Chapter 16: Xuan Tian Sect
"I accept this alliance."
The Silver Dragon King regarded Qian Chongling solemnly. With the promise of healing her wounds and the prospect of a future God King on their side, this pact was too valuable to refuse.
"Ha! Excellent!" Qian Chongling laughed heartily, though his eyes burned with cold hatred. "Let those hypocritical gods of the God Realm taste the resolve of the hunted!"
"Now that we're allies," he added, "might I ask you to take human form, Lady Silver Dragon King? This colossal dragon shape might frighten the girl."
"Very well," she replied. "Though my true form aids recovery, with this girl's power at hand, that minor benefit is negligible."
A silvery-white radiance enveloped her. When it faded, a breathtakingly elegant woman stood before them.
She stood about 1.75 meters tall, with long silver hair cascading down her back. Her figure was sculpted to perfection—flawless skin, ethereal beauty, and violet eyes brimming with mystery and regal grace.
"My name is Gu Yue Na."
Using "Silver Dragon King" among allies was no longer appropriate.
"And you, little one?" She turned to Qian Ningshuang. "What is your name?"
"Qian Ningshuang."
Despite Gu Yue Na's legendary beauty—often hailed as the most stunning woman in Douluo Dalu—Qian Ningshuang remained meekly composed.
What did celestial beauty matter when the woman before her could crush her into paste with a flick of her wrist? She couldn't fathom how other transmigrators dared dream of "romancing" Gu Yue Na under such circumstances.
"Then I'll call you Shuang'er."
Gu Yue Na was more than willing to foster goodwill with a future God King.
"Uh… sure, whatever you like."
Qian Ningshuang's combined age—past life and present—was likely less than a fraction of Gu Yue Na's. She had no say in the matter.
Seeing the girl still trembling with fear, Gu Yue Na wisely shelved her attempts at bonding. Let her adjust first. She turned instead to the hovering specter of Qian Chongling.
"As allies, you likely know my history from your time in the God Realm, Lord Qian Chongling. But what of you? What happened to you there that left you in this state?"
"It's a long tale," Qian Chongling said, not averse to recounting his life's greatest tragedy. "But you're familiar with the connection between Spirit Hall and the Angel God, are you not?"
At that, Gu Yue Na's eyes lit up—perhaps from centuries of solitude, she welcomed the chance to speak.
"Oh, very much so. The Angel God is one of the few humans Star Dou Great Forest owes a debt to."
"Ten thousand years ago, the邪魂师 sect known as Xuan Tian Sect terrorized the continent. They wielded unique soul cultivation methods, countless self-created soul skills, and bizarre weapons no one had seen before. Entire human regions suffered under their tyranny—and so did Star Dou. Those邪魂师 would slaughter entire魂 beast clans, generation after generation, just for their spirit bones."
"At the time, we凶 beasts were bound by God Realm restrictions and could not intervene. We could only watch helplessly as Star Dou shrank before our eyes."
"Then came the Angel God. She rallied the oppressed humans—and even some魂 beasts from Star Dou—and waged war for decades until Xuan Tian Sect and邪魂师 were erased from history."
"After her ascension, her followers founded Spirit Hall—to regulate human Spirit Masters, prevent邪魂师 from rising again, and serve as both a center of Angelic faith and the inheritance site for the Angel God's divine seat."
"Ahh!"
Qian Ningshuang gasped aloud.
*Xuan Tian Sect… self-created soul skills… strange weapons…* That sounded suspiciously like a certain icy, pure, and oh-so-famous Third Brother.
"What's wrong, Shuang'er?"
Both Qian Chongling and Gu Yue Na turned to her.
"N-nothing! I just… never knew Spirit Hall had such origins." She hesitated, then asked, "But… Ancestor Qian Chongling, why isn't any of this recorded in Spirit Hall's archives?"
Qian Chongling stroked his beard. It was rare for Qian Ningshuang to ask a question—especially one showing curiosity. As the cornerstone of their rebellion, she deserved the truth.
"The absence of Xuan Tian Sect records is… complicated. Perhaps hatred blinded us. Or perhaps Xuan Tian Sect's crimes were so vile that, for two thousand years after their fall, not only邪魂师—but any sect, individual, or craft even remotely resembling them—was ruthlessly purged."
"Self-created soul skills? Banned. Weapon forging? Suppressed. Anything that echoed Xuan Tian Sect was destroyed by 'righteous' Spirit Masters in a frenzy of overcorrection."
"And Spirit Hall… played a shameful role in that purge."
Qian Ningshuang was speechless. To incite such madness—lasting two millennia—just how hated *was* Xuan Tian Sect?
But now, certain mysteries from her past life made sense. Why no crossbows in Douluo? Why did nearly everyone rely solely on魂 skills? Even the Tang family's knack for inventing techniques stood out as an anomaly.
Two thousand years of eradication left deep scars. Even without written history, habits endured: few dared create new魂 skills; fewer still pursued new weapons. The legacy of fear lived on—in silence.