Inside the Douluo Hall of Spirit City, or rather, the Angel Shrine, Qian Daoliu and Qian Renxue stood solemnly beneath the towering Angel Statue, their expressions grave.
Qian Daoliu spoke seriously to Qian Renxue, "Xiaoxue, are you ready? This concerns your very survival."
Qian Renxue carefully reflected on her life. From a young age, her father, Qian Xunji, had died, her mother, Bibi Dong, had despised her, and she had spent half her life struggling in the treacherous palace of Heaven Dou City.
But in the end, she finally met the person she loved most, someone she could entrust her life to, and even managed to resolve the deep knots in her heart.
Thinking of this, Qian Renxue's expression turned resolute. "Grandfather, I'm ready. To pass this final trial, I will give everything, no matter the cost."
Becoming the new Angel God had been the pursuit of the Angel Clan for tens of thousands of years, carrying the hopes and efforts of countless generations.
Qian Daoliu gently stroked Qian Renxue's hair with some reluctance, shaking his head. "Xiaoxue, there's no need to be in such a hurry. No matter how many problems arise in the world, I will bear them for you."
Qian Renxue spoke firmly, "Grandfather, I was too willful before. I didn't understand your thoughts, nor did I understand the true purpose of the Angel Clan's existence."
"But now, I understand. The Angel Clan must vanquish demons and pacify the world to earn the faith of all soul masters. If the Ancestor God could do it, then I can do it too."
Qian Daoliu sighed. "Xiaoxue, you've grown up. Then let me pave the way for you one last time. Be careful on this journey."
Qian Renxue shook her head. "Grandfather, you don't need to sacrifice yourself. I have a way to initiate the final inheritance trial."
Qian Daoliu was slightly surprised. "How do you know that the inheritance requires a sacrifice? Don't worry, I have long prepared myself. For the Angel Clan, I will dedicate all my energy."
Qian Renxue said nothing. Instead, she took out a drop of golden blood from her body. The blood seemed to contain boundless energy—it was one of the two drops of divine blood Yang Podi had obtained.
Qian Daoliu's face was full of shock. "Xiaoxue, what is this? Why do I feel an immense divine power emanating from it?"
Qian Renxue looked at the drop of divine blood and shook her head. "Grandfather, this was given to me by Podi. It is a drop of divine essence. It should be enough to support the start of my ninth Angel God trial. Right now, the Spirit Empire needs you more than ever."
As she finished speaking, the drop of divine blood in Qian Renxue's hand suddenly floated into the air, radiating a brilliant light. This light resonated with the towering Angel Statue.
Soon, an endless surge of energy began emanating from the divine blood, and under the guidance of the Angel Statue, a golden gate gradually appeared. This gate seemed to lead into the void, yet it also exerted an irresistible pull on Qian Renxue.
Gripping her Angelic Sacred Sword tightly, Qian Renxue deeply bowed to Qian Daoliu before stepping forward without hesitation into the golden gate.
Qian Daoliu could only let out a bitter smile. He had schemed for most of his life, making countless preparations for his granddaughter. He had even resolved to sacrifice himself, yet Yang Podi had foreseen that divine ascension required his sacrifice and had prepared for this outcome in advance.
As soon as Qian Renxue stepped into the golden gate, the portal vanished completely. There was no turning back—either she would become a god, or she would perish.
Qian Daoliu gazed at the towering Angel Statue, bowed deeply, and then disappeared in a flash.
Meanwhile, Golden Crocodile Douluo, Hu Liena, and the others anxiously examined the map. As more reports came in from their scouts, they gained a clearer picture of the incoming soul beast army.
With each piece of intelligence, their despair deepened. From all indications, the Great Star Dou Forest had mobilized its entire force. More than ten hundred-thousand-year soul beasts were confirmed, and the leader was none other than Di Tian, a peerless powerhouse. The presence of multiple other Ferocious Beasts only made the situation more dire.
What was even worse was that the Speed Clan had allied with the soul beasts as their guides. This meant they were willing to do anything for revenge. If the Speed Clan was involved, then didn't that mean Tang San was also with the soul beast army?
The battle at Heavenly Academy had shocked the world. Tang San had single-handedly fought four Title Douluo, including Sword Douluo and Yang Zhentian, two immensely powerful attack-type Douluo. Even Golden Crocodile Douluo himself was unsure if he could completely defeat Sword Douluo and Yang Zhentian, yet Tang San had fought against all four simultaneously. His combat strength was clearly superior to Golden Crocodile Douluo's.
Suddenly, a golden light flashed, and Qian Daoliu appeared in the room.
Upon seeing him, everyone felt as though they had found their pillar of support. The six great worshipers, including Golden Crocodile Douluo, knew that Qian Renxue's divine ascension required a sacrifice.
At once, they all bowed. "Greetings, Grand Worshiper!"
Qian Daoliu simply waved his hand. "What's the situation? Have we fully assessed the strength of the invading soul beast army?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo quickly reported all the intelligence they had gathered, along with his own speculations, including the strength comparison between the two sides.
After explaining everything, Golden Crocodile Douluo cautiously asked, "Big Brother, how is Xiaoxue? Will she be alright?"
Qian Daoliu shook his head. "Xiaoxue is fine for now. She has her own plans. Whether she can cross this final step will depend on her own fate."
"What about Her Majesty? Still no news?"
Hu Liena quickly answered, "Reporting to the Grand Worshiper, Her Majesty entered seclusion after absorbing the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's spirit ring. We cannot access her location, nor do we have any information on her current state."
Qian Daoliu simply nodded and shifted his focus entirely to the battlefield. More than anyone, he understood Bibi Dong's situation.
Golden Crocodile Douluo hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Big Brother, this time even Di Tian has come, and many other Ferocious Beasts have appeared as well. Our forces may not be strong enough. I have already sent a request for aid to Heavenly Academy."
Qian Daoliu carefully examined the reports and the map. "Distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. Heavenly Academy and that boy, Yang Podi, won't be able to reach us in time. We must rely on ourselves. I will handle Di Tian personally."
"But Big Brother, Di Tian's strength is unfathomable. Should we arrange a group attack?" Golden Crocodile Douluo asked with a worried expression.
Qian Daoliu shook his head. "We don't have the manpower to spare for that. This is Spirit City, the sacred ground of our Angel Clan. It is my duty to protect this place myself."