Chapter 38: Bibi Dong's Summons
Lin Beiya understood perfectly well what the little angel's goal for this trip was. That was why absorbing the head soul bone from the Angel God's equipment set was necessary.
No matter what, Qian Renxue's mission to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire was already a settled matter.
The Spirit Hall had officially entered the era of Bibi Dong. Yet Lin Beiya didn't pay much attention to it. After all, as a member of the Douluo Hall, such political shifts had little to do with him. The true path to survival was simple—stay low and grow stronger.
Judging by the pattern of his first two soul rings, more Gold Saint Cloths would likely be activated in the future. Each one would further enhance all his attributes, but those were concerns for another day. For now, the twenty percent increase in cultivation speed was what truly mattered.
The matter of the Clear Sky Sect sealing its gates had come to an end. A week after entering the Angel Temple, Qian Renxue once again sought out Lin Beiya.
In the central garden, a trace of reluctance flickered in her eyes.
"You promised—you'll visit me often. Otherwise…"
"Otherwise what?"
Lin Beiya didn't like the suffocating air that came with farewells. With a teasing grin, he tried to shift the mood off course.
Sure enough, seeing him refuse to follow her emotional lead, the little angel puffed her cheeks in mock anger.
"If you don't visit me, I'll bite you to death when I get back!"
Her feigned fierceness made Lin Beiya chuckle softly.
"Don't worry. I'll come find you once I obtain my third soul ring at the latest. After all, I still need to return this to you."
He handed her the Gold Aries Card. As planned, after his next breakthrough and the acquisition of a new soul ring, the Gold Saint Cloth would return to the Athena Statue martial soul to reforge itself, emerging even stronger. At that time, he would have to lend it to her again.
The moment her eyes landed on the golden card, they lit up. She knew that once she began her undercover mission, she'd have to constantly hide her identity, navigating all kinds of political scheming and manipulation. That environment would surely slow her cultivation. But with the Gold Saint Cloth's speed bonus, she could make up for much of that lost time.
"Thank you, Beiya."
"No need for that. And don't neglect your physical training, either. You've already seen the benefits when absorbing your third soul ring, haven't you?"
"Mhm, I will."
Neither of them spoke further of parting. But inevitably, the moment of separation still came. From behind, someone was already calling for the little angel.
Qian Renxue bit her lip, then suddenly looked toward Lin Beiya's back.
"Beiya, there's something behind you."
"Hm?"
With his heightened senses, he could detect anything approaching from behind instantly. Yet, finding nothing unusual, he still turned slightly in the direction of her pale, slender finger.
As he turned his head, the little angel suddenly darted toward him.
Lin Beiya froze, completely baffled by what she was trying to do.
Just as he confirmed that there was nothing behind him, he began to turn back—only for a sudden warmth to press against his cheek. Qian Renxue's trembling lips brushed his skin for the briefest of moments.
He stood there, utterly dazed, staring at the blushing girl before him.
"Uh…"
"Beiya… wait for me to come back."
Her face was flushed crimson, as if she had mustered every ounce of courage she had for that one act. Without waiting for his response, she turned and hurried back toward her guards, leaving only that single sentence behind.
Lin Beiya reached up and touched the lingering warmth on his cheek. He let out a helpless chuckle.
"That girl… seriously. A sneak attack?"
He couldn't help but grumble inwardly—If you've got the guts, do it head-on. You think I'd just stand there and not fight back?
With a faint smile, he waved toward her retreating figure, watching as the little angel disappeared beyond the Douluo Hall's gates. A faint heaviness welled up in his chest.
The path ahead for both of them would only grow more complicated.
Having spent three years together with Qian Renxue, it was impossible for Lin Beiya not to have developed some feelings for her.
However, faced with the still-young little angel, he harbored no improper thoughts. He wasn't the kind of scum who thinks "There is a way to die all day long."
Yet now that Qian Renxue had openly revealed her feelings, Lin Beiya couldn't just pretend nothing had changed. He had to start considering their future.
According to the original timeline, Qian Renxue would spend nearly twenty years scheming in Heaven Dou Empire, only for everything to be crushed by Tang San. Her Angel God Position would shatter, and she would never again break through the Titled Douluo bottleneck. For someone as proud as her, that would be a devastating blow—worse than death itself.
Now that he had accepted her affection, he could no longer view himself as an outsider. If she were his woman, then he had the responsibility to create a future where she wouldn't meet that tragic fate.
His thoughts began to turn. He needed to erase every threat to Qian Renxue's future before it could even take shape. Even the sorrow of parting couldn't shake his calm focus.
There was still time. With his growing power, he had plenty of room to maneuver. And when his strength was sufficient, he would personally remove every danger that could ever harm her.
After Qian Renxue's departure, Lin Beiya's life returned to its usual rhythm—training and attending the academy as before. The only difference was the absence of a certain someone by his side.
That day, after lunch with Shi Nuo, he handed over the Taurus Gold Card and prepared to head back to the Douluo Hall as usual.
But just as he stepped out of the academy gates, a figure blocked his path—one that was both strangely unfamiliar yet immediately recognizable.
Unfamiliar, because he'd never spoken to this person before. Recognizable, because that appearance was unmistakable.
The person was entirely wrapped in golden formal attire, concealing their gender, with a slightly raised orchid-like hand gesture that sent chills down Lin Beiya's spine.
"Lin Beiya, correct? The Supreme Pontiff wishes to see you."
The voice was smooth and delicate, entirely devoid of masculinity.
It was none other than Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan.
Lin Beiya's heart sank slightly. So, the storm of power has finally reached him. He had no desire to get involved in this mess, yet it seemed he wouldn't have a choice.
Within the Spirit Hall, he didn't wish to openly oppose Bibi Dong.
After all, Qian Renxue had the entire Douluo Hall standing behind her—Bibi Dong wouldn't dare act recklessly against her. But if the target was him… that was another matter entirely.
On the surface, he had Qian Daoliu as his backer, but he couldn't be certain Bibi Dong wouldn't still make a move.
"I understand," Lin Beiya said with a slight nod. "Elder Yue, please lead the way."
"Come with me."
Following the veteran elder, Lin Beiya walked slowly toward the Supreme Pontiff's Hall. At Yue Guan's gesture, he stepped inside.
The air within felt entirely different from when he'd first seen it.
Gone was the gloomy atmosphere—now, with her vengeance complete and her ascension to power complete, Bibi Dong radiated elegance and authority. The nine-curved crown on her head added a regal sharpness to her beauty, exuding the aura of a true monarch.
When Lin Beiya entered, Bibi Dong slowly set aside the memorial she had been reading and looked down from her elevated throne.
"Greetings, Your Holiness," Lin Beiya said respectfully.
"Mm."
Bibi Dong acknowledged him with a nod, her lips curling into a faint smile.
"This should be our second meeting, shouldn't it? I have a feeling that, unlike our first, we'll be getting along very well from now on."
Aside from that distant moment at Qian Xunji's funeral, this indeed was their second direct encounter.
Hearing the warmth in her tone, Lin Beiya's brows furrowed slightly. So she's planning to compete with Qian Daoliu for him?
"Thank you for Your Holiness's concern," he replied calmly. "As fellow members of the Spirit hall, it's only natural we maintain harmony."
Bibi Dong wasn't surprised by his measured response. If anything, the smile in her eyes deepened.
"You sly little fox," she said softly, amused. "You already understand what I'm implying, don't you?"
Then, her voice grew firm—commanding yet alluring.
"Join the Supreme Pontiff's Hall. From today onward… I will be your teacher."
—
End of Chapter