After leaving the Elder's Hall, Su Cheng glanced at Bibi Dong, who had a complex expression, but didn't pay much attention. He then proceeded towards the Pope's Palace.
Since he had come to the Spirit Hall, he had to meet Qian Xunji at least once. After all, that guy was the contemporary Pope, and he deserved some respect.
Otherwise, if the other party became wary and hostile because of this, it would be troublesome.
Pope's Palace, Council Chamber.
Su Cheng, wearing a silver mask, stood facing Pope Qian Xunji.
Unlike Qian Daoliu, Qian Xunji had golden hair like Qian Renxue, and he was quite handsome, inheriting the excellent genes of the Angel Clan.
But unfortunately, he only inherited the looks.
In terms of style of doing things, magnanimity, or talent in cultivation, he fell short of the title of the descendant of angels.
"Since you are the one favored by the Grand Elder, you will reside in the Elder's Hall in the future," Qian Xunji said sternly, his expression dignified as he spoke.
"Then I thank Your Holiness," Su Cheng replied indifferently, not caring about the other's attitude.
Seeing his calm expression, Qian Xunji's brows twitched imperceptibly.
But he didn't say much more, just said, "You may leave now."
Su Cheng nodded and turned to walk out of the council chamber.
"Oh, Cheng Xue," Qian Xunji suddenly spoke again at this moment, his voice coming from behind him, "I don't know where you come from or what your background is to make the Grand Elder take notice of you. But Bibi Dong is my disciple, so you shouldn't have too much contact with her."
Upon hearing this, Su Cheng paused for a moment. Then he sneered inwardly, without turning back, he just replied, "Okay," and walked out of the council chamber.
After he left, Qian Xunji's expression darkened.
The reason he reminded Su Cheng like that was naturally because of Su Cheng's identity. In his view, this was just an outsider, and no matter how much Qian Daoliu valued him, it couldn't change the fact that he came from the Sea God Island.
If this person were an outstanding disciple under the Spirit Hall, it would be different.
But he would never allow an outsider to take away his proud disciple.
To Qian Xunji, Bibi Dong was a treasure of the Spirit Hall, destined to become an unparalleled powerhouse in the future.
Half a year passed quickly.
During this period, Su Cheng had been keeping a low profile, at most occasionally consulting Qian Daoliu on some cultivation experiences and insights.
He knew that Qian Xunji was keeping an eye on him.
As an average Pope, just entering the realm of Title Douluo, various small actions couldn't escape his perception.
Of course, although he rarely actively sought out Bibi Dong because of Qian Xunji's presence, since both of them were within the Spirit Hall and were outstanding young soul masters, they naturally had some exchanges from time to time.
And although they didn't have much contact on the surface, Su Cheng also paid attention to the situation on Bibi Dong's side in secret; after all, she was an important combat force in the future.
One day, Su Cheng was casually flipping through documents in the library.
But his main purpose was not to read these things.
The Spirit Hall's library had been digested by him almost during the first simulation. The knowledge about souls here was equally rare, and looking at it now would at most serve as a review.
Suddenly, Su Cheng's expression changed.
In the huge library, another young man hurriedly put down the book in his hand and walked towards the door.
With a probe of his spiritual power, he immediately sensed the aura of a Soul Emperor in the forest outside the library.
Sure enough, it was Bibi Dong who had come.
These two must have arranged to meet privately during these days when Qian Xunji was not in the Spirit Hall.
Of course, Bibi Dong's decision to keep this from Qian Xunji might not necessarily be because she understood her teacher's intentions.
Most likely, it was out of the shyness of a young girl and the awkwardness of mentioning it to an elder.
Su Cheng looked out of the window.
From this angle, he could see the two figures in the woods.
With his eyesight, even if they were far apart, he could see everything clearly.
But the interaction between this couple was quite interesting.
The distance between them was more than half a meter, and they were walking slowly along the edge of the forest.
