The soft sounds of cooking—the gentle sizzle of herbs in oil, the rhythmic slosh of liquid being stirred—began to draw Bibi Dong back from her deep, restorative rest. The mental fog that had clouded her Spiritual Sea for hours was finally receding, replaced by a crystalline clarity.
The exhaustion hadn't vanished, but it had retreated, leaving behind the immense, quiet power of the integrated ninth soul ring. The subtle, persistent hum of soul power for Level 91 breakthrough felt like a profound stillness deep within her core.
She opened her eyes, finding the low light of the hut deeply peaceful. Xiao Wu was curled up soundly on the bed, looking utterly vulnerable and innocent. The sight was a stark, almost absurd counterpoint to the cosmic power now dwelling within Bibi Dong.
Ah Rou soon emerged from the small, partitioned kitchen area, carrying two simple, steaming bowls of food. The aroma was rich and earthy—a thick broth based on wild vegetables and nourishing forest tubers, smelling strongly of life and natural vitality.
"The broth is ready," Ah Rou announced, placing a bowl on the small table and setting the other opposite it. "I used several potent restorative herbs. It will help anchor the volatile energy of your breakthrough faster than pure meditation."
Bibi Dong rose from the sofa, her movements now fluid and silent, confirming that the initial clumsiness of the newly acquired power was gone. She approached the table and sat down, appreciating the simple elegance of the gesture.
"Thank you, Ah Rou. This is far beyond what I expected of mere courtesy," Bibi Dong said, taking a moment to inhale the steam before picking up the wooden spoon. "This level of care suggests we are more than temporary allies."
Ah Rou sat opposite her, a faint shadow passing over her face as she glanced at her sleeping daughter. "We are bound by the Dying Covenant now, Bibi Dong. The Panther entrusted her lineage's fate to your oath. I cannot afford to harbor doubt, nor can I afford a weak or reckless ally. Your mission must succeed for us to be safe. Therefore, your health and clarity are now priorities for the forest."
The honesty was refreshing. Bibi Dong accepted the bowl and began to eat. The broth was surprisingly delicious, the perfect blend of savory and restorative, immediately soothing the residual ache in her meridians.
"It seems your skills extend beyond hut construction and maternal care," Bibi Dong remarked, allowing a hint of genuine approval into her tone.
Bibi Dong and Ah Rou ate in peaceful silence for a few minutes, the only sounds the gentle clinking of spoons against the bowls and the soft, distant chirping of forest insects beginning their nightly chorus. The food, simple but profoundly revitalizing, eased the last vestiges of Bibi Dong's spiritual strain.
She finished her bowl, placed her spoon down with care, and looked at Ah Rou. The atmosphere felt natural and conducive to trust, allowing a question that had lingered since her first visit to finally surface.
"Ah Rou," Bibi Dong asked casually, her tone light but attentive, "where is Xiao Wu's father? Is he not here with you both?"
Ah Rou's gentle expression instantly softened, touched by a shade of profound, lingering sorrow. She offered a sad smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "He… we don't know where he is, Bibi Dong. He left several years ago, determined to become stronger to ensure our family's security against the rising tide of human aggression. He promised to return a more formidable protector."
Ah Rou sighed, the sound barely audible. "But we haven't received a single clue since. No message, no sign, nothing. He went outside, into the human world, and simply vanished."
The unexpected tragic reveal caused the mood in the small hut to drop visibly, the warmth of the earlier conversation giving way to a shared, heavy silence.
"I am truly sorry for asking, Ah Rou. I can understand the depth of your pain and uncertainty," Bibi Dong responded, her voice lowering with genuine empathy. She knew the agony of being separated from loved ones by uncontrollable forces, and she recognized the depth of Ah Rou's maternal sacrifice.
Bibi Dong, ever the strategist, immediately offered assistance. "He could have gone deep into human cities, a dangerous place for an outsider. I can help. If you tell me his features, his strength, or anything about his spirit, we can begin searching. We have vast intelligence networks within Spirit Hall, resources that can track people across the continent."
Ah Rou smiled, a genuine flicker of gratitude replacing the sadness. "Please, don't worry yourself, Bibi Dong. And thank you. Your offer truly means a great deal to me. I had told him not to go, that true strength lies in our bonded community, but he wouldn't listen to reason. My only priority now is to raise Xiao Wu healthy, safe, and powerful."
A few seconds of stillness passed, the silence heavy with unspoken worry. Then, with a sudden, deliberate resilience, Ah Rou broke the tension, letting out a short, forced laugh. "Haha, just forget about it for now. Let's talk about something else. Something perhaps more productive."
Bibi Dong smiled, respecting the sharp pivot. "Alright."
After a thoughtful expression crossed her face, she leaned forward slightly, her strategic mind seizing on a new line of inquiry related to their unique alliance.
"Hmm. Ah Rou, I have a question about the nature of soul beasts that take human form. You are able to create your soul rings yourselves. I noticed you have several soul rings already, yet you have not harvested a soul beast for them. Is there a unique method or secret behind this process?"
