After a long while, under Qin Xiao's watchful gaze, Zhu Zhuqing's long eyelashes fluttered twice, and then she slowly opened her eyes. Seeing the familiar figure before her, Zhu Zhuqing's face lit up with joy, "Your Majesty."

Qin Xiao smiled, "You've broken through in your cultivation, haven't you?"

"Yes, yes!" Zhu Zhuqing nodded vigorously, "Your Majesty, the immortal grass you gave me is truly powerful. My cultivation level has directly risen from level thirty-five to forty, and I feel that this is still not the limit."

Her voice was filled with unmistakable amazement. She had never imagined that such treasures existed on the Douluo Continent.

"Ha ha, it's good that your strength has increased. Don't think too much for now, just focus on solidifying your cultivation. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the Star Dou Great Forest for soul hunting," Qin Xiao laughed heartily, reaching out to ruffle the girl's hair.

Zhu Zhuqing gently nuzzled Qin Xiao's palm and then asked, "Your Majesty, won't you stay the night?"

"Stay the night..." Remembering the intimacy of the previous night, Qin Xiao felt tempted.

However, he shook his head, "As I just said, you've just broken through in your cultivation. Now, you should focus on solidifying your cultivation and try to see if you can fully assimilate the medicine to maximize your strength."

After hearing Qin Xiao's words, Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly nodded, "Okay then."

Leaving Zhu Zhuqing's room, Qin Xiao felt somewhat restless. Indeed, if not for Zhu Zhuqing having just consumed the immortal grass, he might have taken things further with her right then and there.

Clang.

Qin Xiao felt he kicked something, hearing a crisp sound underfoot.

He looked down and saw it was a bottle.

"Who threw this?"

Qin Xiao was surprised.

"It was me!"

Suddenly, a vague voice came from the bushes in the distance.

"It's Liu Erlong."

Just from the voice, Qin Xiao could identify who it was.

He walked over.

Sure enough, Liu Erlong was sprawled out on the ground.

Qin Xiao frowned, "Are you drunk?"

Liu Erlong shook her head, "I, Liu Erlong, have never been drunk. I came here to fulfill my promise, to do whatever you want."

After saying that, she tilted her head and passed out.

"I've never been so speechless in my life."

Qin Xiao was at a loss for words. Was he that frightening that she had to numb herself with alcohol?

After some thought, he decided to take Liu Erlong back to her room.

No, to be precise, Qin Xiao threw Liu Erlong into a bathtub filled with water, letting her sober up properly.

The next day, in the early morning, "Qin Xiao, you've gone too far!"

Splash.

Liu Erlong stood up from the bathtub, her face full of anger, even forgetting her fear of Qin Xiao.

"Sending myself to him, and he just throws me into a tub to soak all night?"

This made Liu Erlong feel like a joke.

And Qin Xiao... Facing such a beauty, and he remains unmoved? Worse than a beast.

"Early in the morning, wake up and do what you need to do, why the noise?"

Suddenly, a voice sounded behind Liu Erlong.

"You, when did you get here?"

Liu Erlong's face showed surprise and disbelief.

The person behind her was none other than Qin Xiao.

She became flustered.

Qin Xiao responded irritably, "You're in my room, when do you think I got here?"

"Ah, this."

Liu Erlong's face immediately showed embarrassment.

Yes, this was Qin Xiao's residence. His appearance here was not at all unusual.

"I, I'll leave now."

Liu Erlong hurriedly said, stepping out of the tub and heading towards the door.

"Remember, I, Qin Xiao, am not a man who settles for just anything."

As Liu Erlong was about to leave the room, Qin Xiao's voice followed her.

Liu Erlong stiffened.

After a moment of silence, she said without turning back, "I'll remember that."

The door opened and then closed, leaving Qin Xiao alone in the room.

He pondered for a while and made a decision, "First, I'll go to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to bring back Ah Yin, then head to the Star Dou Great Forest for soul hunting. After that, set sail for Sea God Island."

Meanwhile, at the Spirit Hall...

Outside the supreme Angel Temple, a pair of elders, resembling each other to a great extent, waited quietly. Despite their seemingly calm demeanor, their Soul Power of level 96 allowed them to communicate secretly without being noticed.

"Brother, do you really think the Grand Worship will come out of seclusion today? But why haven't we seen any signs of movement even after waiting for so long?"

