In the secret chamber of the Pope's Palace in the Spirit Pagoda, Bibi Dong suddenly sat up from the bed.
"Xue'er..."
"Was it a dream? It felt so real."
She found it hard to believe.
With her strength of spirit, she hadn't dreamt for nearly twenty years.
The so-called sleep was just another form of meditation and cultivation. Moreover, the torment of the Rakshasa God Examination on her willpower was terrifying, making it impossible for her to sleep peacefully.
And in that dream just now, she had spent a good ten years, although many details were blurry, some scenes felt as vivid as real experiences.
Bibi Dong looked towards the direction of the Shrine Hall, her expression dark and inscrutable.
"Qianren Xue... the Angel God..."
But the most crucial aspect was the central figure that appeared in every dream.
Bibi Dong got up and left the secret chamber, summoning Chrysanthemum Douluo to the Pope's Palace.
"Yuanguan, have you heard of a person named Su Cheng? He's about twenty or thirty years old, and his martial soul is a sword, seems to have some connection with the Sword Douluo."
"Su Cheng?" Yuanguan was slightly puzzled, feeling that the name seemed familiar for some reason.
After a moment of thought, he shook his head. "I haven't heard of him."
"Is there anyone like this in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?"
"I'm not entirely sure about that."
Nodding, Bibi Dong didn't continue to say much, just waved her hand to let him leave with an added instruction, "Go and check it out. If there's no such person, then forget about it."
After Yuanguan left, her expression showed a hint of confusion.
"Xiao Gang... Xiao Gang..."
She couldn't understand why she would have such a dream.
Was it because she no longer believed in Xiao Gang's abilities?
Was Yuxiaogang a weak and incompetent person, seeking fame and reputation through deception?
"How foolish... to trust a weak and incompetent impostor whom even one's own family refuses to accept, yet not trust the martial soul that pulled oneself out of the abyss... When your parents died and you were scavenging for leftovers in the garbage heap, that wealthy young master from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, I bet he could empathize, right?"
The mocking voice of the person in her dream echoed in her ears.
"No, it wasn't the Spirit Pagoda that redeemed me, it was the Spirit Pagoda that destroyed me!"
Bibi Dong's slightly ferocious expression returned to calm as she flicked her sleeves and returned to her bedroom. However, once the seed of self-doubt is planted, can it wither so easily in the soil?
...
In the Heavenly Soul Imperial City, in the Crown Prince's palace.
The Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, or rather, Qianren Xue, opened his eyes with a bewildered expression.
Feeling the dampness on her face, she gently wiped it away with his hand.
In the tears, there seemed to be some shadows moving.
"Teacher... why..."
Before she knew it, tears streamed down his face.
Standing up, Qianren Xue looked around and realized he was still in his palace, and she wasn't the Angel God either. Just a Soul Master below level 50.
But compared to Bibi Dong, her memories from the dream were much more profound. The ten or so years she experienced in the dream were even longer than her memories in reality.
And there was that figure that persisted throughout.
It didn't feel like a dream at all, more like another lifetime.
Though the ending was sad and laughable, the process was infinitely happier than the present.
Qianren Xue reached out and lightly touched her forehead, the shadow of the sword piercing her soul still vivid in her mind.
"That was just a dream, nothing more," Qianren Xue murmured to herself.
"Haha, just a dream? What a joke!"
Another voice sounded in her ear, sounding eerily similar to her own, but colder, with a slippery, viscous quality, like a snake's tongue licking lightly at her earlobe, giving an unusual sensation.
"Who?!"
Qianren Xue suddenly realized, scanning her surroundings.
"I am you, and you are me."
A pair of pitch-black eyes appeared in her heart, silently locking gazes with her.
"You?!"
Qianren Xue shivered all over, then relaxed. "I see..."
"Why not try the Pulse Breaking and Qi Connecting technique he taught you? You still remember how to use it, don't you?"
Another voice spoke again, its tone full of temptation.
"I've forgotten," Qianren Xue said coldly.
"No, you haven't forgotten. You're just afraid."
This time, the voice sounded a bit mocking, seemingly dissatisfied with her response.
"If you're too scared to face it, let me handle it."
As the words fell, a shadow appeared beneath Qianren Xue's feet, quickly spreading upwards, instantly dyeing her white clothes pitch black.
The whole process was extremely fast, and Qianren Xue couldn't resist at all, or perhaps she didn't particularly resist in her heart.
This was her other side.
She had always been aware of the existence of these shadows in her heart.
Since childhood, Qianren Xue had learned how to wear masks, how to conceal pain, and how to alleviate loneliness.
But this deception could fool others, not herself.
All the negative emotions were locked away in her heart like garbage, gradually accumulating until today.
The black-clad Qianren Xue raised her arm, her palm swiftly swaying like the wind, giving the impression of an overwhelming presence.
"Look, this is the Pulse Breaking and Qi Connecting technique. What do you think?"
"..."
The golden eyes in her heart stared blankly at the scene, containing complex emotions of sorrow and joy.
"For the next period of time, you should rest first," Qianren Xue said as she stepped out, "I'll find him."
...
"Young Master, what's going on?"
In the study, the two Title Douluo, Snake Spear and Boar's Fang, looked at Qianren Xue, dressed in black, with astonishment.
"Is it not allowed?"
Qianren Xue's lips curved into a slight smile as she looked at the two.
Qianren Xue rarely smiled, but at this moment, the two Title Douluo would rather she didn't.
Seeing her smile with her lips upturned but her eyes cold and calm, a trace of chill rose in the hearts of the two.
"Activate all resources for me to investigate a person. His martial soul is a sword, and his name is Su Cheng. Any resemblance in appearance, martial soul, or name, report back to me."
As she spoke, Qianren Xue picked up a portrait from the table and handed it to the two.
Snake Spear Douluo reached out to take it, looking somewhat hesitant.
"What's wrong? Can't do it?" Qianren Xue asked, noticing his hesitation.
The influence of the Martial Soul Hall spreads across the continent, and all soul masters are registered in various branch halls, so finding someone shouldn't be difficult.
"As for the Pope's side..."
"Heh, since when does the Martial Soul Hall let her call the shots? I still have a score to settle with her."
Feeling like the young master in front of them had completely changed.
The two exchanged a glance and didn't dare to say anything more.
...
In a remote village in the southwestern region of the Tian Dou Empire, Su Cheng also emerged from the simulator, opening his eyes.
He still didn't know that people like Bibi dong and Qianren Xue had more or less gained some memories from the simulated world.
Even the dark side of Qianren Xue's heart had awakened because of this.