After hearing Bibi Dong's words, Qian Renxue seemed to descend into madness, tears streaming down her face like a fountain.
For all these years, whether it was Qian Daoliu or Qian Xunji, they had always been Qian Renxue's faith—figures of immense brilliance and grandeur in her heart, as well as her closest family members.
But she never imagined that such dark truths existed in this world.
Her mother had been humiliated by her own father, resulting in her birth. Her beloved grandfather, who had witnessed everything, not only allowed it to happen but even facilitated it.
This explained why her mother hated her so much. She was the embodiment of her mother's shame, and her very existence served as a constant reminder of her mother's painful past.
"So, you've wanted to kill me ever since I was born because of what my father did to you?"
Bibi Dong's expression twisted: "What do you think you are? In my eyes, you are my greatest humiliation. Your existence constantly reminds me of that shame, reminding me of the darkness within the Angel Clan."
…
Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, mother and daughter, were both in tears, resembling two madwomen. They endlessly accused each other, exposing one another's wounds like bitter enemies.
Eventually, Golden Crocodile Douluo led the six Worships into the room. Seeing the heated argument between the two, their eyes revealed a trace of pity.
"Young Miss, you are the true inheritor of the Spirit Empire, the pure Six-Winged Angel martial soul, and the faith of our entire empire. Only you have the right to inherit the throne of the Spirit Empire."
Qian Renxue's expression was cold: "Grandpa Golden Crocodile, from today onward, strip Bibi Dong of her position as emperor of the Spirit Empire. Arrange for her to be escorted back to Spirit City for recuperation. Without orders, she is not to leave Spirit City."
Bibi Dong clenched her teeth: "You wretch! The Spirit Empire was founded by me—I am its founding emperor. No one has the right to restrict me!"
Golden Crocodile Douluo spoke first: "Bibi Dong, according to the rules of the Spirit Empire, the Worship Hall has the authority to remove you from power. From today onward, return to Spirit City to live out your days. Otherwise, don't blame us for being harsh."
"Moreover, you initiated this battle at Jialing Pass. If not for Young Miss turning the tide, Jialing Pass would have already fallen."
Bibi Dong glanced around. Aside from the six Worships, all four elders who had always supported her were present.
Unfortunately, even Tuoba Xi, the Holy Dragon Douluo who had always backed her, remained silent now. The other three elders also stayed quiet, unwilling to get involved in this matter.
Since Qian Renxue's ascension to godhood, her status in the Spirit Empire had become incomparably high, far surpassing Bibi Dong's as empress.
Even though Bibi Dong had fought tirelessly for the Spirit Empire for so long and suffered many injuries, in the face of absolute power, she had no means to resist.
With cold eyes, Bibi Dong surveyed her surroundings, enduring the pain in her body: "You've gone too far. I won't let this go. Sooner or later, you'll pay for what you've done today."
"Qian Renxue, even if you're the Angel God, Hu Liena is now the first heir to the Spirit Empire's throne. You will always remain nothing more than a mere offering to the empire."
Both Qian Renxue and Golden Crocodile Douluo remained silent. After all, Bibi Dong's influence ran deep within the Spirit Empire, where she had operated for countless years. If they pushed things too far, the entire Jialing Pass army might collapse.
Hu Liena helped Bibi Dong up: "Teacher, I'll return to Spirit City with you."
Bibi Dong shook her head: "My life has been a failure. You are my only disciple and my proudest creation. Now that the situation at Jialing Pass is delicate, you must lead the Spirit Empire forward. Don't let all my efforts go to waste."
With that, Bibi Dong forced herself to stand and slowly left the room.
Qian Renxue watched Bibi Dong's retreating figure, observing the bond between teacher and disciple. A sharp pain pierced her heart.
Qian Renxue knew well that Bibi Dong had always treated Hu Liena like a daughter, providing her with the best resources and education, even ignoring her own biological daughter.
This unattainable affection had haunted Qian Renxue her entire life, while Hu Liena had effortlessly received it.
After Bibi Dong left, Golden Crocodile Douluo quickly spoke: "Young Miss, what should we do now? The Tian Dou Empire is currently leaderless, and both Tang Hao and Emperor Xue Ye are dead. Should we seize this opportunity to take over the Tian Dou Empire?"
Qian Renxue shook her head: "Grandpa Golden Crocodile, my injuries are too severe. I need time to recover."
"Though Yang Xiong's injuries are similar to mine, he brought back Ning Rongrong and the others. Ning Rongrong is now a Title Douluo, so we wouldn't gain much of an advantage. For now, everyone should focus on recovery. We'll discuss the next steps when the time comes."
"Given the current situation, without Emperor Xue Ye or Marshal Ge Long, the Tian Dou Empire's army will likely face major issues."
