Thud—
As the massive gates of Death Canyon slowly closed, the figures of Dai Chengfeng and the others disappeared completely from sight.
Bibi Dong stood still, gazing at Death Canyon. Her eyes were deep and inscrutable, revealing no hint of her thoughts.
After a moment, she suddenly spoke in a cold voice: "Come out."
"Xue has already entered. Why are you still hiding?"
Whoosh—
With a gust of wind, a gray-robed figure—Qian Daoliu—appeared abruptly.
Looking at Bibi Dong, Qian Daoliu remained silent, his expression complex.
Bibi Dong slowly turned around, her icy gaze sharp as she asked, "Did you hear their little bet just now?"
Qian Daoliu nodded slightly. "You called me out just to tell me this?"
Bibi Dong didn't answer but countered with another question: "Who do you think will win?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Qian Daoliu gave a confident smile, his eyes filled with pride.
After all, in his eyes, his beloved granddaughter wasn't just a Soul King—her soul power was 15 levels higher than Hu Liena, Yan, and Xie Yue, and 25 levels higher than Dai Chengfeng.
Moreover, she possessed the Angel God Armor…
Though it hadn't been fully integrated yet and could only unleash a small fraction of its power, it was still far beyond what ordinary people could match.
For instance, her ability to transform into Xue Qinghe—a capability no ordinary soul bone could provide.
Although it was merely an auxiliary skill, it hinted at the vast potential of her abilities…
Bibi Dong remained expressionless, her thoughts impossible to discern. In a calm tone, she said:
"You're so confident? Then let's make a bet."
"You want to bet? And with me?"
Qian Daoliu looked at Bibi Dong, his eyes filled with surprise and confusion.
What was Bibi Dong thinking? Why would she suddenly propose a bet with him?
"Yes, we'll bet on who wins this time. What do you say?"
Bibi Dong nodded, her face still emotionless. "If Dai Chengfeng, Nana, Xie Yue, or Yan comes in first, I win."
"If Xue takes first place, then you win."
At this point, Bibi Dong paused briefly, a flicker of hesitation passing through her eyes. But she quickly continued:
"As for the stakes—if I lose, I'll put aside my prejudice against Xue…"
"And if I win, I want that treasured soul bone you've been keeping. Do we have a deal?"
Hearing Bibi Dong's wager, Qian Daoliu fell into deep thought.
That soul bone was indeed precious, but it conflicted with her 100,000-year left arm soul bone, which made it useless to her.
Moreover, she clearly knew Xue was bound to win, yet she insisted on betting with him…
After years of separation, Xue had finally returned, only to call her "Sister." The impact on her had been significant!
In the end, blood is thicker than water…
Perhaps, she simply wanted an excuse to reconcile.
And Xue—though she never said it aloud—was willing to sacrifice her cultivation speed to infiltrate the Tian Dou Empire.
It wasn't hard to see that deep down, she craved Bibi Dong's recognition and maternal love…
At this moment, Qian Daoliu had already made up his mind. He nodded directly and said, "Let's bet!"
"A guaranteed win? Why not!"
"Good, it's settled."
After speaking, Bibi Dong glanced at Yue Guan before turning and walking away.
Yue Guan gave a slight nod, understanding her intentions, then vanished in a flash, heading deeper into Death Canyon.
He was there both to secretly protect the young disciples and to witness the outcome of this wager.
Soon, only Qian Daoliu remained. He continued to gaze at Bibi Dong's retreating figure, muttering softly: "I never expected Xue's return to create an opportunity for reconciliation between mother and daughter."
"In that case, I should thank Dai Chengfeng…"
Thinking of Dai Chengfeng, Qian Daoliu's expression became somewhat complicated—part gratitude, part dissatisfaction.
After all, just moments ago, that brat Dai Chengfeng had dared to address his granddaughter so casually as "Xiao Xue"?
After a long while,
Qian Daoliu shook his head and sighed softly. "So be it…"
"Xue isn't a child anymore; she has her own choices. If Dai Chengfeng can pass my test, giving him a chance wouldn't hurt."
With that thought, Qian Daoliu's figure flashed, and he headed toward Death Canyon.
---
The moment they stepped through the gate and officially entered Death Canyon, Dai Chengfeng felt a chill sweep over him.
"This is Death Canyon? Such a dense aura of slaughter!"
Feeling the endless waves of killing intent and savagery in the air, Dai Chengfeng clenched his fists tightly, his pupils contracting slightly with excitement.
Then, driven by curiosity, he began examining this exclusive "training ground" of the Spirit Hall.
Underfoot, the ground was as black as ink, its surface encrusted with dark brown crystallized blood that shimmered eerily in the sunlight.
On either side, towering cliffs loomed, jagged and uneven, covered in countless deep claw marks and sword scars that told tales of the brutal battles that had once taken place here.
Straight ahead lay a sinister forest. The trees were black-brown, their twisted branches resembling grotesque shapes.
There were no chirping insects or birdsong—only intermittent wails carried by the wind, like the mournful cries of injured soul beasts or the sobs of lost souls.
But Dai Chengfeng could keenly sense that in this seemingly tranquil forest, countless pairs of eyes were watching him from the shadows.
They belonged to soul beasts and evil soul masters…
Filled with endless greed and murderous intent.
"This place is far more conducive to the growth of the Killing God Domain than I imagined. It seems this trip might not only allow the Killing God Domain to fully form, but also give me the chance to master more advanced domain techniques…"
For a moment, Dai Chengfeng grew even more excited about this journey to Death Canyon.
"Boy, stop dawdling…"
At this moment, Yan's voice came from behind. "If you're scared, just say so. No one will laugh at you. It's not too late to back out now—you only have one life."
"Scared?"
A faint smile curled at the corner of Dai Chengfeng's lips. "Who's afraid of whom? That remains to be seen!"
"Good!"
Hu Liena nodded, then looked at Dai Chengfeng with serious eyes. "Since it's a competition, let's split up here."
"I will defeat you!"
With that, Hu Liena turned and strode off into the depths of Death Canyon without looking back.
"Nana! It's dangerous!"
Watching Hu Liena leave alone, Yan's eyes filled with worry.
After all, he knew exactly how dangerous Death Canyon was—he had nearly died during his last visit…
"Though I understand she's incredibly frustrated after losing to Dai Chengfeng, venturing off alone is still too reckless."
At this moment, Xie Yue frowned as well, his eyes filled with concern. After muttering a complaint, he flashed away, chasing after Hu Liena.
"Xie Yue, wait for me! Let's go together."
Seeing this, Yan hurried to catch up.
Soon, the figures of Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan disappeared into the miasma-filled forest.
Dai Chengfeng then turned to Qian Renxue beside him.
"Xiao Xue, shall we split up too?"
Qian Renxue nodded slightly. "Naturally."
"But not now. I have something to ask you!"
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