[Demon Abyss Divine Queen] Quality: God-level
Bibi Dong's God-Level Martial Soul was called the Demon Abyss Divine Queen.
She was not a deity that had already existed, but an entirely new God-Level Martial Soul that Bibi Dong had personally created with a trace of the Sun Disc's power of ascension.
Its quality was so high that it had already reached the level of a First-Level God as recognized by the rules of the Douluo Plane, which was why it had been granted divine status.
"I'll ask you one more time."
Bibi Dong's tone was icy. "Do you intend to make an enemy of me?!"
Divine Power...
Qian Daoliu's expression was extremely grim.
There was no mistaking it. Bibi Dong really had obtained Divine Power just like his.
On the Douluo Continent, there was a special name for such beings-Demigod powerhouses!
In quantity, Bibi Dong's Divine Power still can't compare to mine as the Angel God's high priest.
But possessing Divine Power meant that Bibi Dong had a chance to fight him to the death.
If two Demigods exchanged blows, regardless of who won or lost, Spirit City would certainly be finished.
Powerful as Qian Daoliu was, his position as the Angel God's high priest bound him hand and foot.
This made it impossible for Qian Daoliu to fight Bibi Dong here.
"Phew..."
Qian Daoliu took a deep breath and helplessly withdrew his Martial Soul and Soul Power first.
"Your talent has indeed exceeded this old man's expectations."
At this, Qian Daoliu glanced toward Saintess Hall. "It's that child, isn't it? That golden disc in his hands has the power to improve the quality of Martial Souls."
Qian Daoliu truly lived up to his reputation as one of the only three peerless powerhouses remaining in the world, the Angel Douluo who was invincible in the sky.
Bibi Dong admitted that her insight and analytical ability fell short of his.
"So what if it is?"
Bibi Dong no longer concealed Luo Chen, because there was no need.
On the Douluo Continent, the strong reigned supreme.
Now that she had the strength to challenge Qian Daoliu, she could protect Luo Chen completely. There was no need to keep making a show of compliance with him.
"Let's go down first."
Qian Daoliu saw the chaos below. He had already lost any desire to fight Bibi Dong.
They were all part of Spirit Hall, and Bibi Dong was its current Pope.
If people saw the current Pope and the Pope from two generations earlier at loggerheads, there was no telling how much trouble it would cause.
"Hmph."
Seeing Qian Daoliu back down, Bibi Dong withdrew her Martial Soul as well.
The Demon Abyss Divine Queen turned back into the Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor. Bibi Dong's Soul Power began to recede, with only that Divine Power remaining.
Fusing her Twin Martial Souls only required that much trouble the first time.
Having successfully fused the Demon Abyss Divine Queen once, Bibi Dong could awaken her again whenever she wished.
"Am I a man who goes back on his word?"
Qian Daoliu noticed Bibi Dong's wariness, which displeased him greatly.
Throughout his life, Qian Daoliu had valued chivalry above all else. He would never stoop to such despicable acts as attacking from behind, striking a killing blow in secret, evading attacks, or breaking his word.
"You're decent enough!"
Bibi Dong left the rest unsaid, covertly mocking how Qian Daoliu had been open and upright all his life, only to stumble over his son, Qian Xunji, in the end.
"Alas..."
Qian Daoliu could find no words to refute her. "Our Qian Family has wronged you."
"There's no need to say anything unnecessary."
Bibi Dong said, "Xiao Chen is my disciple now. He belongs to the Papal Palace, and I will never yield on that!"
"Why insist...?"
Qian Daoliu really was interested in Luo Chen. "Whether it's the Papal Palace or Worship Hall, aren't they both part of our Spirit Hall?"
What exactly was the power of that golden disc?
At that moment, Qian Daoliu recalled the upheaval in heaven and earth two days earlier and could not help asking, "Was that phenomenon of shifting stars a few days ago caused by this child's Martial Soul Awakening?"
"Hmph."
Bibi Dong abandoned her earlier evasiveness. With her strength as assurance, she stood much firmer. "The God-Level Martial Soul Xiao Chen awakened is far more powerful than a certain someone's angel."
"..."
Qian Daoliu rather wanted to hit someone. "Just speak. What are you making snide remarks for?"
"Since this child has joined Spirit Hall, he's one of our own."
"With such extraordinary talent, this old man couldn't be happier."
Upon hearing about a God-Level Martial Soul, Qian Daoliu's mind immediately began to turn.
Although Luo Chen had already taken Bibi Dong as his teacher, it had not been long, after all. There was still plenty of room to maneuver.
"Don't waste your efforts. I won't tell you the secret of Xiao Chen's Martial Soul."
A God-Level Martial Soul, with the powerful ability to improve the quality of a Soul Master's Martial Soul.
Those two pieces of information were already the limit of what Bibi Dong could reveal.
Bibi Dong cared deeply about Luo Chen, but she could not stay beside her disciple every moment. There would always be times when she let her guard down.
