Chapter 234: The Divine Inheritance
To truly inherit the Angel God's position, Qian Daoliu, as the Great Priest of the Angel God, would need to make the ultimate sacrifice. Forcing Qian Renxue onto this fatal path, knowing it would lead only to her death, would be an exercise in futility and a wasted effort. Worse, it could irreparably weaken Spirit Hall on the Douluo Continent, leaving the Angel lineage vulnerable to elimination at the hands of the deity's enemies in the divine realm.
Imagining such a bleak future, Qian Daoliu broke out in a cold sweat.
"No, I can't let Renxue ascend under these conditions. Our clan's only hope now lies..." Qian Daoliu fell silent, then looked at Ye Wen solemnly and asked, resigned, "What plan do you have, Seagod? I beg you to preserve our Angel lineage."
Seeing Qian Daoliu willing to cooperate spared Ye Wen some trouble. He looked around at the gathered figures: Qian Daoliu, Qian Renxue, and the six Spirit Hall elders. With these powerful figures, his plans for the future had gained a robust foundation.
"I have someone else in mind for the Angel God's inheritance," Ye Wen began. "When the time comes, she will ascend to the divine realm alongside me. You needn't worry about your Angel God's legacy. I can assure you that both you and your granddaughter will have the chance to reach level 100 and achieve godhood, to enjoy eternal life. And someday, the Angel God's position may return to your lineage. As for the six elders here, as long as you work diligently, I will not let you down."
At his words, those present let out a collective sigh of relief. Ye Wen wasn't some ruthless tyrant, after all. For the six elders, the matter of who became the Angel God was less relevant than ensuring Spirit Hall's security and preserving their families' status. And hearing that both Qian Daoliu and Qian Renxue could become gods themselves renewed their hope for the future. If the Seagod could grant them eternal life, perhaps he could open the way for others as well.
Yet Qian Daoliu's heart remained troubled. The Angel God's inheritance was unique among divine lineages, highly exclusive to the Angel spirit. Every soul inheriting that power needed to possess this exact spirit an irreplaceable qualification. How could another soul with such a rare spirit appear, and one with the innate strength to accept the mantle of Angel God?
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Qian Daoliu asked, "Seagod, who, if I may ask, do you intend to inherit the Angel God's mantle? Only one with the Angel spirit can inherit it."
Ye Wen glanced at Qian Daoliu, feeling exasperated. "You're full of questions, aren't you?" But, knowing it was important to win their loyalty, he answered patiently. "Among my disciples, I have one who possesses the Eight Winged Angel spirit, already a titled Douluo by the age of 32. Her name is Qianqian, and she meets the qualifications to inherit the Angel God's mantle."
Qian Daoliu's eyes widened. "A titled Douluo at thirty two? With an Eight Winged Angel spirit?" He was astonished. A soul master with such talent and an exceptionally powerful Angel spirit was virtually unheard of.
A normal Six Winged Angel spirit only manifests its full potential upon reaching Title Douluo level, and even then, fully developing all six wings is rare. Yet under Ye Wen's mentorship and resources, Qianqian had managed to awaken four wings before reaching the Title Douluo stage and subsequently evolved to eight wings an achievement even the original Angel God had likely not reached. This indicated that Qianqian might exceed the traditional limit of six wings, perhaps even reaching eight or ten at higher divine levels.
Qian Daoliu gave a bitter nod, understanding now that Qianqian was indeed qualified to inherit the mantle of Angel God, even if it meant forfeiting his granddaughter's claim. "So, Great Priest, does she meet the requirements for inheriting the Angel God's legacy?" Ye Wen asked, watching Qian Daoliu closely.
With a twinge of disappointment, Qian Daoliu nodded. Although this meant that his granddaughter would not bear the family honor of becoming the Angel God, at least the successor had Angel blood, making the outcome less bitter.
But another thought lingered in Qian Daoliu's mind. Ye Wen had mentioned that he would help them ascend to godhood, yet the ritual to open the path to divinity usually required the priest to sacrifice everything for the chosen inheritor. Could it be that Ye Wen had found a way around this?
Still lost in thought, Qian Daoliu heard Ye Wen's voice call him back to the present.
"By the way, Priest Qian, Bibi Dong wanted me to ask if you still had any feelings for Bo Saixi?"
Qian Daoliu's eyes widened with shock. At his side, the elders suppressed their reactions, though Golden Crocodile Douluo let a wry smile slip. He knew well of his old friend's regrets about a past love. Qian Daoliu's heart was already crushed by Ye Wen's earlier words, and he responded stiffly, struggling to accept it.
"Is Bo Saixi… alive?" he asked weakly.
Ye Wen's answer was blunt. "She is indeed alive, and she is my second wife. Why do you ask?"
This revelation seemed to drain the last bit of strength from Qian Daoliu, whose face turned ashen. Ye Wen had clearly noticed his feelings but was utterly indifferent to them, a sharp reminder of his place. Golden Crocodile Douluo shot Ye Wen a wry glance, privately noting that their new leader wasn't as lenient as he appeared.
Brushing off the tense moment, Ye Wen turned his attention to Qian Renxue.
"You are still too weak. If you want to inherit the position of Angel God someday, you must grow stronger." With a touch of his finger, a faint golden six pointed star appeared on Qian Renxue's forehead a mark of power and potential beyond what she could have imagined.
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