One day later, inside the wooden hut.
Yu Xiaogang slowly regained consciousness. When he opened his eyes, he saw the room had been cleaned and tidied up, everything looking neat and orderly.
Tap, tap, tap—footsteps sounded. Liu Erlong strode in, her face no longer carrying that exhausted look. Instead, her eyes were sharp, carrying the spirit she once had in her youth.
"Xiaogang, Bibi Dong didn't kill you. What she wants is to let you rot in despair, to make you suffer for the rest of your life."
"The more that's the case, the more you need to pull yourself together. The habits of idleness and laziness must end. Starting today, I'll be supervising you. Even though we've lost our soul power, our bodies, once strengthened by soul rings, are still far better than ordinary people's. You have hands, you have feet—why can't you rely on your own labor to live a proper life? Show Bibi Dong your change, your determination."
"Only this way will your body become healthy again, so you can live to see the day Tang San returns to the world."
"Take these two days to recover. After that, I'll assign you work."
"If you don't finish it, then you know what my temper used to be."
"Even if I die, I, Liu Erlong, will die standing with dignity. This time, I won't run anymore."
"..." Yu Xiaogang's lips moved, but in the end, he didn't argue—nor did he have the strength to.
"Also, I've already tidied your room. From now on, you'll clean it yourself." Liu Erlong continued, her tone firm and leaving no room for refusal.
—
Many days later, inside the inner city of the Slaughter City.
A black-robed Bibi Dong moved quietly through the streets, following behind Hu Liena, who had just stepped out of the Hell Arena.
"Bibi Dong?"
Among the crowd leaving the Hell Arena, Tang San's gaze caught sight of the faint outline beneath that hood. His expression shifted.
'So it's true—Bibi Dong, like my father, has walked out of the Slaughter City with the title of Death God. That's why she dared send Hu Liena in here. A Death God with the Death God Domain can freely come and go, and use their abilities without restriction. If she wanted to kill me, it would be effortless.'
'The only fortunate thing is that Spirit Hall still has to follow the rules of the Slaughter City. Except for Death Gods, no one can move freely in and out.'
'Still, for safety, I'll have to wait until Hu Liena enters the Hell Road before I dare reveal my martial soul in battle. Otherwise, if Bibi Dong checks in on Hu Liena and finds out about me, she'll stop at nothing to root me out.'
'Even with a human-skin mask to disguise myself, if she searches thoroughly, she might still see through it.'
Thinking this, he quietly turned and slipped away.
Not long after, in front of a small house, Bibi Dong appeared behind Hu Liena. The latter immediately turned, ready to attack, only for her strike to be effortlessly blocked.
Hu Liena raised her head, seeing the familiar face beneath the hood. "Teacher!?" She lit up with joy.
"It seems this place has indeed become a good trial ground for you," Bibi Dong said with a small smile and a nod.
But inwardly, she had to admit—compared with Yang Yunhai, her disciple was still far behind. His growth rate was far beyond anything she had predicted.
"It's been alright," Hu Liena smiled. "Teacher, let's go inside to talk."
Bibi Dong nodded and followed her inside.
"Teacher, did you come this time just to see me?" Hu Liena asked with a smile as she poured tea.
"Mm, and I also brought you something." Bibi Dong set down two soul tools on the table.
"These two will help you pass through the final Hell Road." She explained their use in detail.
"Thank you, Teacher." Hu Liena accepted them happily.
"There's something else. Have you seen anyone here using the Blue Silver Grass or the Clear Sky Hammer? Or any new arrivals? I heard that someone broke the rules to enter the Slaughter City," Bibi Dong asked.
"That person has already been killed by the inner city dwellers—I saw it with my own eyes," Hu Liena replied.
Bibi Dong frowned, thinking. "What you see may not always be the truth. Tang San knows how to craft human-skin masks. It's possible he tricked you, or maybe he let himself be seen on purpose. You must remain wary of him. If you find any suspicious person, don't act rashly. I'll come here regularly to check on you—if necessary, I'll remove him myself."
"Yes, Teacher." Hu Liena nodded seriously. She had experienced Tang San's hidden weapons before—if he attacked by surprise, it was indeed dangerous.
Bibi Dong gave a faint nod, then took out a porcelain vial. "The Bloody Mary contains a special toxin that affects the mind. This is the antidote. Originally, I meant to give it to you after you built up resistance, but keep it on you for now. If you ever find it hard to control your killing intent, take some."
'Poison?' Hu Liena's eyes widened slightly, then she nodded quickly. "Thank you, Teacher."
Bibi Dong smiled faintly, chatted with her for a while longer, and then left.
She exited the Slaughter City and headed straight back to Spirit City.
—
Several days later, she returned to her residence. After washing up, she went to the Pope's Palace, ready to receive reports of the continent's latest events.
Just as she took her seat, golden light flared in the hall. Qian Daoliu appeared before her.
"What are you doing here?" Bibi Dong frowned.
"Xiao Hai wants to make a deal with you," Qian Daoliu said evenly. During the time Bibi Dong had gone to the Slaughter City, he had already learned about her trip to see Yu Xiaogang. He didn't know her thoughts now, but at the very least, she had completely severed her attachment to him.
"What deal?" Bibi Dong's expression smoothed back into calm.
"Xiao Hai found three Thousand Ton Ant Emperors in the Star Dou Forest, each near 100,000 years. He has a way to help them break through to 100,000 years. If you're interested, send someone. The price is their soul bones."
Bibi Dong fell silent, then sneered. "Qian Daoliu, if I were still clinging to Yu Xiaogang, I suppose by now my martial soul would already be crippled. If I had possessed even half of Yang Yunhai's ruthlessness back then, how could things have ended up like this?"
Her fists clenched. "Back then, you should have killed me!"
"Cause and effect, retribution is inevitable. You, me, and Jizi—we've all received our punishments," Qian Daoliu sighed.
"From here on, think more about the children. Think about those who haven't yet suffered as we have."
Bibi Dong let out a harsh laugh. "What a joke. Why should I be the one to play the saint? Why me!?"
Qian Daoliu didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Bibi Dong, if your disciple Hu Liena were to walk your old path—falling for the wrong man, betraying you, betraying Spirit Hall which raised her—what would you do?"
"Could you really watch her leave, to waste her life on a man without responsibility?"
"You've seen Liu Erlong's state. Do you think she is happy?"
"And how many more women like her exist in this world—how many more suffer worse fates?"
"I don't expect you to save them. I only ask you not to let that pain fall on the children again. Do it for Hu Liena, if for nothing else."
"That's why he—why Qian Xunji—changed his mind in the end. That's why he wanted to make it up to you, why he went after Tang Hao and Ah Yin. Otherwise, do you really believe that with your cultivation under rank 80 back then, you could have killed a rank 95 Titled Douluo capable of a last strike?"
"I didn't kill you back then, not only for Xue'er, but also to honor his final wish."
He sighed. "I've said what I needed to. Think it over carefully." And then his form dissolved into golden light.
Bibi Dong's entire body trembled. Moments later, her face twisted with rage. "Qian Xunji! Why did it have to be you? Why you! Did you think dying at my hand could absolve your sins? Could that repay what you did to me?"
"No—I will never forgive you. Never forgive her!"
Her spiritual power erupted wildly, shaking the grand hall. At her brow, a spider-shaped sigil flashed briefly before fading.
(End of Chapter)
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