In the hills behind Spirit City, Su Cheng and Bibi Dong were gazing at the distant valley.
In that depression surrounded by hills, various exotic flowers and grasses competed in their splendor, swaying in the wind.
A swift stream flowed through the valley, with large, vine-like Blue Silver Grass soul beasts swaying gently along its banks, their dappled shadows reflecting on the water's surface.
Among them, a delicate blue-golden figure moved gracefully, blending seamlessly into the picturesque scene.
This valley was Douluo Yue Guan's most cherished garden.
"Miss Yin is very dedicated."
"For her, this is indeed a good way to train."
"Heh." Bibi Dong chuckled ambiguously but didn't argue.
Her gaze shifted to the two people standing side by side outside the garden.
More precisely, to the handsome man in white clothes with slightly feminine features.
"Are you really going to give Elder Chrysanthemum that Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum?"
"Yes."
"Why? You don't have much of a relationship with him, do you?"
"To conduct an experiment. I want to see the specific effects of celestial herbs on different soul masters. Besides, with Elder Chrysanthemum's talent, he wouldn't have much chance to achieve innate power otherwise."
"What do you mean?" Bibi Dong was taken aback by this.
"The medicinal power of celestial herbs is indeed strong, but it's too potent for the human body to absorb perfectly, inevitably leaving a lot of residual medicinal power as impurities. However, if Elder Chrysanthemum absorbs the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, given the compatibility between his martial soul and this celestial herb, it might actually help him."
At this, Su Cheng glanced at Bibi Dong beside him. "You're lucky you didn't take any celestial herbs; otherwise, it would be even harder for you to fuse with innate power."
Hearing this, Bibi Dong's face showed no joy. She calmly asked, "What about Xiao Xue? She should have taken celestial herbs a long time ago, right?"
"Her situation is special, even beyond my expectations. Her talent in martial souls surpasses yours. And in her current state, it's not just celestial herbs; even soul rings and bones, as long as they aren't of divine level, won't matter."
If the original six-winged angel martial soul, and even the higher-level angelic power, had the characteristic of purification, which manifested relatively gently, then according to Qian Renxue's description and Su Cheng's own observations, the powerful energy she now fused had the effect of repelling and annihilating all external forces.
It was a force as powerful and supreme as the scorching sun. Anything slightly inferior would be swept away, exceptionally overbearing.
Not just ordinary foreign energies, even spiritual fields like soul power would evaporate and be destroyed if they got too close.
By comparison, even though Bibi Dong had the unique talent of twin martial souls, it was still far inferior.
For soul masters, the advantage of twin martial souls mainly lies in soul power reserves, with limited help in quality. It allows for the absorption of more high-year soul rings but is still inferior to divine martial souls, let alone the current Qian Renxue.
Her Death Spider Emperor or Soul Devouring Spider Emperor couldn't compare.
Of course, Bibi Dong now had her own advantage, which was her strong spiritual foundation.
In this aspect, even Su Cheng couldn't match her.
"Speaking of Xiao Xue, what did you say to her yesterday that made her suddenly decide to go into seclusion for cultivation? This isn't like her. Whenever you're in Spirit City, her mind rarely focuses on training."
Su Cheng fell silent at this, recalling their conversation from yesterday...
"By the way, teacher, didn't you also have something to discuss with me? What is it?"
"It's nothing too urgent. Besides your progress in cultivation, I also wanted to ask how you view the current actions of the Spirit Hall."
Seeing Qian Renxue's previous attitude, he clearly couldn't speak directly about some things, so he switched to another topic.
Fortunately, Su Cheng was prepared for this and could gradually probe.
"It doesn't matter," Qian Renxue responded casually, pouring herself a glass of water.
"I used to value the Spirit Hall a lot. After all, this place is the foundation our ancestors built step by step. Since I inherited their legacy and have the talent and ability, it's natural to take the responsibility to develop it.
"But over the years, those thoughts have gradually faded. Even if the Spirit Hall unifies the continent, what difference does it make? As long as there are people, there will be conflicts. Throughout history, factions have risen and fallen; it's completely normal.
"We can't stay in Spirit City forever. I don't have those ambitions for power. Being with you forever is what's most important.
"And once we leave, if the Spirit Hall is too powerful with no external enemies, it might decline from within. Maintaining the status quo might actually be better."
