"This can't be..." Bibi Dong instinctively tried to refuse.
"Then there's nothing to discuss."
Nan Feng instantly slipped back into his shameless demeanor. "I'm not about to put my life in your hands. You can stay here and be the Holy Maiden, watch that old geezer Qian Xunji recover, and then let him keep ordering you around."
"Oh, right. I heard Qian Xunji's been recovering pretty well lately. He'll probably be out of bed in another month or so. When that happens, guess whether he'll come up with any more strange ideas when he finds out Bibi Dong has lost her memory?"
"Oh! Dong'er! You don't remember me? I'm your most beloved master!"
"..."
Dead silence fell over the room.
The moonlight outside was hidden behind dark clouds, just like Bibi Dong's gloomy heart.
After a long while.
Bibi Dong drew a deep breath. A trace of mad resolve flashed in her violet eyes.
For a person bent on revenge, any price was worth paying if it meant dragging that man down to hell.
Even her soul!
"Fine."
"I'll sign."
"Nan Feng, remember what you said. If you still dare to stand in the way of my revenge after we sign the pact..."
"Relax." Nan Feng cut her off. "As long as I want to live, I'll want you to grow stronger more than anyone else. After all, you're my host—and my future meal ticket."
"Come on. Open your mind and don't resist."
Deep within the Sea of Consciousness.
The purple-black soul of the Death Spider Emperor slowly drew close to Bibi Dong's human soul.
This time, they didn't face off warily. They merged without holding anything back.
Buzz—!
In the real world, Bibi Dong's body began to tremble violently.
Two immense soul powers slammed into each other inside her, then began to interweave, entwine, and fuse frantically.
The sensation was strange beyond words. It wasn't pain, but a tingling feeling—as though her soul were being "invaded" and "filled."
Even someone as strong-willed as Bibi Dong couldn't help letting out a soft moan. Her face flushed, and both hands clutched her collar.
No one knew how long passed.
When the last glimmer of light faded, Bibi Dong slowly opened her eyes.
She could now clearly feel an indelible mark deep within her soul. It linked her to Nan Feng; with a mere thought, she could sense his emotions, and vice versa.
"Done and dusted."
Nan Feng's lazy voice sounded in her mind. But this time, it seemed to come from deep within her soul, carrying an indescribable sense of intimacy. "Congratulations, Little Dongdong. Now we're truly bound together through thick and thin, in sickness and in health."
Bibi Dong's mouth twitched. She automatically filtered out his dirty talk.
She rose to her feet and looked out at the pitch-black night. She could no longer suppress her murderous intent.
"Now that the pact is sealed, it's time for you to keep your promise."
"Of course. But to be safe, I have another plan."
"...What are you up to now?"
Bibi Dong soon left Saintess Hall and headed toward Pope Palace.
She made no attempt to hide her movements. On the contrary, she came openly and in full view.
Only, the one controlling her body now wasn't the real Bibi Dong. It was Nan Feng.
That clear, bewildered gaze was something the Bibi Dong of today didn't have.
"If you march in there like that, and Qian Xunji really dies, everyone will know I was the last person to see him! I'll be the prime suspect!"
Bibi Dong, deep within the Sea of Consciousness, was on the verge of a breakdown.
"Relax. You think sneaking in would make you any less suspicious?"
As he walked, Nan Feng replied in her mind. "If Qian Xunji is murdered, Qian Daoliu will suspect you first. No matter how you hide, you'll still be the prime suspect."
"So we're going to do the opposite."
"As the saying goes, make the unreal seem real, and the real seem unreal. If you wanted to kill someone, what would you do? You'd sneak around like a thief, right?"
"But if I stroll over there like this, no one will think I'm going to assassinate him. They'll just think that the Holy Maiden with the loose screws is having another episode and wants to visit her teacher—or her daughter."
"But when Qian Xunji dies, everyone who saw me will be a witness!" Bibi Dong objected. "The evidence will be ironclad. Even if Qian Daoliu wants to turn a blind eye, how can he protect me?"
"So we need a witness with more weight—someone who can give us an alibi," Nan Feng said. "And that witness has to be someone Qian Daoliu trusts completely, someone who would never lie."
