After being enlightened by Ye Tian's words, Qian Renxue finally understood her grandfather's thoughts.
She took a deep breath and looked at Ye Tian: "But I still can't agree to Grandfather's request."
"Even if the Spirit Hall is weak and perishes, I won't inherit the godhood."
Ye Tian smiled and said, "People always change."
"But I won't change." Qian Renxue's tone was resolute.
Ye Tian smiled without responding.
He didn't want to continue debating this matter with her.
Gazing at the dark night outside the watchtower, Ye Tian walked to the window and said:
"Of course, you still have a chance."
"As long as you unify the continent before the birth of the gods."
"Time waits for no one!" Qian Renxue sighed.
"After the beast tide recedes, the alliance with the Spirit Hall must be forcefully advanced."
Then, Qian Renxue fell into melancholy again.
"But we still lack a reason to declare war on the Star Luo Empire."
"We don't need to find that reason ourselves," Ye Tian said with a faint smile.
"Oh?" Qian Renxue looked slightly surprised. "The Star Luo Empire is the weaker side. How could they easily bear the blame for initiating the war?"
"When the time comes, they won't have a choice."
Ye Tian's tone was profound as he gazed into the dark night.
Looking at Ye Tian's back, Qian Renxue sighed softly and stepped forward with her long, straight legs, standing behind him.
"Are you... leaving too?"
"That's right. The beast tide no longer poses a threat, and there's no use for me to stay in the capital any longer. I plan to leave tomorrow."
"Can you stay with me tonight?"
"Sure."
...
The next morning.
Ye Tian left without hesitation.
When he came to Heaven Dou City, he was alone.
When he left, only Bo Saixi accompanied him.
Qian Renxue did not see him off.
No one knew of Ye Tian's departure.
Surveying the scenery flashing by, Bo Saixi stretched lazily:
"I have to say, Heaven Dou City is a rare and prosperous place."
"After being away from the world for so many years, it's been nice to stay in Heaven Dou City for a while. Now that we're leaving so suddenly, it feels a bit hard to adjust."
Ye Tian turned his head and smiled: "When we reach the royal capitals of the four kingdoms, you'll probably be even more surprised."
"Oh? Are the royal capitals of the four kingdoms more prosperous than Heaven Dou City?"
"Of course! The essence of each kingdom is concentrated in its royal capital. Trade there is even more frequent than in Heaven Dou, so it's only natural for them to be more prosperous."
"Then we'll have to stay for a while," Bo Saixi said, resting her chin on her hand and raising her eyes. "Don't forget, you promised to cook for me yourself."
"Since the royal capitals are so prosperous, they must have plenty of ingredients."
"Staying for two or three days shouldn't delay anything, right?"
"But there are four kingdoms. Which one should we go to?"
"Balak," Ye Tian said casually. "It's close to Spirit City, and we didn't leave Heaven Dou City empty-handed—we have a mission."
"Mission?" Bo Saixi raised an eyebrow. "Were the two of you really discussing a mission last night?"
"Of course," Ye Tian replied calmly. "An alliance with the Spirit Hall will have a huge impact on the Heaven Dou Empire. But someone has to play the villain, right?"
"So, the task of forming the alliance falls to you?" Hearing this, Bo Saixi couldn't help but smile.
Forming an alliance with yourself—how amusing!
Ye Tian spurred his horse forward, unfazed. "If I don't take the plunge, who will?"
The two were in no hurry to reach the royal capital of Balak.
They took a leisurely journey, arriving half a month later.
This was Ye Tian's second time in the royal capital of Balak, so the novelty had worn off.
After settling in the local Spirit Hall branch, Ye Tian sent a secret letter to the Spirit Hall.
Two days later, news spread through the streets that the Spirit Hall's Pope Bibi Dong would soon arrive in the royal capital of Balak.
At the same time, word came that the newly appointed Imperial Preceptor of Heaven Dou would also be visiting Balak.
These two explosive pieces of news nearly paralyzed the city's traffic.
Merchants from all directions flooded into the royal capital, eager to witness this historic meeting.
For a time, hotel prices in Balak skyrocketed, with rooms in high demand.
