Chapter 318: The Purple-Gold Crown Removed
Dai Yao raised his head in astonishment, catching sight of Bibi Dong's almost girlish joy, a strange feeling stirring within him. Was this really the same ruthless, bloodthirsty Rakshasa God from the original story?
Moments ago, she had insisted he call her by name instead of "Your Eminence." That title was formal and distanced them, emphasizing the chasm between their statuses. But addressing her as "Bibi Dong" implied closeness, a mutuality between them.
"Could it be that Bibi Dong considers me… a friend?" Dai Yao thought, his mind racing.
Noticing Dai Yao's odd expression, Bibi Dong quickly regained her composed demeanor, once again exuding her usual detached aura.
"Well, you can go now. Since obtaining that hundred-thousand-year soul ring was an accident, I won't pursue the matter further. As for the hundred-thousand-year soul bone, keep it for yourself," she said casually.
"After all, the synergy between a hundred-thousand-year soul ring and its accompanying soul bone is invaluable. Besides, obtaining a hundred-thousand-year soul ring as a Soul Emperor is excellent news for the Spirit Hall. Once you grow stronger, there should be no one on the continent who can rival you."
"That hundred-thousand-year soul beast you wanted to gift me — keep it. That's your fortune, and as Pope, I do not have the habit of seizing my disciple's fortunes."
Dai Yao was stunned.
In the original story, Bibi Dong had pursued a hundred-thousand-year soul ring relentlessly. Yet here she was, dismissing the very thing she once desperately sought.
Although she appeared unconcerned, Dai Yao understood that she valued something even more than the soul ring — whether or not he had been truthful with her.
Dai Yao's emotions were complicated. His decision seemed to have brightened Bibi Dong's mood, yet he sensed that this would irrevocably alter their relationship. Since leaving the Rakshasa God trials, both had silently agreed not to mention the events from that other world, treating each other more as superiors and subordinates. Yet today, something had shifted, drawing them closer to how they'd been back in that apocalyptic world.
The warmth of that connection filled him with both excitement and trepidation, fearing that if he lost control, he would fall alongside Bibi Dong, descending into hell.
Bibi Dong had brushed aside his "theft" of the soul ring with ease, a kindness he could not take lightly. Gazing up at Bibi Dong on her Pope's throne, he said with genuine gratitude, "Thank you."
Dai Yao silently vowed that, when he became a Title Douluo, he would journey to the sea and find a few more hundred-thousand-year soul beasts for Bibi Dong.
As she looked at him, a fleeting gentleness flickered in Bibi Dong's eyes.
"All right. If there's nothing else, you may leave…" she said in her usual calm tone.
But Dai Yao remained rooted to the spot, drawing her attention.
"What is it?" she asked, puzzled.
After a brief silence, Dai Yao asked, "How is your Rakshasa God trial progressing?"
At his words, Bibi Dong's body tensed, her hand, which had been resting on her chin, trembled slightly, nearly recoiling. She didn't want Dai Yao to see that blood-stained hand.
Closing her eyes, she steadied her breath and forced herself to sound composed. "It's… going well."
Dai Yao's perceptiveness picked up on her reaction, and he had a gnawing suspicion. Although the original story never detailed it, the animated adaptation hinted that Bibi Dong's path to inheriting the Rakshasa God position required bloodshed.
With a frown, he pressed, "I didn't lie to you. Are you going to lie to me? What have you done, Bibi Dong?"
Bibi Dong avoided his gaze, biting her lip. "I told you, it's nothing. As Pope, do I owe you an explanation?"
Dai Yao's face fell, and he responded with slight disappointment, bowing his head. "Understood, Your Eminence…"
"That's not what I meant!" Bibi Dong's heart raced as she saw his reaction. She only wanted him to stop asking questions, but had unintentionally resorted to her formal authority to shut him down.
Flashing to his side, she extended a trembling hand toward him, apologizing in a flustered voice, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that…"
Watching Bibi Dong so shaken, Dai Yao felt a pang of sympathy. He now understood just how important he was to her. Gently taking her trembling hand, he sought to reassure her, saying, "You must understand, once certain things are done, there's no turning back. If you've gone down this path, you need to stop. Otherwise, the result will only lead to your own destruction."
"I…" Bibi Dong hesitated, realizing he understood her far too well. Pulling her hand back, she sighed, her voice lowering. "But if I don't…"
Dai Yao knew all too well that if she didn't pursue this bloody path, she might never inherit the Rakshasa God's position. Taking off a ring on his hand, he placed it in Bibi Dong's palm.
It was the very ring Bibi Dong had once gifted him, containing fifty thousand crystals. He had never used them, having been unable to increase his soul power level beyond fifty-nine due to his lack of soul rings.