Bibi Dong froze. "You mean... Qian Renxue?"
"Exactly!" Nan Feng said. "Qian Renxue has been staying in the Side Hall of Pope Palace lately. Once we're in the bedchamber, we'll pull a switcheroo."
"I'll control your Spider Emperor Avatar and go find Qian Renxue. We'll watch the stars and the moon together and chat about poetry, literature, and the meaning of life. Meanwhile, your real body will stay in the bedchamber and send Qian Xunji on his way."
"But..." Bibi Dong still wasn't convinced. "What if someone finds out? It's still just an avatar. Strong people can see through its aura."
"If it were the old kind of avatar, they could. But things are different now."
Nan Feng sounded utterly confident. "We just formed a Soul Blood Pact. My source power has seeped into your Martial Soul. Your Spider Emperor Avatar now matches your real body perfectly—in aura, expression, and soul fluctuations! Unless I reveal myself, even that old geezer Qian Daoliu won't spot the difference without getting right up close and inspecting it."
"Besides... would that old bastard Qian Daoliu dare expose us?"
"Once Qian Xunji is dead, you'll be the sole hope of Spirit Hall's younger generation and Qian Renxue's only family. On top of that, you're about to enter the Rakshasa Secret Realm and become tainted by the Evil God's aura. Others might dare to take a reckless gamble, but would Qian Daoliu—the old man who's served the Angel God for most of his life and knows gods are real—dare touch someone who might have been chosen by an Evil God?"
"If he makes a mistake, he won't just be throwing away Spirit Hall's future. He'll be putting his precious granddaughter in danger too."
"So as long as we give him a way out, even if it's made of paper, he'll have to grit his teeth and take it!"
Bibi Dong fell silent.
"What exactly are you?"
"What do you mean, what am I?" Nan Feng asked, puzzled.
"Everything you've shown me is far beyond what I thought a Soul Beast could do," Bibi Dong said.
"If all Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were as shameless, unscrupulous, crafty, sinister, despicable, and cunning as you, humans would have almost no chance of hunting them down."
"..." Nan Feng.
"Want to insult me again?"
"..."
Before long, Bibi Dong reached Pope's Bedchamber. The guards outside didn't dare stop her when they saw the Holy Maiden.
Bibi Dong said nothing. She strode inside, and the Eighth Soul Ring suddenly lit up!
Buzz—!
A purple-black light split away from Bibi Dong's body and quickly took shape as another "Bibi Dong."
Nan Feng immediately poured part of his soul's source into the avatar.
In an instant, the avatar's formerly vacant eyes came alive.
Nan Feng rolled his shoulders and hands, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
"Huh? This feels..."
He reached out and gave his arm a gentle pinch, then touched his cheek.
He could feel the touch, the warmth of his body, even the faint fragrance of incense lingering in the air.
"As expected, the Soul Blood Pact has transformed this avatar completely."
Nan Feng marveled, then controlled the avatar and suddenly leaned in close to Bibi Dong's real body.
They stood face-to-face, only a few centimeters apart.
Bibi Dong instinctively took half a step back. As she stared at the face identical to her own, watching it fix her with an intensely predatory gaze, a strange feeling welled up inside her.
"What are you doing?"
Nan Feng didn't answer. He leaned toward her neck and gave it a gentle sniff.
"Mm... a chilly, delicate fragrance."
"Looks like this avatar's fidelity is even higher than I thought. It's recreated every little detail perfectly."
Bibi Dong looked uncomfortable, the tips of her ears turning faintly red.
Before, she would have slapped this lecher flying without a second thought. But now... that was her own face, and they had just fused their souls. The intimacy she felt deep in her soul made it impossible for her to feel disgust.
"That's enough. Quit fooling around."
Bibi Dong turned her face away and said coldly, "Don't hold up the real business."
"Sure, sure. I'll stop."
Nan Feng knew when to quit. He reached out and gently patted Bibi Dong's shoulder. "I'm off to draw the fire."
"See you tomorrow, Little Dongdong. Enjoy yourself."