The frustrated Qian Renxue shut herself in her room, burying her pretty head in the quilt.
Her two jade-like feet restlessly stuck out from the edge, crystal-clear and slender, constantly twisting and patting the bed, as if narrating the vexation and unease in her heart.
She punched the pillow forcefully, her silver teeth clenched tightly. "Thinking about it now, this fellow seems to have made a 180-degree turn in her attitude towards Xiao Feng a long time ago. When did it start?"
"When she was given the immortal herb? No, when Xiao Feng's Soul Vein theory was announced? Yes, it was at that time."
"She inexplicably placed the title of Spirit Hall's Holy Son on Xiao Feng's head. She must have had improper thoughts. Why didn't I think of it at the time? Her desire for power simply couldn't be let go of so easily. She was using this opportunity to get close to Xiao Feng."
"Then her performance in getting along with us after that was also an act? Or was it seven parts true, three parts false..."
"So what on earth am I supposed to do? Ahhh, so annoying!!!"
Qian Renxue frowned, casually tossing the pillow beside her. She turned over and lay flat on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Father..." Qian Renxue thought subconsciously, but then pursed her lips. After seeing that memory, she didn't want to call him 'father' anymore in her heart. The memory from the Seraphim would not be wrong. Back then, Bibi Dong had definitely encountered other things. When she was sleeping, that painful expression, was it an illusion? Or what...
"What on earth did Qian Xunji do that would make Bibi Dong hate him so much, and even hate me along with him?" Qian Renxue's heart was filled with confusion and incomprehension. "Could it really be because of the origin he drew from Bibi Dong's body? Did it cause Bibi Dong to lack something, thus making her have a deep hatred for him? Is this also the reason for her great change in temperament?"
The more Qian Renxue thought, the more flustered she became. She suddenly sat up, her hands tightly clenched into fists, her eyes sparkling with a firm light. "No, I can't just passively accept all of this. I have to find someone to ask clearly. I want to know the truth!"
As she spoke, she stood up, tidied her messy hair and dress, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open to walk out.
She saw Ling Yuan, who was meditating with her eyes closed, and her own eyes lit up. Speaking of which, Sister Ling Yuan seemed to be of a similar age to Bibi Dong, a person of the same era. Would she know something?
Qian Renxue poked Ling Yuan's cheek, causing the latter to open her eyes with confusion. Seeing that it was Qian Renxue, Ling Yuan smiled gently. "Xue'er, what's wrong? You look so anxious."
Qian Renxue pursed her lips and decided to directly ask the question in her heart. "Sister Ling Yuan, I want to ask you about Bibi Dong."
Hearing this, Ling Yuan's brow slightly raised. "Bibi Dong? Why are you suddenly interested in her?" Qian Renxue sat down beside Ling Yuan. "I just want to know what she was like before, and what happened to her in the past."
Ling Yuan pondered for a long time and finally nodded. "Alright, then I will tell you. In fact, back then, she could be considered my idol. Even now, I belong to the Pope's Hall, and she is my immediate superior."
"Idol?" A light flashed in Qian Renxue's pupils. She was somewhat surprised.
Ling Yuan nodded seriously. "That's right. Bibi Dong is different from me. She was adopted by Spirit Hall from the outside." Speaking to this point, Ling Yuan looked at Qian Renxue with apology.
Seeing that the other party waved her hand and didn't mind, only then did she continue.
"Logically speaking, most of those who lose their parents at a young age, if they have no friends to accompany them, their hearts will be very suppressed, and they will close themselves off and appear silent. Those like Xiao Feng are, after all, a minority."
"And from the first time I saw Bibi Dong, I was surprised to find that there was no sadness or despair in her eyes. Her purity and firmness deeply shocked me. She was always so hardworking, so striving."
"Whether in cultivation or in missions, she always showed extraordinary perseverance and talent. Her strength and excellence made her the idol of many people, including me."
"It can even be said that the her of back then was really about the same as a blank sheet of paper. Later, when she was chosen as the Saintess of Spirit Hall, it was also what everyone had hoped for."
Qian Renxue opened her mouth, listening with fascination. She couldn't help but ask, "Then what happened later? How did she become like this now? The her of now is not a blank sheet of paper. She regards power and Xiao... very highly."
Ling Yuan looked at Qian Renxue seriously. "I hope that after you hear this, you won't make any too-agitated moves."
"Of course. Doesn't Sister Ling Yuan understand my state of mind?"
Ling Yuan shook her head and continued, "It should have been when she was in her teens. At that time, there was a soul master from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan who was arranged to study in Spirit City."
"His name was Yu Xiaogang. His innate soul power was only level 0.5, and his martial soul had deteriorated and mutated. It was impossible for him to break through level 30. Therefore, he put all his postnatal efforts into the research of martial soul theory. They met in the library."
