"Ah..."
Bibi Dong watched the hope in Luo Chen's eyes. Her gaze gradually dimmed before she shook her head regretfully. "I'm sorry, child. Your parents are no longer alive."
Perhaps out of guilt, Bibi Dong told Luo Chen about his origins.
Six years earlier, to ease the pain in her heart and escape Qian Xunji's control, Bibi Dong had chosen to train in Slaughter City.
On her way there, Bibi Dong had encountered a group of Fallen Soul Masters attacking a village.
Back then, Bibi Dong had not yet been affected by Slaughter City's viciousness or the negative emotions brought on by the Rakshasa God's inheritance. Though she hated Qian Xunji, she was still that kindhearted Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall.
And so Bibi Dong had killed those Fallen Soul Masters, then discovered Luo Chen in the village.
His parents had both died at the hands of the Fallen Soul Masters. Of the entire village, only Luo Chen had survived.
"Thank you for saving my life, big sister. I'll definitely repay you someday."
Luo Chen was somewhat disappointed. His parents were both dead, and he had truly become an orphan in this life as well.
But learning about his origins had still allowed Luo Chen to lay one great regret to rest.
In his previous life, Luo Chen had not even known who his parents were.
Having a definite beginning in this life already left Luo Chen completely satisfied.
"Repay me?"
Hearing Luo Chen call her big sister did not displease Bibi Dong.
On the contrary, the six-year-old Luo Chen was exceptionally delicate-featured and adorable.
His sickliness, in particular, added much to his charm, making him especially likely to awaken a woman's maternal affection and protective instincts.
Since even Bibi Dong herself did not object, Yue Guan and Gui Mei naturally had no reason to speak up again.
Still, the two found it strange. Why was Bibi Dong so easy to talk to today?
No, rather, why was Bibi Dong treating this child before her so favorably? Even Hu Liena was nowhere near receiving this much tolerance.
"Xiao Chen, the reason your body is so weak..."
Bibi Dong hesitated, unsure how to begin. After wavering several times, she finally decided to tell Luo Chen the truth. "Actually, I caused it."
In Bibi Dong's eyes, Luo Chen was well-behaved and sensible. Despite fighting illness for years, he still had such a cheerful, optimistic outlook.
Although Bibi Dong was a woman who placed great importance on her interests, she was also deeply emotional.
If she deceived even such an innocent, adorable child, she felt she would probably be worse than that beast Qian Xunji.
"You caused it, big sister?"
Luo Chen looked at Bibi Dong in surprise. "Why do you say that?"
"Ah..."
Bibi Dong was not truly cold and heartless. Otherwise, she would not have treated Hu Liena as her own, much less sacrificed her life at the final moment to protect her daughter, Qian Renxue.
"The blame for this lies mostly with me."
Looking at Luo Chen's frail appearance, Bibi Dong could not bear it. She stroked his head, then slowly recounted how she had first encountered him.
As it turned out, when Bibi Dong fought the Fallen Soul Masters, the atrocities they had committed had filled her with rage. Since her spiritual perception had also detected no living people nearby, she had unleashed the terrifying Death Spider Emperor Poison in her anger.
What Bibi Dong had not expected was that one child in the village was still alive: Luo Chen.
"I... the reason I'm in poor health is that I was poisoned?"
At that moment, Luo Chen was genuinely a little dumbfounded. He had wondered what had happened between him and Bibi Dong, but never imagined it would be this.
Wasn't Death Spider Emperor Poison supposed to be a deadly poison that sealed the throat at the first touch of blood?
From the short videos he had watched on Douyin, even those two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest could not withstand it. How had an ordinary human child like him survived?
"I'm sorry, Xiao Chen!"
Seeing Luo Chen fall silent, Bibi Dong thought he resented her and hurriedly spoke, her voice filled with guilt.
It was precisely her mistake that had caused Luo Chen to suffer for so many years.
Remembering Luo Chen's first reaction upon seeing her, that hopeful cry of "Mother," Bibi Dong felt a pang of sorrow. This child remembers me. He's always thought of me as his mother.
Yet the truth was that she was not his family. Instead, she was the chief culprit behind his six years of torment.
At that thought, Bibi Dong could barely maintain her aloof papal persona.
"Anyone struck by my Death Spider Emperor Poison should have absolutely no chance of surviving."
"But you're still alive, Xiao Chen."
Bibi Dong held Luo Chen's hand and examined his body thoroughly. "I've never encountered anything like this."
In truth, Bibi Dong had already given up on Luo Chen back then.
She could not save Luo Chen. All she could do was send him to an orphanage and leave enough Gold Soul Coins, hoping they would care for the child as well as they could.
