Douluo Continent: You become gods, I become immortals

Chapter 13: Reactions of Various Forces

Haotian Sect, Council Hall.

The conference table thudded with a dull thud, and Tang Zhen's trembling hand, slightly shaking with anger, landed on it, causing the cups and saucers to rattle.

"The Spirit Hall! They've gone too far!" He suddenly grabbed the secret report in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the force.

"How dare the mere Li family openly pledge allegiance to the Spirit Hall? Have they forgotten the relationship between the Clear Sky Sect and the Spirit Hall? Have they forgotten that Yang Wanqing of the Li family is a descendant of the Breaking Clan?"

His chest heaved violently, and his eyes blazed with fury: "This is treachery! This is intolerable!"

"It seems it's time for my Haotian Sect to show the world what true rules are!"

"Come with me to the Broken Clan. I want to see how that old man raised his daughter!"

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Ning Tianguang slumped on the cold sect leader's throne, his once radiant face now deathly pale, cold sweat soaking his temples.

He stared intently at the light, flimsy piece of paper in his hand, as if it were not intelligence, but a collapsing mountain.

"It's over...it's all over..." His lips trembled, his voice so low it was almost a whisper.

"The Li family is incredibly wealthy, with a business network spanning two empires. Now, with the addition of the Spirit Hall's power... isn't a significant portion of the Heaven Dou Empire's economic lifeline falling into the hands of the Spirit Hall?"

What appeared before his eyes was a desperate scene of the sect's future being completely suppressed, and the light of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda seemed to dim at this moment.

Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, on the training ground.

Yu Jingtian stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the churning clouds and thunder in the sky behind the mountain, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"Yes, who else but that guy could make such a decision?"

He muttered to himself, the image of the deep-eyed young man he had met by chance a year ago flashing through his mind.

"Giving up some vested interests in exchange for an unparalleled backer is a move that may seem risky, but it is actually ingenious."

His body crackled with electricity, and his eyes were sharp as a dragon: "With more time to cultivate in the future, I wonder how powerful your lightning will become."

Deep within the imperial palace of the Star Luo Empire.

Dai Zhentian put down the secret report and couldn't help but burst into laughter, which echoed in the empty hall.

"Brilliant, truly brilliant! The Li family's separation from Tiandou is tantamount to severing a thick, money-sucking lifeline for the Tiandou royal family."

His eyes gleamed with calculation and smugness: "That old bastard Xuefeng originally wanted to sit back and watch the tigers fight, and use the Haotian Sect to suppress the Li family, but he ended up shooting himself in the foot."

"Tsk tsk, now the national treasury of Tiandou will probably have to work overnight to patch up the holes."

The Imperial Palace of Heavenly Dou, Imperial Study.

In contrast, Xuefeng was filled with despair, his face ashen. He slumped on the dragon throne, oblivious to the secret report slipping from his hand and falling to the ground.

"How could this happen... how could this happen..." he muttered to himself, large beads of sweat rolling down his face.

"With the Li family gone, tax revenue has plummeted. What will happen to the deficit we were counting on them to cover? What will those nobles who depended on the Li family do? I... I was truly blind to have chosen to stand by and watch!"

The Spirit Hall, the Papal Palace.

Qian Xunji's pupils contracted sharply as he looked at the account list presented by the Li family.

Even though he was mentally prepared, the enormous number still made him feel dizzy.

Sixty percent! This is only sixty percent of the revenue after the initial integration, and its scale already far exceeds the Spirit Hall's total annual revenue in previous years!

He seemed to see a mountain of gold collapse, filling the Spirit Hall's treasury.

"I'm going to be rich!" Qian Xunji suppressed his elation and tried his best to maintain the dignity of a pope, but his slightly trembling fingertips betrayed him.

"Your Holiness, Li Yuntian requests an audience!" the confidant reported respectfully.

"Please come in quickly!" Qian Xunji was in an extremely good mood and even took a few steps to greet him personally.

Li Yuntian entered the main hall and calmly bowed to Qian Xunji: "Your Holiness the Pope."

"No need for such formalities, Dharma Protector Yuntian!"

"From this day forward, we are truly one family!"

Qian Xunji smiled broadly, his attitude more friendly than ever before.

Li Yuntian nodded, remained silent for a moment as if carefully choosing his words, then raised his head and said with burning eyes, "Your Holiness is absolutely right. To prove the sincerity of my Li family's allegiance, I am willing to offer the Spirit Hall our family's secret technique—the 'Super-Limited Soul Ring Absorption Method'!"

Qian Xunji's smile froze instantly, turning into incredulous astonishment.

He had thought that this secret would require a long time and much more negotiation to uncover, but it was so easily offered up.

This is not only a secret technique, but also the key to overturning the Soul Master cultivation system!

However, when Li Yuntian explained in detail that the core of the method was a substance called "whale glue" and mentioned that it needed to be calcined in flames to remove impurities and retain its essence, Qian Xunji's expression became extremely strange.

He stared at Li Yuntian for a long while before speaking suspiciously, "Guardian Yuntian...you're not playing a trick on me, are you? Whale glue...isn't that...an aphrodisiac?"

Li Yuntian's face flushed slightly, and he coughed awkwardly, "Your Holiness the Pope, this is indeed the item."

"However, after special treatment, it does have the remarkable effect of strengthening muscles and bones and stabilizing the foundation. Although there are some... uh, side effects, they are negligible compared to the opportunity to improve one's strength."

Qian Xunji sized Li Yuntian up and down, finally letting out a playful sigh: "Brother Yuntian, you... you're incredibly audacious! Aren't you afraid your wife will find out and cause you trouble?"

He joked, but inside he was in turmoil.

If this method is truly effective, even if there is only a 10% chance, its value is immeasurable!

Moreover, the credit for recruiting the Li family has already been firmly engraved in his name.

"It's all for the Spirit Hall," Li Yuntian said solemnly.

"Hahaha! Good! What a fine Protector Yuntian!" Qian Xunji laughed and stepped forward, patting Li Yuntian's shoulder heavily.

"If this succeeds, my Spirit Hall will absolutely not let your Li family down!"

A day later, Qian Xunji was overjoyed to receive the experimental report on whale glue.

"It's actually true! Whale collagen really can strengthen the body and replenish vital energy!"

"Hahaha, Heaven is on our side, Spirit Hall!"

At that moment, Qian Daoliu arrived.

"Ji'er, what's making you so happy? I heard your laughter from outside the door!" Qian Daoliu looked speechlessly at his deranged son.

Ever since the Li family joined the Spirit Hall, Qian Xunji has become incredibly arrogant.

I speak to him much louder now, he's very confident.

"Hahaha, Dad, the Li family has given me a wonderful gift!"

Immediately afterwards, Chihiro told Chidoru everything about whale glue.

"Hmm, I didn't expect whale glue to have this effect!" Qian Daoliu stroked his chin.

"Oh right, Dad! Did you bring the family tree?" Qian Xunji asked his father excitedly.

"I didn't bring it. What are you trying to do?!" Qian Daoliu looked at his son cautiously.

"The family tree should have its own chapter! I was the one who brought the Li family in; I deserve a lot of credit!"

"Get lost!" Qian Daoliu said with a dark expression, then turned and left.

However, after returning to the Elder Hall, Qian Daoliu still wrote more of Qian Xunji's achievements in the family genealogy.

He even wrote a few extra lines in his own column.

"Hmm, not bad, I'll benefit from it too!"

Looking at his achievements, Qian Daoliu nodded in satisfaction.