Bibi Dong had greatly admired his talent and, as the Holy Maiden, granted him a nominal post at the Spirit Hall Theory Institute.
Unfortunately...
Ning Lin's martial soul aptitude was simply mediocre. His soul power grew slowly, and he would never amount to much.
In Spirit Hall, where geniuses gathered in droves, he soon faded into the crowd, forgotten in a corner of the memories of His Holiness the Pope, who attended to countless affairs each day.
Later, he left Spirit Hall and eventually made his way to Heaven Dou City.
He had never imagined that this would become his only lifeline now!
Tang San, you want me dead?
You want to ruin me, to make me another stepping stone beneath your glorious image?
I won't give you the satisfaction!
The despair and deathly resignation in Ning Lin's eyes vanished, replaced by a frenzied will to survive.
Enduring the heart-rending agony, he sank his entire focus into the system interface in his mind.
An illusory scroll slowly unfurled before him.
Written upon it was the account of Bibi Dong's life.
Trembling, he issued a command in his mind.
"Begin... editing!"
In the darkness of the dungeon, the last light in Ning Lin's eyes poured into his mind.
Light and shadow flowed across the illusory scroll, revealing countless pivotal moments in Bibi Dong's life.
[Node 1: Secret chamber. The peerlessly magnificent Pope Qian Xunji pinned the Holy Maiden Bibi Dong to the floor, a vicious grin on his face...] [Node 2: Star Dou Great Forest. A young Yu Xiaogang solemnly swore that he would give Bibi Dong a future...] [Node 3: Papal Hall. The newly appointed Pope Bibi Dong ended Qian Xunji's life with her own hands...]
One major turning point after another, each capable of changing the course of history, lay before him.
Yet Ning Lin knew that these moments had far too great an impact. In his current state, he had no right to touch them.
If he forcibly edited them, the torrent of history might scour his very soul away without a trace.
He had to choose a smaller, less conspicuous fulcrum—one that could still lever the future onto a different course.
His gaze finally settled on a yellowed fragment.
[Node 17: Spirit Hall, rear mountain training grounds. The Holy Maiden Bibi Dong was struggling to understand Yu Xiaogang's "theories"...]
This is it!
Ning Lin willed it.
"System, lock onto this node."
"Insert my existence!"
[Ding! Historical node locked.] [Constructing the host's historical identity... construction successful.] [Editing permissions unlocked. Host, please begin your revisions.]
An invisible force seemed to wrench Ning Lin's consciousness free, carrying it across the barriers of time and space in an instant.
The Spirit Hall Empire, Papal Hall.
Inside the magnificent hall, a lofty dome rose above carved beams and painted pillars, every corner exuding majesty and sanctity.
A breathtakingly beautiful figure sat upon the papal throne above nine steps.
She wore a purple-and-gold crown and an exquisite gown inlaid with golden patterns, holding a scepter nearly two meters long.
Her features were dignified, her bearing noble, her authority palpable even without anger.
She was the most powerful woman on the continent, the founding empress of the Spirit Hall Empire, Bibi Dong.
Below the throne, a Red-Clothed Cardinal knelt on one knee, respectfully reporting the latest intelligence.
"Your Majesty, news has arrived from the Heaven Dou Empire."
"Tang San, sect master of the Tang Sect, has announced that the Heaven Dou City Lord, Ning Lin, will be publicly executed in three days on three major charges."
Bibi Dong did not so much as lift her eyelids, and her voice betrayed neither pleasure nor anger.
"Tang San is merely putting on another performance of his usual act of eliminating dissenters."
"A city lord of another empire—is such a trivial matter worth bringing before me?"
Her tone was flat, as though she had no interest whatsoever in the man about to be executed.
To her, this was merely another political purge by Tang San to consolidate his rule and remove those who opposed him.
Countless people died at Tang San's hands every day. She had long since grown numb to it.
"Your Majesty."
Just then, a clear, pleasing voice came from the side.
The Holy Maiden Hu Liena stepped forward lightly and bowed to Bibi Dong.
"Teacher, this matter may... have some connection to our Spirit Hall Empire."
"Oh?"
Bibi Dong finally showed a flicker of interest, raising her phoenix eyes to her most prized disciple.
Hu Liena took out a file and presented it.
"I just consulted the empire's old records. Many years ago, this Heaven Dou City Lord held a nominal post at our Spirit Hall's Theory Institute."
"And..."
Hu Liena paused before speaking softly.
"His name is Ning Lin."
"According to the records, you personally ordered that an exception be made to grant him an audience."
Buzz!
The instant the name "Ning Lin" reached her ears, Bibi Dong felt as though something had exploded inside her mind.
Scenes that had lain buried in dust for years, their details long blurred, abruptly became crystal clear.
For the first time, her seemingly eternal composure wavered violently.
"Ning Lin..."
She murmured the name without thinking.
The next moment.
A sharp swish rang out.
Bibi Dong sprang to her feet, the base of her scepter striking the floor with a clear ring.
For the first time, imperial majesty faded from her noble phoenix eyes, leaving only startled uncertainty and tangled emotions.
"Go and see!"
Hu Liena was startled by her teacher's sudden reaction and stood there in a daze.
Go... where?
To Heaven Dou City?
For some obscure minor city lord?
Bibi Dong seemed to realize that she had lost her composure. Taking a deep breath, she forcibly suppressed the turmoil in her heart and regained her imperial bearing.
She looked at Hu Liena and spoke in an authoritative tone.
"After all, this man came from our Spirit Hall."
"Even if he only held a nominal post, he is still one of our Spirit Hall Empire's people."
"Tang San intends to behead him publicly without even questioning him. Clearly, he means to use this to establish his authority and slap our Spirit Hall Empire in the face."
"I would like to see whether Tang San has the courage!"
Her words were perfectly reasonable, brimming with the domineering authority of an empress.
"Yes! A wise decision, Teacher!"
Hu Liena dared not dwell on it and hurriedly bowed in acknowledgment.
"I'll make the preparations at once!"
Soon, Hu Liena and the Red-Clothed Cardinal withdrew from the hall.
Bibi Dong was left alone in the vast, empty Papal Hall.
She slowly sat back upon her throne. The imposing aura she had forced herself to maintain dissipated completely.
She raised a delicate hand and gently rubbed her temple, memories churning through her mind, her heart tangled like a skein of thread.
Could it really... just be a coincidence that they share the same name?
No.
It couldn't be.
That name, that face, those clear eyes that seemed to see through everything...
How could I ever forget?
The tide of memory carried her back to that sunlit afternoon.
Spirit Hall, the private training grounds on the rear mountain.
Still young then, she had just finished an intense session of soul power training and was sitting cross-legged, regulating her breathing.
Just then, slightly hurried footsteps approached from the distance.
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