"Brother! Brother!"
Lion Douluo, Golden Crocodile Douluo, and several others rushed forward in alarm as Qian Daoliu stumbled, spewing blood. Gentle soul power quickly surged into his body, trying to calm his chaotic qi, blood, and soul.
Qian Daoliu's eyes were unfocused, murmuring to himself, consciousness spiraling into the depths of memory. All the doubts and anomalies he had deliberately ignored or tried to "rationalize" in the past now appeared like devils loosed from their chains, gnawing at the faith he'd guarded for a century.
He had chased Tang Hao down… With the power of a rank-99 Douluo and the Seraphim, it should have been easy to catch the then-inexperienced, heavily burdened Tang Hao.
But what happened? After several battles, even in desperate situations, Tang Hao always exploded with strength beyond his limits. The Clear Sky Hammer seemed to have a will of its own, creating miracles time and again. Even in his specialty—speed—Tang Hao vanished without a trace, leaving not even a clue behind.
He had blamed it on Tang Chen's secret techniques, or the Clear Sky Sect's unknown tricks. But thinking back now—were there not signs of higher intervention and concealment behind all those "coincidences" and unbelievable escapes?
And then Bo Saixi… That matchless figure upon the waves, a memory of unspeakable brilliance and regret. Her actions on Seagod Island, the holy golden light, the power to purify sea devils and calm the storms… At first, he had merely found it gentle, as if from the same source, and developed a faint admiration for the Sea God he'd never met.
But now… Now, "as if from the same source"—what did that mean anymore? It was almost exactly the same! The traits of her power, revealed naturally after stealing the Angel God's authority and origin.
That fleeting affection and gratitude, in retrospect, were just the foolish antics of a clown swayed by the very enemy who stole his treasure and slew his ancestor.
"Poseidon… Bo Saixi—!!!"
A low, wounded roar was forced from Qian Daoliu's throat—not the dignified rebuke of before, but filled with unforgettable hatred and endless humiliation. A cold killing intent surged from his unstable body like a wintry storm, filling the entire altar in an instant—stronger even than when he learned of his only son Qian Xunji's downfall.
Regret like pale moonlight, innate reverence for the gods—at this moment, all of it was shattered by the flames of vengeance.
The hatred for the ancestor's murderer, the one who stole their foundation, the humiliation of a century's deceit—all fused into this monstrous killing intent, aimed at the bloodline of the Sea God.
Sensing the terrifying killing intent within Qian Daoliu, even Chu Shanhe and the Grand Elder exchanged glances, surprise flashing in their eyes. They hadn't expected the Angel God's fall to be tied to the mysterious "Seagod Island." The shocking conspiracy of a first-rank main god plotting against another and successfully stealing their authority was staggering.
"What a move… such a grand game?" Chu Shanhe couldn't help transmitting to the Grand Elder with soul power.
"What sort of Sea God is this—how could he be so ruthless? To plot against another main god, and an Angel God at that?"
"A secret scheme…" The Grand Elder's eyes were deep. "Unfortunately, it's more than just a secret scheme."
The Sea God and Angel God both ascended ten thousand years ago, but the Sea God's name was scarcely known on the mainland, much less so than the world-saving Angel God. There should have been a gap in power and prestige—how could Poseidon have succeeded? The plan and timing must have been beyond imagination.
As high-ranking members of the Body sect, they naturally held deeper respect for the Angel God who protected humanity and swept away darkness. At this moment, hearing of his end, they couldn't help feeling some shame and wariness toward the Sea God's bloodline.
After a long time, with the help of multiple soul powers and strong cultivation support, Qian Daoliu's churning qi and rampaging soul power were forcibly suppressed. He slowly raised his head. Once as bright as the sun and godlike in dignity, his golden eyes were now bloodshot and dim, containing only endless desolation.
He pushed aside his supporters, took a few unsteady steps forward, and locked his gaze on Chen Yi, his voice hoarse, almost humble in its need for confirmation.
