Even Qian Daoliu, whose emotions rarely stirred, had a flicker of complicated admiration and relief in his eyes.
Even he had to admit that Bibi Dong was the greatest genius Spirit Hall had ever produced.
"Good. Very good."
The frost on Qian Daoliu's face thawed a little. "Twin Martial Souls, and you've already become a Titled Douluo at such a young age. Xunji may be injured, but as long as you're here, Spirit Hall still has a future."
"Teacher... how is he?" Bibi Dong looked toward Qian Xunji on the bed, her eyes brimming with "concern."
"He's out of immediate danger." Qian Daoliu sighed. Looking at his half-dead son on the bed, a flicker of sorrow crossed his eyes.
"The Great Sumeru Hammer... I never thought Tang Hao could master a move like that."
"But he'd only just become a Titled Douluo. To unleash power of that level, he must have paid a heavy price. He can't be in much better shape than Xunji!"
"Then what now...?" Bibi Dong asked tentatively.
"His life is saved, but recovering will be harder than scaling the heavens." Qian Daoliu shook his head. "Second Worship and I have already worked together to clear his meridians and suppress his injuries. From here, he'll have to recover slowly on his own."
"Enough, Bibi Dong. Xunji is gravely wounded, and you're the Holy Maiden. You'll handle the affairs of Pope Palace for now. You may leave."
After leaving the Pope's Bedchamber, Bibi Dong returned to her Saintess Hall.
As soon as she returned to her bedchamber, Nan Feng forcibly activated the Death Spider Emperor's Eighth Soul Skill, Spider Emperor Avatar, and ran out on his own.
Bibi Dong was at a loss for words, but couldn't be bothered to stop him.
At least the guy hadn't stolen her body.
"Ptooey! Ptooey, ptooey!"
Controlling that peerlessly beautiful Spider Emperor Avatar, Nan Feng spat out the exquisite pastries in his mouth with a disgusted expression. They scattered across the floor.
"What kind of lousy thing is this? It has no taste at all! It's like swallowing a mouthful of air!"
Nan Feng pointed at the plate of osmanthus cakes on the table, which looked especially tempting at that moment, and complained to Bibi Dong, who sat by the bed, deep in thought. "Your Soul Skill is all show and no substance. No sense of taste, no sense of touch, can't even feel hot or cold. How boring."
Bibi Dong shot him a cold glance, not bothering to humor the "emperor" who went mad every now and then.
"Are you even listening to me?" Nan Feng leaned right up to Bibi Dong.
Looking at the other version of herself so close by, Bibi Dong rubbed her temples. "If you're really that bored, go back to the Sea of Consciousness. I need some peace and quiet to think through what to do next."
The man lying in that sickbed was like a thorn that had been buried in her for years.
Now, her chance to pull it out was right in front of her. She had to make sure nothing went wrong.
"Plan? What's there to think about?"
Nan Feng made the avatar drop into a chair and cross one leg over the other. "Once those two old geezers leave, you go in, release your Martial Soul, and devour him. Done."
"Easier said than done."
Bibi Dong snorted. "That's Pope Palace, right under Qian Daoliu's nose. Killing Qian Xunji is easy. But what happens afterward? That old bastard Qian Daoliu may not care about worldly affairs, but he's fiercely protective of his own. If he finds out I killed his son, how likely do you think I am to walk out of Spirit City alive?"
"That's why I revealed my strength just now. I showed him that I'm more valuable than Qian Xunji. If my value is high enough, perhaps I can fight for that slim chance of survival."
"And if the gamble fails..." Bibi Dong's gaze hardened. "Then we'll just sink together. As long as I can kill that beast, I don't care if I have to hide in the Rakshasa Secret Realm for the rest of my life!"
"Tsk, tsk, what a grudge you've got."
Nan Feng shook his head, and the avatar suddenly dissolved into a shower of light.
Bibi Dong thought the guy had finally quieted down and was about to go over the details of the assassination again.
But the next second—
A familiar, maddening dizziness struck her!
It felt as if someone had slammed into her soul. Bibi Dong's vision went black, and control of her body changed hands in an instant!
"Nan Feng!!!"
Bibi Dong roared furiously from within the Sea of Consciousness. "What's wrong with you?! I gave you the avatar. Why are you still stealing my body?!"
"I told you, that avatar's a piece of junk. Food has no taste!"
In the real world, "Bibi Dong" naturally reached out with her delicate hand, picked up an osmanthus cake, and elegantly slipped it between her red lips. She chewed it slowly.
As its soft, sweet flavor blossomed across her tongue, Nan Feng narrowed his eyes in bliss.
"Mmm, now this is more like it! Soft and sweet, melting in my mouth. Now this feels like being alive!"
