Chapter 348: Bibi Dong's Terms

Su Cheng returned to the council hall alone.

Bibi Dong remained still, her face cold as she glanced at him and said indifferently, "Have you calmed your sister?"

Su Cheng heard the displeasure hidden in her tone and hurriedly explained, "My sister doesn't usually interact with people much. She's introverted. Please don't mind her. Deep down, she really respects you and admires the Spirit Hall."

"I'm not blind. I can see what she's really thinking," Bibi Dong said coldly.

Hearing such a blunt remark, Su Cheng was momentarily at a loss for words, forcing an awkward smile.

However, since Bibi Dong had spoken so directly, it seemed she didn't care too much about Su Yue's impolite attitude, which was a relief.

"Your sister's talent is indeed impressive, even surpassing yours." Bibi Dong tapped the armrest of her chair as she spoke, eyeing Su Cheng.

"She's only a year older than you, right? Although the difference in spirit power between the two of you is minimal, her strength far exceeds yours. The few extra ten-thousand-year spirit rings alone are enough to crush you."

"Yes, my sister is far more talented than I am."

Su Cheng nodded calmly.

This was the result he had intended to achieve.

The evil aura emanating from his Black Dragon Spirit had done its job—catching Bibi Dong's attention, evoking an emotional response, and making communication easier.

If possible, he wanted to use his ability to suppress evil thoughts as a bargaining chip to negotiate with her.

After all, Su Cheng wasn't entirely sure of Bibi Dong's current state, and it was a surprise to see her mental state so stable.

Still, Su Cheng never intended to overshadow anyone.

Showcasing Su Yue's talent and value was the most important thing.

Otherwise, with his methods and strength, creating six or even seven ten-thousand-year spirit rings would be easy, not to mention faking it.

But there was no need for that.

The one who needed to remain in the Spirit Hall was Su Yue.

With the potential Su Yue had just demonstrated, who cares about her poor temperament or arrogance?

As long as a person's talent is extraordinary, they will be admired and recognized.

Those warm smiles and flattering words are the desperate attempts of mediocrity to compromise with the world. True geniuses never need such trivialities.

Their mere existence is a priceless treasure that many pursue fervently.

"Su Cheng, do you know why I kept you behind?" Bibi Dong suddenly shifted the topic back to Su Cheng, no longer mentioning Su Yue.

"Is it because of my spirit?"

"That's right." She nodded. "To be honest, keeping someone like you in the Spirit Hall makes me uneasy."

"…"

Su Cheng was silent.

Hearing that he had become the unstable factor made him feel a bit helpless.

Bibi Dong's mental state was even more stable than he had imagined, which complicated things slightly.

But it didn't matter. He hadn't planned to stay long anyway.

"Su Cheng, I honestly don't care about what your sister truly thinks, how she sees me, or how she views the Spirit Hall. None of that matters. Her talent is indeed remarkable, but I've seen many geniuses. Even her overpowered spirit ring configuration is nothing to me."

Su Cheng believed her words.

When it comes to spirit ring configurations, few can rival Bibi Dong, who possesses twin spirits.

However, Bibi Dong's next statement caught Su Cheng off guard: "Compared to your sister, I actually favor you more."

Su Cheng: "…"

Wait, Sister, are you being this direct now?

I'm only just under fifteen years old!

Seeing the confused and shocked look on his face, Bibi Dong furrowed her brow slightly. "What are you thinking?"

"I still have six months before I turn fifteen…" Su Cheng muttered.

He was willing to make some sacrifices for Su Yue's growth, but losing his dignity like this was too much.

Moreover, if Bibi Dong retained her memories from this simulation when he returned to reality, wouldn't he be utterly humiliated?

"…"

Bibi Dong was momentarily stunned, seemingly not understanding how this related to his age.

After a moment, she finally realized and a hint of red, whether from shame or anger, appeared on her face as she snapped, "What nonsense are you thinking?! I'm asking if you're willing to become my disciple!"

