"Elder sister?"
Upon hearing this address, Bibi Dong was stunned for a moment, then a flash of anger appeared in her eyes.
"Okay, very good."
Her voice betrayed no emotion, "From now on, you must call me that."
Qian Renxue crossed her arms and raised her chin. "Speak, what brings you here this time?"
Before Bibi Dong could answer, she continued speaking to herself with considerable certainty, "Let me guess, it's most likely related to Lin Mo."
"If it involves Lin Mo, no matter what it is, I will not agree."
At this point, Qian Renxue's eyes sharpened, and her tone became resolute, leaving Bibi Dong no room for negotiation.
"And not only that,"
Qian Renxue took a small step forward. "If I find out you still dare to lay a hand on Lin Mo, don't blame me for going to ask Grandpa for help."
Whether you'll still be able to hold onto your position as Pope by then is anyone's guess!
"Okay, very good."
Bibi Dong was so angry that she laughed instead.
All the arguments she had prepared were now shut down by Qian Renxue's words.
A surge of Evil Fire welled up in her chest.
She stared at Qian Renxue's face, which bore a resemblance to her own, and a ridiculous thought suddenly popped into her mind, "You're so protective of him, could it be that you've taken a liking to that Lin Mo?"
Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue showed no embarrassment or panic; instead, a nearly Taunt smile appeared on her face.
"So what if I didn't like him? So what if I did?" she retorted, her tone calm and almost matter-of-fact. "Is there anyone in this world more worthy of me Lin Mo?"
"Talent, ability, appearance, background----"
She listed them off one by one, "If you take any of these individually, I don't think I'd lose to anyone!"
Qian Renxue's gaze returned to Bibi Dong, carrying an air of grand pronouncement!
"Judging solely from talent and ability, the two of us are the most well-matched couple!"
"The perfect match!"
Qian Renxue emphasized again, "If I become the Empress of the Heaven Dou Empire in the future, then Lin Mo should be the Empress standing behind me."
She glanced at Bibi Dong's increasingly grim expression. "As for those two little girls beside him—I've never considered them rivals."
These words did not come entirely from her true feelings.
More than anything, it was to shut up Bibi Dong, and to assert her sovereignty over Lin Mo in front of this nominal older sister, who was actually her mother.
She would never allow anyone else to easily touch the people she set her sights on, not even Pope Bibi Dong!
She had already made up her mind that, whether as the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, or as the true identity of Qian Renxue, the young master of the Spirit Hall, she had to win over Lin Mo, this unprecedented genius, and make him her own.
This concerns her future career.
But deep down, without even Frisk it herself, she somewhat agreed with these words that were almost a declaration of sovereignty.
If she hadn't subconsciously already believed that only Lin Mo was worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with her, how could she, with her pride ingrained in her bones, have uttered these words so without thinking?
"What? What did you say?"
Bibi Dong's gaze suddenly turned extremely sharp, and her Titled Douluo- level pressure was released without warning, pressing down hard on Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue groaned, her feet uncontrollably retreating several steps before she could barely regain her balance.
His blood and qi were churning inside his body, and his face turned slightly pale.
Even so, she stood tall, without bowing her head or yielding.
Those eyes, so similar to Bibi Dong's, were now Lengleng fixed on her.
Qian Renxue looked at the woman in front of her, the "sister" she called herself, but in reality—her mother.
Qian Renxue's feelings towards Bibi Dong were so complex that even she herself couldn't explain them.
There was Spite, confusion, and a trace of Covet that even she herself was unwilling to admit— Covet for maternal love.
It was precisely because of this complicated and tangled relationship that she was unwilling to face Bibi Dong too much.
After an unknown amount of time, Bibi Dong was the first to look away. It was as if all her strength had been drained away in an instant, and the oppressive aura around her dissipated instantly.
In the end, she still couldn't bring herself to be truly cruel to her.
"You—go."
His voice carried a deep weariness.
Qian Renxue pursed her lips, neither looking at her nor saying another word, then turned and walked towards the door.
"Boom"
The door was slammed shut, as if separating the inside from the outside world.
As the sound of the door closing faded, Bibi Dong felt as if all her strength had been drained away.
He slumped in the large Pope throne, one hand weakly supporting his forehead.
On that delicate face, besides exhaustion, there was only a rare look of bewilderment.
Since Qian Renxue was unwilling to agree and even went so far as to use Qian Daoliu as a threat, there was nothing she could do.
Moreover—this daughter, whom she had never publicly acknowledged, and whom she had never even bothered to look at.
Deep down, Bibi Dong still harbored a sense of guilt that she herself was unwilling to delve into.
What happened back then was neither my fault nor hers.
She was simply taking the blame for that person's unwarranted Frustration and hatred.
Time flew by, and the next day arrived quickly.
The square in the Pope Hall is no longer as empty as it was yesterday.
In the VIP section, Pope Bibi Dong, who had come to watch the battle yesterday, along with several Titled Douluo and Ning Fengzhi, were all seated.
Along with the three Soul Bone that were awarded as the champion's prize, they had already been placed on a red brocade tray next to the VIP seats.
The audience seats extending on both sides were completely full, and the atmosphere was bustling with noise.
After yesterday's thrilling individual elimination rounds, everyone is filled with unprecedented anticipation for today's final showdown.
The Spirit Hall Academy Team and the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team, the two teams that will compete for the final championship, are now standing on opposite sides of the arena.
Unlike the high spirits of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the atmosphere on the Spirit Hall Academy Team's side was noticeably more subdued.
The reason is simple.
I hit Lin Mo, really?
This thought had crossed each of their minds more than once.
The scene yesterday where the fire-breathing dragon crushed Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer is deeply etched in the minds of all who witnessed it.
Even though Xie Yue and Hu Liena possess Martial Soul Fusion Skill and have the apparent strength to contend with Soul Emperor, they still couldn't help but feel apprehensive in the face of such an opponent.
"The final round of the Continental Elite Tournament of Advanced Soul Master Academy is now beginning!"
The referee's booming voice echoed throughout the square, "Both teams, get ready! The match will officially begin in fifteen minutes!"
As the referee finished speaking, both teams turned around and headed to their respective rest areas to make their final preparations for the match.