"You stole my body just to eat a pastry?!" Bibi Dong felt as if her entire worldview were collapsing.
Was this guy a starving ghost in his past life? He was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!
"I gave you my life, so what's wrong with me eating a little?" Nan Feng said, as if it were only natural.
"Besides, thinking doesn't require a body. What's wrong with letting me borrow yours?"
Bibi Dong was speechless, but she didn't feel like wasting her breath on the deranged old spider.
He was only eating something, after all.
She let her mind sink back down and continued thinking through her plans.
The back garden of Saintess Hall was a tranquil, elegant place, bursting with flowers.
Controlling Bibi Dong's body, Nan Feng strolled leisurely as if he were out for a walk in his own backyard. He still held half a mung bean cake in his hand.
Suddenly, he stopped.
Behind a tall clump of violets, a petite golden figure was peeking out furtively, apparently watching what was going on. She seemed unsure whether to come closer.
The little girl looked about eight or nine. She was as delicate as a porcelain doll, with brilliant golden hair and clear golden eyes.
A sacred aura of light that made Bibi Dong's soul recoil in disgust emanated from her—the unmistakable scent of the Angel Clan.
Qian Renxue.
Deep within the Sea of Consciousness, Bibi Dong, who had been sitting with her eyes closed in thought, abruptly opened them. Her expression held the utmost disgust, as if she had seen something filthy, along with a trace of panic she could barely conceal.
"Tell her to get lost!"
Nan Feng, however, paid her no heed.
A mischievous smile curled his lips. His lazy stride suddenly changed, and his figure blurred and vanished.
The next moment, Qian Renxue, who had been about to sneak away, saw a blur before her eyes. A tall figure appeared in her path.
"Ah!"
Qian Renxue cried out in fright and stumbled, nearly falling.
When she recognized who stood before her, her delicate little face turned deathly pale, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably. It was the instinctive fear born of years of cold treatment and even outright loathing.
"M-Mom... I... I didn't mean to..."
Qian Renxue stammered, trying to explain. She reflexively covered her head, as if bracing for the familiar icy scolding and look of disgust.
But the expected rebuke never came.
Controlling Bibi Dong's body, Nan Feng slowly crouched down until he was at eye level with Qian Renxue.
There was no trace of disgust on that beautiful face. Instead, it held a hint of curiosity and... a gentle smile.
"Little girl, who are you? Why are you hiding here all by yourself?"
Nan Feng reached out, wanting to pinch Qian Renxue's chubby cheek. "Did you get lost?"
Qian Renxue was completely dumbfounded.
Her golden pupils trembled violently, as if she had just heard something impossible.
Mom... doesn't recognize me?
And she's actually smiling at me? She even called me... little girl?
That gentle tone, something she had never experienced before, left Qian Renxue's mind utterly blank, while her heart began to race uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, in the Sea of Consciousness, Bibi Dong completely exploded!
"Nan Feng!!!"
"Shut up! Who told you to touch her?!"
She couldn't bear the sight. Even though someone else was controlling her body, seeing it show even the slightest warmth toward that child made her feel sick, as if it betrayed all the hatred she had carried for so long!
"Don't touch her! Stay away from her!!"
"Give me back my body!!!"
Bibi Dong roared furiously, trying to wrest control of her body back by force.
But this time, Nan Feng didn't "go along with it" as he usually did. He held firm control instead.
"Don't make a scene. I'm laying the groundwork for you."
Keeping a gentle smile on his face, Nan Feng calmly answered her from within the Sea of Consciousness.
"If you want to kill Qian Xunji without anyone finding out and still take the seat of Pope without a hitch, you'd better play along with me until this act is over."
"What do you mean?!" Bibi Dong forced down the fury that was about to erupt.
"I saw it in the fragments of your memories. This little girl is Qian Daoliu's precious darling," Nan Feng quickly reasoned.
"If Qian Daoliu sees that you no longer hate this child and even start showing her motherly affection after losing your memories, what do you think an old man who wants his family to live in harmony would make of it?"
"He'll think it's fate! That your cultivation deviation made you forget your hatred and gave you a chance to start over!"
"Then, as long as you win the little girl over, this bond between mother and daughter will shield you. Even if Qian Xunji dies, Qian Daoliu won't lay a finger on you—for his granddaughter's sake and for Spirit Hall's stability!"
"That's what they call using the Son of Heaven to command the lords!"
Nan Feng thought he was a genius. That "family affection" card was an absolute checkmate.
But he had underestimated the depth of Bibi Dong's trauma.
To Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue's very existence was a torment.
Use this child? And pretend to be a loving mother?
That was even worse than killing her!