Since being warned by Ye Xishui, Zhongli Wu had stopped troubling Qian Ran. In fact, Qian Ran could feel that the many powerful presences that had been lingering around him had disappeared.
Those presences were members of the Holy Spirit Cult who had been keeping close tabs on him.
After Ye Xishui's intervention, Zhongli Wu showed considerable deference to her. Beyond her power and status in the Holy Spirit Cult, the fact that Ye Xishui was his mother was enough to keep him in check.
Of course, that was only on the surface.
Ye Xishui's warning hadn't diminished Zhongli Wu's interest in Qian Ran; instead, it made him even more curious.
Previously, Zhongli Wu had viewed Qian Ran as the descendant of the Six-Winged Angel, a mortal enemy of the Holy Spirit Cult and the greatest threat to the evil soul masters. Back then, Zhongli Wu had been determined to eliminate him. If it weren't for Xu Tiannan and Mingde Hall's interest in Qian Ran, Zhongli Wu would have made his move the moment Qian Ran set foot in the Sun Moon Empire.
Now, however, Zhongli Wu's perspective had shifted. He had never seen his haughty mother take such an interest in anyone.
Was it because she was grateful for the elixirs Qian Ran had provided? That possibility could almost be dismissed. To him, his mother wasn't entirely ruthless but certainly wasn't a saint.
There had to be an incredible secret behind Qian Ran, one compelling enough to even stir Ye Xishui's heart.
Realizing this, Zhongli Wu wasn't about to give up on such a treasure lying right before him. He also chose not to use force, and withdrawing the evil soul masters from Qian Ran's surroundings was his way of extending an olive branch.
Even if Qian Ran didn't have the unimaginable treasures Zhongli Wu suspected, the elixirs alone were enticing enough.
Seeing Ye Xishui appear so youthful had left him astonished for days. These elixirs didn't just restore one's youthful appearance but also extended life—a coveted gift for all Super Douluos who faced the inevitable problem of mortality.
Ye Xishui continued her cultivation within Qian Ran's necromantic sub-plane.
Her talent was undeniable, and in this unique environment, her cultivation progressed rapidly. In less than half a month, she took the critical step into the realm of demigods.
Of course, she was still a fledgling demigod.
If becoming a god required surpassing level 100, Ye Xishui was now at level 99.
Through enlightenment, she had pushed forward to 99.01.
While it might seem like a trivial advancement, this was an enormous leap, one that marked the crucial turning point. Previously, no matter how much soul power Ye Xishui accumulated, she had only been an exceptionally powerful level 99 Limit Douluo. The path to godhood required more than sheer accumulation—it required comprehension.
Now, with this tiny step forward, she returned to the rewarding yet monotonous stage of accumulation, though this time it wasn't about soul power but her understanding of the laws governing the world.
Her title, Death God, aligned with her chosen path. The necromantic sub-plane was an ideal environment for her cultivation.
During Ye Xishui's secluded training, Qian Ran had visited the necromantic sub-plane multiple times. With Ye Xishui's addition, the population of undead creatures had grown significantly, thanks to the vengeful spirits she released.
While Ye Xishui wasn't as innately malevolent as most Holy Spirit Cult members, she had killed many people.
Perhaps Qian Ran's earlier remark about her being "crazy" had stung her pride. Ye Xishui began leveraging her powers to improve the necromantic world.
She soon discovered that doing so benefited her as well. If Ye Xishui was at 99.01, Elux was at 99.99—infinitely close to true godhood.
Elux, as the Death God and the Scourge of the Undead, had created this sub-plane through his immense power.
Ye Xishui and Elux shared an extremely similar essence. As someone who aspired to become a Death God, Ye Xishui found Elux's principles and methods invaluable. By participating in the repair and refinement of the sub-plane, she gained profound insights into the laws of this world.
Even without Qian Ran's prompting, Ye Xishui devoted herself to improving the necromantic sub-plane.
She had a strong hunch that once she used her powers to restore the sub-plane to a satisfactory level, she would have reached the limits of her demigod status.
Compared to abstract enlightenment, actively participating in the creation and repair of the sub-plane was much more straightforward—a shortcut of sorts.
Seeing her efforts, Qian Ran didn't hold back and rewarded Ye Xishui with some Divine Enlightenment Tea.
With both Ye Xishui and Snow Empress stepping into the demigod realm, they were now on the right track. They never lacked talent; all they needed were opportunities.
In Douluo Continent, super geniuses rarely failed due to a lack of talent. Ultimately, this world was one where connections determined success.
And Qian Ran was their ultimate connection.
Qian Ran continued his cultivation as usual at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy. Announcing a period of seclusion, he discreetly left and began his journey back to Shrek Academy.
Even with the Sun Moon Empire's constant surveillance, they couldn't stop him. He simply gave his storage ring to someone else to carry out of the city while he hid inside.
The decision to return to Shrek Academy wasn't just about Qian Ran missing the sisters there. Compared to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, Shrek Academy felt like home.
After all, he only had a handful of wives at the Royal Soul Engineering Academy—just four in total. As for the other female acquaintances, their relationships were more transactional, based on mutual benefits rather than love. Even Ye Xishui hadn't fully "revolutionized" her relationship with him yet.
Moreover, the women at Shrek Academy were generally more attractive.
In this world, strength was closely tied to beauty. Shrek Academy students were well-rounded and physically robust. On the other hand, while the women of the Sun Moon Empire were better at makeup and dressing up, their natural beauty didn't compare.
Aside from Orange and a few others, Qian Ran wasn't particularly interested in most women from the Sun Moon Empire.
He wasn't returning just out of lust, though. The real reason was that if he didn't return soon, the women at Shrek Academy would probably come looking for him. Their reliance on him was remarkably high.
As an exchange student, Qian Ran had stayed at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy for a long time. It was no surprise they were eager to see him again.
The primary reason for his return, however, was to have a serious conversation with Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan. If Zhang Lexuan was willing, Qian Ran intended to ally with the Holy Spirit Cult to support her rise. He would be delighted if his woman became the future empress of the Sun Moon Empire.
(End of Chapter)