Although there were plenty of books in Su Cheng's room, they had all been read through by Qian Renxue long ago. Some of the more important content had even been perused multiple times.
"Ah, it's been a month already, why hasn't teacher come back yet?"
At this point, there was absolutely no interest in continuing to read.
After lazily lying on the table for a while, Qian Renxue got up and began to wander around the room.
She shuffled through the books on the shelf and tidied up a few scattered manuscripts before standing by the window to look at the scenery outside.
Finally, she returned to the spacious chair, reclined lazily, and stretched, revealing her charming waistline curve.
Unfortunately, this earthly beauty was seen by no one.
Although she usually stayed here, the area behind the desk was always off-limits to her.
That was Sue Cheng's territory.
"Huh?
While lying back on the chair, Qian Renxue suddenly noticed a locked drawer behind the desk.
After hesitating for a moment, she reached out her hand, feeling a surge of curiosity.
Although there was a lock on the drawer, it was obviously no match for a soul master.
Instead of trying to pick the lock, she simply removed the lock latch, making it easier to restore later.
Upon opening the drawer, a stack of notebooks caught her eye.
"This couldn't be..."
A guess flashed through her mind.
Qian Renxue's breathing became slightly hurried, and she felt an unusual sense of excitement.
Opening one of the notebooks, the handwriting looked extremely immature, as if written by a child.
{2611.2.5
My foster father said that my biological father died at the hands of the Martial Soul Hall's Emperor Qian Xunjie.
I must practice diligently to avenge my father.}
As expected, this was indeed her teacher Su Cheng's diary. However, the contents on the first page made her feel a bit awkward.
She pursed her lips and continued to flip through.
{2611.2.6
Why can't I understand anything? Learning swordsmanship is really hard.}
{2611.4.11
My foster father said my talent for swordsmanship is very poor.
It's okay, even if my talent is poor, I'll just practice more.}
{2614.3.6
Tomorrow is the day of my martial soul awakening.
My foster father said I will inherit the Unflinching Sword. I wonder how much innate soul power I will have?
I want to become a strong person like my father and foster father. I will never disgrace the sword in my hands.}
{2614.3.74
Fate always plays tricks on people.
I know they must be laughing at me in their hearts.}
Qian Renxue sat on Su Cheng's chair, holding a notebook in her hands, silently flipping through page by page.
She was extremely serious, much more so than when studying those cultivation classics.
Su Cheng's tender childhood, silent adolescence, resilient youth, and confident young adulthood seemed to form a clear and vivid image in Qian Renxue's mind, and then slowly matured.
She followed the joys and sorrows of Su Cheng's figure, sometimes feeling happy along with him.
Continuing to read on, she finished one notebook and took out another.
The penmanship in the diary gradually matured from childish to seasoned.
Until she reached the day they met.
{2626.10.7
What a strange twist of fate, my disciple turns out to be Qian Xunji's daughter.
I don't hate her, instead, I feel sorry for her. I know what it feels like for a child to lose their father at a young age.}
Qian Renxue's eyes softened, and a gentle smile appeared on her lips.
The image of Su Cheng had always been a clear yet vague presence in her mind.
Clear because they met every day, and he was both a teacher and a friend to her, the person she felt closest to.
But this teacher was too omnipotent, too unexpected, always able to create unimaginable miracles, and his attitude towards her was also unpredictable, making him seem both attainable and unattainable in her heart.
Today she learned that Su Cheng had once felt troubled, had lows, and had experienced both loss and joy.
Now, Su Cheng seemed more like a human being in her heart, rather than an all-powerful deity.
However, as Qian Renxue continued to read on, her mood suddenly felt like stepping into thin air, a sense of weightlessness instantly enveloped her...
"The cause of Qian Xunji's un's death is questionable, most likely not by Tang Hao's hand..."
"The last person Qian Xunjie saw before his death was Bibi Dong. And it was only after disappearing for several days that Bibi Dong announced the cause of Qian Xunji's death..."
"Bi Bidong once obtained the domain of the Killing Capital, known as the God of Slaughter. It is highly likely that she has undergone the inheritance trial of the godly position, and she is a powerful and bloodthirsty martial artist."
"I am ninety percent certain that Qian Xunjie was devoured alive by Bi Bidong... This child, despite being born into nobility, had such a miserable life..."
*Smack!*
The diary slipped from her hand, hitting the ground with a muted thud. Qian Renxue, however, remained oblivious, lost in her thoughts.
"It's impossible, it can't be..." She muttered, her lips voicing disbelief while her face turned pale, her eyes unfocused.
Qian Renxue was far from naive; she had just never entertained the idea before. Bibidong's almost hostile indifference towards her, the deep-seated resentment towards Qian Xunji. No matter how hard she tried to conceal it, years of animosity couldn't be completely hidden.
Combined with Su Cheng's analysis and the clues of divine inheritance, Qian Renxue could almost be certain that these contents were the truth of the matter.
A sudden dizziness swept over her, limbs stiffening, hands and feet turning cold. She wanted to confront Bibidong, to ask her why she did this, but she dared not.
It wasn't just fear of the truth; more importantly, Su Cheng made it clear in the diary that he didn't want her to know at this moment.
After today's events, if there was anyone left in this world worth trusting, it was Su Cheng.
Bloodshot veins emerged in Qian Renxue's eyes, a dim red light obscuring her vision. It was the dark side of her psyche, nurtured by her upbringing, showing signs of further rooting and sprouting in her current mentally unstable state.
Yet, at that moment, another figure appeared before her. Su Cheng reached out, gently touching her forehead, his gaze soft as he looked into her eyes.
Qian Renxue lowered her head, her golden hair cascading around her. Weakly, she covered her cheeks with her palm.
In this past month, she had never longed for Su Cheng's presence as much as she did now.
...
"Grandfather, do you know the true cause of my father's death?" she asked after a long pause, her voice barely above a whisper.
Half a day later, in the Hall of Martial Souls in the city shrine, Qian Renxue approached Qian Daoliu with a calm expression.
Qian Daoliu's face flashed with surprise at her sudden question, seemingly caught off guard. After a moment of hesitation, he softly replied, "Wasn't he fatally injured by Tang Hao and couldn't be saved? Ah, missing your father again, aren't you?"
He reached out, wanting to comfort his granddaughter by patting her head.
Qian Renxue quietly stepped back, evading his hand. With a slight stiffness in her lips, she murmured, "Yes, I miss him a bit."
Then she raised her head and looked directly into Qian Daoliu's eyes, "Why can't we attack Haotian Sect and avenge father?"
"This involves an agreement between me and Tang Chen..."
After a long silence, Qian Daoliu explained in a low voice.
Before he defeated Tang Chen, the ancestor of the Haotian Sect, no one from Soul Hall would set foot in the Haotian Sect.