Back then, after Bibi Dong obtained the Imperial Extremity Shocking the World Book, she discovered its mysteries after only a little study.
It was a wondrous book about fate, pointing straight to the principles governing the world.
Fate was such an elusive thing, yet this book allowed Bibi Dong a glimpse into its workings.
Unfortunately, Qian Xunji discovered this and scolded her, saying that only charlatans would study such things.
The book was sealed away just like that. Had Bibi Dong not argued her case, Qian Xunji might even have destroyed it.
Not long afterward, tragedy befell Bibi Dong.
Qian Xunji also met his fate.
Only then did Bibi Dong have the chance to retrieve the Imperial Extremity Shocking the World Book and devote herself to studying it. In less than three years, she mastered its mysteries.
But she was no practitioner of this path, after all. Being able to see even the broad course of fate already marked her as a genius of immense perseverance and wisdom.
Through the Imperial Extremity Shocking the World Book, Bibi Dong saw her own future in her dreams, as well as Spirit Hall's future.
Unfortunately, they were only a succession of blurry images.
In them, Bibi Dong lost to Tang San, and the Spirit Hall Empire fell short of success at the final hurdle.
Bibi Dong did not lose heart. Instead, she devoted herself even more diligently to governance and cultivated hard.
She sought to understand her feelings and bring them under control, to understand what she needed, what she wanted, and how she should act.
She wanted to defy heaven and rewrite her fate.
And now, it seemed that her efforts had indeed borne fruit.
She had disrupted Tang San's path, her daughter Qian Renxue stood on her side, and she held a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast named Xiao Wu in her hands.
With all of Spirit Hall's researchers pooling their wisdom, they would soon be able to work out a method for self-condensing soul rings.
Soul Masters would no longer have Soul Beasts holding them by the throat.
Yet Bibi Dong still had one lingering concern: Tang San.
He was very different from the one she had seen in her dreams.
In her dreams, he was sinister and cunning, with a shallow, foolish understanding of things.
He was two-faced and self-righteous, fond of judging things according to his personal likes and dislikes, and possessed all manner of petty flaws.
His only commendable qualities were his devotion to his lover, his filial respect for his parents, and the importance he placed on his companions.
He also possessed great perseverance and patience, knew how to bide his time, and sometimes stopped at nothing to achieve his ends.
Objectively speaking, he was a hypocrite.
The current Tang San knew how to restrain his desires and harbored kindness without letting it spill indiscriminately.
Judging by Qian Renxue's account, he also held others' sincere feelings in extremely high regard, even setting aside his prejudices and rejecting temptation for their sake.
"Xiao Xue, what do you think of Tang San?"
Bibi Dong asked because the blurry fragments in her dreams had told her that this dear daughter of hers had done quite a few foolish things after falling for Tang San.
"He's a very interesting kid. Once he grows up, he might be no worse than Na'er and the others. Mother, do you want to recruit him?"
Qian Renxue wondered to herself, Could Mother think I'm interested in that kid?
Impossible!
I just pay him a little attention, that's all. There's about a ten-year age gap between us.
"There's no need to recruit him. He has a reason why he will never join Spirit Hall."
Bibi Dong watched her daughter's expression. Having been through such things herself, she knew the seed had already been planted.
So she intended to dig it out before it was too late.
"Why?"
"Because he is Clear Sky Douluo's son."
Bibi Dong's words made Qian Renxue pale with shock. She had actually been working alongside her enemy's son and admired him so much.
Qian Renxue did not know her parents' past. Bibi Dong had only told her that she had been forced to marry Qian Xunji and had then given birth to her.
Qian Daoliu had helped cover up the truth as well, allowing Qian Renxue to accept Bibi Dong as her mother.
Qian Xunji had still been alive at the time, and he had not spoken of it either.
As a result, Qian Renxue retained a vague but favorable impression of her father.
When she learned of her father's death, she had even wept bitterly.
She had been told that her enemy was Clear Sky Douluo.
"But... but his Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, not the Clear Sky... Could he have twin Martial Souls?"
"No, probably not. He merely has a somewhat unusual Blue Silver Grass. For the details, you can look through the records of your father's death."
