Chapter 32 Qian Renxue in Despair
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"Bang—!!!"
An invisible, immense force slammed fiercely into Qian Renxue’s chest!
She let out a muffled groan, flying backward like a kite with a broken string, and crashed heavily onto the ground. Her Angel Sword flew from her hand, carving a string of harsh sparks across the marble floor.
Qian Renxue struggled to crawl up, but the suppression from the Slaughter God Domain made even breathing difficult for her, let alone mobilizing her Soul Power.
She raised her head, staring fixedly at Bibi Dong on the throne, the hatred in him eyes so intense it was almost overflowing.
Bibi Dong slowly stood up and walked down the steps of the throne.
The sound of high heels striking the floor was exceptionally clear in the silent great hall, and every step felt like it was trampling on Qian Renxue’s heart.
She walked up to Qian Renxue, looking down at the daughter lying on the ground with eyes full of hatred, a mocking smile curling the corner of her lips.
"Just by relying on yourself, you think you can kill me?" she said softly, her voice filled with disdain.
She raised her foot, seemingly intending to stomp on Qian Renxue’s face. But just as the sole of her shoe was about to land.
"Stop!!!" An angry roar exploded!
Golden light, like a solid wall, instantly appeared in front of Qian Renxue, forcing Bibi Dong back several steps!
As the golden light dissipated, Qian Daoliu’s figure appeared. He stood in front of Qian Renxue, fury burning in his golden pupils as he glared at Bibi Dong.
"Bibi Dong!" His voice trembled with rage. "Have you forgotten what you said?!"
Bibi Dong steadied herself and sneered, "I have already been very restrained. She was the one who attacked me first; I was merely acting in self-defense."
"Self-defense?" Qian Daoliu was shaking with anger. "Using such heavy force against a child?! Is this what you call treating her as a mother?"
"I said I would treat her as a mother would." Bibi Dong calmly straightened him cuffs.
"But the premise is that she must act like a daughter. Not like a mad dog, baring its claws at me."
"You—!" Qian Daoliu clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.
He looked at the Bibi Dong before him, at this beautiful, powerful, yet completely twisted woman, and a wave of unprecedented regret suddenly surged in his heart.
He was wrong. Terribly wrong. Bibi Dong would never change.
Her heart had long since been corroded by hatred and pain, leaving behind only endless malice and twisted jealousy.
He also hadn’t expected Qian Renxue’s feelings for Jiang Bai to be so deep that she would act so decisively!
"Grandfather!" Qian Renxue struggled to crawl up, grabbing Qian Daoliu’s sleeve, her voice hoarse and desperate. "Kill her! Kill her—!!!"
Qian Daoliu turned his head, looking at his granddaughter’s blood-stained face, at the monstrous hatred and tears in her eyes, and his heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, hurting so much he could barely breathe.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn’t utter a single word. Could he kill Bibi Dong? No. At least, not right now.
"Xue’er—" he said with difficulty, "let’s leave first—"
"Leave?!" Qian Renxue looked at him in disbelief. "Jiang Bai is dead! Killed by her! And you want me to leave?!"
"Now is not the time—" Qian Daoliu’s voice was terrifyingly dry, "let’s return to the Enshrinement Hall first and discuss this later—"
"Discuss later?!" Qian Renxue flung his hand away, stumbling back two steps, her gaze toward Qian Daoliu shifting from anger to shock, and then to utter despair.
"Grandfather—you knew all along, didn’t you?" Her voice was very light, as light as a feather, yet it made Qian Daoliu’s heart stop abruptly.
"You knew she was going to kill Jiang Bai—didn’t you?"
Qian Daoliu closed his eyes. This action had already provided the answer.
Qian Renxue laughed. That smile was broken, desolate, and uglier than crying.
She shook her head, retreating step by step. Tears slid down silently, mixing with the blood on her face, carving shocking trails across her pale skin.
"Why—" she murmured, "why do this—why treat me like this—"
"Xue’er, listen to Grandfather’s explanation—" Qian Daoliu stepped forward, wanting to grab her hand. But Qian Renxue dodged.
She looked at Qian Daoliu, the last glimmer of light in her eyes extinguished, leaving only endless darkness and coldness.
"He was just a support system Spirit Master—and with the limitations of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, he simply couldn’t accompany you for long—"
Qian Daoliu explained incoherently, trying to make Qian Renxue understand his good intentions. "Grandfather is thinking of you; I don’t want you to suffer greater pain in the future—"
"So what!!!" Qian Renxue roared, her voice shrill like a wounded beast.
"I could have protected him for a lifetime! I could have found a way to help him with his Breakthrough! I could have—I could have spent this whole life with him!"
"Why did you have to kill him?! Why—!!!" By the end of her roar, her voice was completely broken, leaving only hoarse sobs.
Qian Daoliu’s outstretched hand froze in mid-air. Watching his granddaughter’s breakdown, he was unable to make a choice.
"I already lost my father—" Qian Renxue’s voice lowered, becoming weak and hollow, "now—I’ve lost the person I love again—"
She raised her head, looking at Qian Daoliu, her eyes filled with utter despair. "He clearly—didn’t do anything wrong—"
This sentence was like a knife, stabbing fiercely into Qian Daoliu’s heart. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but realized all words were pale and powerless.