She added quickly, her tone respectful, "If you are uncomfortable sharing such secrets, please, don't talk about it."
Ah Rou shook her head, her expression calm. "It's not any secret among our kind that can be easily exploited by humans, Bibi Dong. You can ask." She pondered the explanation for a few seconds.
"It is actually like this: for us 100,000-year soul beasts who successfully take on human form, the specific soul skills we gained from our cultivation—the powers that make up our abilities—are already printed into our bloodline and master the skills. Our soul skill structure is fixed from the moment we become human."
Ah Rou continued, her explanation clear and profound. "After we achieve a little mastery over the control of human spiritual energy, we can then force a transformation of our bloodline's fixed skill structure into a visible soul ring, without the need to kill anything. It is a natural culmination of our own 100,000-year cultivation base."
Bibi Dong was astonished by the elegant simplicity of the method. She praised Ah Rou. "That is an exceptionally efficient and good way to handle the human cultivation system." She sighed, a deep, weary expression crossing her face as she considered the brutality of her own world.
"Haah, if we humans could also create our own soul rings just by reaching the correct level of spiritual mastery. How infinitely better and less brutal the world would be?"
Ah Rou's expression shifted subtly, becoming serious and contemplative. "I don't know how, but I have learned from ancient legends passed down by my ancestors that humans could have used self-soul rings in ancient times. The method, or the conditions, must have been lost over the millennia."
Bibi Dong was utterly shocked, her composure momentarily shattered. The implications of this single sentence were monumental, threatening to rewrite the entire history and future of Soul Master cultivation.
"Wait…" she whispered, her eyes wide with urgency. "This is truly unexpected. Did we—did humans—truly have this technique of creating self-soul rings without slaughtering soul beasts?"
Ah Rou sighed again, a sound of shared regret. "If you had this, Bibi Dong, then it would have been good for our race also. We would not have to fear every single human in Douluo continent."
Bibi Dong quickly regained her composure, the strategic depth of the information overriding her shock. She had to verify this profound, world-altering intelligence.
"Are you certain that what you told me about this ancestral knowledge is true? The possibility changes everything," Bibi Dong asked, her voice low and demanding.
Ah Rou nodded firmly. "I do not doubt the ancestral memory, even if the information is fragmentary. I only heard this many, many years ago, and I know for certain that even if the technique is fully lost, there is at least a little possibility that the concept of self-soul rings is achievable by humans."
Bibi Dong settled back, her mind already racing through ancient texts and forbidden libraries she would need to plunder once she returned to Spirit Hall. "I understand. Then I will certainly investigate this thoroughly in the future."
She continued, her voice full of sincere gratitude. "Thank you for sharing this, Ah Rou. This is crucial information, far more valuable than any political promise."
Ah Rou replied with equal earnestness. "There is no need for thanks, Bibi Dong. There is also my own selfish motive for telling you this. I also want that if you humans can truly rediscover and create self-soul rings, the pressure on our race would be greatly relieved, and we could finally live without constant fear of extinction."
The intense, strategic conversation finally wound down. Both women were left buzzing with the gravity of the potential discovery. To ease the intellectual strain, they fell into an hour of casual, light chatting on various topics—the beauty of the forest, the innocence of childhood, and the difficulties of managing large, diverse groups of people or creatures.
Bibi Dong noticed the rapidly setting sun painting the outside world in deep hues of violet and dark blue. Soon, the cloak of night would fall completely.
She smiled warmly at Ah Rou, feeling relaxed very much. "Haha, Ah Rou, it's been quite a healthy and truly insightful conversation with you. I also feel much more relaxed now than I have in months. But the darkness approaches, and it is time for me to go and return to my post."
Ah Rou laughed softly in return. "Yes, it's good to have some chatting with a nice woman like yourself, Bibi Dong. It's too rare. I hope we meet again frequently, and under circumstances far less grave than a dying soul beast."
Ah Rou began to turn toward the bed, intending to gently wake Xiao Wu for a goodbye, but Bibi Dong paused her with a quick gesture.
"Ah Rou, it's quite alright. Don't wake her. Let her rest soundly," Bibi Dong said, her eyes softening as she looked at the sleeping child. "Tell her I will come again later also. I wouldn't want her to wake up just to see me leave."
Ah Rou's heart swelled with quiet emotion at the consideration. After a few more minutes of preparation, Ah Rou walked Bibi Dong out of the hut. They exchanged firm, sincere goodbyes, sealing their alliance not with a contract, but with shared food and deep conversation.
Once clear of the lakeside, Bibi Dong soared into the sky, utilizing a subtle burst of soul power to carry her swiftly toward the distant lights of Spirit Hall. The newly empowered Titled Douluo flew with a powerful, serene confidence.
She was happily thinking in her mind: At last, I have begun to grow close to the mother-daughter pair of soft-boned rabbits. They are not merely assets; they are a source of genuine connection and powerful secrets. My alliance is forged.
The world awaited her return, and now, Bibi Dong had a monumental secret to chase and an enemy to sabotage.