If it weren't for the fact that one of them looked nervous and the other was silent, one couldn't tell that there was any intimate relationship between the two.
But it was understandable.
No matter how nicely Yu Xiaogang spoke and how confident he seemed on the surface, deep down he was still insecure. Standing beside a woman like Bibi Dong with her identity and talent, it was impossible not to feel nervous.
As for Bibi Dong, she might not think too much about it. She had been living in the Spirit Hall for years, rarely interacting with outsiders, and she was pure and conservative in her thinking. Even if she had feelings for someone, she wouldn't be too proactive.
At least from the observations of this period, Bibi Dong's character was still very immature.
After parting ways with Yu Xiaogang, Bibi Dong walked alone towards the direction of the Pope's Palace, recalling her conversation with him just now, feeling that her understanding of soul power had deepened a bit.
As the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall and the disciple of the contemporary Pope, she had the qualification to enter and leave the Pope's Palace at will.
Just then, a familiar voice came from not far ahead, startling her out of her thoughts.
"You two are not suitable. I advise you to think twice."
Su Cheng leaned against a large tree in the forest, his face hidden behind the silver mask, specks of mottled shadows visible under the sunlight filtering through the trees.
Bibi Dong stopped in her tracks, furrowing her brows as she looked at Su Cheng. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm not teaching you, just advising you," Su Cheng turned to look at Bibi Dong. "You two are not a good match. I've learned a bit about that Yu Xiaogang. He lacks innate talent, and being with him will only waste your potential. Now is not the time for you to talk about love and romance."
"Ridiculous," Bibi Dong scoffed, her tone cold. "You're about the same age as me. Why do you think you can tell me what to do?"
"I'm not telling you what to do, just advising you," Su Cheng turned his head to look at Bibi Dong.
"You and I are not related, and you have no authority over my cultivation. As for Yu Xiaogang, while his innate talent may be lacking, he is hardworking and independent. He also possesses knowledge and wisdom far beyond ordinary people. How can you say he lacks potential?"
Su Cheng furrowed his brows slightly upon hearing this, feeling that Bibi Dong was somewhat unreasonable.
She's clearly not crazy now, how did she become like this?
No matter what, I've helped her a lot, even saved her life, why is she so confrontational?
"Knowledge and wisdom far beyond ordinary people?" Su Cheng coldly scoffed. "There are countless heroes in the world, and you've only met a few. How dare you say his wisdom is extraordinary? Not to mention his innate shortcomings and lack of effort to compensate for them. With limited abilities, he still acts arrogant. Even those so-called research results are just so-so."
He took a couple of steps forward, standing beside Bibi Dong.
"Even if he has actually discovered something, does he dare to call himself a scholar? How much of his work is borrowed from others?" Su Cheng glanced at her sideways. "And you're strange too. Clearly, you have access to a vast amount of information in the Spirit Hall, yet you still seek advice from others. Why not read more books yourself? After you've read them, then you can make judgments."
"...," Bibi Dong fell silent for a moment before speaking softly, "Yes, who else can meet your standards? In your eyes, am I also not worth mentioning?"
"Huh?" Su Cheng was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Bibi Dong raised her head, looking directly at him, her face flushed, "I've consulted you a few times, but every time you've just brushed me off, never sincerely guiding me."
"...," Su Cheng's expression froze.
She wasn't wrong.
Their previous interactions were mostly initiated by Bibi Dong seeking advice.
But because Qian Xunji was secretly observing, he couldn't say too much.
In addition, Bibi Dong's questions were too basic and couldn't pique his interest, so he just brushed them off with a few words.
But even so, he absolutely didn't mean to brush her off. Everything he said was effective.
Apart from not mentioning it, her cultivation was definitely a genius. He didn't believe that with his guidance, she wouldn't understand.
"When did I brush you off?" Su Cheng furrowed his brows. "Didn't I explain your questions clearly every time?"
