"F*ck your mother!"
Behind a screen in the council hall, Gu Yuena quietly watched the drama unfold, occasionally popping fruits of unknown origin into her mouth with great relish.
Beside her, Qian Daoliu's veins bulged on his forehead, his fists clenched tightly, barely restraining himself.
Yu Yuanzhen, is this how you teach your son?!
In all my years, Qian Daoliu, I've never seen someone so shameless.
The moral blackmail is just too outrageous.
So, the secret techniques of your Clear Sky Clan and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan can't be passed on to outsiders, but my Spirit Hall's techniques are so worthless that even a dog can take them?
"You'd better not act recklessly," Gu Yuena said, crunching on a plum as she glanced at the nearly erupting Qian Daoliu. "Our battlefield has never been the mortal world—it's the Divine Realm."
"Until you have enough strength to overturn the board, focus on weakening the enemy without being discovered. Stirring up too much trouble will draw the attention of the gods."
"That would be bad for both me and you."
Hearing Gu Yuena's words, Qian Daoliu slowly unclenched his fists.
"I know."
"For Xiaoxue, this humiliation is nothing."
"But I wonder what Bibi Dong will do?" Qian Daoliu still had some patience left—what worried him was Bibi Dong's loose tongue.
Last time, with the Heartbroken Acacia incident, she screwed Xiaoxue over badly. Who knows what kind of nonsense she'll pull this time?
"Don't worry. In Bibi Dong's current state, not even a god could remotely influence her."
"Moreover, she's completely free from the influence of the Asura God and Rakshasa God."
"Unless… well, according to the novels Bi Ji brought back to the Star Dou Forest, as long as she's not a love-struck idiot, things should be fine."
"You spirit beasts read novels too?" Qian Daoliu's eye twitched at Gu Yuena's words.
"Hah, recovery is boring. Isn't it normal to find some entertainment?"
"It's not like I can brood all day—that kind of mindset would only hinder my healing!"
Qian Daoliu: "..."
Fine, you're a god. You make the rules.
Gu Yuena continued watching with amusement, while Qian Daoliu remained uneasy, listening from behind the screen to the conversation between Bibi Dong and Yu Xiaogang.
"Bibi Dong, after all these years of friendship, won't you show even a little consideration?"
Yu Xiaogang was growing anxious.
Before coming, he had promised Tang San he would secure the method for cultivating twin Martial Souls.
But no matter how much he thought about it, he never expected Bibi Dong to act so unpredictably.
If she could give away the Heartbroken Acacia, what was one more method for twin Martial Souls?
It wasn't like she was cutting off a piece of her flesh.
Tang San's talent was that of a top-tier monster. Sure, his performance in the Elite Soul Master Tournament was lackluster, but that was a competition for those under 25. Dugu Yan was already 21 and only at rank 67.
How old was Tang San?
In seven years, reaching Soul Emperor wouldn't even be a question—Soul Sage wasn't impossible either. That was the advantage of twin Martial Souls.
For a genius as pure and flawless as Tang San to perish due to cultivation issues with his twin Martial Souls would be an unbearable tragedy.
Not to mention, Tang San was Yu Xiaogang's most prized disciple.
"Bibi Dong…" Seeing that Bibi Dong was only staring at him without speaking, Yu Xiaogang—still just a Soul Elder—couldn't withstand the pressure. Gritting his teeth, he pressed on:
"Your Holiness, I swear Tang San will never act against Spirit Hall. I can guarantee that."
"Guarantee?"
Bibi Dong sneered. "Promises and treaties can be torn up at any moment. The three upper sects fought to the death centuries ago, yet now they stand united, singing the same tune."
"Do you think your word means anything? Are you Tang Chen?"
"What right do you have to make promises on behalf of the next generation's Clear Sky Douluo?"
"I am Tang San's teacher, I have—"
"Enough!"
Bibi Dong lightly tapped her staff on the ground, releasing a wave of pressure.
Instantly, Yu Xiaogang, unable to withstand the force, collapsed with a thud, his face twisted in terror.
A faint smell of urine filled the air.
Bibi Dong frowned slightly and used her soul power to amplify her voice:
"Guards, take Yu Xiaogang to the prison. Charge: stealing a Spirit Hall token and impersonating an elder. Also, notify the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's patriarch, Yu Yuanzhen, to come collect him."
Shortly after her command, several hall knights rushed in, grabbing the unconscious Yu Xiaogang and dragging him away.
Bibi Dong waved her staff lightly, releasing a faint soul power to cleanse the stains left on the floor where Yu Xiaogang had been.
"Qian Daoliu, are you satisfied now?" Bibi Dong glanced at the screen.
"Sigh…" A sigh came from behind the screen.
Qian Daoliu and Gu Yuena stepped out.
Gu Yuena was still holding a half-eaten slice of watermelon, looking every bit the amused spectator.
"Bibi Dong, I'm relieved you didn't sell out Spirit Hall again," Qian Daoliu said with a long sigh. "If Ji'er knew in the afterlife, he would—"
"Don't mention that person in front of me," Bibi Dong cut him off.
"Accepting Qian Renxue doesn't mean I've forgiven the one who did those things to me—even if she was once my teacher."
"Hmm, fair point." Gu Yuena moved her watermelon aside slightly.
"After hearing a bit about your situation from Qian Daoliu, if it were up to me, if a carefully groomed Holy Maiden was stolen away by some nobody, I'd have taken a different approach."
"For example, cripple her soul power and throw her into a brothel to teach her the harsh realities of the world."
"Or just erase the relevant memories and pretend nothing happened."
"If you wanted to salvage things, there's another method I recently learned from the human world—throwing mud at Yu Xiaogang."
"No matter how pure and flawless someone appears, most can't withstand temptation."
"With that man's personality, a little manipulation would reveal his true nature."
"Mm, that kind of deeply insecure yet prideful psychology. Anyway, there are plenty of solutions."
"I just don't understand why, at that time, Bibi Dong was still made Pope. Did you think Spirit Hall was so invincible that even several gods working together couldn't topple it?"
Gu Yuena looked curiously at Qian Daoliu, baffled by his questionable decisions.
Truly, as Bi Ji said—when you're not blinded by love, observing the human world from the sidelines teaches you so much!
Qian Daoliu and Bibi Dong, both victims of her sarcasm, exchanged glances.
Especially Bibi Dong, whose forehead was now lined with dark veins.
If I weren't outmatched, I'd fight you right here, right now.
Damn it, the person you're mocking is standing right here! Couldn't you at least wait until I left?
This makes me look like an idiot!
Not just Bibi Dong—even Qian Daoliu's face darkened.
Making Bibi Dong Pope was Qian Xunji's dying wish, along with the plan to use faith to create a god.
Who could've predicted his own disciple would be seduced away?
But after Qian Xunji's death, Qian Daoliu still fulfilled this promise—one that shouldn't have been fulfilled at the time.
Honestly, there were plenty of candidates for Pope back then. It didn't have to be Bibi Dong. The elder council had plenty of veterans who could've stepped in, even as a temporary measure.
Well, the past is the past. Spirit Hall must stand strong!
"Tomorrow is another hopeful day."