Qian Renxue stopped looking at him. She turned around and stumbled toward the outside of the hall.
Qian Renxue’s sleeping quarters. She lay on the bed, her face buried in the pillow, weeping silently.
Her shoulders trembled violently, tears soaking the silk pillowcase. There were no heart-wrenching cries, only sobbing that was suppressed to the extreme, nearly suffocating.
How long had she been crying? She didn’t know. Time seemed to have lost its meaning, and the World was left with only darkness.
After an unknown amount of time, she slowly raised her head, her eyes red and swollen like peaches. Her gaze fell to the side of the pillow—there, placed side by side, were two hand puppets: one an exquisite little angel, the other a crude Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King.
She reached out, gently stroking the rough stitches of the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Only yesterday—he was still whispering sweet nothings to her, how could today—
—Stinky Jiang Bai—didn’t you say you were the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, that you were very strong?
Didn’t you say—we would be together forever? How could you—break your promise—
Tears welled up again, dripping onto the hand puppet, blurring into dark water stains.
She gripped the hand puppet tightly, pressing it against her heart, as if this could allow her to feel the lingering warmth of that youth.
But in her palm, there was only the rough texture of the fabric and a cold, icy despair.
The next morning. Qian Renxue pushed open the door of her sleeping quarters and walked out.
There was no makeup on her face, and although her eyes were still slightly red and swollen, the breakdown and tear stains of yesterday were gone. In their place was a calmness that was nearly icy.
She walked slowly toward the main hall of the Enshrinement Hall, her steps very steady.
Inside the main hall, the seven great Enshriners were rarely gathered together. They had clearly already heard about yesterday’s events and were currently discussing something in low voices, their faces filled with worry and gravity.
Seeing Qian Renxue walk in, the discussion stopped abruptly. Everyone looked at her.
She looked—too calm. Unnaturally calm.
No anger, no sadness, no breakdown; she was like a bottomless pool of cold water, calm on the surface, but potentially surging with deadly undercurrents beneath.
Qian Daoliu forced a smile, trying to lighten the atmosphere: "Xue’er, you’re awake? Are you hungry? Grandfather will have someone prepare—"
"Please, High Priest, open the God Trial for me." Qian Renxue’s voice interrupted him.
The voice was calm, clear, without a trace of trembling, and carried an unquestionable determination.
The great hall instantly fell into a deathly silence. The seven great Enshriners looked at each other, shock flashing in their eyes.
God Trial? Now? Qian Renxue was only fifteen; although her talent was exceptional and she had already reached the level of a Spirit Emperor, wouldn’t this be a bit too early?
Qian Daoliu’s expression also changed. "Xue’er, the matter of the God Trial is no small thing. It would be better to wait until you reach a Breakthrough to level 70 and are better prepared—"
"I said," Qian Renxue raised her head, looking directly at Qian Daoliu, her purple eyes devoid of any emotion, containing only a sheet of icy cold, "please, High Priest, open the God Trial for me."
She repeated it again, enunciating every word, each one like an ice pick smashing into the silent great hall. Everyone fell silent again.
They looked at Qian Renxue, at the near-manic determination in her eyes, and suddenly understood. She was not requesting; she was commanding. She was not discussing; she was declaring.
Qian Daoliu looked at his granddaughter like this, his heart feeling as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, hurting so much he couldn’t breathe.
He wanted to say something, wanted to persuade her to wait a bit longer, wanted to tell her not to act on impulse. But when he saw the coldness in Qian Renxue’s eyes, all his words became stuck in his throat.
He suddenly realized that his tacit approval hadn’t just taken Jiang Bai’s life, but had also killed the Qian Renxue who could laugh, cry, and be full of expectation for the future.
The current her was just an empty shell driven by hatred.
"God Ancestor—" Qian Daoliu prayed silently in his heart, his voice filled with pain and regret. "Did I do something wrong again?"
My later life—has always been in regret and guilt—Before it was that rebellious child, and now—it is Jiang Bai—
He slowly stood up and walked to Qian Renxue. Looking at his granddaughter’s cold face, he reached out his hand, wanting to stroke her head as he usually did, but halfway there, his hand fell powerlessly.
After a long time, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, only the majesty and decisiveness of the High Priest remained in his eyes.
"Very well." One word, heavy as a thousand jun.
"I, as the High Priest of the Angel God, hereby declare." Qian Daoliu’s voice echoed in the great hall, solemn and grave, "From this moment on, the Angel God Trial is opened for Qian Renxue!"
Golden light descended from the sky, enveloping Qian Renxue. She stood in the pillar of light, slowly closing her eyes, her face devoid of any expression, containing only a sheet of icy determination.
Jiang Bai, just wait. I will definitely avenge you!
Bibi Dong, just wait. I will definitely kill you!!
If Spirit Saint isn’t enough, then I will become a Titled Douluo! If Titled Douluo isn’t enough, then I will become a God!
Even if this path is covered in thorns, even if I have to pay every price!