31 Chapter 30
The group ventured deeper into Star Dou Forest, their collective comfort growing with each step.
Qian Renxue was now actively engaging in lively discussions with Cai Wen, her initial contempt for him dissolving with each passing moment. Their dialogue expanded beyond the forest's mysteries, and they began sharing personal stories, discussing their interests, and reflecting upon their aspirations.
"You spend your free time just reading books?" Qian Renxue asked Cai Wen, her surprise evident in her tone. "What about mo- I mean, the Pope? Isn't she instructing you?"
"Well, my Teacher mentioned that I've been so absorbed in reading that she finds it troublesome to teach me since I often already know what she intends to teach," Cai Wen confessed, his words not a fabrication. "She mostly allows me to approach her with questions whenever I encounter something I don't understand. She also assigns me tasks to complete."
Qian Renxue appeared envious for a fleeting moment before she masked her feelings. She had managed to abandon her initial dislike for him, but she couldn't suppress her jealousy. Whenever she attempted to interact with her mother, Bibi Dong, she was mostly ignored, as if her existence held no significance for her mother.
"And what about you, Miss Renxue? How do you usually spend your free time?" Cai Wen asked, noticing her expression and attempting to divert her attention.
"Me? Well... I suppose I cultivate, train, and... read?" Qian Renxue responded thoughtfully, her words tinged with hesitation.
"That's pretty much what I do too," Cai Wen chuckled.
"Sh-shut up! I do other things too, like... like walking, eating, and bathing!" she retorted, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"We all do," Cai Wen replied casually.
Qian Renxue racked her brain for other activities she engaged in, but that was most of it that she could remember.
Their playful banter amused Qian Daoliu. It was the first time he'd seen his granddaughter react in such a manner.
From time to time, Qian Daoliu added depth to the conversation with his wisdom and experiences.
However, Chrysanthemums Douluo felt out of place. Despite his status as a 95-rank Title Douluo, he struggled to contribute to their discussion. He held Qian Daoliu, the grand worship, in great esteem and felt somewhat out of place in this casual conversation, particularly since one of the participants was the grand worship's granddaughter, and the other was the Pope's disciple.
As the group ventured further into the forest, Cai Wen, driven by curiosity, asked Qian Renxue about her spirit ring configuration.
Without hesitation, she told him that she possessed two spirit rings, both of which were over a hundred years old.
Cai Wen was not surprised but he felt she had squandered her potential. Given her innate Seraphim martial spirit and an initial spirit power of 20 ranks, she could have easily absorbed an 800-year-old spirit ring like him. He didn't mince his words, expressing his views openly.
Upon hearing that his first spirit ring was an 800-year-old ring from a Burning Scale Serpent, Qian Renxue was taken aback. What he suggested was a departure from traditional ring configuration.
"Hmm, I guess we have really narrowed our view and didn't think of the possibility of actually going beyond the norm," Qian Daoliu mused.
Qian Daoliu also found merit in Cai Wen's words and agreed that it was a feasible path.
"No way... Can I dissolve my first and second ring?..." Qian Renxue felt a pang of regret and suggested something ridiculous.
Her grandfather, however, quickly comforted her, reassuring her that the age of her spirit rings wouldn't significantly impact her future growth. He knew that their family's Angel God shrine had trials that could increase the age of spirit rings.
Although Cai Wen found her words somewhat intriguing, he remembered that Tang San had lost his one hundred thousand-year spirit ring after returning it to Xiao Wu. He then found a replacement and even saw an increase in cultivation.
Their conversation continued as they ventured deeper into the forest. Night had fallen when they decided to set up camp. Just as they were preparing to rest, Qian Daoliu noticed something unusual in the distance. With a smile, he said, "Xuer, it looks like we've already found your spirit ring."
"Really!?" Qian Renxue, who was about to sit, immediately stood up again.
Qian Daoliu smiled and began to lead the way. They followed him silently, careful to mask their presence from the creatures of the forest. They arrived near a river, where a majestic spirit beast stood.
The creature was horse-like in shape, its body radiating a pure, white aura. A single horn protruded from its forehead, two bird wings were on its sides, and its entire being seemed to exude a holy presence.
As they watched the creature from a distance, Qian Renxue turned to Cai Wen. "What kind of spirit is that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
She had extensive knowledge about spirit beasts from spending a lot of time reading books, similar to Cai Wen, but not everyone could just glance at a page and move on to another one like him.
"I believe it's an Angelic Sacred Horse," Cai Wen replied, keeping his eyes on the creature. "It's a very rare spirit beast, known for its prowess at escaping and defending itself without getting hurt. Its age can be determined by the size of its horns and this Angelic Sacred unicorn seems to be around 1000-1200 years old."
"Is that so?" Qian Renxue mused, her eyes shimmering with a keen interest that lit up her features.
"Yes, indeed," Cai Wen cautioned. "However, they are known to be incredibly elusive and notoriously difficult to approach. A single misstep could cause it to vanish in an instant."
Cai Wen's warning echoed in the air when Qian Daoliu intervened, "Cai Wen is correct, Xuer. This Angelic Sacred Horse could be an excellent match for you. Allow me a moment to secure it."
As the last word fell from his lips, he vanished from his original position, reappearing beside the Angelic Sacred Horse in the blink of an eye. He outstretched his hand and gently tapped the creature.
The magnificent beast, once vibrant and full of life, suddenly fell, paralyzed as if a puppet severed from its strings. Qian Daoliu, using spirit power he levitated the fallen creature and returned to the group.
"Here, Xuer. You can end its life and claim its spirit ring," Qian Daoliu suggested, his voice filled with a mix of warm and encouragement.
"Thank you, Grandpa," she responded, a warm smile graced her lips as she summoned a gleaming sword from her essence tool.
She approached the Angelic Sacred Horse, her expression resolute. Moments later, a radiant purple spirit ring started to emanate from the lifeless body of the creature, floating around its form like a hauntingly beautiful halo.
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AN: I am going to take a break for a while, I am experiencing a bit of writer's block, and restocked some chapters.
