Porcupinefish Douluo was well aware of the enmity between Dugu Bo and Chrysanthemum Douluo, fearing that the latter might take actions harmful to Qian Renxue.
Thus, both sides remained highly vigilant.
Even as they exchanged formal greetings, their Soul Power remained tightly coiled within them, ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice.
"Brother Li Xun, please don't stand on ceremony," Qian Renxue said with a gentle smile. "I stopped here because I was truly impressed by your extraordinary talent and wished to befriend you."
She had already made up her mind the moment she laid eyes on Li Xun.
The reason she appeared in this guise was to prepare Li Xun for the eventual revelation of her true identity as Xue Qinghe.
"I am deeply honored," Li Xun replied with a courteous bow and a smile. Regardless of the situation, he decided to play along with her words for now.
"Brother Li Xun, you're being too formal," Qian Renxue chuckled, cutting straight to the point. "Would you be willing to join the Spirit Hall?"
"Whatever the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School can offer you, I can provide as well. And there are things they cannot give you that I can."
Over the past two years, under the guise of Xue Qinghe, she had frequently interacted with Li Xun. She knew that he harbored no animosity toward the Spirit Hall.
In fact, he seemed to have a subtle inclination to draw the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School closer to the Spirit Hall.
Although Li Xun had been cautious in his words due to Xue Qinghe's identity, she had still managed to discern his true intentions.
During their discussions about the political landscape of the two great empires and the Spirit Hall, Li Xun had only expressed his acknowledgment of the Spirit Hall's strength.
He had also hinted at the inevitability of the Spirit Hall unifying the continent.
Moreover, he often reminded Xue Qinghe that Heavenly Dou Empire must never become an enemy of the Spirit Hall.
It was precisely because of Li Xun's perspective that Qian Renxue frequently visited him and Ning Rongrong at the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy.
Each time she left the academy gates, she did so with a sense of satisfaction.
Hiss~
Li Xun sucked in a sharp breath, feeling a tingling sensation.
Was she being this direct?
Wasn't poaching and persuasion supposed to start with gradual contact, followed by small favors, and then bombarding with wealth, beauties, Soul Bones, and Spirit Rings? A back-and-forth before finally sealing the deal?
Why was she skipping straight to painting a grand picture?
However, considering the Spirit Hall's immense power and the Soul Hunt Operation, Li Xun felt it was best to placate her for now.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Miss Qian Renxue. However, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has treated me well, and I cannot betray their trust," Li Xun said, pausing for a moment. "But the continent's situation is ever-changing. In the future, it's not impossible for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School to collaborate with the Spirit Hall."
"At that time, whether I join the Spirit Hall or not will make little difference."
Li Xun had his own reasons for saying this.
Now that he had obtained the Immortal Herb, he had effectively cut off Tang San's path of growth, leaving no one to stand against the Spirit Hall.
And since he had no personal grudge against the Spirit Hall, there was no need for him to provoke them.
If the Spirit Hall wished to unify the continent, so be it.
As long as Bibidong wasn't truly intent on destroying the continent, it would be fine.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had been caught up in the turmoil because they had chosen the wrong side. As long as they didn't oppose the Spirit Hall, there shouldn't be any major issues.
As for whether the Spirit Hall would allow sects to exist after unification, Li Xun couldn't be certain.
After all, in his memories, Bibidong's desire to destroy the continent was merely a last-minute boast.
Her original intention was likely to destroy the foundation of the Angel Clan and the Spirit Hall.
The Spirit Hall and the Angel God were essentially bound together.
Li Xun speculated that Bibidong aimed to overthrow the Spirit Hall's worship of the Angel Clan, erasing it from history.
Of course, all of this couldn't be based solely on speculation and memory.
Although Bibidong's experiences were pitiable, considering her life's blemishes of being an ingrate and a yandere, Li Xun felt it necessary to maintain some vigilance.
After all, he had become the proverbial butterfly that flapped its wings, and the future had already changed.
It seemed he still needed to find something for Bibidong and the others to do, to divert their attention and prevent them from idly causing trouble.
This would also buy some time for his own side to develop.
