Qian Daoliu appeared: Li Tianyuan must die

Bishop Night Hawk landed outside Spirit Hall, resumed his original appearance, and hurried inside.

A moment later, he met Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong wore purple robes and a golden crown, with a scepter in hand. She looked regal and splendid.

Yet she rested her chin on one hand, a trace of worry on her face.

"Greetings, Your Holiness!"

Night Hawk bowed in homage.

Bibi Dong opened her eyes and looked at him, her voice icy. "Night Hawk, have you still not found that boy?"

Night Hawk shuddered, his voice trembling. "Your Holiness, I patrolled the skies, but I still could not find Li Tianyuan."

"He seems to have vanished!"

"He may have already escaped Spirit City!"

Night Hawk felt that if Li Tianyuan were still in Spirit City, he would have had a hard time evading his pursuit.

"Useless!"

Bibi Dong flew into a rage.

A Soul Saint had taken action, yet not only had he failed to find Li Tianyuan, he had not found so much as a thread of evidence. This was nothing short of a slap in Spirit Hall's face!

"Please calm your anger, Your Holiness."

Night Hawk knelt on the floor, his expression terrified.

"Worthless fool. Li Tianyuan couldn't have vanished into thin air. He must still be in Spirit City."

"He may be lying low!"

"Go search for him at once. Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, you must find him!"

Bibi Dong waved her hand and snapped.

"Understood!"

Night Hawk accepted the order and hurried to his feet to leave. Once he turned away, he could not help wiping the sweat from his forehead.

After watching him leave, Bibi Dong braced a hand against her throne and frowned. "Tianyuan, where on earth have you gone?"

"Haven't I treated you well?"

"How could you be so heartless as to leave me?"

After murmuring softly for a while, Bibi Dong decided she could wait no longer. She could not let Li Tianyuan leave her.

"Someone, summon Chrysanthemum Douluo."

She gave the order.

"Yes, Your Holiness."

A maid bowed.

A short while later, a somewhat effeminate man with soft, delicate skin entered. He wore scarlet robes embroidered with distinctive gold thread.

He was none other than Bibi Dong's trusted subordinate, Chrysanthemum Douluo.

"Greetings, Your Holiness."

Chrysanthemum Douluo bowed in homage.

"Yue Guan, I have a task for you. You should know Li Tianyuan, a guard of Spirit Hall."

Bibi Dong spoke coldly.

"Yes."

Chrysanthemum Douluo nodded slightly. How could he not know him? Li Tianyuan was Bibi Dong's personal male favorite.

"He has run away. He should still be hiding somewhere in Spirit City. I want you to find him immediately and bring him back."

"Do you understand?"

Bibi Dong's tone was icy.

"I understand."

Chrysanthemum Douluo bowed.

"Go."

Bibi Dong waved him away.

Chrysanthemum Douluo turned and immediately headed outside.

"Tianyuan, I've sent a Titled Douluo to find you. Let's see where you can hide now."

"Once I find you, I'll lock you in a cage. I won't let you out so easily."

Bibi Dong spoke to herself, her eyes holding both tenderness and a cold desire for revenge.

Meanwhile, inside the main hall of the Worship Hall.

A white-haired old man stood with his hands behind his back. Dressed in white robes, he was tall and imposing, with a touch of kindness on his face.

He was Qian Daoliu, the Great Enshrined of the Worship Hall.

"Great Enshrined, news has come from the Pope."

A Soul Master in black robes hurried inside, knelt, and reported.

"What is it?"

Qian Daoliu asked.

Because of what his son had done all those years ago, Qian Daoliu felt rather guilty toward Pope Bibi Dong, so he did not wish to interfere too much in her affairs.

But that did not mean he ignored everything she did.

"Li Tianyuan, a guard serving at the Pope's side, has run away. The Pope has ordered a citywide search, but his whereabouts remain unknown."

The black-robed Soul Master reported.

"A guard... Li Tianyuan?"

Qian Daoliu seemed to recall something.

"What exactly is his relationship with Bibi Dong?"

Qian Daoliu turned, a brilliant white light blazing in his eyes as he demanded coldly.

"Well... I dare not say."

The black-robed Soul Master shook his head.

"You dare not say? What is there to be afraid of?"

"Speak!"

Qian Daoliu's usual expression changed, his gaze sharp.

He had long heard that Bibi Dong favored a guard at her side who had an exceptionally handsome face and a well-built physique.

He had originally intended to stay out of the matter, but now the man had run away, and Bibi Dong was causing such a commotion in Spirit City. There had to be something unusual behind it.

"... He seems to be having an affair with the Pope!"

The black-robed Soul Master prostrated himself on the floor, his voice trembling.

"An affair!"

"Bibi Dong, you have gone too far!"

Qian Daoliu finally grew angry. The Pope herself was keeping a male lover! If word got out, she would become a laughingstock before the world, and might even inflict enormous damage on the reputation of all Spirit Hall.

He had no choice but to intervene.

He strode outside, heading straight for the Pope's Hall.

Moments later, Qian Daoliu flew out of the Worship Hall. In the blink of an eye, he arrived outside the Pope's Hall and walked in unhurriedly.

The guards around him did not dare stop him. They all bowed in greeting.

Qian Daoliu waved a hand.

On the throne inside the great hall, Bibi Dong suddenly seemed to sense something. She raised her head, stretching her slender, fair neck as she looked toward the entrance.

Qian Daoliu's figure came into view.

"Great Enshrined, what brings you here?"

Bibi Dong rose, sounding somewhat courteous.

Qian Daoliu looked at the regal, elegant Bibi Dong. He truly had never imagined she would find herself a male lover behind his back.

"I came to ask you something."

Qian Daoliu spoke.

"What is it?"

Bibi Dong asked indifferently.

"I heard that one of your guards, Li Tianyuan, has run away?"

"And that you're searching the entire city for him!"

With his hands behind his back, Qian Daoliu questioned her in a grave voice.

"That's right."

Bibi Dong did not deny it. She felt Qian Daoliu must have already investigated the matter thoroughly.

"In that case, you should kill him and put this matter to rest."

"I don't want anything like this happening again."

Qian Daoliu was unusually forceful, his tone somewhat cold.

"Why should I?"

Bibi Dong refused outright. Although she knew the old man before her was tremendously powerful, she was not someone who would let others twist her around their fingers.

"Because I am your father-in-law, and because you are the Pope of the Pope's Hall!"

Qian Daoliu rebuked her angrily.

There were things he could not say outright, but he would never allow Bibi Dong to keep making one mistake after another.

"My father-in-law?"

"What are you talking about, Great Enshrined? I have never acknowledged myself as your daughter-in-law."

Bibi Dong's words dripped with mockery.

"No matter what, this matter ends here. Li Tianyuan must die!"

Qian Daoliu declared forcefully.

"No. No one but me is allowed to kill him!"

"Otherwise, I will certainly cause an even greater upheaval."

Bibi Dong refused to bow her head, her tone equally unyielding.

Li Tianyuan was hers, even if only to infuriate Qian Daoliu.

It could also count as repayment for the debt of sin from back then.

"What did you say?"

"Bibi Dong, you cannot keep making one mistake after another."

"I will send the people of the Worship Hall to kill him themselves!"

Having said his piece, Qian Daoliu spoke no further. He turned, took a single step, and left the Pope's Hall.