Bibi Dong's Overture: On the Contrary, I'll Help You!

Hearing Lu Jing's answer, the surprise on Bibi Dong's face gradually transformed into deep, complex appreciation. At last, a praising curve lifted at the corner of her lips. She lightly applauded and said, "I have to say, Lu Jing, you really are very smart. You see farther and more clearly than I imagined."

She lowered her hand, a sharp gleam flashing through her purple eyes.

That alone was an acknowledgment—an acknowledgment that Lu Jing's deductions were accurate.

"Since you understand things so clearly."

Bibi Dong rose to her feet and elegantly walked around the desk. Rather than heading toward the window or the door, she slowly approached the sofa where Lu Jing was seated.

The soft fabric of her purple dress brushed against the edge of the sofa, carrying a faint fragrance and an overwhelming presence.

Instead of sitting on the sofa opposite him, she unexpectedly lowered herself onto the empty seat beside Lu Jing.

That action instantly narrowed both the physical and psychological distance between them, while bringing an intangible sense of pressure.

Her gaze rested on Lu Jing's youthful yet steady face. Her tone became exceptionally soft and gentle, as though she were discussing some ordinary household matter. "Then I have also learned about what happened during the day."

Lu Jing blinked, his long lashes casting a small shadow beneath the lamplight.

His thoughts raced, and the conflict with Yan outside the Scripture Depository during the day immediately surfaced in his mind.

Why was Bibi Dong bringing it up now? Was she going to hold him accountable? Or...

With that thought, Lu Jing asked in a suitably puzzled, probing tone, "Since that is the case, what does Your Excellency the Pope intend to do? Help Yan deal with me, or something else?"

He calculated rapidly in his heart. Over the past few years, the relationship between the Pope's Palace and the Worship Hall had indeed worsened as recorded in the history books, with open and covert struggles continuing without end.

Yet strangely, Bibi Dong's attitude toward him personally had always been rather good. She had even deliberately shown him warmth and tried to win him over.

That was absolutely unusual. Could it be that she wanted to pull him out of the Worship Hall's camp?

But the question was, why did she think he could be won over?

And what could she offer that he would care about? Power? Wealth? Or women?

Though baffled inwardly, Lu Jing maintained a calm expression as he quietly watched the Pope seated so close to him, waiting for her answer.

Candlelight flickered across her exquisitely beautiful profile, casting interwoven shadows of light and dark that made it impossible to fully discern the meaning hidden in her eyes.

Bibi Dong gently shook her head. Her posture remained elegant, and her tone was still soft and gentle, yet it carried an unquestionable force. "Since Yan was the one who started the trouble and tried to seize your things first, you were merely defending yourself. He was inferior in skill, and his injuries were deserved. Naturally, I will not stand with him and help him deal with you."

She leaned forward slightly, bringing a cold, faint fragrance with her. Her purple eyes met Lu Jing's directly. "On the contrary, I will help you."

"Help me?"

The confusion in Lu Jing's heart deepened, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

What was Bibi Dong really after? And what price would her "help" require?

"How do you intend to help me?" he asked cautiously.

Yan was one of the Golden Generation and loyal to her, so why would she choose to help him instead?

Bibi Dong did not answer directly. Instead, she tilted her head slightly and looked toward the study's heavy carved wooden door. Her voice was not loud, yet it clearly penetrated the door. "Come in."

"Creak—"

The door was silently pushed open.

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, who had been waiting outside in the attire of a high-ranking Spirit Hall official, entered without making a sound.

His movements were gentle, and his expression respectful.

Behind him—or rather, held in his hand like a torn sack being dragged along—was Yan, covered in blood and utterly miserable!

At this moment, Yan no longer possessed the arrogant swagger he had displayed when provoking Lu Jing at the Scripture Depository during the day.

The injuries Lu Jing had inflicted upon him with lightning-like methods had clearly not been properly treated. His clothes were torn, congealed and fresh blood mixed across his body, several joints were twisted at unnatural angles, and his face was as pale as paper. His breathing was weak and rapid.

The intense pain and blood loss had left his eyes unfocused. Yet when Yue Guan mercilessly threw him onto the expensive carpet with a thud, the sharp pain drew a muffled groan from him. As he took in the scene in the study—especially when he saw Bibi Dong and Lu Jing seated there—his unfocused eyes were instantly filled with overwhelming terror and despair.

After throwing Yan down, Yue Guan did not even spare him a glance. He merely respectfully bowed to Bibi Dong, then silently withdrew as he had entered, gently closing the door behind him.