"Then… the Angel God… he… won't return, will he?"
This question seemed to sap all strength from Qian Daoliu, the despair and pleading in his eyes striking at the heart.
Chen Yi looked at the old man, whose pillar of faith had collapsed in an instant, and, though he felt little joy, a hint of complex emotion arose.
He shook his head, and before the last light faded from Qian Daoliu's eyes, spoke.
"No, senior. On the contrary."
Qian Daoliu's entire body trembled, a faint spark suddenly bursting in his dazed eyes. He almost leaped forward, gripping Chen Yi's shoulders with both hands, voice trembling with hope and disbelief.
"Could it be… the Divine Ancestor… is not dead yet?"
Chen Yi frowned slightly, feeling the immense strength in the old man's hands, and explained calmly.
"Seniors, you misunderstand. The Angel God has indeed fallen, his soul dissipated. That is a fact."
"In other words—a new Angel God will appear."
"A new… Angel God?"
Qian Daoliu and the others stared blankly, then all eyes snapped to the golden-haired girl playing the prince of the Heaven Dou Empire—Qian Renxue!
Qian Daoliu's breathing quickened, his voice shaking terribly.
"You… what do you mean… Xue'er? Will Xue'er inherit the Angel God's seat and become the new Angel God?"
Chen Yi nodded affirmatively, his tone full of certainty.
"The specific reasons and details for the Angel God's fall are not entirely clear to the younger generation," he said. "But one thing is certain: this matter remains a secret even at the highest levels of the Divine Realm. Even the Divine Council may not fully understand the internal situation; otherwise, they would never have let it pass."
If this came to light, it would cause massive turmoil in the Divine Realm, severely shaking the foundations of its rules and order. The God Kings—those two in particular—would never allow such a blow to the Divine Realm's stability to go unpunished.
The only explanation is that the Sea God's actions were extremely secretive, exploiting loopholes so that even the Divine Council couldn't intervene.
"Qian Renxue is a rare innate level-20 soul power, making her unimaginably suited to the Angel God's seat in both bloodline and martial soul. She is, sadly, the closest anyone has come to the original Angel God in fourteen thousand years."
Chen Yi continued his analysis: "It's only natural that she should undertake the full Angel Nine Trials, inheriting the portion of the Angel God's legacy left in the idol and the untainted land not stolen or corrupted by the Sea God."
Hearing this, Qian Daoliu was like a dead lake stirred by a stone—hope was rekindled, his eyes shining with excitement. Though still bloodshot, his gaze was now ecstatic.
"The holy light of the Angel God… may shine in the world again! Xue'er… my Xue'er!"
He seemed to see the dawn of his clan and faith's revival, the continuation of his lifelong guardianship.
But this ecstasy lasted only a moment before a cold, cruel reality slithered into his heart, turning his face pale again.
"Then… what about the Sea God?!"
Qian Daoliu's voice trembled with fear and anxiety. The Angel God's fall was inseparable from the Sea God. If Xue'er wanted to inherit the divine throne, she would inevitably touch upon this causal link. Poseidon… that thief! That murderer! Would someone who dared attack a main god stand by while a new Angel God was born, watching a new threat and enemy arise?
He would surely interfere or scheme against Xue'er in some shameful way. Just thinking that Xue'er would face not only the trials of godhood but also be secretly watched and plotted against by an ancient main god made Qian Daoliu feel a bone-chilling helplessness. Even if he fought for this old life in front of the gods, he was just a slightly larger ant.
As Qian Daoliu plunged from ecstasy into deep fear, Chen Yi suddenly smiled.
"Senior," Chen Yi's voice was gentle but clear to all. "It seems you've forgotten—what I said earlier."
He looked up, his gaze seeming to pierce the altar dome, reaching to the unseen Divine Realm above, before looking back at Qian Daoliu.
"There is someone above."
He repeated those words once more. The tone was flat, but each word weighed a thousand pounds—no longer just a hint, but a confident declaration at this very moment.
…
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