After hearing Qian Renxue's words, everyone gradually dispersed to arrange for the army's rest and recuperation.
As for Hu Liena, she could only watch Bibi Dong leave, silently observing the conflict between Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue. Unsure of what to say, she focused on calming the soul master corps.
Once everyone had left, Qian Renxue carefully examined her injuries. As the Angel God, she quickly understood the reason for her final failure.
In terms of strength, Yang Xiong was very close to her. However, at the critical moment, there seemed to be a flaw in her divine inheritance. Her divine soul appeared to have been tainted by a trace of evil energy, leading to her ultimate defeat.
As a true Level 100 powerhouse, Qian Renxue quickly realized her mental state was still lacking. It was only through her grandfather's sacrifice that she had passed the final trial of the Angel Nine Trials. Otherwise, problems would have arisen during the inheritance test.
Now, her task was to break free from the constraints of her mindset and address the deficiencies in her divine position. Only then could she become a perfect Angel God.
Qian Renxue touched the sword mark on her forehead: "Yang Xiong, just wait. Next time, I will not lose to you."
…
Outside Jialing Pass, in the Tian Dou Empire's camp, Yang Xiong was doing his best to recover.
His injuries were severe, and even with Ning Rongrong's full support and Oscar's sausages, his recovery was relatively slow.
At every wound on his body, a layer of golden energy lingered, burning ceaselessly like flames.
Yang Xiong understood that this was the unique divine power of the Angel God—pure light attributes combined with terrifying solar flames. For ordinary soul masters, this would be a fatal presence.
However, for Yang Xiong now, it wasn't overly troublesome.
A blood-red aura emanated from his body. At each wound, crimson energy collided with the golden energy, continuously wearing each other down.
Qian Renxue was a Level 100 true god, far surpassing Yang Xiong in soul power level. All of his wounds were imbued with pure divine power.
Yang Xiong, on the other hand, was only at Level 98. Though he had gained some divine power through his Asura martial soul and domain, there was still a vast gap between him and a true god. Removing all the damage would be difficult.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King observed Yang Xiong's wounds thoughtfully: "Yang Xiong, these wounds are no ordinary matter. If an ordinary Level 98 soul master sustained this kind of injury, even if they didn't die, they'd likely be crippled for life. Without external assistance, they wouldn't be able to expel this divine power."
Yang Xiong smiled: "Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise. The Angel God's power lingering on these wounds might actually benefit me. I've always pursued godhood, but there's still a gap between soul power and divine power. Perhaps this Angel God's power will help me better understand the essence of divine power, making my own divine power purer."
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King nodded: "That's true, but this will take a lot of time. That Angel God over there is a true god. Though her injuries are worse than yours, her recovery will definitely be faster than yours."
Yang Xiong shook his head: "Qian Renxue's injuries aren't that simple. Besides my final Asura strike, her divine soul is lacking. Otherwise, she wouldn't have lost so badly."
The Deep Sea Demon King frowned in confusion: "I find it strange. When I broke through to Level 100 and became a god, no matter how massive my body was, it was entirely transformed into divine power. Both my body and soul completed the dragon transformation. One could say a god has no flaws."
"What's going on with Qian Renxue? She inherited the position of Angel God, so why isn't she perfect?"
Yang Xiong chuckled: "Though Qian Renxue became a god, only half of her achievement came from her own efforts. The other half was due to her grandfather's sacrifice. There's still a deficiency."
"In terms of temperament, Qian Renxue isn't as detached as one might imagine. Ascending to godhood requires passing trials of the seven emotions and six desires. Clearly, with her abilities, she couldn't pass the test on her own."
"Likely, when Qian Daoliu sacrificed himself, he used his hundred years of soul power combined with the faith of the Angel God to forcefully push Qian Renxue through the inheritance trial. But none of this truly belongs to her—it will eventually backfire."
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King said: "Still, Yang Xiong, I find something odd. During Qian Renxue's final attack, there seemed to be a trace of evil divine power on her. This shouldn't have anything to do with the Angel God."
Yang Xiong laughed: "Extremes breed opposites. The Angel God represents the purest light, while the Rakshasa God represents the purest evil. The two have been eternal enemies. Yet strangely, the inheritor of the Rakshasa God gave birth to the Angel God. Perhaps this is part of the Rakshasa God's schemes."
"But none of this matters much. With Qian Renxue's talent and strength, addressing her deficiencies won't be too difficult. By the time that happens, I may have to face a true Angel God."
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King snorted: "You're a craftier fellow than anyone realizes. I don't understand—why did you hold back at the end when you could have killed the Angel God?"
---
T/N: For Patrons, don't forget to vote for which story gets 4 Chapters/Day for next week! Checkout the community Chats for the link or use the tag 'Weekly Vote' to get to the post!
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)