Chapter 327: The Collapse of Qian Renxue
Yang Xiong fell silent upon hearing Qian Renxue's words.
Looking at the entire Douluo Continent, Qian Renxue was considered the most gifted soul master. With an innate soul power of level 20 and a top-tier martial soul, the Six-Winged Angel, she was the last inheritor of the Angel Clan.
However, she had lost her father at a young age and had spent her life lurking in the Tiandou Imperial Palace for the sake of the empire's power. In such a political environment, one that was more like a ghostly realm, she had not had much time to cultivate, nor had she had the chance to showcase or improve her combat skills.
In contrast, Yang Xiong, though also from a sect, had enjoyed a life of freedom. Whether he wanted to visit the City of Slaughter or go to Sea God Island, no one stopped him. In fact, his sect had supported him greatly.
Additionally, although Yang Xiong had contributed much to the sect, Ning Fengzhi had never assigned him any tasks or responsibilities. This was unique among all the sect disciples.
Even Qin Shuang, a genius from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, had always been by Ning Rongrong's side, mainly serving as her bodyguard.
As for his older brother, Yang Wei, if it hadn't been for Yang Xiong's arrangement, he would have likely become an inner disciple of the sect long ago. This was all because his parents were absolutely loyal to the sect and had done much for it, as well as the leniency shown to Yang Xiong by Ning Fengzhi and others.
Like Hu Liena, although she was the Saintess of the Spirit Empire, she had to deal with various tasks, even assisting Bibi Dong with state affairs, leaving her no time to be as free as Yang Xiong.
Even Ning Rongrong had to spend a lot of time learning sect management beside Ning Fengzhi, handling the sect's various matters. She wasn't free like Yang Xiong.
As for the Body Sect, Yang Xiong had only established a rough framework, occasionally managing things, but his thoughts and energy were not overly invested.
Qian Renxue, on the other hand, represented the opposite for a soul master. Because she had to impersonate the Tiandou Empire's prince, Xue Qinghe, she couldn't use her martial soul or soul power openly and couldn't engage in battles using her true strength. She had much less time to cultivate and could not reveal her cultivation too quickly.
It could be said that in the entire world of Douluo, Qian Renxue was the person who wasted her talents the most, at least in terms of not fulfilling her potential.
"Qian Renxue, in your eyes, is there anything worth doing, anything not worth doing?" Yang Xiong asked.
Qian Renxue paused, surprised. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying that infiltrating the Tiandou Imperial Palace was a waste of time?"
Yang Xiong countered, "Wasn't it? With the variety of martial souls in the Spirit Hall, I don't believe there wasn't someone who could have impersonated Xue Qinghe. And with your status in the Spirit Empire, I don't believe there's anyone who could have forced you into going to the Tiandou Empire if you didn't want to."
Qian Renxue silently sipped her wine, a hint of bitterness showing on her face. "Maybe... Perhaps this is the inner demon I've carried since I was young, the obsession I've had for so long. I've always wanted to prove myself, to show that I could be of use to the Spirit Empire, to prove my strength and ambition. Unfortunately, it all ended in failure. It was, in a sense, a loss for me."
"Yang Xiong, now I have no family left. My grandfather died to help me ascend to godhood. Was this my punishment for being so willful back then?"
Yang Xiong shook his head. "Everyone has their own path to walk. You are the beloved granddaughter of Qian Daoliu and the last hope of the Angel Clan. Qian Daoliu's sacrifice was for his belief and his responsibility. You can't blame yourself for that."
"On the contrary, if you hadn't reached this point, if it hadn't been for your unparalleled talent, Qian Daoliu wouldn't have been able to fulfill his wish. The Angel Clan would have long since fallen into obscurity."
Tears filled Qian Renxue's eyes. "I would rather never become a god if it meant bringing my grandfather back to life."
Yang Xiong smiled helplessly. "Qian Renxue, have you ever thought about this? Even though your grandfather is dead, perhaps he hasn't completely perished. There might be a chance to bring him back."
Qian Renxue's expression changed, and she quickly asked, "Yang Xiong, what do you know? Is there a way to bring my grandfather back?"
Yang Xiong shook his head. "As long as we are in the Douluo world, there's no way to bring back someone who has already died."
"But have you ever thought about it? Gods are mysterious and unpredictable. With a simple gesture, they can destroy the world. The limitations of the Douluo Continent prevent them from fully unleashing their power. However, if you reach the divine realm, perhaps you can find a way to resurrect your grandfather."
