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In the quiet darkness of the forest, the chat interface flickered with activity. Zhu Zhuqing, known as the Cat in the Shadows, watched the messages scroll by with a slight frown. She knew that Su Yan always had a way to solve problems, even the most difficult ones, but his help never came for free.
He would likely need to pay some price for his actions today. She glanced at the screen and typed quickly, telling Hu Liena and the others to stop joking for now. The situation was delicate. Ah Yin had just decided not to die, and it would be a tragedy if their teasing made the poor woman want to give up on life all over again.
Ning Rongrong, the Seven Treasures Little Princess, was quick to jump to his defense. She could not stand it when anyone doubted him. She sent a message saying that no one was allowed to slander her Brother Su Yan. To her, he was capable of anything, and his intentions were always pure.
Inside the Seed Space, Ah Yin felt like her mind was spinning. She was completely confused by the turn the conversation had taken. The suggestions from the group members were overwhelming. She wondered if they were really suggesting she offer herself in marriage to Su Yan. She reminded herself that she was a married woman, even if her heart was currently heavy with grief and confusion. Even if she were to be revived and given a brand new human body, her soul was still that of a hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Grass. She looked at the profile of Su Yan in her mind. He was so young and so handsome. She felt a flush of embarrassment. Was this really a way to repay a kindness? Or was she actually repaying kindness with enmity by burdening such a bright young man with her past?
Inside the carriage, Su Yan felt the vibration of his device. He took a moment to think before explaining the reality of the situation to the group. He sent a message to Ah Yin, explaining that he was not very sure of her exact location at the moment. He told her that if he wanted to take her to the Blue Silver Grass tribal land right now, he would have to pay a very precious price to find her. He admitted that while this price might not seem very important in the future when he was stronger, it was very important right now. He was simply unwilling to pay such a steep price until he reached the point where he could defeat Bibi Dong. He suggested a compromise. He asked her not to die yet and to wait for just a few days. Once he was strong enough to defeat the Pope, he promised he would personally send her back to the Blue Silver Grass tribal land.
At the Supreme Pontiff Palace, the atmosphere was tense. Bibi Dong had not yet emerged from her small dark room, which served as her place of confinement. Hu Liena had stayed nearby, waiting for any news. When she saw the message from Su Yan, she rushed toward the door of the room. She called out to her teacher, telling her that Su Yan still had a hidden trump card. She explained that he told the group that finding Ah Yin would require a very precious price, one he would not pay until he was strong enough to defeat Bibi Dong.
Inside the room, Bibi Dong's expression became solemn. The mention of her name in such a confident tone by Su Yan bothered her. She whispered to herself that the Transmigrator was indeed very strong. She realized that the young man really did have many methods and secrets that they knew nothing about. She sighed deeply, a sound of rare frustration. She wondered if there was truly no chance for her to ever trample Su Yan under her feet. But then, her natural pride took over. She refused to believe it. There had to be a way. She was Bibi Dong, and she would not be intimidated by a boy.
Back in the chat, Ah Yin responded with a sense of relief. She told Su Yan that she understood his position. she even offered a small prayer that he would become powerful enough to defeat Bibi Dong as soon as tomorrow. She thanked everyone for their concern and told them she felt much better now. She realized that the pain of the past was not worth throwing her life away for, and she still had responsibilities to fulfill in the future. She admitted that she had been too selfish in her grief.
Liu Erlong could not help but chime in with her usual fiery attitude. She asked Ah Yin who she thought she was looking down on. She reminded everyone that Bibi Dong was the big sister of their combination, a rank ninety-nine Peak Douluo with twin spirits and the inheritor of the Rakshasa God. She laughed at the idea of defeating her so easily, asking if Ah Yin thought Su Yan was some kind of prophet who could just make it happen overnight.
Ning Rongrong poked fun at the situation as well. She noted that Aunt Ah Yin was still the deceased wife of the famous Deceased Wife Douluo, Tang Hao. She asked if Ah Yin had ever been proud of that title, which caused Ah Yin to send a message of genuine thanks to the little princess for lightening the mood. Dugu Yan, using the name Yanzi is not a Swallow, let out a burst of digital laughter. Another member, Number Nine, expressed happiness that the group chat had returned to its usual state of gossip and joy, saying that this was what true love and family were all about. Even the member known as I Am an Orphan joined in, calling the complex relationships a mix of love and killing.
Inside the carriage, Su Yan smiled as he read the messages. He reached over and rubbed Ye Lingling's head affectionately. He felt that the mood was finally right. He messaged the group, noting that since Ah Yin now had the motivation to live and the joy had returned, he wanted to reward everyone for their friendship. He decided to give them a round of exclusive gossip. He invited everyone to discuss what they wanted to know, promising to share one extra piece of news that no one else knew.
Tang Yuehua was delighted, calling the gossip a double blessing. Dugu Yan was equally excited, cheering for more news. However, on Sea God Island, the High Priestess Bo Saixi suddenly felt a great sense of unease. She wondered why there was a sudden call for gossip at such a random time. She felt it was a breach of ethics. She quickly messaged as Group Member Number Thirteen, stating that she did not agree to have a gossip session now, especially since they had just had one recently.
Dugu Yan laughed at her protest. She told Number Thirteen that everyone was actually very curious about her identity and the secrets of Sea God Island. This caused Bo Saixi to respond with a string of question marks. Ning Rongrong added fuel to the fire, mentioning the mysterious island and the legendary love triangle involving the three greatest powerhouses of the continent. Tang Yuehua pointed out that based on how things usually went, if they talked about the love triangle involving Bo Saixi, Number Thirteen's identity would almost certainly be revealed.
On Sea God Island, Bo Saixi was utterly stunned. She had only recently joined the group and had not prepared herself for this level of exposure. she wondered how Su Yan could possibly know about the secrets of the High Priestess. She felt targeted, realizing that talking about the three great powerhouses was just a fancy way of talking about her and her past.
Meanwhile, back at the Spirit Hall, Hu Liena realized a problem. She shouted out that her teacher had not been released from her confinement yet and could not see the gossip. Liu Erlong laughed loudly at this, mocking Bibi Dong for not learning her lesson. Xiao Wu, using the name Loves Eating Carrots, told Hu Liena to tell Bibi Dong to be more humble when she saw Su Yan, or he would continue to punish her.
Hu Liena was caught between laughing and crying. She told her teacher that the group was starting the gossip without her. Bibi Dong was furious, calling the members rascals for their lack of camaraderie. She asked Hu Liena if there was any way to convince Su Yan to lift the confinement. When Hu Liena asked if she was really the one who had to do it, Bibi Dong insisted. She told her disciple that it was better for Hu Liena to beg him than for the Pope herself to do it. She reminded her that Su Yan had shown Hu Liena favor before because of her friendship with others.
Bibi Dong felt a pang of worry that she might eventually have to beg him herself, but she quickly dismissed the thought. She was the Pope of Spirit Hall; she had to maintain her dignity. Hu Liena eventually gave in and sent a message to Su Yan, begging him to release her teacher early. However, she felt the message lacked sincerity. She turned to Bibi Dong and asked her to help take a pitiful photo of her to send to Su Yan, hoping it would increase the success rate. Bibi Dong's eyes lit up, and she praised her disciple for being so smart.
Hu Liena then uploaded an image of herself looking both pitiful and charmingly seductive. The group chat exploded with reactions. Ning Rongrong called her a little fox, while Xiao Wu called the move despicable. Others were impressed by how well she played to Su Yan's potential weaknesses. Even Bo Saixi, watching from afar, was dumbfounded. She couldn't believe that Bibi Dong would go to such lengths just to hear gossip about her.