Chapter 69: The Darkness Grows Deeper
"The Spirit Hall has neither agreed nor refused, but has just been dragging its feet, saying it needs to consult the Pope?"
When Dugu Bo relayed Xue Xing's latest message, Su Lin couldn't help frowning deeply.
Given the tense relationship between Spirit Hall and the two great empires, outright obstruction would have been normal. But this deliberate stalling—what exactly did it mean?
Even if Su Lin racked his brains, he could never have guessed how absurd the real reason was.
Every gift bestowed by fate has its price marked in advance.
The attention and reward Bibi Dong once casually gave him had now, years later, stirred a storm in Qian Renxue's heart and brought him this completely undeserved calamity.
"The master of Heaven Dou City's Spirit Temple is Salas, one of the four Platinum Bishops. Soul power level 87, but he has been stuck there for many years and will probably never break through in this lifetime."
Dugu Bo was now bursting with arrogance. He sneered and continued, "A Soul Douluo with no hope of advancement dares to stand in my way? I'll go teach him a lesson!"
"…"
This old poison really has gotten cocky; he's even starting to look down on Spirit Hall.
"Perhaps the Pope is simply too busy to reply right now. Let's set this aside for the moment and head to the Star Dou Great Forest first."
"If Spirit Hall is still dragging its feet when we return, we can consider other methods."
Planting Blue Silver Grass was necessary for Su Lin, but it wasn't urgent. He didn't mind waiting a little longer.
He had a vague feeling there was some hidden reason behind this delay, and rashly attacking Salas would be unwise.
Even if action were to be taken, it would be safer after bringing Ah Yin back. Last time, letting Dugu Bo face Yu Yuanzhen alone had been far too risky; he had nearly died.
"Grandpa, Master is never wrong. Just listen to him!"
Dugu Yan was glowing with happiness, her red-and-blue eyes sparkling. Her fair arm gently looped through Su Lin's.
Although the Octagonal Black Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot hadn't directly raised her soul power, her cultivation speed had soared. In just a short time she had reached level 19, and level 20 was within sight.
One purpose of this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest was to scout a suitable second soul ring for her in advance.
In the past, Sunset Forest would have sufficed for Dugu Yan's soul rings, but now that her spirit had shifted to ice-and-fire attributes, such spirit beasts were rare. Searching for months would be normal.
Besides, several new Blue Silver Kings had been born at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes. Apart from the original one, Su Lin had collected the younger ones into his Ruyi Hundred Treasure Purse.
Now he could safely return to the Blue Silver Forest and exchange Ah Yin for her true body.
With the vast spiritual network formed by the blue silver grass there, as long as a Blue Silver King ruled it, there was no fear of invasion.
"Hmph! Fine. I'm just a butler now anyway. Whatever you say goes!"
Thanks to his eccentric personality and reclusiveness, not many people had come to visit in recent days, but those who dared were all heavyweights. Dugu Bo also wanted to use this chance to get some peace and quiet.
"Grandpa, don't say that. We can never repay Master's kindness. What's wrong with being a butler?"
Dugu Bo glared at his granddaughter's words. He really couldn't stand seeing her cling to Su Lin like this, so he could only turn his head away.
He, a dignified Title Douluo, now seemed to have the lowest status in the family!
…
Crown Prince's Residence.
Qian Renxue, still disguised as Xue Qinghe, sat blankly at the table, her eyes filled with confusion and exhaustion.
Ever since reading Su Lin's file, her thoughts had grown increasingly tangled. She often sat in a daze, looking haggard.
She knew very well the people in Spirit Hall. She even knew that woman intended to raise Hu Liena to replace her.
She had endured all of that.
But why should some lucky boy from a remote village, whose spirit was mere Blue Silver Grass, receive that woman's personal attention and reward?
She was the one who had never heard a single kind word!
That single line in the intelligence report became the last straw that crushed her psychological defenses.
"Prepare a gift. I'm going to pay a visit to Dugu Bo."
After a long silence, Qian Renxue finally gave the order to Porcupinefish Douluo hidden in the shadows.
The relationship between Crown Prince Xue Qinghe and Prince Xue Xing was poor, so she had originally not planned to visit Dugu Bo at this stage.
But now she no longer cared.
If she couldn't see for herself what was so special about the person that woman valued, she probably wouldn't be able to focus on anything else.
As the descendant of the Angel God, Qian Renxue knew she shouldn't be acting this way, yet the jealousy and imbalance in her heart tormented her without end.
"Let's go see for ourselves…"
Two conflicting emotions finally pushed her to this decision.
Just what made him worthy of that woman's regard?
If he was only on the level of Hu Liena and the others, she would be deeply disappointed.
Yet when Qian Renxue finally steeled herself to visit Dugu Bo and meet Su Lin, all she received was disappointing news.
"Young Master, we just received word that Dugu Bo was seen leaving through the south gate this morning with Su Lin and Dugu Yan. From their conversation, they appear to be heading to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul rings."
Porcupinefish Douluo's report left Qian Renxue looking unwilling.
Still dressed as Xue Qinghe, she bit her lip, revealing an oddly girlish demeanor. "I haven't obtained my fourth soul ring yet either. I'm going soul-hunting too!"
"Young Master!"
Porcupinefish Douluo was startled. "But your identity…"
Qian Renxue waved her hand. "With Xue Qinghe's talent, reaching level 40 at this age is perfectly reasonable. Just announce to the outside that he is going to obtain his fourth soul ring."
Right now, Qian Renxue didn't want to deal with anything else.
The more she failed to meet Su Lin, the more desperately she wanted to see him.
Like a drowning person clutching at the last straw, she was filled with desperate hope.
If that person truly surpassed her, then it was only natural he received that woman's attention and reward!
As the descendant of angels, she could accept defeat.
But if he turned out to be trash…
The mere thought made Qian Renxue feel she couldn't accept it. A torrent of negative emotions surged within her.
She should have been the holy angel of light, yet at this moment, the darkness in the depths of her heart grew ever deeper.
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[end of the chapter]