118: Chapter 118: Xiao Wu: Sister Xue, can you inherit your family's angelic position?

The seven-day sea voyage was much smoother and faster than their arrival, thanks to the unique tailwinds of Sea God Island and the sturdy hull of the hanhai ship.

When the familiar outline of land appeared once more at the edge of their vision, an indescribable sense of security welled up in the hearts of Lu Jing, Wang Donger, and the Snow Empress.

Though the ocean was grand and mysterious, the solid weight of treading on firm ground was a sentiment for one's homeland that was hard to let go of.

Vast Sea City, the prosperous city built by the sea, didn't seem to have changed much during their four-year absence; it was still bustling with people and noise.

The three of them rested for a night in the city's best inn, washing away the salty stench of the sea breeze and temporarily relaxing the heartstrings that had been constantly taut on Sea God Island.

At the first light of dawn the next day, a carriage that looked ordinary on the outside but was exceptionally spacious and comfortable inside was already waiting at the inn's entrance.

The driver was a taciturn old man with a steady aura.

The carriage smoothly departed from Vast Sea City, speeding along the wide official road toward the center of the Heaven Dou Empire—Heaven Dou City.

Outside the window, familiar scenery flew by—fields, villages, mountains, and rivers. Everything carried the unique vitality and mundane charm of the continent, a stark contrast to the isolated, holy silence of Sea God Island.

Wang Donger leaned against Lu Jing's shoulder, watching the changing scenery outside. She felt both an urgency to return home and a flicker of apprehension about the unknown future.

The Snow Empress kept her eyes closed to rest her spirit, her cold face showing little emotion, though a faint look of observation for the continental sights would flash in her ice-blue eyes whenever she occasionally looked out the window.

The half-month journey passed quickly amidst quiet cultivation and occasional conversation.

When the familiar, towering walls of Heaven Dou City appeared on the horizon, even the Snow Empress's eyes flickered slightly despite her temperament.

The carriage did not enter the bustling main urban area. Shortly after entering the city, it turned into a relatively secluded but still clean and wide street, finally stopping before a residence that wasn't large but was elegantly designed, offering peace in the midst of the noise.

There was no plaque on the lintel of the residence, making it appear very low-key. Only the pair of majestic stone lions in front of the gate faintly revealed a hint of extraordinary status.

At this moment, deep within the residence, inside a study that was simply but elegantly furnished.

The sunlight outside was just right, spilling through the exquisite window lattices onto the smooth floor, forming bright patches of light.

The air was filled with a faint scent of books and a refined aroma of incense.

Xiao Wu, dressed in a simple white dress, was sitting listlessly on a cushioned chair.

Five years had passed, and her appearance had changed significantly. She still had that beautiful young girl look, but her brow held less of the flightiness from their first meeting and more calmness, along with a lingering, faint hint of melancholy.

She propped her chin in her hands, her two straight and well-proportioned legs swinging boredly. Beneath her pink short skirt, a stretch of skin as white as snow shimmered with a gentle luster in the sunlight.

She watched the woman sitting behind the desk, who was carefully reading a scroll, and finally couldn't help but break the silence in the room. Her voice carried obvious irritability and anticipation:

“Sister Xue, when do you think Lu Jing, Sister Donger, and the others... will finally be back? It's been five years! There hasn't been a single message; it's really worrying me to death!”

The woman sitting behind the desk gently closed the scroll in her hand upon hearing this.

She looked up, revealing a face of peerless beauty that could make any star pale in comparison.

Her long golden hair was like the finest silk, draped smoothly over her shoulders and shimmering with a liquid gold luster in the sunlight.

Her features were as perfect as if meticulously carved by a god, her skin whiter than snow, and her bright golden eyes were deep and brilliant, as if they could see through all the falsehoods in the world.

Just by sitting there quietly, she naturally exuded a noble, holy, and inviolable aura. It was Qian Renxue.

Hearing Xiao Wu's complaints, Qian Renxue's beautiful face did not show any impatience; instead, a gentle and soothing smile appeared.

She set down the scroll, her long, slender fingers lightly tapping on the smooth tabletop. Her voice was ethereal and pleasant, carrying a power that could calm the restlessness in one's heart:

“Xiao Wu, don't worry. How can a God Position inheritance be as easy as an ordinary Spirit Master's training? Taking years is the norm. The fact that it's taking so long precisely shows that Donger's talent is extraordinary and that she has gone deep enough, making rapid progress on the path of inheritance. This is a good thing. You just put your heart back in your chest and cultivate in peace. When your Sister Donger returns successfully, given your relationship with her and Xiao Jing, ascending to the Divine Realm in the future will be a natural outcome, won't it? Perhaps you won't even need to cultivate as hard as ordinary people to enjoy eternal life.” Her words carried a hint of teasing, but also a touch of seriousness.

It was true that a Divinity had the privilege of bringing relatives to ascend to the Divine Realm; this was no lie.

Xiao Wu blinked her large pink eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.

She knew that when it came to these profound and mysterious matters concerning God Position inheritances, Qian Renxue knew far more than she did and was far calmer.

The irritability in her heart dissipated slightly, but immediately, another question surfaced.

She tilted her head, her long pink hair falling over her shoulder, and asked curiously, “Then what about you, Sister Xue? Doesn't your family... have the inheritance of the Angel God? Can you inherit the Angel God Position?”

This question caused the gentle smile on Qian Renxue's face to pause slightly.

Deep within those bright golden eyes, an extremely complex and indescribable light flickered.

After a moment of silence, she finally shook her head gently. Her voice remained peaceful, yet it gained an imperceptible ripple:

“I don't know. Perhaps I can, or perhaps... I can't.”

She stood up and walked slowly to the window, looking at the few magnolia trees in the courtyard stretching their branches in the sunlight. Her back looked somewhat lonely.

Although Lu Jing and Wang Donger had both mentioned before that... in the future they knew, both she and Bibi Dong had eventually inherited God Positions.

But who could be certain that future events wouldn't change and were set in stone?

Especially with the arrival of the two variables, Xiao Jing and Donger, the development of many things had long since deviated from their original trajectories.

If a butterfly flapping its wings could trigger a storm, what about the two of them?

Regarding the God Position inheritance, especially the Nine Trials of the Angel God, the variables were too great. She... did not have absolute certainty.

Not just her, but her grandfather Qian Daoliu far away in Spirit City—was he not also worrying day and night?

The Angel Nine Trials offered only one chance.

Failure meant being forever barred from the God Position.

This weight, this uncertainty, was like an invisible mountain pressing down on the hearts of the grandfather and granddaughter.

If not for this, with Qian Daoliu's personality, he would likely have urged her to accept the inheritance long ago.

Precisely because it was too important and there was no way back, they had to be extremely cautious to ensure nothing went wrong.

Xiao Wu nodded, seemingly understanding, yet not quite. She could feel the weight deep within Qian Renxue's words and obediently didn't ask further.

The study returned to silence once more, save for the occasional bird calls coming from outside the window.

However, this silence did not last long.