Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue Would Meet at Last

A few days later.

Dugu Bo had finally exhausted his Soul Power, but his mastery of poison still served as a shield.

Yue Guan asked, "Your Holiness, how should we deal with this fellow?"

Qian Xunji looked at the barely breathing Dugu Bo and stepped forward. The Jade Spirit Serpent Poison spreading across the ground instantly gave a corrosive sizzle.

Qian Xunji snorted. "This old poison freak... never mind. I'll stay here in Suotuo City. You two, hurry and find Xue'er. I haven't seen my daughter in so long that I miss her a little."

Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance. They knew the cruelty of Spirit Hall better than anyone.

A member of the Qian Family with level-three Innate Soul Power was a disgrace. It wasn't the young miss whom His Holiness missed, but her master, who could refine extraordinary pills.

The two of them were only hired hands, after all. They didn't dare say more, so they could only cup their fists. "We obey!"

Bibi Dong watched it all indifferently. The Qian Family was as hypocritical as ever.

Seeing Qian Xunji turn to look at her, Bibi Dong turned and left. She didn't care whether Dugu Bo lived or died; she only regretted that she had no chance to meet Qian Renxue's master sooner.

But now that they had discovered the mysterious apothecary's identity, perhaps she could get some useful information from Pang Dun.

The Qian Family was arrogant, always assuming everyone would submit to them, but Bibi Dong didn't think the mysterious apothecary would.

If he truly wanted to submit to Spirit Hall, why have Pang Dun sell the pills? As Qian Renxue's teacher, he could have gone straight to Spirit City without any trouble.

Bibi Dong had given Qian Xunji the cold shoulder yet again, and his fists clenched involuntarily, but in the end he didn't lose his temper.

In the past, he had been Bibi Dong's teacher and had plenty of reasons to reprimand her.

But now, their relationship was too delicate. Even so, Qian Xunji had always believed he had done nothing wrong. If the saintess raised by Spirit Hall could not be used by Spirit Hall, then she should be destroyed.

Bibi Dong arrived at the place where Pang Dun was being held.

After nearly a month of brutal interrogation, Pang Dun was covered head to toe in wounds, clinging to life by a single breath.

At the sight of Bibi Dong, Pang Dun sneered. "What has Your Holiness the Saintess come to see a lowly man like me for? Either kill me, or don't expect to get any information about Senior out of me."

Bibi Dong didn't contradict him. She smoothed down her skirt and sat in the interrogation chair. "Won't you think of yourself? Or think of the Pang Family?"

Pang Dun shut his mouth at once. He had heard too much of that over the past month and had long since grown numb to it.

Bibi Dong added, "You're certainly loyal, but will that apothecary ever know about your loyalty?"

Pang Dun clenched his fists. "My loyalty isn't something I put on display for anyone!"

"You have some backbone. But we already know the identity of the mysterious apothecary you're trying to conceal. He's Xue'er's teacher, isn't he?"

"You... you know?!"

Bibi Dong didn't answer directly and continued, "I have a question. You didn't do anything that truly betrayed Spirit Hall, yet Spirit Hall tortured you like this. Do you hate Spirit Hall?"

There was a hint of fervor in Bibi Dong's eyes. Just as Qian Xunji had always been convinced he was without fault, she too had always believed she had done nothing wrong.

As she saw it, she had only been pursuing her own happiness.

Qian Xunji's so-called punishment had been nothing more than the Qian Family tearing off their mask of hypocrisy and baring their sharp claws and fangs.

But Pang Dun fell silent. There was no hatred in his eyes. Instead, he said calmly, "Am I entitled to hate it?"

"What?!"

"Your Holiness, without Spirit Hall, I, Pang Dun, would never have awakened my Martial Soul back then, and there certainly wouldn't be a Pang Family in Suotuo City today. I defied Spirit Hall before. His Holiness punishing me now is merely the consequence of my choice to conceal that senior's identity. How could I resent Spirit Hall?"

Bibi Dong froze, her eyes bloodshot. "You don't hate it?! You're about to die!"

Pang Dun smiled. "Perhaps I should hate-hate myself for being too weak, and hate that I received too many favors from Spirit Hall in my early years."

