The night passed in silence.
After Su Linfeng was tormented several times, dawn finally broke with the crow of the golden rooster.
As the first light touched the sky—
One tall figure and one small figure slipped quietly out of Spirit Hall, heading straight toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in the Heaven Dou Empire.
Three days later, Sunset Forest.
Two figures flashed rapidly through the dense woods.
Bibi Dong released the oppressive might of a Titled Douluo without restraint. Lower-ranked spirit beasts scattered in panic, and the journey was utterly free of interruption.
"Linfeng."
Halfway, Bibi Dong broke the silence. While walking, she spoke calmly: "Perhaps you don't yet understand the current state of Spirit Hall. But I need to make this clear to you. If we want to live securely within Spirit Hall, we must cultivate a power that truly belongs to us."
"For example—the Golden Generation?" Su Linfeng's heart was already clear as a mirror.
"Yes."
Bibi Dong nodded slightly and continued: "The topmost battle power within Spirit Hall is beyond my control. What I can do is cultivate future strength. Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan—their talent is the finest of this generation."
"Fair enough."
Su Linfeng sighed inwardly.
Judging by ordinary standards, the three indeed counted as peerless prodigies of their age. Their martial spirits and natural talent far outstripped the pampered nobles of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and they were in no way inferior to the Shrek Seven Devils.
Before the Shrek Seven had consumed immortal herbs, they were nothing more than "ordinary prodigies." Compared with the Golden Generation, they were about the same level as Li Kai or Sun Chuantao. Against Hu Liena and the other two, they appeared lacking.
In truth, those three were the real monsters.
"Of course."
Bibi Dong's gaze softened slightly. "And you. You are the true core of the Golden Generation—and my greatest support in the future."
Well, of course.
Su Linfeng didn't bother with false modesty.
He was, after all, a top-tier hundred-thousand-year transformed soul beast. His innate talent naturally surpassed theirs.
That was beyond question.
"So…"
Bibi Dong paused, then looked at Su Linfeng with utter seriousness. "When I grant the Golden Generation their honorary titles, I want to bestow upon you the title of Holy Son of Spirit Hall."
"Holy Son?"
Su Linfeng had just been inwardly delighted at Bibi Dong's keen eye, but at her next words, his heart jolted. Without thinking, he blurted out: "I refuse to be the Holy Son!"
"Mm?" Bibi Dong's brows furrowed. "Why not?"
"The so-called Holy Son is the disciple, or successor, of the Pope, isn't it?"
Su Linfeng's eyes widened. His tone was domineering as he declared, "If I become the Holy Son, wouldn't that make me your son? That messes up our generation entirely—I won't do it!"
"..."
Bibi Dong was left speechless.
What kind of brain circuit is that?
She truly didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Teasing back, she said: "And what if it does? Didn't I raise you myself? Why do you act like you've been wronged?"
"I still won't do it."
Su Linfeng refused to back down an inch. "If someone must take the title, let Hu Liena have it. I don't need to be Holy Son to become your greatest support."
"You…"
Bibi Dong was stunned, then angered. "If you won't be the Holy Son, what do you want to be?"
"Anything but Holy Son!"
Su Linfeng was stubborn beyond reason. "I treat you as my elder sister, but you want to turn yourself into my aunt? No way!"
Bibi Dong: "..."
This little brat was impossible!
Why was he so obstinate?
Their age difference wasn't even that great! Yes, after becoming a Titled Douluo, her body had frozen at that age, but her years and experience were real! Even if he grew older, the gap would remain!
Not even "aunt" was acceptable… did he have other thoughts?
And come to think of it—if they compared by true age and experience, she really couldn't compete with him.
He was, after all, a genuine 100,006 years old. When she gave birth to Qian Renxue, she had been only two years older than Su Linfeng's past-life age. By calculation, he actually surpassed her.
"…We'll discuss this later."
Su Linfeng had no intention of agreeing. Just then, he felt the dense aura of spirit power all around. His brows rose. "It seems we've arrived."
Their eyes met. Then both looked up.
Far ahead—
Deep in the lush forest stood a hill about five hundred meters high.
This was the hill Luo'er Diala had mentioned.
Taking Su Linfeng by the hand, Bibi Dong shot forward like lightning. She climbed as if walking on flat ground, and in the blink of an eye, they crossed the ridge.
Before them lay the hidden valley.
As expected—
The base of the hill was shrouded in thick green miasma, covering nearly ten li of the valley floor.
Within the poisonous fog, nothing could be seen clearly.
Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison!
This was Dugu Bo's poison array, laid to keep both soul beasts and intruders away from his medicinal garden.
"Elder Sister, that's a poison formation."
Su Linfeng reminded her: "My flames aren't afraid of poison, but with sight obscured, rushing in recklessly could leave us lost."
"Hmph. Trifling tricks."
Bibi Dong snorted. Behind her, the Death Spider Emperor's martial spirit manifested.
Under Su Linfeng's slightly surprised gaze, the Death Spider Emperor opened its massive maw and sucked fiercely at the air.
Whole swaths of poisonous fog were devoured in an instant.
Su Linfeng had almost forgotten.
Bibi Dong's Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Eating Spider Emperor were unmatched in their toxins. Their poison was even more terrifying than Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphor venom.
After all, no matter how strong Dugu Bo's poison, even if it could wipe out a city, it mainly threatened Soul Sages and below. But Bibi Dong's twin spiders' venom?
Even top-tier hundred-thousand-year soul beasts like Da Ming and Er Ming could barely withstand it.
Once poisoned, they could only watch helplessly as their body and soul power corroded away.
The difference in level was absolute!
Of course, to maintain her image as Pope, Bibi Dong rarely used poison. But this was a special case.
In no time at all—
The entire valley was stripped clean of venom, swallowed down as nourishment by the Death Spider Emperor.
The scenery within the gorge grew crystal clear.
At the valley's center lay an oval pool. Its waters glowed in two distinct halves: one milky white, one crimson red.
Strangely enough, though they shared a single spring, the two sides remained utterly divided, never invading one another's territory.
The rolling steam rising skyward was born of the clash between the two extremes, drifting upward until it dissipated at the valley rim.
All around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well grew countless plants—strange and beautiful, poisonous and harmless alike. But most eye-catching were the few extraordinary flowers among them.
"Supplements… supreme supplements…"
Su Linfeng trembled with excitement at the sight. His body shivered uncontrollably, his eyes glowing red.
The next second, he charged straight down.
"Wait!" Bibi Dong snapped, frowning. This was no unclaimed land. Otherwise, Spirit Hall's elite team wouldn't have returned battered and bloodied.
But it was already too late.
A massive serpent's tail whipped upward from below, lashing directly toward Su Linfeng.
Bibi Dong's eyes widened. She didn't hesitate—flashing forward to shield him, she struck with a casual wave of her hand.
Boom!!!
With a thunderous crash, the serpent's tail was blasted back.