly injured.
So why not continue with the competition?
After all, fortune favors the bold.
If other teams withdrew in fear, that just meant less competition.
Big win.
Su Wen glanced at Tang San and his companions.
They drooped, unable to meet his gaze.
He just smiled faintly—it wasn't worth pursuing further.
Were it not for Tang San's Asura God backing, Su Wen would have killed him long ago.
A pity…
"Let's go. The tournament's organization is Grandpa's responsibility. We'll find her…" Qian Renxue took Su Wen's hand with a smile.
"Right. And need to bring that trash's head."
With a wave, Yu Xiaogang's head appeared in a box—Qian Renxue carried it.
Su Wen: "..."
Looking at her radiant smile, even he sighed.
Sent to spy since she was eight, trained by Bibi Dong herself—her past was saturated in blood. Such scenes didn't faze the Angel heir.
She once wept, begging for love, a gentle hug from her mother.
But never received it.
Instead, trained like an enemy.
No matter how bloody, she was forced to endure—it was always malice, her mother casting all blame for her father onto her.
So, Bibi Dong… This is what you deserve.
Retribution!
"Let's go."
Su Wen grasped her soft hand with a smile.
"No!"
In a hidden chamber, Bibi Dong's eyes shot open, disheveled.
Clutching her chest, her heart pounded as if something precious had been torn away.
The helpless pain—it was maddening.
"Where's Ci Xue? Where's She Long? Why aren't those wastes back yet? Something happened!"
Bibi Dong rasped.
She'd sent people to confirm Su Wen was away from the carriages, before sending Spirit Hall's might to wipe out his disciples.
Whether or not it paved the way for a golden generation, she no longer cared.
Now, she saw only hatred and revenge!
Even in Spirit Hall—beaten half to death, her chest still aching. She'd need years to recover; and after being humiliated, she'd vowed revenge.
First, kill his disciples, then go into seclusion.
Until breaking through Rank 99, or becoming a god—then she'd deal with "that kid."
And her unruly daughter—she'd imprison her too…
"Tap, tap, tap…"
Suddenly, calm was broken by slow footsteps.
Spirit Kite?
Bibi Dong frowned—of the three Title Douluo women, only she wore boots, but this approach felt different. Spirit Kite had no guts to toy with her so.
No… not right…
Her eyes widened in shock.
"It's you!!"
"Mother, you finally recognize me…"
Qian Renxue stepped from the shadows, meeting her mother's panicking gaze.
"What do you want?" Bibi Dong said coldly.
"Did you send Uncle She to kill the Academy's carriage team?" Qian Renxue replied with another question.
"So what if I did?" Bibi Dong's pupils glowed red.
"You know what consequence that brings…" Qian Renxue retorted calmly.
"Why ask if you know?" Bibi Dong was impatient.
"They never had selfishness!" Qian Renxue snapped. "They fought and bled for Spirit Hall—how did you treat them?"
"They were your father's people, not loyal to me." Bibi Dong responded.
"Phew…"
Qian Renxue shook her head.
"You like to kill. Fine, then look at this."
She tossed the box at Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong's heart stopped.
"What did you do!!"
She already had a premonition.
"See for yourself." Qian Renxue sneered.
Bibi Dong shakily opened the box inside was the lifeless head of her one true love, Yu Xiaogang!
Everything she did was for him.
But now…
"Qian Renxue! You deserve to die!!!"
Her eyes turned blood red.
Nine soul rings flared beneath her, and the blood-red pressure of a hundred-thousand-year ring filled the chamber.
Simultaneously, twin spirits appeared.
Crimson eyes locked on Qian Renxue.
A sharp, venomous spider leg jabbed at the girl—deep green, smoking, fatal on contact.
Clearly, the loss of her love had broken her.
All she'd worked for was gone.
She'd kill Qian Renxue to avenge him.
As for her daughter—what was that next to Yu Xiaogang?
"Heh…"
Qian Renxue didn't dodge—instead, she smiled in relief.
"Sssshhh—"
A white-robed figure appeared between them.
With bare hands, he seized Bibi Dong's venomous spear, igniting sparks upon contact.
"You again!!"
Bibi Dong, wild and deranged, wanted to devour Su Wen alive—yet he held her poison as if it were nothing.
"I called for Yu Xiaogang's execution." Su Wen said evenly.
"You deserve to die!" Bibi Dong screamed.
Su Wen sighed.
Flames blazed in his palm, instantly blazing along the spider limb; Bibi Dong's screams echoed through the chamber.
