"Are you certain?" Mu Chen asked again, his tone heavy.
"Why? Is it not allowed?" Bibi Dong replied calmly.
"It's allowed. I'm just asking to be sure," Mu Chen said, glancing at the unusual skeleton on the ground.
The bones were unlike anything he'd ever seen. Measuring over two meters in length, their shape was neither human nor easily identifiable as belonging to a specific spirit beast.
"I'm certain," Bibi Dong said resolutely. She looked at the skeleton with a mix of bitterness and relief. "I've been alive, yet I've never truly lived. If I'm to be reborn, I want to leave my past behind completely."
---
Bibi Dong's Painful Past
Bibi Dong's life was one of tragedy and manipulation.
Orphaned at an early age, she awakened twin spirits during her spirit awakening ceremony—a gift that would seal her tragic fate. Unlike Tang San, Bibi Dong didn't hide her second spirit. Her talent as a twin-spirit master and her innate full spirit power were immediately reported to Spirit Hall.
She was taken to Spirit Hall's academy, where she excelled with both effort and natural talent. At the inter-academy competition for Spirit Hall's four main districts, she rose to prominence, becoming the champion and earning the favor of Chihiro Ji, the then-Pope of Spirit Hall.
Chihiro Ji took Bibi Dong as his personal disciple, nurturing her to become the youngest Holy Maiden in Spirit Hall's history. Bibi Dong believed her life was finally shining.
But tragedy began when she met Yu Xiaogang.
At seventeen, Bibi Dong fell in love with Yu Xiaogang, captivated by his intelligence. Though Yu Xiaogang felt inferior due to his mutated spirit, Bibi Dong encouraged him to pursue a life of scholarly research. She vowed to use Spirit Hall's vast resources to find a way to resolve his spirit's flaws once she became Pope.
Together, they worked to make Bibi Dong stronger. Their bond deepened, and Yu Xiaogang's support helped her reach new heights.
But their love was doomed.
Chihiro Ji, discovering their relationship, was furious. Manipulating events, he created illusions to make Yu Xiaogang fall for Liu Erlong instead. In her heartbreak and fury, Bibi Dong confronted Chihiro Ji, only to be subjected to the most heinous betrayal—rape, under the pretext of keeping her in Spirit Hall. Chihiro Ji threatened to kill Yu Xiaogang if she didn't comply.
---
Bibi Dong's Resolve
Now, faced with a chance to begin anew, Bibi Dong had made her decision.
"But if you choose this path, you'll no longer be human. You might even lose your twin spirits," Mu Chen said, trying one last time to dissuade her.
"Twin spirits? They've brought me nothing but misery," Bibi Dong said with a bitter smile. "If I hadn't had those spirits, I wouldn't have caught Chihiro Ji's attention. I wouldn't have been made a pawn in someone else's plans."
Her voice trembled as she continued, "And do you know what's worse? Every time I use my spirits, I transform into something monstrous. A woman like me—how could I not feel disgust for myself?"
Mu Chen sighed. "You've made up your mind, then?"
"Yes. Before we start, though, I want you to promise me one thing," Bibi Dong said, her gaze steady.
"What is it?" Mu Chen asked.
"Take care of someone. Don't ever let her down," Bibi Dong said firmly.
"Oh, you must mean Hu Liena," Mu Chen replied with a faint smile. "She's already my wife. Of course I'll care for her."
"No. Not Hu Liena. My daughter," Bibi Dong said, her tone softening.
"Your daughter? Don't worry, she's already my sworn brother," Mu Chen said with a knowing smile.
Bibi Dong froze. "You know who she is?"
"Yes. She's Xue Qinghe, the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou Empire. Or should I say, Qian Renxue."
Bibi Dong's eyes widened in shock. "How do you know that? Even Ning Fengzhi and the others couldn't see through her disguise. She has a spirit bone that perfectly masks her identity. How did you figure it out?"
"That's my secret," Mu Chen said smugly, his smile widening.
"And the way you kept touching her inappropriately—it was deliberate, wasn't it?" Bibi Dong's tone was disturbingly calm, as though discussing an ordinary topic.
"Heh." Mu Chen chuckled but didn't deny it.
Bibi Dong, with her sharp mind, quickly pieced it together. She knew about Mu Chen's ability to provoke emotional fluctuations to accelerate his cultivation. His actions toward Qian Renxue had clearly been intentional.
"Forget it. Children have their own paths to walk. Let's begin," Bibi Dong said, ending the conversation.
The Rebirth Begins
"You'll need to die first," Mu Chen reminded her.
"I know," Bibi Dong replied, stepping closer to the skeleton she had prepared. With a flick of her finger, the skeleton floated in the air.
Mu Chen's brows furrowed as he observed it.
"This isn't a human skeleton," he said.
"That's right. I don't want to be human anymore," Bibi Dong confirmed, her voice steady.
"Are you absolutely sure?" Mu Chen asked, his tone turning serious.
"Yes. I've lived as a human and endured endless suffering. If I'm to be reborn, I'd rather not be tied to my past, nor to humanity. Let me live free of
it all."
Mu Chen stared at her for a long moment before nodding. "Very well. Let's begin."
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