Qian Xunji Fakes His Death

In a secret chamber of the Papal Palace, several healing-type soul masters tended to Qian Xunji. The battle had left him feeling close to the threshold of level 96.

I really don't know how the original me held out against three days and nights of Ring Detonation. After learning what happened in the original story—losing a three-on-one fight at level 95—I started wondering if I was actually weak. Now I know I'm still pretty strong.

Qian Xunji thought as he meditated and recovered.

"Back already? And still alive?" A teasing female voice rang out.

"Tang Hao isn't enough to kill me. I do need a few days to recover, though."

"What, did you want me dead?"

"Hmph. I'm the only one allowed to take your life. If Tang Hao had killed you, I'd have avenged you. Happy?"

The soul masters nearby nearly cried at the exchange between the Pope and the Saintess. Are we really allowed to hear this? Is this how His Holiness the Pope and the Saintess usually talk to each other?

"Leave us. I have something to discuss with the Pope."

Bibi Dong dismissed the soul masters.

"What is it? Do you need—"

Qian Xunji had only just opened his eyes to ask when Bibi Dong, already in Martial Soul Possession, lunged at him.

Several spider legs pinned Qian Xunji down, and one pierced his arm.

Qian Xunji tried to fight back, but his whole body had gone limp.

"Mother of my child! What are you—!"

He lost consciousness before he could finish.

"Sleep well, father of my child."

Bibi Dong gripped Qian Xunji's neck. Her fingers tightened, eased, then tightened again, as though she might snap it at any moment.

In the end, Bibi Dong let go.

Worship Hall

Qian Daoliu was teaching Qian Renxue how to use Soul Power.

"Grand Priest! Something terrible has happened!" A panicked woman's voice rang out, and Bibi Dong rushed in.

"Bibi Dong, what has you so alarmed?"

Qian Daoliu sounded puzzled, but his tone betrayed no anger or concern.

Ever since Bibi Dong had reconciled with Xiao Xue, almost all his dissatisfaction with her had faded.

He had expected so little of her before that he had even come to admire her somewhat. Over the past few days, he had been considering having Xiao Xue give Bibi Dong a few Spirit Bones to strengthen their relationship.

"Mom? What happened?!"

Seeing Bibi Dong so distraught, Qian Renxue grew anxious too. She hurried over to support her breathless mother and tried to comfort her.

"His... His Holiness the Pope... Tang Hao killed him!" Bibi Dong sobbed.

"What did you say!? Jier is dead!?"

The pressure of Qian Daoliu's level-99 Ultimate Douluo power erupted. Bibi Dong quickly shielded Qian Renxue from it, though she herself could not move beneath its weight.

An instant later, Qian Daoliu stood before Bibi Dong, his eyes bloodshot. "Is it true? Tang Hao killed J... Jier?"

Bibi Dong forced herself to withstand the pressure.

"Yes... Grand Priest. Brother Ji failed to capture Tang Hao and returned gravely wounded. He died of his injuries. His body is in a secret chamber of the Papal Palace."

In the blink of an eye, the three of them appeared in the chamber. Qian Renxue was still too stunned to make sense of it all.

Qian Daoliu looked at Qian Xunji, lying lifeless on the bed, and swiftly checked his breath, Soul Power, and life force.

"J... Jier is really dead?" Qian Daoliu swayed, nearly losing his footing. His lips trembled uncontrollably, and his low, aged voice shook despite his efforts to steady it.

A week ago, the conflicts in his son's family had all but been resolved. His son and granddaughter had begun a new life. Everything had seemed so wonderful: Xue'er had a father to care for her and a mother to love her.

Now, just one short week later, that life had been shattered. His son was dead, and his granddaughter had lost her father?!

"Waaah! Dad! Wake up!"

Qian Renxue's cries pulled him back to reality. He looked at his weeping granddaughter.

Tang Chen! Tang Hao! Clear Sky Sect! I, Qian Daoliu, will never forgive you!