"Don't overthink it. The Grand Worship comes out of seclusion once every three months, and today marks the end of this period. It's just a little late this time."

"Ha ha, I really can't wait to see the expression on the Grand Worship's face when he learns of the achievements of the Young Master in the Tian Dou Empire."

As the brothers whispered among themselves, the closed doors of the temple suddenly began to rumble open.

"Qianjun, greeting the Grand Worship!"

"Jiangmo, greeting the Grand Worship!"

The brothers immediately bowed in the direction of the Angel Temple, their words filled with respect.

Undoubtedly, the only person in the Spirit Hall who could command such respect from them was the Grand Worship, Qian Dao Liu.

"You've worked hard."

At that moment, a golden-haired middle-aged man walked out from the Angel Temple, his face wearing a warm smile.

"It's our duty to serve the Spirit Hall."

The brothers hastily replied.

"Has anything significant happened in the Douluo Continent over these three months?"

"And is Xue'er all right?"

Qian Dao Liu asked casually.

"The Young Master is safe and sound, you need not worry," Qianjun Douluo quickly answered.

"However, there have indeed been some significant events, and they are related to the Young Master."

"Oh?" Qian Dao Liu's eyes flashed with surprise, "Related to Xue'er, what happened?"

"Grand Worship, the Emperor of the Tian Dou Empire has passed away. Now the Young Master has become the new Emperor."

"What?"

Qian Dao Liu's face showed shock upon hearing Jiangmo Douluo's explanation.

"How is that possible? Despite being frail, the Emperor had at least a few more years to live."

"And the situation in the Tian Dou Empire, though seemingly calm, is actually filled with undercurrents. Prince Xue Xing is ambitious; I always felt he was plotting something. But no matter what he planned, he wouldn't willingly let Xue'er ascend the throne, right?"

Qian Dao Liu's voice was filled with confusion, his brows furrowed. He found the situation highly irregular.

"Grand Worship, you have a keen insight," Jiangmo Douluo flattered before quickly explaining, "Xue Xing indeed harbored ambitious intentions, disguising himself as a weakling for decades before suddenly revealing his power, almost costing the Young Master his life."

"Xue Xing!"

"He's seeking his own death!"

"Where is Xue Xing now? I want to kill him."

Hearing this, Qian Dao Liu's face turned furious.

Boom! A powerful wave of Soul Power burst forth from Qian Dao Liu, like an explosion.

Thump, thump, thump... Qianjun and Jiangmo stepped back under this formidable aura, retreating several meters before they could stand firm.

"Grand Worship, please calm down. The Young Master has already turned the tide, and Xue Xing is dead. See, the Young Master is fine now, having inherited the throne of the Emperor. This is the best outcome."

Love leads to chaos. Qian Dao Liu belatedly calmed down, realizing his impulsive reaction.

But Qian Renxue was his weak spot; anyone who threatened her would drive him into a frenzy.

He took a deep breath and asked Qianjun and Jiangmo to explain the situation.

"As you command!"

The brothers exchanged glances and began to recount the events, starting with a young man named Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao?

Qian Dao Liu frowned, not recognizing the name from his memories of the Douluo Continent.

However, he remained silent this time, listening attentively.

Gradually, as more information was shared, Qian Dao Liu's expression grew serious.

After a long while, he couldn't help but exclaim, "A hero emerges from youth. I was also once considered a peerless genius, standing above all others, but compared to Qin Xiao, my talent pales in comparison."

"I can't believe such a person exists on the Douluo Continent."

In truth, Qian Dao Liu's estimation of Qin Xiao went far beyond these words.

A god among men in his youth!

Given the potential to become a god!

Qian Dao Liu refrained from voicing these thoughts to avoid unnecessary panic. Even according to the records of the Spirit Hall, not even the Sea God possessed such innate talent.

"Such a prodigy must be recruited into our Spirit Hall at all costs!"

Qian Dao Liu had already started to think about how to win him over.

"With such a person emerging on the Douluo Continent, the Pope surely wouldn't ignore him, right?"

"What has she done?"

Qian Dao Liu looked at Qianjun and Jiangmo, the brothers, and asked further.

"Grand Worship, Bibi Dong offered Qin Xiao the position of an elder in the Spirit Hall."

Qianjun Douluo immediately relayed the information he had.

"An elder of the Spirit Hall?"

