As Tang Hao's self-detonation unleashed an explosion of immense power, violent waves of spirit energy ripped through the forest. The blast turned trees into dust in an instant, while the ground below was blown apart, creating a massive crater. Dirt and debris were flung into the sky, where they were shredded into fine particles by the swirling storm of spirit energy.
Within seconds, the entire area was engulfed in a cloud of yellow-brown dust, as if a sandstorm had erupted in the middle of the forest.
But amid the chaos, a figure clad in regal purple robes shot out from the dust cloud, landing gracefully on the outskirts of the explosion.
It was none other than Bibi Dong, dressed in her ornate papal regalia, crowned with the Nine-Curve Purple Gold Crown. Her face, both majestic and beautiful, wore an expression of cold detachment. In her hand, she held the battered and bloodied form of Shadow Leopard Douluo, who was clutching his chest and coughing up blood.
Despite the dire state of the Shadow Leopard Douluo, this was after Bibi Dong had shielded him from most of the damage caused by Tang Hao's self-destruction. Without her protection, the Shadow Leopard Douluo would have been killed, or at the very least, critically injured.
"Ha, Tang Hao... even though you were my enemy, your devotion to your son has earned my respect," Bibi Dong mused quietly, her voice carrying a hint of admiration as she gazed at the dust still swirling from the explosion.
Her thoughts drifted back to the moment just before the detonation. After Tang San and Yu Xiaogang had fled, Tang Hao had launched a ferocious attack, utilizing the two ultimate abilities of his ninth spirit ring: Space Shatter and Space Confinement.
During the close-quarters fight, Bibi Dong had been forced to use the second skill of her 100,000-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit spirit bone, Instant Shift, to dodge the devastating first strike. But before she could fully regroup, Tang Hao had trapped her with Space Confinement, leaving her immobilized for a critical second.
At that moment, Tang Hao detonated his ninth and seventh spirit rings in a desperate use of the Great Sumeru Hammer's Ring Explosion technique, pouring the combined power into his Clear Sky Hammer True Body. With a roar, he hurled the massive weapon straight at Bibi Dong.
At first, Bibi Dong had intended to counter this with the Invincible Golden Body ability from her 100,000-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit spirit bone. However, just as she was about to activate the skill, she sensed a sudden surge of chaotic spirit energy radiating from Tang Hao's rapidly expanding body.
It was unmistakable—Tang Hao was about to self-destruct.
In a split second, Bibi Dong switched her defense, activating the second effect of her ninth spirit ring's Undying Body ability, which allowed her to transform her body into pure energy, rendering her immune to physical attacks.
This move allowed her to evade most of the damage from the Great Sumeru Hammer's physical impact.
Then, as Tang Hao's self-destruction followed, Bibi Dong quickly activated the Invincible Golden Body ability, completely nullifying the explosion's devastating force. Standing in front of Shadow Leopard Douluo, she absorbed the brunt of the attack for him and whisked him to safety.
"Still, Tang Hao," she muttered, a cold smile forming on her lips. "Did you really think your son and that Yu Xiaogang would be safe just because they've entered the City of Slaughter? Have you forgotten that I, too, am a Slaughter God?"
Though Bibi Dong had a measure of respect for Tang Hao's sacrifice, she wasn't about to let him win. She understood that Tang Hao had sent his son and Yu Xiaogang to the City of Slaughter because it was the one place where they might escape the pursuit of Spirit Hall and the soul beast clans. It was their last refuge.
But Bibi Dong had no intention of letting them slip away so easily. She, too, held the title of Slaughter God and had her own influence within the deadly city. The City of Slaughter was not the sanctuary Tang Hao believed it to be.
For now, however, Bibi Dong didn't immediately give chase. There was still something else she needed to attend to—the spoils of battle. She patiently waited for the dust to settle, planning to recover the soul bones from Tang Hao's body.
In truth, Bibi Dong could have ended this chase far sooner. If she had simply held Tang Hao back while sending Shadow Leopard Douluo to kill Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, the outcome would have been inevitable. But Bibi Dong knew Tang Hao wouldn't hesitate to abandon his son if it meant surviving to fight another day.
That wasn't the outcome she wanted.
It was far better to manipulate Tang Hao's love for his son, to push him to sacrifice himself willingly. With Tang Hao dead, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang were left unprotected, making them easy prey. Bibi Dong could take her time.
From the very beginning, Bibi Dong hadn't seen Tang San as a real threat. Yes, the boy had a future in which he became a god and destroyed Spirit Hall. But that future, as shown in the mysterious livestream, had been distorted. In the original timeline, Bibi Dong had already killed Tang San, only for the gods of the Divine Realm to interfere, resurrecting him and granting him a second divine title. It was divine intervention that had tipped the scales, not Tang San's strength.
She was convinced that Tang San wasn't her true enemy—her true adversary was the Divine Realm itself, or more specifically, the God of Asura, who had intervened on Tang San's behalf.
But ever since the appearance of the mysterious livestream, there had been no sign of the gods. Bibi Dong reasoned that this strange phenomenon had somehow severed the connection between the Divine Realm and the Douluo Continent.
If that were true, then the Divine Realm could no longer interfere in the affairs of mortals. And without divine backing, Tang San was no longer a threat.
Besides, Bibi Dong had another consideration: Lin Yu.
As strong as Tang San might become, he would never surpass Lin Yu. Lin Yu, even as a Spirit Sage, had already defeated her, a Titled Douluo. With Lin Yu's strength growing, Bibi Dong believed that once he reached the level of a Titled Douluo, he would have the power to challenge gods themselves. Even if Tang San managed to ascend to godhood, Lin Yu would be more than capable of crushing him.
Killing Tang San was no longer a priority for her.
In fact, Bibi Dong was beginning to hope that the Divine Realm or the God of Asura would use Tang San to meddle in the affairs of the Douluo Continent. She remembered Lin Yu's words, how he had predicted that Tang San would one day plunge the continent into chaos. Though the livestream hadn't yet shown this aspect of Tang San's future, Bibi Dong was certain it would be revealed.
When that happened, Tang San would become the most hated figure on the continent, branded as the ultimate villain.
And in contrast, Spirit Hall would be seen as the continent's true saviors.
If events unfolded in this way, Spirit Hall's mission to unite the Douluo Continent would be legitimized. With Tang San cast as the villain, Spirit Hall could claim the moral high ground, positioning themselves as the defenders of order.
Yes, Bibi Dong mused. Let Tang San live—for now. His future fall would only pave the way for Spirit Hall's rise.
Note: If you are interested, read up to chapter 295 at patreon.com/MythMosaic.