Douluo Continent: The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda? A Soul Beast Pagoda!

The evening breeze seemed a bit cooler.

She tightened her arms around her knees and whispered, "The son doesn't resemble his father? But... if the son really does resemble his father... then I have even more doubts..."

She paused, her voice even softer, carrying a hint of chill and pity that she herself was unaware of.

"Anything else?"

"And another thing..." Jiang Bai said after a moment's thought.

"The Jingnan Campaign..."

"Simply put, the father is old, the eldest brother died young, and the second and third brothers passed away one after another. The eldest nephew, who should have inherited the family business, is missing. The entire family business is on the verge of collapse, beset by internal and external troubles."

"At this time, my fourth uncle, who originally only wanted to live a peaceful life as a vassal king, had to step forward at the age of forty-three and shoulder the heavy responsibility of rebuilding the family business and restoring order."

One acted proactively to protect himself and fulfill his ambitions, while the other was forced to shoulder heavy responsibilities when his family was in peril...

The light in Qian Renxue's eyes flickered uncertainly.

It's like four different mirrors, reflecting the fate trajectories of people in different positions and with different personalities in the vortex of power.

There was helplessness, there was tragedy, there was decisiveness, and there was a sense of responsibility.

Without exception, they were all filled with sacrifice, struggle, and being unable to control one's own destiny.

Jiang Bai observed her expression, then changed the subject, his tone becoming elusive and seductive.

"Senior, when I was a child in the village, I heard many ancient legends from the old people. Among them was a story about angels, who were said to be supreme beings who held the light, judged the world, and were supreme beings."

He paused, then looked at Qian Renxue. "There must really be gods in this world, right?"

Qian Renxue was taken aback by the sudden change of topic and nodded subconsciously.

God? For her, who was born into the Temple of Worship and whose bloodline was filled with the power of angels, "God" was not a vague legend, but a real concept that was even closely related to her.

Grandpa's lifelong faith and pursuit, and the mission passed down through the family, all point to that supreme angelic position, don't they?

"Since gods exist," Jiang Bai lowered his voice, but it carried a strange, penetrating power, like the whisper of a devil.

"Then, senior, as someone of the bloodline closest to the gods, why do you limit your vision to worldly recognition and compromise? Why not cast aside those distractions, concentrate on cultivation, and pursue... the opportunity to become a god?"

The chance to become a god!

The four words, like a thunderclap, exploded in Qian Renxue's mind!

Jiang Bai continued to tempt her, his words becoming increasingly outrageous, yet also increasingly vividly depicting a scene that made one's blood boil.

"Once you successfully inherit the divine position and become the new Angel God, then Her Holiness the Pope... no matter how majestic or powerful she is, she is still just a mortal."

His tone carried a hint of almost cruel rationality.

"By then, why should you still care whether she glances at you or approves of you? The difference between you will be like heaven and earth, like the difference between clouds and mud."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Qian Renxue's suddenly constricted pupils, and in an almost whispered voice, he described an even more "horrifying" scene.

"Perhaps on that day, you will appear before her, holding the Angel Sword in one hand and... Hu Liena's head in the other."

"Not only will she not blame you, she might even 'praise' you, saying that you were decisive and ruthless, 'correcting the wrongs' for the Spirit Hall, cleaning up its ranks, and that you did a good job!"

Is this...is this...right? Is this reasonable?!

Qian Renxue's eyes widened suddenly as she looked at Jiang Bai in disbelief, as if she were seeing this boy, who was three years younger than her, for the first time.

These words completely overturned her understanding and challenged worldly ethics, yet... damnably, they were full of a twisted and powerful allure!

It blatantly lured out the dark thoughts that had been hidden deep within her heart and had been nurtured by long-term repression and neglect!

To become a god... to transcend the mortal realm... to surpass all... to wield absolute power over life and death...

Does caring about the approval of a mortal seem laughable and insignificant in the face of divine power?

Is it worth gambling a long undercover mission and a twisted life on a cold act of charity?

Or should we use absolute power to redefine the rules, or even... "set things right"?

Several completely different ideas collided and intertwined wildly in her mind.

Grandpa is old, father has passed away, mother is "unconscious," and outsiders are eyeing the glory and power that should belong to the angels... Undercurrents are surging in the family, and chaos is beginning to emerge.

I, Qian Renxue, a descendant of the Angel God, am I really destined to be like those princes in the story who passively accept their fate, or to embark on a gamble with little hope and a heavy price to pay, as arranged by my mother?