Therefore, it was necessary to let Qian Daoliu know of Luo Chen's talent.
"If you hope for Spirit Hall to one day unite the Douluo Continent, then don't let him come to any harm!"
"Hmm?"
Qian Daoliu wanted to ask more, but Bibi Dong vanished directly before him.
"Unite Douluo..."
Qian Daoliu murmured those words, his curiosity about Luo Chen growing ever stronger. "With Bibi Dong around, I'm afraid it'll be very difficult to approach that child."
He had figured it out: Luo Chen was the fuse to the bomb that was Bibi Dong.
Touch him, and Bibi Dong would absolutely fight him to the death.
"Could this boy really be Bibi Dong's illegitimate son?"
Qian Daoliu could no longer tell at all.
Bibi Dong's feelings toward Luo Chen were simply too unusual.
Not even a dog would believe there was no connection.
But if Luo Chen really was Bibi Dong's child, the timing did not quite line up.
"Alas, whether he is or not, my poor Xiao Xue."
Compared to Luo Chen, Qian Renxue might as well have been picked out of a trash can.
No, perhaps Bibi Dong had thrown Qian Renxue into the trash can herself.
"If only Bibi Dong could treat Xiao Xue the way she treats that child..."
With that sigh, Qian Daoliu returned to Worship Hall. The moment he landed, he saw the other six enshrined elders, along with that petite figure.
"Grandpa!"
"Big brother!"
"Boss!"
Qian Renxue and the six enshrined elders came forward, asking what had just happened.
"Was that Bibi Dong fighting you just now, big brother?"
Light Feather Douluo, who looked like a youth, wore an expression of utter shock. "When did she become so strong?"
The Soul Power pressure Bibi Dong had released earlier had made even them, the enshrined elders, tremble with fear.
Can't beat her. Absolutely can't beat her!
Light Feather Douluo decisively followed his heart, secretly swearing never to oppose that madwoman Bibi Dong again.
"Grandpa, why did you start fighting with Mom?"
Qian Renxue was deeply conflicted now. On one side was the grandfather who doted on her most, and on the other was her birth mother.
If either of them got hurt, her heart would ache.
Even though Qian Renxue said, "That woman isn't my mother," she was merely putting on a stubborn front.
If Bibi Dong truly took the initiative to mend their relationship, Xiao Xue'er would absolutely throw herself at her and call "Mom, Mom" without stopping.
"Xiao Xue..."
Looking at his granddaughter, a thought suddenly surfaced in Qian Daoliu's mind. That child Bibi Dong brought back-if my senses weren't mistaken, his Soul Power has reached at least rank 30.
At six years old, he awakened a God-Level Martial Soul and possessed rank-30 Innate Soul Power.
Thinking of it this way, Luo Chen's talent surpassed even that of the granddaughter he valued most. Such talent, and he's Bibi Dong's disciple...
For some inexplicable reason, Qian Daoliu thought of Qian Renxue's marriage.
However, Qian Daoliu did not dwell on it. He knew his granddaughter had a mind of her own. Qian Renxue would certainly never agree to a marriage he chose for her.
"Xiao Xue, your mother and I had a disagreement. It started because of a boy she brought back."
Knowing that was one thing, but Qian Daoliu still intended to give it a try.
Yes, he would start by letting Qian Renxue know of Luo Chen's existence.
"A b-boy?!"
Qian Renxue was only nine, but children on the Douluo Continent matured early. Upon hearing about a child, the little angel's first thought was an illegitimate son.
If Bibi Dong had had a child outside, Xiao Xue'er could understand why Qian Daoliu would be so angry.
"C-could he be my little brother?"
"..."
Qian Daoliu felt rather awkward. He did not blame Qian Renxue for thinking that, because she was far from the only one with that idea. Even he had entertained the thought.
Fortunately, judging by Qian Renxue's reaction, she did not seem particularly opposed to having a little brother.
"Xiao Xue, aren't you angry?"
"Hmm..."
Qian Renxue thought for a moment and said, "It's a little unexpected."
Qian Renxue realized that she did not seem to feel anger or anything of the sort.
Rather, at the prospect of having another family member, and a little brother at that, Qian Renxue felt more curiosity and pleasant surprise.
"Where's my little brother?"
Qian Renxue had all but accepted it as fact that Luo Chen was Bibi Dong's illegitimate son.
"Ahem."
"Well, Xiao Xue, his identity isn't certain yet."
Realizing that Xiao Xue'er had gotten the wrong idea, Qian Daoliu hurriedly explained, "Grandpa thinks he probably isn't an illegitimate son. After all, the timing doesn't quite line up."
He roughly explained Luo Chen's age and when Bibi Dong had gone to Slaughter City to his granddaughter.
Of course, Qian Daoliu did not know exactly how old Luo Chen was.
Not unless he personally examined his bones to determine his bone age.
Otherwise, the matter of Luo Chen being Bibi Dong's illegitimate son was like Schrödinger's cat.
