14: Chapter 14: Tell me first, how exactly was the Spirit Hall destroyed!

The first rays of the morning sun pierced through the leaves of the Star Dou Great Forest, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground.

The forest was filled with the moist scent of vegetation, and the crisp chirping of birds drifted from afar; it should have been a peaceful and serene moment, but Wang Donger only felt a chaotic mess in her heart.

She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the mud stains on her light blue skirt hem, while Lu Jing's question still echoed in her ears.

Follow him? Go and face that World from ten thousand years ago that only existed in history books?

"I'm only doing this because you spoke up for me just now."

Lu Jing's voice broke the silence. His tone was flat but carried a hint of imperceptible honesty as he said, "If it were anyone else, I wouldn't bother. If you want to stay here, I won't force you."

Wang Donger suddenly raised her head, shock still lingering in her light blue eyes: "Did we… really come to ten thousand years ago?"

Even now, she still felt like it was an absurd dream.

The moment before, she was still fighting with Lu Jing and Bei Bei, and the next moment, she ran into Qian Daoliu and Clan Leader Yu Yuanzhen, who were recorded in history books, and even watched Bei Bei die right in front of her… All of this was beyond her comprehension.

Lu Jing leaned against an ancient tree, looking up as the sunlight passed through the gaps in the leaves, and nodded: "Unless Qian Daoliu and Clan Leader Yu Yuanzhen are bored enough to play tricks, otherwise… it should be real."

He paused, then suddenly asked in return: "Aren't you curious? What does Spirit Hall, described in history books as ambitious and ruthless, actually look like? Is their style of doing things really as cold and heartless as recorded?"

Wang Donger was stunned.

Yes, she was curious.

As a freshman of Shrek Academy and the Young Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect, in the history she had learned since childhood, Spirit Hall was synonymous with "evil."

But Qian Daoliu's words and actions just now overturned her perception—that legendary cold and bloodthirsty Limit Douluo not only did not judge good and evil solely by Spirit, but even let Lu Jing go because of a word from his granddaughter.

Is such a person really the High Priest from the history books who would stop at nothing for power?

"Besides," Lu Jing added, "right now, we have nowhere else to go but to follow them. Do you know how to go back?"

Wang Donger fell silent. She did not know. The appearance of the space-time rift was an accident in the first place, and the path back was even more hopeless.

After thinking for a moment, she took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, and looked up at Lu Jing: "I will go with you."

At the very least, she had to figure out what was going on.

Lu Jing raised an eyebrow, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the outer edge of the forest. Wang Donger hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed, their figures soon disappearing into the dense forest in the morning light.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest.

Yu Tianheng gripped his grandfather's hem, his little face full of confusion. He had just been protected behind Clan Leader Yu Yuanzhen; although he didn't see the specific fight clearly, he had felt that suffocating pressure, as well as the fragments of the conversation between Lu Jing and the others later.

"Grandfather, what exactly is going on with those people just now?"

He asked, looking up with his little face.

Clan Leader Yu Yuanzhen held his grandson's hand, his brows tightly locked. He looked back at the direction Lu Jing had left in, his eyes complex: "Don't ask too much."

He could feel that behind that seemingly accidental encounter, there was a secret hidden that was enough to shake the entire Douluo Continent.

A few people of unknown origin, the phrase "Spirit Hall has been destroyed," and the instantly solemn expression of Qian Daoliu… All of this was like a huge boulder thrown into his heart, stirring up ripples.

"We won't concern ourselves with those matters; we will leave once we find a suitable spirit ring for you."

Clan Leader Yu Yuanzhen patted his grandson's head, his tone deepening: "But I can be certain that this Douluo Continent… is afraid it is about to change."

The child named Lu Jing hid secrets that were too astonishing. The destruction of Spirit Hall, and those names that even Qian Daoliu didn't know… all of this might become the fulcrum that shifts history.

Yu Tianheng nodded as if he understood, although curious, he very sensibly did not ask any further, just sighed like a little adult and followed his grandfather towards the depths of the forest.

On the other side, in a clearing in the forest, Qian Daoliu stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the brightening sky in the east. Qian Renxue stood beside him, her golden eyes full of worry.

"Grandfather, are they… really people from ten thousand years later?" She asked softly, her voice carrying a hint of imperceptible trembling.

In the end, she actually became a Divinity? But since she became a Divinity, why did Spirit Hall still lose?

Qian Daoliu nodded slowly, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the cuffs of his gray robe, his brows tightly locked: "Judging from their reactions, it should be correct. Especially the youngest child; his shock when mentioning you and me did not seem faked."

What he couldn't figure out most was another matter: since Qian Renxue eventually achieved the Angel God, then with the power of a Divinity, how could she let Spirit Hall lose? Could it be… that other Divinities appeared within the ten thousand years?

Divinities in the Douluo Continent were already rare, and the Angel God was a top-tier Divinity passed down for ten thousand years. If Qian Renxue became a Divinity, Spirit Hall had no reason to lose to the two Empires. Unless… the other side also had a Divinity assisting them.

"Then what should we do?" Qian Renxue asked, her small hands tightly gripping her hem. The future ending was the destruction of Spirit Hall, and she herself missing; this made her feel inexplicably panicked.

Just as Qian Daoliu was about to speak, his peripheral vision caught two figures walking towards them; it was Lu Jing and Wang Donger.

He immediately stopped talking, his golden eyes turning to the two, his expression returning to the calm from before, as if the deep thought just now had never happened.

Lu Jing didn't beat around the bush either. He brought Wang Donger to the two and got straight to the point: "We are here. Whatever you want to know, you can ask."

He could tell that Qian Daoliu had intentionally avoided Clan Leader Yu Yuanzhen, obviously not wanting too many people to know about future events. This cautious attitude did match the old and cunning image from the history books.

Wang Donger stood half a step behind Lu Jing, keeping her head down, trying to minimize her presence as much as possible. But she couldn't help but secretly size up Qian Renxue—this future Angel God looked about the same age as her right now, her golden hair shimmering with a soft luster in the morning light, completely lacking the majesty of a legendary Divinity, instead carrying the youthful innocence of a girl.

Qian Daoliu's gaze swept over Wang Donger. Seeing that her aura was pure and her Spirit seemed to be some kind of bird, he didn't pay much attention, then turned to look straight at Lu Jing, his tone serious: "First, tell me, how exactly did Spirit Hall perish?"

This question was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly making the surrounding air heavy.

Lu Jing met Qian Daoliu's gaze without the slightest flinching. He knew that from the moment he decided to tell the truth, it was destined to stir up the winds and clouds of this ten thousand years ago.

"Because of one person." Lu Jing slowly opened his mouth and uttered the name that was repeatedly mentioned in the history books, "Tang San."

Qian Daoliu and Qian Renxue frowned at the same time—this name again.

"Who is he?" Qian Daoliu pressed, a flash of sharpness in his golden eyes. To be able to cause the destruction of Spirit Hall, which possessed a Divinity, this Tang San was definitely no ordinary person.