Meanwhile, far away in Spirit City, within the Supreme Pontiff Palace.
After finishing a day's political affairs, Supreme Pontiff Qian Xunji rubbed his brow with a hint of exhaustion. He picked up a stack of summary reports recently sent by various Spirit Hall branches across the continent, detailing the movements of major powers and unusual events, and began flipping through them one by one.
As he read, his brow furrowed deeper. Especially when he reached the final pages and saw the reports regarding "absorption of spirit rings beyond the limit" and "the mysterious Yin Yang Sect appearing in Heaven Dou City of the Heaven Dou Empire and forcefully suppressing the great clans behind several Great Spirit Arenas," his expression turned completely grave.
"absorption of spirit rings beyond the limit... mysterious Yin Yang Sect..." Qian Xunji murmured softly, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table. "Lately, the variables on the continent... seem to be increasing. Some... are nearly slipping out of control..."
He stood up abruptly, pondered for a moment, and walked alone toward the solemn and dignified Hall of Worship behind the Supreme Pontiff Palace.
Arriving before the massive hall doors carved with the pattern of an angel, Qian Xunji stopped. He took a deep breath, straightened his appearance, bowed slightly, and said in a deep voice, "High Priest, Qian Xunji requests an audience."
After a moment of silence, the heavy hall doors slowly and silently opened inward.
Qian Xunji straightened up and stepped inside. The interior was as bright as day, as if he were walking in holy light. His gaze immediately fell upon the end of the hall, on that tall and sacred Seraphim Statue emitting a faint golden light.
He walked quickly to the statue and bowed with utmost reverence. After completing the etiquette, he slowly stood up.
Just then, a calm, magnetic voice, whose age and emotion were indistinguishable, slowly sounded from behind him:
"Speak, what is the matter?"
Qian Xunji turned around. He saw a handsome and gentle middle-aged man wearing simple grey robes, his long black hair combed meticulously, standing quietly not far behind him at some unknown time.
The man's build was not particularly robust, and his aura was as restrained as an ordinary person's. But just by standing there quietly, he naturally exuded a majesty that inspired awe and an irresistible urge to worship. His calm eyes seemed to see through all things in the World, yet also seemed to encompass the entire starry sky.
He was the pillar of the Spirit Hall, the High Priest of the Elder Palace, a rank ninety-nine super Douluo—Qian Daoliu, and also Qian Xunji's... father.
"Father..." Qian Xunji subconsciously whispered, but then immediately corrected himself, his tone becoming respectful yet distant. "High Priest, I intend to... step down from the position of Supreme Pontiff."
Qian Daoliu's expression remained calm and rippleless as he looked at him indifferently. "Oh? You are finally willing to let go of the power in your hands?"
Qian Xunji gritted his teeth and continued, "Yes, I plan to... retreat behind the scenes and have Bibi Dong take over as the Supreme Pontiff. Her talent is extraordinary, her strength is enough to convince the masses, and she is my Disciple, making her identity suitable. I can use her as a pawn on the surface to better... control the situation on the continent." He spoke his true intentions without any concealment.
Qian Daoliu listened quietly, his gaze still calm. After a long time, he finally spoke slowly, his tone indifferent, "As you wish. As long as you do not lead the Spirit Hall to destruction, what you do is your business." His words showed no hint of support or opposition for his son, only a kind of detached indifference.
A flash of loneliness, barely noticeable, crossed Qian Xunji's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He nodded and said, "I plan to officially announce my resignation and pass the position of Supreme Pontiff to Bibi Dong once she returns from the Slaughter City."
"Fine."
Qian Xunji took a deep breath and asked another question that had troubled him for a long time: "Father, have you... ever heard of 'absorption of spirit rings beyond the limit'?"
A slight ripple finally appeared on Qian Daoliu's face, which was usually as still as an ancient well. He frowned slightly. "There are scattered records in ancient texts. But most do not exceed the limit by more than a hundred years. Moreover, the conditions are harsh, and the success rate is extremely low. Why do you ask this?"
"Because..." Qian Xunji said in a deep voice, "Recently, two twin Spirit Masters who can absorb spirit rings beyond the limit have appeared on the continent. Their first spirit ring is yellow, but starting from the second spirit ring, they are directly purple. Their current spirit ring configuration is... yellow, purple, purple!"
"Hmm?" A clear ripple finally surfaced in Qian Daoliu's calm eyes. A spirit ring configuration of yellow, purple, and purple had already far exceeded the scope of "beyond the limit" that he knew. This was simply... overturning common sense.
"Are you certain?" His tone grew a bit heavier.
"Absolutely certain," Qian Xunji affirmed. "This matter has been spreading like wildfire in Heaven Dou City, witnessed by countless forces. They even obtained gold spirit badges with the cultivation of a Spirit Elder."
Qian Daoliu fell silent, and for a moment, the atmosphere in the hall became somewhat heavy.
After a long while, Qian Daoliu finally spoke, his tone carrying an unquestionable weight: "Send someone to contact them, but remember... only befriend them, do not make them enemies, and do not use force."
He knew his son's character; his desire for control was too strong, especially his pursuit of power and his ambition to unify the continent, which made him capable of doing extreme things for the sake of his desires.
For instance, the incident with Bibi Dong in the secret room earlier; he even somewhat doubted if this was truly his son. If not for the fact that his Spirit was the Seraphim, Qian Daoliu would have wanted to kick him out of the Angel Family.
Qian Xunji was stunned and couldn't help but press, "Father, why is this? Such talents... if they cannot be used by the Spirit Hall..."
Qian Daoliu interrupted him, saying only two words: "God Trial."
"God... Trial!" Qian Xunji's pupils shrank violently, his body shook intensely, and his face was filled with disbelief and... a deeply hidden trace of jealousy. He couldn't imagine that someone could actually obtain a Divinity's trial, while he, as the noble inheritor of the Seraphim Spirit and the Supreme Pontiff of the Spirit Hall, had... never managed to gain the gaze of a god.
He clenched his fists tightly, his nails almost sinking into his palms. He took several deep breaths before barely suppressing the stormy waves and resentment in his heart, replying with a somewhat dry voice, "Yes... your son understands."
Having received his instructions, Qian Xunji said no more, bowed respectfully, and slowly withdrew from the Hall of Worship.
The heavy hall doors slowly closed behind him, isolating the two Worlds inside and out.
In the empty hall, only Qian Daoliu remained. He looked up at the tall and sacred Seraphim Statue, and after a long time, he let out a sigh that was almost inaudible.
"Sigh..."
"Blinded by power and desire, with a heart full of calculation and ambition, how can one carry the grace of a god?"
The sound of the sigh echoed faintly in the empty hall, finally dissipating into nothingness.
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)