Bibi Dong was handling official business in Pope Palace.
She sat on the ornate papal throne, reading through reports sent in from all over.
Spirit Hall had been dealing with a lot lately. The Heaven Dou Empire had suddenly launched a campaign to reform its bureaucracy and root out corruption, causing quite a commotion.
The Star Luo Empire was restless too, with constant clashes along the border.
And then there was that madman Tang Hao, attacking Spirit Hall branch halls everywhere. He had already hit dozens. They were all minor branches, but the impact was enormous.
Bibi Dong rubbed her temples, feeling somewhat exhausted.
Though she was level ninety-nine, the papal seat was no easy position to hold. There was too much to deal with every day.
Just then, a guard hurried in and dropped to one knee.
"Your Holiness the Pope, the Golden Crocodile and Azure Luan Enshrined have arrived."
Bibi Dong frowned. Someone from the Worship Hall?
What had brought them here? Ordinarily, the Worship Hall and Pope Palace kept to their own affairs. They only came around when something major happened.
"Let them in."
The guard withdrew, and soon Golden Crocodile and Azure Luan entered.
Bibi Dong remained seated on her throne. She was the pope now, and her status was no lower than theirs.
Bibi Dong spoke calmly.
"What brings you two here?"
Golden Crocodile didn't beat around the bush. He got straight to the point.
"I've come with an order from the Great Enshrined. Starting today, Spirit Hall will hunt down Tang Hao and Tang San with all its might. Dead or alive."
"Especially Tang San. He's Tang Hao's son, a Twin Martial Souls wielder with considerable talent. He must be snuffed out before he can grow."
"If some useless person causes a mishap, then your days as pope will be over."
Bibi Dong's heart sank, but she kept her expression composed as she looked at Golden Crocodile Douluo, her voice cool.
"What do you mean by that, Golden Crocodile Enshrined? Tang San, Tang Hao's son? I've never heard of this."
Golden Crocodile let out a cold laugh.
"Your Holiness needn't play dumb. With your means, how could you not know Yu Xiaogang has been in Nuoding City all these years?"
"How could you not know he took on a disciple named Tang San? How could you not know Tang San is Tang Hao's son?"
"You've been pretending not to know because you wanted to use Yu Xiaogang to train Tang San, then have Tang San take on our Worship Hall and the Great Enshrined once he grew up."
"It was a well-played game, but the Great Enshrined isn't a fool. He didn't bother intervening before. Now he's awake, so the game is over."
Bibi Dong's thoughts roiled. She did know Yu Xiaogang was in Nuoding City, and she knew he had taken on a disciple.
But Tang San was Tang Hao's son? She genuinely hadn't known that.
Yet Golden Crocodile sounded so certain that it was probably true. And Qian Daoliu had personally issued the order, which made it clear the matter had been confirmed.
She forced herself to remain calm and spoke.
"I truly didn't know Yu Xiaogang was in Nuoding City. I don't care who his disciple is, and as for Tang San being Tang Hao's son? That's utter nonsense."
"If you two have no evidence, then don't make baseless accusations. I'm the pope, not someone you can slander at will."
Seeing that she wouldn't give in until she saw the coffin, Golden Crocodile couldn't be bothered to play along.
"Evidence? The Great Enshrined's word is evidence. If he says it's true, then it's true. Your Holiness would do well to cooperate. Otherwise..."
"You know the Great Enshrined's temper. He was able to put you in power back then, and he can pull you down now."
Bibi Dong clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.
She hated it most when people brought up the past. It was her scar, her humiliation.
All these years, she had trained desperately and worked tirelessly to build her power, all to escape Qian Daoliu's shadow.
But now it seemed there was no escaping it. She could only draw a deep breath and suppress her burning anger.
"I understand. I'll cooperate with the order to hunt them down. But remember, I'm the pope, not your puppet."
"Next time you have a message, have Qian Daoliu deliver it himself. You have no right to order me around."
Golden Crocodile and Azure Luan exchanged glances and laughed, their amusement dripping with scorn.
"Bibi Dong, remember this: Spirit Hall bears the surname Qian. Everything you have, your very life included, was given to you by Spirit Hall."
"In other words, as long as you're alive, Spirit Hall owes you nothing. If it weren't for Spirit Hall, you'd probably have been locked away by some nobles and used as a breeding tool by now."
"After all, who wouldn't want a Twin Martial Souls talent? Any children you bore would surely have exceptional talent."
Azure Luan picked up where he left off.
"Do your job as pope, and everyone will be fine. If you dare try anything..."
"You know very well that when Xue'er was little, the Great Enshrined only held back because he didn't want her to lose her mother. Now that Xue'er is grown, he truly doesn't mind playing the villain."
"Yu Xiaogang and Tang San are in Suotuo City, Balak Kingdom, at a place called Shrek Academy."
"This is your chance to choose. The papal seat or those people—you can only have one."
The two turned and left, leaving Bibi Dong alone on her throne, her face ashen.
She had dug her nails into her palm until it bled, but that pain was nothing compared to the ache in her heart.
She couldn't give up the papal seat. She had used every means at her disposal to win it over all these years. It was her power, her dignity.
But she couldn't bring herself to go after Yu Xiaogang either.
He was the last scrap of warmth in her heart, the reason she kept living.
Even though Yu Xiaogang had broken her heart, even though he no longer loved her, she still couldn't let go.
Bibi Dong closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. In that moment, she felt utterly exhausted.
It was as though she had returned to that helpless night twenty years ago.
She had thought becoming pope would let her control everything. Now she saw how naive she had been. In the face of absolute power, authority was a joke.
One word from Qian Daoliu could decide whether she lived or died.
She had become pope only because Qian Daoliu allowed it. Without his permission, she was nothing.
Bibi Dong opened her eyes, determination flashing in them.
She couldn't sit back and do nothing. She had to find a way. Yu Xiaogang had to leave Suotuo City.
Tang San... had to die!
Only with Tang San dead would Qian Daoliu be satisfied. Yu Xiaogang would grieve, but at least he would survive.
As for herself... she had to speed up her God Trial.
Only by breaking through level one hundred and becoming a god could she truly escape Qian Daoliu's control.
Bibi Dong rose and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at Spirit City. The city was vast and prosperous, but it wasn't hers.
She was only staying here temporarily and could be driven out at any moment. To truly claim it, she needed strength to match.
"Someone."
Bibi Dong summoned a trusted subordinate.
"What are your orders, Your Holiness?"
Bibi Dong spoke in a low voice.
"Send word. Dispatch Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo to Suotuo City in the Balak Kingdom. Their target is Shrek Academy—Tang San."
"Remember, bring him back alive. I want to question him myself and find out whether he really is Tang Hao's son."
"Yes!"
The trusted subordinate accepted the order and hurried away.
Bibi Dong sat back on her throne, her gaze icy.
She couldn't kill Yu Xiaogang, but she could kill Tang San.
Once Tang San was dead, Yu Xiaogang would have nothing left to rely on. Then he would have no choice but to come back and beg her.
And she would be able to control him again.
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