Bibi Dong!

In the study, candlelight flickered, casting shifting shadows across Xue Qinghe's face.

She lifted her teacup, took a light sip, set it down, and turned her gaze toward the dark corner of the room.

"Come out."

As soon as she spoke, two figures emerged from the shadows.

One was tall and slender, with a cold, stern face. He held a long, narrow Snake Lance in his hand, and a sharp aura radiated from his body. Snake Lance Douluo, a level ninety-two attack-type Titled Douluo.

The other was broad and burly, with a rugged face. His entire body was covered in spikes, making him look like a humanoid pufferfish. Pufferfish Douluo, a level ninety-two control-type Titled Douluo.

Both were worshippers of Spirit Hall's Worship Hall, ordered by Bibi Dong to secretly protect Qian Renxue.

"Young Mistress."

Snake Lance Douluo bowed slightly.

"You both heard what the education committee said just now?"

Qian Renxue asked.

Snake Lance Douluo nodded. "The Jade Scale Dragon, a true dragon-type Martial Soul. She broke through from level thirty-four to level forty-five in three months, and her fourth Soul Ring is a ten-thousand-year black one. That kind of change is indeed astonishing."

Pufferfish Douluo spoke in a deep, muffled voice. "To undergo such a huge change in three months, she must have encountered a great opportunity. And it was no small opportunity."

Qian Renxue's gaze swept across their faces. "What do you think?"

Snake Lance Douluo pondered for a moment before saying, "The source of Dugu Yan's change lies with Dugu Bo. Evolving from the Jade Python Snake into the Jade Scale Dragon is not something ordinary heavenly treasures can accomplish. Dugu Bo must have found some exceedingly precious treasure, one related to the Dragon Clan."

"What exactly it is will require investigation."

Pufferfish Douluo continued.

"But the Star Dou Great Forest is far too vast. Dugu Bo took Dugu Yan there for three months. Finding the exact places they visited would be almost impossible. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

Qian Renxue asked.

"Unless we capture Dugu Yan and question her directly."

Pufferfish Douluo's voice was calm, as though he were discussing something utterly insignificant.

Qian Renxue's eyes instantly turned cold.

"No."

Pufferfish Douluo was slightly stunned.

Snake Lance Douluo also looked at Qian Renxue, surprise flickering in his eyes.

"Dugu Yan is Dugu Bo's granddaughter."

Qian Renxue's voice was as cold as ice.

"Touching her would alert the snake. If Dugu Bo discovers that someone is targeting his granddaughter, he will investigate to the very end. With his temperament, he would rather kill a thousand by mistake than let a single one go."

She paused, her gaze becoming even sharper.

"And have you considered this? If we touch Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo comes looking, only to find two Titled Douluo protecting her, what would he think with that brain of his?"

Snake Lance Douluo and Pufferfish Douluo exchanged a glance and fell silent at the same time.

"He will suspect that the Crown Prince is colluding with Spirit Hall."

Qian Renxue spoke each word slowly.

"He will bring this matter before Xue Ye. When that happens, Xue Ye will send people to investigate, and my identity could be exposed at any time. Even if it is not exposed, what would Xue Ye think if he learned that two Titled Douluo were secretly protecting a crown prince? Would he still think of me as his crown prince, as his son?"

Snake Lance Douluo lowered his head. "Your Highness has considered everything thoroughly. This subordinate was rash."

Pufferfish Douluo said nothing more.

Qian Renxue withdrew her gaze and leaned back in her chair, lightly tapping her fingers against the table.

She was indeed very interested in Dugu Yan's transformation.

The Jade Python Snake evolving into the Jade Scale Dragon, from snake to dragon—this was not a quantitative change, but a qualitative one.

Just what had Dugu Bo found that could cause such an earth-shaking change in a Martial Soul?

If this opportunity could be replicated, if she too could find a similar treasure and allow her God Level Angel Martial Soul to advance even further...

Qian Renxue took a deep breath and suppressed the restlessness in her heart.

"Sending someone to investigate is not impossible."

She spoke.

"But we cannot investigate within the Tiandou Empire, much less near Dugu Bo."

Snake Lance Douluo raised his head. "Your Highness means..."

"Write a letter."

Qian Renxue rose to her feet, walked over to the desk, and spread out a sheet of stationery.

"I will write this down. Take it back and deliver it to my grandfather and Bibi Dong. Let them investigate."

Snake Lance Douluo frowned slightly. "As for Her Majesty the Pope and the Grand Worshipper..."

"My grandfather will not have much of a reaction."

Qian Renxue picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and began writing.

