Submission

Before the Papal Palace.

Bibi Dong put the Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown back on.

Her long purple dress trailed over the white jade steps.

She stood behind Long Yao, the Azure Lotus Seal on her brow already gone.

After the Rakshasa divine power left her, her soul power had fallen to level ninety-seven.

Yet her soul sea was calmer than before.

Her Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Eating Spider Emperor martial souls no longer rejected each other, either.

Long Yao glanced at her.

"Settle Spirit Hall's affairs."

"Come to Skywater Academy tomorrow."

Bibi Dong bowed her head. "Yes, Master."

"You needn't address me that way in front of others."

Long Yao turned and walked toward the outskirts of Spirit City.

"You are still the Pope of Spirit Hall."

Bibi Dong raised her head.

"I understand."

Long Yao lingered no longer.

With a single step, he was already outside Spirit City.

Silence returned to the front of the Papal Palace.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo stood in the distance.

Only after Long Yao had left completely did the two ascend the white jade steps.

Chrysanthemum Douluo looked at Bibi Dong.

"Your Holiness, your soul power..."

"Level ninety-seven."

Bibi Dong walked back into the Papal Palace.

Looking at the broken scepter, she raised her hand and put it away.

Ghost Douluo lowered his head. "Has the Rakshasa God Inheritance vanished?"

"Yes."

Bibi Dong approached the throne.

She did not sit down.

"What happened today must not be divulged."

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo bowed together.

"Yes."

Bibi Dong raised her hand and pointed at the damaged hall.

"Have the Papal Palace repaired."

"The matter of Tang Hao and Yu Xiaogang ends here."

"No one from Spirit Hall is to enter Skywater Academy."

Chrysanthemum Douluo hesitated for a moment.

"What about the Worship Hall?"

Bibi Dong looked toward the statue of the Six-Winged Angel.

"I will go see the Great Enshrined myself."

Chrysanthemum Douluo bowed his head.

"Understood."

The two turned and left.

Bibi Dong stood alone before the throne.

She raised her right hand.

A purple-black spider appeared in her palm.

It was her Death Spider Emperor martial soul.

In the past, whenever the Death Spider Emperor appeared, it carried Rakshasa divine power with it.

Now.

The Rakshasa patterns on the Spider Emperor had all vanished.

Its carapace had become purer.

Its devouring and deadly poison attributes no longer eroded her divine soul, either.

Bibi Dong closed her fingers.

The Death Spider Emperor returned to her body.

"My own path."

She looked outside the hall.

"Even without the Rakshasa Godhood, I can still reach level one hundred."

Early the next morning.

Skywater Academy.

A thin mist shrouded the lake.

Shui Yue'er stood on the third floor of the True Dragon Tower.

A drop of deep blue heavy water hovered above her palm.

The heavy water was seven inches from her palm.

Shui Yue'er's forehead was covered in sweat.

She controlled her soul power, letting it flow slowly along the ripples on the droplet's surface.

The first breath.

The second breath.

The third breath.

The heavy water did not fall.

At the tenth breath, the Gravity Formation in the stone chamber began to intensify.

Shui Yue'er's arm sank.

She did not increase her soul power.

A thin stream of water wound from her fingertips around the heavy water, supporting the bottom of the droplet again.

The fifteenth breath.

The heavy water settled steadily back onto the ground.

The stone chamber trembled lightly.

Shui Yue'er immediately withdrew both hands.

"Headmaster, I did it."

Long Yao stood outside the stone doorway.

"Eight inches today."

The delight on Shui Yue'er's face froze.

"Didn't I already finish?"

"Fifteen breaths was yesterday's requirement."

Long Yao pointed at the drop of heavy water.

"Today's training has only just begun."

Shui Yue'er looked at Shui Bing'er.

"Sis."

Shui Bing'er sat cross-legged on the other side of the stone chamber.

An ice crystal hovered before her.

The ice crystal first transformed into an ice blossom, then into an ice feather.

Finally, it condensed into a transparent short sword.

