Spirit City — Pope's Hall
Within the inner gardens of the Pope's Hall, sunlight filtered through layers of emerald leaves, casting shifting patterns across the marble floor. The gentle fragrance of flowers mixed with the cool scent of morning dew, creating an air of calm serenity.
In the center of the garden, Bibi Dong stood gracefully, her violet-gold robes swaying with the light breeze. Beside her, Hu Liena maintained a respectful stance, her eyes focused and earnest.
Bibi Dong spoke in a voice unusually warm, a rare softness reserved only for this disciple.
"Nana, you have already mastered the foundational exercises. Today, I will teach you a footwork that will greatly enhance your illusion-type abilities."
The moment she finished speaking, her figure blurred.
Her movements shifted—light yet deadly, graceful yet unpredictable. Sometimes she drifted like mist, sometimes she flickered like a ghostly silhouette. Her steps left faint white traces in the air, and afterimages lingered behind her for a heartbeat before dissipating like smoke.
Hu Liena's eyes widened.
"This is…!"
It was none other than the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, an exquisite movement technique known for its utility in stealth, evasion, misdirection, and assassination.
Few knew that the origin of these techniques in Spirit Hall came from a different source.Years ago, Qian Renxue, , had stolen it from the mind of Tang San and later recorded certain basic cultivation methods—Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Mysterious Heaven Skill, Eight Meridian Method, and Mysterious Jade Hands.
These scrolls were transcribed into Spirit Hall's restricted archives. And as the Pope, Bibi Dong naturally had access to them.
Qian Renxue had avoided recording any information about poisons and hidden weapons in the archives.
Hu Liena watched the display with sparkling admiration.
"Teacher, you are amazing…" she whispered, half in awe, half in longing.
Bibi Dong's feet came to a stop. Her robes settled around her like a blooming dark lotus.
"I will demonstrate the full sequence once more," she said. "Watch closely. The Ghost Shadow Track is not about speed alone. You must grasp its essence—the rhythm, the lightness, the intent. Let the enemy see only shadows."
Hu Liena nodded with absolute seriousness and immediately began imitating the movements. She ran as she tried to adjust her balance, repeating the initial steps again and again.
Bibi Dong observed her with a gaze that carried a tenderness no one else in Spirit Hall would ever see. Her expression softened, almost maternal.
The gentle rhythm of Hu Liena's practice was suddenly broken by the hurried footsteps of a messenger entering the garden.
He knelt."Your Holiness, Captain Julia has arrived. She is currently in the Prayer Hall."
Bibi Dong dismissed him with a wave of her slender hand, but her calm expression wavered for just a heartbeat.
Julia, the Young Captain of Angel Corps
The name itself stirred a strange mixture of irritation, curiosity, and a faint… longing in Bibi Dong's heart.
That girl—was unlike any prodigy she had ever seen. The rising star of the Angel Corps, powerful enough to earn a Soul Sage rank at such a young age. Her talent was so dazzling that Bibi Dong secretly wondered whether even her own daughter, had she grown normally, could have matched it.
'Why does she remind me…?'
Blonde hair, purple eyes, yet a different face. A face that awakened a deep maternal impulse she thought she had suppressed.
She had offered Julia a chance to become her disciple. Not once, but several times.And each time—Julia refused her.
Just remembering this made a subtle, unfamiliar irritation rise in Bibi Dong's chest.One she could neither understand nor suppress.
Nearby, Hu Liena glanced at her teacher's expression, sensing the shift.
'Teacher is… upset?' Her heart tightened.
She knew a little about Bibi Dong's attempts to take Julia as a disciple. It had puzzled her. It wasn't like Bibi Dong to extend her hand so willingly—especially not to someone outside her personal circle.
Hu Liena's thoughts churned.'Did Teacher's pride get hurt because Captain Julia rejected her? Or… does Teacher really value her that much?'
Julia was two years older than her, yet already a Soul Sage. The gap was terrifying.Hu Liena bit her lower lip.
'If someone like her becomes my junior sister… the pressure…'
Just as she was about to speak, Bibi Dong's voice cut through her thoughts.
"Nana, continue your practice. Master the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track as soon as possible."
Her tone was gentle,
"I have matters to attend to. I will evaluate your progress later."
Hu Liena bowed obediently, but her eyes trembled slightly as she watched her teacher's silent departure through the archway.
A faint, uninvited jealousy sprouted in her heart.
'Why does Teacher care so much about Julia? She's only a gifted Soul Master… right?'
She did not know why Julia's existence disturbed Bibi Dong so deeply.And she certainly did not know that in another timeline—Qian Renxue had once felt this exact jealousy toward her.
But this timeline was no longer the same.
Qian Renxue was no longer just a daughter who wanted to gain Bibi Dong's approval or she can no longer be considered a mere human trying to earn affection.
She had risen into something… higher. Something beyond the comprehension of the people of the Douluo Continent.