As one of the key figures, Ye Tian remained unperturbed, leisurely reading literary works from the continent in the Spirit Hall branch.
"Ah, who would've thought that in just over a month, my cultivation has dropped to level 91," Bo Saixi sighed, staring at her hands.
"But I suppose I should be grateful. At least this level 91 power is entirely mine now—it won't drop any further."
A hint of relief flashed in her eyes.
She had feared she might fall to the level of a Spirit Douluo, but staying at level 91 was indeed something to celebrate.
Ye Tian set down his book and smiled:
"With that level of strength, you could easily become an elder in the Spirit Hall."
"Don't tease me," Bo Saixi waved her hand dismissively.
She had her pride. Though an elder in the Spirit Hall was a prestigious position, she had once been one of the three Supreme Douluos of the Douluo Continent.
To her, the Spirit Hall was still a bit beneath her.
"Miss, this is the lord's residence. You can't enter."
As they spoke, a voice of protest came from outside.
"Scram!"
A voice infused with soul power shook the room.
Screams followed.
Ye Tian stood up to check, but the cautious Bo Saixi had already hidden behind the door.
She raised a hand to stop him. "The intruder's strength is no less than mine. Be careful."
"Brother!"
The door swung open, and sunlight poured in.
A silver-haired girl stood in the doorway.
"Gu Yuena?" Ye Tian was puzzled at first, then smiled. "What brings you here?"
Gu Yuena spotted Ye Tian and rushed forward, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. She nuzzled her head against his neck. "Yuena missed you."
"After hearing from Bibi Dong that you were here, I snuck over."
"You can't run off without me again!"
Gu Yuena pulled back, pouting at him.
Then, her cherry lips pressed lightly against his.
Ye Tian was caught off guard, but Gu Yuena only gave him a quick peck.
"It seems I shouldn't be in this room," Bo Saixi said with a smirk, edging toward the door.
"Who are you?"
Gu Yuena suddenly turned, her eyes wary.
"My name is Bo Saixi. I'm a friend of Ye Tian's," Bo Saixi replied with a bright smile.
Gu Yuena, not one for overthinking, relaxed when she heard Bo Saixi was Ye Tian's friend.
She introduced herself gracefully: "I'm Gu Yuena, Ye Tian's little sister."
"Just a sister?" Bo Saixi teased.
Gu Yuena's expression remained calm. "After Brother marries me, I'll be his wife."
"Right?" She looked at Ye Tian for confirmation.
Ye Tian felt a headache coming on. When had he ever promised to marry Gu Yuena?
But given the situation, refusing wasn't an option.
Unlike with Qian Renxue, he had no reservations about Gu Yuena.
"Right."
Ye Tian's strong hand grasped Gu Yuena's slender, pale arm.
He ruffled her silver hair.
Though Gu Yuena disliked having her head touched, she didn't resist when it was Ye Tian.
Her curvaceous body pressed against his.
"What? You two aren't married yet?"
Now it was Bo Saixi's turn to be confused.
"Didn't you say before that you and your wife, Nana, were already married?"
"Uh, Sister, you might be mistaken. Nana is someone else—her name is Hu Liena," Ye Tian said, rubbing his forehead.
"Oh."
Bo Saixi suddenly understood, recalling that Ye Tian had indeed mentioned Hu Liena before.
She was the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden, wasn't she?
No wonder Ye Tian had been so composed in Heaven Dou City.
Even a beauty like Xiao Wu couldn't sway him.
Turns out he already had several lovely ladies waiting for him in the Spirit Hall.
"If Gu Yuena is here, then Xiao Bai and Sea Witch probably aren't far behind," Bo Saixi mused.
"It's been a year since I last saw them."
"After catching up, it'll be time for me to fulfill my dream of traveling the continent."
Ye Tian chuckled. "Sister Bo, you can postpone your travels for a bit."
"Once the continent is unified, we can form a group and explore every corner."
"We might even venture into the endless ocean and discover new lands."
"Really?" Bo Saixi eyed him skeptically. "You're not joking, are you?"
"Would I joke with you, Sister Bo?"
Truth be told, Ye Tian had been considering this idea since his time in Heaven Dou City.
