12: Chapter 12 Reunion After Eight Years: Ji Xuan Emerges from Seclusion

Eight years had passed...

The journey had been long and tiring.

Several days later, Qian Renxue and the other two finally returned to Spirit Hall.

Qian Renxue looked at the Supreme Pontiff Palace before her, her hands clenching tightly without her realizing it.

She had left home at nine years old to carry out an undercover mission in the Heaven Dou Empire, and over eight years had passed.

She wondered what that woman's attitude toward her was now...

"You two may withdraw first."

Qian Renxue did not turn her head, ordering the two Titled Douluo, Snake Lance and Porcupinefish, behind her.

"Yes, Young Lord." Snake Lance and Porcupinefish bowed in unison.

After they left, Qian Renxue stood alone before the main gates of the Supreme Pontiff Palace.

She took a deep breath and relaxed her clenched hands.

As the gates of the Supreme Pontiff Palace were slowly pushed open by the guards on either side...

Qian Renxue stepped into the main hall.

The light pouring in from behind stretched her shadow, casting it long across the floor of the hall.

Qian Renxue cast her gaze forward.

She saw Bibi Dong whispering instructions to Hu Liena, who was listening with a focused expression beside her.

Qian Renxue's arrival instantly caught their attention, and they both looked over.

A flash of amazement crossed Hu Liena's eyes.

In the entire Spirit Hall, she had always been quite confident in herself.

But the blonde girl before her surpassed her in both appearance and temperament.

Who is she? Why have I never seen her before?

What shocked her even more was that the woman before her...

vaguely resembled her teacher, Bibi Dong.

When Bibi Dong's gaze landed on Qian Renxue...

the faint smile on her face instantly vanished, replaced by a dark expression.

However, deep in her eyes, a trace of imperceptible trembling flickered.

Xiaoxue... why did she come back?

A long-sealed emotion in the depths of Bibi Dong's heart seemed to loosen slightly.

But immediately, a flash of malice crossed her eyes, and a cold power surged up, covering that loosening emotion once again.

"Supreme Pontiff... no."

Qian Renxue clearly captured the change in Bibi Dong's expression.

She gritted her teeth and changed her words: "I'd better call you sister."

Why could Bibi Dong be so gentle with Hu Liena beside her?

Yet, when facing her own biological daughter, there was only coldness?

Qian Renxue clenched her hands, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Why?

No matter what she did, she could not gain her mother's approval...

"Hmph, why did you come back? Did the mission fail?" Bibi Dong's voice was icy.

Qian Renxue had returned to Spirit Hall in secret; she truly had not expected this.

Qian Renxue replied: "Rest assured, the mission is going very smoothly."

"Then why are you back?" Bibi Dong's tone became even colder. "Aren't you afraid that your identity will be exposed, causing all your previous efforts to be wasted?"

Bibi Dong stood up, her Supreme Pontiff scepter thumping hard against the ground as she stared at Qian Renxue,

"Do you know how important your mission is to the future plans of Spirit Hall?"

Qian Renxue met Bibi Dong's gaze without flinching, a self-deprecating smile curling at the corner of her mouth.

Eight years had passed, yet her mother's attitude toward her remained cold.

She only cared about the plans of Spirit Hall and did not care about her own daughter at all...

"No need to trouble yourself, sister. I know what I'm doing!"

Qian Renxue's gaze swept over Hu Liena, who was standing to the side,

"It seems I didn't come at the right time, interrupting your heartwarming moment."

"I'm leaving now!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Qian Renxue did not hesitate, turned around, and left.

Bibi Dong watched Qian Renxue's departing figure, her hand gripping the scepter tightening slightly.

As the doors closed and the light vanished... the main hall fell into silence.

A moment later,

Hu Liena could no longer suppress the curiosity and confusion in her heart and asked softly:

"Teacher... who is she?"

Hearing Hu Liena's question, Bibi Dong slowly withdrew her gaze, a trace of indescribable complexity flashing in the depths of her eyes.