Not a trace of cold escaped throughout the process.

Shui Bing'er withdrew the ice crystal.

"The Headmaster is right."

Shui Yue'er looked back at the heavy water.

"I knew it."

She raised both hands.

Pale blue soul power approached the droplet once more.

Long Yao left the stone chamber.

He reached the platform outside the True Dragon Tower and picked up the teacup on the table.

Shui Yuerou approached from the Outer Court.

She placed a roster on the stone table.

"Headmaster, seventeen people passed the assessment yesterday."

Long Yao opened the roster.

The martial souls, soul power, and assessment performances of all seventeen applicants were recorded inside.

Nine of them had chosen the calm lake.

Seven had chosen the surging waves.

One had not made her choice immediately.

She had stood before the two scenes for an hour before finally choosing the lake.

Long Yao read the reason she had written.

"The lake can embrace the waves."

"But the waves cannot forever obscure the lake."

Shui Yuerou stood beside him.

"Her elemental affinity isn't very high."

"But her understanding of the water element is excellent."

Long Yao closed the roster.

"Keep her."

Shui Yuerou nodded.

"Her soul power is only level sixteen."

"How old is she?"

"Eleven."

"Her soul power is sufficient."

Long Yao placed the roster back on the table.

"Arrange things for the other sixteen according to the academy's rules as well."

"Yes."

Shui Yuerou put away the roster.

She did not leave immediately.

"Headmaster, the Pope of Spirit Hall is here."

Long Yao picked up his teacup.

"Have her come over."

Shui Yuerou glanced toward the academy entrance.

"She only brought two people."

"Have those two remain in the Outer Court."

"The Pope is to come to the lakeside alone."

Shui Yuerou turned and left.

A short while later.

A figure appeared on the stone path beside the lake.

Bibi Dong wore a long purple dress.

The Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown rested atop her long hair.

She had not brought the Pope's Scepter.

The Academy Formation swept past her.

One water-blue pattern after another subsided in its wake.

Bibi Dong walked up to the True Dragon Tower.

She saw Long Yao seated beside the stone table.

"Master."

Long Yao pointed at the stone stool opposite him.

"Sit."

Bibi Dong sat down on the other side of the stone table.

She looked at the teapot on the table but did not reach for it.

Long Yao poured her a cup of tea.

"Have you settled matters at Spirit Hall?"

"Everything has been settled."

Bibi Dong took the cup.

"The Papal Palace won't send anyone else into Skywater Academy."

"The Worship Hall has also been informed."

Long Yao asked, "What did Qian Daoliu say?"

"He didn't object."

Bibi Dong lowered her gaze to the tea in her cup.

"Qian Daoliu noticed the change in my soul power."

"He also knows I've lost the Rakshasa God Inheritance."

"He didn't give you any trouble?"

"No."

Bibi Dong raised her cup.

"He only said that everyone has their own path."

Long Yao looked out at the lake.

"He's right about that."

The third floor of the True Dragon Tower.

Shui Yue'er controlled the heavy water, raising it to eight inches.

She had maintained it for only three breaths when she sensed an unfamiliar presence by the lake.

The heavy water swayed gently.

Shui Yue'er immediately adjusted her soul power.

She did not look up.

Only after the heavy water settled steadily did she leave the stone chamber.

Shui Bing'er followed behind her.

The two arrived on the platform.

Shui Yue'er paused when she saw Bibi Dong sitting at the stone table.

"The Pope of Spirit Hall?"

Bibi Dong turned to look at her.

Shui Yue'er immediately went to Long Yao's side.

She asked quietly, "Headmaster, why is she here?"

"To cultivate."

Shui Yue'er glanced at Bibi Dong.

"She's going to cultivate at the academy too?"

"Yes."

Bibi Dong set down her cup.

She looked at Shui Yue'er.

"You're Shui Yue'er?"

Shui Yue'er nodded.

"You know me?"

"I saw you when Skywater Academy appeared on the Golden Ranking."

Bibi Dong then looked at Shui Bing'er.