Since he'd come to the Douluo Continent, it'd be a shame not to see everything it had to offer.
"Then it's a promise." Bo Saixi extended a hand, as if afraid Ye Tian would back out.
"Promise!" Ye Tian confidently placed his hand over hers.
"I'll go with Brother too!" Gu Yuena's pale hand joined theirs.
After sealing their pact, the three settled onto the study's sofa.
"Has your original body come to trouble you in the past few months?" Ye Tian asked casually, concerned for Gu Yuena.
"No." Gu Yuena shook her head. "She's too weak."
"If not for the fragment of the Dragon God's divine spark protecting her, her spirit would have already scattered."
Gu Yuena's betrayal had struck the Silver Dragon King not just in power but in spirit.
Truthfully, Gu Yuena felt a twinge of guilt.
But now that she was an independent consciousness, she couldn't return to being a mere appendage of the Silver Dragon King.
"That's good. We'll find a way to compensate her later," Ye Tian sighed.
The matter with the Silver Dragon King was thorny.
After all, he'd promised to nurture Gu Yuena for her.
Who'd have thought he'd end up stealing Gu Yuena away instead?
The Silver Dragon King must be kicking herself now.
Gu Yuena clung to Ye Tian's arm. "As long as the Silver Dragon King agrees to let me stay with you, I'm willing to give her all my power."
"I'll handle this matter properly," Ye Tian reassured her, patting her shoulder.
Watching the young pair, Bo Saixi felt a pang of envy.
If she'd met someone as dependable as Ye Tian in her youth, she wouldn't have wasted a century on that godforsaken Sea God Island.
Two more days passed.
Early in the morning, while Ye Tian was still asleep, a knock came at his door.
"Ye Tian, wake up. The branch master says the Pope has arrived and wants you to greet her."
It was Bo Saixi's voice.
Ye Tian opened his bleary eyes and tried to sit up, only to find Gu Yuena clinging to him like an octopus.
"Yuena, wake up." He nudged her.
But Gu Yuena only tightened her grip on his arm, mumbling:
"Let Auntiez vbnm,./\[y vb Bibi Dong come here herself. Why all the fuss? It's disturbing your rest."
Ye Tian laughed. "I remember you calling her 'Sister Bibi Dong' the other day."
"Why 'Auntie' now?"
"She'll try to steal you from me."
Gu Yuena opened her beautiful eyes, wriggling upward to gaze at Ye Tian's profile.
"Brother, will you marry Bibi Dong in the future?"
"Yes." Ye Tian wasn't sure why she asked, but he saw no reason to lie.
After all, he'd fallen for Bibi Dong before Gu Yuena.
"Mmm."
Gu Yuena rolled over, wrapping her arms around his waist, and fell silent.
Then she looked up again.
"Since it's what Brother has decided, I won't interfere."
"But you have to promise me I can stay with you forever. Don't ever send me away."
Her eyes bore into his, as if daring him to refuse.
"Okay." Ye Tian agreed without hesitation.
Gu Yuena's draconic possessiveness was truly something else.
Satisfied, Gu Yuena smiled.
"Then I'll keep calling her 'Sister Bibi Dong.'"
"Time to get up. No more lazing around."
Ye Tian threw off the covers with a chuckle.
Gu Yuena sprang up, sticking out her tongue.
"Pfft, as if I'd sleep in!"
...
The pomp of the Pope's official visit was undeniable.
The streets of Balak were lined with flowers, and the king and his ministers turned out in full force to welcome her.
As the "Heaven Dou State Preceptor," Ye Tian witnessed the historic moment, standing alongside the king.
To his left was the newly appointed branch master of the Spirit Hall, Zater, a trusted aide of Bibi Dong and a Spiritl Sage.
But Zater, unaware of Ye Tian's true identity, regarded the young Imperial Preceptor with disdain.
"Imperial Preceptor, let me remind you."
"If you fail to observe proper etiquette when meeting Her Holiness, these negotiations may well collapse."
Ye Tian merely smiled. "Thank you for the reminder, Branch Master Zater."
Soon, a fanfare of twenty-eight blasts announced Bibi Dong's arrival.
(End of Chapter)