Love and hate

Spirit City, the Papal Hall.

Qian Renxue walked up the steps in front of the Papal Hall, her footsteps somewhat heavy.

She had originally intended to return straight to the Heaven Dou Empire, but when she reached the city gates, Yue Guan, who served at Bibi Dong's side, came with a message. Bibi Dong had agreed to see her, but would only meet her in the main hall.

The main hall was usually reserved for receiving foreign guests. What that implied went without saying, but Qian Renxue did not mind. Simply being able to see her was enough.

Dressed in formal robes, Bibi Dong sat at the head of the hall with a scepter in her hand, resting with her eyes closed. As Qian Renxue slowly entered from outside, she said coldly, "You're here."

Qian Renxue knelt on the floor and lowered her head. "Mother."

At that word, Bibi Dong's face immediately filled with disgust. "Don't call me Mother," she snapped.

"...Yes, Your Holiness."

"I heard you wanted to see me a few days ago. Speak. What is it?"

Qian Renxue raised her head. "I only wanted to report my plans for what comes next. Xue Qinghe is already at level twenty-nine and will soon break through. I intend to act while he is out hunting for a soul ring and take his place. After that, I'm afraid I won't have another chance to return until the plan is complete. It could be five years, or even ten."

Bibi Dong remained unmoved. "What does that have to do with me? If Qian Daoliu is willing to support you, that's his business. If you came seeking my help, you've come to the wrong person."

"No, I don't need your help, Your Holiness. I only wanted to see you one more time." Qian Renxue gazed at Bibi Dong, facing her icy expression and listening to her cold words. Hurt filled her heart, and her eyes reddened despite herself, though she quickly brought her emotions under control.

"Oh. Well, you've seen me now. Can you leave?" Bibi Dong remained utterly cold.

"..." Qian Renxue opened her mouth as though she wanted to say something, but no sound came out. She rose, bowed deeply, and withdrew.

Bibi Dong's heart was nowhere near as cold as she appeared. Qian Renxue was her own flesh and blood, and no mother could truly hate her own child. Yet she had been born because that bastard Qian Xunji had forced himself on her. The two extremes of love and hatred intertwined, and even with her heaven-reaching cultivation, Bibi Dong could not keep her emotions from surging.

As she watched Qian Renxue's lonely figure retreat, the pressure radiating from her rose with her spiraling emotions, gradually spreading throughout the Papal Hall.

Qian Renxue looked back and saw Bibi Dong's body trembling, thick black energy pouring from her.

"What are you looking at? Get out!" Seeing Qian Renxue stop and witness her loss of composure, Bibi Dong flew into a rage. She snatched up a priceless Glazed Glass Cup beside her and hurled it at her.

Qian Renxue neither dodged nor summoned soul power to defend herself. She let the Glazed Glass Cup strike her and shatter. Its sharp fragments sliced her delicate skin, drawing crimson blood, but she seemed not to notice. She merely stared blankly at Bibi Dong as she grew increasingly crazed.

Mother and daughter were linked at heart. In that moment, she sensed the tangled emotions within Bibi Dong. Although she did not know what had given rise to such immense hatred, she knew that Bibi Dong still had feelings for her.

That was enough.

A faint smile appeared on Qian Renxue's face. She bowed once more, then left the Papal Hall.

Once Qian Renxue was gone, Bibi Dong could no longer hold herself back. She hurled away the scepter in her hand, then smashed the rare treasures around her to pieces before falling to her knees, two streams of tears spilling down her face.

Why...why had something so agonizing happened to me? That bastard Qian Xunji had been dead for so long. Why could I still not open my heart and accept Qian Renxue?

Bibi Dong had spent ten years searching for the answer to that question, but clearly, she could not find it.

After an unknown length of time, Bibi Dong slowly stood, straightened her appearance, and picked up the scepter from the floor. Then she called, "Gui Mei, Yue Guan."

Two figures appeared in a flash and looked respectfully toward Bibi Dong, showing not the slightest surprise at the wreckage around them.

They were already used to it. Whenever they sensed Bibi Dong losing control of her emotions, they would expertly contain the pressure around the Papal Hall and stay far away, avoiding the sight of her losing her composure.

"Salas...has Salas arrived?" Bibi Dong asked.

"Your Holiness, Salas and the many bishops of the Heaven Dou District have returned to Spirit City and await your summons," Yue Guan replied. "If you wish to hold the final Imperial Audience Meeting before carrying out the infiltration of the Heaven Dou Empire that we have been discussing together over the past few weeks, we can summon all the principal elders involved at any time."

Bibi Dong returned to her seat and waved a hand. "Go. Summon everyone. This is for the glory of our Spirit Hall. It has nothing to do with Qian Renxue's plan."

Gui Mei and Yue Guan exchanged a glance and replied:

"As you command, Your Holiness."

"Big Sister Xue, you really did come here."

Qian Renxue had just descended the steps of the Papal Hall when she saw Leng Xiyue sitting to one side, waiting.

"Little Yue, what brings you here?"

Leng Xiyue had only come to try her luck. After all, there was a good chance Qian Renxue would come to the Papal Hall to try to say goodbye to Bibi Dong, and that had indeed been the case. Judging by her disheveled state, however, things did not seem to have gone well.

"Big Sister, leaving without saying goodbye isn't very ladylike. I haven't even given you your present yet."

As she spoke, Leng Xiyue handed her a large parcel.

"This is..." Qian Renxue hefted it. There seemed to be a dozen or so books inside, along with a box whose contents she could not guess.

She knew the value of Leng Xiyue's book collection. However much she coveted that precious knowledge, she had never considered taking a few books with her. After all, once she left, there was no telling when she would be able to return them.

"Trust me, Big Sister Xue. You'll need the knowledge in these books. There's also a weapon I made myself for self-defense, with instructions inside."

"Whatever you're going to do, you can't rely on the elders to protect you in every situation. With this, you basically won't need to worry about anyone below Soul Emperor," Leng Xiyue explained.

The weapon was actually a Revolver, but it was also the most technologically advanced thing she currently possessed. Leng Xiyue had built it to the specifications of McCree's fully automatic Revolver from Overwatch. It was loaded with Psionic Energy Bullets that had been compressed multiple times, and all its materials were high-grade. Its performance and power far surpassed those of an ordinary modern handgun.

Punching through a Soul King's protective astral aura would be no problem.

It had taken her a great deal of time to finish, and she had originally intended to keep it for her own protection. But she expected to remain in Spirit City for another few years, so she might as well give it to Qian Renxue, who was about to venture into a dragon's pool and a tiger's den.

As Qian Renxue accepted Leng Xiyue's parcel, a strange feeling arose in her heart. How long had it been...or perhaps no one had ever cared about her like this. Most people treated her with utmost deference, while Qian Daoliu cared more about the inheritance. He guided her cultivation but paid little attention to her growth as a person. In truth, their family bond was not particularly deep.

Leng Xiyue could be called the only friend she could truly talk to.

Qian Renxue desperately wanted to lay her cards on the table, reveal her entire plan, and ask Leng Xiyue to come with her. With the two of them discussing things together, they would surely carry it out better. But she knew she could not. Leng Xiyue's talent was excellent, and she absolutely could not let this matter hinder her development.

With that thought, all she could do was hug Leng Xiyue. Despite her countless feelings of reluctance to part, in the end, they could only condense into a few words.

"Thank you, Little Sister. Take good care of yourself."