Qian Daoliu swore it silently.

"Where are Xiao Tian and Ming Zhong?!" Qian Daoliu demanded of Bibi Dong.

"They're recovering in the Elder Hall. They're barely alive themselves."

"Take care of Xue'er. I'm going to bring back Tang Hao's head!"

With that, Qian Daoliu vanished.

Elder Hall

"Old Zhong, are we really going to lie to the Grand Priest?"

"Let's trust His Holiness the Pope and the Saintess's plan..."

"But I'm afraid the Grand Priest will kill us both first!"

"He probably won't. The Grand Priest is a good man."

"Who knows? How could anyone stay calm after losing his son?"

"Forget it. Stop talking before someone catches us."

Before long, Qian Daoliu appeared in front of them. One glance showed him that both men were covered in wounds.

"Where is Tang Hao now?"

The two hurriedly knelt and begged forgiveness, then gave him Tang Hao's approximate location.

"I'll deal with you when I get back!"

Qian Daoliu vanished again.

Back in the secret chamber, Bibi Dong watched Xiao Xue cry and felt a twinge of regret. She should have checked whether Xiao Xue was in the Worship Hall before going there.

"There, Xiao Xue. Don't cry." Bibi Dong sounded concerned, but not grief-stricken.

"Waaah! I don't have a dad anymore!"

Bibi Dong shook her head, walked over to Qian Xunji, summoned the Death Spider Emperor, and stabbed him.

"Ah! Mom! What are you doing!?"

Qian Renxue tried to rush forward and stop Bibi Dong.

Then she saw her father's hand move.

"Dad! Dad!" Qian Renxue threw her arms around Qian Xunji.

"Ugh... What happened to me? Xiao Xue? Why are you crying?" Qian Xunji held his aching head with one hand and instinctively wrapped the other around Qian Renxue.

"Dad, you died! Then Mom brought you back!"

"Huh? I died?"

Qian Xunji finally remembered passing out after Dong'er had suddenly attacked him.

He was about to ask where Bibi Dong was when a voice that made his skin crawl reached his ears.

"Teacher~ Are you all right? Dong'er was so worried about you~"

He turned toward Bibi Dong. At the sight of her knowing smile, he shuddered. He had a fair idea what had happened.

Qian Xunji gave Bibi Dong a resentful look.

The two stared at each other.

After a long while, Xiao Xue stopped crying and sensed that something was off. She looked up at her father, then at her mother, then back at her father, then at her mother again.

Why does something still feel wrong?

Noticing Qian Renxue's confusion, the two finally composed their faces.

"Dad, how did you come back to life?"

"Ahem. I don't know either. Ask your mom."

"Mom?"

"Your dad wasn't dead. My Death Spider Emperor's ability put him in a temporary deathlike state."

Qian Renxue covered her little mouth in surprise and looked from her father to her mother again.

"Then Grandpa?"

"Your grandpa has something to do. Don't worry about him."

Qian Xunji answered before Bibi Dong could.

"Xiao Xue, now that your dad is fine, go outside for a bit. I need to talk to him."

"Oh. Okay."

Qian Renxue walked out, deep in thought. The day's events had shaken her view of the world.

Are all grown-ups like this?

"My father didn't notice anything wrong?"

"He was in too much of a hurry. He checked you quickly and left without noticing."

Bibi Dong paused, then added,

"He was the same way in my previous life."

"Since when could you do that?"

"I discovered it in one of my lives. It's a special ability of the Death Spider Emperor that makes someone appear dead."

"Sigh. All right. But why did you have to fool my father?"

"To make it more convincing, of course. I also want to see just how far Tang Hao can push himself!"

"He can probably keep detonating rings for a few more days and nights. He already spent a full day and night doing it against me."

"Oh, and don't forget: you're dead now. Don't go showing yourself to the world again."

Qian Xunji nodded his agreement.

Then he patted his head and changed his appearance.

At the sight of his new face, Bibi Dong flushed bright red.