In Douluo Continent, there is a proper way to die.

Chapter 97 (Seeking First Subscription) The Battle for the Holy Maiden (4000 words)

"The positions of Holy Son and Holy Daughter of our Spirit Hall have always been reserved for candidates for the next Pope," said the Light Feather Douluo in a high-pitched voice, as if he were about to rise up in rebellion at any moment. "What is Bibi Dong? As for Ji'er... it's already an act of forgiveness on our part to allow her to become Pope, yet she still dares to interfere in the succession of the next Pope?"

He almost let slip what happened back then, but Qian Daoliu glared at him at the crucial moment and made him swallow it back. Fortunately, Qian Renxue's attention was focused on the "Holy Maiden" and she didn't notice the unnatural tone in his voice.

"...Is it that girl?" Qian Renxue's tone seemed very calm, so calm that no emotion could be detected, and so calm that it was somewhat cold.

Yinlan could feel the unconscious force with which she was pulling her hand.

Over the years, because she personally carried out the infiltration plan, Qian Renxue, although not in Wuhun City, still corresponded with her elders and learned about the situation inside the Wuhun Hall.

Although Qian Daoliu tried to hide it at first, the fact that "the Pope of the Spirit Hall has taken on a disciple" could not be concealed. Less than a year after Qian Renxue left Spirit City, Bibi Dong took on a girl named "Hu Liena" as her disciple.

Of course, rather than calling him a disciple, judging from Bibi Dong's meticulous care for him, it's more accurate to say that she adopted him as a goddaughter.

Qian Renxue's initial intention in carrying out the infiltration plan was to attract her mother's attention, beg for her approval, and hope that one day her mother would say to her, "You are indeed my daughter," and receive maternal love from her mother. Therefore, in her eyes, Hu Liena is just like her martial spirit, a cunning fox who stole the maternal love that should have belonged to her.

Seven years have passed, and she thought she had let go of that ridiculous feeling and was wholeheartedly working for the cause of the Spirit Hall. But when she learned today that Bibi Dong wanted to make that girl the Holy Maiden, a bitter feeling welled up in her heart.

I'm so unwilling... I'm so unwilling.

...That's...something that belongs to me!

"Xiaoxue, don't overthink it. When will Bibi Dong be able to decide the next Pope?" Light Feather Douluo, somewhat afraid of her reaction, quickly said, "That Hu Liena is worthy of being the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden? Pah!"

"Fifth Brother is right. Besides, which of our families doesn't have an outstanding member? Who isn't more qualified to be the Holy Son or Holy Daughter than Hu Liena, who doesn't even have innate full soul power?" Golden Crocodile Douluo quickly added, "The position of Holy Daughter of the Spirit Hall can only belong to Xiaoxue!"

The worshippers immediately began to offer their comforting words.

Yinlan glanced at Qian Renxue. That's what the elders said, but the Spirit Hall in history did have the guts to actually give up the position of Spirit Hall Saintess. She didn't know what the situation was.

It can only be said that the Spirit Hall was very enlightened, and it adopted the most correct policy as early as the era of Douluo Continent I: to recruit spirit masters from all over the world, to set up spirit master subsidies, to spend resources to cultivate geniuses, and to allow spirit masters from other families to rise to power.

Don't dismiss Bibi Dong and Hu Liena as outsiders. If it weren't for Yu Xiaogang's mess, she would indeed have been groomed to be the Pope. If it weren't for Tang San, Hu Liena would have been groomed to be the Pope as well. Everything the Qian family did was just to pave the way for Qian Renxue to become a god. If Qian Renxue couldn't become a god, she could only be the next Grand Elder.

Unfortunately, the Spirit Hall ran into Tang San, which led to the collapse of the situation. Tang San, being a feudalist, did not understand the function of this policy at all. He only blindly reversed the progress of civilization and even did not allow the unification of civilization. Otherwise, you would be "imitating the Spirit Hall" and "outrageous".

The funniest thing is that in the era of Douluo IV, due to the disappearance of the God Realm, Tang Shenwang was finally unable to interfere in the lower realm, and the Douluo Star civilization was finally unified. The Douluo Federation also used this policy. They could not eliminate the gap between ordinary people and Soul Masters, but this policy would provide the greatest support to all families that had the potential to become Soul Masters. There were Soul Masters at the grassroots level, and geniuses were trained regardless of their background. At the higher levels, everyone's background and Martial Soul were different.

The fact that the planetary unification wasn't completed until the fourth era of Douluo Continent, and that the policies of the Spirit Hall from the first era were still in use, makes Tang Shenwang seem rather ironic.

You can even see this policy in the Tang Sect during the third era of Dou Di Zhuan, and in Shrek Academy during the second era of Dou Di Zhuan.

