Lin Qiu felt that with his physical strength alone, he could kill a hundred-year Soul Beast with a single punch.
If he also drew on the divine power within him, he could even fight Qian Renxue, who had come by earlier.
And he had only just started cultivating the Dao Scripture.
If he reached its deeper realms, he might truly be able to throw his weight around across Douluo Continent.
Night fell.
Spirit City blazed with lights.
Lin Qiu had just finished a day of cultivation, and his body was covered in sweat and grime he had sweated out.
He was about to call a maid to bring him water for a bath.
But the door was gently pushed open.
A faint, delicate fragrance drifted in.
It was no floral scent, but a cool, refined fragrance, noble and elegant, that soothed the mind.
Lin Qiu turned his head and saw a breathtaking figure.
Bibi Dong.
She had already removed her heavy papal crown and changed into a pale-purple silk nightgown.
Her long hair spilled casually over her shoulders. She looked less imposing than usual, and more languid and alluring.
The nightgown was made of exquisite fabric, clinging to her graceful figure and tracing out breathtaking curves.
Below the hem, a stretch of snow-white calf gleamed with an ivory sheen in the candlelight.
"..."
Lin Qiu was a little surprised.
At this hour, Bibi Dong was usually still handling Spirit Hall's affairs.
Bibi Dong looked at Lin Qiu, filthy from head to toe. Her brows drew together slightly, then smoothed out, her eyes full of affection.
She stepped lightly over to him. Unbothered by the sweat on his skin, she pulled a pristine silk handkerchief from her robe and gently wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead.
"How did you get yourself so dirty?"
Bibi Dong's voice was soft, filled with a tenderness that was hard to describe.
"Have you been secretly working hard again?"
Lin Qiu obediently let her wipe his face, then looked up at her with a smile.
"I want to get stronger quickly, so I can protect you, Teacher."
Bibi Dong's hand stilled.
She looked at the clear-eyed child before her, and something deep in her heart was fiercely touched.
Protect me?
In this world, everyone feared me, respected me, or hated me.
Only this child said he wanted to protect me.
A smile touched Bibi Dong's lips as she reached out and gently pinched Lin Qiu's cheek.
"You little rascal."
"As long as you're safe and sound, Teacher will be happy."
Suddenly.
Bibi Dong seemed to remember something. Her gentle eyes darkened at once, and a hint of coldness crept into her voice.
"I heard that Qian Renxue, that wretch, came looking for you today?"
That wretch.
Every time Lin Qiu heard her call Qian Renxue that, he felt a little helpless.
But he didn't dare let it show. He could only nod obediently.
"Sister Xue'er came to see me because—"
"Don't call her Sister!"
Bibi Dong cut him off sharply, her voice rising.
She pulled Lin Qiu into her arms, holding him so tightly it was as if she feared someone might snatch him away.
Lin Qiu could barely breathe.
Bibi Dong's pleasant, natural fragrance filled his nose, but he had no mind to enjoy it. He felt as though his neck were about to snap.
Bibi Dong's voice drifted down from above his head:
"Qiu'er, remember this."
"That wretch is no good. She's one of the Qian Family, with filthy blood running through her veins."
"Keep your distance from her."
"If she comes to bother you again, tell me at once. I'll deal with her for you."
Bibi Dong's fingers stroked Lin Qiu's back, her tone possessive and fevered.
"You're mine."
"Without my permission, you're not allowed to leave this courtyard or go with anyone."
"Not even that old relic, Qian Daoliu."
Lin Qiu was about to roll his eyes from being squeezed so tightly.
Her possessiveness was far too much.
Still, he understood. Bibi Dong was on the verge of falling into darkness, so it was only natural that her mind was twisted.
Just as Lin Qiu struggled to survive in Bibi Dong's arms,
the system in his mind erupted again.
[Alert! Alert!]
[The host has been restrained by a powerful expert from the Xiantai Realm! He is trapped!]
[Xiantai experts ascend to the heavens with every step, their might boundless!]
[The other party's emotions are extremely unstable. The host's life is in constant danger!]
[Long-term survival mission triggered!]
[Mission objective: Earn the utmost favor of Xiantai expert Bibi Dong, and survive at her hands for two and a half years.]
Hearing the system's prompt, Lin Qiu nearly rolled his eyes.
An Xiantai expert?
The system's rating of Bibi Dong's strength was absurdly high.
But...
Survive at Bibi Dong's hands?
What kind of mission was that?
As long as he behaved, Bibi Dong would dote on him too much to ever kill him.
This was practically a reward handed to him for free.
Bibi Dong seemed to notice that something was off with the child in her arms.
She loosened her hold a little and looked down at Lin Qiu.
Her purple eyes narrowed slightly as she studied him from head to toe, a trace of confusion flashing through them.
"Qiu'er, why do I feel like... you're a little different today?"
When she had hugged Lin Qiu just now,
she had clearly sensed an extremely pure and surging Bloodline Power within his body.
It felt like a young dragon lying in wait.
Even her Martial Soul had stirred faintly.
How was that possible?
Lin Qiu hadn't even awakened his Martial Soul yet.
Lin Qiu's heart jumped. He hurriedly blinked innocently.
"Different?"
"Maybe I ate more than usual today?"
At that, Bibi Dong burst into laughter.
In that instant, her beauty was like a hundred flowers in bloom, dazzling beyond compare.
She didn't dwell on it any further, assuming she'd only imagined it.
Perhaps the child was simply born with exceptional talent and had a stronger constitution than most.
"All right, it's late."
"Go take a bath. Teacher will sleep with you tonight."
Bibi Dong patted Lin Qiu on the bottom.
Helpless, Lin Qiu could only let Bibi Dong arrange everything, like a puppet on strings.
Time slipped by, swift as a white colt flashing past a crack.
In the blink of an eye, two and a half years passed.
During those two and a half years,
Lin Qiu's life in Spirit Hall was practically heavenly.
He had only to stretch out his hand for his clothes and open his mouth for his food.
Bibi Dong spoiled him to the extreme, granting nearly every wish he made.
All kinds of rare herbs and Soul Beast meat were delivered to the side hall in an endless stream.
In the eyes of the people in Spirit Hall, Lin Qiu was only Bibi Dong's adopted son in name, yet his standing was even higher than that of the legitimate young master, Qian Renxue.
However,
Bibi Dong also kept a very close watch over Lin Qiu, forbidding anyone from disturbing him without permission.
As a result, though everyone in Spirit Hall knew of this special figure, few truly knew anything about Lin Qiu.
That, too, lent Lin Qiu an air of mystery.
Morning.
The first rays of sunlight passed through the window lattice and fell across the soft bed.
Lin Qiu opened his eyes, still groggy.
Before him was a stretch of snow-white skin, bright enough to make his eyes swim.
Bibi Dong was holding him in her arms like a stuffed toy.
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