Aside from the small floating fairy I had named Gem now following me around and the massive ten-floor pagoda permanently anchored in my inner world, not much had changed.
The girls were currently exploring the tower. I had checked through its floors, finding that the ninth level housed near-divine-level equipment that boosted production quality by an absurd 90%. As for the tenth floor, it functioned as both a treasury and a living space—the brain of the pagoda, so to speak.
I sat on the ninth floor, resting my head in Fleur's lap as the purifying effect washed over me, stripping away the lingering killing intent, taint, and dark thoughts from my recent endeavors.
Most of the girls were lounging around, enjoying the serene atmosphere, except for Hermione, who was furiously scribbling notes in her spirit book, muttering to herself as she conducted various tests.
Meanwhile, I turned my attention inward, mentally reviewing my Hate Ground No Handle Spirit. Since I had already filled the pagoda's rings, it was time to pick out some spirit rings for my second spirit.
Currently, I had the abilities: Avatars, Gravity, Damage Reflection, Damage Reduction, Full Counter, and Juggernaut.
Rank 70 was the Avatar stage, and I already knew exactly what I wanted—Gigantification. Something akin to Susanoo, granting me immense size and power. Plenty of worlds had giant threats—Naruto, DC, One Piece, Danmachi… and now, so did I.
A new silver spirit ring manifested.
With it, I could increase my size by ten meters per spirit ring, meaning I now stood at a towering seventy meters while transformed. My physical strength in the armor was amplified by 128 times.
Not bad. But I wasn't done yet.
For my eighth ring, I selected Immortal Slaying.
Immortal Slaying: Passively grants attacks the ability to nullify the undying attributes of immortals, inflicting wounds that cannot be restored by any means other than natural healing in accordance with the laws of the world.
A dangerous ability, even for me. It meant that while my Hate Ground No Handle Spirit was active, attacks inflicted by me would only heal naturally—no potions, no regeneration, no external healing methods.
Perfect. I was sorely lacking in ways to counter true immortals. A shame it only applied while the spirit was in use, but still…
The eighth silver ring flared into existence. My armor's strength multiplier doubled to 256 times.
And now, for the final ability.
Immunity.
Immunity: Grants complete immunity to all negative status effects and control abilities, such as petrification, time stop, instant death…
That would do nicely.
My ninth silver spirit ring appeared, finalizing my spirit's evolution. Unfortunately, the ability was only active while wearing the armor, but having an extra layer of protection against such effects was invaluable.
Now, I just needed to find a way to obtain similar resistances outside of the armor.
That, however, was a problem for later.
That increased my physical strength by 512x while equipped putting me at a monstrous level of power. Physically I would be 512x times stronger than a normal Titled Doulou, I could summon 9 avatars with 90% of my original strength, reflect and reduce 90% of damage done to me, increase or decrease gravity by 90x around me, and my counter attacks would hit 9x harder with full counter.
Jeez I could accidentally kill people just by standing still. Pretty sure I could crack a planet with all my abilities, 90 meters tall, 60+ tons of physical strength multiplied by 512, swinging a house sized hammer at the speed of lightning, anything in front of that is getting absolutely deleted. Not to mention if I use the attacking method of disorder splitting wind hammer and stack up 81 hits, add in juggernaut abilities making it unblockable...
"Big hammers go brrrr."
Fleur giggled at my words.
As for my other spirits I'm just going to leave them alone for right now.
~~~~
Qian Renxue sat silently in the grand hall of Spirit City, her golden eyes narrowed in deep contemplation. The letter Ryan had given to her echoed in her mind, unsettling her in ways she couldn't quite explain the doubts he had planted, refused to leave her.
Something wasn't right.
And so, she had come to the only person who could confirm the truth.
Her grandfather.
~~~~
The Elder Palace of Spirit Hall was grand, its high ceilings adorned with golden carvings depicting angels in battle. It was here that Qian Renxue finally faced her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, a man revered as the strongest Titled Douluo alive and the guardian of the Angelic inheritance.
Qian Daoliu sat calmly on his throne, his golden robes draped over his powerful frame. His expression was unreadable, but his sharp eyes studied her carefully. He had known this moment would come.
"You have questions," he said simply.
Renxue took a breath to steady herself. "Yes, Grandfather. I need to know the truth. About my father. About my inheritance."
A shadow flickered across Qian Daoliu's face. "You wish to know about Qian Xunji."
"Yes," she said firmly. "Was he truly a great leader? Did he die fighting for Spirit Hall?"
Qian Daoliu was silent for a long moment. Then, he let out a deep sigh, the weight of decades pressing upon him.
"No," he said at last. "He did not die in battle."
Renxue's heart pounded.
"Then how did he die?"
"He was killed, by Bibi Dong. For an unspeakable crime he committed on her."Qian Daoliu said, his voice low.
Renxue felt the floor beneath her sway. "Bibi Dong…" her mother, so the letter was true it wasn't Tang Hao. She had always craved her mother's attention and didn't understand why her mother hated her so much, now she did.
"Yes," Qian Daoliu confirmed. "She killed him after his battle with Tang Hao when he was at his weakest and recovering. That is the truth of your father's fate."
Her hands clenched into fists.
Qian Daoliu watched her reaction but did not speak. He knew there was more she needed to hear.
"And my inheritance?" she asked, her voice quieter now, tinged with uncertainty.
At this, Qian Daoliu's expression became grim.
"You seek to inherit the Angel God's power," he said. "To do so, you must undergo the Angel Trials. You have already taken the first steps."
Renxue nodded. She had known this much. "What is the final trial?" She asked.
But Qian Daoliu's next words made her blood run cold. "To pass the final trial, I must die."
Renxue's breath caught in her throat.
"What?"
Qian Daoliu's gaze was steady. "To inherit the power of the Angel God, a sacrifice of equal value must be made. For you to ascend, I must fall."
She staggered back a step. "No… That can't be right. There must be another way!" She loved her grandfather deeply and didn't want to lose him.
"There isn't," Qian Daoliu said firmly. "This is the will of the gods. It has always been this way."
Renxue felt something inside her crack. She had devoted her life to this path, had shaped herself into the perfect heir for Spirit Hall. But she had never questioned what it truly meant.
Now, faced with the truth, she realized—she wasn't sure if she wanted it anymore. For the first time in her life, Qian Renxue felt afraid.
[Took so fucking long to come up with abilities for just the Pagoda and the Hate Ground No Handle Set. Fuck those other spirits for now my brain can't handle that lol. Anyway send Powerstones, Soda Money, and pictures of your favorite big booty anime girls. Cashapp $Ryantheholy.]