News Spreads Across the Continent

Bibi Dong had just delivered her threat and was about to leave.

But suddenly, Li Changqing appeared in front of her again.

Bibi Dong was startled. "Why haven't you left?!"

Li Changqing shook his head. "Your Holiness, I warned you not to hold a grudge against me. I heard that angry shout of yours loud and clear. I was going to let you go, but now you've made things difficult for me."

Bibi Dong took a deep breath. There was no fear in her eyes. At worst, she would die.

Her gaze remained still. "What do you want?"

"What else? To pluck a flower with a ruthless hand, of course. I did warn you." Li Changqing gave her a wicked smile, leaving no doubt what he meant.

Bibi Dong stepped back. Now she truly was afraid.

"What are you going to do?!"

She tried to summon her Soul Power and flee, but she was weak. Li Changqing, bolstered by his Soul Core and still at full strength, had no intention of letting her escape.

Li Changqing suddenly closed in and struck her Dantian with a burst of Soul Power, sealing her Soul Power completely.

Bibi Dong's body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground. She was still conscious, though, terror filling her eyes as she cried out again and again:

"No! Please, don't do this to me. Just kill me!"

Li Changqing could not kill Bibi Dong. At least, not yet. He had no wish to attract the Rakshasa God's attention.

He lifted her supple body into his arms and squeezed her firm, rounded backside. Smiling, he said, "Your Holiness is far more beautiful than the women in the brothels. Killing you now would be such a waste."

With that, Li Changqing laughed wickedly and carried Bibi Dong, who kept calling him a "beast," away as a streak of golden light that vanished into the sky.

Bibi Dong was, it had to be said, quite alluring. Li Changqing spent a pleasurable night in a small cave.

The next day, Bibi Dong lay limp on the ground, her eyes vacant, as though she had lost all hope of living.

Li Changqing took her chin and met her gaze. "The process was a little different, but Your Holiness did serve me, after a fashion. Tell Xue Qinghe that what I said before still stands. I can help him once."

A ripple stirred in Bibi Dong's eyes. They brimmed with boundless hatred; she wanted nothing more than to tear Li Changqing limb from limb.

Li Changqing licked his lips, utterly unafraid. "Of course, if Your Holiness wants revenge, I'll be ready whenever you are. But if you still can't beat me, you'd better be prepared for what follows."

He stood and stretched. "The seal on your Soul Power will lift in an hour. I suggest Your Holiness stay safely inside the cave until then. I'd hate for you to run into bandits."

With that, Li Changqing left, abandoning Bibi Dong in the cave.

A while later, Bibi Dong forced herself to her feet, but her legs were still trembling. It was clear how little tenderness Li Changqing had shown her.

Supporting herself against the rock wall, she made her way to the cave entrance. She wanted to go outside, but remembering his words, she sat back down.

Bibi Dong breathed heavily, her heart pounding. Her hatred for Li Changqing was no less than her hatred for Qian Xunji.

She wanted to shout another threat, but worried Li Changqing might not have gone far. She swallowed it and waited for the seal on her Soul Power to lift.

An hour later, Bibi Dong's Soul Power returned. It surged through her body as she roared:

"Li Changqing, just you wait! If I ever get my chance, your fate will be worse than Qian Xunji's! And that wretched child—if she hadn't sent that message, I wouldn't have... I wouldn't have..."

"Aah!"

Bibi Dong's scream was so fierce that the entire cave shook, startling great flocks of birds from the surrounding area.

News of Spirit Hall's Pope confronting a newly risen powerhouse in Haagen-Dazs City soon spread across the continent. The major factions sent scouts to investigate, eager to learn the outcome.

But after Bibi Dong returned to Spirit Hall, she made no announcement.

The major factions began to speculate that the Pope had fought the man to a draw, or had even come off worse.

A Soul Douluo had absorbed a Soul Ring beyond his level and possessed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. He had also fought a Pope who possessed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring to at least a draw.

Li Changqing's name and portrait spread across the continent as a result, along with his title: the Little Prince of the Brothel.

Heaven Dou City, the Crown Prince's chambers.

Qian Renxue was reading the report from Haagen-Dazs City. Her lips curved into a smile. "Good. It's rare to see that woman suffer a little."

Then she asked casually, "How did that woman react? After this, she must have lost all face as Pope. A mighty Titled Douluo, yet she suffered at the hands of a Soul Douluo."

Snake Lance hesitated briefly before answering. "The Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo, called the Pope to account. But the Pope blamed everything on the message you sent, Young Master. She also said..."

Qian Renxue frowned, anger rising. "Go on."

Snake Lance did not dare delay. "She said you deliberately stirred up the feud between her and Li Changqing and brought shame on Spirit Hall. That you were unfit to be Spirit Hall's Young Master."

Qian Renxue snorted. "It isn't her place to judge whether I'm fit to be Spirit Hall's Young Master. Any news on Li Changqing?"

"Not yet."

"Fine. Keep watching, and notify me as soon as there's news," Qian Renxue ordered.

If Qian Renxue knew what Li Changqing had done to Bibi Dong because of her impulsive decision, she probably would not have reacted this way.

Her feelings would surely have been deeply conflicted.

Meanwhile, in the Ceremonial Hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

An elegant middle-aged man sat in the seat of honor. He was Ning Fengzhi, the sect leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

To his left sat an old man in white with swordlike brows and piercing eyes. Though his hair was silver, his face was strikingly handsome.

To his right sat another old man, gaunt-faced and hollow-eyed, with a massive frame clad in strange armor.

They were the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's two Titled Douluo worships: Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong.

The three had gathered to discuss the Intelligence concerning Li Changqing.

Ning Fengzhi spoke gravely. "Uncle Jian, you inspected the site of Bibi Dong's battle with Li Changqing yourself. What did you find?"

Chen Xin said, "They fought in a Mountain Forest. Judging by the damage they left behind, they were strong."

Ning Fengzhi was surprised. In his experience, Chen Xin rarely assessed anyone so bluntly.

"Then are they both stronger than you? You're a level ninety-six Titled Douluo!"

Gu Rong was skeptical too. "Bibi Dong has only been a Titled Douluo for nine years since taking the Pope's seat at Spirit Hall, hasn't she? If she's already stronger than you, how fast must she have cultivated?"

"Even if Bibi Dong really is that strong, Li Changqing is still a Soul Douluo, despite his Ten Thousand Year Fourth Soul Ring and Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. Could he really overpower Bibi Dong when she also has a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring?"