The atmosphere inside the Pope Palace was so oppressive that it was almost suffocating.
Bibi Dong still sat upon the lofty Pope Throne, idly playing with the Rakshasa Demon Scythe that had just evolved.
Her long legs were crossed, and her skirt had slipped down, revealing a broad expanse of snowy skin that gleamed like ivory beneath the high lamps.
The allure unique to a mature woman like her was enough to drive any man in the world mad.
But at that moment, the air in the hall was as cold as an ice cellar.
Tap, tap, tap.
The crisp sound of footsteps rang out.
Qian Renxue strode into the hall, dressed in a golden palace gown.
She, too, possessed peerless beauty. Her skin was fair as snow, and her features were so exquisite they seemed to have been painstakingly carved by the heavens.
If Bibi Dong was a black rose in full bloom, bearing deadly allure and poisonous thorns,
then Qian Renxue was a snow lotus atop a lofty peak: sacred, noble, and untouched by the dust of the world.
Mother and daughter, one above and one below, stared at each other from afar.
It seemed sparks were flying through the air.
"Oh?"
Bibi Dong was the first to break the silence. She cast a casual glance at the sword in Qian Renxue's hand, her voice laced with undisguised mockery.
"Ninth place?"
"Looks like that so-called Angel God of yours isn't all that impressive."
"Even with a reward, you only outranked me by one place."
Bibi Dong tapped the scythe's handle lightly with her finger, her gaze playful.
"What is it? You got your reward, but instead of going into seclusion to cultivate, you came here. What for?"
"To show off to me?"
"Or maybe..."
Bibi Dong leaned forward slightly. A dangerous glint shone in her phoenix eyes as she fixed her gaze on Qian Renxue's face.
"Are you going to see that good-for-nothing man from Godwind City again?"
At the words "good-for-nothing man," Qian Renxue's previously calm expression changed in an instant.
Her golden eyes contracted sharply, and a fierce sword intent erupted from her.
"Shut up!"
Qian Renxue snapped, her chest heaving.
"Don't you dare insult him!"
"Venti isn't some good-for-nothing man!"
She drew a deep breath, forcefully suppressing her anger, then stared straight into Bibi Dong's eyes and said, each word distinct:
"We're just friends."
"Nothing but friends."
"It's not as filthy as you think!"
Bibi Dong scoffed, as if she'd just heard the biggest joke in the world.
"Friends?"
"Qian Renxue, how old are you? And you still believe in childish nonsense like that?"
"Between a man and a woman, what such thing as pure friendship is there?"
"Besides..."
Bibi Dong rose and descended the steps one by one. The evil aura of the Rakshasa God poured from her without restraint, pressing toward Qian Renxue.
"That Venti has an unknown background and bizarre strength."
"Before the Sky Curtain revealed him, he was nothing but a bard who drank wine and sang songs."
"In the blink of an eye, he became powerful enough to suppress Titled Douluo, and even took control of the most powerful force on the continent."
"Do you think someone like that would get close to you without an ulterior motive?"
Bibi Dong stopped in front of Qian Renxue, close enough to touch.
Looking at the face that resembled hers in some ways, yet was younger and purer, she felt an uncontrollable surge of irritation.
"I don't care what kind of relationship you have with that good-for-nothing man."
"Next, I'll fight Tang San at Jialing Pass."
"This is the final battle between the Spirit Hall Empire and the two great empires."
"I hope you won't get in the way."
Bibi Dong's voice was cold, carrying an overbearing finality.
Qian Renxue stared right back at her without yielding. Golden Angel Divine Power flowed around her, firmly blocking the Rakshasa aura.
"Get in the way?"
A mocking smile tugged at Qian Renxue's lips.
"I think you're just afraid you can't handle it."
"You're afraid you can't beat Tang San, afraid you'll lose this war, so you're rushing to warn me—or even... ask me to help you?"
Having her thoughts laid bare, Bibi Dong's gaze turned vicious in an instant.
"Impudent!"
She swung the Rakshasa Demon Scythe in her hand. A purplish-black blade of light tore through the air, shooting straight toward Qian Renxue's face.
Qian Renxue reacted in a flash, raising the Angel Holy Sword to block it.
Clang!
The clash of metal rang throughout the hall.
The collision of two terrifying divine powers sent shockwaves surging outward, shattering every ornament around them.
Qian Renxue stepped back half a pace and steadied herself, the mockery in her eyes growing sharper.
"Did I hit a nerve?"
"Then let's each rely on our own abilities."
"As for Venti..."
Qian Renxue lowered her sword and straightened her slightly rumpled sleeve, her tone turning resolute.
"I've known him for years."
"I understand him."
"He's the purest, freest person in the world."
"There's none of your scheming in his eyes, and none of Tang San's hatred and obsession."
"He's like the wind: clean, clear, and utterly without impurity."
As she spoke, Qian Renxue's expression softened. Bibi Dong had never seen her look like that before.
"I know you had people investigate him."
"And what did you find?"
"Nothing at all, right?"
"Because he has no hidden past to conceal. He's simply Venti. That's all."
Seeing Qian Renxue defend that man like this only stoked Bibi Dong's anger.
But she also knew there was no point in dwelling on the subject.
And, just as Qian Renxue had said,
she had sent out Spirit Hall's entire intelligence network and even dispatched Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo to investigate personally.
The result: no records of him anywhere.
Venti was like someone who had sprung from a crack in a stone; his entire past was a blank.
Bibi Dong had always harbored a measure of wariness toward him because of that.
Now that he had suddenly become the leader of the strongest force, that wariness had turned into deep concern.
But as Qian Renxue had said, there was no concrete evidence that Venti bore ill will toward Spirit Hall or the world.
"Hmph."
Bibi Dong snorted and turned to climb back onto the dais.
"Watch yourself."
"If that Venti dares to interfere in this war and side with Heaven Dou..."
"I'll kill him too."
Qian Renxue watched Bibi Dong's proud, solitary figure and said nothing more.
She turned and strode away, her golden skirt sweeping behind her in a decisive arc.
Kill Venti?
Could you really do it?
On the roof of the City Lord Mansion in Godwind City,
Venti still lounged in the same lazy pose, an apple bitten halfway through in his hand as he watched the golden light on the Sky Curtain slowly fade.
"The Angel Holy Sword..."
"The God-Slaying Trait. Sounds pretty scary."
Venti curled his lip, seemingly unimpressed by the reward.
"But it only doubles the damage."
"If you can't hit your target, no amount of damage will help."
He casually tossed the apple core, sending it straight into a distant trash can.
"Ah, only ninth place."
"Looks like Xiao Xue's going to take a hit to her confidence this time."
"But that's not so bad. There are still eight more ahead of her. Seems this continent has plenty of good stuff. I'll get to watch a few more shows, too."