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Four months later
This day was an exceptionally busy one for the Spirit Hall, as Qian Renxue was giving birth.
Every healing-type Soul Sage above level seventy in the Spirit Hall was hard at work. Their sole mission was to ensure the safety of both mother and child—failure would mean death.
Accompanying Qian Renxue during her labor were Dugu Yan and Bibi Dong. Dugu Yan served as Qian Renxue's personal doctor and caregiver, being the most familiar with her physical condition.
Bibi Dong, as Qian Renxue's mother, had experience with childbirth. As a mother, it was only natural for her to be present to support her daughter during this critical time.
"Ah—"
Qian Renxue screamed in pain. Even as a near-Soul Douluo, childbirth remained an excruciating ordeal. Truly, mothers around the world deserve respect.
Outside the delivery room, Li Luochen paced back and forth, his anxiety palpable like an ant on a hot pan. Meanwhile, Qian Daoliu sat nearby with his eyes closed, appearing calm and composed.
How serene he looked! Of course, one had to ignore how tightly his arms were crossed over his chest, gripping his sleeves so hard that the veins on his hands bulged.
This old man—pretending to be calm despite being so tense inside.
Qian Renxue had been in labor for two hours already. For ordinary women, childbirth could take five or six hours.
However, soul masters possessed extraordinary physical resilience, making childbirth significantly less dangerous. Especially for beast-type soul masters, whose robust physiques allowed them to walk shortly after giving birth.
For instance, Liu Erlong gave birth to her daughter, Liu Lan'er, in just three hours. Afterward, she was lively enough to hop out of bed and cradle her newborn.
This tidbit came from Dugu Yan's casual post-meal chatter. Hence, Dugu Yan had accompanied Qian Renxue into the delivery room—not only as her caregiver but also because she had witnessed Liu Erlong's childbirth process firsthand.
Half an hour later—
"Waaah, waaah, waaah—"
The loud cry of a newborn echoed through the area.
"Great Elder, Elder Li—it's a boy, weighing seven jin and three liang. Mother and child are safe."
A healing-type Soul Sage emerged to deliver the news, visibly delighted. With the mother and child safe, they all avoided disaster—and there would even be rewards afterward.
"*Sigh* ×2"
Li Luochen and Qian Daoliu simultaneously exhaled in relief before entering the delivery room to see the child.
At this moment, Qian Renxue lay smiling, cradling a small infant. Beside her stood two women—one was Dugu Yan, her sister-in-care; the other was her mother, Bibi Dong.
Since Qian Renxue's return to the Spirit Hall and her subsequent pregnancy, Bibi Dong had been deeply concerned about her daughter—especially now that she was pregnant. Her maternal instincts had waged an internal battle within her.
Ultimately, her maternal love triumphed, and she swallowed her pride to care for Qian Renxue. At first, Qian Renxue had intended to mock her with biting remarks.
But just as the words were about to leave her lips, she recalled what Li Luochen had told her: "There is no lasting grudge between mother and daughter. If she has already swallowed her pride, you should accept it. This will help mend your strained relationship."
Thus, Qian Renxue simply said, "You're here, Mother." Though brief, these words struck Bibi Dong like a critical hit, doubling her maternal affection.
In the days that followed, Bibi Dong took the initiative to care for Qian Renxue, personally preparing two out of every three meals for her. Li Luochen felt that Bibi Dong was trying to make up for years of neglect.
But then again, Bibi Dong herself was the one who had killed Qian Renxue's father. How could she possibly explain her own suffering to Qian Renxue? It was a headache-inducing dilemma.
Both mother and daughter were stubborn individuals, prone to emotional outbursts. Li Luochen found it troubling. Thankfully, Dugu Yan had a gentler temperament.
"Xiaoxue, let me hold him for a bit," Qian Daoliu said at this moment.
Qian Renxue handed the baby to Qian Daoliu. Now a great-grandfather, Thousand Daoshen gazed upon the fourth generation of his lineage. His most beloved granddaughter had borne a child, and he felt his life was complete.
"Xiaoxue, what will the child's name be? Since you belong to the 'Ren' generation, the next generation should be called..." Thousand Daoshen began.
"The child's name is Li Chengqian—or it can also be Qian Chengqian."
Li Luochen suddenly interjected, drawing everyone's attention.
