Mother and Daughter Face Off (Part Two)

Bibi Dong's eyes narrowed slightly as she swiftly weighed whether Luo Sanpao's Martial Soul could evolve.

"Could it really evolve?"

Bibi Dong shook her head, unwilling to believe Qian Renxue. Then she laughed.

"Xiaogang's intellect is beyond ordinary people's grasp. He's studied Martial Souls for over twenty years and is recognized as a Grandmaster throughout the Soul Master World. No one understands his own Martial Soul better than he does.

"Qian Renxue, you really will believe any rumor you hear."

Qian Renxue took her time, explaining calmly.

"You think I'm lying because your knowledge is shallow and your understanding even shallower.

"A Detached Martial Soul is a high-level Mutated Martial Soul. It can cultivate on its own, effectively giving its Soul Master twice the cultivation speed of an ordinary person. No other Martial Soul can do that.

"And when the Golden Iron Triangle uses the Trinity Fusion Technique, Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul serves as its foundation. Their Soul Power combines to summon the Golden Sacred Dragon.

"If his Martial Soul Origin weren't the Golden Sacred Dragon, they couldn't summon it at all. Or do you think a black cat could summon a white tiger?"

Qian Renxue sneered.

"Then again, that makes sense. If you had even a little sense, you wouldn't have let that worthless man fool you into his arms.

"I know a rather skilled eye doctor in the empire. Sister, would you like me to introduce you?"

Now that the gloves were off, Qian Renxue stopped being polite. She kept attacking Yu Xiaogang and Bibi Dong personally, testing her limits.

Anger showed on Bibi Dong's face. She instinctively wanted to argue, but after turning Qian Renxue's words over in her mind several times, she found no flaws.

As for the personal attacks, she shut them out.

Such tactics were beneath her.

Could Luo Sanpao really evolve into the Golden Sacred Dragon? The thought surfaced again in Bibi Dong's mind. If so, I need to find a chance to tell Xiaogang.

Bibi Dong would not admit Qian Renxue was right, but the anger soon faded from her face.

"Qian Renxue, that's nothing but your speculation. Do you think I'd believe it?"

Losing her temper now would only make Qian Renxue more brazen.

She had always been good at enduring.

Besides, news that Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul could evolve was good news.

"Fine. You don't have to admit it. But since Yu Xiaogang is a Grandmaster, he should at least know how Martial Souls mutate.

"A dragon can only mutate into another dragon-type, a wolf into another wolf-type. Blue Silver Grass can't mutate into ivy."

Qian Renxue did not press Bibi Dong on it. After Qian Zong had dubbed her the "Legendary Stress King," she knew a few words would never shatter Bibi Dong's convictions and force her to rebuild her view of the world.

A bad feeling rose in Bibi Dong's heart, but she nodded anyway.

"Of course he knows. What, do you not even understand something so basic?"

She had read few of Spirit Hall's records, but she had gone over Yu Xiaogang's theories time and again. They covered the subject in detail.

"Heh."

Qian Renxue gave a cold laugh and continued.

"Then tell me: when Yu Xiaogang first saw Liu Erlong's Martial Soul, did he guess she was from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?

"When he saw how extraordinary her talent was, could he not have guessed she belonged to the clan's direct line?

"If he guessed all that, why did he rush to marry her without first looking into her background?"

Qian Renxue paused, then went on.

"Because he wanted the thrill of it—the taste of doing something forbidden. That's the kind of vile hypocrite he is."

At the mention of Liu Erlong, Bibi Dong's face turned livid, and a murderous gleam flashed in her eyes.

If not for that woman, Xiaogang would never have grown distant from her.

Seeing Bibi Dong struggle to contain her anger, Qian Renxue let a wicked smile cross her lips and continued.

"And you, Bibi Dong—when Yu Xiaogang met you, he merely thought your talent, looks, and background were no worse than Liu Erlong's. If he could win you over, it would soothe his pitiful vanity.

"If Yu Xiaogang had to choose between you and Liu Erlong, he wouldn't even give you a proper glance."

Bibi Dong's expression changed abruptly. Her eyes filled with vicious fury as she snapped,

"Qian Renxue, my patience has limits. Don't push me!"

Unafraid, Qian Renxue stepped closer. Her voice fell to a devil's whisper, each word measured.

"Push you? I'm not pushing you. I'm only telling the truth.

"Bibi Dong, Yu Xiaogang never loved you.

"Because you were nothing but Liu Erlong's replacement."

Strike a snake at its vital spot; to destroy a person, strike at the heart.

Those two sentences landed squarely on Bibi Dong's rawest nerve.

"A replacement... a replacement..."

As though struck by lightning, Bibi Dong stared blankly ahead. Her thoughts tangled into a knot, and she kept muttering the word "replacement."

The word circled in her mind like a curse. No matter how hard she tried, she could not drive it away.

If Qian Renxue had only said Yu Xiaogang did not love her, Bibi Dong might have endured it, given that she was her daughter.

But to say he did not love her and that she was Liu Erlong's "replacement" sent Bibi Dong, already on the brink, into a frenzy.

Smack!

Bibi Dong sprang to her feet and swung her hand at Qian Renxue.

"Enough! Get out! Get out of here!"

The sharp slap rang through the Papal Hall.

Fury blazed in Guang Ling's eyes. He was about to rush to Qian Renxue's aid when Azure Luan grabbed him. "Fifth Brother, don't!"

Guang Ling seethed. "Third Brother, didn't you see? She dared to hit the young mistress."

Azure Luan sighed, helplessness written across his face. "I saw. That's exactly why you can't go."

Guang Ling's temper flared. He protested,

"Why not? The young mistress is precious. How dare a mere Pope bully her?"

That slap had landed not only on Qian Renxue's face, but on Guang Ling's heart.

Right now, he wanted nothing more than to go over and trade blows with Bibi Dong.

"Fifth Brother, don't you understand yet?" Afraid Guang Ling would lose control, Azure Luan explained quickly. "Something must have happened between the young mistress and Bibi Dong. If we go over now, we'll seem to be helping her, but we'll actually be hurting her."

Guang Ling hesitated. Thinking of how Bibi Dong had treated Qian Renxue since childhood, he asked,

"Third Brother, what do you think happened between the young mistress and Bibi Dong?"

"I don't know. Apart from the young mistress and Bibi Dong, I'm afraid only Eldest Brother and Zong'er know." Azure Luan spoke gravely. "In any case, Fifth Brother, we can't get involved."

Recalling what Qian Zong had said in the Worship Hall three months earlier, Azure Luan suspected Qian Daoliu had kept certain things about the young mistress from them.

But if Qian Daoliu chose not to tell him, Azure Luan would not pry.

Guang Ling looked torn, his gaze shifting back and forth between Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue.

"All right. I understand."

Guang Ling let out a heavy sigh and finally gave up the idea of intervening.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Qian Renxue had never expected Bibi Dong to strike her. She stood there stunned, her head ringing, unable to move.

She lowered her head and covered her cheek. Only when she heard Bibi Dong's furious shout did she slowly come back to herself.

Qian Renxue raised her head again and met Bibi Dong's savage, almost man-eating glare. Her own anger, blazing only a moment ago, suddenly fell away.

Bibi Dong's frenzy meant she had listened.