I Came to See You, of Course

Just as Bibi Xu was racking his brains, hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, accompanied by a choked, tearful voice.

"Ah Xu, Ah Xu, are you there?"

It was Qian Renxue.

Bibi Xu rose to his feet and hurried over to open the courtyard gate.

The little girl outside had red-rimmed eyes, tears welling in them. Her small face was deathly pale; she had clearly been badly frightened.

The moment she saw Bibi Xu, she could no longer hold back. She rushed over and grabbed his arm, her voice trembling with tears. "Ah Xu, my father... he's hurt. Badly hurt! Is that true? Will he be all right?"

She had been doted on by Qian Daoliu and Qian Xunji since childhood. Although her mother had never been close to her, her father had always cherished her, giving her whatever she wanted.

Now that she had heard her father was seriously injured, she immediately panicked. At a complete loss, she could only come looking for Bibi Xu.

Seeing how frightened she was, Bibi Xu sighed inwardly.

He stepped aside to let her in, pulled Qian Renxue into the courtyard, and comforted her softly. "Don't panic. The report only said he was seriously injured; it didn't say how serious it was. His Holiness the Pope is a level ninety-five Super Douluo. His foundation is strong, so he'll definitely be fine. The Grand Worshiper's strength is unparalleled. He'll certainly heal him."

"Really?" Qian Renxue looked up at him through tearful eyes, like a startled little rabbit.

"Really." Bibi Xu nodded, keeping his voice as calm as possible. "Did you forget? The Worship Hall has so many rare medicinal herbs, and Angel Soul Power can nourish him as well. No matter how serious the injury, he can recover slowly. Don't scare yourself."

Though he reassured her aloud, he knew perfectly well that Qian Xunji's injuries would not heal so easily.

Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer had struck his heart meridian, damaging his spiritual soul. It might look as though he could be stabilized, but his foundation had already been destroyed. It was precisely because of this that Bibi Dong had an opportunity to make her move.

After hearing him, Qian Renxue felt slightly reassured, but her brows remained tightly furrowed, and her little hand still clutched the hem of his clothes.

"I'm so scared..." she said quietly. "I'm scared something will happen to Father. I'm scared Grandpa will be sad."

Bibi Xu looked at her anxious, uneasy expression, his heart filled with conflicting emotions.

What you need to worry about is still to come.

If things really follow the original story, you won't lose only your father.

"Don't overthink it." Bibi Xu patted her shoulder. "These are matters for adults. They have nothing to do with you. Just cultivate properly and don't cause trouble. That's enough."

Qian Renxue nodded and leaned against the courtyard wall, staring blankly up at the sky.

The morning breeze swept by, carrying a chill.

Bibi Xu stood beside her, gazing toward the Pope's Palace with deep eyes.

Three days. In three more days, Qian Xunji would return to Spirit Hall.

Within those three days, he had to come up with a foolproof plan.

Just after the third watch's clapper sounded, the Pope's residence deep within Spirit Hall sank into dense darkness.

Two squads of guards stood outside the courtyard, yet even their breathing was kept extremely quiet. His Holiness the Pope had returned gravely injured and needed rest according to the physician's orders. Who would dare disturb him in the slightest?

Inside the secret chamber, candlelight flickered. Qian Xunji leaned against a chair lined with soft cushions, his face pale, though he looked far better than when he had first returned.

Qian Daoliu had personally stabilized his heart meridian and nourished him with Angel Divine Power for two days. Though his spiritual soul was injured and it was now certain that he could never break through again, at least his life had been saved.

He was reading the secret report in his hand, his brows tightly knit. Tang Hao had broken through to Titled Douluo, and a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had sacrificed itself. Not only had this trip yielded nothing, but more than half his personal guards had been lost, and even he himself had ended up with his foundation utterly destroyed. Sooner or later, he would settle this score with the Clear Sky Sect.

As he was lost in thought, the secret chamber's heavy stone door suddenly let out a soft creak.

Qian Xunji frowned. "Didn't I say that tonight, no one was allowed to..."

His voice stopped abruptly.

The stone door slowly opened, and a figure clad in black stepped inside. The woman's long dress trailed across the floor, her hair bound high, while an unmelting chill and hostility lingered between her brows.

Who else could it be but Bibi Dong?

"Dong'er?" Qian Xunji froze. The secret report in his hand lowered unconsciously, and even a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Why are you here? Did you hear that I was seriously injured and come especially to see me?"

A faint, barely perceptible anticipation arose in his heart.

He had thought that, now that he had returned severely wounded, she would care at least a little.

Even if she had merely come to take a look, even if she had only said a single word, it would have been enough to make him happy. Perhaps the distance between them over these past years could melt away slightly through this incident.

Bibi Dong did not answer. She simply walked forward step by step.

Her footsteps were light as they fell on the cold stone floor, yet each one seemed to tread upon Qian Xunji's heart.

Her gaze swept across the secret chamber, over the familiar patterns on the stone walls, over the cushioned couch he had once used. The coldness in her eyes grew ever deeper, surging with hatred and humiliation she had suppressed for years.

This was the place.

This was where her life had been destroyed.

Her respected teacher, the Pope she had trusted, had torn off every false mask. By the most despicable means, he had dragged her from the clouds into the mire, crushing her love, her dignity, and every hope she had held for the future.

For more than a decade, she had dreamed of this secret chamber countless times in the dead of night, dreamed of those unbearable scenes, and awakened in cold sweat every time.

Today, she had returned.

Carrying murderous intent all over her body, carrying hatred that had settled over years.

She would use the blood spilled here to mourn her dead youth, to mourn the life that had been ruined.

"Dong'er? What's wrong with you?" Qian Xunji finally sensed that something was amiss. Bibi Dong's gaze was too cold, like ice blades steeped in poison, making his scalp prickle.

He braced himself against the armrests, trying to stand, only to discover that Soul Power stagnated throughout his body. His still-unhealed body found even rising to be difficult.

"I came to see you." Bibi Dong finally spoke, her voice icy, carrying a bone-piercing smile. "I came to see what our lofty Pope looks like after Tang Hao beat him half to death. It truly is... immensely satisfying."

"You..." Qian Xunji's expression changed. "What did you say?"

"What did I say? You couldn't understand?" Bibi Dong slowly walked before him and looked down at him. The smile on her lips was cruel and delighted.

"Qian Xunji, so you have this day too. Weren't you so imposing back then? Why can't you even stand up now?"

"You've gone mad!" Qian Xunji was shocked and furious. "I am your teacher, the Pope of Spirit Hall. Everything I did was for your own good! I truly loved you..."

"Shut up!" Bibi Dong cut him off sharply, the hatred in her eyes erupting completely. "You dare speak of love? You dare call yourself my teacher?"

Black Soul Power exploded from her body in an instant as the Death Spider Emperor possessed her.

Eight pitch-black spider spears extended from her back, glimmering with an eerie blue poisonous light and brimming with biting killing intent.

Before Qian Xunji could react, two spider spears thrust forward. With two wet thuds, they precisely pierced through his shoulder bones, pinning him firmly to the chair.