Do not……

A faint yet incredibly clear voice rang out from the deepest part of her soul.

Why can't it be... me who takes up this crumbling family business?

The confusion, pain, and hesitation in Qian Renxue's eyes disappeared as quickly as the tide receded, replaced by a light that grew brighter and more determined.

Become an angel god...

Holding the Angel Sword in one hand...

Carrying it in one hand...

"Hehe...hehehe..."

She suddenly chuckled softly, initially suppressed and intermittent, but then her voice gradually opened up, and the laughter no longer contained any sadness.

Instead, it was filled with a sense of sudden enlightenment, even tinged with a touch of madness and exhilaration.

She seemed to see another completely different, yet incredibly clear, path unfolding before her.

"Senior?"

Jiang Bai was taken aback by her sudden laughter and tentatively called out.

"Senior?" Seeing that Qian Renxue did not respond and was still lost in her own thoughts with a soft laugh, he called out again.

Just then, Qian Renxue suddenly moved.

Without warning, she reached out and hugged Jiang Bai, who was sitting next to her!

The movement was somewhat sudden, even reckless.

She gently rested her head on Jiang Bai's slightly thin but straight shoulders, her golden hair brushing against his neck, bringing a slight tickle and a delicate fragrance.

"Thank you, Jiang Bai."

Her voice rang in his ears, much lower and softer than usual, carrying a sincere sense of relief.

Jiang Bai's body stiffened slightly. The girl's unique fragrance lingered in his nose, and he felt the weight and warmth coming from his shoulder. He was momentarily stunned.

He hadn't expected Qian Renxue to express her emotions so openly.

What happened next was even more unexpected.

Qian Renxue maintained the embrace, brought her lips close to his ear, and asked in a very soft voice that only the two of them could hear, with a rare, almost coquettish hesitation and expectation.

"Jiang Bai...can you...call me 'sister'?"

"..."

Jiang Bai was completely stunned.

This is...too sudden, and too...intimate...isn't it?

He lowered his eyes and could see Qian Renxue's fair earlobes and delicate golden eyelashes so close to his.

She seemed to be waiting, yet also a little nervous, unconsciously tightening her grip on his arm.

Qian Daoliu, who was hiding in the shadows, saw his granddaughter suddenly hug Jiang Bai. His brows twitched almost imperceptibly, but he did not stop her.

A complex emotion flickered in the eyes of this level 99 peerless Douluo who had experienced many vicissitudes.

There was surprise, there was emotion, and perhaps even a hint of... a sigh of understanding.

The lakeside was quiet, and the stars were just beginning to appear.

After a brief silence, Jiang Bai took a soft breath, neither pushing her away nor asking any further questions.

He turned his head and, in the same very soft voice, called clearly and steadily in her ear:

"elder sister."

"……Um."

Qian Renxue responded with a satisfied tone, her voice tinged with an indescribable tremor.

She finally released her grip, sat up straight, and looked at Jiang Bai again.

At this moment, her face was still wet with tears, and her eyes were still slightly red, but her beautiful eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, filled with an unprecedented radiance and determination.

The sadness and confusion were swept away, replaced by a sharp spirit that had found its direction and was ready to break free from its cocoon.

She looked at Jiang Bai and suddenly smiled.

That smile was as bright as the rising sun.

"Jiang Bai," she called, her tone returning to its usual cadence, but with a touch more natural intimacy, "What we talked about today, and... how we addressed each other just now, is it a secret between us?"

"Of course." Jiang Bai nodded, then raised his hand and made a zipping motion near his mouth again.

"Very good." Qian Renxue stood up, patted off non-existent dust from her skirt, and looked in the direction of Wuhun City with a deep gaze.

"I should go back. There are some things... that need to be reconsidered, and I also need to have a good talk with Grandpa."

She turned to leave, but after taking a couple of steps, she turned back and said to Jiang Bai, who was still sitting by the lake, "By the way, how's the effect of your first spirit ring?"

Jiang Bai felt a chill run down his spine, but his face remained impassive, revealing a slightly pleased smile.

"The effect is good, and it feels like the boost to my body is even stronger than I expected, probably because the soul beast is of good quality. Thank you... sister."

Qian Renxue nodded in satisfaction: "That's good. Remember to cultivate diligently!"

After saying that, she didn't linger, and her golden figure quickly disappeared into the deepening night and the depths of the path leading to the villa.