Bibi Dong's Reinforcements, Spirit Hall's Arrogance

Leng Ningshuang looked at her disciple's expression, which was a mix of indignation and humiliation, and felt as if a knife were twisting in her heart. She stood up, walked over to Shui Bing'er, and gently took her cold hand, her voice filled with guilt and helplessness.

"Bing'er, it is your master who is useless and cannot protect you. Spirit Hall... they are powerful now and do not care at all about some marriage contract. In their eyes, whatever they set their sights on, they must possess. As for the marriage contract... they have plenty of ways to make it 'non-existent'."

She paused, hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth and whispered, "Bing'er, why don't you... go away and hide for a while? Leave the Heaven Dou Empire and go somewhere remote to lay low. Once the storm passes, you can come back..."

"Hide?" Shui Bing'er turned her head sharply to look at Leng Ningshuang, her eyes filled with disbelief. "Master, you want me to hide?"

"It is not for you to hide forever, just to avoid their sharp edge for now..." Leng Ningshuang hurriedly explained. "The people from Spirit Hall will arrive in three days. If you go head-to-head with them now, you will be the only one to suffer! As long as you are not here, they cannot do much to Tianshui Academy as a whole! Once you have weathered this, we can plan for the long term..."

"And what about you? What about Tianshui Academy?" Shui Bing'er interrupted her, her voice trembling. "If I leave, will Spirit Hall let you go? Will they let Tianshui Academy go? They will vent their rage on you and the entire academy! How can I implicate the whole academy and you because of my own affairs!"

Leng Ningshuang was rendered speechless. She knew that everything Shui Bing'er said was the truth.

Given Spirit Hall's style of conduct, if they truly could not find Shui Bing'er, they would undoubtedly pour their fury onto Tianshui Academy. When that time came, the academy would likely face a catastrophic disaster.

"Besides..." Shui Bing'er's voice lowered, carrying a complex emotion, "I don't want to hide."

She walked to the window, her gaze passing through the academy walls toward the distant Seven Treasures Glazed Sect. In those ice-blue eyes, a firm light flickered.

"If I hide, what about Xiaochun? He will definitely come to find me. If he arrives and finds I am gone, what will he think? Will he think I regretted it? Will he think I don't want to marry him anymore?"

She turned around to look at Leng Ningshuang, her gaze clear and resolute. "Master, I don't want him to misunderstand. I promised him that three days from now, when he comes to pick me up, I will definitely be here waiting for him."

Leng Ningshuang looked at those clear, transparent eyes that held no wavering, feeling both comforted and anxious.

She knew her disciple's temperament; cold on the outside, but more stubborn than anyone on the inside. Once she had set her mind on something, not even nine oxen could pull her back.

"But... what about Spirit Hall..." Leng Ningshuang still could not set her heart at ease.

"I will handle Spirit Hall," Shui Bing'er said with a touch of unquestionable determination. "Master, please trust me. I will not make a joke of my own lifelong happiness, nor will I make a joke of the safety of Tianshui Academy."

Leng Ningshuang looked at her for a long time, eventually letting out a long sigh. She knew she could no longer persuade her disciple. She could only pray silently in her heart, hoping that some turning point would appear in three days.

Meanwhile, far away in Spirit City, inside the Pope Palace, the scene was quite different.

Yan knelt on one knee on the cold floor tiles, fine beads of cold sweat seeping from his forehead, his heart filled with trepidation.

He had just reported to Pope Bibi Dong his intention to head to Tianshui Academy to "finalize the marriage contract," and he had expected to be reprimanded.

After all, he had not requested permission for this action beforehand; he had decided it on his own.

However, to his surprise, the high and mighty Pope Bibi Dong showed no sign of displeasure on her face.

She sat upright on the papal throne, her fingertips tapping lightly against the armrest, producing a crisp and rhythmic sound, while her deep eyes flickered with an inscrutable light.

"You are saying that the girl who possesses the Ice Phoenix spirit has now come of age?" Bibi Dong's voice betrayed no joy or anger, yet it carried an invisible sense of oppression.

