"Inform my teacher that I wish to see him about something important."
Before the Pope's Palace, Bibi Dong stood calmly between the fully armed guards, her tone cold and steady.
"Please wait a moment, Saintess. I will notify His Holiness immediately."
One guard bowed and strode into the palace.
Moments later, he returned and gestured respectfully.
"His Holiness invites you to wait in the Council Hall."
Bibi Dong nodded lightly and stepped toward the vast Council Hall, her movement practiced and familiar.
Inside, she sat with flawless poise on a sofa, quietly sipping fragrant tea.
The thousand-square-meter hall was completely empty—
only her.
On the surface her expression was serene, but her heart was tight.
If possible, she truly hoped Chihiro Ji was not the kind of man Xiao Se claimed.
Suddenly, the massive doors opened.
A calm yet imposing voice sounded from outside:
"No one is to enter without my command. Stand guard outside."
Bibi Dong turned—and instantly felt her heart clench.
A tall middle-aged man walked in.
He wore an extravagant red robe embroidered with gold. Beneath the robe, golden armor gleamed faintly. His skin was fair, his features handsome and sharp, his entire presence radiating a dominating arrogance.
His gaze swept across Bibi Dong—and in that instant, a faint, quickly hidden look of greed flashed in his eyes.
He sat casually on the main throne of the hall.
"Bibi Dong, instead of cultivating, you suddenly came to see me. What is the matter?"
His calm yet echoing voice reverberated through the hall.
Bibi Dong took a deep breath, rose to her feet, and lifted her slender brows ever so slightly.
"Teacher, there is something I must tell you…"
And she repeated exactly what Xiao Se had prepared for her.
As she spoke, Chihiro Ji's expression shifted repeatedly.
When she reported that her soul power had reached level seventy, he was visibly delighted. Faster growth meant greater talent—reflecting well on him as her mentor while also pushing forward his secret plan.
On the surface, he was nurturing her as his successor.
In truth… he had another intention entirely—
The God-Making Plan: selective breeding.
Combining her twin martial spirits with his seraphic Six-Winged Angel would produce a child of unimaginable talent—a child who could seize the Angel God's inheritance.
But…
When she revealed she had someone she liked—
someone outside Spirit Hall—
His expression darkened instantly.
He knew then—his plan had to accelerate.
He immediately used soul-force transmission to order his trusted men to capture this mysterious "boyfriend."
Then he put on a gentle, kindly smile for Bibi Dong.
"I understand everything you've said. If this person's talent truly matches yours, I may consider approving your relationship. Come. To celebrate your breakthrough, I have prepared a gift for you."
He pressed a hidden mechanism, opening a passage beneath the Council Hall, and walked inside.
"Don't panic. I'm here."
Xiao Se's voice sounded in Bibi Dong's heart.
Bibi Dong nodded softly and followed her teacher down.
Soon, they reached a dim secret chamber.
The chamber was simple—
A bed.
A table.
A few chains.
On the table lay a single ornate box.
Chihiro Ji gave a faintly mocking smile and gestured.
"Go ahead. Your gift is inside. I'm sure you'll like it."
"Dong'er, leave the rest to me," Xiao Se whispered.
He took control of her body again and walked toward the box.
And the moment Bibi Dong's back was turned to Chihiro Ji—
the Pope's mask dropped.
His hand rose sharply, aiming a chopping strike at the back of her neck.
But Xiao Se was already prepared.
A cold smile curved on Bibi Dong's lips—Xiao Se's smile.
Her jade foot lashed out with explosive force, smashing straight into Chihiro Ji's abdomen.
Chihiro Ji's eyes widened.
From attacker to attacked in a heartbeat.
Caught completely off guard, he crossed his arms to block—
BOOM!
The impact sent him skidding across the stone floor for more than ten meters before he slammed into the wall.
"My dear teacher… is this how you give your disciple a gift?"
Bibi Dong slowly turned, her head lowered. Her elegant bangs cast shadows over her now-unreadable eyes.
The voice that left her lips was not hers—
but Xiao Se's.
"You're not Bibi Dong… who are you?"
Chihiro Ji felt his blood surge chaotically. When he tried to summon his Six-Winged Angel, he realized with horror—
He couldn't move.
Bibi Dong's right eye had turned red.
A black, four-bladed windmill spun rapidly within the eye—
then shifted into three tomoe—
before slowly fading back to normal.
"Dong'er, his fate is now in your hands," Xiao Se said as his soul slowly drifted out of her body, flickering faintly, nearly transparent. "The command I implanted with Bie Tianshen is simple: serve you as his master. In half a stick of incense, he will become a puppet. While he still has a sliver of his own mind left—ask whatever you wish."
Bibi Dong nodded gently to Xiao Se, then turned to Chihiro Ji.
Her questions began.
And although Chihiro Ji resisted, his will was already shattered under the soul power of a fifth-grade alchemist wielding Bie Tianshen.
He confessed everything—
every detail of his God-Making Plan.
In that moment—
a person truly grows up.
Through Chihiro Ji's betrayal and attack, the last traces of innocence in Bibi Dong evaporated.
Her gentle naïveté faded.
In its place emerged the early shadow of the future Pope—the cold, decisive ruler of Spirit Hall.
Xiao Se had once hoped she could keep her purity forever. He spent five years shielding her, giving her warmth, peace, and a beautiful memory.
That was also why he hadn't removed Chihiro Ji earlier.
He wanted Bibi Dong to enjoy just a bit more happiness before he left.
But now that he was about to disappear from this world—
leaving Chihiro Ji alive would only doom her.
And Xiao Se refused to let the tragedy of the original Bibi Dong ever happen again.
(End of Chapter)
[There are over 175 chapters available on my Patreon. Please consider checking out the full novel collection and purchasing it there. Uploading chapters here may be a bit slower, but on Patreon you can access the complete story, and I will continue adding more chapters based on your needs and demand - P@tr3on "RinBlaze"]
[Every 15 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]