As long as you could not prove he was not, the possibility remained that he was!
"Actually, it'd be better if he weren't."
Thinking this, Qian Daoliu could not help murmuring it aloud.
"Huh?"
Xiao Xue'er was puzzled. "Why?"
"Uh..."
Naturally, Qian Daoliu could not say that if Luo Chen was not Qian Renxue's little brother, the two of them could be together.
But how could Qian Daoliu possibly say such a thing?
Helpless, Qian Daoliu could only tell Qian Renxue how Bibi Dong doted on Luo Chen, and how she had even dared to break with him to keep him from hurting the boy.
"What?!"
At that moment, Xiao Xue'er was utterly beside herself. "How could she do that?!"
Jealousy made her cells pull away from their walls.
"Why?"
Qian Renxue clenched her little fists and gritted her teeth, only then holding back the tears in her eyes. "I-I'm her daughter too! Why is she so good to my little brother, but completely ignores me?"
Could Bibi Dong favor boys over girls?
Otherwise, how could anyone explain why Bibi Dong treated her son so well, while looking as though she wanted nothing more than to stuff her daughter into a trash can?!
Aah!
Xiao Xue'er admitted that she was incredibly envious of Luo Chen. I'm so mad!
"Xiao Xue, Xiao Xue, calm down."
Qian Daoliu repeatedly soothed her, only then keeping Qian Renxue from turning into a little crybaby. "We still can't be certain he's your little brother."
Qian Daoliu rather wanted to slap himself twice. Why had he brought up something with no evidence behind it?
Luo Chen could not possibly be Bibi Dong's child.
"Grandpa, you're lying!"
Qian Renxue said, "She was ready to fight you to the death for that child! Would you believe it if he weren't her own son?!"
"I..."
Qian Daoliu truly could not refute that.
"No, I have to go see."
At the thought that her mother had brought back a little brother and showered him with care, Qian Renxue wanted nothing more than to rush before Bibi Dong and demand to know why she treated her this way.
And then there was Luo Chen. She intended to take a good look at just what this little brother was capable of to make Bibi Dong dote on him like this.
"Xue'er?"
"Xue'er, where are you going?!"
Seeing Qian Renxue soar into the sky after activating Martial Soul Possession, Qian Daoliu was immediately at a loss.
He wanted to stop her, but what right did he have to stop a daughter from seeking justice from her mother?
"Alas!"
"What a misfortune for our family."
If not for that bastard Qian Xunji, how would he ever have ended up facing something like this?
Inwardly cursing his son for screwing over his own father, Qian Daoliu could only follow his granddaughter.
He feared Xiao Xue'er might say something that enraged Bibi Dong and then get beaten to death by that madwoman.
"Xiao Chen."
Meanwhile, Bibi Dong had returned to the bedchamber in the Saintess Hall. She gazed tenderly at Luo Chen. "Thanks to you, your teacher was finally able to vent this pent-up anger."
Standing toe-to-toe with Qian Daoliu was something Bibi Dong would never even have dared imagine before.
Yet today, she had done it. She had truly forced Qian Daoliu to bow his head and compromise.
"Let's see if that old fossil still dares to throw his weight around in front of me on the strength of his cultivation."
Bibi Dong knew very well that being able to hold her head high at last was entirely thanks to Luo Chen.
This disciple of hers was simply a gift bestowed on her by heaven, compensation for her tragic life.
"As long as you're all right, Teacher."
Luo Chen's caring words reached her ears like a warm current flowing through her chest, making Bibi Dong feel so comforted that her heart nearly melted.
Were it not for Luo Chen's terribly frail body, Bibi Dong would absolutely have gathered him into her arms and lavished affection on him.
"This place is no longer fit to live in."
Soon, Bibi Dong noticed the extensive damage at the entrance to the bedchamber.
Because of Qian Xunji, she loathed her new quarters in the Papal Palace, so she had continued living in her own Saintess Hall for the past two months.
Now, however, Bibi Dong could not possibly let Luo Chen live in a damaged house.
Even if only the entrance was damaged, Bibi Dong could not tolerate it.
She wanted to give Luo Chen the best.
Whether it was clothing, food, housing, transportation, or anything else.
Bibi Dong wanted to fulfill a mother's duties through Luo Chen.
Fortunately, the Papal Palace was vast, and Qian Xunji's room was not the only one in it.
"From now on, Xiao Chen, you'll live with your teacher."
Bibi Dong's reason was also unassailable: to prevent the poison in Luo Chen's body from flaring up again.
With her beside him, she could immediately neutralize his poison if anything happened.
"All right."
Luo Chen smiled faintly. "Then I'm sorry for the trouble, Teacher."
"Oh, you."
Bibi Dong was quite dissatisfied with Luo Chen's attitude. "You mustn't be so polite with your teacher."
Right now, she wished Luo Chen would be a little more willful and make all sorts of demands.
As for repayment...
If this child would just act a little spoiled with her, Bibi Dong would be perfectly content.
(End of chapter)