"Mu Chen," Bibi Dong murmured.
"I didn't expect us to meet again so soon. Ahem, Bibi Dong, it seems our fate is truly intertwined!" Mu Chen chuckled playfully.
"Bibi Dong is dead. My name is Xiao Die now," Bibi Dong reminded him.
"Alright, Xiao Die," Mu Chen corrected himself.
Back in the Douluo Dimension, Mu Chen had set a trap to revive Xiao Wu's mother, forcing Bibi Dong into a bet. The terms were simple: within three years, Mu Chen had to establish a force independent of the two great empires, Star Luo and Heaven Dou. If this force surpassed the Spirit Hall in strength, Mu Chen would win. Otherwise, he would lose.
If Mu Chen won, Bibi Dong had to fulfill one of his conditions, which wouldn't harm the Spirit Hall or involve any dishonorable acts. If he lost, Mu Chen would have to join the Spirit Hall and obey Bibi Dong's every command.
In the end, Mu Chen gathered the Po Clan, Yu Clan, Min Clan, and Li Clan, and founded the Tang Sect on a mountain outside the Imperial Soul Village.
To secure his victory, Mu Chen then traveled to Purple Pearl Island, subdued its ruler, Zi Zhenzhu, and established the Purple Pearl Kingdom, incorporating surrounding islands and pirates into its domain. This included the sea Soul Masters of Seagod Island, though the guardians of the Seven Sacred Pillars and the Seagod High Priest remained beyond the kingdom's control.
But did this mean Mu Chen had defeated Bibi Dong?
No!
Bibi Dong kept a close eye on Mu Chen's every move. The day before the three-year deadline, she confronted him, declaring her victory in advance.
However, Bibi Dong never expected what happened next. On the final day, countless Soul Beasts emerged from the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest. Mu Chen had even subdued the Silver Dragon King, the ruler of all Soul Beasts. Even if Bibi Dong had established the Spirit Empire and controlled 70% of the Soul Masters in the realm, it was nothing compared to Mu Chen's feat of bringing the entire Star Dou Great Forest under his command.
In the end, Bibi Dong lost, and she lost utterly.
True to her reputation as a paragon among women and the first empress of the Spirit Empire, Bibi Dong honored the bet. When Mu Chen demanded her right arm bone and the Soul Ring he had taken from Xiao Wu's mother, she didn't hesitate to comply.
Afterward, Bibi Dong returned to the Spirit Empire, abdicated the throne to Hu Liena, and vanished without a trace. To this day, the people of the Douluo Dimension remain unaware that their empress had died, only to be resurrected by Mu Chen and brought to the Doupo Dimension.
As Bibi Dong herself put it, she wanted to leave her past behind. After her resurrection, she regained her virginity and her chastity. Bibi Dong was dead; now, she was Xiao Die.
When Mu Chen resurrected Bibi Dong, he used the remains of an ancient Soul Beast, the Nine-Colored Nine-Winged Butterfly. Bibi Dong's new name was derived from this.
Now, Bibi Dong's Spirit was no longer the repulsive spider but a butterfly with nine colors and eighteen wings.
"I just helped you again. How do you plan to thank me?" Mu Chen asked with a playful smile.
"Who asked for your help? I could handle them myself," Bibi Dong retorted, giving Mu Chen a sidelong glance.
Compared to her former self, after living in the Doupo Dimension for some time, Bibi Dong had shed some of the coldness she once had as a pope and empress, gaining a more approachable, commoner-like demeanor.
"Indeed, your soul realm has reached the peak of the Heavenly Realm. They were no match for you," Mu Chen replied with a smile.
In the Douluo Dimension, Bibi Dong had been a Titled Douluo, with her Soul Power reaching level 99 before her death. In terms of the Doupo Dimension's soul realm, this was equivalent to the peak of the Heavenly Realm.
"Ah, your Dou Qi level has also reached the pinnacle of the Nine-Star Battle Emperor," Mu Chen remarked, his sharp eyes instantly discerning Bibi Dong's cultivation level.
Bibi Dong didn't respond. In the terms of the Doupo Dimension, her current form was that of a Magical Beast, the Nine-Colored Nine-Winged Butterfly. She possessed human intelligence and the long lifespan of a Magical Beast. Her rate of advancement far surpassed that of ordinary people. In the ten years since arriving in the Douluo Dimension, her cultivation had skyrocketed from the initial Dou Qi stage to the current pinnacle of the Nine-Star Battle Emperor.
"Goodbye," Bibi Dong said.
Although Bibi Dong was happy to see Mu Chen, an old acquaintance, his presence also stirred up painful memories she had nearly forgotten.
To be honest, Bibi Dong didn't want to meet Mu Chen. Especially when she saw the three stunning women by his side, she felt a deep sense of displeasure.
"Wait," Mu Chen called out.
Bibi Dong turned around and looked at him calmly.
"If I'm not mistaken, you came here to rely on the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool to break through to the Dou Zong realm, right?" Mu Chen asked.
Bibi Dong nodded.
"Let's go together. I was planning to take them into the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool as well. They also need to break through to the Dou Zong realm," Mu Chen suggested.
Bibi Dong hesitated for a moment, her heart seemingly in turmoil.
Was Bibi Dong afraid?
Yes, Bibi Dong was truly afraid!
There seemed to be a certain magnetism about Mu Chen that drew her in. Bibi Dong feared that if she stayed with Mu Chen for too long, she might fall in love with him again, unable to extricate herself.
No!
Absolutely not!
Bibi Dong hadn't forgotten that this young man before her was the husband of her student, Hu Liena. Moreover, he had an entangled relationship with her own daughter. Mu Chen was not only powerful but also had a notorious reputation for his attraction to women. Bibi Dong didn't even know if her daughter, Qian Renxue, had already been seduced by Mu Chen!
If Qian Renxue had already been with Mu Chen, and Mu Chen was also Hu Liena's husband, then if Bibi Dong were to get involved, how would that look?
So, Bibi Dong was afraid!
She was not only afraid of Mu Chen stirring up her painful memories but also of falling in love with him, just like those other women!
Faced with Mu Chen's proposal, Bibi Dong was torn between wanting to accept and wanting to refuse!
Mu Chen smiled faintly, his keen insight already piercing through Bibi Dong's thoughts. He added, "Even if you refuse now, we will still meet again once we reach Tianshan Terrace. Rather than that, why not go together? This is the Battle Qi Plane, and I might even be able to help you with any questions you have about Dou Qi cultivation!"
Bibi Dong met Mu Chen's gaze, pondered for a moment, and finally nodded. She agreed to accompany Mu Chen on their journey to the Blood Pool of Tianshan!
(End of Chapter)