Qian Xunji's Serious Injury

"That is enough."

Bibi Dong slowly reined in the surging soul power around her.

"Heading back already?" Nan Feng asked.

"The Ten Thousand Snake Cave is not far ahead; there are two seventy-thousand-year Medusa Snake Emperors inside. If we slaughter them, your Soul-Eater Spider Emperor's soul ring configuration could reach the next level. It might even push you directly to level ninety-eight."

"Greed leads to indigestion." Bibi Dong coldly rejected the idea. "Rising four levels in half a month is already the absolute limit. If we don't take the time to stabilize the foundation, this skyrocketing power will only become a castle in the air."

"Besides... for the remaining soul ring slots, I don't want to just fill them with random tens-of-thousands-year soul beasts. If I am to do this, I must do it to perfection."

"Fine, it's your soul ring, you make the call."

Nan Feng didn't insist, merely controlling the Spider Emperor Avatar to lie down on a massive boulder in boredom.

The avatar, bearing Bibi Dong's stunningly beautiful face, was currently leaning against the rock wall with zero decorum. Its long, slender legs were crossed, one foot swinging back and forth, while one hand propped up its chin and the other grasped at the air. It looked exactly like a street thug.

Bibi Dong turned around and caught sight of this scene.

The veins on her forehead instantly bulged.

"Nan Feng! Get up this instant!"

Bibi Dong growled through gritted teeth, "That is my face! That is my body! Even if it is just an avatar, you cannot strike such... such a shameless pose!"

It was too strange! Truly too strange!

Even if this was just an avatar condensed through a soul skill!

"Tsk, no one is watching, what's the harm in relaxing?"

Though Nan Feng complained, he still controlled the avatar to sit up, though the posture remained slouchy. "While this human body of yours isn't as stable as my original eight legs, I have to admit, this soft, squishy structure is quite comfortable to lounge in."

"Shut up! Sit properly!"

Bibi Dong snapped, then seemed to recall something. A strange flush appeared on her cold, elegant face—not out of shyness, but out of indignation.

She stared daggers at Nan Feng, the chill in her eyes even sharper than before:

"And don't think I don't know... what you were doing while I was absorbing the soul ring!"

Nan Feng looked blank: "Huh? What did I do? Wasn't I just guarding you?"

"Guarding?"

Bibi Dong took a deep breath, seemingly finding it difficult to speak, but finally squeezed the words through her teeth, "Does guarding require... require touching my body?!"

During the half-month of hunting and absorption, whenever she was in deep meditation, she could always feel a pair of "hands" wandering over her.

Although there were no excessive actions, they had lingered on her sensitive waist, abdomen, back, and even her thighs.

For someone with Bibi Dong's traumatic history, any unauthorized physical contact was a reverse scale that must not be touched!

If it were an injury sustained in battle, that would be one thing, but this was clearly harassment taking advantage of her vulnerability!

Watching Bibi Dong's murderous expression, Nan Feng froze for a full three seconds before realizing what she was talking about.

"You mean... I was touching you?"

Nan Feng widened his eyes, pointed at his own nose, and looked incredulous. "Big sister, aren't you being a bit too narcissistic?"

"What did you say?!" Bibi Dong was choked with anger.

"I was checking your meridian flow and soul bone fusion!" Nan Feng rolled his eyes, explaining with utter disdain. "You were absorbing the soul ring too fast, and your soul power was rampaging through your meridians. What if something went wrong?"

"As for the touching..."

Nan Feng spread his hands: "Please, The Emperor is a noble Death Spider Emperor! In my aesthetic, only a mother spider with sharp chelicerae, hard armor, and a body covered in barbs is a peerless beauty."

"You?" Nan Feng looked Bibi Dong up and down. "You're smooth all over, without a single decent bristle. Your skin is as soft as tofu and breaks at a poke. Only you humans would find that attractive."

"To me, touching you is no different from touching a slab of pork belly. Aside from using it as a vessel, I have absolutely no worldly desires for this body."

"..."

Bibi Dong was stunned.

Pork belly?

Smooth?

Strange aesthetics?

Although Nan Feng's explanation was not only world-shattering but also carried a strong sense of personal attack—even subjecting her to unprecedented insults regarding her appearance—

However...

Upon hearing these words, the heavy stone that had been weighing on Bibi Dong's heart miraculously fell away.

That's right, this guy is a hundred-thousand-year soul beast; he is, at his core, a giant spider.

Just as humans wouldn't be interested in a female monkey, this old spider having no interest in a human female seemed... quite logical, didn't it?

"Hoo..."

Bibi Dong let out a long breath. Her tense body finally relaxed, and even the way she looked at Nan Feng no longer held such murderous intent.

Although being compared to pork belly was infuriating, she could accept it as long as the guy didn't mean it that way.

