He came!
He really came!
He was covered in wounds...
Was it all to see me?
Seeing the wounds covering Ning Lin, Bibi Dong's eyes instantly reddened.
She did not need to think to know that this was absolutely her teacher's handiwork!
In an instant, her gaze toward Qian Xunji filled with loathing.
As for Yu Xiaogang, he was completely dumbstruck.
His mouth hung open as he stared blankly at the man who looked as though he had been dragged out of a pool of blood, his mind utterly empty.
He... how dare he?
How dare he force his way into the Pope's Hall?!
This was the center of Spirit Hall's power! The most sacred and majestic place on the entire continent!
This madman!
Then, an even more frightening thought rose in his mind.
Not only did he dare to break in, he had actually fought his way here!
What happened to the experts His Holiness the Pope sent out?
Twelve Soul Emperors!
They could not even stop a single Soul King?
And compared with him, Yu Xiaogang was a useless wretch whose martial soul could not even break past level thirty, who could only deceive people with glib words...
A fierce wave of jealousy and resentment surged through him, threatening to swallow him whole.
Why?!
This world was too unfair!
"Your Holiness!"
Yu Xiaogang completely lost his composure. Pointing at Ning Lin, he screamed himself hoarse.
"This man has trespassed into the Pope's Hall and shown utter disregard for rank! He deserves ten thousand deaths!"
"Please give the order at once, Your Holiness, and have him executed on the spot!"
He wanted Ning Lin dead!
Now, immediately, this very instant!
Qian Xunji paid no attention to his clamoring.
His gaze remained fixed on Ning Lin.
This young man was no ordinary person.
His talent, strength, and courage all far surpassed those of ordinary people.
He was worth cultivating.
What a pity... he had gotten entangled with Bibi Dong.
Then he could not be allowed to live.
A flash of killing intent passed through Qian Xunji's eyes.
Bibi Dong keenly caught that trace of killing intent. Her expression changed, and without a second thought, she rushed over, spread her arms, and planted herself firmly in front of Ning Lin.
"Teacher!"
"You cannot touch him!"
She shielded the man behind her with her own body, her beautiful phoenix eyes meeting Qian Xunji's gaze without a trace of fear.
As Ning Lin looked at the delicate figure standing before him, warmth filled his heart.
Fighting his way here had not been in vain.
Watching his most prized disciple openly defy him for another man, Qian Xunji's expression turned ugly.
But he did not lash out immediately.
He knew Bibi Dong had a fierce temperament. Killing Ning Lin by force would only push her further away.
Here in this hall, Bibi Dong was merely a Soul Emperor in the sixties, while the gravely wounded Ning Lin was even less of a concern.
The power over life and death rested entirely in his hands.
He had all the time and means he needed.
To kill a person, one must also destroy their heart.
That hypocritically gentle smile returned to Qian Xunji's face.
He looked at Ning Lin and spoke slowly.
"Young man, I admire your courage."
"But do you know how much trouble your actions today will bring upon you and the person behind you?"
"Now, I will give you a chance."
Qian Xunji turned his gaze toward Bibi Dong, who stood in front, but his words were directed at Ning Lin.
"Right now, in front of all of us, tell Bibi Dong."
"Tell her that you have never liked her."
"Tell her you approached her only to use her and steal Spirit Hall's secrets, that you had ulterior motives!"
"As long as you say it, I will not only spare your life, but also give you wealth and glory you could never exhaust."
"Well?"
What a venomous scheme!
Ning Lin sneered inwardly.
Just like in the original story, Qian Xunji loved to toy with people's hearts.
Back then, he had used similar methods to manipulate Yu Xiaogang into approaching his own cousin, Liu Erlong, ultimately bringing tragedy upon all three of them.
Now, he wanted to repeat the same old trick and shatter Bibi Dong's psychological defenses.
"Don't even think about it!"
Before Ning Lin could speak, Bibi Dong had already cried out in protest.
"Teacher! Do not force him! I believe in him!"
"Dong'er, you are too naive."
Qian Xunji shook his head, wearing an air of compassion for all mankind.
"Human hearts are treacherous. You have no idea how despicable some people can be when they want to climb higher."
His gaze locked onto Ning Lin once more.
"Speak."
Ning Lin looked at him, the corner of his mouth twitching into a mocking smile.
"You want me to play along with your act?"
"Who do you think you are?"
How could he possibly agree to such an outrageous demand?
"You refuse the offered toast, only to drink the wine of punishment."
Qian Xunji's face finally darkened.
He no longer bothered to hide his intentions.
"Since you refuse to say it yourself, I will... give you a little help."
The instant his words fell, an eerie golden gleam flashed in the depths of Qian Xunji's eyes!
An invisible, intangible force of spiritual power, so powerful it was suffocating, silently invaded Ning Lin's mind!
Angel Divine Sense!
This was a special ability inherited from the angel martial soul, enough to silently seize control of someone whose mental strength fell far below his own!
Ning Lin felt a sudden, violent pain in his head, as though a red-hot iron needle had been driven into it.
His vision went black, and his consciousness began to blur.
He fought desperately, but the gap in soul power between him and Qian Xunji was simply too vast. Like maggots clinging to bone, that spiritual force kept gnawing away at his will.
"Ning Lin?"
Bibi Dong sensed that something was wrong and turned back in concern.
Off to the side, Yu Xiaogang watched the scene with an expression of excitement and anticipation.
He knew His Holiness the Pope had made his move!
He could not wait to see Ning Lin humiliate Bibi Dong in public, then die by her own hand!
The corners of Qian Xunji's mouth lifted smugly.
Everything was under control.
Under Bibi Dong's anxious gaze, Ning Lin's once resolute eyes gradually grew vacant and bewildered.
He simply stood there, dazed, like a puppet that had lost its soul.
Below the papal throne, the atmosphere froze.
Yu Xiaogang could no longer suppress the sickening ecstasy spreading across his face.
He could almost see it already: in the next moment, this man named Ning Lin would kneel on the floor like a dog and utter the most vicious words, the ones that would stab deepest into Bibi Dong's heart.
The smile at the corners of Qian Xunji's mouth deepened. Victory was in his grasp.
No one could resist the erosion of their will by Angel Divine Sense, especially with such an overwhelming disparity in soul power.
Dong'er, my dear disciple.
Take a good look.
This is the man you chose.
Nothing but a useless wretch I can control at will.
Bibi Dong's heart, meanwhile, sank into the depths.
Looking into Ning Lin's lifeless eyes, she felt despair well up within her.
She did not blame Ning Lin.
She only hated herself, and hated that her teacher was such a vile, shameless man!
Yet.
Just when everyone thought the outcome was settled.
Deep within Ning Lin's vacant eyes, a small tongue of ghostly white flame quietly ignited.
Bone Chilling Flame!
Before you continue