For a time, Bibi Dong had felt guilt and self-reproach over Luo Chen.
Unfortunately, her subsequent training in Slaughter City had immersed her completely in the battles of the Hell Slaughter Arena.
Thus, until today, Bibi Dong had thought Luo Chen had long since died.
Now, upon suddenly seeing Luo Chen, the remorse she had buried deep within her heart resurfaced, even more profound than before.
"Then, big sister, can you cure my poisoning?"
Luo Chen did not blame Bibi Dong. After all, without her intervention, he would probably have died at the hands of those Fallen Soul Masters.
He was still alive. Even if he had lost his hands and feet, he would still count as alive.
Luo Chen would not be someone who repaid a cup of rice with gratitude but a bushel with hatred.
Besides, Bibi Dong had not done it deliberately, and now that she had met him again, she had not put on any papal airs whatsoever.
Her heartfelt concern allowed Luo Chen to let go of his last trace of resentment.
"Well..."
In this world, if Bibi Dong claimed second place in understanding Death Spider Emperor Poison, no one would dare claim first.
But Luo Chen's condition truly lay beyond Bibi Dong's understanding.
Anyone else struck by her poison would have died immediately. What need would there have been for an antidote?
Of course, Bibi Dong could use her Martial Soul to produce an antiserum for Death Spider Emperor Poison. As long as someone did not die immediately, even if they had only a single breath left, she could cure their poisoning.
The problem now, however, was that the poison had seeped deep into his marrow. An antidote was already useless.
Or rather, even the fact that Luo Chen was still alive seemed inconceivable to Bibi Dong.
"I'm sorry. I... can't do it..."
Bibi Dong shook her head, looking at Luo Chen guiltily.
Luo Chen had never hurt her, nor was he her enemy. He was merely an innocent child.
Yet her mistake had caused this child to endure six whole years of torment.
Even Bibi Dong, who had suffered her teacher's betrayal and had part of her mind eroded by the Rakshasa God's evil thoughts, was now filled with self-reproach.
Thinking of her earlier plan to use Luo Chen, Bibi Dong felt she was truly a vicious woman.
Forget it.
Bibi Dong sighed inwardly. I'm the one who reduced him to this state. From now on, I'll do everything I can to make it up to him.
Bibi Dong made up her mind. Even if Luo Chen's Martial Soul was of poor quality, or he could not become a Soul Master at all, she would take responsibility and do her best to remedy his physical deficiencies, allowing this child to grow up safe and sound.
"Elder Ju?"
Nearby, Hu Liena, who had been following behind the two Titled Elders, asked quietly, "Is that little boy's condition very serious? Why does Teacher look so sad?"
"This child's bodily functions have already been damaged by the poison. It's a miracle he's alive at all."
Yue Guan was well versed in pharmacology and understood Luo Chen's condition better than anyone present. He transmitted his voice to her. "Even so, by my estimate, he probably won't live past fifteen."
"Huh? But...!"
Hu Liena looked sympathetically at Luo Chen, thinking that such an adorable boy would actually die so young.
For a moment, Hu Liena could not help aching for Luo Chen.
"Even you can't do anything, Elder Ju?"
"No."
Yue Guan transmitted his voice to Hu Liena beside him. "This isn't something a healing-type Soul Master alone can resolve. Unless we find a heavenly treasure that replenishes vitality, this condition is simply incurable."
"Then Teacher...?"
"His Holiness the Pope must have noticed."
Yue Guan said, "Her Holiness hasn't told him the outcome. Presumably, she hopes he can spend the rest of his life happily."
At that point, Yue Guan paused before saying, "Actually, there is one other possibility."
"He would have to become a Soul Master and then display sufficient talent," Yue Guan said. "As long as he breaks through to Soul Saint before fifteen, he can shed his old flesh and bones and gain a new life."
Soul Saints and those below Soul Saint existed on two completely different levels of life.
Once someone broke through to Soul Saint, not only would their lifespan increase greatly, but they would also have an opportunity to cleanse their essence and marrow.
This was also why certain powerful Martial Souls awakened special abilities after breaking through to Soul Saint.
"A fifteen-year-old Soul Saint..."
Although Hu Liena had only just become a Soul Master, a fifteen-year-old Soul Saint was simply a tale from the Arabian Nights.
"Don't worry, Xiao Chen. I'll do everything I can to find a way to heal you."
Bibi Dong gently stroked Luo Chen's hair. Naturally, she understood his physical condition very well, and it brought out a tenderness she had not shown in a long time.
