"Hmph! There's no need for that. In this Spirit Hall City, could he possibly die?!"
Bi Bi Dong snorted coldly, casually tossing the Taoist robe in her hand onto the ground beside her. The anger on her face finally began to subside.
After all, she just wanted Ling Yuan to understand her attitude towards Ye Tian! There was no ambiguity, only strictness akin to a stern father! There was definitely nothing of the sort that Ling Yuan might have misunderstood!
"That's true."
Lingyuan Douluo smiled, under Bi Bi Dong's gaze, not showing any peculiar expression. She quickly put Ye Tian out of her mind, picked up the set of clothes Bi Bi Dong had just selected, and handed it over.
"Well then, Dong'er, you should quickly try this set on to see if it fits."
"Not in a hurry."
Bi Bi Dong calmed down again, shaking her head as she looked at Ling Yuan and instructed, "Actually, the reason I had you become that brat's guard isn't simply to protect him."
"Didn't you already mention this issue earlier? You want me to assist you in solidifying your position as Pope."
Lingyuan Douluo showed a puzzled expression.
"No."
Bi Bi Dong denied again.
"This purpose, I couldn't elaborate on much while that brat was here just now. Now that he's not here, it's the perfect time to make it clear to you."
"I'm all ears."
Lingyuan Douluo smiled, watching the Bi Bi Dong opposite her with full attention.
She wasn't a fool; judging from the scenes just now, the relationship between Bi Bi Dong and Ye Tian was definitely not simple. She originally thought it was like teacher and friend, but what kind of teacher-friend relationship involves staring at that spot?
Even though she sensed something unusual, she didn't know the specifics of their relationship. Perhaps it was just youthful vigor, a momentary inability to resist curiosity.
Of course, it wasn't her place to say much.
But Bi Bi Dong's next words made her suspicions rise again.
"It's simple. The reason I want you to become that brat's guard, besides protecting him, is that I also want you to monitor his every move. Especially who he comes into contact with, when, and specifically what they talk about. If you can know all that, then all the better."
"???"
Lingyuan Douluo looked at Bi Bi Dong in astonishment.
"Dong'er, for no apparent reason, why are you monitoring that little guy? Could it be that as the Spirit Hall Saint Child, he would do something detrimental to the Spirit Hall?"
Hearing this,
Bi Bi Dong immediately affirmed, "Of course not, he wouldn't do anything harmful to the Spirit Hall. You can completely trust him on that point. The reason I want you to monitor him is because..."
For a moment,
Bi Bi Dong actually didn't know how to explain it to Ling Yuan.
"Because of what?"
Lingyuan Douluo cautiously probed.
Bi Bi Dong stammered slightly before answering fluently, "Be... because that brat is my disciple. I think you've also noticed the unusual fragrance on him, plus the appearance even you praised. As his teacher, of course I'm afraid he'll fall into the skirts of outside women and neglect his cultivation because of it. You know his exceptional talent. If he wastes this golden period of cultivation on romantic affairs, it would be a huge loss for him and for our Spirit Hall."
"..."
Lingyuan Douluo was stunned.
Suddenly, she felt the Bi Bi Dong before her had become somewhat unfamiliar.
Based on her understanding of Bi Bi Dong from back then, such words shouldn't have come from Bi Bi Dong's mouth. Shouldn't she be blessing lovers to finally unite?
After all, that's exactly what Bi Bi Dong had thought in the past.
Lingyuan Douluo was aware of that unrequited love from her past.
She had even shared with her the idea of running far away together.
Unfortunately,
it was all just Bi Bi Dong's fantasy.
That rotten egg might have looked honest and simple, not daring to touch Bi Bi Dong even half a bit. Clearly born into the top echelon, yet putting on an act of wanting to start from scratch, harboring grand ideals with a determined appearance. In reality, with just a light tap, that eggshell shattered, revealing his true nature as a weakling!
The previous Pope only needed to issue a slight threat before he abandoned his bold claims of making the Spirit Hall and Bi Bi Dong regret it, and ran out of Spirit Hall City without looking back.
And ever since then, she had been exiled by the Pope to guard the pass at Death Canyon, accused of knowing but not reporting and harboring guilt, spending ten years like a day preventing and resisting possible Beast Tides.
Back then, she hadn't seen the slightest hint of remorse from Bi Bi Dong.
"What? Is there something wrong with what I said?"
Bi Bi Dong somewhat guiltily avoided Lingyuan Douluo's surprised gaze, afraid that Lingyuan might expose her true intention of wanting to confine that human-shaped sachet as her exclusive possession.
"Nothing really wrong."
Lingyuan Douluo looked at the righteous and stern Bi Bi Dong, gently shaking her head. Years apart had made her understanding of Bi Bi Dong at this moment somewhat inaccurate. Leaning her delicate body slightly forward, she continued:
"I'm just a bit curious, Dong'er, have you not let it go yet?"
