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Within a unique space, an endless night sky stretched out, dotted with twinkling stars. In that night sky, a magnificent hall floated serenely.
The hall was hexagonal, with six colossal golden pillars supporting the roof. There were no walls, and void surrounded it on all sides.
Beneath one's feet, the hall's roof and the six immense golden pillars were engraved with countless strange patterns, all based on the form of angel feathers.
At the very center of the hall stood a three-meter-high statue of an angel. It resembled the one in the Elder Hall perfectly, only much smaller.
This angel statue was not golden, but a dull, lusterless gray. In front of the statue, a similarly gray longsword was thrust into the ground, its six wings spread behind it, vividly lifelike.
Clad in gray robes, Qian Daoliu knelt before the angel statue, as if in prayer, his expression somewhat lost and confused.
When everyone lives in misery and humiliation under the shadow of soul beasts…
When everyone forgets the sacrifices and contributions of their ancestors…
When everyone is willing to share the living space, which countless soul masters fought for with their blood from the hands of soul beasts…
Is my persistence still necessary?
Qian Daoliu seemed to be confiding, yet also talking to himself, as he softly spoke:
"Oh God, can you tell me what to do? The world has forgotten your glory."
"A soul master is considered guilty for hunting soul beasts."
"Human leaders bow their heads to soul beasts…"
"Does our Spirit Hall still have a reason to exist?"
"What exactly are we inheriting, what are we protecting? When will the glory of the angels be able to bloom again?"
The angel statue remained unchanged, its face bearing a faint smile that also seemed to be filled with compassion and pity.
Suddenly, the gem on the hilt of the dull, lusterless longsword in front of the statue lit up. Countless golden rays of light emerged from Qian Daoliu's body, these countless, starlike golden specks, like glittering stars.
At the same time, a rhombus-shaped gem appeared on Qian Daoliu's brow.
The golden specks continuously poured into the longsword, transforming into a strange power that flowed into the rhombus-shaped gem on Qian Daoliu's brow.
Qian Daoliu's eyes widened, shocked by the scene before him. The angel god, or rather, the angel god's divine seat, had responded! It was transforming the faith gathered on Qian Daoliu into angel divine power!
"Is this the answer you have given me…" Qian Daoliu closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the confusion was gone, replaced only by determination. "I understand."
He wiped his forehead with his right hand, causing the rhombus-shaped gem to disappear again. He stood up, ended the transformation of faith power, and walked out of the hall.
Qian Daoliu turned and stepped out of the Angel God Hall in the void. In one step, his figure appeared before the angel statue in the Elder Hall.
"I'm sorry, Xiaoxue, although this may make it more difficult for you to accept the inheritance in the future, I believe you can overcome it."
"Some things, even if the whole world is silent, even if the whole world approves, I cannot accept… I will correct this mistake."
Qian Daoliu's eyes sharpened. At this moment, he was no longer the cultivated servant of the god, but the Spirit Hall's once terrifying Judgement Elder.
"Golden Crocodile, Qian Jun, Jiang Mo… come here, I have something to ask of you," he transmitted his voice.
...
The Sky Blue Bull Python, with its bull's head and serpent's body, writhed its enormous, tens of meters long body as it traveled along the central avenue of Heaven Dou City.
Xiao Wu sat on its head, a sweet smile on her face, constantly waving to the people on both sides of the road, who looked on with curiosity or fear.
Tang San sat beside Xiao Wu, his expression calm.
This was a show, proposed by Yu Xiaogang. Through the Sky Blue Bull Python and Xiao Wu's parade in Heaven Dou City, the people and soul masters in the city would learn about 100,000-year soul beasts. They would understand that these highly intelligent soul beasts could empathize with humans, and that humans and soul beasts could coexist harmoniously.
A child, disregarding the adults' dissuasion, ran in front of the Sky Blue Bull Python.
The Sky Blue Bull Python stopped, its huge eyes looking at the little one, a look of puzzlement on its face.
The child looked up at the enormous soul beast and asked Xiao Wu, "Sister, are you a soul beast?"
"Yes, I am a 100,000-year transformed soul beast, and a student of Shrek Academy. I even represented the academy in the previous Soul Master Competition," Xiao Wu said with a smile.
"What about you, brother?"
"I am human," Tang San replied.
"Wow… then brother and sister are lovers, right? Brother, you must be as powerful as the protagonist in 'The Peerless Tang Sect'," the child said with longing and admiration.
"The Peerless Tang Sect" was a storybook printed and distributed by the Heaven Dou Empire, with the theme of love between humans and soul beasts, written by Flender, the dean of Shrek Academy.
Tang San and Xiao Wu exchanged glances, both revealing happy smiles, and said gently, "Yes… but I will protect her, and I will never let her suffer the hardships written in the storybook."
"How romantic… I want to find such a beautiful soul beast sister as my wife in the future," the little boy looked at the Sky Blue Bull Python again. "Is this your mount, brother?"
