In Spirit City, the magnificent and sacred heart of the Spirit Hall, a power unrivaled on the Douluo Continent, Bibi Dong was meditating in her private chambers. Suddenly, she felt a subtle but unmistakable shift within her own body. It was a familiar sensation, a feeling of life beginning to gestate within her womb. The signs were too clear to be mistaken.
I'm pregnant again, she thought, a wave of complex emotions washing over her.
Eight years had passed since her teacher, Qian Xunji, had forced himself on her, resulting in the birth of Qian Renxue. Just a few days ago, the same thing had happened, and now, once more, she was with child. But while the circumstances were similar, Bibi Dong's feelings couldn't have been more different. Back then, she had seen the life in her womb as nothing but a bastard child, something she desperately wanted to be rid of.
Now, however, she felt that having this child was a good thing. Her relationship with Qian Renxue was strained and distant. Despite her title as the Holy Maiden, Bibi Dong was largely alone within the vast hierarchy of Spirit Hall. She had fought to abort her first child, but this one, she was desperate to keep.
The news of her pregnancy soon reached Qian Xunji. When he heard it, his mind went blank for a moment. The first time had been a startling coincidence. Could it have happened again?
He confronted Bibi Dong, his expression severe. "Dong'er, I expect you to give birth to this child. If you try to abort it, you will face the same situation as before."
The Qian family line was thin, with only Qian Renxue representing the next generation. He had no formal wife, and if Bibi Dong could give birth to a son, the family's future would be secured.
Bibi Dong met his gaze with a cold snort. "Fine, I'll have the child, but on one condition. I will be the one to name it. And regardless of its gender, it will absolutely not take your surname, Qian!"
Qian Xunji's expression darkened. "Bibi Dong, do you know what you're saying? A child takes its father's surname. It will be a Qian!"
"Impossible!" she shot back without a moment's hesitation. "If you try to force me, you'll find that my strength is more than enough to get rid of this child myself! I won't be controlled by you again like last time."
She gently caressed her lower abdomen, her voice filled with a defiant resolve. "Since this child will be born in Spirit Hall, it will take the surname Wu, in its honor!"
Just as Qian Xunji was about to argue, the voice of his father, Qian Daoliu, echoed in his mind. "Don't argue now. The most important thing is that the child is born. For now, agree to whatever conditions she has."
Qian Xunji took a breath and nodded stiffly at Bibi Dong. "Alright, I'll agree to your terms. Everyone in Spirit Hall will assist you during your pregnancy and help you give birth safely."
This time, without the opposition from Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong was able to experience the care and warmth of pregnancy. She was given the best food, clothing, and living arrangements. While she knew this treatment came from Spirit Hall's leadership, she attributed all of it to the child growing inside her. If not for this baby, she knew they would never treat her so well. Her affection for her unborn child grew stronger with each passing day. She had already decided on a name: Wu Dao if it was a boy, and Wu Xiu if it was a girl.
Qian Xunji and Qian Daoliu were also filled with anticipation. They loved this child immensely, even before its birth. Boy or girl, it was a descendant of the Qian family, a clan that currently consisted of only the three of them—Qian Daoliu, Qian Xunji, and Qian Renxue. The other six great Elders of Spirit Hall were equally excited for the arrival 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 for her, but their time was almost always spent on her cultivation. If she had a younger sister, she thought, she would finally have someone to play with. Even before it was born, the child had become the darling of Spirit Hall's entire upper echelon.
The days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months. Bibi Dong's belly grew larger with each passing day. She initially maintained a routine of light exercise but eventually chose to be fully cared for as her due date approached.
"My little darling," she would whisper to her stomach, "Mama is waiting for you."
Eight months passed in a flash.
Qian Xunji, Qian Daoliu, Qian Renxue, and the great Elders of the Elder Palace all waited anxiously outside Bibi Dong's room. Normally, the Seven Elders would never leave their silent cultivation in the Elder Palace unless there was a matter of extreme importance. But for the birth of this child, all seven of them had been waiting outside the door for a week. Though they knew no one would dare cause trouble in Spirit Hall, they stood guard just in case.
Guangling Douluo paced back and forth, unable to hide his anxiety. "This is killing me! I wonder how it's going in there. How long has it been? Hasn't she given birth yet?"
Gold Crocodile Douluo rolled his eyes at him. "Old Fifth, you're over ninety years old. Can you stop acting like a child and be a bit more patient?"
Guangling Douluo snorted proudly. "I'll ask you, then. Aren't you anxious?"
"Yes, I am," Gold Crocodile admitted.
"Then that settles it, doesn't it? So don't lecture me."
Behind the closed door, a woman with a gentle face lay on the bed, her expression a mixture of shock and exhaustion, her forehead beaded with sweat. Today was the day. It was no exaggeration to say that the child about to be born could influence the future of not just Spirit Hall, but the entire Douluo Continent. Its father was Qian Xunji, and its mother was Bibi Dong—two geniuses with incredibly powerful spirits and immense talent. The child's own talent and spirit would surely be extraordinary, especially with the possibility of inheriting the divine-bestowed Seraphim spirit, which came with innate rank twenty spirit power.
In recent years, many talented individuals had appeared across the continent. Spirit Hall could recruit outsiders, but they were never truly considered one of their own. In the eyes of the elders, their "own people" were just the few standing outside this door and the child about to enter the world. All seven of them were old. The new generation consisted only of Qian Renxue, and they urgently needed new blood to avoid a future power vacuum. Without strength, Spirit Hall would be nothing but an empty shell.
Suddenly, a baby's cry pierced the tense silence.
"It's born! It's born!"
Immediately, the midwife ran out of the room, her face flushed with excitement. "Congratulations, Supreme Pontiff! Congratulations, Elders! Congratulations, Young Lady! It's a girl! A young lady!"
The group quickly entered the room. Bibi Dong, though pale from the delivery, looked down at the bundle in her arms with eyes full of joy. There, wrapped in swaddling clothes, was a tiny, pink-skinned baby girl.
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