"What?"
Bi Bi Dong was stunned for a moment, and only after a long while did she recall that past she wished not to remember. Those beautiful purple eyes instantly turned sharp, even faintly overflowing with a murderous aura from within. Staring at Lingyuan Douluo, she declared resolutely:
"Ling Yuan! Don't bring up the past anymore. I've long seen through that waste's true nature and won't harbor fantasies like I did back then. If you hadn't rashly mentioned it, I would have long forgotten him beyond the highest heavens! I'm not afraid to tell you, one important goal in my desire to become Pope is to completely annihilate the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! I will make those who deceived me pay the price they deserve."
Bi Bi Dong's voice was filled with a decisive, iron-blooded killing intent, the intense murderous aura leaving no room for Lingyuan Douluo to doubt!
Seeing the portal to Eternal Heaven behind Lingyuan Douluo and thinking of Ye Tian, Bi Bi Dong felt even more urgent to separate the past from the present. She sternly warned: "Furthermore, I don't want this matter to be mentioned by you to anyone again, or don't blame me for not considering our old friendship."
"!!!"
The surging killing intent made Lingyuan Douluo's pupils contract slightly.
She could clearly sense Bi Bi Dong's determination to annihilate the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. She understood even more that Bi Bi Dong's warning contained not the slightest element of intimidation.
If she dared to speak carelessly,
the best outcome would probably be packing her bags and returning to the pass at Death Canyon.
Lingyuan Doulro finally realized that compared to the past, Bi Bi Dong not only carried a cold-blooded killing intent about her, but her temperament had long matured, possessing the broader perspective befitting her as the Saintess.
Unfortunately, this was actually all her misunderstanding.
With a swish!
Lingyuan Douluo immediately stood up and knelt on one knee, vowing, "Your Holiness, rest assured. I will faithfully fulfill my duties and will never reveal this matter to anyone, including the Holy Son, whose status is second only to yours."
Bi Bi Dong, who had been filled with murderous intent just moments before, instantly faltered upon hearing Lingyuan Douluo's words. Her face showed guilt, and her eyes held panic. "You... why are you suddenly bringing up that brat? I said 'anyone,' and of course, that includes... includes the Holy Son of my Spirit Hall."
"???"
Lingyuan Douluo raised her head, looking strangely at Bi Bi Dong, who had suddenly become awkward.
"Anyway, as long as you understand, get up quickly."
Bi Bi Dong averted her gaze and beckoned to Lingyuan Douluo.
"I understand, Your Holiness..."
Lingyuan Douluo looked at Bi Bi Dong in this state, her words suddenly becoming hesitant.
It didn't seem to be what she had thought. Had she overlooked something? Lingyuan Douluo suddenly recalled the way Bi Bi Dong and the others interacted, and an idea struck her. Could it be... because she mentioned the Holy Son?
With this in mind, Lingyuan Douluo slowly settled her curvy hips back onto the stool and began to probe.
"Your Holiness, you can rest assured and leave the Holy Son to me. I promise I won't let him flirt with other women."
"Excellent!"
Bi Bi Dong nodded in satisfaction. Sensing Lingyuan Douluo's probing gaze, she suddenly grew alert and added, "These women are only secondary. The most important thing is to figure out if that brat has any secrets even I don't know about... After all, a Soul Master with a Two Purple, One Black configuration—can he really be normal?"
"I will do my best, Your Holiness..."
Lingyuan Douluo nodded, finally giving up on probing further.
She couldn't discern anything—or rather, even if she could, she couldn't be sure her guesses were correct.
Moreover, Lingyuan Douluo could tell that Ye Tian's earlier panicked escape wasn't an act. Otherwise, he wouldn't have nearly crashed into her. In other words, this wasn't the first time they had clashed, and Ye Tian had genuinely been on the receiving end of Bi Bi Dong's wrath—otherwise, he wouldn't have been so timid.
Perhaps the relationship between Bi Bi Dong and him wasn't as intimate as she had imagined.
This was Lingyuan Douluo's conclusion at the moment!
But Bi Bi Dong, fearing she hadn't fully dispelled Lingyuan Douluo's suspicions, thought for a moment and reluctantly forced herself to put on a sorrowful expression. With a pained sigh, she lamented, "Only by truly sitting in my teacher's former position can I think from his perspective. It's a pity... I realized this too late."
"..."
Lingyuan Douluo fell silent, unsure how to comfort Bi Bi Dong.
She could sense the pain and sorrow in Bi Bi Dong's words—unaware that the source of that pain and sorrow was Bi Bi Dong's own deep-seated disgust and revulsion.
Yet even Bi Bi Dong herself couldn't deny it.
It seemed she had truly inherited his legacy!