"No, Da Ming is my friend," Tang San shook his head.
"Oh… I see. Then I want to have such a soul beast mount… no, friend, in the future."
Xiao Wu giggled and said, "Do you want to come up?"
"Huh?"
"Do you want to come up? Ride Da Ming around Heaven Dou City with us?" Xiao Wu suggested.
"Can I?" The child's face showed excitement.
"Moo… it's okay," Da Ming said in a human tongue.
"Wow, so cool."
Tang San smiled slightly and used Blue Silver Grass to pull the child up.
"Hahaha…" The little boy sat in Tang San's arms, laughing exceptionally happily.
Seeing him really sitting on the giant python, the other children showed envious expressions.
"Sister, sister, I want to ride the big python too."
"Me too."
A group of children popped out.
Xiao Wu looked at Da Ming.
Da Ming said in a muffled voice, "It's okay, let them come up."
"Yay…" The children cheered.
Tang San wore a helpless expression and used Blue Silver Grass to bring the children onto the snake's back one by one.
They rode the Sky Blue Bull Python around the entire Heaven Dou City, as if riding a small train.
Seeing the children getting along so well with the giant soul beast, the ordinary people also lowered their guard, feeling that the storybook seemed to be right.
Xue Beng stood on the palace walls, looking at the Sky Blue Bull Python filled with children with some surprise. "Those children are really brave… this is a 100,000-year soul beast. But speaking of which, this soul beast has a really good temper."
Yu Xiaogang smiled faintly, "This is what I arranged. The child who took the lead at the beginning was a fourth-generation disciple of the Clear Sky Sect. The next few were either from the Clear Sky Sect or the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan… The ones behind were the real children of the city's residents."
"Uh… Teacher is wise," Xue Beng was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "But the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? Aren't they in the Tudor Territory?"
Yu Xiaogang responded, "Back then, after my father died in Amon's hands, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan also experienced a split. Some submitted to the then Duke Amon, while my eldest brother's branch left the Tudor Territory with their clansmen and are now in Heaven Dou City. Many of them are teachers at Shrek Academy."
"Ah? So that's how it is, no wonder Shrek Academy has such a strong teaching staff, no wonder there are so many teachers with the surname Yu," Xue Beng suddenly understood.
"It seems very successful. Through Xiao Wu and the Sky Blue Bull Python's parade, the public's rejection of soul beasts has been further eliminated," Yu Xiaogang forced a stiff smile.
"In this way, whether it is the public or the soul masters, their opinions on the agreement you signed with Star Dou Great Forest will be much smaller."
"It's all thanks to Teacher's planning," Xue Beng said with some flattery, "It's a pity that the Star Luo Empire actually played a trick in the end, setting us up and detaining so many of our soldiers. Do you have a solution, Teacher?"
Yu Xiaogang hesitated for a moment and said, "In this case, I will let Xiao San and Mu Bai communicate as much as possible and try to persuade the Star Luo Empire to release all the people. It's a pity that Mu Bai is only the crown prince, otherwise it would be much easier…"
"I can only do my best and leave the rest to fate. After all, the Star Luo Empire suddenly launched an attack at the last moment, probably for the sake of that Heaven Dou army, in order to make the Heaven Dou Empire lose so much labor and hinder the empire's post-war production and recovery."
"Alas… they are just ordinary people who were called up. Try to find a way to redeem them as much as possible and give them a chance to reunite with their families. Xue Beng, you must be prepared to pay a considerable price."
Xue Beng nodded, "I understand. They are all my people, and if I can, I will naturally do my best to help them."
After ending the day's parade and sending the children home, the Sky Blue Bull Python and Xiao Wu arrived at Shrek Academy.
Except for Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, who followed the Heaven Dou Empire's delegation back to the Star Luo Empire, the other Shrek Academy students who participated in the competition were all there.
"Wow… a 100,000-year soul beast, this is the first time I've seen one," Ma Hongjun touched the Sky Blue Bull Python's huge bull's head with a curious expression.
"Hello, my name is Ma Hongjun, I'm Xiao Wu's classmate."
"Hello, I'm Da Ming. Since you are Sister Xiao Wu's friend, then you are my friend," Da Ming responded.
"Isn't it the first time? Have you forgotten that we met the Titan Giant Ape when we went to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain soul rings before? That should also be Xiao Wu's friend. Moreover, Xiao Wu is such a big person, did you miss her? Fatty," Ning Rongrong laughed.
"Alas, look at my memory," Ma Hongjun slapped his head. "By the way, why didn't I see the Titan Giant Ape? Didn't it come?"
"Erming it… died at the hands of Bibi Dong," Da Ming and Xiao Wu's expressions became gloomy.
"Bibi Dong, the Pope of the Spirit Hall? It's them again! Hmph…" Ma Hongjun said angrily.
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