In the Douluo Continent II era, the Tang Sect declined because it spent a lot of resources cultivating Blue Silver Grass Soul Masters, which drove away other members. Coupled with the strong invasion of Soul Guidance Devices, they fell into decline. If they had spent those wasted resources on recruiting genius Soul Masters and cultivating a few Title Douluo, even if their hidden weapons were trash, the Tang Sect would only be a target for various forces to win over, instead of falling into decline and being wiped out by a group of people who didn't even have the strength of a Soul Saint.

Because Shrek Academy occupied this position during the Douluo Continent II era. Shrek Academy's soul tools were not very good either, but it was through this policy that it recruited geniuses widely, used resources to cultivate geniuses into Title Douluo, entered the Sea God Pavilion, formed a positive cycle, and eventually became the object of competition for the whole world.

The Tang Sect in the second era of Douluo Continent was revived by recruiting members from outside the family, such as Huo Yuhao's generation of Shrek Seven Devils. As a result, the Tang Sect in the third era of Douluo Continent learned from this lesson and began to use resources to cultivate talented members. It also allowed members from outside the family who were not surnamed Tang and did not have the Blue Silver Grass martial soul to become the sect leader, thus becoming one of the top forces in the third era of Douluo Continent.

Although the Spirit Hall of the Douluo Continent I era was destroyed, you can still see the shadow of its policies in any of the Douluo Continent II, III, and IV eras.

In this era, the Spirit Hall may not be a perfect organization, but it is absolutely impossible to function without it.

Cooperating with the Spirit Hall, whose policies are already in place, is far easier than Yinlan building a force from scratch.

However, to be honest, Hu Liena's talent isn't that outstanding.

Yin Lan was pondering what exactly caused the Spirit Hall to actually relinquish the position of Holy Maiden when, at that moment, the main hall doors were pushed open once more.

"Second Elder, you are mistaken. When has our Spirit Hall ever decided on the Holy Son and Holy Daughter based on innate talent?" A gentle and melodious voice came from behind. Yin Lan turned around and saw a woman wearing a magnificent black robe with gold trim, a nine-curved purple-gold crown, and holding a jeweled scepter walking in gracefully.

"The appointment of the current Holy Maiden of my Spirit Hall cannot be delayed any longer," the woman said softly, her face elegant and noble, yet her words carried a hint of sophistry. "Although Nana is not born with full soul power, she has made up for it through diligence in cultivation, and at the age of twelve, she still reached the Soul Venerable level, which is comparable to some geniuses born with full soul power. How can I not contend for the position of Holy Maiden?"

"...Damn it," Guangling Douluo hesitated, glancing at Qian Renxue, swallowing back the urge to curse. "A twelve-year-old Soul Master? Xiaoxue is already a Soul King at less than seventeen. Does your disciple have Soul King cultivation at seventeen? If Xiaoxue hadn't gone to carry out that damn 'usurpation plan,' do you think you'd have had a chance to covet the Holy Maiden's position?"

"So the 'Usurpation Plan' isn't finished yet?" The woman maintained a gentle smile, but didn't even glance at Qian Renxue beside her. She repeated what she had said before, "The Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall cannot be delayed any longer."

"Bibi Dong! You!" Guangling Douluo was so angry that he put one leg on the chair and was about to get up and fight, and ice flowers began to condense around him.

"Fifth Brother!" Qian Daoliu reached out and pressed down, calming the fluctuations of soul power around Guang Ling, then looked at Bibi Dong, "If you want the position of Holy Maiden, fine, let that child compete with Xiao Xue herself."

"She's five years older than Nana, isn't that a bit too unfair? Can she really sit comfortably in this position of Holy Maiden?" Bibi Dong frowned slightly, repeating what she had said. "Besides, the 'Usurpation Plan' isn't finished yet. The Holy Son and Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall have always made a public appearance to the Soul Master world. Is she coming back to be the Holy Maiden, or going to the Heaven Dou Empire to continue being the Crown Prince?"

"Damn it, is that all you know?" Even the Light Feather Douluo laughed in anger, and the other elders couldn't help but start cursing as well.

Although Yinlan was still present, the two sides' first contact was in such an awkward situation, but the worshippers really couldn't swallow this insult and had to fight back what was rightfully Qian Renxue's. For a time, they argued with Bi Dong until they were red in the face.

Qian Renxue lowered her head, looking at her toes. She thought she was mature enough, but after hearing those words, the bitterness in her heart grew stronger and stronger.

—She doesn't care about you at all. So what are you still expecting?

—She never loved you, she never had you in the first place, so stop having these pointless fantasies!

Now she's trying to take what's rightfully yours. You shouldn't stay silent; it's what you deserve!

