Why...

Qian Qizhou looked at her, asking with a hint of pleading, "Where is my sister?"

Hearing this, Bibi Dong sneered, "So you came back just to find her?"

"If you want to know, go ask Qian Daoliu. I won't tell you."

She looked at Qian Qizhou with disgust and said, "Look at you, just like your father... Heh."

As the words fell, Qian Qizhou froze, and violent purple lightning erupted from his body without warning.

He jerked his head up, his eyes having completely transformed into flowing energy, devoid of any lingering confusion or supplication.

"Engulfing Lightning!"

He let out a roar, and the Naginata appeared instantly in his hand, emitting a deafening hum.

A bolt of lightning shot into the sky, shattering all the glass in the entire Pope Palace in an instant.

Qian Qizhou stared fixedly at Bibi Dong on the throne and said, "You have already had your revenge, why did you have to drive my sister away..."

"Do you hate me that much? What did I do wrong?"

Facing this sudden questioning, Bibi Dong sneered.

She didn't even stand up, merely leaning lazily against the papal throne as the Gem Scepter in her hand tapped lightly against the floor.

"Heh..."

"It seems you already know, then you should also understand why I loathe you all so much."

"Who are you putting on this show for?"

"Childish."

"Foolish."

"With just this meager bit of power, you dare to act presumptuously before your mother?"

The moment her voice fell, a dark purple pressure, as if coming from an endless abyss, surged outward like a tidal wave with her at the center.

Qian Qizhou was struck as if by a heavy blow; he spat out a large mouthful of blood, his legs went weak, and he collapsed onto one knee, using his blade to desperately prop himself up to keep from falling.

Bibi Dong looked down at the struggling Qian Qizhou from her high vantage point, her eyes devoid of any emotion, filled only with icy coldness.

Blood spilled uncontrollably from Qian Qizhou's mouth, nose, and even the corners of his eyes, staining his pale chin and collar.

He tried to lift his head, wanting to look once more at that high and unreachable figure, but his eyelids felt as heavy as mountains, and his vision began to blur and fade to black.

The absolute disparity in power, coupled with her undisguised contempt and indifference, extinguished the last glimmer of light in his heart.

Resistance? Meaningless.

Pleading? A mere laughingstock.

Even anger felt pale and ridiculous.

He felt like a joke; his struggles, his pain, his persistence... all were insignificant.

"Why... don't you... love me..."

Gradually, his consciousness began to drift, his life force seemingly flowing away rapidly along with the blood.

The arm supporting his body trembled violently before finally giving way, limp and powerless.

"Clang—"

The Engulfing Lightning slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground with a crisp ring, the purple electricity on the blade fading along with it.

Qian Qizhou's body lost its final support and tipped forward, crashing heavily onto the cold, hard floor.

Seeing the person on the ground lose consciousness, lying limp like a broken doll, the look of cold indifference in Bibi Dong's eyes flickered violently.

As if waking from a nightmare, the terrifying, suffocating dark purple pressure surrounding her vanished in an instant, leaving no trace behind.

She stood up from the papal throne instinctively, took a step forward, and reached out her hand, as if wanting to lift the dying boy from the floor.

However, her movement froze abruptly halfway.

Her outstretched hand hung in mid-air, her fingertips trembling slightly, before she slowly and stiffly pulled it back.

She stood where she was, an incredibly complex expression crossing her beautiful face.

In that expression, there was a moment of panic, a fleeting flash of heartache, but in the end, it dissolved into struggle.

She stared fixedly at the unconscious Qian Qizhou, her eyes shifting uncertainly.

That child... was her son... a relative connected by blood.

Had she just... almost killed him?

No... it wasn't like that...

A tiny, suppressed trace of maternal emotion, like a tenacious vine, tried to break through the blockade, only to be swallowed instantly by a deeper darkness.

"Don't you understand yet... I can no longer turn back."

Her gaze turned cold once more, yet hidden beneath that chill was a trace of imperceptible exhaustion.

Just then—

"Boom—!!!"

The heavy doors of the Pope Palace were violently kicked open.

A vast and majestic sacred aura instantly swept through the entire hall like a tsunami, washing away all the lingering cold and evil energy.

With a flash of golden light, a figure appeared in the center of the hall. It was the Great Enshrined Elder, Qian Daoliu, summoned by Qing Luan.

His gaze immediately fell upon Qian Qizhou, who was slumped on the ground, barely breathing, and still bearing traces of blood.

"Xiao Zhou!"

Almost at the same time, several other figures rushed in at extreme speed. They were Guang Ling and the other two, their faces filled with anxiety.

"Xiao Zhou!" Guang Ling's face turned ashen upon seeing Qian Qizhou's tragic state.

He roared at Bibi Dong, "Bibi Dong! What did you do to him?!"

Snow Empress immediately flashed forward to shield Qian Qizhou, her eyes warily fixed on Bibi Dong and Qian Daoliu. Icy blue spirit energy surged around her, ready to strike at any moment.

Qian Daoliu's eyes, as he looked at Bibi Dong, were filled with both anger and accusation.

Bibi Dong coldly swept her gaze over Qian Qizhou on the ground and said to Guang Ling, "He trespassed into the Pope Palace and disturbed me. It was merely a slight punishment."

"Fifth Enshrined Elder... are you going to stand against me for a disobedient disciple?"

But Guang Ling ignored her, carefully picking up Qian Qizhou.

He quickly examined Qian Qizhou's injuries, his face growing even more grim, his eyes filled with heartache and rage.

"Bibi Dong!"

"Open your eyes and see clearly! Who is he?!"

"He is your son! He is a piece of flesh that fell from your body!"

Guang Ling's voice suddenly rose, filled with uncontrollable emotion, "Yes! Qian Xunji failed you! He sinned, but he is already dead! Isn't that enough?!"

"Must the hatred in your heart burn everything, unwilling to spare even this last shred of familial affection?!"

"Look at him now! What did he do wrong?! He just wanted to come back... to come back and ask for an explanation!"

Bibi Dong let out a cold laugh, looking at him with disdain. "Heh... what does his sin have to do with me?"

With that, she turned to leave.

But at that moment...

"Crack... crack..."

In just a moment, the entire Pope Palace was covered in a layer of frost, and the temperature of the air plummeted.

Snow Empress spoke indifferently, "You injured him, and now you think you can just walk away?"