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Bibi Dong did not waste the small amount of time she gained from the death of Chrysanthemum Douluo. She used every bit of her focus to move. She pushed her Six-Winged Purple Light Wings to their absolute limit. Her body moved frantically, shifting dozens of meters to the side just in time to avoid the direct hit.
The other two Titled Douluo watched the scene from a distance. They were frozen with shock. Their hearts felt cold, and a deep fear they could not describe began to grow inside them. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. The Supreme Pontiff, a woman who always seemed so powerful and untouchable, was actually running away in fear.
The golden dragon spear slammed into the ground where she had been standing just a second before. It still carried the blood and flesh of Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan. The impact was massive, blasting a deep pit into the earth and sending dirt and rocks flying everywhere.
Suddenly, a loud buzzing sound filled the air. The giant golden figure that Tang Chen had created began to shake violently. The bright light on its surface was as hot and bright as the sun, but now it started to flicker. It looked like a lamp that was about to burn out. The massive energy around it began to look blurry and twisted.
It was clear that something was wrong. Tang Chen had forced five hundred-thousand-year spirit rings to explode all at once. Even though he was in a powerful state of Spirit Fusion with Xiao Ruier, his body was not meant to handle that much power. The strength he had gained was incredible, but the price he had to pay was just as high. The stress on his body was far more than he could take.
From inside the bright light of the fusion, a low groan could be heard. It was Tang Chen, struggling to stay conscious. He was in a lot of pain.
This moment of weakness was exactly what Bibi Dong needed. Her power was unstable for just a second, but it gave her a final chance to live. She didn't stop to look at the other two Titled Douluo. She didn't feel any sadness for Yue Guan, who had just died to save her. She didn't feel any guilt at all. She was a leader who was both ruthless and driven by the need to survive. She made the only choice that made sense for her.
Go! she screamed.
The wings on her back moved so fast they were a blur. She kicked up a wind that smelled like blood. She used her remaining spirit power to grab the other two Titled Douluo. Both of them were badly hurt and couldn't move well on their own. She pulled them along as she turned into a streak of green light.
She flew at her maximum speed toward the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. She did not look back even once. She was terrified that if she waited for even a single second, another one of those golden spears would come down and kill her. This was the worst defeat she had ever suffered since she became a Titled Douluo. It was a painful loss that she would never forget.
A few minutes later, the energy in the area began to fade away. The giant golden figure could no longer hold its shape. The light started to pull back and disappear into nothing. When the light was finally gone, Tang Chen and Xiao Ruier were left standing on the broken ground. They were holding onto each other to keep from falling. Their faces were as white as paper.
They both looked very weak. Tang Chen was in much worse shape than Xiao Ruier. His body was shaking, and he could barely stand. He had to lean his whole weight on her just to stay upright.
I can't believe I let that woman get away again, Tang Chen said in a low, angry voice. He coughed and tasted blood in his mouth, but he forced himself to swallow it. Even though he was exhausted, his eyes were still sharp. He stared at the path where Bibi Dong had fled.
The forest became quiet again. The only things left were the broken trees, the ruined earth, and the smell of destruction in the air.
Just as Tang Chen was about to pass out, a black light appeared in the sky. It looked like a bolt of lightning. It came down with a powerful force and landed quietly in front of them. The light faded to reveal a tall man with black hair. He wore a simple black robe. His face was plain, but his eyes were full of power. It was the Beast God Di Tian. He had felt the massive energy and rushed to the scene.
Di Tian looked at the battlefield. It looked like a giant rock from space had hit the forest. He frowned slightly when he saw how bad the damage was. Then he looked at the two young people in front of him. When he saw how pale and weak they were, his face became very serious.
Ruier, Tang Chen, are you okay? How bad are your injuries? Di Tian asked. He took one step and was suddenly right next to them. His voice was deep and strong, but you could tell he was worried about them.
Xiao Ruier felt much better now that Di Tian was there. She finally let herself relax a little bit. Uncle Di Tian, I am mostly okay, she explained. I just used up too much of my spirit power and my mental energy. But Tang Chen is in trouble. He used a spirit ability he made himself to fight them off. The recoil from that move was very bad for his body.
Tang Chen tried to look up. He gave Di Tian a small nod to say hello. He didn't have the strength to say a single word.
Di Tian looked at Tang Chen for a long time. Then he reached out and touched the young man. A warm and gentle spirit power started to flow from Di Tian into Tang Chen. It was filled with the power of a dragon. This energy helped to fix the damage inside Tang Chen and stopped his body from collapsing.
We need to leave this place now, Di Tian said. Let's go back to the Lake of Life.
While they were leaving the forest, the scene shifted to Heaven Dou City. This was the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire. Inside the mansion of the Crown Prince, a single candle was burning in a hidden room. The light made long shadows on a map of the empire that was hanging on the wall.
Qian Renxue was there. She was dressed as the Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe. She stood with her back to the door, looking at the map. She seemed to be thinking about the future and what she needed to do next.
Suddenly, a man dressed in black appeared in the corner of the room. He seemed to come out of the shadows like ink. He dropped to one knee and spoke with respect.
Your Highness, he said.
Qian Renxue did not turn around. She just made a small sound to let him know she was listening.
The man in black kept his head down. I have news, he started. The Clear Sky Sect has made a deal with the Empire. They are going to open their gates again soon. They plan to work with the Empire to fight against Spirit Hall.
He stopped for a second to catch his breath. Also, I have a secret message from the High Priest.
When Qian Renxue heard the words High Priest, her body stiffened just a little bit.
The High Priest says the time is right, the man continued. He wants you to act now. You must take control of the Heaven Dou Empire immediately. You cannot wait any longer.
The room was silent for a moment. The only sound was the candle burning.
Finally, Qian Renxue turned around. She still looked like Xue Qinghe, but her face was now cold and determined. She didn't look like a kind prince anymore.
The fact that the Clear Sky Sect was joining the Empire was a big problem. It would make the Empire much stronger. This would make it harder for Spirit Hall to take over the whole world later on. She had been living a lie in this city for almost twenty years. She had worked very hard to become the Crown Prince. She had done all of this so she could take over the Empire without a big war.
Things were changing quickly. Her grandfather, the High Priest, thought it was time to move. She agreed with him. She had been waiting for this chance for a very long time.
I understand, Qian Renxue said. Her voice was flat and calm. Tell everyone to start the final plan. We must make sure everything goes perfectly.
Yes, Your Highness! the man in black replied. He bowed and disappeared back into the shadows.
Qian Renxue stood alone in the room. She looked back at the map. She knew that the next few days would change everything. The peace in the Heaven Dou Empire was about to end, and she was the one who would start the change. She thought about Yu Xiaogang and the others who might try to stop her. She knew she had to be careful.
The world of Spirit Masters was dangerous, and any mistake could cost her everything she had worked for. But she was ready. She had the power of Spirit Hall behind her and a plan that had been years in the making. She blew out the candle, leaving the room in total darkness.