"The Angel Martial Soul is already God Level. He does not believe there is any opportunity capable of advancing it further. But Bibi Dong is different."

The corners of her lips lifted slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

"That madwoman has a pathological thirst for power. She will not let go of anything that can increase her strength. She will definitely be extremely interested in Dugu Bo's opportunity."

Snake Lance Douluo said nothing further.

Qian Renxue was right. Her Majesty the Pope's pursuit of power had indeed reached a nearly obsessive level.

If Bibi Dong learned of an opportunity that could evolve a Martial Soul from snake to dragon, she would certainly spare no cost to uncover the truth.

The letter was finished.

Qian Renxue folded the paper, placed it in an envelope, sealed it with wax, and handed it to Snake Lance Douluo.

"Send it back as soon as possible."

She said.

"Let Bibi Dong's people investigate. Do not mobilize our people in the Tiandou Empire. If they find something, we get a share. If they find nothing, the loss will not be ours."

Snake Lance Douluo accepted the letter, tucked it into his robes, and bowed. "This subordinate will handle it immediately."

"Go."

Snake Lance Douluo's figure vanished into the darkness.

Pufferfish Douluo did not move and continued standing guard in the shadows.

Qian Renxue sat down again and picked up her teacup.

The tea had already gone cold. She did not call for a replacement, merely drank the cold tea as she stared at the night sky beyond the window.

Dugu Bo.

That Old Poisoner, whom she had always regarded as nothing more than the "most useless Titled Douluo," had suddenly become mysterious.

Three months, and he had evolved his granddaughter's Martial Soul from snake to dragon.

Then what about his own Martial Soul?

Could the Jade Python Snake Emperor have evolved as well?

Qian Renxue's pupils contracted slightly.

If Dugu Bo's Martial Soul had evolved too, then his current strength...

Her fingers unconsciously tightened, and the teacup let out a faint cracking sound.

She had never paid any attention to a useless level ninety-two Titled Douluo.

But if Dugu Bo's Martial Soul had evolved, what about his level?

Could he have broken through as well?

"Interesting."

Qian Renxue murmured softly. The corners of her lips curled upward, and a glint of golden light flashed through her eyes.

"More and more interesting."

Three days later, Spirit City.

Pope Palace.

Bibi Dong sat upon the lofty papal throne, a scepter in hand. Her violet eyes looked down at Snake Lance Douluo, who knelt on one knee below.

Her face was coldly beautiful and majestic, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"Where is the letter?"

Snake Lance Douluo took the envelope from his robes and presented it with both hands.

An attendant accepted it and delivered it to Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong opened the envelope, took out the letter, and read it from beginning to end.

Her brows furrowed slightly before relaxing again.

"The Jade Python Snake evolved into the Jade Scale Dragon. In three months, she broke through from level thirty-four to level forty-five, and her fourth Soul Ring is a ten-thousand-year black one."

Bibi Dong softly read the contents of the letter, a glint flashing through her violet eyes.

"Dugu Bo... I underestimated him."

She set down the letter and looked at Snake Lance Douluo. "What else did Qian Renxue say?"

"Her Highness asked Your Majesty the Pope to send people to investigate Dugu Bo's movements within the Tiandou Empire, especially his whereabouts over the last three months. If we can discover where Dugu Bo went and what he obtained, we may find a method to evolve Martial Souls."

Bibi Dong was silent for a moment, then she smiled.

The smile was beautiful, but when Snake Lance Douluo saw it, a chill rose within his heart.

"Evolving Martial Souls... from snake to dragon..."

Bibi Dong muttered to herself, a trace of pathological fervor flashing through her violet eyes.

"Interesting. Truly interesting."

She stood, lightly tapping her scepter against the floor. The crisp sound echoed throughout the great hall.

"Pass down the order. Have every Spirit Hall outpost within the Tiandou Empire secretly investigate Dugu Bo's movements over the last three months. Pay particular attention to where he went after leaving Heaven Dou City, whom he contacted, and what places he visited."

"Yes!"

Snake Lance Douluo accepted the order and departed.

Bibi Dong sat down again, picked up the letter, and read it once more.

Qian Renxue was right. She was indeed extremely interested in this opportunity.

Her Martial Souls were the Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Eater Spider Emperor, already the very pinnacle of top-tier Martial Souls.

But above the pinnacle lay the God Level.

If she could find a way to evolve Martial Souls...

The corners of Bibi Dong's lips rose slightly, and anticipation flickered in her violet eyes.

"Dugu Bo, what secret are you hiding?"

"I will uncover it."