"You're impossible!" Bibi Dong swept her sleeve. "I'll give you a choice. Tell me everything you know about that apothecary, and I'll spare your life."

This time, Pang Dun hesitated for a long while. "What do you want to know?"

Bibi Dong said, "What he did in Suotuo City, what his interests are, and his attitude toward Spirit Hall!"

Pang Dun thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and nodded. None of those things were particularly important. Since Spirit Hall already knew Senior was Qian Renxue's master, they could uncover most of it themselves if they set their minds to investigating.

Bibi Dong listened quietly to what Jiang Nian had done in Suotuo City.

It wasn't until she heard the name Yu Xiaogang that she finally grew agitated. "You're saying... he crippled Yu Xiaogang?! Yu Xiaogang, who had a Spirit Hall Elder Token?!"

"Yes. Senior doesn't dislike Spirit Hall, but he can't be said to be close to it either. If not for the young miss, he probably wouldn't have stayed in Suotuo City."

"He deserves to die!!!"

Bibi Dong clenched her fists, killing intent laid bare.

Over the past few days, Jiang Nian had been traveling with his two disciples while helping Ah Yin search for a suitable Soul Ring.

He had searched through every Soul Beast record he had, but still hadn't found a Soul Ring suited to the World Tree.

Because Ah Yin was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, her first six rings had been formed from her own power. As the Blue Silver Emperor, her attributes were compatible with the World Tree.

But after the seventh ring, she would have to hunt Soul Beasts. Jiang Nian had searched through all the records Dugu Bo left behind and still hadn't found a suitable one.

"What's taking that fellow Dugu Bo so long just to deliver some medicine?" Jiang Nian closed the book. "Never mind. It's about time we went back to Suotuo City for a look. The Pang Family's medicine should be nearly sold out."

Qian Renxue raised her hand. "Teacher, Xue'er refined lots and lots. Should we give it all to them to sell?"

"No. Things are valuable when they're scarce. Just give it to them in batches; we need to keep them hanging."

Ah Yin shook Jiang Nian's arm. "Master, Ah Yin wants to learn pill refining too!"

Jiang Nian hurriedly pulled his arm free. "The hell you will. If I gave you a flame, would you dare play with it? Wait until you can fully adapt to the Bone Spirit Cold Flame before you bring up pill refining!"

Ah Yin smiled slyly. "Master, you're blushing. Hee-hee."

Jiang Nian glared at her. "I'm your master!"

After cultivating at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Ah Yin had entered her mature stage. She was taller than when they first met, and her figure had grown more shapely and full.

Yet this woman had no awareness of it and even acted spoiled like Qian Renxue.

"So what if you're my master? If it's you, Master, Ah Yin doesn't have to cry for help."

"Show some respect!"

Jiang Nian couldn't be bothered to argue with her any longer and directly increased the amount of Bone Spirit Cold Flame.

In an instant, Ah Yin realized something was wrong and hurriedly sat cross-legged to circulate her cultivation technique.

Jiang Nian scooped Qian Renxue into his arms. "My little Xue'er is the well-behaved one."

Qian Renxue looked at Jiang Nian in confusion. It seemed she had won by lying flat again. "Teacher, Xue'er feels a little uneasy."

"Uneasy? What's wrong? Is there a problem with the Flame Mantra?" Jiang Nian took the little girl's wrist and checked her, then frowned. "There's nothing seriously wrong."

"I don't know either. I just feel uncomfortable."

"Hmm. Then sleep for a while."

Two more days passed, and the carriage arrived safely outside Suotuo City.

Jiang Nian looked at Suotuo City and narrowed his eyes. "I didn't expect so many Titled Douluo to come at once. Dugu Bo was actually captured."

He glanced at Qian Renxue, whose brows were knitted tightly, and thought he probably knew why the girl had kept saying she felt uneasy along the way.

Qian Renxue would have to confront Spirit Hall eventually, but Jiang Nian hadn't expected this crossroads to come so soon.

"Teacher, Xue'er is scared." Qian Renxue clung tightly to Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian gently stroked her smooth, long hair. "Don't be afraid. Whatever you want to do, go ahead. Teacher will support you."