A Real Dilemma

The two chatted for a while longer. Afraid that Qian Daoliu would worry, Qian Renxue returned to the Worship Hall first.

Before leaving, she repeatedly reminded Bibi Xu to practice swordsmanship with her tomorrow. Bibi Xu smiled and agreed.

Watching Qian Renxue's skipping figure disappear at the end of the mountain path, the smile on Bibi Xu's face slowly faded.

He rose to his feet and looked toward the Pope's Palace, his gaze deep.

Qian Xunji had already been gone for three days.

According to the original timeline, he would encounter Tang Hao on this trip, be severely wounded by a single blow from the Clear Sky Hammer of the newly advanced Titled Douluo Tang Hao, and flee back to Spirit Hall in disgrace.

Then Bibi Dong would kill her master in the secret chamber, devour the origin of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, and begin the Rakshasa Legacy.

This incident would become the turning point of Bibi Dong's life.

From then on, she would completely sever her last trace of warmth and walk step by step into darkness, onto the irreversible path of the Rakshasa God. It was also because of this that an unbridgeable blood feud would arise between her and Qian Renxue.

Bibi Xu clenched his fists.

No, he could not let this happen according to the original plot.

He could not let his mother's hands be stained with blood, much less let her turn against Qian Renxue and spend the rest of her life in pain and guilt.

He had to think of something.

At the very least, he could not let Bibi Dong do it herself.

At the very least, he had to leave mother and daughter some room to reconcile.

As night deepened, the youth stood in the evening breeze, his brows tightly furrowed.

Days passed one by one, and in the blink of an eye, a month had gone by.

Over that month, Spirit Hall seemed peaceful on the surface, but undercurrents churned in the shadows.

With the Pope away from the hall, Holy Maiden Bibi Dong temporarily handled part of the church's affairs.

Bibi Dong's methods were sharp and her actions decisive. Using that month, she quietly gathered considerable power and found excuses to suppress several old fossils in the Elder Council who had been making the most noise.

The efficiency of Spirit Hall actually became even higher than it had been when Qian Xunji was present.

Meanwhile, Bibi Xu remained in the Holy Maiden Hall and trained in peace.

Every day, he refined his Soul Power, familiarized himself with his soul skills, and practiced coordinating his External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances. He had completely refined his 3,500-year Second Spirit Ring, and his Soul Power had stabilized at the peak of level twenty-five. He could break through to level twenty-six at any moment.

His External Soul Bone also fused with his body more and more smoothly. The eight spider legs moved as easily as his own limbs, excelling in attack, defense, and movement alike. Under his deliberate nurturing, their venom was becoming increasingly potent.

Every two or three days, Qian Renxue would secretly slip out to see him. Sometimes they competed in Soul Power, sometimes in swordsmanship, and sometimes they simply sat together and chatted.

The little girl improved at an astonishing pace. The advantages of her Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul gradually emerged, and her Soul Power rose rapidly. She was about to catch up to level twenty-five.

Everyone believed that once His Holiness the Pope returned in triumph with the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, Spirit Hall would rise to another level.

No one expected that what awaited them was not good news, but a bolt from the blue.

That morning, the sky had only just begun to brighten.

Urgent hoofbeats shattered the tranquility of Spirit City.

A warhorse covered in blood charged madly toward Spirit Hall's southern gate. The rider was wounded all over and barely breathing, clutching a bloodstained token as he hoarsely shouted, "Urgent report! His Holiness the Pope was attacked and severely wounded! Open the gates at once!"

The guards at the gate paled and immediately raised the drawbridge, allowing the warhorse into the city.

The news spread through all of Spirit Hall as if it had grown wings.

His Holiness the Pope had led a force to encircle Tang Hao and the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Not only had they suffered a crushing defeat, but Tang Hao had also severely wounded him.

The Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had sacrificed itself to Tang Hao, allowing him to break through to Titled Douluo in one stroke and become the youngest Titled Douluo on the continent.

The two Douluo, Chrysanthemum and Ghost, had also suffered serious injuries. More than half of the two hundred personal guards had been lost. The remaining troops were escorting the severely wounded Pope back, and they would reach Spirit City in three days at most.

As soon as the news came out, all of Spirit Hall was shaken.

