Spirit Hall. Its headquarters, Spirit City, stood as the undeniable center of power on the Douluo Continent, a magnificent and sacred place for all Spirit Masters.
Inside her private chambers, Bibi Dong was deep in cultivation when she felt a strange shift within her body. It was an unmistakable feeling, as if a new life was gestating in her womb. Her heart leaped into her throat. She was pregnant again.
Eight years ago, she had been forced into a relationship with her teacher, Qian Xunji, which resulted in the birth of Qian Renxue. Now, after a similar situation just days ago, she was once more with child. But while the circumstances were nearly identical, Bibi Dong's mindset had undergone a complete transformation. Back then, she had seen the child in her womb as nothing more than a bastard, a mark of her shame that she desperately wanted to erase. Now, she felt it was a wonderful miracle.
Her relationship with her first daughter, Qian Renxue, was abysmal. Despite being the Holy Maiden, Bibi Dong was practically an island, isolated and alone within the vastness of Spirit Hall. This time, where she had once desperately wanted to abort the child, she now desperately wanted to protect it.
The news of her pregnancy quickly reached Qian Xunji. When he heard it, his mind went blank. The last time had been such a coincidence. Could this time be a coincidence as well?
He confronted Bibi Dong. "Dong'er, I hope you will give birth to this child," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If you insist on trying to abort it again, you will face the same situation as before."
The Qian family currently had only one junior: Qian Renxue. As he had no formal wife, another child from Bibi Dong—preferably a boy—would secure the family's lineage.
Bibi Dong snorted coldly. "I can give birth to it, but on one condition."
"The child's name will be decided by me," she declared, her voice firm. "And regardless of gender, it will absolutely not carry your Qian surname!"
Qian Xunji was stunned. His expression darkened. "Bibi Dong, do you know what you're saying? A child takes its father's surname! The Qian surname!"
"Impossible!" she retorted without hesitation. "If you try to force me, my current strength is more than enough to abort this child, and I will not be controlled by you like last time!" She gently caressed her lower abdomen. "Since this child will be born in Spirit Hall (Wuhun Dian), it will take the surname Wu!"
Just as Qian Xunji was about to erupt in fury, Qian Daoliu's powerful voice echoed in his mind. "Don't push her. The birth of the child is the most important thing. For now, agree to whatever conditions she has."
Qian Xunji swallowed his anger and nodded at Bibi Dong. "Alright. I'll listen to you. Spirit Hall will provide you with full assistance to ensure you give birth to this child safely."
This time, without Spirit Hall's subtle obstruction, Bibi Dong felt the warmth and care of a pampered pregnancy. Everything she ate, used, and wore was of the highest possible quality. Though this care came from Spirit Hall, she attributed it all to the child growing within her. Her love for this unborn baby grew deeper with each passing day. She had already chosen a name: if it was a boy, he would be Wu Dao; if a girl, Wu Xiu.
Qian Xunji and Qian Daoliu also greatly anticipated the child's arrival. After all, the direct Qian line was perilously thin, consisting only of the three of them. The other six Great Priests of Spirit Hall were also excited at the prospect of a new young master or young lady.
And then there was Qian Renxue. Her mother disliked her, and her father, the Supreme Pontiff, was always busy. Her grandfather had time, but he mostly forced her to cultivate. If she could have a younger sister, she would finally have someone to accompany her.
Before it was even born, the child had become the pampered darling of Spirit Hall's entire upper echelon.
Days turned into weeks, and Bibi Dong's belly grew larger. More than eight months passed in the blink of an eye.
"My little darling," she would whisper to her stomach, "Mama has been waiting for you for so long."
Qian Xunji, Qian Daoliu, Qian Renxue, and the six other Great Priests of the Elder Palace all waited anxiously outside her chambers. The Seven Great Priests rarely left their silent cultivation, but for this birth, they had been standing guard for a week straight.
Guangling Douluo paced back and forth nervously. "I'm dying of anxiety! I wonder how it's going. It's been so long, isn't it born yet?"
Gold Crocodile Douluo rolled his eyes. "Fifth brother, you're over ninety years old. Can you stop acting like a child and be a little more composed?"
Guangling Douluo snorted. "I'll ask you, are you anxious?"
"...Anxious," Gold Crocodile admitted.
"Then that's that, isn't it? And you're still lecturing me."
Behind the closed door, a gentle-faced woman lay on the bed, her forehead covered in sweat. She knew the child about to be born could one day influence the entire Douluo Continent. The child of Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong—two of the most talented geniuses in the world—was guaranteed to have an incredible Spirit and talent. It was the new blood that the aging leadership of Spirit Hall desperately needed to avoid a power vacuum.
Suddenly, a baby's cry echoed from inside the room.
"It's born! It's born!"
A moment later, the midwife ran out, her face flushed with excitement. "Congratulations, Your Holiness! Congratulations, esteemed Priests! Congratulations, Young Lady! It's a young lady!"
Several figures rushed into the room. Bibi Dong was pale from the ordeal, but her eyes shone with pure joy as she looked at the infant in her arms. Wrapped in swaddling clothes was a tiny, pink-skinned girl.
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