"Oh, oh." Su Cheng sighed in relief, quickly shaking his head to refuse, "I don't want to."

"Why not? Don't you admire the Spirit Hall?" Bibi Dong's voice lowered.

"I'm not worthy of being your disciple." Su Cheng bowed his head.

This, of course, was just an excuse.

The real reason was that he didn't want to get too close to her—not right now, at least.

Old habits die hard.

Even if Bibi Dong's mental state had stabilized, certain aspects of her personality wouldn't change. Her desire for control was far too strong.

If he accepted her as a teacher, while it would make acquiring resources easier and pave the way for Su Yue, it would also complicate his future plans.

Moreover, his spirit was inherently one that raised suspicion. If he became too entangled with the Spirit Hall, leaving in the future would become much harder, requiring complex justifications and making the effort far more trouble than it was worth.

"Whether you are worthy or not is not your concern," Bibi Dong said coldly, her gaze piercing as she stared at him. "I think you are, and that's enough."

"…"

"What are you hesitating about?"

Seeing Su Cheng remain silent, Bibi Dong frowned slightly, then after a brief pause, she said softly, "Never mind, take a look at my spirit."

Before Su Cheng could respond, the gigantic Death Spider Emperor appeared behind her in an instant.

The grotesque, bloated spider formed a stark contrast to her stunning beauty.

At her feet, nine magnificent spirit rings revolved around her, with the scarlet ninth ring standing out the most.

"So? Do you feel something familiar? My spirit is called the Death Spider Emperor, also an inherently evil existence. If you are willing to accept me as your master, I can teach you how to control and channel your inner negative desires. When that time comes, the evil thoughts in your spirit will no longer affect you."

"…" Su Cheng's eye twitched.

Are you serious?

You, teaching me how to control desire? That's flipping the world upside down!

And do you even realize how much you're repressing your own evil thoughts?

Noticing his "surprised" expression, Bibi Dong seemed pleased.

She then withdrew her Death Spider Emperor spirit and softly said, "Su Cheng, I value you a lot, so I'm going to tell you another secret."

"Your Holiness, that really won't be necessary..."

Su Cheng tried to dissuade her, but it was in vain.

He had no desire to hear any more secrets.

It wasn't hard to guess that she was preparing to reveal her second spirit next.

In terms of characteristics, the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor was even more evil, perfectly complementing the position of the Rakshasa God.

In fact, Su Cheng's simulation of the Black Dragon Martial Soul, rather than resembling the power of the Rakshasa God, was more akin to the aura of a Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor tainted by the Rakshasa's force.

Unfortunately, despite Su Cheng's evident resistance, Bibi Dong showed no intention of acknowledging it.

"Actually, besides the Death Spider Emperor, I have another martial soul. A second martial soul, even stronger and more evil."

As her eerie voice fell, the dark green Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor appeared behind her.

Compared to the grotesque, bloated form of the Death Spider Emperor, the Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor was much more vicious and sinister, with a slender and fierce form exuding a sharp, predatory beauty.

The soul rings attached to this martial soul were incomplete, totaling only seven. But the configuration was terrifying: six black ten-thousand-year rings and one crimson hundred-thousand-year ring. An aura far more evil than before erupted outward, the eerie green light enveloping the entire council hall.

Under the ominous green glow, Bibi Dong, seated at the top, looked like a demon queen reigning from her throne, while Su Cheng, standing in the center of the hall, was like a helpless insect ensnared in a web, ready to be devoured at any moment.

"Your Holiness, what are you…"

Su Cheng opened his mouth, stammering and stopping himself.

Damn it, there's no other choice now.

If he refused to become her disciple, he would probably end up as a wanted criminal.

Bibi Dong gazed at him, her tone softening. "Su Cheng, I understand the pain and confusion in your heart. Becoming my disciple, you won't regret it. Our martial souls are very similar, so don't belittle yourself. No one is more suitable than me to be your teacher, and you are more than qualified to be my disciple."

