The spring breeze was gentle, and the peach blossoms were in full bloom.
Su Cheng and Bibi Dong stood by the tree, with one standing in front of the tree and the other sitting sideways against the tree trunk.
Although winter had passed, the temperature in the Spirit Mountains remained low due to the high altitude.
However, for them, such ordinary temperature changes clearly did not have any impact, and they did not need thick clothing to protect against the cold wind.
Pale pink petals occasionally drifted down, and the sunlight streamed through the branches, casting a soft light and shadow on Bibi Dong.
Because she was sitting under the tree, she had to slightly tilt her head to meet Su Cheng's gaze. On her fair and delicate face, akin to porcelain, certain unusual emotions seemed to flicker.
Amidst the bright spring sunlight, those subtle changes in expression always appeared vague and indistinct, making it hard to discern clearly.
The luxurious and exquisite Pope's robes were made of high-quality materials. Under the open collar, the pale gold silk lining flowed like water, tightly fitting her delicate body.
Her slender, fair neck, the high curves of her chest, and the sharply narrowing round waist were all highlighted prominently by her slightly leaning back posture.
Su Cheng instinctively looked away and said plainly, "Sexual desire and appetite are basic human instincts. You don't think I'm a person of pure and ascetic nature, do you?"
"Of course not."
Bibi Dong covered her red lips and laughed softly.
She seemed to be genuinely joyful, her eyes even forming crescent shapes.
"But I thought, given your personality, you would definitely pretend to be serious and not admit it."
"Then you were obviousl wrong."
Su Cheng self-deprecatingly curled his lips.
"Not only am I not serious, but I am also greedy and insatiable. While Xiao Xue is wholeheartedly devoted to me, I still hide things about Zhuqing from her.
"And the funniest thing is, I still haven't figured out how to deal with it. Every time I try to say something, I hesitate, always thinking of waiting a little longer."
He didn't know why he was telling Bibi Dong all this.
But at this moment, he suddenly had an impulse to reveal his most genuine side, to show all his selfishness and greed in matters of affection, to let her know everything.
Perhaps because he didn't care, or maybe due to some special and indescribable emotions.
"..."
Bibi Dong seemed genuinely stunned by his words, staring at him blankly.
Her hand unconsciously fell, revealing the slightly open red lips hidden behind it, as if somewhat at a loss.
The scene fell silent for a moment.
But after Su Cheng finished speaking, he seemed much more relaxed, sitting cross-legged facing the distance.
He casually picked up a stone and gently tossed it in his palm without any purpose.
Behind him, Bibi Dong's gaze became scattered.
In that moment, many thoughts flashed through her mind.
Su Cheng's words indeed surprised her and made her feel extremely complex emotions.
It wasn't that she despised his behavior or was astonished by his honesty, but it was unexpected and hard to understand.
To Bibi Dong, Su Cheng was undoubtedly a very special existence.
Before they actually met, Bibi Dong had already formed a shallow impression of him.
In a seemingly real dream, due to his appearance, she, who had achieved godhood, died at the hands of her daughter who also became a god.
Then, during the Soul Master competition, news about him kept coming.
A powerful self-created soul skill, an exceptional spirit ring configuration, and an extraordinary speed of cultivation progress...
Later, she learned that it was because of his intervention that the plan Spirit Hall arranged for Qian Renxue to seize the kingdom failed.
At that time, her impression of Su Cheng wasn't good.
But it wasn't too bad either; it was just cautious.
Mostly, it was curiosity.
She really wanted to know how far this person could go.
Because of some special reasons, she always had respect for knowledgeable people.
Then, Su Cheng led his team to the finals and chose to join Spirit Hall.
Until she experienced that long "dream" that changed her from the inside out, it was another completely different yet real life...
From the time she knew this person until today, Su Cheng had played many roles.
Imaginary enemy, obstacle, conspirator, guide, savior, companion...
But no matter which identity...
When Su Cheng stood in front of her, he always appeared composed and confident.