"Forget it." Bibi Dong took a deep breath, shaking her head. "It doesn't matter, anyway. My affairs are none of your concern, and you have no say in them. I'm not a child anymore. I will repay your kindness in the future."
With that, she ignored Su Cheng and left to return to the Pope's Palace.
Just as she took a few steps forward, Su Cheng spoke up again, "Wait."
Bibi Dong paused, neither speaking nor continuing forward.
"I may not interfere, but it's useless. Your teacher won't easily let go."
"What do you mean?" Hearing Su Cheng mention Qian Xunji, Bibi Dong turned back to look at him.
In her heart, Qian Xunji held a high position, the most respected and trusted person. He brought her into the Spirit Hall, nurtured her, and taught her all the knowledge of cultivation.
At least in Bibi Dong's current state, Qian Xunji's weight could be said to outweigh everyone else.
"That Pope is very selfish. He sees you as his possession and won't let you be with anyone else," Su Cheng bluntly stated.
Since plan A didn't work, then he would use plan B, directly speeding up the process and making her realize the reality as soon as possible.
He didn't want to wait any longer.
"How dare you...how dare you say that?!" Bibi Dong's voice trembled with anger, her face full of shock and anger.
"I'm stating the facts," Su Cheng said calmly. "He won't agree to you being with Yu Xiaogang."
"...," Bibi Dong stared at him for a moment, her emotions gradually calming down.
At this moment, her somewhat wavering thoughts over the past six months were once again firm, and she said coldly, "My teacher is not the person you describe. Instead, you, Cheng Xue, you are truly disappointing."
Watching Bibi Dong's figure leave, Su Cheng's eyes were filled with uncertain gloom.
Half a month later, Qian Xunji returned to the Spirit Hall.
The first thing he did after returning was to call Bibi Dong to the Council Chamber to discuss her progress in cultivation.
Before he left, he had already set various cultivation goals for his exceptionally talented disciple, and now it was time to check her progress.
As expected, Bibi Dong perfectly met all his requirements.
Qian Xunji looked at her with satisfaction. "Dong'er, you've worked hard during this period. What reward do you want? How about soul bones? There are several pieces of millennium soul bones treasured in the Spirit Hall. Whatever you want, your teacher can fulfill it for you."
"I don't want soul bones," Bibi Dong shook her head, her expression hesitant.
"What's wrong?" Qian Xunji found her expression strange.
Looking at her teacher in front of her, Bibi Dong recalled the scene of her conversation with Su Cheng.
Thinking of his confident tone and dismissive attitude.
In her mind, there was no longer any hesitation.
Looking at Qian Xunji seriously, she said, "Teacher, I've fallen in love with someone."
"What?!" Qian Xunji was suddenly shocked and angry, never expecting things to turn out like this, "Is it Cheng Xue?"
Hearing him suddenly mention Cheng Xue, Bibi Dong's heart trembled, but she quickly calmed down and shook her head, denying, "No, it's not him."
"Not him?" Qian Xunji was puzzled. "Then who is it?"
"It's Yu Xiaogang. I... I love Yu Xiaogang, and I want to be with him forever."
"Yu Xiaogang?" Qian Xunji thought for a moment before remembering that there was such a person in the Spirit Hall. His face suddenly became extremely ugly.
He originally thought Bibi Dong had high standards, and only Cheng Xue, who came from the so-called Sea God Island, was a threat, so he was on high alert against him.
But never in a million years did he expect it to be that waste Yu Xiaogang from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan.
This is simply outrageous.
But amidst the anger, he also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
If it were because of Cheng Xue, he would still be somewhat cautious, but if it's about Yu Xiaogang, it's not even worth worrying about.
He knew too well the weakness of this disciple.
Collecting himself, Qian Xunji, with a stern expression, stared at Bibi Dong and said harshly, "Dong'er, this request, Teacher cannot agree to. You are a genius of the Spirit Hall, possessing twin martial souls. I will never allow you to develop feelings for any man from the outside, especially not with that Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family!"
