Spirit City, Elders' Hall.
In the center of the magnificent Elders' Hall stood Qian Renxue. Shadowy figures lined both sides of the hall. Each one was as deep as an abyss, radiating a terrifying aura. Simply standing there made the air in the entire hall feel completely stagnant, like a still puddle of water.
Every person present was a Titled Douluo — the strongest force reigning at the peak of the continent.
At the very front stood a middle-aged man with golden hair and handsome features. He exuded a gentle, calm presence that made people feel comfortable. Despite his plain clothing, his mere existence inspired awe and reverence.
He was Qian Daoliu, a level-99 Limit Douluo and currently the strongest person on the Douluo Continent.
"I'm sorry, Grandpa!"
Qian Renxue dropped to one knee, lowered her head slightly, and spoke in a low voice. "Elder She Long has passed away!"
As she spoke, she raised her hand and waved lightly. She Long's corpse appeared beside her. His empty, lifeless eyes were still filled with resentment.
The auras of the surrounding elders instantly surged.
Especially the Porcupinefish Douluo, who had been closest to She Long. His face was filled with complete disbelief.
A moment later, his aura erupted like a volcano, his voice thick with rage.
"Who did this?!"
Qian Renxue's face turned pale. Although she was Qian Daoliu's granddaughter, she was currently only a six-ring Soul Emperor. Even she could not fully withstand the pressure of Titled Douluo.
"Watch your attitude."
At the same time, the first elder to Qian Daoliu's lower left — a man with a cold, merciless expression like a crocodile opening its eyes — slowly opened his gaze. His voice was calm yet carried undeniable majesty.
"Yes."
Ci Xue took a step back, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart. He slowly withdrew his aura and spoke in a low voice.
"Young Master, my apologies. How exactly did She Long… die?"
Qian Renxue's lips twitched slightly. "We encountered the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger."
Qian Daoliu turned around and spoke in a reassuring tone.
"Child, speak slowly. What exactly happened during your trip this time?"
Qian Renxue then recounted everything about the journey to Tiger Fury Mountain — She Long's death and the entire process of her and Lin Yang working together to slay the Dark Demon God Tiger.
When she finished, the hall fell into complete silence.
Even Ci Xue looked utterly bewildered.
He had never imagined that a Titled Douluo could die so easily — let alone at the hands of a soul beast that had lived for over ten thousand years. Most importantly, that soul beast was now dead.
He was filled with indignation, yet he no longer had anyone to complain to.
Qian Daoliu nodded lightly. "Dark Demon Evil God Tiger… I see."
This type of soul beast was extremely rare, appearing only once every few hundred years. Even the Spirit Hall only had a superficial understanding of it. Unexpectedly, it also possessed the power to drag people into another dimension — time travel and rejuvenation.
Not to mention She Long; none of the people here could have escaped.
The most likely solution was exactly what the boy Lin Yang had done: break through the opponent's defensive skills the moment one was pulled into the alternate dimension.
However, the fact the boy had defeated the Dark Demon God Tiger was clearly an extraordinary feat.
Qian Daoliu did not doubt Qian Renxue's story. People were said to become more perceptive with age, and everyone standing here were Titled Douluo who had enjoyed fame for over a century. Any trace of guilt would have been noticed immediately.
But Qian Renxue showed none. She spoke every word in an extremely calm tone. Unless one had truly experienced it, the lingering fear and relief in her voice could not be faked.
"Everyone is safe. That's what matters. Life is unpredictable, and we still know very little about spirit beasts."
After a short pause, Qian Daoliu continued.
"However, She Long lost his life protecting Xiao Xue. His blood relatives will receive support from the Elders' Hall. If any of his descendants show talent, the Spirit Hall will also provide full assistance."
"Thank you, Your Excellency!"
Even the Porcupinefish Douluo could no longer say anything. The Spirit Hall's meticulous care — treating a death as seriously as extinguishing a lamp — already demonstrated great sincerity.
After the other elders left, Qian Daoliu walked over to Qian Renxue and gently patted her shoulder.
"Don't overthink it. It's good that you returned safely. Don't take any more risks in the future."
At that moment, Qian Renxue looked up at her grandfather and couldn't help but ask.
"Grandpa… I've spent the most precious golden years of my life pretending to be someone else. Were all my choices until now really correct?"
She was nearly ten years older than Lin Yang. Currently in her early twenties, she had already reached level 65 as a Soul Emperor — undoubtedly one of the top talents of her generation.
Yet compared to Lin Yang, her talent seemed shockingly inferior.
Lin Yang's innate spirit power had only been level 5, yet he had reached Soul King at the age of twelve. His combat strength was so terrifying that even she felt ashamed. He could confront the Dark Demon God Tiger head-on, while she could only hide in the distance and follow his orders.
And this was under the premise that her cultivation far surpassed his.
The gap was so vast that it shattered the pride and self-righteousness she had carried for years. She realized that what she had always been proud of was actually nothing special.
Not to mention his talent for making medicines. It would not be an exaggeration to say that her current cultivation level was thanks to him.
She couldn't help but wonder if all her previous choices had been correct.
She had paid a huge price, spending the precious time that should have been used for cultivation on impersonating someone else. She had been busy with boring chores all day — all for that woman's grand unification plan and an emperor's throne that was destined to disappear.
Given her talent, without the long period of hiding, she would probably have already reached Soul Sage by now.
Seeing his granddaughter growing more doubtful, Qian Daoliu sighed softly.
He knew full well that this was a waste of Qian Renxue's talent. But in the end, the Qian family felt guilty toward Bibi Dong, so they had turned a blind eye to her little mischiefs for many years. They could only hope that mother and daughter would one day reconcile.
That day still seemed far away.
"Xiao Xue, come back if you're tired."
After a moment of silence, Qian Renxue said, "Grandpa… let me think about it a little longer."
She had invested far too much in the identity of Xue Qinghe. If she chose to leave, it would mean abandoning everything she had built over the past ten years.
That price… was too high.
Qian Daoliu didn't say much. He slowly handed her a token.
Qian Renxue was slightly surprised. "Grandfather, is this an Elder Token?"
"That's right," Qian Daoliu said with a light smile. "That boy Lin Yang helped you in the end. He doesn't seem interested in joining the Spirit Hall, so give this to him. It should be useful."
"Also, as thanks for saving my granddaughter, prepare a gift for him as well."
"Yes!"
Qian Renxue nodded. She had still been wondering how to maintain contact with Lin Yang. This was the perfect excuse.
...