Bibi Dong spoke indifferently: "Someone of no importance."

Bibi Dong did not say anything more and steered the topic back to Cultivate.

It seemed as though Qian Renxue's sudden arrival was just a minor interlude.

Hu Liena was filled with doubts, but since her teacher Bibi Dong wouldn't say anything, she dared not ask further...

Inside the Elder Hall.

Qian Daoliu was kneeling devoutly beneath the statue of the Angel God.

Sensing a familiar presence behind him, he opened his eyes and slowly stood up.

"Xiao Xuan, you're back?"

Qian Daoliu turned around and stood with his hands behind his back.

"Did you go to see her?"

He looked at his granddaughter Qian Renxue, whose head was bowed, her mood dejected, and his eyes were instantly filled with heartache.

"Grandfather..."

Qian Renxue could no longer hold it in; she threw herself into Qian Daoliu's embrace, her voice choking with sobs.

Qian Daoliu raised his hand, gently stroking Qian Renxue's hair, and sighed silently.

"Xiao Xuan, don't blame her... she has her own hardships too."

Qian Daoliu's voice carried a deep helplessness and his usual indecisiveness.

In his heart, the Qian family ultimately owed that woman.

Qian Renxue did not answer, only hugging her grandfather Qian Daoliu tighter.

For so many years, Bibi Dong's attitude toward her had always been like this; she had gradually become accustomed to it.

A long time later.

Qian Renxue set aside her thoughts about Bibi Dong; the main purpose of this secret return was Ji Xuan.

She immediately left her grandfather's embrace, looked up, and asked softly:

"Grandfather, where is the Disciple you took in, Ji Xuan?"

"Xiao Xuan? He is on the mountaintop to Cultivate."

Mentioning Ji Xuan, a look of gratification unconsciously appeared in Qian Daoliu's eyes,

"That child is exceptionally diligent when he Cultivates; he can't sit idle for even a moment."

Cultivating on the mountaintop?

Hearing this, a playful look flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes.

"I understand, Grandfather. I'll be going now."

Qian Daoliu nodded slightly.

After watching Qian Renxue leave, he returned to the statue of the Angel God and continued his day-after-day devout kneeling.

Two days later.

The summit of the Wuhun Divine Mountain.

"Boom!" Claps of thunder exploded.

Amidst the lightning, a figure suddenly opened his eyes!

It was Ji Xuan. His body was wrapped in fine electric arcs, emitting crackling explosions.

A sharp, peerless Sword Intent soared into the sky, inciting the surrounding lightning elements into a frenzy.

Ji Xuan's body slowly levitated, three feet off the ground.

The Sword of Order shone with brilliant golden light, emitting a series of hums.

Ji Xuan raised his hand, holding the sword vertically in front of him, the tip pointing straight at the firmament.

"Sword Intent of Thunder." Ji Xuan shouted in a low voice.

"Divine Sword Controls Thunder."

In an instant, several bolts of lightning as thick as a finger gathered crazily toward the sword body in the sky!

Ji Xuan's gaze locked onto a massive rock in the distance that would require three people to embrace.

He held the sword in one hand and slashed downward fiercely.

"Boom—!"

The violent power of the thunder instantly tore the rock into rubble!

The dust and smoke dispersed...

The surface of the rubble on the ground was scorched black by the electricity, emitting wisps of smoke, and still flickering with lingering electric arcs.

The thunderclouds above dissipated, and Ji Xuan sheathed his sword and stood. The Soul Power and Sword Intent surging around him slowly calmed down.

He looked at the scene before him, a satisfied smile curling uncontrollably at the corner of his mouth.

"Finally, a Breakthrough!"

Sword Intent of Thunder had reached Major Achievement, and his attack power had greatly increased.

After nearly ten days of baptism by thunder, his Soul Power had once again reached a Breakthrough by one level, arriving at level twenty-five.

"Hmm...?"

Just as his mind relaxed, an aura quietly locked onto him from behind!