Bibi Dong was taken aback by her teacher's unexpectedly resolute attitude.
"Teacher, why can't I? It's my freedom to like whoever I want. Why can't I be with him?" she questioned.
"You are a member of the Spirit Hall, and who you are with is not for you to decide!" Qian Xunji shouted sternly.
Hearing this, Bibi Dong's face turned pale, staring at Qian Xunji's slightly ferocious face in shock, suddenly feeling somewhat estranged from this person.
Then she remembered what Su Cheng had said, and a wave of rebellion surged within her. "I can leave the Spirit Hall! I love Yu Xiaogang, and for him, I'm willing to leave the Spirit Hall!"
Seeing Bibi Dong act like this, Qian Xunji's anger surged, his palm twitching as if ready to strike.
Then he hesitated, thinking of his father, Qian Daoliu, who was currently in the Elder's Hall.
After a moment of contemplation, his expression calmed down, and he said to Bibi Dong in a low voice, "Dong'er, come with me."
With that, he turned and walked towards the back of the hall.
Bibi Dong was surprised by his sudden change, but she also felt a sense of relief.
She thought that Cheng Xue was indeed ignorant, not understanding her teacher's character, making random judgments.
Soon, the two entered the underground passage leading to the secret chamber of the Pope's Palace.
In the dimly lit corridor illuminated only by torches, Bibi Dong suddenly felt a bit uneasy. "Teacher, where are we going?"
"You'll know when we get there."
...
As the two fell silent, only the echoing footsteps resounded in the tunnel.
Before long, they reached the end of the passage, where a large door appeared in front of them. Qian Xunji opened it and entered first.
Bibi Dong hesitated, feeling increasingly uneasy.
But out of trust in her teacher, she followed him inside.
The next moment, before she could observe the suddenly spacious room in front of her, a tremendous pressure enveloped her.
Under the domain pressure of the Titled Douluo, she, a mere Soul Emperor, couldn't move at all.
In front of her, Qian Xunji had already turned around, his body shimmering with golden light, six wings spread behind him.
At this moment, he had even unleashed his Six-Winged Seraphim Martial Soul Avatar.
The strong pressure covered the surroundings.
Bibi Dong instinctively used all her soul power to resist, but her mind was blank, staring blankly at the figure in front of her.
She didn't understand what Qian Xunji was doing, or what he was planning to do.
"Dong'er, I will never let you leave the Spirit Hall! Even if I have to use the most despicable means, I will keep you in the Spirit Hall!" Qian Xunji said coldly, his voice carrying the majestic aura of the Seraphim Martial Soul, but his words chilled her to the bone.
"The most despicable means... what does that mean..." Bibi Dong trembled, squeezing out the words. In the domain of the Seraphim, her soul power was rapidly depleting, gradually becoming weak and powerless.
Qian Xunji's expression remained indifferent as he said coldly, "From today onwards, your body will belong to me completely. From now on, do you still have the face to be with other men? If you insist on being with that Yu Xiaogang, I will kill him! Don't blame me, blame that waste from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect."
"My body..."
At this moment, all color drained from Bibi Dong's face, her entire body trembling uncontrollably, her heart instantly filled with despair.
"I won't interfere, but it's useless. Your teacher won't easily let go."
"That Pope is very selfish, he sees you as his possession, he won't let you be with anyone else."
...
The words Su Cheng had said before echoed in her mind once again.
And those encouraging words that seemed to be imprinted deep in her soul when she broke through to the Soul Emperor rank.
Tears welled up in Bibi Dong's eyes. "Who can save me... Cheng Xue... save me..."
Qian Xunji's expression remained indifferent as he slowly approached her.
"Boom!"
At this moment, a deafening roar reverberated throughout the room.
Along with the dazzling and violent sword light, the entire secret chamber collapsed.
Bright sunlight streamed in through the huge hole above, instantly illuminating the dim room.
This secret chamber, or rather, half of the Pope's Palace, had been directly pierced through by a single sword strike.