If things really didn't work out in the future, he might have to step up himself. After all, there weren't many normal people in that Spirit Hall.
Li Xun's gaze gradually deepened.
Li Xun's response was within Qian Renxue's expectations.
In their exchanges over the past two years, although Li Xun held respect for the Spirit Hall, he often expressed his intention to stand together with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
This was also why she valued Li Xun.
He was loyal and knew how to repay kindness.
If Li Xun had immediately accepted her olive branch, he wouldn't have been worthy of her personal recruitment.
Because someone who could betray the sect that nurtured him today could betray her tomorrow.
"Brother Li Xun, then I'll be waiting for that day."
Qian Renxue smiled like a flower: "The doors of the Spirit Hall are always open for you."
She hadn't planned to succeed in one attempt anyway.
If geniuses were all such spineless individuals, she might have been disappointed.
Now, hearing words from Li Xun that were similar to what he had said at the academy, she was quite pleased.
This proved that Li Xun's true nature was as such. Whether it was towards Xue Qinghe or her, Qian Renxue.
"Thank you for your kindness, Miss Qian Renxue. I will also discuss this matter with my teacher."
Li Xun showed a smile and nodded.
"Don't call me Miss, Miss. You're younger than me, just call me Sister Xue."
Qian Renxue chuckled: "Then I'll take my leave now, Brother Li Xun. Let's talk again when we have the chance."
After saying this, she waved at Li Xun and left with Porcupinefish Douluo.
She didn't have much time this trip. After obtaining the Spirit Ring, she needed to quickly return to Heavenly Dou City.
Waiting for Li Xun for so long was already a testament to his talent.
And there was also Dugu Bo.
"Kid, is it really possible for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School to join the Spirit Hall?"
Seeing the two leave, Dugu Bo frowned slightly, his aged face showing some hesitation.
He had some grudges with the Spirit Hall's elders, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, and they had fought many times over this.
Although he couldn't defeat these two, the thought of the humiliating experiences of being hunted by them still made him want to seek revenge.
"Grandpa Dugu, I just wanted to stabilize her for now. The sect is not aware of this matter."
Li Xun pondered for a moment: "But the Spirit Hall is powerful. If we can avoid conflict, that would be best."
"Powerful? I've fought with that Juhua Guan kid before."
Dugu Bo chuckled, somewhat dismissive: "Even if the Spirit Hall has some hidden powerhouses, with the Upper Three Sects restraining them, can they really turn the world upside down?"
"Grandpa Dugu, you underestimate the Spirit Hall too much, and you underestimate the world's powerhouses as well."
"In the medicinal books and classics I've read over the years, many are travelogues and anecdotes from the continent."
Li Xun's expression was serious: "They record many figures who were once famous in their regions."
"But these people all disappeared after joining the Spirit Hall."
"Through my extensive research, I found that these people still exist, and their cultivation levels are likely at the Title Douluo level."
Immediately, Li Xun listed out all the Titled Douluos of the Spirit Hall one by one.
As each name was spoken by Li Xun, Dugu Bo's expression grew increasingly grave.
He realized that many of these individuals were from his own era or the previous generation.
Among them, the most renowned was undoubtedly the Golden Alligator Douluo.
When Li Xun mentioned Qiandao Liu, a Limit Douluo, Dugu Bo took a deep breath.
"Xiao Xun, some of these people I've never even heard of. How reliable is the information you've gathered?"
Dugu Bo couldn't help but speak up.
It was no wonder he reacted this way, as what Li Xun had revealed was truly astonishing.
Previously, although he had held a certain level of reverence for the Spirit Hall, deep down, he had always been somewhat dismissive.
He had harbored a mindset that, in the vastness of the world, what could the Spirit Hall possibly do to him?
Yet today, Li Xun had completely overturned his previous understanding of the Spirit Hall.
"The origins of some of
these individuals have become a mystery, and their roots are untraceable. I'm still slowly investigating," Li Xun said with a serious expression, shattering Dugu Bo's remaining illusions. "But the Spirit Hall indeed has records of these names."
(End of Chapter)