The three of them returned to Spirit City without delay and headed straight for the Douluo Hall.
Chrysanthemum Douluo, however, made a detour to the Pope's Palace to report to Bibi Dong.
"Wait."
A voice came from the Pope's Palace, and Bibi Dong walked out slowly.
Even the majestic purple-gold robes of the Pope couldn't hide Bibi Dong's increasingly imposing figure.
It wasn't just their imagination—Lin Feng felt Bibi Dong seemed somewhat different from a few years ago.
Just like Qian Renxue, her stunning beauty now carried a touch of gentleness.
Was it due to the Youxiang Qiluo immortal herb, or had she changed in recent years?
Looking at the now fully grown Lin Feng and Qian Renxue, Bibi Dong parted her lips slightly:
"As for that wager, just think of it as me admitting defeat in advance. The rights to the Knight Order, I'll hand over to you, Xiao Feng."
Qian Renxue frowned. Maybe it was just her imagination, but Bibi Dong's gaze toward Xiao Feng felt... off.
"I've told you many times—not to call him Xiao Feng!"
Qian Renxue stepped in front of Lin Feng from the side, blocking Bibi Dong's line of sight.
Bibi Dong gave a soft chuckle."Xiao Xue, what's the point of being hung up on that? Xiao Feng is your peer—shouldn't I call him that? Or must I always address him by his full name?"
Qian Renxue's eyes widened in disbelief."You… What did you just call me?"
A glint flashed through Bibi Dong's eyes as she gently replied:"Of course I called you Xiao Xue. You're the heir of the Spirit Hall, and also my daughter. Isn't it natural for me to call you that?As Pope, I ought to be closer to the younger generation."
"You—"
Qian Renxue's expression grew complicated. Looking at this seemingly harmless Bibi Dong, her thoughts raced.
That immortal herb Lin Feng gave her—did it really work so well that it changed her personality?
This was the first time… she had heard her name from Bibi Dong's mouth.
She opened her mouth slightly, then bit her silver teeth, pulled Lin Feng and Ling Yuan beside her, and walked straight toward the Douluo Hall without looking back.
"Even if you've changed for the better, I still won't forgive you so easily!"
This time, Bibi Dong did not stop them from leaving.
She watched the three with a gentle smile, eyes full of meaning.
Her lips curled up slightly—as she had expected.
Without having endured the long, thankless mission of impersonating Xue Qinghe at Heaven Dou, Qian Renxue—despite her trials—still held a place for Bibi Dong in her heart, however small.
Before taking on the mission to infiltrate Heaven Dou, Qian Renxue had constantly tried to earn her affection.
She was supposed to become filled with hatred after ten lonely years of infiltration, betrayal, and isolation—but now, she still held onto a shred of hope.
Even with Lin Feng and Ling Yuan by her side, familial love was something Qian Renxue still longed for.
"Your Holiness, Yue Guan reporting."
Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice brought Bibi Dong back to her senses. She smiled softly:
"No need to be so formal, Elder Ju. Rest up from your travels. Come to the Pope's Palace tomorrow—there's a task for you."
Seeing this kind and approachable Bibi Dong, Chrysanthemum Douluo froze briefly, then nodded and descended the mountain.
Back in her room, Bibi Dong's expression darkened. Gripping the bedsheets tightly, her unstable emotions twisted the fabric into a rope.
"Phew—"
She whispered softly:
"Sorry, Xiao Xue. You and I are too much alike… this obsession with controlling what we see as ours—it'll take a strong external force to break it."
She thought of Lin Feng again, and a fire of frustration sparked in her heart.
Not only had his strength soared, but his appearance was also growing more handsome—elegant and extraordinary.
She herself had been there during his martial spirit awakening. She had been surprised at how calm he was upon awakening with only level one innate soul power.
Why didn't she pay closer attention back then? If she thought about it, she had known Lin Feng even earlier than Qian Renxue.
Opportunities flash by so quickly. A promising talent like that slipped right through her fingers—such a pity.
"But it doesn't matter. The plan is going smoothly, and my relationship with them is improving. The next step is Lin Feng's identity."
Now that he had broken through to Soul Sect, it wouldn't be long before he made waves again. At that time, she needed to assign him a proper title.
Being the commander of the Knight Order alone was far from enough.
Bibi Dong's eyes shimmered strangely. She wanted to completely tie Lin Feng to the Pope's Palace.
Even if she couldn't truly control him, she still wanted to give him a title, a position—so she could spend more time around him.
"Maybe… I could have Nana take him as a half-mentor? After all, I'm grooming Nana as a future Saintess—one of the Spirit Hall's pillars. How could the esteemed Academic Lin Feng not lend her a guiding hand?"
Bibi Dong's eyes lit up as a new idea formed. Brilliant.
She threw herself back onto the soft purple bed and took a deep breath, her mind unusually clear.
She took out the Youxiang Qiluo, gently stroking its petals with her slender fingers.
"What a wondrous immortal herb. Without it, the pain I endured would've been far worse.
Damn you, Rakshasa God!"
Her once gentle eyes turned murderous.
"I'm your heir, yet you dare torment me like this? When I become a god, I'll make you feel all the pain you've buried in my mind all these years!
Xiao Feng… what should I do? You made me see through Yu Xiaogang. Even this immortal herb—you gave it to me. Can you give me more… help me again…"
Unknowingly, Bibi Dong—who once clung to Yu Xiaogang as her obsession—now placed Lin Feng as her highest priority.
Lin Feng's image etched itself deeper into her mind. Amid the erosion of the Rakshasa God's will, he had become her spiritual anchor.
Listening to Qian Renxue's account, Qian Daoliu sighed and held his forehead.
My dear lady… since when does the legitimate wife go asking the concubine for a dowry?
What? You say the soul bone was for Ling Yuan, not through Lin Feng?
Please. Even if you trade other soul bones for it—this one came from Lin Feng. Giving it to Ling Yuan is giving it to Lin Feng!
She's not from the Qian family. We only gave it to her back then because of Lin Feng!
With a helpless shake of his head, he took out a soul bone from his storage device.
"I really don't have many soul bones over 50,000 years old—let alone ones suitable for a Phoenix spirit. This one is a 60,000-year-old Windstorm Eagle right leg bone. Its skill is Instant Flash."
Lin Feng, seeing Qian Daoliu's resentful gaze, felt a little guilty.
"This is the 70,000-year-old Prairie Red Wolf left leg bone you gave me last time. I'll trade it."
Qian Daoliu's breath caught. So you're playing with me now? I gave it to you to absorb, but you didn't.
You said it didn't suit Ling Yuan's attributes, so you came to ask me for a different one?
You're no different than those middle managers at Spirit Hall—playing games with us grunts! How shameless!
He glared at Lin Feng fiercely, snatched the Red Wolf bone back, and shoved the Windstorm Eagle bone into Lin Feng's hand.
Snatching away my cabbage wasn't enough—now you cheat and torment an old man like me? Outrageous!
T/N: For twenty chapters ahead on this fic and twenty on my other, become a P@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle