Spirit City, Worship Hall.
Through her tears, Qian Renxue told Qian Daoliu every detail of the grievances she had suffered over the years.
She did not understand why everything she did seemed wrong in Bibi Dong's eyes.
Yet what about Jiang Huai and Hu Liena?
They were merely two disciples,
so why did they deserve Bibi Dong's endless love?
Who was her actual daughter, anyway?
"Alas, Xiao Xue, the matters involved are far too complicated."
"Bibi Dong has her reasons for doing this, too."
That same answer again. Qian Renxue only felt even more wronged.
"Grandfather, what exactly is so bad about me that I deserve to be treated like this?"
"Why? Just why?"
Qian Daoliu closed his eyes in anguish, feeling his temples throb.
If he told Qian Renxue about those things, it would inevitably leave a flaw in her state of mind, making it even harder for her to pass the Angel God Trial smoothly in the future.
Qian Daoliu heaved a heavy sigh, seeming to age considerably in that moment.
It was all the evil his unfilial son had wrought!
"Alas, Xue'er, return to Heaven Dou City and complete your mission as soon as possible."
"When the time is right, I will tell you myself."
Soon, with Bibi Dong and the powerful worshippers leading the way,
hunting down that Sea Princess of over six hundred thousand years proved somewhat troublesome, but ultimately posed no major problem.
After several days and nights of bloody battle, rivers of blood ran through the entire Ice Sea, with countless merfolk corpses floating upon it.
"You damned heretics!"
"The great Lord Sea God will never let you off!"
Seeing her people almost entirely killed or wounded, the Sea Princess let out a final mournful cry.
Bibi Dong, however, merely smiled in disdain.
What did a mere Sea God amount to?
Who wasn't a god's inheritor?
As long as her beloved disciple's future cultivation path could be a smooth road, she, Bibi Dong, would spare no cost!
The presence of the Death Spider Emperor vanished in an instant, replaced by the even colder, more sinister Soul Devouring Spider Emperor!
Back then, she had relied on this very Martial Soul to devour that evil Qian Xunji completely,
so although the Sea Princess's attributes leaned more toward spiritual power, she was not entirely incompatible with her Soul Devouring Spider Emperor Martial Soul, not to mention that her age reached a full six hundred thousand years!
The next second, six black Soul Rings and one red Soul Ring circled beneath Bibi Dong's feet, and the one in the Sixth Soul Ring position flickered faintly!
"Sea Princess, you had better drop a suitable spiritual-type skull bone for me."
"Otherwise, I will continue slaughtering your remaining people until they drop what I want!"
"Sixth Soul Skill, Eternal Wound!"
With Bibi Dong's furious shout, the sharp Spider Spears shot straight toward the Sea Princess's face with the might to shatter everything!
"You..."
Even with her cultivation of over six hundred thousand years, the Sea Princess was now a spent arrow.
Looking at her people all around her, nearly wiped out, she was utterly grief-stricken!
Yet there was no time to hesitate,
and in an instant, the sharp Spider Spears shattered the Sea Princess's body, causing her vitality to drain away rapidly.
In her dying moments, to preserve her remaining people, the Sea Princess pleaded somewhat humbly,
"H-human."
"If I am willing to sacrifice myself to you and leave you the Head Soul Bone you want, could you spare my remaining people?"
Hmm?
Such a good thing could happen?
Bibi Dong could hardly ask for more.
The Seventh Soul Ring on her Soul Devouring Spider Emperor had come from the Soft Bone Rabbit in the Star Dou Great Forest sacrificing herself to her years ago.
The benefits she herself had gained were far greater than those she had received from the Ninth Soul Ring on her Death Spider Emperor!
Besides, simply killing a beast for its bone really might not yield a top-grade spiritual-type skull bone.
"Very well. I agree."
"But do not even think about hiding your remnant soul inside the Soul Bone."
"My Soul Devouring Spider Emperor can devour all souls. If you really do that, you will merely be providing it with another mouthful of food."
She had even considered that?
The Sea Princess's heart was filled with desolation.
But things had come to this, and the Sea Princess had no other choice!
Dazzling red light burst from her body, transforming into a terrifying special magnetic field that sealed off the surroundings.
Immediately afterward, the Sea Princess's power poured out in an unending stream, surging madly into Bibi Dong's body.
Beneath her feet, an eighth Soul Ring, crimson as blood, was slowly taking shape.
"Second Brother, this woman won't break through to that level, will she?"
Azure Luan Douluo spoke thoughtfully.
"Hard to say."
Golden Crocodile Douluo spoke with a somewhat unnatural expression,
"Breaking through from rank ninety-eight to rank ninety-nine isn't something that can be accomplished smoothly with just the power inside a Soul Ring."
"But... even if she fails to break through this time,
given the Supreme Pontiff's foundations, once she fills that final vacant Soul Ring slot, breaking through to rank ninety-nine will presumably be a certainty."
For a moment, the worshippers who had come along did not know whether what they had done this time was right or wrong.
If Bibi Dong also reached the limits of mortals and wanted to launch a coup against the Worship Hall, what would they do then?
Several more days passed, and Bibi Dong finally finished absorbing the Soul Ring.
Despite the suppression of the Rakshasa God Trial, the immense origin power within the six-hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring had allowed her to reach rank ninety-nine as she had wished.
Sensing her breakthrough, Bibi Dong could not suppress the upward curl of her lips no matter how she tried,
"Kekeke, I finally took this step!"
At that moment, Bibi Dong was brimming with triumphant spirit.
Starting today, the roles of attacker and defender between the Papal Hall and the Worship Hall had reversed!
She would spare no cost to push her precious disciple into the position of Holy Son!
Then, in a flash, Bibi Dong arrived beside the Sea Princess's corpse and retrieved a translucent, crystalline Soul Bone of over six hundred thousand years from it.
At the thought of what terrifying heights her precious disciple's spiritual power might reach after absorbing this Soul Bone, Bibi Dong grew so excited that she could barely contain herself.
A ten-thousand-year fourth ring?
No!
Even a ten-thousand-year third ring was something to look forward to!
Once Xiao Jiang Huai has been raised for a few more years, perhaps I can...
An unnatural blush flashed across Bibi Dong's cheeks.
After regaining the composure befitting a Supreme Pontiff, Dongzi spoke.
"With this matter settled, all of you should return with me."
"Once my beloved disciple has absorbed this Soul Bone, when I nominate him as Holy Son, I hope none of you will make things difficult for me, Bibi Dong!"