"Shui Bing'er."

Shui Bing'er inclined her head slightly.

"Your Holiness."

Bibi Dong said, "This isn't Spirit Hall. There's no need to address me as Pope."

Shui Yue'er blinked.

"Then what should we call you?"

Bibi Dong did not answer immediately.

She had presided over Spirit Hall for many years.

Soul Masters across the continent addressed her as Your Holiness whenever they saw her.

Now that she was at Skywater Academy, she found herself unsure what to have the two call her.

Long Yao raised his cup.

"Use her name."

Shui Yue'er looked at Bibi Dong.

"Bibi Dong?"

Bibi Dong nodded.

"That's fine."

Shui Yue'er sat down at the stone table.

She picked up a pastry.

"You're really here to cultivate?"

"Yes."

"You're already level ninety-seven. How else are you going to cultivate?"

Bibi Dong glanced at Long Yao.

"Break through to level 100."

The pastry in Shui Yue'er's hand stopped at her lips.

"Become a god?"

"Without godhood."

Bibi Dong said, "Just break through the level 100 limit for Soul Masters."

Shui Bing'er walked over to the stone table.

"You can break through to level 100 without godhood?"

"Yes."

Long Yao set down his cup.

"A Soul Master's cultivation should never have been restricted by godhood in the first place."

"Godhood is a ready-made path."

"Without godhood, you carve out a path of your own."

Shui Bing'er looked at Bibi Dong.

"Her Rakshasa God Inheritance has already disappeared."

"She's going to rely on her own martial souls to break through?"

"Exactly."

Shui Yue'er set down the pastry.

"Her two Spider Emperor martial souls?"

Bibi Dong raised her right hand.

Purple soul power gathered in her palm.

The Death Spider Emperor appeared behind her.

Six Spider Spears spread out to either side.

Deep purple patterns flowed slowly across its carapace.

Immediately afterward.

The Soul-Eating Spider Emperor appeared on the other side.

Both martial souls released their auras at once.

The thin mist over the lake swiftly dispersed.

Shui Yue'er took a step closer to Shui Bing'er.

"Will these two martial souls devour each other?"

"They used to."

Bibi Dong withdrew her martial souls.

"Not anymore."

Long Yao looked at her.

"When you release your martial souls, you're still deliberately suppressing the Soul-Eating Spider Emperor."

Bibi Dong's gaze sharpened slightly.

"It's become a habit."

"The Death Spider Emperor was the first martial soul you awakened."

Long Yao said, "All these years, you've used it as your primary martial soul."

"The Soul-Eating Spider Emperor only appears when you need to devour power."

Bibi Dong nodded slightly.

"The Soul-Eating Spider Emperor's backlash is stronger."

"Without Rakshasa Divine Power to suppress it, it would devour my soul power and divine soul."

"That was before."

Long Yao raised a hand and pointed toward the lake.

"Release them again."

Bibi Dong rose.

She went to the lakeside.

The Death Spider Emperor martial soul appeared again.

Nine Soul Rings rose from beneath her feet.

The next moment.

The Soul-Eating Spider Emperor appeared behind the Death Spider Emperor.

The soul power of both Spider Emperors entered the lake at once.

Purple patterns spread rapidly across the water.

The fish in the lake scattered into the distance.

The lotus leaves were also pushed aside by the soul power.

Long Yao raised his hand.

Two streams of water rose from the lakebed.

One stream entered the Death Spider Emperor.

The other entered the Soul-Eating Spider Emperor.

Both of Bibi Dong's martial souls paused at once.

She could clearly sense the two martial soul origins manifesting within the streams.

The Death Spider Emperor's origin was more stable.

The Soul-Eating Spider Emperor's origin, meanwhile, constantly devoured the surrounding soul power.

The moment the two origins drew close, the Soul-Eating Spider Emperor began absorbing the Death Spider Emperor's power.

Bibi Dong immediately moved to withdraw her second martial soul.

Long Yao said, "Don't suppress it."

Bibi Dong stopped.

