Chapter 23: Bibi Dong, We Can Never Go Back
Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo exchanged a glance.
Both could sense the intense surge of soul power sweeping across the horizon—its heat rolling through the air like a tide of fire.
There was no mistake. The approaching aura belonged to a Fire-attributed Soul Master.
And among all Fire-type Soul Masters who had reached the Titled Douluo level, there were only a handful across the entire continent.
Within Spirit Hall, one of them stood out—Lingyuan Douluo, whose Martial Soul was the Flame Kite.
Suspended in midair, the two men stood silently amidst the wind. Ghost Douluo's figure flickered as he entered his Ghost Demon State, his form half-ethereal, half-real, blending with the night.
"Sister Lingyuan," Ghost Douluo's hoarse voice drifted through the mist, "since you've come all this way, why bother hiding? Come out."
As his words faded, the clouds behind them suddenly churned.
A crimson streak tore through the night sky like a meteor, trailing waves of scorching heat before descending with explosive force.
Spirit Kite Douluo appeared.
She wore a long scarlet robe embroidered with a golden, outstretched roc in flight—majestic yet refined. Her short, fiery-red hair flared with every movement, and her sharp eyes gleamed like molten gold as she met the gazes of the two men before her.
Even without probing too deeply, she could tell that both Ghost Douluo and Yue Guan had grown stronger since they'd last met.
"Heh, it's only been a year, and the two of you already feel different," she said with a faint smile. "I tried to approach quietly, but you still sensed me."
Her tone softened, carrying a touch of familiarity.
After all, the three of them had once been comrades in Spirit Hall. Though Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo outranked her in both seniority and strength, they had always treated her kindly. To her, they were more like older brothers than colleagues.
Yue Guan smiled faintly.
"For you to find us at all, Lingyuan, that's no small feat."
"I only happened to pass by and sensed your auras," she replied lightly.
Ghost Douluo's ghostly figure flickered as he said,
"Lingyuan, you've been looking for us for a while now, haven't you? Was it Bibi Dong who sent you?"
Lingyuan hesitated for only a moment before nodding.
"I won't hide it from you, Brother Gui Mei. Yes, the Pope sent me. I've been searching for months. I didn't expect to find you by accident here tonight. And I'm not the only one—Spirit Hall has dispatched many to track you down."
Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo exchanged a calm glance.
They had expected this from the start.
Lingyuan continued, her expression a mixture of confusion and concern.
"Big Brothers… what exactly happened? Why did you both suddenly leave Spirit Hall?"
Ghost Douluo's response was calm, but there was a trace of weariness beneath it.
"Nothing much. We simply no longer wish to serve under Bibi Dong. We just want… to live freely."
"Just because of that?" Lingyuan frowned. "But even in Spirit Hall, you already had freedom. Your status was second only to the Pope's. You had honor, wealth, respect—everything. Why throw it all away?"
Ghost Douluo smiled faintly and shook his head.
"Those things are nothing but illusions. I just want to live for myself this time."
Chrysanthemum Douluo's tone was gentle but firm.
"I was born poor. People always said I joined Spirit Hall to chase fame and riches. But compared to the flowers I tend, all those worldly things… are meaningless."
Seeing the resolve in their eyes, Lingyuan's expression dimmed.
"But you both swore loyalty to Spirit Hall when you joined. If you leave now, the Pope and the Grand Priest will never let you go. Why make things so hard for yourselves? Come back with me. The Pope said that as long as you return, she won't punish you. She'll treat it as if none of this ever happened."
Ghost Douluo gave a bitter smile and slowly shook his head.
"Lingyuan, you should know Bibi Dong's temperament better than anyone. Do you really believe she'd simply let us go unpunished? Once the bow is drawn, there's no taking back the arrow. Since we made this choice, there's no turning back."
Lingyuan bit her lip.
"But with just the two of you… How can you possibly stand against them?"
Yue Guan's gaze turned distant.
"If soldiers come, we'll block them. If floods rise, we'll dam them. We'll take things one step at a time."
Lingyuan opened her mouth to argue—but the words caught in her throat.
She could see it clearly now.
Ghost Douluo and Yue Guan had made up their minds. No matter what she said, it would be useless.
