.
Chu Tianxiu struggled to open his eyes, finding himself lying on the familiar, luxurious bed in Bibi Dong's private chambers. She was seated beside him, her posture regal but her eyes shadowed with clear concern.
'She must have been watching over me,' he thought, a pang of guilt and warmth mixing in his chest.
He tried to move, and a sharp pain shot through his body. 'That old monster Qian Daoliu… I will remember this. You hurt me, and I will make sure you regret it.'
The movement, however slight, alerted Bibi Dong. She looked up, and relief instantly washed over her features. "Tianxiu! You are awake! How do you feel? I will make Qian Daoliu pay for this!" In that moment, the aloof Pope was gone, replaced by a furious protector.
Chu Tianxiu shifted, wincing slightly. "Sister Dong'er, do not be upset on my account. I will be fine. I will never leave your side." He then noticed something. "Sister Dong'er, why have you not fused with the soul bone I gave you?"
He knew she hadn't; the system had not prompted him about any plot change.
The question made Bibi Dong slightly uncomfortable. She had not given this disciple many gifts, and felt it improper to accept such a precious one from him. She had planned to return it when he was older. "Xiao Xiu, a master cannot take such a valuable thing from her disciple. You should keep it for yourself." She retrieved the external soul bone of the Soul-Devouring Spider from her spatial soul tool.
Chu Tianxiu's eyes instantly welled up with dramatic tears. "Waaah! Sister Dong'er, if you do not fuse with it now, I will never speak to you again!" He turned his head away, refusing to look at her, the picture of a wounded child.
Seeing his exaggerated but heartfelt performance, Bibi Dong felt her resistance crumble. She had no choice but to nod in agreement. She helped him lie back down, gently arranging the blankets, and then began the process of absorbing the external soul bone.
Chu Tianxiu, exhausted by his injuries and the emotional display, quickly fell into a genuine, deep sleep. He did not know how much time had passed when a mechanical voice jolted him awake.
'System! Draw the prize now!'
Chu Tianxiu was momentarily numb. 'Why is it only Soul Clan members? Am I their designated spokesperson now?'
However, the practical benefit of gaining three Soul Saint-level subordinates was immense. He quietly slipped out of bed and, seeing that Bibi Dong was still deep in meditation, made his way to a deserted warehouse within the Spirit Hall grounds.
'System, release everything I drew before.'
A soft glow filled the warehouse, and three protectors along with one hundred Soul Clan experts materialized before him. The 103 figures knelt on one knee in unison.
"We greet our Master!"
Chu Tianxiu surveyed his new force with satisfaction. After distributing the one hundred sets of black robes and Cold Iron Chains, he spoke with clear authority.
"We share a common purpose, so I will be direct."
The crowd replied with unified respect. "We await your orders, Master! We will obey even at the cost of our lives!"
"Three Protectors, you will each lead a team of thirty. Protector Wu, take your men to Notting City. Find a female Soul Master named Sisi. Tell her I sent you. She will provide you with further instructions." Protector Wu nodded and departed with his thirty men, their movements silent and swift.
Chu Tianxiu turned to the remaining Xuan and Tie Protectors. "You two will go to the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire, respectively. Establish a branch of the 'Soul Palace' in each and begin gradual expansion using the Soul Clan's secret techniques." The two nodded and left with their teams.
He looked at the final ten experts. "You ten will be responsible for my covert protection." With his orders given, he calmly returned to the Pope's Palace.
When he arrived, Bibi Dong had just finished her meditation. Seeing him return, she stood and approached. "Tianxiu, where did you go?"
"I saw that you were still cultivating, Sister Dong'er, so I went for a short walk to clear my head." Chu Tianxiu stretched slightly in her presence.
Bibi Dong affectionately ruffled his hair. "Your body is still recovering. You should rest. But since you are up, shall I take you to get some fresh air?"
Chu Tianxiu nodded. Seeing his agreement, Bibi Dong took his hand and they walked out of the palace together.
They strolled to a secluded pavilion in the middle of a serene lake within the Spirit Hall grounds. From here, one could overlook the entire magnificent expanse of Spirit City.
Chu Tianxiu sat on a stone bench and looked directly at Bibi Dong. "Sister Dong'er, may I ask you a question?"
Bibi Dong agreed readily, though a hint of concern remained. "Of course. But are your injuries truly alright?"
"They are manageable," he dismissed. "Qian Daoliu's attack even helped me break through two levels. I am now an eighteenth-level Battle Spirit Master, though I still feel somewhat weak."
A genuine smile touched Bibi Dong's lips. "Qian Daoliu would never have imagined his intimidation attempt would backfire so spectacularly."
Chu Tianxiu then adopted a serious expression. "Sister Dong'er, my question is about Yu Xiaogang. What was your relationship with him?"
Bibi Dong froze, her smile vanishing. She was silent for a long time. Chu Tianxiu did not rush her, simply waiting with a patient, intense gaze.
Finally, she countered, her voice regaining its papal coolness. "You truly wish to know?"
He nodded.
She looked into the distance, her voice flat. "We were involved in our youth. It ended."
Chu Tianxiu pressed on, his voice quiet but firm. "Do you still have feelings for him?"
Bibi Dong's answer was uncertain. "Perhaps." She made to stand and leave, but Chu Tianxiu's next question rooted her to the spot.
"If one day I were to kill him, would you hurt me to save him?"
Bibi Dong whirled around, her face a mask of disbelief. "Why? Was he not the one who brought you out of the Soul Beast Forest? Why would you want to kill him?"
Chu Tianxiu scoffed, a cold, hard sound. "A trash who only knows how to run away does not deserve your regard! He wasted twenty years of your life. How many twenty years does a person have? If I decide he must die, not even an angel could save him. I have spoken." The last sentence was delivered with absolute finality.
For the first time, Bibi Dong looked at him with a flicker of fear, as if she were seeing a devil who could see into the deepest corners of people's hearts. "You… how do you know these things?"
"Sister Dong'er, I am a disciple of the Pope. It is my duty to investigate matters that concern my master's past," he stated calmly. "Sister Dong'er, if you wish to protect him, then you must kill me before I become powerful."
Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong's body moved on instinct. Eight sharp, deadly spider legs—her Death Spider Emperor spirit bone—shot from her back, their points stopping a mere centimeter from Chu Tianxiu's face. He had not flinched.
"Why did you not dodge? Why?" Bibi Dong's voice was frantic, her composure shattered.
Chu Tianxiu looked at her, his gaze unwavering and utterly serious. "If I am to die by your hand one day for killing Yu Xiaogang, I would rather that day come sooner."
He then placed a beautifully crafted, spider-shaped crystal hairpin on the stone table between them. "Sister Dong'er, this is a gift I brought for you. I hope you like it…"
He stood, gave a slight bow, and turned, leaving her alone in the pavilion with the hairpin and her tumultuous thoughts.
---
Announcement: Chapter Revisions
Several earlier chapters contained content that no longer fits the direction of this story. To maintain a clean, light-novel style and keep all relationships purely platonic, I will be rewriting and updating those chapters.
Thank you for your patience and support as I polish the story!