"I'm fine. After so many years, I'm used to it."
Luo Chen's illness had indeed come from Bibi Dong, but no matter what, she had saved him, sparing him the fate of landing straight in a loot box.
Moreover, the Gold Soul Coins Bibi Dong had left behind had indeed helped Luo Chen greatly over the years.
As for not living long, he was already mentally prepared.
Having lived two lives, Luo Chen had long since come to terms with it. "Um, big sister, are you here to help awaken my Martial Soul?"
Coming to terms with it was one thing, but if he could live on, Luo Chen would never give up!
Right now, the only thing that might allow Luo Chen to change his fate was his Martial Soul Awakening. I don't ask for Twin Martial Souls. I only ask to awaken a Martial Soul with powerful vitality.
His Martial Soul was his last hope!
"Ah, right. There's still that."
Upon seeing that Luo Chen was still alive, Bibi Dong had focused all her attention on him, nearly forgetting her true purpose in coming to Nuoding City.
Furthermore, even Bibi Dong herself had not realized that, because of Luo Chen's appearance, she had long since pushed her original intention of visiting Yu Xiaogang to the back of her mind.
"Come, Xiao Chen. Big sister will awaken your Martial Soul."
Hearing Bibi Dong refer to herself as "big sister," Yue Guan and Gui Mei could not help exchanging a glance, inwardly reflecting that no matter what kind of woman she was, she still cared about her age.
"Hmm?"
Bibi Dong shot them a cold sidelong glance, sending a chill down the two Titled Douluos' spines.
With a soft snort of mild displeasure, Bibi Dong finally took several stones from her Storage Soul Tool and arranged the formation used for awakening Martial Souls.
"Xiao Chen, step inside."
Hearing Bibi Dong's gentle tone, Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo inwardly exclaimed, Good grief. With how quickly Bibi Dong changed her expression, anyone who did not know better might think Luo Chen was her own son.
"Okay."
Looking perfectly obedient, Luo Chen cooperatively stepped into the center of the formation Bibi Dong had arranged.
"You can do it, Xiao Chen."
Standing nearby, Wang Sheng looked around. He noticed Hu Liena, who was about his age, but her clothes were so exquisite and splendid that he did not dare approach her.
Helplessly, Wang Sheng could only choose a spot that ensured he could step forward and support Luo Chen whenever he needed it.
At the same time, Wang Sheng silently cheered Luo Chen on.
"What Martial Soul will he awaken?"
Hu Liena paid Wang Sheng no attention, but the two Titled Douluos noticed his actions and silently praised the child's character.
"Are you ready?"
"Don't be nervous. I'm going to channel Soul Power into you."
As Bibi Dong spoke, pale purple Soul Power emerged around her. Keeping it sufficiently gentle, she controlled it and slowly channeled it into Luo Chen's body.
Soul Ancestor, Soul King, Soul Emperor-it was only when Bibi Dong channeled Soul Saint-level Soul Power into him that the Martial Soul inside Luo Chen finally stirred.
"It worked!"
Bibi Dong withdrew her Soul Power and looked with delighted surprise at Luo Chen as his Martial Soul awakened.
Boom!!
The next instant, azure Soul Power glittering with brilliant starlight surged from Luo Chen's body, accompanied by a terrifying pressure that made everyone present feel their hearts tremble.
"Watch out!"
The fierce fluctuations of Soul Power, like a tangible storm, abruptly drove all five people present aside from Luo Chen several steps backward.
Fortunately, Bibi Dong and the others were all Titled-level powerhouses and immediately shielded Hu Liena and Wang Sheng.
"What is this?"
When Bibi Dong, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei steadied themselves, all three caught their breath at once.
They looked up in unison, only to find that the previously bright sky had somehow turned to night.
Stars dotted the heavens, and the Milky Way stretched across them. The entire world seemed to fall silent at that moment, leaving only the gentle, waterlike beauty of the moonlight and tranquil arcs of starlight washing over the boundless earth.
Heaven and earth changed color, and the stars shifted in the heavens.
Faced with such a breathtaking sight, not only the two children, Hu Liena and Wang Sheng, but even Bibi Dong and the other two were too stunned to speak.
"It's night?!"
"Wasn't it daytime just now? How did it suddenly turn dark?"
"What on earth happened?"
The shifting stars and changing sun and moon caused by Luo Chen's Martial Soul Awakening did not occur only in Nuoding City. In every corner of the entire Douluo Continent plane, countless inhabitants were struck speechless by this sudden sight.
Many ignorant people thought a heavenly calamity had descended and fell to their knees, begging the gods for forgiveness.
(End of chapter)