Bibi Dong: An Ill-Fated Bond!

"Good... very good..."

Bibi Dong laughed in extreme anger, a dangerously cold gleam flashing in her eyes.

"Xuan Hao, you've got some nerve!"

"You'd better pray I don't catch you. If I do..."

Bibi Dong clenched her fist, and the air erupted with a sharp boom.

"Issue a wanted order! No... issue a missing-person order!"

"Even if I have to turn Douluo Continent upside down, bring that stinky boy back to me!"

"I'll personally... break his legs!"

Yue Guan looked worried. "Your Excellency, you've always kept Xuan Hao's matters under wraps and raised him in secret. If we make such a public display by issuing a wanted order, and those hostile to Spirit Hall—especially the remnants of the Clear Sky Sect, or even... Tang Hao—find out..."

Bibi Dong's facial expression darkened further at his words.

Issuing a wanted order would inevitably invite accidents. A missing-person order would be even more likely to cause trouble.

What she wanted was for that boy to return alive! Not to die somewhere outside!

Yue Guan carefully analyzed the situation. "Your Excellency, this matter... may not be as bad as it seems."

"Think about it. Why did Xuan Hao run away?"

"He was scared!"

Yue Guan gestured as he spoke. "Whenever he caused trouble before, at most, you would lock him up for ten days to half a month. During that time, you would have someone scold him a few times, or personally go and warn him, so that he knew you were still keeping an eye on him."

"But this time, you ignored him completely for half a month. You even forbade the maid who brought him food from seeing him. For a child of only eight or nine, how much psychological pressure must that have been?"

"You know as well that although Xuan Hao looks carefree and reckless, he is actually extremely sensitive. And since what happened this time was indeed serious, he must have thought you truly intended to kill him and make an example out of him."

"Kids, after causing a catastrophe and fearing a beating, would naturally first try to hide somewhere until things blew over. That's only reasonable."

Bibi Dong snorted coldly. Though the fury in her eyes had not faded, the killing intent had lessened somewhat. "Reasonable? I think he's utterly lawless! Does he even know he caused a huge disaster?!"

"He knows, he definitely knows!" Yue Guan hurriedly nodded. "Look at that letter. Don't you know the Young Master's temperament? If he truly wanted to betray Spirit Hall and leave for good, he would never have left a letter, much less kept mouthing off to you in it."

"Since he left a letter and still joked around, it means he still cares about you in his heart and still wants to come back."

"Right now, he might be hiding in some obscure corner, waiting for you to calm down."

"If we search for him so publicly, he may instead think you want to purge him from the family and become even more afraid to show himself."

Bibi Dong took a deep breath and sat back down in the chair that had been temporarily brought in. Her fingers lightly tapped the armrest as she fell into thought.

Yue Guan's words were not without reason.

That boy had the temperament of a shameless rascal—he responded to gentleness, not force.

If pushed too far, he really might hide in some remote mountain forest and live like a wild man.

"Then what do you suggest?" Bibi Dong asked coldly.

"This subordinate believes that we should remain still on the surface and merely say that he is in secluded cultivation." Yue Guan suggested. "In secret, we can have the intelligence network investigate quietly. At the same time, we can release some... well, rumors that the Pope is in a good mood, giving him an out."

"And..."

Yue Guan paused. "This subordinate believes he definitely won't hide in some remote mountain forest."

"Oh?"

"Think about it. That boy was the great demon king at Spirit Academy for years. He has long developed a life of extravagance and indulgence... ahem, a pampered temperament. Asking him to become a wild man in the mountains? He definitely couldn't stand it."

"So, he'll certainly go to a major city—somewhere prosperous, lively, and where he can still enjoy life."

At this point, Yue Guan suddenly became hesitant. His gaze flickered, and he even used Soul Power to transmit his voice in a thin line, afraid that someone might be listening through the walls.

"Your Excellency... this subordinate has a bold guess."

"He... may have gone to Heaven Dou City."

"Heaven Dou City?"

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow, a trace of confusion flashing through her eyes. "What would he do there? It is the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire. Though prosperous, he doesn't know anyone there..."

"Um... Your Excellency..."

Yue Guan's voice grew increasingly guilty, even trembling slightly. "Actually... last year, when this subordinate was discussing rare flowers and exotic herbs with Xuan Hao in the garden... this subordinate... accidentally let it slip and mentioned... Qian Renxue."

"What did you say?!"

Bibi Dong abruptly rose to her feet. Astonishing killing intent erupted from her eyes as she stared fixedly at Yue Guan.

Qian Renxue!

She was the deepest taboo in Bibi Dong's heart, the only connection between her and that dead scum Qian Xunji, and a pain she never wished to mention for the rest of her life!

"You let it slip?!"

"You told him... that Xue Qinghe is Qian Renxue? You told him Qian Renxue is my daughter?!"