The entire process was crisp and efficient, without a single unnecessary movement, displaying the absolute obedience and efficiency of a trusted confidant of the Pope.

The study returned to silence, with only Yan's rapid, pained breathing faintly rising and falling over the carpet.

Bibi Dong's expression was so calm that not a trace of emotion rippled across it, as though what lay on the floor was not a living person but a useless piece of trash.

She looked down from above at Yan, who was trembling in fear, her gaze cold and devoid of even a shred of warmth.

Then she turned to Lu Jing. Her voice was calm and even, yet it carried the chilling weight of a verdict.

"Lu Jing, as long as you nod, I can kill him right now."

She paused. Every word struck Yan's heart clearly, and struck at Lu Jing's nerves as well. Then she softly said, "Spirit Hall's grand plans for the future have no need for trash like this—someone brainless who only causes trouble and harms internal unity."

"Pfft—"

Yan's pupils abruptly shrank to pinpoints, and overwhelming terror instantly drowned out the agony in his body.

He wanted to struggle, wanted to howl and beg for mercy, but his heavily injured body and the suppression of Yue Guan's lingering Soul Power left him unable to move even a finger. He could only make hoarse, wheezing sounds, his face covered in tears and snot as despair overflowed from his expression.

Lu Jing's brows immediately knitted tightly together.

He looked at Yan on the floor, like a lamb awaiting slaughter, then at Bibi Dong beside him, whose expression was calm and even faintly cruel. He had never expected that this was what Bibi Dong meant by "helping" him!

Kill Yan?

That choice flashed through Lu Jing's mind like a bolt of icy lightning.

He truly did not like Yan. The man was arrogant, foolish, and had provoked him time and again.

To be honest, Lu Jing did not care whether Yan lived or died. But... was it really that simple?

Bibi Dong's intentions were certainly not as simple as helping him vent his anger.

Was she simply trying to win him over, or was she trying to use this opportunity to distract the Worship Hall and make them suspicious of him, creating a divide between him and the Worship Hall?

However, he was certain of one thing: if he nodded right now, Yan would die immediately. But the trouble and vortex that would follow were absolutely not what he wanted.

What he needed now was not to choose a side, much less become entangled in the deeper conflict between the Pope's Palace and the Worship Hall. He needed to accumulate strength and make himself the strongest.

In that instant, Lu Jing made his decision.

Facing Bibi Dong's seemingly gentle yet actually oppressive gaze, he slowly shook his head, his voice returning to its usual calm.

"Your Excellency the Pope, there is no need for that."

He glanced at Yan on the floor, whose eyes suddenly erupted with a faint light of survival at those words, then added indifferently, "Although this man is foolish and arrogant and has provoked me repeatedly, he is still a core member of the Golden Generation cultivated by Spirit Hall, a potential future Titled Douluo. Moreover, he has a close relationship with Hu Liena."

He deliberately emphasized Hu Liena's name. "Since I have already taught him a lesson during the day, this matter can end here if he knows what is good for him. No matter what, he is still a genius. But if there is a next time, it will not be too late to kill him then."

Lu Jing's answer was clear and unambiguous. He had refused to kill Yan while also stating the reasons for sparing him—for Spirit Hall's benefit, and to show Hu Liena some consideration.

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong gave Lu Jing a deep look, as though her gaze intended to see through his very soul.

Lu Jing's flawless response surprised her, yet it also seemed to be within her expectations.

This little fellow was even more slippery than she had imagined, and even more capable of keeping his composure.

The sharpness and coldness in her eyes gradually faded, once again covered by a gentle veil. She nodded softly.

"Very well. Since you say so, I respect your decision."

She did not insist further, as though she had not been the one who had just proposed killing someone.

"Yue Guan."

As her words fell, the study door opened once more.

Yue Guan slipped inside like a ghost, still wearing that respectful and silent expression.

He did not even ask a question. He simply walked over to Yan again and lifted this outstanding member of Spirit Hall's younger generation as though picking up an object.

By now, Yan seemed not even to have the strength to be afraid. All that remained was the immense exhaustion and confusion of surviving a disaster. He allowed Yue Guan to drag him out of the study where his life and death had been decided.

The door closed once more, cutting off Yan's last faint traces of breath.

At this point, only Lu Jing and Bibi Dong remained in the study again.

The air seemed even more stagnant than before.

Not only had Lu Jing's doubts not been dispelled, they had accumulated even more deeply.

Bibi Dong's string of actions appeared to be supporting him, yet every part of it carried an odd sense of probing.

