A Change of Heart! A New Family! My Name Is Zhu Qianxun

Everything Ning Chengyi did at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was reported to Xue Qinghe.

Xue Qinghe then reported it to Emperor Xue Ye.

Ning Chengyi's outstanding performance made Emperor Xue Ye trust Xue Qinghe's judgment even more.

He grew increasingly pleased with his son and delegated even more authority to him.

But Xue Qinghe's responsibilities grew heavier too. From time to time, he accompanied Emperor Xue Ye to learn how to govern the country.

Xue Qinghe also learned how to unwind amid his busy schedule.

By drinking!

He never drank to excess, though. A mere three qian of wine was enough to leave him drowsy.

The two elders brought Bibi Dong into their home, where she remained unconscious for seven full days.

The poison flared up from time to time. The elders took turns caring for her day and night, growing noticeably thinner than they had been a week earlier.

"Bubble, bubble." The old woman was boiling medicinal herbs, filling the house with their scent.

The old man was leafing through books. "How strange. I can't figure out what poison she's suffering from." He muttered to himself, glancing now and then at Bibi Dong, asleep on the sickbed.

When Bibi Dong woke, she found herself lying on a wooden bed covered with dry straw, beneath a coarse blanket washed nearly white.

The old woman sat beside the bed, stirring a bowl of dark medicine with a wooden spoon. The moment she saw Bibi Dong open her eyes, her face lit up.

"You're awake, dear? Drink this. We gathered these herbs to counter the poison."

Bibi Dong instinctively tried to circulate her Soul Power, only to feel stabbing pains throughout her body.

My Soul Power is down to level forty? Alarm shot through her. Even gathering what Soul Power remained felt difficult.

The poison from the Twin Spider Nether Flower had been temporarily suppressed, but it was still eating away at her very foundations and weakening her body, slowly but relentlessly.

"Why... did you save me?" Her voice remained cool, carrying its familiar distance.

The old woman was visibly taken aback, then smiled. "What kind of people would we be if we left someone to die? My husband and I have no children. We've spent these years here, treating the wounds and poisons of Soul Masters who enter the forest. It lets us sleep at night."

Bibi Dong fell silent.

Since what had happened in the secret chamber, she had never heard words so sincere.

When she was the Holy Maiden, people had still whispered lies in her ear.

Then everything had shattered like a dream. Later, as the Pope, she had held the power of life and death. Meeting that little rascal had stirred compassion in her heart.

That month or so had been her most peaceful time. There had been no schemes, no betrayal, and no... killing!

Now two complete strangers had saved her, bringing her home out of nothing but kindness.

Looking at their thin frames and the dark circles beneath their eyes, she knew she must have caused them no end of worry while she was unconscious.

"How long was I out?" Bibi Dong asked. There was less ice in her voice now, and a trace of guilt.

"Just seven days, dear. Drink these herbs first. They can't clear the poison completely, but they'll keep it in check."

The old woman blew on the medicine once more, smiling kindly as she spoke.

Bibi Dong nodded, took the bowl, and drank it in one go.

"Dear, our cultivation is too low to tell what poisoned you. Stay here and recover. We'll do everything we can to help." Once she had finished the medicine, the old man came over, an apologetic smile on his face.

"Th-thank you." Bibi Dong moved to throw off the blanket and thank them properly, but she was too weak and had to give up.

"Stay in bed and rest, dear. Focus on getting better first." The old woman patted her hand reassuringly.

Bibi Dong nodded. She could sense no ill will from either of them. They wanted nothing from her; they simply wanted to save her.

In the days that followed, Bibi Dong regained some strength under their care. She set aside the commanding air she had worn as the Pope and fell into their rhythm of rising with the sun and resting at dusk, becoming part of their daily life.

To avoid getting in their way as they treated people, Bibi Dong began learning to identify herbs and prepare antidotes. Everything had to be made by hand. She was not a Support-type Soul Master, so she had to rely on properly prepared medicines to get results.

Her head was full of knowledge about rare, high-grade herbs, but she knew next to nothing about these everyday things. She had hardly been pampered, yet in this respect she was like He Youjun, who had no idea what an early-bird ticket or a Frappuccino was.

Gradually, she realized the work was not as simple as she had imagined. It was within her abilities, but she could not master it overnight.

That dealt a blow to Bibi Dong's pride.

The elders taught her patiently, though. Whenever she made a fool of herself, they would laugh, then take her through everything again from the beginning.

Bibi Dong's first patient was a young Soul Master.

He had been bitten by a venomous spider, and his entire arm had turned black and begun to rot. Bibi Dong followed what she had learned, drawing out the poison and applying medicine. By the time she finished, sweat covered her forehead. She watched the poison slowly recede, then saw the Soul Master bow his head to the ground in thanks. A strange satisfaction welled up inside her, unlike anything she had felt before.

So this is what saving someone feels like? Bibi Dong murmured as she watched the Soul Master leave, feeling as though new strength filled her.

It was not the thrill of holding power over life and death. It was the joy of being needed.

The old couple noticed everything and were delighted.

The old woman often chatted with Bibi Dong about their younger days. She even told her why they had no children.

Years ago, they had entered a Soul Beast forest to hunt a Soul Ring for their child. Their child had died there.

Afterward, they had chosen not to have another child. Instead, they devoted themselves to healing people, helping whoever they could with the abilities they had. They had earned a modest reputation in Star Dou Town. When someone was injured or fell ill, they almost always turned to the couple.

They had kept at it for nearly forty years.

Bibi Dong was deeply shaken by the story. She had never imagined people could give so selflessly.

An idea began to take shape in her heart.

Several days later, Bibi Dong rose earlier than usual. She washed, pinned up her long hair, and prepared a meal, then sat at the table to wait for the elders.

"Dear, you've made such a feast this early in the morning. Are you leaving?"

There was sadness in the old woman's voice.

The old man merely puffed on his pipe and said nothing.

Bibi Dong did not answer. She served them rice and placed food in their bowls. Only when everything was ready did she speak.

"I'm not leaving. I want you to be my parents. I'm an orphan too."

"What?!"

Both elders started, hardly believing their ears, and spoke at once.

Bibi Dong had expected their reaction. She smiled warmly and said, "Dad. Mom."

"Good, good, good! Old Zhu has a child again." Tears streamed down the old man's face. He finished the tobacco in his pipe with one sharp puff, his voice brimming with excitement.

The old woman rose and embraced Bibi Dong. Tears ran down her cheeks as she repeated, "Good, good, good," her whole body trembling.

"Let's eat, let's eat." The old man knocked the ash from his pipe and smiled.

The elders kept putting food in Bibi Dong's bowl. She hardly knew what to do, but warmth filled her heart.

Each time the old man served her another bite, he nodded and smiled at his wife. "Good, good. We have a daughter now."

"Perhaps this is our reward for helping people. Heaven sent her to the Zhu Family because we did good."

"Yes, yes, it must be," the old woman said, still smiling.

"Daughter, we don't even know your name yet."

"Me? My name is Zhu Qianxun." Bibi Dong smiled. She had never thought the name she had chosen on a whim would come in handy now. Perhaps fate had brought it back to her.