Chapter 96: What You Can't Get Will Always Cause Turmoil
"What's so irregular about it? Spirit Hall has never been about seniority; it's always been about the strong reigning supreme."
"This old man has personally experienced the strength of the new Second Priest; I was no match. I am genuinely convinced and willing to step down and serve as the Third High Priest."
"If anyone is unconvinced, they are welcome to challenge this old man. If you can also defeat this old man, just like the Second Priest did, then this old man is willing to give up the position of Third High Priest as well. After that, you can consider challenging the Second Priest."
The one who answered him was the former Second Priest, now Third High Priest, Gold Crocodile Douluo. His voice, deep and rumbling like shifting stones, reached the ears of every Spirit Master in Spirit City.
The questioning ceased abruptly.
Even the Second Priest himself admitted he was no match for Jingni, so what more could they say?
"Since everyone has no objections, then from today onwards, Jingni Douluo will be our Spirit Hall's Second Priest. From Gold Crocodile Douluo downwards, the ranks of the other High Priests will each drop by one."
"Everyone must comply. Violators will be dealt with according to the Spirit Hall Codex."
Qian Daoliu made the final decision, and the matter was settled.
"Well, no matter what, my identity as the 'old sixth' is unavoidable," Guang Ling Douluo, whose appearance and voice resembled a young man, grumbled under his breath.
Qingluan Douluo glanced at him, a mischievous smile appearing on her beautiful face as she added, "To be precise, it's the old eighth. When I came, I specifically sensed Qianjun and Jiang Mo's residences. I found their Spirit Power fluctuations growing stronger by the day. I believe they will emerge from their seclusion within three years. Guang Ling, you'd better hurry up."
As soon as these words came out, the "big boy" Guang Ling instantly broke down, exclaiming in exasperation, "Damn it! I want to break through to Level 97 too!"
"Why don't you ask Qin Xuan?" Xiongshi Douluo, who was usually arrogant and serious, was amused by Guang Ling's frantic appearance. He thought to himself, 'Let this be a lesson for not being diligent in cultivation; now you've brought this upon yourself.'
He spoke, his voice a low rumble, "That little fellow is very mysterious. He can even solve the backlash of Twin Spirits. Qianjun and Jiang Mo being able to touch the Level 97 bottleneck is also inseparable from his help. Perhaps he can provide you with a method to break through to Level 97."
Upon hearing this, Guang Ling's eyes instantly lit up. But after noticing Jingni standing silently beside Qin Xuan, her aura as vast and cold as a frozen ocean, they quickly dimmed again.
"Forget it," he muttered, shrinking slightly. "Even Second Brother—oh no, even Third Brother is no match for Second Sister. I'd better stay as far away as possible."
Qin Xuan observed everyone's reactions, nodding secretly. Even with his composure, he had to admit that Qian Daoliu was indeed skilled at winning over people. He had deliberately not announced the news of Gold Crocodile's defeat beforehand.
Then, when everyone questioned the appointment, he and Gold Crocodile stepped forward, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop. It was a masterful political move. No wonder the other six High Priests were so devoted to him and the Angel Clan.
After the coronation ceremony, Qin Xuan and Jingni were kept behind by Qian Daoliu.
Two other people also remained in the Priest Hall.
If Qian Xunji was within Qin Xuan's expectations, then the other person was somewhat surprising to him.
The side door of the Priest Hall's inner chamber slowly opened, and a young woman walked out.
"Bibi Dong? When did you return?"
The one who stayed behind with Qian Xunji was none other than Bibi Dong, who had returned to Spirit Hall with Qingluan and Xiongshi.
She was covered entirely in golden armor, and beneath her light purple cape, her proud figure was fully visible. Her chest was full, her waist slender like a willow, and her legs were straight and long, full of beauty.
Even with the golden helmet, her face was still clearly visible. Her pretty face was fair and delicate, her features picturesque, as beautiful as a goddess. Under the light of the Seraphim statue, her golden armor radiated golden light, making her look like a beautiful female warrior, heroic and inspiring, easily sparking imagination.
"I just got back this morning."
