Bibi Dong was the first to come to her senses, quickly stepping forward to support the swaying Huo Yuhao, her eyes filled with heartache. "It's over..."
Her fingertips unconsciously touched her heart. It was as if she had used all her courage and determination to decide that she wanted to convey this to Huo Yuhao, using the voice in her heart, even though it was unrealistic:
"From the very beginning... I believed you could create miracles..." she murmured to herself, her eyes slightly reddening. " Hao Yi... no matter what you become, you will always be you."
A single, glistening tear slid down her cheek. "I swear, I will love you forever... Even if you no longer love me, I will still love you, and this feeling will never change."
She slowly raised her hand and pressed it to her heart. "I swear on my life... so please... never leave my side..."
If you disappear... I will find you, even if I have to travel across mountains and rivers and tear apart the barriers of time and space.
A moist glint appeared in her glassy purple eyes, but a stubborn smile curved her lips, "I know... you might get tired of my pursuit, and want to escape my sight..."
But I won't stand still and wait foolishly.
Her Pope robes fluttered in the holy light. She suddenly stepped forward and embraced Huo Yuhao: "I will lay bare my heart for you to see—my power, my strength, my life..."
"Because from the moment we met..."
Her voice suddenly choked, yet her smile shone brightly amidst the holy light.
"I've been yours for a long time."
"And you— Hao Yi —will always be mine!"
Her feelings were ultimately just a monologue unheard by anyone. Those words buried deep in her heart were imprisoned by reason and principles, unable to be spoken aloud, let alone reach his ears. But fate displayed its gentlest miracle at this moment—this unspoken confession transcended the boundaries of words, transforming into an invisible ripple that quietly flowed into Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness.
The sound echoed softly, like a night breeze brushing across a lake, or like morning dew dripping onto a petal, clearly and gently imprinted on the depths of his soul.
He paused slightly, then slowly relaxed his tense body, letting himself sink deeper into her embrace. His voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable certainty, as if responding to an answer that had already been predetermined.
"... I have heard your feelings, your voice."
Bibi Dong's fingertips trembled slightly, and a barely perceptible ripple flashed in her purple eyes. She didn't know how he had heard her, nor how much he had sensed. But at this moment, his whisper seemed to have pierced through the long passage of time, finally reaching the depths of her heart.
After Tang Hao fled in panic with Tang San and Xiao Wu, Bibi Dong immediately ordered the entire Spirit City to be sealed off. She personally helped Huo Yuhao, whose Soul Power was exhausted, back to the inner hall of the Pope's Hall. To everyone's surprise, the usually dignified Pope personally arranged the most advanced healing room for her Holy Son.
"Issue my decree." Bibi Dong stood on the high platform of the Pope's Hall, her voice resounding throughout the entire Spirit City, "From this day forward, Huo Lai officially becomes the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, his status equal to that of the Holy Maiden Hu Liena."
The decree caused an uproar throughout the Spirit Hall. But recalling that earth-shattering battle, everyone was convinced of its power. Within just a few days, Huo Lai's reputation soared, even surpassing Hu Liena, who had cultivated her influence within the Spirit Hall for many years.
Surprisingly, Hu Liena did not feel resentful. On the contrary, she even took the initiative to congratulate Huo Lai.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty." She smiled slightly, her eyes filled with a genuine joy.
Huo Lai nodded slightly, her expression calm. "Thank you, Holy Maiden."
There was no direct confrontation between the two, but they weren't particularly close either. However, the Holy Son and Holy Daughter of the Spirit Hall were destined to grow together, and they would inevitably have more interactions and even... deeper bonds in the future.
During the days that Huo Lai was recuperating, Bibi Dong and Hu Liena took turns visiting him. Hu Liena didn't think much of it at first, after all, the Holy Son was of great significance to the Spirit Hall, and it was reasonable for the Pope to personally inquire about it. Moreover, Huo Lai had indeed made great contributions in this battle and protected the dignity of the Spirit Hall.
Bibi Dong maintained the dignity and propriety befitting Pope throughout her life, never overstepping her bounds. She would only occasionally check on Huo Lai's recovery, and sometimes, while he slept, she would stand quietly by his bedside, her deep purple eyes lost in thought.