She had summoned him from the Worship Hall into the depths of the Pope's Palace for a high-level discussion about unifying the continent, then suddenly brought up the matter of Yan's life and death... Everything felt far too deliberate and abrupt.

"Your Excellency the Pope."

With that thought, Lu Jing suppressed the turbulence in his heart and spoke again. His tone carried a subtle hint of inquiry as he asked, "Other than these matters, did you summon me here late at night for anything else?"

Bibi Dong picked up the cup of tea on the table, which had long since cooled, and took a small sip. Her posture remained as elegant as ever.

She raised her eyes toward Lu Jing. Her purple gaze was as deep as an abyss, and the corners of her lips seemed to lift in an extremely faint, inscrutable curve.

"No."

She set down the teacup and said softly, "I merely wanted to see you, and let you see... my sincerity and attitude in handling this matter."

That answer completely bewildered Lu Jing.

See him? See her attitude? Sincerity?

What kind of reason was that? If Qian Daoliu or Qian Renxue had done something like this, he could understand—after all, they were in the same boat. Qian Renxue even clearly had favorable feelings toward him, while Qian Daoliu placed great hopes upon him. Therefore, it was only natural for them to try to win him over, show goodwill, or warn him.

But Bibi Dong... this female Pope, whose relationship with the Worship Hall was tense and whose mind was as deep as the sea—Lu Jing realized that he could not understand her logic at all.

Could it really be only because, as she had said before, she valued his potential and his perspective that differed from ordinary people's?

But merely to display sincerity and win over a promising prospect whose allegiance was still unclear, she was even willing to use the life of Yan, a core Spirit Hall member, as a prop?

The cost and risk were far too great. It completely did not match the cautious image of Bibi Dong from the history books.

Or was there... another purpose?

Was she trying to drive a wedge between him and the Worship Hall?

Or did she want to use the matter of Yan to convey some sort of message to Qian Daoliu?

Lu Jing felt his thoughts becoming somewhat chaotic.

Bibi Dong's mind was like the flickering candlelight deep within the Pope's Palace. It appeared bright, yet was truly hazy and indistinct, making truth and falsehood impossible to discern.

"Thank you, Your Excellency the Pope, for your... favor and sincerity."

Lu Jing suppressed the countless questions in his heart, stood, and respectfully bowed. "If there are no further instructions, this junior will take his leave."

He chose to leave for now. Before a chess game he could not see through, keeping his distance and responding to all changes by remaining unchanged was perhaps the best choice.

Bibi Dong nodded faintly and did not try to keep him. "Go. As I said, you may visit the Scripture Depository at any time. If you need anything, you may also come to me."

Her expression was calm and indifferent, her voice still as gentle as before.

She finally understood why the Rakshasa God had entertained such thoughts six years ago. Just based on the talent and caution Lu Jing had displayed, if she were the God of Destruction, she would also choose him as the inheritor, even though the Divine Position Inheritance had not yet descended.

"Yes, this junior will remember." Lu Jing bowed once again, then turned and walked toward the heavy carved wooden door.

When he pulled open the door and left the study filled with faint fragrance, candlelight, and intangible pressure, he clearly felt Bibi Dong's gaze upon his back. It was almost tangible, carrying scrutiny, investigation, and perhaps even a trace of... indescribable anticipation and calculation.

He gently closed the door behind him, cutting off that gaze and the suffocating atmosphere within the study.

Outside lay the vast, shadowy corridors of the Pope's Palace, where moonlight streamed through high windows in a cold, clear glow.

Lu Jing took a deep breath of the slightly cool air, yet the fog in his heart did not disperse in the slightest.

"This woman's attitude... really is impossible to figure out."

Lu Jing muttered under his breath, brows tightly furrowed. "First she asked about Spirit Hall's future direction, then she dealt with Yan's matter... Could she really be showing goodwill toward me? But this way of showing goodwill is just too..."

He shook his head and stopped dwelling on it. Then he stepped forward, heading toward the Worship Hall.

No matter what, increasing his own strength and reaching level fifty as soon as possible was the most important thing before him.

Only sufficient strength would give him the right to choose and the confidence to protect himself in this turbulent age.

As for Bibi Dong's true intentions... perhaps only time could provide the answer.

Under the moonlight, the youth's upright figure moved between the majestic pillars of the Pope's Palace, gradually receding until it finally disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Meanwhile, within the study, candle flames swayed, illuminating the seated figure in purple. She lifted that cup of tea, long since gone cold, and looked toward the profound night sky beyond the window. Deep within her purple eyes, no one knew what undercurrents were surging.