Qian Xunji emerged from the secret chamber and returned to the Supreme Pontiff Palace.
"Come in," Qian Xunji said to Chrysanthemum outside the palace, sitting on the Pope's throne.
The doors of the great hall opened, and Chrysanthemum and Ghost walked in.
As Chrysanthemum entered the great hall, Qian Xunji sensed that both of their auras had reached level 90.
After absorbing one more spirit ring, they would successfully advance to Titled Douluo. Qian Xunji had already noticed this upon his return, but Bibi Dong's problem was more urgent, causing him to overlook it.
Now, after dealing with Bibi Dong, he could also address the spirit ring issue for these two subordinates.
In the original work, Chrysanthemum and Ghost's loyalty was commendable. Chrysanthemum Douluo, in the end, didn't even get a Spirit Bone, was neglected by Bibi Dong, and ultimately died at Tang San's hands. Although he had thoughts of defecting before his death, Chrysanthemum couldn't be blamed for it.
Bibi Dong at that time was the type who used people when needed and discarded them when not. When Ghost was alive, Chrysanthemum and Ghost were Elder Protectors of the Palace, following Bibi Dong one after the other. Once Ghost died and their Spirit Fusion Skill was broken, Chrysanthemum was reduced to a role where he could only ambush logistics.
Qian Xunji indeed had the idea of giving important positions to Chrysanthemum, because that old man was simply too stingy.
Just like a Shanxi rich landlord, he hoarded everything, unwilling to use it. With so many Titled Douluo hidden in the Elder Palace, could they lay eggs?
After the incident with Tang Hao, Qian Xunji's reputation and prestige in Spirit Hall were ruined. Qian Daoliu was unlikely to give Qian Xunji more manpower to let him act recklessly, so Qian Xunji could only develop his own forces.
"Both of you have reached level 90; it's time to acquire a spirit ring," Qian Xunji said. "I have a question for you: do you have the confidence to absorb a 100,000-year spirit ring?"
Upon hearing "100,000-year spirit ring," Chrysanthemum and Ghost couldn't help but look up, staring at Qian Xunji in surprise. Why would he bring up a 100,000-year spirit ring? Did he want them to absorb one?
Seeing their hesitation, Qian Xunji asked with displeasure, "I asked you, do you have the confidence to acquire and absorb a 100,000-year spirit ring?"
Chrysanthemum looked overjoyed, but Ghost was not carried away by the 100,000-year spirit ring. He said, "Your Holiness the Pope, we don't have many Spirit Bones on us, which means our current physical fitness is insufficient to withstand the impact of a 100,000-year spirit ring."
Qian Xunji stood up and went to the storage room behind the Supreme Pontiff Palace, sifting through the Supreme Pontiff Palace's reserves. Spirit Bones were extremely rare, and most of the Spirit Bones owned by Spirit Hall had been absorbed by the Elders, leaving not many.
There were probably a few 10,000-year Spirit Bones: the Wisdom Head Spirit Bone of Spirit Condensation, the Burst Incineration Flame Right Arm Bone, the Swift Advance Wind Chasing Left Leg Bone, and another Head Spirit Bone, which was Hu Liena's. Adding the Wisdom Nightmare Head Spirit Bone that Qian Xunji obtained through the silver lottery, there were a total of five Spirit Bones.
Excluding the Head Spirit Bone that Bibi Dong gave Hu Liena in the original work, Qian Xunji took these four Spirit Bones to the Supreme Pontiff Palace. Regardless of whether these Spirit Bones were suitable for Chrysanthemum and Ghost, he used his spirit power to levitate these four Spirit Bones and flew them towards Chrysanthemum and Ghost.
The Swift Advance Wind Chasing Left Leg Bone and the Wisdom Nightmare Head Spirit Bone flew towards Ghost.
The Burst Incineration Flame Right Arm Bone and the Wisdom Head Spirit Bone of Spirit Condensation flew towards Chrysanthemum.
"Then, with these Spirit Bones, do you have the confidence?" Qian Xunji asked.
Chrysanthemum and Ghost stared blankly at the two Spirit Bones for a moment, understanding Qian Xunji's meaning. After some thought, they gritted their teeth and said, "If we include these two Spirit Bones, we have confidence, Your Holiness the Pope."
Qian Xunji nodded and said, "It's best if it is so. These four Spirit Bones belong to you. Don't waste my four Spirit Bones and two spirit rings. Go and absorb these Spirit Bones. Once the Spirit Bones are absorbed, come back to me."
"Thank you for your gift, Your Holiness the Pope. Your subordinates will surely dedicate their lives to you."
In the original work, these Spirit Bones eventually fell into Shrek's hands, while originally, these Spirit Bones were reserved by Bibi Dong for Spirit Hall's Golden Generation.
In Qian Xunji's view, instead of giving these three Spirit Bones to the younger generation of Spirit Hall, it would be better to give them directly to the Elders of Spirit Hall who could provide immediate combat power.
Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Yan's talents might surpass Elder Chrysanthemum in the future, but in the original work's ending, these three didn't even reach Titled Douluo. What good would it do to give them the Spirit Bones?
Not to mention Hu Liena, who was another love-struck fool.
Bibi Dong relived the nightmare she had experienced for several nights.
She dreamt of the first time Qian Xunji assaulted her in the secret chamber, and she dreamt of being imprisoned in the dungeon, giving birth to Qian Renxue.
Finally, the dream shattered, and in a dark place, Bibi Dong saw two people: one was Yu Xiaogang, and the other was a young Qian Renxue.
Yu Xiaogang walked up to Bibi Dong and said affectionately, "Dong'er, you've suffered all these years. Let's start over. Come with me."
Bibi Dong, her face streaked with tears, said, "Xiaogang, I'm no longer pure. Do you still want me?"
The handsome Yu Xiaogang paced to Bibi Dong, reached out to wipe away the tears on her cheeks, and said, "Dong'er, what are you talking about? No matter what you are like, you are still the Dong'er I deeply love. Of course, there's one thing I cannot tolerate."
"That is—" Yu Xiaogang pointed at Qian Renxue and said, "Her!"
Bibi Dong looked in the direction of Yu Xiaogang's finger and saw Qian Renxue.
"Bibi Dong, she is Qian Xunji's daughter. If you want to be with me, then kill her. Qian Xunji's bastard child should not remain in this world," Yu Xiaogang said.
"This…" Even if Bibi Dong hated Qian Xunji, Qian Renxue was, after all, the daughter she had carried for ten months, a piece of her own flesh. Bibi Dong could not bring herself to do it. She said, "Xiaogang, she doesn't know anything, after all."
"Bibi Dong, either there's me, Yu Xiaogang, or there's this bastard child. If there's this bastard child, there's no me, Yu Xiaogang." With that, Yu Xiaogang adjusted his trench coat and said righteously to Bibi Dong, "Do you want me, Yu Xiaogang, who deeply loves you, full of wisdom and experience, or this bastard child, Qian Renxue, whom Qian Xunji forced you to bear? Make your choice."
Bibi Dong: "."