But as she spoke, her voice grew colder again. "However, if you insist on refusing, I will have no choice but to imprison you in the Papal Palace. Don't blame me. It's because our martial souls are so similar that I clearly understand the consequences if you continue down this path. You could easily become a scourge on this continent."

Her voice deepened further. "Right now, your cultivation level is low, so you can barely suppress the evil thoughts within. But once you advance to Soul Saint and possess your martial soul's true form, you'll find that the influence of your martial soul on you, the soul master, will be ingrained deep within your bones and soul. Your willpower will be utterly powerless in the face of such overwhelming evil."

"…"

Su Cheng clicked his tongue. He felt that Bibi Dong's words weren't entirely honest.

Since when did this woman become so concerned about the peace of the world?

If that were truly the case, he wouldn't have chosen to present himself to her with such a martial soul in the first place.

Acknowledging her strength, ambition, desires, and deep-seated obsessions, Su Cheng could accept that.

But to say she cared about the world, that she took it upon herself to protect the people, or that she relentlessly fought against evil soul masters—Su Cheng found that laughable.

Standing in the middle of the grand hall, Su Cheng bowed his head, silently contemplating his options.

If he left the Spirit Hall directly, Bibi Dong couldn't stop him. No one could, not even Qian Daoliu, who could wield the power of Spirit City's domain.

But the cost of doing so would be too great.

The fate line in this simulation was incredibly binding. If he recklessly created major changes here, it might help the future—but if not, it could lead to complete loss of control over the situation.

And more importantly, he couldn't expose Su Yue's special nature.

With his True Force, Su Cheng had the confidence to avoid detection by the Divine Realm, but Su Yue was different. She was essentially a ticking time bomb, one that was being closely monitored.

But if he really had to acknowledge Bibi Dong as his teacher…

The crisp sound of footsteps grew closer, accompanied by a faint fragrance.

The stunning Pope, who had previously been seated on the high-backed chair, had unknowingly retracted her martial soul and walked up beside him.

Standing next to Su Cheng, who had yet to fully mature, Bibi Dong was slightly taller.

She raised her hand, gently stroking the boy's short black hair, a maternal glow in her eyes.

"Child, I know the unease in your heart, and I also know the painful experiences you've endured. I, too, once had a past very similar to yours. Trust me, I can help you overcome all of this."

"…"

Feeling the warmth from her fingertips, Su Cheng looked up at the beautiful woman beside him.

In those peach-blossom-shaped eyes, there was a gentleness he had never seen before, not even in the real world.

Su Cheng sighed inwardly and finally, with a sense of humiliation, nodded. "I understand… teacher."

"Good child."

"Haha, so you acknowledged the Rakshasa God's successor as your teacher? Weren't you the one who suggested earlier that I join the Spirit Hall on my own?"

In the Spirit Hall's library, Su Yue looked at Su Cheng beside her, her face filled with mockery.

"Yeah, for the time being."

"Are you sure it wasn't because you thought she was pretty, and that's why you accepted her as your teacher? Judging by her age, she could be your mother."

"Well, by your age, you could be my great-grandmother."

"Good grandson, call me great-grandmother."

"Just focus on reading your book! Do you think I'd have taken on a teacher for no reason if it weren't for you?" Su Cheng snapped, slamming a stack of books in front of her.

Su Yue's expression turned cold as she slapped her hand on the stack of books, glaring at him. "I don't need this!"

Her sudden anger startled Su Cheng, who gave her a baffled look. "Why are you so upset? Isn't this all just a temporary measure?"

"She's the successor of the Rakshasa God! I'd rather you take me away than stay here with her!"

"Fine, fine. I should fight them and then take you away. And then we'll attract the attention of the Rakshasa God, leading the Divine Realm to discover your existence. Then you can reunite with the other half of the Dragon God's avatar."

"Su Cheng, you traitor, you bastard!"

"Forget it. Just stay here and read your book. Do you think I want to be anyone's disciple? You're so ungrateful."

After throwing that last remark, Su Cheng left the library without looking back, leaving Su Yue standing there in stunned silence.