Refusing a Master (Revised)

"How dare you!"

A slightly angry female voice rang out from above. Yue Guan and Gui Mei looked as though they had seen a ghost and hurriedly bowed. "Greetings, Your Holiness!"

The Pope...

Tang Yue raised her eyes. Before her stood a beautiful, noble woman.

She was tall and slender, dressed in a brilliant golden gown that fit her perfectly from head to toe. The dazzling gown glittered with more than a hundred red, blue, and gold gemstones. The Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown atop her head radiated countless rays of light, and she held a scepter roughly two meters long, studded with innumerable gems.

Her fair skin and nearly flawless features made her seem utterly extraordinary, especially the intangible air of nobility and sanctity she exuded. Every beautiful word seemed suited to this woman. Though she was no longer young, time seemed to have left no trace upon her.

This was the current Pope, Bibi Dong.

Seeing Bibi Dong in the flesh for the first time, Tang Yue felt a little excited from the bottom of her heart. After all, this beautiful auntie really was beautiful.

Unfortunately, she was hopelessly love-addled.

For the sake of a worthless man, she wanted to betray Spirit Hall, which had raised her and lavished resources upon her.

Honestly, how was that any different from being a white-eyed wolf, biting the hand that fed her?

Beauty could not determine everything. Tang Yue believed that nipping a woman like this in the bud was the right choice.

Of course, she did not approve of Qian Xunji's methods either. Using such filthy means to keep this woman was no different from digging his own grave. Still, under those circumstances, any method would seemingly have been futile.

After all, someone determined to dig up wild greens for love could not be saved.

"Where did this brat come from? You dared to attack the Saintess? Do you have a death wish?"

Bibi Dong's cold voice rang out. The pressure she exerted made Tang Yue's knees begin to bend. Her icy eyes fixed on Tang Yue, her authority imposing even without anger. It was not hard to tell that she intended to kill her.

Watching from the side, Yue Guan wanted to step forward and stop her, but feared Bibi Dong would discover what he had done. The Papal Hall and Worship Hall had always been as incompatible as fire and water. Had he not truly cherished talent, he would never have done such a thing behind Bibi Dong's back.

But hadn't Bibi Dong gone to the Saintess Hall? Why had she suddenly appeared here?

At Bibi Dong's words, Tang Yue's lips curled slightly, finding them rather ironic. "Your Holiness, the Saintess and I agreed to a fair, unrestricted duel. How has that suddenly become me attacking her? Besides, my Soul Power is only at level thirty-two, while hers is at level forty-two. If anything, she was bullying me. How could I be the one attacking her?"

Hu Liena's Soul Power Level overwhelmingly surpassed Tang Yue's. That was an indisputable fact. Only then did Bibi Dong realize that Tang Yue was merely a three-ring Soul Elder.

"A Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring..."

Bibi Dong frowned slightly, somewhat surprised.

How had this child managed to obtain a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as her third ring?

Bibi Dong lowered her gaze, staring thoughtfully at the girl nearby, her eyes full of scrutiny.

Tang Yue carried an aura that repulsed her intensely. It resembled the Angel God's aura. If her guess was correct, this child's Martial Soul should be light-attributed.

Yet those eyes of hers felt somewhat familiar to Bibi Dong.

But this was not the time to discuss that.

Knowing Hu Liena was in the wrong, Bibi Dong decided not to pursue the matter. She said coldly, "Since it was a fair duel, let it end here. Nana lost today."

Then she withdrew her pressure and lowered her eyes, seemingly considering something.

Finally feeling some relief, Tang Yue stretched her limbs and could not help stealing a few more looks at Bibi Dong.

She had to admit that Bibi Dong had some grace. A loss was a loss, and she had not said anything obnoxious about it.

Yue Guan wanted to approach and check on Tang Yue, but with Bibi Dong present, he could only communicate through his eyes. Tang Yue caught his look and gave him a reassuring expression. Only then did he breathe an inward sigh of relief.

A moment ago, he had been thinking that if Bibi Dong refused to spare Tang Yue, he would simply reveal her true identity. Throughout Spirit Hall, no one dared provoke those men in the Worship Hall, and that included Pope Bibi Dong.

