Bright Capital, the top-floor office of the Federal Parliament Building.
Fang Yang stood before the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking this City of spirit tool Technology.
On the crisscrossing aerial tracks, maglev trains traveled like silver shuttles, leaving trails of flowing light.
"Gu Yue."
Fang Yang turned around, his gaze falling upon Gu Yuena, who was standing quietly nearby. "Next, you and Teacher will take control of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda together."
Gu Yuena frowned slightly: "Then... will they agree to that?"
"They handed over the position of Federal Speaker to me, so why would they care about a single Spirit Transfer Pagoda?"
Fang Yang shook his head gently. "The Spirit Transfer Pagoda controls the lifeline of Soul Spirits; it must be held in our hands."
"Understood." Hearing this, Gu Yuena nodded slightly.
"Someone come in."
Fang Yang said in a deep voice.
The office door opened instantly, and a subordinate in a dark blue uniform quickly walked in, bowing in salute: "Speaker, what are your orders?"
"Release the information that the Qian Gu Family of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda colluded with the Holy Spirit Cult and betrayed the Sun Moon Federation."
Fang Yang took out a spirit tool storage device; this was the evidence Xu Jinghuang had previously given him. "Now, comprehensively monitor all members of the Qian Gu Family."
The subordinate received the spirit tool storage device with both hands: "Yes, Speaker."
Fang Yang looked towards Gu Yuena: "Now we just wait for the matter concerning the Spirit Transfer Pagoda to escalate."
"Alright."
Gu Yuena nodded, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.
Three days later, the Sun Moon Federation announced the evidence of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda's Qian Gu Family colluding with the Holy Spirit Cult, shaking the entire Douluo Continent.
This astonishing news quickly spread across the spirit tool network.
It turned out that the Evil Soul Master attacks targeting the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy, which resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of Spirit Masters and ordinary people...
...the mastermind behind them was actually the Qian Gu Family, who controlled the Spirit Transfer Pagoda!
In an instant, public sentiment was furious.
From the streets and alleys of Bright Capital to every other city, angry condemnations rose and fell.
The once high and mighty Qian Gu Family became the target of public criticism overnight.
Spirit Transfer Pagoda Headquarters, Heavenly Spirit Pagoda.
Qian Gu Dongfeng stood in the office with a gloomy expression, the spirit tool communicator in his hand crushed to pieces.
He never imagined that the evidence, which should have been buried forever, would be made public.
"Grandfather..."
Qiangu Zhangting quickly entered the office, his face filled with anxiety.
"Zhang Ting, you're here."
Qian Gu Dongfeng stood by the window, looking at the street below that had already been sealed off by Federal Special Agents, his voice unnaturally calm.
"Grandfather, what should the Qian Gu Family do now?" Qiangu Zhangting asked urgently.
"We can't leave."
Qian Gu Dongfeng slowly turned around, a hint of bitterness on his face. "With the information released by the Sun Moon Federation, our Qian Gu lineage is now under comprehensive surveillance."
"Every exit is sealed, and the sky and ground are covered with detection spirit tools."
He walked to the desk and slowly sat down. "I underestimated that Fang Yang."
"I didn't expect him to dare move against the Spirit Transfer Pagoda immediately after taking office, and I certainly didn't expect Xu Jinghuang to have left behind such conclusive evidence."
Qiangu Zhangting's face turned pale: "Grandfather, are we just going to sit here and wait for death?"
"No."
A fierce glint flashed in Qian Gu Dongfeng's eyes. "Since they won't give us a way out, don't blame us for fighting until the bitter end."
"Grandfather, then what about us?" Qiangu Zhangting asked.
Qian Gu Dongfeng said deeply: "Contact the Holy Spirit Cult, and we will strike against the Sun Moon Federation together."
"But Grandfather, we..." Qiangu Zhangting hesitated.
"We have no path of retreat."
Qian Gu Dongfeng said decisively, "Since they won't give us a chance to live, then we'll fight our way out."
"Good, worthy of being a fine lad of my Qian Gu Family." An aged voice rang out.
Qian Gu Dieting pushed the door open and entered.
This Battle Heaven Douluo, who had been in secluded cultivation for many years, had white hair and beard, but his eyes flashed with sharp light, and a powerful aura emanated from him.
"Father, you have come out of seclusion?" Qian Gu Dongfeng quickly stood up.