In a daze, Qian Renxue felt that her mind was somewhat dazed. Ever since Yinlan developed her bloodline last time, she had occasionally felt this way, and this time she even had the illusion that another version of herself was talking to her.

A flash of red light appeared in her azure eyes, which were hidden by her bangs, and the edges of her long golden hair seemed to be tinged with an ominous paleness.

"Quiet down!" Qian Daoliu's voice rang out, his stern tone seeming to explode in everyone's ears, making everyone much more alert. He glanced coldly at Bibi Dong, and finally fixed his gaze on his granddaughter, "Bibi Dong, I'm giving you a chance, but the final decision rests with Xiaoxue."

As long as Qian Renxue abandons her plan to seize the country and decides to fight for the position of Holy Maiden, then even if he doesn't give her a chance, if Hu Liena can win against Qian Renxue, then the position of Holy Maiden will be given to her!

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong turned her gaze to Qian Renxue, who had remained silent all along, for the first time. She gripped the scepter in her hand, and a complex emotion, difficult to describe, flashed in her pearl-like eyes.

"I……"

The latest novel is first published here!

Go and take back what belongs to you!

"I'm going to complete my plan to seize the country," Qian Renxue raised her head, the red light in her eyes fading, and met Bibi Dong's gaze without flinching, her eyes filled with stubbornness, "I don't care about the position of Holy Maiden!"

Upon hearing her reply, Bibi Dong gripped the scepter even tighter. She pursed her lips, seemingly wanting to say something, but unsure how to begin.

"Xiaoxue, calm down..." the worshippers hurriedly advised.

"No, my mind is made up. I wouldn't stoop so low as to bully a little girl. Bibi Dong, listen to me," Qian Renxue coldly stared at the woman who should have been her mother, "that little fox only got the position of Holy Maiden because I, Qian Renxue, didn't want it anymore. It was a favor I bestowed upon her!"

After saying that, she shielded Yinlan behind her and glared fiercely at Bibi Dong to prevent her from suddenly lashing out in anger. Several elders also stood up at the same time.

But Bibi Dong was clearly taken aback. Instead of getting angry as everyone expected, she silently gripped her scepter and turned to leave the hall.

So that's how it is... That's how Hu Liena got her position as a saintess; Qian Renxue voluntarily gave up the chance to compete for it.

Yin Lan raised her head and looked at Qian Renxue, who was standing in front of her, her body still trembling slightly. From then on, this star who should have shone in this era fell into obscurity and became unknown. Wearing the mask of the Heavenly Dou Prince, she lived a life completely opposite to her own identity, a life that represented light and honor with her six-winged angel martial soul. She lived in the shadows for the rest of her life, as if she did not exist in the world.

Only at the very end of his life did he make his presence known throughout the world, letting everyone know that there was a treacherous and evil Angel God who had been killed by the mighty, virtuous, upright, and kind Sea God! He refuted the ambitious Spirit Hall and saved the world!

Yinlan suddenly felt as if she had a premonition that she should do something after coming to this world.

My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror; everything I do is in accordance with my true nature.

There's no need to use "justice" as a hypocritical facade.

Was there a reason? No reason, no need for a reason. I just wanted to do it, and it was the right thing to do, so I did it.

"If you won't fight for it, then I will fight for it for you," Yin Lan gripped Qian Renxue's hand, moved to stand in front of her, her small figure squeezing into Qian Renxue's line of sight. "This is the first time I've heard that the Holy Son and Holy Daughter of the Spirit Hall aren't decided based on talent. What else could they be decided based on?"

Bibi Dong stopped and looked back. A girl with long, light blue hair tied in a single ponytail came into view. Come to think of it, she hadn't noticed the child before.

"Your Holiness, you feel it's unfair that Sister Xue'er is five years older than your disciple. Then I'll compete for the position of Saintess, is that alright?" Yin Lan held Qian Renxue's hand and raised it. "I'll fight for this position on behalf of Sister Xue'er!"

"Well said! Second Miss!" Guangling Douluo kicked his legs and stood up directly on his seat, his face flushed and his expression excited.

"And who is this?" Bibi Dong was not annoyed by Yin Lan's rash rebuttal, but instead looked at Qian Daoliu.

"Descendant of an old friend." Qian Daoliu didn't intend to explain, but it was clear that he also hoped that his granddaughter could one day stand brightly in the sunlight as the "Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall."

"Alright, then see you at the training ground tomorrow morning." Bibi Dong gave Yin Lan a deep look before walking away again.

Qian Renxue stared blankly at the petite girl in front of her, who seemed to occupy her entire field of vision.

Her image was reflected in his eyes, one blue and one red.

(End of this chapter)