This was the first time the two had met since their last tense encounter in the Supreme Pontiff Palace's library.
More than half a year had passed. When Bibi Dong saw Qin Xuan again, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward, especially in the presence of Jingni, the newly promoted and terrifyingly powerful Second Priest.
Bibi Dong wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
As the saying goes, without comparison, there is no harm.
At this moment, Bibi Dong's pride was completely shattered. Thoroughly so.
Whether it was her most proud Twin Spirits, or her cultivation that once stood out among her generation, or her strength that far surpassed Spirit Masters of the same level... all of it was a joke.
Regarding Twin Spirits, Jingni also had them, and with Qin Xuan's help, she had successfully cultivated them.
Regarding cultivation, Jingni was the same age as her, under 25, yet her Spirit Power had reached the peak of a Level 97 Titled Douluo. She had become the youngest High Priest in Spirit Hall's history and the youngest Peak Titled Douluo on the Douluo Continent.
As for strength far surpassing those of the same level, she couldn't even come close.
Jingni was able to defeat the Level 98 Gold Crocodile Douluo with Level 97 Spirit Power.
Bibi Dong knew, with absolute certainty, that under the same Spirit Power conditions, even if she had cultivated her own Twin Spirits, she would not be able to do it. Perhaps at most, she could barely achieve a draw by relying on the advantage of Twin Spirits, but she would definitely not be able to defeat him.
At this moment, Qian Xunji started acting up again.
"Second Brother, disciple, seeing that your relationship is still as good as before, I am relieved," Qian Xunji said, his voice smooth and benevolent. "I recall how, back then, Second Brother, you voluntarily went to the City of Slaughter for training to get me to bestow a marriage between you and Dong'er."
"At that time, I even planned to bestow a marriage upon you two after you emerged from the City of Slaughter, but I never expected fate to be so wondrous."
"Although you ultimately didn't end up with Dong'er, you met the Second Priest, which is also a beautiful story."
[Inorin's Note: Qian Xunji is engaging in "Green Tea" tactics—a slang term for feigning innocence while subtly implying that Qin Xuan only settled for Jingni after failing to get Bibi Dong, attempting to drive a wedge between them.]
Qian Xunji's meaning was clear: it wasn't that he didn't bestow a marriage upon Qin Xuan, but that Qin Xuan himself voluntarily gave up Bibi Dong and found another woman.
At the same time, he did not forget to observe Jingni's emotional changes.
Although Qian Xunji showed no expression on his face, ever since he heard that Jingni also possessed Twin Spirits, he had been consumed by envy.
Why did he want to kill Qin Xuan before?
It was because Qin Xuan intended to covet his forbidden fruit, Bibi Dong.
Why did Bibi Dong become his forbidden fruit?
It was because Bibi Dong possessed the rare talent of Twin Spirits and a beauty that could overthrow nations. Only such an excellent woman was qualified to bear peerless offspring for his Angel Clan.
The same applied to Jingni.
Suddenly, a woman appeared who was no less talented or beautiful than Bibi Dong, perhaps even superior, and she became the woman of Qin Xuan, whom he had always looked down upon. And she had a child. Could he not be envious?
When he learned that Jingni also possessed Twin Spirits, his first, visceral thought was to snatch her from Qin Xuan's hands and have her bear little Xunji's for him.
Then he learned that Jingni's Spirit Power had reached Level 97 and she was about to become a High Priest, and he knew that this was no longer possible.
Especially after recently learning that even Gold Crocodile Douluo, the Level 98 Second Priest, had been defeated by Jingni.
This completely extinguished the thought of forcibly taking her.
Jingni was not the Bibi Dong from the original work, who only had the cultivation of a Spirit Saint and could be manipulated by him.
Once he made a move against a High Priest, not only would he fail, but he would also lose popular support in Spirit Hall. Moreover, there was a risk of being killed by Jingni in her rage.
At that time, even if his father intervened, it would probably be impossible to salvage the situation for him.
Ultimately, what awaited him would be removal from the position of Supreme Pontiff.
This was absolutely not what he wanted to see.
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