Yue Guan turned to Lingyuan with a solemn expression.
"Lingyuan, listen carefully. Bibi Dong's temperament is unpredictable. Now that Old Ghost and I have left, she might start relying more heavily on you. Stay by her side—but be cautious. Speak less, act more, and don't get caught up in her schemes."
Lingyuan nodded softly.
"I understand, Brother Yue Guan. Thank you for the warning."
Within Spirit Hall, aside from the Grand Worshippers, there were nine Elders.
After Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo's departure, only seven remained:
The Demon Bear Douluo, Holy Dragon Douluo, Ghost Leopard Douluo, Porcupinefish Douluo, Snake Lance Douluo, Spirit Kite Douluo, and the Ninth Elder.
Among them, some stood firmly behind Bibi Dong, while others supported Qian Daoliu's faction.
The Demon Bear Douluo was the strongest of the seven—a Level 95 Attack-type Titled Douluo—currently striving to break through to Level 96. His ambition was clear: he wanted to become the Eighth Worship.
But reaching that position was no easy task. Strength alone wasn't enough; one also had to make major contributions to Spirit Hall.
If things continued as they were, Demon Bear Douluo would likely be promoted, his loyalty rewarded as he climbed higher in Spirit Hall's ranks.
Meanwhile, Holy Dragon Douluo stood firmly on Bibi Dong's side, while Porcupinefish Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo were loyal to the Qian Clan, personally serving Qian Renxue.
Ghost Leopard Douluo, Lingyuan, and the Ninth Elder remained neutral, obeying orders from both camps when necessary.
Now that Bibi Dong had lost the support of Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo, she desperately needed new strength. For Lingyuan and the others, this was both an opportunity and a dangerous gamble.
Ghost Douluo looked at her one last time.
"Lingyuan, Old Chrysanthemum and I still have matters to handle. You shouldn't follow us any further. When you return, tell Bibi Dong everything I've said to you—no need to hide it. We've made our choice. Just… take care of yourself."
Lingyuan's lips trembled slightly as she nodded. She stood there quietly, watching as Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo's figures vanished into the distant horizon, swallowed by the glow of dawn.
---
The two soon arrived at Gengxin City.
One of the main cities of the Star Luo Empire, Gengxin was renowned as the City of Metal—the land of blacksmiths. It was home to thousands of forges and tens of thousands of craftsmen.
The air here was thick with the scent of hot iron and smoke. The rhythmic clang of hammers echoed through every street, forming a symphony unique to the city.
Yet, despite its significance in crafting, blacksmiths on the Douluo Continent were viewed no differently than ordinary civilians.
Thus, even as the "City of Metal," Gengxin held little political importance in the eyes of nobles.
The city itself wasn't particularly large, and their destination—the Blacksmiths' Association Headquarters—was easy to find.
From above, Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo spotted a towering structure rising above the surrounding rooftops. The massive building stood over thirty meters tall, occupying a vast area.
At its peak hung a dark iron plaque.
There were no words carved upon it—only the engraved symbols of a hammer and a chisel, crossing each other.
That was the emblem of the Blacksmiths' Guild.
Inside, the headquarters was designed with remarkable precision, divided into five levels:
- First Floor: The general trading area for ordinary customers.
- Second Floor: The high-grade market, where advanced blueprints and rare metals were exchanged.
- Third Floor: The blacksmith registration and examination hall.
- Fourth Floor: The VIP level, catering to nobles and wealthy patrons seeking exquisite custom work.
- Fifth Floor: The guild's administrative core—where the master blacksmith Lou Gao worked daily.
The fifth floor wasn't his alone, however.
It contained dozens of individual forging chambers, each constructed from reinforced special
materials—heat-resistant, soundproof, and sturdy enough to withstand even a Titled Douluo's attack. These rooms provided blacksmiths a perfect, uninterrupted environment to focus on their craft.
Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo had never met Lou Gao in person, but Ghost Douluo knew of his appearance.
"A short, chubby man," he recalled. "Barely one point six meters tall, with a pair of big, wind-catching ears and tiny eyes. Once you see him, you'll know exactly who he is."
The two exchanged knowing smiles as they descended toward the city below.
—
End of Chapter