Qian Dao Liu frowned.

"Yes, in fact, even we brothers felt that the benefits offered were not enough to entice Qin Xiao."

"No, that's already the limit."

Qian Dao Liu shook his head.

"The limit?"

Qianjun and Jiangmo, the brothers, didn't expect Qian Dao Liu to say such a thing.

Was enticing someone with Qin Xiao's unlimited potential worth only this much?

"Hehe, you misunderstood."

Qian Dao Liu, noticing the expression on the brothers' faces, smiled slightly: "What I meant was, offering Qin Xiao the position of an elder in the Spirit Hall was already the highest authority Bibi Dong had."

"But I think that's still not enough, so I plan to up the ante."

So that's it...

Qianjun and Jiangmo, the brothers, had a moment of realization.

But then came the question, what kind of ante should be added?

"I wonder what the Grand Worship has in mind?"

"I plan to directly recruit Qin Xiao as a worship of the Spirit Hall, and his actions will not be bound by the rules of the Spirit Hall. He will also enjoy all the protections the Spirit Hall offers."

Qian Dao Liu shared his thoughts, then looked at the dumbfounded brothers and asked, "What do you think of this?"

Hiss...

Hearing Qian Dao Liu's words, the brothers gasped in unison.

What did they think?

They thought it was unheard of!

"Grand Worship, it has always been a rule that only Title Douluos above level 96 can become worships of the Spirit Hall."

"But Qin Xiao's strength has just surpassed that of a Title Douluo not long ago..."

What could Qianjun Douluo do?

He had no choice but to firmly dissuade him.

"Yes, Grand Worship, aren't you being too lenient with Qin Xiao?"

Jiangmo Douluo had more to say, which essentially questioned if the Spirit Hall had become Qin Xiao's backyard.

Wasn't it illogical for the Spirit Hall to be responsible for Qin Xiao when he owed nothing in return?

This was not about inviting a worship to the Hall; this was akin to inviting a father figure.

Hearing this, Qian Dao Liu's brows furrowed, "I have my considerations. Remember, rules are dead, but people are alive."

"In my eyes, nothing is set in stone, provided that it has enough value for me to willingly pay a significant price to break the rules."

"And in my view, Qin Xiao is very much worth it."

Undoubtedly, a young deity with the potential to become a god was worth Qian Dao Liu's efforts.

Qian Dao Liu believed that only by showing enough goodwill when the other party was weak could they truly win Qin Xiao's heart for the Spirit Hall in the future.

After hearing Qian Dao Liu's words, the brothers fell silent.

Seeing the brothers no longer spoke, Qian Dao Liu asked lightly, "Do you still have doubts now?"

"No, no more."

Qianjun and Jiangmo shook their heads almost simultaneously.

They were not about to defy the Grand Worship needlessly.

Having said all that needed to be said, it was time to go with the flow.

Qian Dao Liu nodded, "Since there are no objections, then I'll leave this matter to you to handle."

"I will personally write a letter, which you two will deliver directly to Qin Xiao in Star Luo City."

"Both of us."

"Together?"

Qianjun and Jiangmo feared they had heard wrong.

Qian Dao Liu nodded affirmatively, "Yes, both of you will go together. That way, it shows the importance our Spirit Hall places on him."

For the greater prosperity of the Spirit Hall, Qian Dao Liu felt this was no issue.

"Alright."

Qianjun and Jiangmo nodded solemnly, their hearts filled with a sense of melancholy.

Qian Dao Liu was treating these level 96 Title Douluos like messenger pigeons, clearly using them to send a letter to a junior.

Meanwhile, they couldn't help feeling uncomfortable about having to show such deference to a younger generation.

Elsewhere, in front of a small wooden house in the backyard of the Blue Tyrant Academy...

Liu Erlong looked surprised, "Flender, Yu Xiaogang, what are you doing here? And Yu Xiaogang, why didn't you leave?"

Flender pointed at Yu Xiaogang, "He wanted to wait here for you, said he wanted to see you one last time."

Speaking, his voice took on a complicated tone, "Just didn't expect it would be an entire night's wait."

A night's wait...

Liu Erlong paused for a moment.

At that moment, a frail, white-haired Yu Xiaogang, leaning on a tree branch, staggered towards Liu Erlong, saying, "Erlong, I was wrong. Will you come back to me?"

(End of the chapter)