"Ahhh!!!"
Agony.
Her spirit was being shattered.
The twin spider shadows behind her began to crack.
"No! My Spirit!!"
All she could do was watch as her martial spirit crumbled.
Her last hope gone.
A crippled martial spirit—no longer the mighty Spirit Hall Pope, just an ordinary, fading, middle-aged woman.
Instantly, her face withered; her smooth skin turned wrinkled, slack, coarse.
"No… Don't!"
Bibi Dong clutched at the fading soul force—useless.
"Let's go."
Su Wen shook his head.
Wanting the whole continent to pay for her love—dream on.
Spirit Hall's power wasn't hers, but the resources left behind by Qian Xunji; it was always Spirit Hall's plan to unite the continent, not hers. She intended to drag everyone down for her "love."
No-brain behavior.
Love-obsessed fools…
No cure for that.
No wonder the Love God was the most underestimated on the continent. Were she still alive, she'd be a God King at least…
Inside the chamber.
Bibi Dong now clutched Yu Xiaogang's head, weeping endlessly—a bizarre, chilling sight.
Over the blue sea…
Su Wen walked atop the water, heading into the distance.
The roiling waves seemed only to support him—as if the sea itself had spirit, gentle and obedient.
This was the sliver of Sea God's divine power once taken from Tang San.
Later granted to Wang Dong'er, who multiplied it and gave him a portion in return.
He was essentially a Sea God's high priest.
No big deal—controlling the sea was basic.
Not to mention, with two powerful water-type beasts, he could do even more.
"Deep Sea Demon Whale King, I know you're down there…"
Su Wen's voice rolled down.
Silence filled the world.
Suddenly, an ancient, thunderous whale cry shook the sea.
Fish and shrimp fled.
A two-hundred-meter-long, sapphire-colored giant whale slowly surfaced, looming over Su Wen.
"Human?"
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's ancient voice rumbled.
"Precisely."
Su Wen nodded and smiled.
"Just a Soul Douluo, not even at the power of a hundred-thousand-year beast, dares to seek me out in my ocean?" The whale's tone was tinged with anger.
"You sensed my Sea God aura."
Su Wen just smiled.
"You're testing me—are you a servant of the Sea God…"
No denial came.
The whale just stared.
As lord of the deep, no one but the being who blinded one of its eyes twenty thousand years ago ever frightened it.
Now—this newcomer carried a scent it dreaded…
Sea God.
"I am not the Sea God's envoy."
"Nor am I affiliated with Poseidon."
Su Wen laughed.
"I speak only for myself, sincerely inviting you… to be my pet."
The whale froze.
"What did you say?!"
"A pet?!"
"You?"
"Hahahahaha…"
It laughed, waves billowing.
Su Wen just waited.
"Speak your last words, human brat. I may not care, but after you're done, you can die…"
The Demon Whale's million-year pressure rolled out—undersea creatures cowered, even ten-thousand-year beasts—none dared approach.
"Sigh, it seems you're not willing."
Su Wen sighed, shaking his head.
"Such arrogance—one beating won't be enough."
"So—come out, Golden Laborer & MVP—Xuan Ji!!" Su Wen grinned.
"Have fun."
The whale looked up.
A giant, nearly a thousand meters tall—golden eyes trailing light, gold armor shifting into a second transformation—stared down.
"Don't kill it, but anything else is fair." Su Wen smiled.
"Got it!"
"ROAR!!!"
A roar with terrifying force echoed—the once-revered undersea god was soon pinned down and beaten, brains almost splattering out.
Hours later.
A badly beaten Deep Sea Demon Whale King, now in human form, lay kneeling at Su Wen's feet, shivering, sneaking glances at Xuan Ji.
Sobbed.
"I was wrong, I was wrong…"
"Big brother, stop, I really was wrong…"
"Not just your pet, I'll be your mount—anything, I just didn't recognize you at first…"
"You were so fierce, but now you're defeated?" Su Wen grinned.
Even the original story's Deep Sea Demon Whale King rebelled against the Sea God—he doubted any master could tame its pride.
"Life crushes pride." The whale sighed.
"God Realm won't let soul beasts become gods—even I only learned that after years of effort."
"Big Brother, I can tell—you're remarkable. I'll follow you."
"Heh…" Su Wen shook his head.
"You won't become Sea God, but maybe a Second Level God, perhaps with luck—a First Level God, as the God Realm expands, more positions will open."
The whale: "…"
"Big Brother, when can I join? I can't wait!"
....