The Elder Council was filled with unease. The servants all feared for themselves, even softening their footsteps as they walked, afraid of drawing trouble.

When Qian Daoliu received the news in the Worship Hall, he was guiding Qian Renxue in sword practice. The Angel Sacred Sword in his hand abruptly halted, and his face instantly darkened.

"Grandpa?" Sensing that something was wrong, Qian Renxue timidly called out, "What happened? Father, he..."

"It's nothing." Qian Daoliu took a deep breath, suppressing the shock and fury in his heart. He stroked his granddaughter's head and made his tone as gentle as possible. "Your father was injured a little. He'll be back soon. Be good, Xue'er. Practice by yourself for now. Grandpa has something to deal with."

With that, his figure flashed and vanished from the spot.

Qian Renxue stood there holding her little wooden sword, panic filling her heart.

Injured? What kind of injury? Why had Grandpa's expression looked so terrible?

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. Her nose stung, and she nearly cried. She wanted to find her mother, but she was afraid her mother would refuse to see her. After thinking it over, the only person she could go to was Bibi Xu.

Inside the study of the Holy Maiden Hall, Bibi Dong sat behind her desk, listening to her subordinate's report with no expression on her face, as though she had merely heard some insignificant piece of news.

Only the hand hidden beneath the desk was clenched tightly into a fist, her nails digging deeply into her palm as her knuckles turned white.

Deep in her eyes, hatred suppressed for more than a decade surged wildly like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

Severely wounded...

Qian Xunji, so even you have this day.

The day when the pain you inflicted on me would be repaid a hundredfold, a thousandfold—had it finally arrived?

She had waited far too long for this day.

"Understood. You may leave. Keep a close watch on the group's progress. Report to me immediately if anything happens." Bibi Dong's voice was terrifyingly calm, without the slightest trace of emotion.

"Yes."

The subordinate bowed and withdrew, leaving Bibi Dong alone in the study.

She slowly raised her head and looked toward the Pope's Palace, a cold curve forming at the corner of her lips.

Soon. Very soon, everything would be over.

In the neighboring courtyard, Bibi Xu also received the news immediately.

He sat beside the stone table, lightly tapping his fingers against its surface, his brows knitted tightly together.

"So it still came..." he murmured.

Tang Hao had indeed severely injured Qian Xunji, and the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor had indeed sacrificed itself. Everything was exactly the same as in the original story. The only regret was that Tang Hao had not killed Qian Xunji outright.

Bibi Xu grumbled inwardly.

If Tang Hao had been more useful and smashed Qian Xunji to death with one hammer blow, everything would have been settled. His mother would not have to dirty her hands, and Qian Renxue would only hate Tang Hao instead of forming an irreconcilable hatred with her mother. What a perfect ending.

Unfortunately, the inertia of the plot was still too strong.

Qian Xunji had been severely wounded but not killed, and he had been brought back.

Then what came next was the most crucial part of the original plot—Bibi Dong devouring Qian Xunji in the secret chamber, obtaining the Angel Origin, and beginning the Rakshasa God's inheritance.

Bibi Xu rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on.

The most difficult part was that Bibi Dong's hatred was real, and so was her obsession with revenge.

If Qian Xunji did not die, she would never get over that hurdle in her heart and would forever be tormented by those memories. But if she killed Qian Xunji with her own hands, the stigma of killing her master and the break between her and Qian Renxue would become another dead knot that could never be untied.

Killing him was wrong. Not killing him was wrong.

He was trapped between two impossible choices.

"I can't let Mother do it herself." Bibi Xu muttered, his eyes gradually firming. "I have to find a way for Mother to get her revenge without dirtying her hands. Ideally... Qian Xunji should die 'accidentally' from his severe injuries."

For example, an infected wound? Or perhaps a "mistake" during treatment?

Or maybe he could tamper with something on the way back?

Thought after thought flashed through Bibi Xu's mind, only to be rejected one after another.

No, Qian Daoliu was no pushover. A level ninety-nine Limit Douluo, he was the pillar holding Spirit Hall steady.

Qian Xunji was his only son, so he would certainly do everything possible to save him. Ordinary methods would never escape his notice. If it was discovered, not only would his mother suffer, but he would be dragged down with her.

This was difficult. Truly difficult.