Qian Daoliu was excited—ecstatic, even.
But Qian Xunji? He was absolutely overwhelmed with joy.
At long last, he had gained the recognition of the Angel God and been granted a divine trial—an Eight-Test at that!
That meant he now had the chance to follow in his father's footsteps and one day reach Rank 99.
At last, he would no longer bring shame to the ancestors of the Qian Clan.
"Ahem... Xunji," Qian Daoliu said, seizing the opportunity, "now that you've received the Angel's Eight Tests, isn't it time you thought about getting married?"
With his son finally overcoming a long-standing mental block, Qian Daoliu figured now was the perfect time to push this matter forward.
Sure, he'd once promised to give Qian Xunji ten years. But things had changed.
"Uh…"
Qian Xunji's expression froze as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on him. The excitement faded in an instant. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Father, I was thinking… maybe after I finish the God Trials…"
But before he could finish, he caught a glimpse of his father's darkening expression and twitching face. He sighed helplessly.
"…Alright then. Father, I'll get married first. As for having children, that'll have to wait until after I complete the Eight Tests."
"Excellent, excellent!" Qian Daoliu's face lit up with joy, switching moods faster than flipping a page. "In that case, I'll go find Lingyuan and choose an auspicious day for the ceremony. Time to plan your wedding."
"Lingyuan?"
Qian Xunji knew the woman. She was a Soul Douluo with a fire-type martial soul. They had met a few times before.
She had shoulder-length violet hair and wore black leather attire. Her appearance and demeanor were striking, and her figure was flawless. All things considered, she was a fine choice.
"But Father, will Lingyuan agree to this? You mustn't pressure her. If she's unwilling, I won't go through with it."
"Haha, don't worry. Both Golden Crocodile and I have spoken with her. She has no objections. As long as you give your consent, we can go public and prepare the wedding."
"Oh, right—she's quite talented. For the betrothal gift, go find Yue Guan and have him retrieve a suitable immortal herb from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well for her. Also, there's a 30,000-year-old Immolation Flame Right Arm Bone in the treasury. Give that to her too. We mustn't shortchange her."
There was something Qian Daoliu didn't say out loud: the higher the innate talents of both parents, the greater the potential of their offspring—assuming no abnormalities occurred.
And with the Six-Winged Angel being a god-bestowed martial soul, the chance of mutation was zero.
Why was Qian Daoliu so confident that their child would also awaken the Six-Winged Angel?
Wasn't it obvious?
The Six-Winged Angel of the Qian Clan was the only god-level martial soul on the entire continent. Who could compare in quality?
"Yes, I understand."
Qian Xunji nodded. Since the other party was willing to marry into the Qian family, he naturally wouldn't treat her poorly. He would offer the proper sincerity and respect.
---
"What?! Master is getting married?!"
Bibi Dong's eyes lit up as she heard the news, her inner gossip flame blazing to life.
"Who is it? Who? Who's my future mistress?"
She looked around eagerly but didn't see anyone who seemed like a match.
"Dong'er, there's no need to look. She didn't come along. I just wanted to tell you and Gu Han first," Qian Xunji said, shaking his head with a wry smile. This little girl may have grown up quite a bit, but at heart, she was still a curious child.
"Oh… alright…"
Bibi Dong's voice was a little disappointed. She had been hoping to meet her future master's wife.
"Master, may I ask who she is?" Gu Han was also intrigued. For someone to catch the eye of Qian Daoliu himself and be matched with Qian Xunji—it had to be an extraordinary woman.
"Yeah, yeah, who is she?" Bibi Dong added, her eyes sparkling as she stared at Qian Xunji with barely concealed curiosity. The gossip in her gaze was almost tangible.
"It's High Priestess Lingyuan."
Qian Xunji made no attempt to hide it and revealed her identity directly.
"Oh! It's Sister Lingyuan!"
Bibi Dong was acquainted with her. Though Lingyuan was old enough to be her mother, Bibi Dong still called her "Sister."
That might soon change—she'd have to call her "Mistress" instead.
"Congratulations, Master, on your union with High Priestess Lingyuan," Gu Han offered politely.
He, too, had a strong impression of Lingyuan. She was a strong powerhouse with Fire-type martial soul. However, during the hunt for Da Ming and Er Ming, her overconfidence led to her being killed in a counterattack.
Still, with her powerful fire-type beast martial soul, her child with Qian Xunji was sure to have exceptional talent.
---
"Your Holiness."
At that moment, Yue Guan arrived outside the pavilion and knelt on one knee respectfully.
"No need for formalities."
"Thank you, Your Holiness."
"Yue Guan, you've heard of the marriage my father arranged for me. I'd like you to travel to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and retrieve an appropriate immortal herb for Lingyuan."
Qian Xunji got straight to the point—no wasted words.
"Rest assured, Your Holiness. There's a Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower growing in the well—a fire-type immortal herb that suits Lady Lingyuan perfectly."
Yue Guan adjusted his tone quickly. Previously, he and Lingyuan had seen themselves as equals—he even held slightly higher rank.
But now that she was soon to be the wife of the Pope, her status had risen sharply. Naturally, his manner of address had to change accordingly.
"Good. I'll leave it to you, then."
"It's an honor to serve. I'll depart at once."
Yue Guan bowed and immediately set off for the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
The Pope's wedding was bound to cause a stir across the continent. Spirit Hall planned to send out invitations to the two great empires, all major sects, and even prominent wandering soul masters.
---
"Alright, the two of you focus on your cultivation here. Don't go wandering around. I still have many matters to prepare," Qian Xunji said, rising to his feet.
More accurately, he was reminding Gu Han to keep a close eye on Bibi Dong, so she wouldn't cause trouble.
"As you command, Master."
Gu Han offered a respectful salute, which Bibi Dong mimicked rather seriously.
"Mm."
Qian Xunji nodded. Whether the little girl truly listened or not didn't matter. With Gu Han watching her, nothing major would happen.
That was the convenience of having accepted Gu Han as a disciple—ever since then, Bibi Dong had been noticeably calmer and more obedient.
It had made Qian Xunji's life much easier.
Thinking of this, Qian Xunji silently praised himself again—My judgment is truly impeccable.
---
"Sister, let's continue the story of the Lotus Lantern."
Gu Han's version of The Lotus Lantern was told from the perspective of Erlang Shen, with the intention of making Bibi Dong empathize with him.
The story revolved around a noble, capable older brother whose lovely, accomplished younger sister ran off with some brat and even had a child—an outrageous situation.
It was meant to inoculate her against falling head-over-heels for the wrong person.
Gu Han's storytelling had become practically masterful at this point, and Bibi Dong was soon immersed in Erlang Shen's perspective, fully invested in the tale.
But when she heard about Erlang Shen being held at knifepoint, she couldn't help but interject.
"Wait—didn't you say Erlang Shen had a divine body? That he was impervious to blades and magic? How could a little knife threaten him?"
"It's just for show—to go easy on his idiotic nephew. The kid was innocent, after all. And no matter what, Chen Xiang is his nephew. He couldn't really kill him, could he?"
"True. Liu Yanchang is the real bastard here!!"
Bibi Dong nodded fervently, echoing Erlang Shen's frustration. They both blamed Liu Yanchang for everything!
The two fathers—Erlang Shen's and Chen Xiang's—were perfect examples of what to do and what not to do.
And perhaps that was why Erlang Shen could never truly accept Liu Yanchang.
~~~
If You Wish To Support Me And Read 30 Chapters Ahead, Consider Joining Me On This Journey!
> [email protected]/HudaLin