Meng Chen Was Imprisoned: A Forcibly Twisted Melon Isn't Sweet, but It Quenches Thirst

Spirit City, the Papal Hall.

Unlike the solemn grandeur people imagined, the atmosphere inside the Pope's private bedchamber was rather strange.

A snow-white velvet carpet covered the vast chamber. Meng Chen sat cross-legged on the extravagantly luxurious couch at its center.

The two golden rabbit ears atop his head drooped listlessly. His nerves were taut as he watched the beautiful woman beside the bed with wary eyes.

Bibi Dong had shed her heavy ceremonial robes and removed the Papal Crown. Her dark purple silk dress traced breathtaking curves, graceful and brimming with temptation.

She looked down at Meng Chen, unconsciously raising her slender, delicate fingers to give his fluffy golden rabbit ears another gentle squeeze.

"Have you had enough yet? You're the Pope, and you're kidnapping children and getting handsy!"

Meng Chen turned his head away indignantly, dodging her hand, his little lips pushed into a pronounced pout.

Rather than getting angry, Bibi Dong showed a rare flicker of amusement in her eyes.

Her turbulent sea of consciousness, tormented for years by the Rakshasa Divine Sense, became remarkably peaceful whenever she drew near this little fellow.

This little rabbit gleaming with golden light was nothing less than a remedy and a gift sent to her by heaven.

"Quite a stubborn little mouth you have."

Bibi Dong withdrew her hand, reclaiming the imperious, icy demeanor of the Pope.

"I will give you three days to consider."

"If you agree to stay in Spirit Hall within those three days, you may take your pick of the continent's resources. I could even personally accept you as my final disciple."

At that point, Bibi Dong paused briefly, a dangerous glimmer passing through her phoenix eyes.

"But if, after three days, you remain this defiant, determined to return to Heaven Dou and find that 'big brother' of yours... don't blame me for resorting to some uncompromising measures."

"A forcibly twisted melon isn't sweet!"

Meng Chen gritted his teeth and argued his case.

"Whether it's sweet or not, I'll know once I twist it off and taste it."

Bibi Dong snorted coldly, clearly unmoved by that argument.

With a sweep of her broad sleeve, layer upon layer of dark purple soul power rippled around the entire bedchamber, then solidified into an indestructible spatial barrier.

"Stay here and behave. I laid this soul power restraint myself. Don't even think about escaping."

Leaving him with those words, Bibi Dong turned and walked out of the bedchamber.

"Damn... she's really caged me like a pet rabbit!"

Meng Chen flopped onto his back on the soft bed, his golden rabbit ears flapping irritably against the sheets twice.

He rolled over and sprang up, mobilizing the blood energy within his body. His fist, wrapped in dense blood energy, slammed viciously into the restraint.

Boom!

The barrier did not budge. Instead, the recoil left his little hand tingling.

"No good. As I am now, there's no way I can break a Titled Douluo's restraint."

Meng Chen sighed, his golden rabbit ears trembling, then sat back down on the bed to regulate his breathing.

"For now, I can only lie low. Hopefully, once Brother Xue realizes I'm missing, he'll find a way to come rescue me soon..."

Two days later.

The Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City, the Crown Prince's Residence.

Bang!

A desk carved from the finest red sandalwood shattered under a surge of wild, raging soul power, scattering countless splinters through the hall!

"Missing?!"

Behind the desk, Qian Renxue, disguised as "Xue Qinghe," wore a frosty expression. The gentle refinement she usually feigned had vanished from her eyes, leaving only chilling murderous intent.

Below the steps, two personal Soul Master guards assigned by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family lay prostrate on the floor, trembling all over, their robes soaked with cold sweat.

"Your Highness..."

One of the Soul Masters kowtowed fearfully, his voice shaking uncontrollably.

"The young master entered the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a soul ring. We were protecting him the whole time, but..."

"You two useless fools, don't make excuses!"

Qian Renxue suddenly swept her sleeve. Unable to contain herself, she exposed her cultivation for the first time, unleashing a howling surge of soul power that knocked both imperial Soul Masters to the floor.

"I told you to follow little Chen and protect him! Yet you... two Soul Emperors actually lost him in the outer region?!"

Qian Renxue's chest heaved, towering fury surging in her golden eyes.

Meng Chen was the only person in the Cold and Lonely Heaven Dou Imperial Palace around whom she could lower her guard and be sincere.

That little fellow with his soft rabbit ears, who sweetly called her "Brother Xue," was not merely a gifted prospect she valued. He was the sole ray of light in her dark years undercover.

Now he was in danger, his fate unknown, and there had even been signs at the scene of severe injury and coughed-up blood...

"Guards! Convey my written orders and deploy the army to search. Even if you have to turn the Star Dou Great Forest upside down, you must bring him back to-"

"Young Mistress, don't act rashly!"

Before Qian Renxue could finish, a cold voice sounded beside her ear.

The air behind the hall's curtains distorted slightly, and a familiar figure quietly appeared. He was Snake Lance Douluo, She Long, one of the Titled Douluo secretly protecting Qian Renxue.

She Long strode forward, his expression unusually grave, and lowered his voice to transmit his words directly to her.

"Young Mistress, I understand how you feel, but right now... you absolutely cannot mobilize the army so openly."

Qian Renxue took a deep breath before saying coldly, "Uncle She, what exactly is going on? Little Chen's whereabouts are unknown. What could possibly be more important than finding him?!"

With a bitter smile, Snake Lance Douluo took a golden scroll bearing Spirit Hall's great seal from inside his robe and presented it to her with both hands.

"An urgent, top-secret directive from the Papal Hall. His Holiness the Pope personally ordered you to set aside all matters in the Heaven Dou Empire and secretly return to Spirit City within three days to report. No delay is permitted."

"Bibi Dong?!"

At that name, Qian Renxue clenched her fists sharply, her nails digging deep into her palms.

She hadn't summoned me before, and she couldn't summon me later. She had to choose the exact moment Meng Chen went missing. Fuck...!

"Young Mistress, His Holiness the Pope's control over Spirit Hall has grown stronger in recent years, and her words have become increasingly sharp. If you delay and defy her orders without cause, not only could the undercover plan in Heaven Dou be destroyed in a single stroke, you might even incur the Pope's displeasure. When that happens..."

Snake Lance Douluo offered his earnest counsel.

Qian Renxue bit hard into her lip, fury and reason clashing violently in her eyes.

On one side was little Chen, whom she cherished like a treasure, his life or death unknown.

On the other was the Infiltration Plan she had spent ten years undercover for, a plan tied to Spirit Hall's century-old foundations, as well as her nominal birth mother, whom she hated to the marrow yet could never circumvent.

After a long while, Qian Renxue closed her eyes, slowly drawing the restless soul power around her back into her body.

When she opened her eyes again, her usual calm and coldness had completely returned.

"Uncle She, relay my orders."

Qian Renxue's voice was so calm that it made the heart tremble.

"Mobilize all our covert operatives and deathsworn. Seal off every black market and major route surrounding the Star Dou Great Forest, and investigate little Chen's whereabouts in secret. The search must not stop."

"As for me..."

Qian Renxue abruptly turned, her white cloak sweeping a sharp arc through the hall.

"Prepare a carriage. Conceal our movements."

"Tonight, I will return to Spirit City in person!"