"...Pope, since you already knew Tang San was Clear Sky Douluo's son, why didn't you strangle him in his cradle?"
Qian Renxue brought her emotions under control and questioned Bibi Dong with an icy expression.
"You can go yourself. I won't stop you."
"But let me ask you: no matter how talented he is, do you think he could possibly shake Spirit Hall?"
"...Yes!" After some thought, Qian Renxue gave her answer solemnly.
Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow. She had not expected her daughter to think so highly of Tang San.
"Mother, stop dithering. Although I don't know exactly why, Tang San will definitely become a threat to Spirit Hall. Delaying action will only leave us suffering at his hands."
"Hmph. And your reason?" Bibi Dong gave a soft snort, finding her daughter's impatience laughable.
The reason Bibi Dong did not act against Tang San was simple: he was Grandmaster's disciple.
Besides, the current Tang San had changed. Bibi Dong felt there might be room to ease their differences.
But if Tang San ultimately chose to become her enemy, then let him come.
She, Bibi Dong, held fate in her grasp and possessed world-shaking wisdom. Even if a god came, she would not fear them!
Such was the confidence of Spirit Hall's peerless Pope!
"In any case, I'm going to deal with Tang San."
Qian Renxue could not explain her reasoning, but she still made her decision and rose from her seat.
"Spirit Hall will offer no assistance. You must act using your own strength."
There was a deeper meaning in Bibi Dong's words. She knew why Qian Renxue was in such a hurry.
At the end of the day, she simply wanted revenge.
But taking revenge required knowing how to bide one's time and clearly understanding both the target and the consequences.
This child was still far too impatient.
If she was willing to examine the records carefully, she would find clues. As long as she was clever enough, she would realize that her father's true killer was someone else.
Bibi Dong sighed softly. Her child was an adult now. She could do whatever she wanted.
It was also about time for Na'er to take over as team leader. Bibi Dong was very much looking forward to the Elite Tournament in a few years.
As for whether Qian Renxue really killed Tang San, that would only prove that this Tang San was unworthy of competing against her, Bibi Dong.
"Xiao Xue, where are you going?"
"Grandfather! What brings you here?"
Qian Renxue was both surprised and delighted to see Qian Daoliu.
She was delighted to see a loved one, and surprised by how perfectly timed his arrival was.
"I came to see my dear granddaughter. What are you rushing off to do?"
"Nothing..." Qian Renxue inexplicably felt a little guilty, even though she was going to avenge her father.
"If you have nothing to do, take a stroll with this old man. I happen to have a few things I'd like to discuss with you."
"Grandfather, how about another day?" Qian Renxue said awkwardly.
Qian Daoliu's gentle smile stiffened a little, and then he sighed.
"I won't allow you to kill Tang San. That would make our Qian Family look incompetent."
"But I..."
"No buts. Back then, I stood on equal footing with that fellow Tang Chen, yet our descendants have turned out worse with each generation."
"Your good-for-nothing father took dozens of men with him, yet still lost to Tang Hao."
"Now you want to bully the young with your seniority, a Soul Emperor killing a child who's only a Soul Grandmaster. You may have no shame, but this old man still does."
Qian Daoliu knew Tang San did not have the Clear Sky Hammer, but he judged him not by his Martial Soul, only by Tang Chen's bloodline.
"But avenging Father, and Spirit Hall..."
Qian Renxue wanted to argue her case, but she still lacked confidence before Qian Daoliu.
"Revenge need not be rushed. And as for Spirit Hall, you are its rightful heir, yet you want to kill a mere child. If word gets out, you can imagine the damage it would do to Spirit Hall's reputation."
Qian Renxue was left speechless and could only answer, "Yes."
"There, that's more like it. Come, train some more with your grandfather. Cultivation is like rowing against the current: if you don't advance, you fall behind."
Meanwhile, Tang San, who had escaped disaster, was running for his life alongside Ma Hongjun.
"Don't run away! Charge straight at the Iron Horse!"
"Oink, oink!"
Bang!
"Gah, Brother San, I stepped in shit!"
"Stop yelling. So did I. Dodge!"
Ah, what a wonderful time they were having training.
Before you continue