"This subordinate deserves death! This subordinate deserves to die ten thousand times!" Yue Guan dropped to his knees with a thud. "At the time, this subordinate truly misspoke! One thing led to another, and it just came out! Besides... Xuan Hao's reaction at the time was very calm. He didn't show anything unusual."

"For the past year, he had kept his mouth shut and never revealed a single word to anyone. Even Nana knew nothing about it. That showed that he understood the bigger picture and knew how serious this matter was."

"But..."

Yue Guan swallowed hard and forced himself to continue:

"But now that he has caused such a huge disaster, he knows he can no longer remain by your side. He knows that Qian Renxue is hiding in Heaven Dou City and has already become the Crown Prince, enjoying boundless prestige."

"With his intelligence, he might think... that rather than wandering outside, he would be better off seeking refuge with Qian Renxue."

"After all... she is your daughter. He might think that with that connection, even if you wanted to punish him, you would spare him for her sake..."

"Enough!"

Bibi Dong cut off Yue Guan's analysis with a furious shout.

She felt like her temples were about to explode.

Seeking refuge with Qian Renxue?

Was that brat tired of living? Or was he not causing her enough trouble already?

If Qian Renxue learned that Xuan Hao was her disciple, who knew how she might use him to disgust her!

"Yue Guan!!"

Bibi Dong took a deep breath, pointing at the kneeling Yue Guan with a trembling finger.

"Go to Heaven Dou City immediately! Right now!"

"Go in person! Take Ghostly Shadow with you! Turn Heaven Dou City upside down!"

"If that brat really went there, then tie him up and drag him back if you have to!"

"And!"

Bibi Dong's gaze turned sharp, killing intent surging from her.

"If that old bastard Qian Daoliu finds out about this, or if Xue Qinghe's fake identity is exposed..."

"Then don't bother coming back! Kill yourself outside and atone for your sins!"

"Yes! I'll go at once! Right away!"

As If Pardoned, Yue Guan scrambled to his feet and bolted out of the hall.

Watching Yue Guan's retreating figure disappear, Bibi Dong slumped back into her chair and rubbed her brow, feeling utterly exhausted.

What a cursed fate!

Had she taken on a disciple? She had clearly taken in an ancestor who had come to collect a debt!

"Xuan Hao..."

"You'd better not actually go looking for her..."

"Otherwise, when you come back, I'll skin you alive!"

Half a month later, Heaven Dou City, the imperial capital of the Heaven Dou Empire.

As one of the cores of the continent's two great empires, Heaven Dou City was far more prosperous than a remote little town like Nuoding City. Its commercial atmosphere even surpassed that of the solemn and imposing Spirit City.

On the streets, a tall figure and a small one drew frequent glances from passersby.

Xuan Hao was still dressed in refined brocade robes, though he was now holding the hand of an even more eye-catching little girl.

Na'er had changed into an exquisite light-purple puffed dress. Her short silver hair had been carefully styled and adorned with two crystal hairpins, while her amethyst-like eyes curiously took in everything around her.

Though she was still young, her innate air of nobility, combined with her delicate, doll-like beauty, made her seem like a little princess who had stepped straight out of a painting.

Walking together, the handsome boy and pretty girl both carried themselves with noble grace. No matter how one looked at them, they appeared to be a young master and young miss from some top-tier Soul Master family out for a stroll.

In this world where people judged others by their appearance, their attire, coupled with the faint Soul Power fluctuations Xuan Hao gave off, ensured that no one dared to come looking for trouble.

Before long, Xuan Hao led Na'er into an extravagantly decorated restaurant. He booked a private room by the window on the second floor and ordered a table full of signature dishes.

Once the food was served, Na'er maintained her elegant manners, but her chopsticks moved at an astonishing speed. Her cheeks puffed out as she ate, making her look like an adorable little hamster.

Xuan Hao poured himself a cup of tea and stared at the bustling street outside the window, lost in thought.

He had managed to run away, but he could not keep hiding like this forever.

Should he go find Qian Renxue?

Given the conflict between Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong, if Qian Renxue learned of his talent and his relationship with Bibi Dong, she would definitely protect him—whether to invest in a genius or simply to disgust Bibi Dong.

But the risk was too great.

Bibi Dong's feelings toward Qian Renxue were extremely complicated and filled with hatred. If she learned that he had fled to Qian Renxue after causing trouble, it would change from "running away from home" into "betraying his faction." It might completely enrage Bibi Dong, and when they met again, he would probably be greeted with an Eternal Creation.

Worse still, Bibi Dong might directly expose the fact that he possessed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone. If that happened, he really would have no choice but to hide away in some remote mountain ravine.

A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone—even those old monsters in the Worship Hall would be tempted, perhaps even taking action to seize it outright.

Besides, Qian Renxue was not exactly mild-tempered either. With his personality, if he ended up living with Qian Renxue, he might provoke her into furious embarrassment at any moment.