After all, as long as it wasn't that kind of disgusting covetousness, she could endure any other form of offense.

"It had better be that way."

Bibi Dong let out a cold snort, returning to her usual aloofness. "If I discover you harbor even a shred of ill intent, I will make you pay the price, even if it means suffering a backlash from my own soul power."

"Fine, fine, I get it, you're such a nag."

Nan Feng waved his hand, and with a thought, the Spider Emperor Avatar instantly dissolved into specks of light, his consciousness returning to Bibi Dong's Sea of Consciousness.

"Hurry up and go. I'm sick of this dump; take me to see this Martial Soul Hall of yours."

Martial Soul City, the city that symbolized the highest glory of the soul master world, was currently shrouded in a heavy, oppressive gloom.

The moment Bibi Dong stepped through the city gates, the rumors that had already spread like wildfire reached her ears.

In order to hunt down that hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor soul beast in human form, Qian Xunji had led Chrysanthemum, Ghost, and several elite Soul Saints out in full force, only to encounter a desperate counterattack from the Clear Sky Sect prodigy, Tang Hao.

With the strength of someone who had just reached the Title Douluo realm, Tang Hao had hammered the Pope's team into submission, severely wounding Qian Xunji before swaggering away!

Had it not been for Chrysanthemum and Ghost risking their lives to protect him, Qian Xunji would likely have perished on the spot.

"Good! A truly magnificent Tang Hao!"

Walking up the jade steps leading to the Pope Palace, Bibi Dong wore a grave expression on the surface, appearing as if she were burning with anxiety, but deep down, she was laughing wildly.

If the occasion hadn't been so inappropriate, she would have wanted to erect a memorial tablet for Tang Hao right then and there!

Bibi Dong had originally been wondering how to find an opening; after all, Qian Xunji was a level 95 Title Douluo. Not to mention she was only level 96 at the time, even if she had reached level 98, killing that guy in Martial Soul City was nearly impossible.

After all, with Chrysanthemum and Ghost guarding his side, plus Qian Daoliu and that group of Worships on the mountain, if she were to act rashly, she would likely be trapped here even if she reached level 99.

She hadn't endured for so many years just to perish alongside Qian Xunji.

But now, Qian Xunji was severely wounded—this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Pope's Bedchamber.

Bibi Dong stood before the heavy nanmu doors, took a deep breath, and adjusted the expression on her face.

The corners of her mouth, which had been difficult to suppress after hearing the good news, instantly shifted into a look of shock and anxiety.

It had to be said that living under Qian Xunji's nose all these years had honed her into an excellent actress.

Bibi Dong pushed the door open and entered, a thick scent of medicine mixed with a sacred, holy aura rushing to meet her.

On the wide bed, Qian Xunji's face was as pale as paper, his body wrapped in bandages, his aura as weak as a candle flickering in the wind.

Beside the bed, two figures as imposing as mountains stood guard on either side.

The one on the left looked to be only in his thirties, dressed in simple grey robes, yet he gave off the illusion of being one with heaven and earth. It was the Grand Pontiff, Qian Daoliu.

The one on the right was burly, clad in golden armor, and radiated the oppressive force of an ancient beast. The Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo.

Seeing Bibi Dong enter, Golden Crocodile Douluo frowned slightly, while Qian Daoliu turned slowly and said indifferently, "Bibi Dong? Where have you been for this past year?"

"The Pope is severely wounded, and Martial Soul Hall is in a state of panic. As the Holy Maiden, you were nowhere to be found."

There was no direct reprimand, but that overwhelming pressure instantly locked onto Bibi Dong.

If it were in the past, Bibi Dong might have broken into a cold sweat under this pressure.

But now, having long since been reborn, she merely bowed slightly, performing a standard disciple's salute, her face showing just the right amount of guilt and worry.

"Answering the Grand Pontiff, this disciple knew her cultivation had hit a bottleneck that was difficult to break through. In order not to fail the teacher's expectations, I went to the Death Canyon alone this past year to train and seek an opportunity for a breakthrough."

"As soon as I left seclusion, I heard that the teacher had met with misfortune. I was frantic with worry and rushed back immediately."

"Death Canyon?" A trace of surprise flashed in Qian Daoliu's eyes.

That place was known as a forbidden zone for soul masters; even he was unwilling to venture deep into it lightly.

"You broke through?" Qian Daoliu looked Bibi Dong up and down.

Bibi Dong did not speak, merely releasing a sliver of her aura.

A vast wave of soul power belonging to a Title Douluo flashed and vanished. Although she had deliberately suppressed her realm to appear only at the level of a newly ascended level 91, and used the aura of the Soul-Eater Spider Emperor to mask her true strength, it was enough to move the two old men present.

"A Title Douluo?!"

Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes widened. "You... you actually took that step?!"

A Title Douluo under the age of thirty! This was truly unprecedented!