She handed the water she had poured to Su Cheng with a gentle smile, her eyes filled with tenderness.
"Of course, if it's your wish, teacher, I won't stand by and do nothing."
Su Cheng took the cup, pondering silently.
"Should we get rid of Bibi Dong? Letting that lunatic remain as the Pope is quite bothersome."
At this moment, a sharp voice came from the window.
The figure clad in black, who had been silent and leaning against the wall with arms crossed, gazing out the window, suddenly turned to look.
"Ahem, don't speak so harshly. His Holiness the Pope is still very rational," Su Cheng said, a slight twitch in his eye, his voice tinged with helplessness.
"Tch." The woman snorted softly, not bothering to say more.
She had only mentioned it in passing. Whether it happened or not was of little concern to her.
So, she turned her gaze back to the window.
Although she was not the main body but manifested in a form similar to an "avatar," this independent way of existing stirred something in her heart.
It was a feeling completely different from her previous manifestations as a "spirit body" or when she shared one body with another soul.
Unfortunately, it was springtime, with bright sunshine and gentle breezes creating a scene full of life, not her favorite season.
Compared to this, the stern and cold late autumn suited her taste more.
"What about you? Do you have any thoughts, things you want to do, or goals you wish to achieve?"
"Yes, to continue walking this path with you."
"Anything else?"
"No."
She spoke with an air of inevitability.
Seeing Su Cheng seem a bit dazed, Qian Renxue pursed her lips and laughed lightly.
In her golden phoenix eyes, his reflection seemed to fill every part.
"I had no childhood."
As she spoke, her expression was extraordinarily calm.
There was no sadness, no regret, just a tranquil demeanor like the moon reflecting on a river, unperturbed.
She no longer cared about the past.
The void in her heart had been filled in another life.
"When I was young, my grandfather was often in seclusion and rarely appeared in Spirit Hall.
"My father, on the other hand, often guided me. But the way he looked at me was strange, always with a kind of fanatical passion. It wasn't like he was looking at his daughter, but more like an artist admiring a meticulously crafted masterpiece.
"Later, as I grew older and awakened an unprecedentedly powerful martial spirit, everyone told me that I was destined to become someone who overlooks this world.
"As for what I thought, that was irrelevant.
"Later, I went undercover in the Heaven Dou Empire. At that time, I might still have harbored some fantasies, hoping for recognition and praise from my family.
"But I was wrong.
"For someone destined to become a god, success is naturally expected. Who would be surprised by it?
"Besides, deities do not need those redundant human emotions."
She did not mention Bibi Dong, presumably finding it unnecessary to talk about that "mother."
"You know the rest."
With that, Qian Renxue chuckled softly.
"Responsibility, mission, they are all just illusions. I will no longer be bound by those dispensable things. What does it matter to me how Spirit Hall, the world, or anything else turns out?"
"But the realm you comprehended..." Su Cheng was somewhat surprised.
That divine aura of looking down on all beings, without a far-reaching vision and a heart encompassing the world, was impossible to comprehend and manifest.
Su Cheng admitted that even he could at most imitate such an aura, never grasp its essence.
"That was an understanding from the past. Now, it is just a means to enhance my strength. But thanks to that, I was not consumed by the emptiness of that lofty truth. Because those things are not important to me."
Qian Renxue's smile widened a bit as she looked at the slender figure gazing out the window. "She thinks the same."
"Hey, what does that have to do with me? Don't lump me in with you. I'm not as useless as you." The other Qian Renxue rolled her eyes slightly, refuting lazily.
Su Cheng glanced at her and then pondered, "Since we're on the topic, Xiao Xue, do you remember the dream where we first met?"
"Of course. Those memories are something I could never forget, not even in death," Qian Renxue took a deep breath.
"After that false dream shattered, I realized how ridiculous my real life was. No," she shook her head, "maybe that dream was real, because in it, I found my 'true self.'"
She instinctively turned to look at the person who shared her body and soul.
At that moment, the other also looked back, their gazes meeting in the air.
Especially for the latter.
The true formation of her second personality, or even second soul, originated from that dream.
"Do you still resent me?" Su Cheng sighed softly.
"Teacher, no matter what happens, I will never resent you. I haven't in the past, and I never will in the future. Never."