"The main reason is that Qian Daoliu had already reached the limit of this world. His sacrifice was to help you inherit the god position. In a way, his soul might already be part of your divine position. If you reach the divine realm, maybe you can find a way to revive him."
This was an idea Yang Xiong had recently come up with, based on his studies from the original work.
In the original story, Bibi Dong sacrificed herself to help Tang San ascend to the Sea God position. Similarly, Tang Chen, before his death, infused all his divine power into the Shura Demon Sword and passed it to Tang San.
The Sea God was able to resurrect Tang Chen and Bibi Dong through the remnants of their divine consciousness, but they were revived at a low level, as divine officials in the divine realm, the lowest of the gods. Still, their wishes were fulfilled.
Qian Renxue thought for a long time before speaking. "Yang Xiong, are you trying to comfort me? Death cannot be reversed, not even by a god."
Yang Xiong shook his head. "Recently, I've been trying to remove the Angel God's power left in my wounds. I've gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between gods and soul masters. In a sense, your grandfather is no longer a mere mortal; he could be considered a demigod."
"Gods are immortal and indestructible. Qian Daoliu's soul hasn't easily dissipated. Whether or not it will succeed, I can't say for sure."
Qian Renxue thought carefully for a long time before speaking. "Thank you. Maybe I've been too proud and competitive all my life. I've never really considered my grandfather's feelings."
"Yang Xiong, I want to ask you something. Please answer me honestly."
Yang Xiong nodded. "Although we are enemies, I still admire you. At least, in terms of character, you are not the kind of person who bullies the weak. You're not vile or despicable. You seek revenge for wrongs and justice, which is fitting for the justice of the Angel God."
Qian Renxue asked, "Yang Xiong, what do you think family is? What does mother-daughter mean to you? Is revenge for past humiliations more important than anything else?"
Yang Xiong shook his head. "I don't know how to answer this question. Although I have a girlfriend, I don't have children. But I can be sure of one thing: if I ever have children, I would give up everything for them."
"Of course, I must also say that I have my own bottom line when it comes to how I handle things. No one can cross that line. If my son were a murderer, cruel, or despicable, I would rather end his life myself."
Qian Renxue seemed to accept this as natural. "I knew it. You're always the most rational person I've ever known."
"I'll tell you a story. From a young age, I've always wanted to gain my mother's approval. To earn it, I infiltrated the Tiandou Empire. I lived in the ghostly political environment of the Tiandou Imperial Palace, trying to live a perfect life."
"Whether it was cultivating or dealing with the politics of the Tiandou Empire, I tried my best to do it perfectly. I thought I would gain her approval."
"But I was wrong. To my mother, I was just a sinful legacy. My bloodline carried my father's filth. She even wanted to kill me, to use me to cleanse the past humiliation. Don't I deserve my mother's love?"
Seeing Qian Renxue weeping uncontrollably, Yang Xiong sighed helplessly. "Qian Renxue, if I'm not mistaken, your mother should be Bibi Dong."
"And if I'm right, your birth was not in your mother's plan. She even went through some form of humiliation to give birth to you. That's why she couldn't face you, and why she sent you to the Tiandou Imperial Palace."
Qian Renxue's face turned pale. "How did you know my mother is Bibi Dong?"
Yang Xiong smiled. "It's easy to guess. If Bibi Dong didn't have some special identity or connection to the Angel Clan, how could someone unrelated to them become the Pope of the Spirit Hall? How could she become the Empress of the Spirit Empire?"
"If I'm right, your father was likely killed by your mother. Your grandfather kept everything hidden for the glory of the Spirit Hall and even helped push Bibi Dong to the Pope's seat."
Qian Renxue's tears flowed freely. "Yes, it's true. None of this is my fault. Why did they hide everything from me? Why must they cruelly tell me the truth now?"
"My mother only wanted to kill me, but I still hoped for her love, for a family reunion. Yet, she cruelly shattered my fantasy, shattered the image of my father and grandfather in my heart. Was I born to be a sinner? Was I never meant to exist?"
Seeing Qian Renxue in such a hysterical state, Yang Xiong took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from her beautiful face. He couldn't help but shake his head.
"Qian Renxue, you've misunderstood something. People live for themselves. Only by improving yourself and growing stronger can you gain the recognition of the world and deserve the love of family. Otherwise, you deserve nothing."
(END CHAPTER)
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