The Soul-Eating Spider Emperor continued devouring the Death Spider Emperor's origin.

Her soul sea rippled in response.

Shui Bing'er watched the lake.

"The Death Spider Emperor's power is decreasing."

Long Yao said, "Keep watching."

Purple soul power surged out of the Death Spider Emperor.

Most of that power was devoured by the Soul-Eating Spider Emperor.

The remaining soul power, however, followed the two streams back into Bibi Dong's body.

The more power the Soul-Eating Spider Emperor absorbed, the purer the origin released by the Death Spider Emperor became.

Several breaths later.

The Death Spider Emperor stopped retreating.

Its six Spider Spears touched down on the lake's surface.

A ring of purple ripples spread outward.

The Soul-Eating Spider Emperor's devouring also reached its limit.

It began releasing soul power.

That soul power returned to the Death Spider Emperor.

A complete cycle formed between the two martial souls.

Bibi Dong closed her eyes.

"Devouring isn't plundering."

Long Yao watched the two streams of water in the lake.

"Devour, refine, release."

"Only then is the Soul-Eating Spider Emperor's essence complete."

The Soul Power within Bibi Dong rapidly circulated.

The Death Spider Emperor bore the Soul Power.

The Soul-Eating Spider Emperor refined the Soul Power.

The two Martial Souls no longer fought over the same essence.

Her Level 97 Soul Power began to rise.

The purple patterns on the lake's surface gradually multiplied.

The nine Soul Rings beneath Bibi Dong's feet also slowly rotated between the two Martial Souls.

Shui Yue'er watched the scene.

"Is she about to break through?"

"Not yet."

Long Yao walked to the lakeside.

"She's just regaining mastery over her own Martial Souls."

Bibi Dong opened her eyes.

She raised her right hand.

The Death Spider Emperor and the Soul-Eating Spider Emperor both took a step forward.

The two Martial Souls did not fuse.

But their Soul Power was now fully connected.

Boom!

A pillar of purple light rose from the lake's surface.

Bibi Dong's Soul Power broke past Level 97 and reached Level 98.

The lake water surged outward in all directions.

The dragon patterns on the True Dragon Tower lit up in response.

Shui Yue'er raised her hand to block the water rushing toward her.

Shui Bing'er released her Ice Phoenix Martial Soul.

A ring of icy-blue light settled along the edge of the lake.

The surging lake water grew calm again.

Bibi Dong withdrew her two Martial Souls.

She sensed the changes in the Soul Power within her.

"Level 98."

Long Yao returned to the stone table.

"Let's eat first."

Bibi Dong turned to look at him.

"Now?"

"It's already noon."

Shui Yue'er immediately headed into the True Dragon Tower.

"We're having fish today."

Shui Bing'er walked beside her.

"You already ate this morning."

"I had shrimp dumplings this morning."

The two entered the True Dragon Tower.

Bibi Dong was still standing beside the lake.

She glanced at her hands, then looked at Long Yao.

"I can stop even halfway through cultivating?"

"Your Martial Souls have already completed their first cycle."

Long Yao said, "Continuing to cultivate will only throw your Soul Power out of balance."

Bibi Dong reined in her Soul Power.

She followed Long Yao into the True Dragon Tower.

Lunch was already laid out on the long table.

Steamed sea bass.

Crystal shrimp dumplings.

Lotus seed soup.

And several lightly seasoned side dishes.

Bibi Dong sat to Long Yao's right.

Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er sat on the other side.

Shui Yue'er picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks.

She glanced at Shui Bing'er, then at Bibi Dong.

In the end, she placed the fish in Shui Bing'er's bowl.

"You eat first, Sis."

Shui Bing'er asked, "Why did you look at her just now?"

"I was wondering whether she counted as a guest."

Bibi Dong picked up her chopsticks.

"Don't mind me."

Shui Yue'er immediately picked up a second piece of fish.

"That's good, then."

Bibi Dong looked at her.

"Do you eat here every day?"

"As long as the dean is here, we eat here."