16: Chapter 16, Section 16: We also want to see what the Spirit Hall was like ten thousand years ago.

Lu Jing met Qian Renxue's purple eyes, which were filled with astonishment. He nodded unhurriedly, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about a trivial matter: "You are right, in the end, it was indeed Tang San who let you go."

The moment his words landed, the defiance on Qian Renxue's face froze, immediately replaced by deep disbelief.

She subconsciously took half a step back, as if she had heard some Arabian Nights tale: "Impossible! How could he let me go?"

Qian Daoliu also frowned deeply, his golden pupils churning with turbulent waves.

He had lived for over a hundred years and had seen countless conspiracies, tricks, and deep blood feuds, but he had never imagined such an ending.

The grudge between the Clear Sky Sect and the Spirit Hall had long been an irreconcilable knot—Tang Hao's wife, Ah Yin, died at the hands of the Spirit Hall, and Tang Hao himself was driven into exile by the Spirit Hall, even forced to leave the Sect.

As Tang Hao's son, bearing such a deep hatred, how could Tang San show mercy when facing Qian Renxue, who was at the core of the Spirit Hall?

"By all logic, it is indeed impossible."

Qian Daoliu's voice carried a hint of hoarseness. He stared fixedly at Lu Jing, as if trying to find traces of a lie in the other's eyes, and said: "Because if I were in Tang San's position, let alone letting Xue'er go, I fear not even a whole corpse would be left behind. There must be a reason for this, tell me."

Qian Renxue also clenched her fists, her breathing becoming slightly rapid. She couldn't understand why the person who could overthrow the Spirit Hall would show her leniency? Was it pity? Or was there some unknown transaction?

Lu Jing shrugged and explained the details: "There are two reasons. First, Bibi Dong pleaded for you. Second, you have not really done anything truly heinous—at least compared to Bibi Dong, the blood debt on your hands is much cleaner."

"Bibi Dong?"

When Qian Daoliu heard this name, his eyes suddenly became complex. He was silent for a moment, as if grasping a key point, and suddenly asked: "In that case, has Bibi Dong also become a god?"

Lu Jing was not surprised by this question and nodded: "That's right. She inherited the God Position of the Rakshasa God and, like Qian Renxue, is an existence standing at the pinnacle of the continent."

Qian Daoliu's breath hitched, and a look of sudden realization finally appeared on his face. He looked at Qian Renxue with a barely perceptible sigh in his eyes: "No wonder... no wonder Tang San's Sea God God Position was at a disadvantage. Facing two Divinities working together, even the Sea God might not necessarily gain an advantage."

"So in the end, Tang San inherited the God Position of the Asura God, which turned the tide of the battle."

Lu Jing added: "If not for the power of the Asura God, the one who would have lost the battle at Jialing Pass would have been him."

"Asura God?" Qian Renxue and Qian Daoliu asked in unison, their eyes filled with curiosity. They had never seen the name of this Divinity in ancient books; it sounded like it carried a biting aura of slaughter.

Lu Jing shook his head, his tone carrying just the right amount of regret: "I don't know about that. The history books from ten thousand years later only record that Tang San inherited the Asura God Position, but they don't mention a word about the inheritance process, as if it had been deliberately erased."

He knew clearly in his heart. The inheritance of the Asura God involved Tang Chen, and the entanglement between Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu was far more complex than it appeared on the surface. Bringing up Tang Chen now might trigger some variables, so it was better to say less.

Qian Renxue was clearly dissatisfied with this answer, but seeing Lu Jing's calm expression, which didn't seem fake, she could only suppress the urge to ask further. She took a deep breath, her gaze falling on Lu Jing, her voice trembling slightly: "Then... where did I end up? And Bibi Dong..."

This question was like a heavy stone, pressing on her until she could hardly breathe. She wanted to know the ending, but she was afraid to hear the answer she couldn't bear.

Lu Jing glanced at her, his tone calm and waveless: "Regarding this matter, the history books are very clear. The Rakshasa God Bibi Dong, the first Empress of the Spirit Empire, eventually fell at Jialing Pass. And you, the Angel God Qian Renxue, your God Position was shattered, you were unable to ever reach level ninety again, and from then on, you retired into the mountains and forests, disappearing without a trace."

"God Position shattered... unable to reach level ninety ever again..." Qian Renxue muttered to herself, her face instantly turning pale as paper. For a gifted Spirit Master who was single-mindedly pursuing the peak, this was harder to accept than death. She had inherited the Angel God Position, thinking she could lead the Spirit Hall to glory, but she never expected to end up like this.

Qian Daoliu's body swayed, his golden eyes bloodshot. Looking at Qian Renxue's devastated appearance and thinking of Bibi Dong's ending, his heart was filled with mixed feelings. He had worked hard for the Spirit Hall all his life and had been running around for the Angel God inheritance, but he had never thought the ending would be so bleak.

"What he said... is it true?" Qian Daoliu's voice carried a barely perceptible tremble as he looked at Wang Donger, as if seeking final confirmation.

Wang Donger hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said softly: "It is true. These are all official historical records from ten thousand years later, which basically everyone knows, and the two people who just fell were also students of Shrek Academy, which is why they reacted like that."

Shrek Academy... Qian Daoliu chewed on this name, his eyes dark and unclear. That was a force as famous as the Spirit Hall ten thousand years later; looking at it now, it was probably built on the bones of the Spirit Hall.

For a moment, the forest fell into a deathly silence, entwined with the heaviness and unwillingness permeating the air.

Qian Daoliu looked up at the sky, his eyes hollow, as if he had aged decades in an instant. Qian Renxue lowered her head, no one could see the expression on her face, only her slightly trembling shoulders revealed her emotions.

Lu Jing and Wang Donger looked at each other and said nothing. They knew that any comfort at this moment was superfluous. The torrent of history rolled forward, allowing no one to change it; this sense of powerlessness could probably only be understood by those who had experienced it personally.

I don't know how long it had been, when Qian Daoliu slowly withdrew his gaze, took a deep breath, as if he had made a major decision. He looked at Lu Jing and Wang Donger, his eyes becoming sharp again, but in that sharpness, there was a hint of indescribable complexity: "You two, coming from ten thousand years later and knowing the direction of the future... are you interested in joining the Spirit Hall?"

Lu Jing and Wang Donger were both stunned, obviously not expecting him to suddenly make this request.

Qian Daoliu continued: "Although the Spirit Hall has been destroyed ten thousand years later, at this moment, we are still the most powerful force on the continent. If you stay here, you might see a different scenery. And..."

He paused, his gaze falling on Lu Jing, "Your evaluation of the Spirit Hall actually surprised me a bit. Perhaps you can bring us something different."

Lu Jing chuckled inwardly. He had originally wanted to see what the Spirit Hall of ten thousand years ago was like; this invitation happened to suit his wishes. He and Wang Donger exchanged a look, seeing the tacit understanding in each other's eyes.

Wang Donger nodded slightly, signaling him to answer.

Lu Jing pretended to ponder for a moment before looking up, a smile appearing on his face at just the right moment: "Since the High Priest has spoken, if we were to refuse, it would be too unappreciative. As it happens, we also want to see what the Spirit Hall was like ten thousand years ago."

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