The forest had changed.
Where once there were streams and grassy lawns where Subei grilled meat and laughed with his companions, there now sprawled the base camp of Spirit Hall's army.
Golden semicircle tents rose like fortresses among collapsed trees. Patrols of lithe assassins dashed in every direction, answering to platinum-clad bishops. Soul Saints strode tirelessly through the shadows with their martial spirits flaring, scanning every root, every stone. Even Title Douluo had descended deep into the outer circle to search.
All of this—only for a single boy.
Reports flowed in as quickly as birdsong.
"Report! Three hundred miles east—no signs. Still haven't seen His Highness Subei!"
"Report! Three hundred miles northwest—no signs!"
"Report! Two hundred miles south—clear. No trace of His Highness!"
Each failure tightened the Pope's patience further.
At the center stood Bibi Dong, Pope's scepter pressed into the earth, her gaze sharp enough to flay. With every "no news," her grip quivered tighter. The ground beneath her staff cracked in a crisscross of splits.
Then another report cut through:
"Your Majesty! An anomaly within the deep mixing circle. The Titan Ape—the King of the Forest—has been sighted!"
At once, her face shifted—from worry, to fury.
"The black ape… If not for its ambush, Tang Hao would never have found such an opening to abduct Xiaobei!"
Ghost Douluo lowered his shadowy face, muttering, "Pope… in fact, we first used wine to lure the Titan beast into chaos. Perhaps this incident began with our plan—"
"Silence." Bibi Dong's glare snapped icy daggers into him. Her teeth clicked with venom. A subordinate daring to remind her of tactical decisions now? Blame? Excuses? Unacceptable.
Instead, she snapped coldly, "Ghost. Yueguan. Come. We go deeper into the Star Dou immediately. Titan Ape dies by my hand."
In answer, a shimmering red-robed figure descended.
Yueguan, Chrysanthemum Douluo. His hair gleamed pale lavender, his manner delicate, his beauty nearly androgynous—one could almost mistake him for Yan's elder sister, if not for the Adam's apple betraying his voice. The crimson robe and rare golden-gem insignia marked his Title Douluo grandeur.
The significance was clear: Ghost and Yueguan together meant Martial Soul Fusion. If Titan Ape was found, they could unleash Bipolar Static Field. Even the Forest King would be crushed, immobile.
"Pope-sama," Yueguan bowed, voice lilting. "Your will, my hand."
Before their departure, another sound echoed.
Whinny!
Twin Hanover white steeds bellowed as they reared, their harnesses creaking. From their carriage descended a pair that turned the camp's air tenser than any beast report.
Liu Erlong. And Xiao Wu.
They had come thundering across provinces, unable to sit still once they heard Bibi Dong had taken Subei into Star Dou.
Liu Erlong flung her cloak back. A tigress's stride cut straight through the startled Soul Hall troops. "Where is Xiaobei?!"
Xiao Wu soothed one horse with a pat, whispering, "Da Bai, Er Bai—be good, wait for sister here. Soon brother will return, and we'll feed you plenty."
The horses whickered as if they too were in love with the peerless youth.
But Liu Erlong ignored the strangeness, storming forward. Her eyes scanned the ruins—trees shattered, the land cratered. She turned on the nearest bishop: "Handsome boy missing. Where is he?"
A hush spread. Soldiers glanced at each other nervously.
Then Erlong's eyes fixed directly on the Pope striding away—Bibi Dong, flanked by Ghost and Yueguan.
She strode forward, blocking the path, fury glowing in her face.
"Bibi Dong!" Erlong snapped. "Where is Xiaobei? What happened here?"
Bibi Dong halted, golden eyes narrowing like knives. For half an instant, guilt flickered before she covered it smoothly with papal Majesty.
"…Why are you here?"
Her voice was low, cold, a command rather than a question.
"Why can't I be here?" Erlong retorted instantly, her voice rising higher. "I came for my son. For my Xiao Bei! Where is he?"
Cold silence. Then Bibi Dong said flatly, "Taken. By Tang Hao."
The words silenced even the roars of roaming soul beasts.
"What?!" Liu Erlong exploded. Her finger stabbed the air. "Tang Hao! He dares! A fifty-year-old hammer-wielding fool dares set eyes on him? That man—he dares covet Xiaobei's face? Shameful! Shameless!"
Ghost blinked in faint disbelief, mumbling, "Also, Tang San was taken…"
"And what?! Tang Hao has designs on him too? Is he sick?!" Erlong blurted, scandalized.
…
The entire camp froze. Was this really where her mind went?
Not how to recover them? Not rage at Spirit Hall's enemies but—accusing Tang Hao of liking both?
"Ahem," Yueguan coughed delicately into his sleeve. Ghost stared at the sky. Bishops shuffled their feet.
But Liu Erlong's fury only burned hotter.
Her hair snapped like flame, her body lit with an aura fit for a feral dragon. She turned those furious, scarlet-tinged eyes on Bibi Dong herself.
"It's all your fault! If you hadn't dragged him here, if you hadn't failed to guard him, would Xiaobei be suffering this now?!"
The air split with her wrath.
"If Xiaobei has even a scratch because of you—Bibi Dong—I swear I will hate your Spirit Hall for all my life!"
Those words cut.
For Bibi Dong—always the Pope, always supreme authority—to hear another woman spit fury at her, as if she were just another rival in the harem, and worse, to know the sting in those words was true—made her jaw tremble.
Her scepter rang once against the soil.
Coldly, she said, "The Pope does not lose what she cannot find again. What is taken shall be recovered."
Then, without hesitation, she shot into the air, aura blazing. Ghost and Yueguan swept after her, the golden-robed trio darting toward the dark heart of the forest.
Left behind, the camp buzzed with nervous whispers—when Pope Bibi Dong moved personally, even the birds held their breath.
Liu Erlong clenched her fists until blood ran down her palm, eyes blazing as she stared at the Pope's back disappearing into the shadows.
"You remember! That is my son too!" she roared to the twilight. "I am his irreplaceable godmother. If he suffers—don't think your Pope's crown can protect you!"
Beside her, Xiao Wu's fists were tight, her eyes shimmering with tears. Brother… where are you…?
And under the black canopy of Star Dou, between dragoness, healer, and Pope—Subei's storm only grew fiercer.
--
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