"Y-yes, Your Holiness," Yan replied respectfully, his head bowed. "She is now eighteen, and her strength should have reached the Spirit Ancestor level. This disciple... this disciple fell for her at first sight and has not been able to forget her for six years, so..."

"So you want to use the name of Spirit Hall to go and snatch her back?" Bibi Dong interrupted him, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness.

Yan's body shuddered violently, and he hurriedly kowtowed. "This disciple would not dare! This disciple truly admires Miss Shui Bing'er and wishes to become her partner and cultivate the Great Dao together! I beg Your Holiness to grant this!"

Bibi Dong looked at his terrified appearance, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly let out a soft laugh. "Get up."

Yan was stunned for a moment. He carefully raised his head and saw a rare, approving smile on Bibi Dong's face, which immediately put his heart at ease.

"You did the right thing," Bibi Dong said slowly, her voice carrying a touch of unquestionable majesty. "In my Spirit Hall, if we want something, we should take it openly and honestly. If we set our sights on a genius, we should spare no cost to recruit them. Since that Shui Bing'er possesses a top-tier Ice Phoenix spirit and is of a similar age to you, if she can be united with you, it can be considered a good match. It will also be a great boost to the future of Spirit Hall."

She paused, her gaze landing on Yan with a hint of expectation.

"This matter, This Seat grants it. Take Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo and make a trip to Tianshui Academy. If that Shui Bing'er is sensible and agrees obediently, that would be best. If she is unappreciative..."

A cold glint flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes. "Then let her know the consequences of refusing Spirit Hall."

Yan was overjoyed and hurriedly kowtowed again. "Thank you, Your Holiness, for your grace! This disciple will certainly not fail your high expectations and will surely bring that Shui Bing'er back to Spirit City!"

Just as Yan stood up and prepared to take his leave, Bibi Dong's voice sounded once more, carrying a hint of nonchalance. "Yan, This Seat has a question for you."

Yan quickly stopped and turned around respectfully. "Your Holiness, please ask."

"That Shui Bing'er..." Bibi Dong's fingertips tapped lightly against the armrest, producing a crisp sound. "This Seat remembers that she seems to have a marriage contract with the young sect master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, Ning Xiaochun, right? According to the agreement, on the day she comes of age, she is to be formally married into the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect. Do you know of this?"

The excitement on Yan's face froze instantly. He opened his mouth, a flash of shock and confusion crossing his eyes. "Marriage... contract? This disciple... this disciple did not know of this."

He truly did not know. Six years ago, although Hu Liena had told him that Shui Bing'er and Ning Xiaochun had an unusual relationship, she had not mentioned the specific details of a marriage contract.

He had felt annoyed at the time, but he hadn't taken it to heart. In his view, what kind of binding power could a marriage contract made by a six-year-old brat have? By the time he grew up, Shui Bing'er would have long been his.

But now, since the Pope herself had spoken of it, the authenticity of this marriage contract was beyond doubt.

"You didn't know?" A meaningful smile curled the corners of Bibi Dong's lips. "Then This Seat is telling you now. That Shui Bing'er is the future sect mistress designated by the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect. Are you sure you still want to snatch this marriage?"

Yan's expression shifted rapidly. The Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, while not as aggressive as the Clear Sky Sect, was still one of the Upper Three Sects, possessing immense wealth and vast influence.

Openly snatching the fiancée of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect's young sect master was no different than slapping the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect directly in the face, and it would inevitably trigger a head-on conflict between the two great powers.

However, when he thought of Shui Bing'er's cold and stunningly beautiful face, her noble and elegant temperament, and that powerful, pure Ice Phoenix martial soul... the hesitation in his heart was instantly swallowed by greed and possessiveness.

"Your Excellency!" Yan knelt on one knee, his voice filled with determination and resolve.

"This disciple has made up his mind! To hell with the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, to hell with their engagement! If this disciple has his eyes on a woman, he will have her! If the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect is sensible and lets her go obediently, then so be it; but if they are not..."

He raised his head, a flash of ruthlessness crossing his eyes: "Then I will let them know the consequences of offending Spirit Hall!"