"Bibi Dong's daily life was only cultivation and becoming stronger. She had been in Spirit City for more than ten years. She was curious about Yu Xiaogang's research on theory and was thus attracted."
Qian Renxue frowned. "Yu Xiaogang? I seem to have heard this name. It was mentioned by Xiao Feng. He seems to also be called some kind of 'Grandmaster'?"
"I know his theory. I've also seen the so-called 'Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls.' Aren't they all just shoddily made theories and common sense? They can't be brought to the table."
"Among them, there are even a few. If an ordinary soul master really practiced according to what is stated, I'm afraid the only result would be to cut off their future path. Bibi Dong should have been at least a Soul Emperor at that time. How could she not see through his true strength in theory? How could she be deceived by this kind of fraud who fishes for fame and reputation?"
Qian Renxue gritted her silver teeth. This is strange. Even if Bibi Dong was a silly, sweet white back then, she wouldn't have fallen for such a person, right? Does he have real talent or not? You, a Saintess of Spirit Hall, can't even tell?
Her pupils moved slightly, a look of sudden realization on her face. No wonder, no wonder you would seek out Xiao Feng back then. It turns out you saw that person's shadow in him. Hehe, to have also met in the library, to have also been attracted by his theoretical research... my taste is ten thousand times better than yours! Let's see how I'll use this matter to mock you later!
Ling Yuan shook her head and sighed, "Xue'er, you don't understand the Spirit Hall of that era, nor do you understand Bibi Dong."
"Although Bibi Dong was exceptionally talented and powerful, she was actually a very emotional person. Before meeting Yu Xiaogang, her life was almost only cultivation. She longed to understand the outside world, longed for some different experiences. According to my guess, Yu Xiaogang, although not strong, his embellished knowledge and wisdom, as well as his care and protection for Bibi Dong, all made her feel novel. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that she would fall for him."
"However, the matter of Bibi Dong being unable to see that Yu Xiaogang's theory had no value has always been a point of confusion for me. I have also gone to talk to her more than once, but all I got was the response to let me mind my own business."
"It's really strange. She is clearly a very intelligent person, but during that period of time, it was as if her IQ had suddenly dropped. She even helped to publicize Yu Xiaogang's theory, letting him gain the title of 'Grandmaster'."
After hearing this, Qian Renxue was silent for a long time. She had always thought that Bibi Dong was a cold and ruthless woman, but she had not expected that she would also have such a side. She couldn't help but ask, "Then what happened later? Why did they separate?"
Ling Yuan sighed. "The subsequent events involved some secrets of Spirit Hall. Their separation should have been due to some irresistible force. From then on, Bibi Dong changed. She became colder, more pursuing of power. Perhaps she was using this method to protect herself from being hurt again."
"The specific matter involved your father, the previous generation's Pope. His Majesty the Pope was dissatisfied with the Saintess being with that Yu Xiaogang from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and then broke them up. As far as I know, it was the other party who proposed the breakup to Bibi Dong. After that, she was punished by His Majesty the Pope to reflect on her misdeeds in seclusion and disappeared from our sight for a period of time. Later, there was you."
Ling Yuan carefully looked at Qian Renxue's expression. Seeing that her expression was calm, she couldn't help but be stunned.
Qian Renxue smiled faintly. "What is Sister Ling Yuan worried about? Are you afraid that I will have bad associations and it will affect my state of mind? That won't happen. I am not so fragile."
Ling Yuan slowly hugged Qian Renxue and said softly, stroking her head, "Xue'er, you've really grown up."
Qian Renxue hugged Ling Yuan back and said softly, "Sister Ling Yuan, I am no longer a child. Some things, I have the right and the obligation to understand and to face. Bibi Dong is my mother. This is an unchangeable fact. I want to know everything about her, want to understand her, comprehend her. Perhaps this way, we can truly reconcile."
She slowly released Ling Yuan and suddenly said with a cold gaze, "Then, where did that Yu Xiaogang go afterwards?"
"After he left Spirit City, he went to the continent to gain experience. He soon got to know his cousin, Liu Erlong, and a fellow named Four-Eyed Owl Flender, forming the Golden Iron Triangle, possessing a martial soul fusion skill."
"Speaking of which, it's really a joke. That Yu Xiaogang had only just left Spirit City for a few months when he fell in love with his own cousin. That Liu Erlong's martial soul, besides the attribute being different, her appearance was extremely similar to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. This fellow, it's unknown if he really couldn't recognize it or was pretending not to, but he confirmed their relationship."
"What did you say?!" Qian Renxue said loudly in disbelief. This fellow actually fell in love with his own cousin, and at that time?
Ling Yuan nodded. "What the outside world doesn't know, is actually known within the major sects. Liu Erlong's father directly stopped their wedding. Later, he disappeared."
Qian Renxue gritted her teeth. This fellow named Yu Xiaogang, you'd better hope I don't hear of your existence in the days to come. Otherwise, I'll have you castrated and thrown into a pigsty!