Qian Gu Dieting nodded slightly. "At such a critical juncture, how could I continue my seclusion?"
"Dongfeng, you are absolutely right. Since the Federation won't give us a way out, then let them see what we are capable of."
"The Qian Gu Family has stood firm within the Spirit Transfer Pagoda for tens of thousands of years, and it wasn't by submitting meekly!"
A terrifying aura spread out, causing the spirit tool lights in the office to flicker.
Qian Gu Dongfeng was slightly stunned and immediately asked: "Father, could it be that you have achieved that Realm?"
"No..."
Qian Gu Dieting shook his head. "I cannot sense the existence of the God Realm."
"Then, Father... does that mean there is no God Realm?" Qian Gu Dongfeng asked.
Qian Gu Dieting slowly said: "The God Realm is real, but the God Realm is no longer receiving people."
Qian Gu Dongfeng pressed: "Then... why?"
"The God Realm has vanished."
Qian Gu Dieting's voice carried a hint of heaviness.
"This..."
Qian Gu Dongfeng and Qiangu Zhangting were dumbfounded upon hearing this.
"Enough, let's overcome this immediate crisis first."
Qian Gu Dieting said, "Go call your elder brother and sister-in-law to come over."
Hearing this, Qian Gu Dongfeng nodded and turned to leave the office.
"Great-Grandfather." Qiangu Zhangting called out softly.
"Alas, my great-grandson..."
Qian Gu Dieting sighed deeply, looking at Qiangu Zhangting, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.
Without his root, he now appeared neither male nor female.
Qiangu Zhangting fell silent, his hands involuntarily clenching tightly, his knuckles turning white.
Qian Gu Dieting looked at his great-grandson's painful expression, a flicker of heartache in his eyes: "Zhang Ting, some things are not your fault."
"Great-Grandfather, I..."
Qiangu Zhangting's voice choked up.
"I know."
Qian Gu Dieting gently patted his shoulder. "Right now, the most important thing is to survive."
Just then, the office door was pushed open again. Qian Gu Dongfeng walked in with a middle-aged couple.
The man's face bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Qian Gu Dieting, but he appeared calmer and more composed.
The woman had an elegant temperament and stunning beauty.
These were Qian Gu Dongfeng's elder brother, Qiangu Qingfeng, and his wife, Xia Zhengleng.
"Father."
Qiangu Qingfeng and Xia Zhengleng bowed in salute.
"Alright, everyone sit down."
Qian Gu Dieting gestured for everyone to sit on the sofa. "You are all aware of the current situation."
Qian Gu Dongfeng said deeply: "The Federation is determined to eliminate our Qian Gu Family this time. I just received word that the War God Hall has been fully mobilized."
"Have you made contact with the Holy Spirit Cult?" Qian Gu Dieting asked.
"Contact has been made."
Qian Gu Dongfeng nodded. "They demand that we provide the Spirit Transfer Pagoda's Soul Spirit technology in exchange."
"Pipe dream!"
Qiangu Qingfeng said angrily, "The Spirit Transfer Pagoda is the Foundation of our Qian Gu Family for tens of thousands of years; how can we hand it over to those Evil Soul Masters!"
"We have no choice."
Qian Gu Dongfeng sighed. "Without the help of the Holy Spirit Cult, we absolutely cannot break through the Federation's blockade."
Qian Gu Dieting was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "Agree to the Holy Spirit Cult's terms."
"Father!"
Qiangu Qingfeng exclaimed in surprise.
"Only by living is there hope."
Qian Gu Dieting's gaze swept over everyone. "The secrets of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda can be reclaimed later, but the Bloodline of the Qian Gu Family must not be severed."
Everyone fell silent upon hearing this. They all understood that this was a forced move.
Qian Gu Dieting commanded: "Dongfeng, you go contact the Holy Spirit Cult."
"Qingfeng, you are responsible for organizing the Spirit Transfer Pagoda's core data, but hold something back."
"Yes, Father." The two replied in unison.
Subsequently, Qian Gu Dongfeng, Qiangu Qingfeng, and Xia Zhengleng all departed.
Qian Gu Dieting slowly walked to the window, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.
He whispered softly: "The wind is sweeping through the tower, signaling the coming storm."
The next moment, the aura around him began to climb steadily.
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