Looking earnestly at her, he said, "These crystals should help with your cultivation. Returning them to you is only right. As your friend, I urge you to stop this madness. If you don't, you'll only plunge deeper into it."
Clutching the ring tightly, Bibi Dong's lips quivered, and for the first time since becoming Pope, a rare vulnerability showed on her face.
She didn't care what price she had to pay to attain godhood, how much blood stained her hands, or what others thought of her. The only thing she truly cared about was how those close to her treated her.
Once, her beloved Yu Xiaogang had abandoned her; her once-respected teacher, Qian Xunji, had pushed her into darkness. This was why she cared so deeply about whether Dai Yao was deceiving her. Fortunately, he had ultimately been honest, allowing her to believe that the Dai Yao from the apocalyptic world was the same as the Dai Yao standing before her now.
Changing places or titles didn't alter his concern for her. What were a hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bones compared to that?
Moreover, Dai Yao had returned the invaluable fifty thousand crystals she had given him without asking anything in return, simply because he didn't want her to keep shedding blood.
"Thank you… Dai Yao," Bibi Dong murmured, gazing at him, her voice soft.
For a moment, she was so overwhelmed that she seemed to lose all strength, barely managing to stand with the support of her Pope's staff. Even with the soul power of a Title Douluo, her emotions left her feeling weak.
Dai Yao quickly stepped forward to support her. "Are you all right?" he asked, concerned.
"I'm fine." Bibi Dong took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions.
For the first time, a hint of vulnerability appeared in the powerful Pope's demeanor. Dai Yao sighed softly and said, "Bibi Dong, I'm not asking you to stop killing entirely. If the inheritance of the Rakshasa God requires it, you can focus on those who are truly deserving, like condemned criminals."
Bibi Dong's eyes widened, and her lips tightened. His words stirred emotions within her that she had long suppressed. Ever since emerging from the darkness of that hidden chamber, she had buried her feelings deep inside. Dai Yao's brief words had created a storm within her heart, awakening emotions buried under years of restraint.
After a moment, she asked, her voice unsteady, "Could I… lean on you for a while?"
Dai Yao blinked, taken aback. "Of course," he replied.
Bibi Dong knelt on the floor, her slender legs gracefully wrapped in violet silk stockings, exuding an alluring glow. Closing her eyes, she leaned her full weight against Dai Yao's shoulder.
For years, hatred had been her sole driving force, leaving her no time to rest. She was exhausted. Dai Yao's presence finally gave her someone she could trust, someone with whom she could let her guard down.
With her defenses completely lowered, had Dai Yao harbored any ill intent, even her instincts as a Title Douluo wouldn't have protected her.
The icy barrier around her heart, built over decades, finally melted away, revealing the vulnerability she had once shown as a wounded young girl.
Her breathing grew calm and steady, and the tension in her brows softened as though she had fallen asleep.
Dai Yao looked at her peaceful face, silent and contemplative. This was the first time in the real world that he had been this close to her. The unspoken distance between them had faded, replaced by a profound understanding.
His eyes drifted to the closed stone doors, and his body tensed slightly under the weight of supporting Bibi Dong. If someone were to open those doors and see him with the Pope in this state… what would happen?
Sensing his unease, Bibi Dong murmured, "Don't worry. Without my command, no one would dare enter. Carry me to the Pope's throne…"
Dai Yao turned to look at her face, but her eyes remained closed, her lips slightly parted, her breathing even. It was as though she hadn't spoken at all.
He sighed, gently supporting her back with one arm while cradling her legs with the other, lifting her head to rest against his chest. Rising to his feet, he carried her to the Pope's throne.
As he sat down with her on the throne, preparing to let her go, he found himself unable to move.
"Is this Bibi Dong's doing?" he wondered, looking at her face so close to his.
Though he held her soft, warm form in his arms, there was no hint of impure thoughts in his mind. She had chosen to trust him, and knowing her painful past and feeling gratitude for her forgiveness, all he felt was compassion.
Carefully, he reached out and removed the purple-gold crown from her head, placing it on the throne's armrest.
Only then did he realize just how heavy it was.
"Was it really this heavy? I can't imagine how she's borne it for so long…"
With the crown removed, Bibi Dong lost the cold, imposing air of a Pope, taking on a more human, softer appearance.
Dai Yao shook his head with a slight smile. Who would ever believe that the formidable Pope of Spirit Hall, one of the most powerful figures on the continent, could look so serene resting in his arms?
This moment marked not only the first time the two shared such closeness in the real world, but it also symbolized Dai Yao finally breaking through the icy barriers around Bibi Dong's heart, touching the wounded soul within.
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