She then frowned. There were too many unreasonable things in this matter. A person as intelligent as Bibi Dong, how could she not see that Yu Xiaogang had no real talent? To fall for him was too rash. There was no reason at all.
One was the most talented and beautiful Saintess of Spirit Hall at the time. One was a waste whose martial soul was flawed and whose theory was worrisome. How could they have gotten together, unless someone was pushing things from behind?
Her pupils moved slightly. Recalling the scene she had seen in the Seraphim's memory, Bibi Dong's painful state at that time... was it an illusion? Was it Qian Xunji who had been manipulating things from behind all along? Two gods, besides herself, that would be Bibi Dong. What had he done to allow Bibi Dong to receive the god-seat inheritance? An extreme evil thought...
Using an illusion to make Bibi Dong fall in love with Yu Xiaogang, and then experiencing a betrayal? Qian Renxue's pupils shrank slightly. She felt she had already seen the truth.
So her guess back then was partially correct. Qian Xunji had really done something very excessive to Bibi Dong.
Seeing Qian Renxue was silent, Ling Yuan opened her mouth but didn't know how to speak again. It seemed that the things Xiao Feng had told her to say had all been said. Except for a few details, which would require Qian Renxue to ask herself later.
Just at this moment, Ling Yuan looked back towards the outside of the small wooden house. "Xue'er, someone is here. It's Nana." Qian Renxue looked out with surprise.
She saw Hu Liena, with a head of short black hair and a slender figure, looking around outside, walking to the small wooden house like a fox, and knocking on the door.
"Sister Xue'er, Sister Ling Yuan, are you there?"
Qian Renxue and Ling Yuan were instantly puzzled. Ever since Xiao Feng had been gone, Hu Liena usually wouldn't come here. What was she doing?
The two temporarily put aside what had just happened and welcomed Hu Liena in.
"Nana, is there something you need from us?"
Hu Liena's expression was conflicted. She hesitated for a long time before finally speaking in a low voice, "Sister, listen to me. Teacher Pope is not right."
Qian Renxue and Ling Yuan raised their eyebrows.
Hu Liena continued, "During this period of time that Brother Xiao Feng has been away, I have always been cultivating with Teacher. It's just that recently I discovered a very strange thing."
"Whenever Teacher is in a bad mood or has a bad temper, she will take out the immortal herb that Brother Xiao Feng gave her to sniff, and then she will also take out a piece of paper to look at."
"It's strange to say, but every time she sees that piece of paper, Teacher will show a smile. I asked Teacher what on earth was written on that paper, but she was unwilling to tell me. Two sisters, do you think Teacher is a bit strange? Can a piece of paper and a flower calm what negative emotions? Is Teacher sick with something? Is that piece of paper a prescription?"
Ling Yuan said, "That immortal herb was used by Xiao Feng to suppress your teacher's negative emotions. There's no problem."
"Oh, so that's how it is. That's good."
Qian Renxue narrowed her eyes, took Hu Liena with one hand, and flew to a more distant place. She took out the letter that Lin Feng had written to her from her soul tool.
She said quietly, "Nana, the paper your teacher looks at, is the material similar to this?"
Hu Liena's eyes lit up. "It's really similar! Sister Xue, you have one too? What's written on this? Brother Xiao Feng's theory?"
Qian Renxue forced a smile. "Something like that," she looked at Hu Liena with some threat. "Remember, you were never here today, nor did you see that I have this piece of paper, understand? You are not allowed to tell your teacher about the things here!"
Hu Liena shrank her head. "Oh—oh."
Qian Renxue looked at the departing Hu Liena and gritted her teeth. What a good Bibi Dong! So you deceived Xiao Feng long ago. I was wondering why your attitude towards Xiao Feng had changed so much. You really want to lay out your plans in the dark and take down Xiao Feng?
I heard you still have a secret chamber as your boudoir behind the Pope's Hall. I'm afraid you also want to take Xiao Feng in and ravage him. Hmph!
Now you still think I'm being kept in the dark, right? Let's see how I mock and counter-attack you.
And Lin Xiaofeng! You fellow had better come back early and explain the matter of Bibi Dong. What's with you arbitrarily writing her a letter? She was suddenly stunned, remembering Lin Feng's plight and powerlessness when he had returned from the Pope's Hall that day. How could condensing a Soul Vein consume so much energy?
Could it be... Qian Renxue opened her mouth. This venomous woman! How could she be like this! I was clearly the one who came first! Even if there were many misunderstandings, even if there was a hidden truth back then, she should have asked for my consent. Xiao Feng was only just a Soul King back then! A whole day and a night, how could she bear it!
Qian Renxue sneered coldly. "You like to snatch from me? I will specifically make it difficult for you to get it. Xiao Feng is mine! You rely on this kind of means to plant your place in Xiao Feng's heart, and you still dare to covet the main position? Impossible!"