Bibi Dong clenched her fists tightly. She had thought of so many names, only for someone to beat her to it.
Qian Daoliu mulled over the name: "Chengqian, Chengqian... inheriting greatness, governing heaven and earth. What a wonderful name, full of ambition."
Qian Daoliu believed this great-grandson would surely lead the Spirit Hall to its peak. His intuition was spot-on.
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Historical records of later generations document the third emperor of the Spirit Empire: Li Chengqian (or Qian Chengqian), posthumously honored as Emperor Chengzu. His accomplishments were immense.
Li Chengqian (Qian Chengqian) was not only a capable emperor but also an extraordinarily powerful soul master. At just twenty-five, he became a Title Douluo, and by thirty-three, he broke through to the Limit Douluo level.
At thirty-three, the second emperor of the Spirit Empire, Tianhu Douluo Hu Liena, abdicated in favor of him.
Upon ascending the throne, Li Chengqian (Qian Chengqian) listened to his ministers' advice, humbly accepting their counsel. Domestically, he governed with wisdom, promoted frugality, encouraged agriculture, and ensured peace and prosperity for the people.
He eradicated the remnants of the two empires and the nobility, granting commoners a truly better life. His status even surpassed that of the founding emperor of the Spirit Empire, Bibi Dong.
Moreover, Li Chengqian (Qian Chengqian) was a direct descendant of the Spirit Empire's royal line. Empress Dowager Bibi Dong was his grandmother, and Empress Hu Liena was his stepmother-to-be.
At the age of one hundred, Li Chengqian dissolved the Spirit Empire and reformed it into the Douluo Federation, transitioning from a monarchy to a federal parliamentary system—an innovative move at the time.
Due to Li Chengqian's immense prestige, no one opposed or could oppose this decision. Thus, he became the first chairman of the Douluo Federation.
At the age of two hundred, Li Chengqian (Qian Chengqian) ascended to godhood alongside his wife, Liu Lan'er, achieving the hundredth level of cultivation. Their story became a legendary tale, marking the second wave of deities following his father, Li Luochen.
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Back to the present.
"Old geezer, have you held him long enough? Let me hold him now," Bibi Dong said.
"No, I haven't held him long enough yet."
"Will you give him or not?"
"Not giving!"
Two ninety-nine-level Limit Douluos, the strongest beings of their time, were bickering over holding a child—a harmonious scene indeed.
Thanks to the nourishment of rare medicinal herbs during her pregnancy, Qian Renxue, though slightly weakened, was otherwise fine. A few days of rest would restore her completely.
Li Chengqian had been nurtured by rare herbs even in the womb, with his foundation fortified by them as a fetus. Once he reached the age of three, he could begin consuming more herbs to further strengthen his base.
The Ice Fire Yin Yang Well produced herbs rapidly, though it lacked the mythical-grade plants capable of altering fate.
Li Luochen decided that after Chengqian awakened his spirit at age six, he would assess the type of spirit and search the continent for suitable herbs.
Li Luochen believed it was highly likely that Chengqian's spirit would be the Six-Winged Angel. After all, his Atlas Divine Dragon Staff had evolved from the Dragon Pattern Staff, a result of acquired mutation.
Li Luochen's bloodline might not be pure or stable enough in Chengqian, whereas Qian Renxue's angelic bloodline was both pure and stable. Therefore, inheriting the Six-Winged Angel seemed more probable.
Li Luochen envisioned equipping his son with the most powerful soul rings and soul bones.
When Qian Renxue obtained her seventh soul ring, she dropped a left leg bone—a hundred-thousand-year Holy Light Pegasus left leg bone. Coincidentally, Qian Renxue had lacked a left leg bone, so this drop filled the gap perfectly.
Later, Qian Renxue would hunt two more hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, both light-attribute. These three hundred-thousand-year soul bones could be passed down to her son.
After all, Qian Renxue herself had six predestined soul bones—the six pieces of the Angel God Set. Absorbing all six would elevate her to the hundred-thousand-year level.
Li Luochen envisioned his son achieving a full set of hundred-thousand-year soul bones. First, three of the bones would come from Qian Renxue's last three soul rings. Once Chengqian absorbed them, he would start absorbing hundred-thousand-year soul rings at level seventy to complete his soul bone set. A full configuration of hundred-thousand-year soul bones—done!
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