Hu Liena naturally didn't notice anything amiss. She only felt that since that battle, His Holiness the Pope seemed to have become... much gentler? Not only was he extremely caring towards Huo Lai, but he was also more patient with her, the saintess, than before.
--Perhaps this is just the Pope's normal nurturing of his holy children?
With that thought in mind, she stopped investigating.
Little did they know, in the shadows where no one could see, certain subtle feelings had already quietly begun to grow...
On the surface, the Spirit Hall appears to be in harmony. But in reality, rumors about the relationship between the Holy Son and the Pope are still circulating.
"I've heard that His Holiness the Pope personally goes to the Son's chambers every morning..."
"Shh! Didn't you notice that during the Holy Son's recovery period, the Pope even moved important meetings to the sanatorium?"
When these whispers reached Hu Liena's ears, she simply chuckled and shook her head. As the person closest to the Pope and the Holy Son, she knew better than anyone that there was indeed a special bond between the two, but it was by no means as superficial as outsiders imagined.
"What do you know?" Hu Liena said coldly to a few gossiping deacons during a training session. "His Holiness the Holy Son protected the Spirit Hall in a time of crisis, so it's only natural that His Holiness the Pope values him highly."
As she turned to leave, her skirt traced a graceful arc, but no one saw the fleeting hint of loneliness in her eyes. Perhaps even she herself didn't realize the complex emotions hidden within that act of protectiveness.
"Thank you so much for taking care of me these past few days." Huo Yuhao stood by the window, sunlight filtering through the gauze curtains and casting a soft golden glow on his profile.
Bibi Dong gently shook her head, a tender smile playing on her lips. "No need for thanks, it's what I should do." She paused, a hint of apology flashing in her purple eyes. "I'm sorry, I lied to you. I am the Pope of the Spirit Hall, and as you said, I have experienced many unbearable past events... those pains almost completely destroyed me."
Her voice trailed off, then hardened again. "But all that is in the past. From the moment I met you, the past Bibi Dong died. You changed me, and allowed me to see the light in this world again."
"Right now, I don't care about power, I don't care about hatred, I don't even care about the person who once caused me pain—I just want to kill him to vent my anger!"
Her fingertips trembled slightly, but she quickly calmed down, her gaze fixed intently on Huo Yuhao: "Right now, all I want to hear is your voice, and I want you to hear mine. The current Bibi Dong... exists because of you."
Huo Yuhao was silent for a moment, then chuckled softly, "To be honest, these words are a bit of an exaggeration. Existing for me? That's a bit of an overstatement." He turned around, his gaze calm and profound, "People live primarily for themselves, not for others. Love is mutual, not one-sided sacrifice or dependence."
He walked up to Bibi Dong, his voice low but clear. "Being trapped in the past will only keep you stuck in the past forever. Stubbornness will never end well. I think you already understand this, so I don't need to say anything more."
His gaze suddenly sharpened. "However, I've always been a man of principle. If you treat me sincerely, I will treat you sincerely in return. But if you betray me—"
His tone suddenly turned icy. "Then you are my enemy. And my enemies only have one fate, and as my enemy, I will show absolutely no mercy."
Everyone is the same.
Bibi Dong's pupils contracted slightly, but she did not back down. Instead, she took a step forward, almost touching Huo Yuhao: "I will not betray you. Never."
Huo Yuhao gazed at her for a long time before smiling faintly, "I hope so."
(Deep in Huo Yuhao's thoughts)
"Although you are ultimately just a pawn in my plan..." His gaze passed through Bibi Dong, as if looking towards a more distant future, "But if you can prove your worth, perhaps... I will allow you to leave this game."
(A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.)
"After all, this world itself is an absurd game."
Bibi Dong didn't know what he was thinking, but she could sense that the distance between them seemed to have narrowed, yet there still seemed to be an invisible barrier between them.
She didn't care.
As long as he's still by her side, as long as he's still willing to look at her and listen to her, then--
She's willing to wait.
Until the day he truly opens his heart.
P. S.: This chapter felt a bit too focused on advancing the romance, but it depends on whether everyone likes it or not, since Bibi Dong's screen time will decrease a bit afterward.