Whether in reality or in dreams, whether weak or strong, he never hesitated and always walked firmly on his chosen path.
Even among soul masters who matured early, Su Cheng's behavior far exceeded what was expected for his actual age.
In fact, Bibi Dong often subconsciously felt that, compared to Qian Renxue and Zhu Zhuqing, she was more like his peer.
Of course, sometimes Su Cheng's actions and words were not so mature; he would exhibit youthful impulsiveness and even seem frivolous and playful. However, these behaviors never appeared out of place—this was simply who he was.
Yet, no matter how "immature" he might seem, he had never displayed such a slightly absurd "naivety" as he did now.
Bibi Dong had never expected to hear such words from Su Cheng's mouth.
As the widely experienced and highly respected Pope of the Spirit Hall, she was very clear about the general attitude of powerful soul masters towards emotions.
Some people loved deeply and purely, being completely devoted to their partners. Such people were not rare and needed no further discussion.
Su Cheng was clearly not such a person.
Others indulged in sensual pleasures, enjoying the company of multiple partners, relying on their strength and status to receive various "privileges" from society.
But Su Cheng did not act like that either.
His strength certainly allowed for it, which made it all the more peculiar.
He was undoubtedly a womanizer, as he himself admitted to being "insatiable."
However, on this continent, such a mindset was not uncommon.
Not just men, but many powerful female soul masters behaved the same way.
In the noble circles of the two major empires, keeping male concubines was common, and the expensive slave trade was extremely prevalent at auctions.
Yet Su Cheng seemed to feel guilty about this, hesitating and unsure.
With his current strength and status, he could have countless women willingly coming to his bed with just a gesture, but he refused them all decisively.
From Bibi Dong's long-term observations and collected intelligence, it was clear that Su Cheng rarely interacted with anyone inappropriately. Whether it was Ah Yin, who was now in Spirit City, or Ning Rongrong, his recognized sister from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he kept his distance and did not engage in any ambiguous relationships.
Initially, Bibi Dong thought Su Cheng had some concerns or other plans.
So later, she abandoned her futile attempts to obstruct him and chose to watch coldly and even encourage the involvement of Zhu Zhuqing and Ah Yin.
She wanted to continuously accumulate those hidden troubles, intensify the conflicts at the last moment, and force Su Cheng to make a choice.
She was even pleased with Qian Renxue's increasing strength because the stronger Qian Renxue became, the less likely Su Cheng could suppress the conflicts with his strength alone.
By then, he would have to make a decision.
Bibi Dong knew Qian Renxue's character well and knew she would never tolerate the existence of Zhu Zhuqing and others.
But she never expected that Su Cheng had never considered strength as the issue from the beginning; he was merely entangled and exhausted emotionally.
Zhu Zhuqing's attitude was already so clear, even she could see that the young girl's resistance was merely superficial. Yet Su Cheng himself seemed unaware of this.
"..."
Bibi Dong silently watched the upright figure sitting cross-legged in front of her, a sudden gleam flashing in her eyes.
She didn't know why he was saying these things to her today.
But she suddenly understood, enlightened.
In other matters, Su Cheng might be wise and decisive, but when it came to dealing with emotions, he was indecisive.
No wonder, no wonder in that other world, although he had feelings for her, he always tried to avoid her.
"So this is the real you, Su Cheng..."
As she thought this, Bibi Dong's lips curved into a smile, and she relaxed.
She looked up at the blazing sun, feeling the warmth of the spring day.
Given her cultivation level, she no longer needed sleep.
Yet under the sunlight and gentle breeze, she felt a slight drowsiness...
Time slowly passed, and the sun gradually shifted.
Su Cheng took a deep breath and turned to call Bibi Dong back to Spirit City.
But when he turned around, he was momentarily stunned.
Bibi Dong's delicate figure had somehow shifted from sitting sideways to lying on her side, her eyes closed and breathing steady, with her long eyelashes casting a shadow over her eyelids and a gentle smile on her lips.
The spring breeze blew, lifting a few strands of her hair.
She seemed to have fallen asleep.
...
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