"The match is over. The poison in this young lady's body will clear on its own in an hour. There's nothing left for me to do here. Your Holiness, farewell!"

Tang Yue did not intend to stay long. She had only come out to familiarize herself with Spirit Hall's layout. Encountering Bibi Dong today had been entirely unexpected. While Bibi Dong was still in a reasonably good mood, she needed to make a quick getaway.

"Wait."

She had only just turned around when Bibi Dong's voice sounded beside her ear.

Tang Yue stopped. In the next instant, Bibi Dong appeared in front of her.

Her tall figure blocked the sunlight, forcing Tang Yue to look up at her. Confusion showed in her eyes as she asked, "Your Holiness, is there anything else?"

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Tang Yue."

Tang Yue answered, involuntarily glancing at Yue Guan beside them.

Yue Guan shook his head almost imperceptibly, and Tang Yue understood. So Bibi Dong intended to bring her under her command?

"Tang Yue." Bibi Dong repeated the name under her breath twice. "Have you joined a sect?"

"No."

No?

Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes slightly and considered it before saying, "Good. Tang Yue, since you haven't joined a sect, why not join Spirit Hall? As its Pope, I can provide you with endless resources. Why not become my disciple? What do you say?"

"..."

Tang Yue pursed her lips. I'm not taking some love-addled woman as my master. Without hesitation, she refused. "I don't want to."

"?"

Bibi Dong's expression stiffened, and her brows furrowed slightly. The temperature around her dropped to freezing, and her grip on her scepter tightened. "Why?"

Her tone was demanding.

A mere Soul Elder-who had given her the courage to say "I don't want to"?

Had Tang Yue not possessed a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, Bibi Dong would have killed her the moment she intended to attack Hu Liena.

Tang Yue also saw the murderous intent in Bibi Dong's eyes. Having read the original novel, she knew all too well what sort of person Bibi Dong was.

Just a madwoman. Aside from gaining a master who was pleasing to the eye, what else would becoming her disciple offer?

Whatever Bibi Dong could give her, Qian Daoliu could give her too. But what Qian Daoliu could give her was not necessarily something Bibi Dong could offer.

Tang Yue understood that calculation perfectly well.

She blinked and smiled faintly. "There's no reason."

"No reason?"

What an arrogant child.

Feeling that her dignity as Pope had been challenged, Bibi Dong curled her lips slightly. Coldness radiated from her beautiful eyes. A moment later, the powerful aura of a Titled Douluo surged straight at Tang Yue. Bibi Dong's golden scepter lightly struck the ground. Tang Yue's eyes trembled, and her waist abruptly bent. That sensation of her soul being torn away...

Bibi Dong wanted to kill her?!

"Since you refuse to submit, then sleep."

The broader Bibi Dong's smile grew, the stronger the pressure on Tang Yue became. A faint pain pierced her heart, and her knees abruptly buckled. She released the Soul Power of her three rings, her black Soul Ring stubbornly resisting the crushing pressure. But even as she fought with all her strength, how could a Soul Elder contend with a Titled Douluo?

Crack-

Cracks began appearing in the Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. Tang Yue's heart lurched, and a brilliant rainbow suddenly appeared before her eyes. Her pupils trembled. Just as she was about to fall to her knees, the air suddenly froze. Ice-blue snowflakes drifted from the sky beneath the blazing sun. Bibi Dong's eyes widened slightly, and she hurriedly swept Hu Liena into her arms and leaped onto the raised platform.

Yue Guan and Gui Mei also flashed behind Bibi Dong. With the pressure withdrawn, Tang Yue's body instantly felt lighter, but her weakened legs could no longer hold her steady. Her vision went black, and she pitched forward.

Before losing consciousness, she seemed to see someone rushing toward her. But before she could reach out, her eyes closed.

"Xiao Yue'er!"

Ice Wings flashed before Bibi Dong's eyes. Moving as fast as he could, Guang Ling caught Tang Yue just before she hit the ground. He knelt on one knee with her in his arms, while everything within a hundred meters was blanketed in ice and snow!