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...Bibi Dong held the Asura Demon Sword, blocking Xuan Ming's path with a murderous aura, her cold gaze locked onto Qian Renxue.
Gu Yuena also quietly stood on Xuan Ming's other side, her silver-purple eyes flashing with a dangerous light as the elemental forces around her fluctuated subtly.
Having her Domain broken by Bibi Dong's sword, seeing Xuan Ming's speechless gaze, and facing the blatant hostility from Bibi Dong and Gu Yuena, Qian Renxue's originally complex and agitated emotions were instantly ignited, transforming into a surge of inexplicable anger and grievance.
She stood up, her golden divine force surging once again. Although a gap had been torn in her Angelic Domain, it was still functioning, and a sacred pressure permeated the air.
"Bibi Dong! This is my Angel Secret Realm! It's not your place to run wild here!" Qian Renxue's voice carried the majesty of the Divine Rank and a hint of suppressed fury.
Her feelings toward Bibi Dong were already extremely complicated; now, with old grudges and new resentment intertwining, she was even more confrontational.
"Your Secret Realm?" Bibi Dong sneered, pointing the Asura Demon Sword directly at Qian Renxue. "Did you ask my sword before touching my man?"
Although Gu Yuena didn't speak, the Dragon's Might and elemental fluctuations emanating from her clearly expressed the same stance.
Standing between the two women, Xuan Ming felt the smell of gunpowder in the air and the clash of three different types of Divine Rank pressure, feeling his head throb with a massive headache.
He rubbed his still-aching brow and sighed, his voice weary: "Everyone, calm down."
He looked at Qian Renxue, his tone flat but carrying a hint of authority: "You've just become a god; your aura is unstable and your emotions are fluctuating wildly. It's understandable. But don't do anything foolish."
He then looked at Bibi Dong and Gu Yuena, shaking his head slightly: "I'm fine, just a bit exhausted. I'll be okay after some rest. You two... don't add to the chaos."
Qian Renxue bit her lip. Looking at Xuan Ming's tired yet calm eyes, and then at the predatory glares of Bibi Dong and Gu Yuena, the nameless fire in her heart gradually died down, replaced by a deep sense of powerlessness and... grievance.
She had just experienced a massive spiritual shock and the permanent loss of a loved one; her emotions were in an extremely unstable state. Her behavior just now was less about desire and more an instinctive impulse to seek validation and comfort. But now... Bibi Dong snorted coldly and sheathed the Asura Demon Sword, but she remained by Xuan Ming's side to make her stance clear.
Gu Yuena also restrained her aura, but her gaze remained wary as she watched Qian Renxue.
Although she had claimed Xuan Ming the same way back then, he hadn't shown any resistance at the time.
But now?
Xuan Ming was clearly pinned down only because he couldn't beat this woman!
...Deep within the Supreme Pontiff Palace.
Xuan Ming leaned back on a soft couch, closing his eyes to rest.
Bibi Dong and Gu Yuena stood guard on either side of him, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.
"From now on, you are not allowed to see Qian Renxue alone," Bibi Dong's voice broke the silence. "She has attained godhood now. In her home field of the Angel Secret Realm, her strength clearly surpasses yours. You saw the situation just now; her emotions are extremely unstable and her behavior is out of control. There's no guarantee she won't do something extreme again."
Gu Yuena didn't speak but nodded slightly, her silver-purple eyes also reflecting her agreement.
While her own style was bold and direct—and her initial claiming of Xuan Ming could be described as 'forcible seizure'—it had been under the premise that Xuan Ming himself didn't strongly resist, or was even somewhat compliant.
But Qian Renxue's posture just now was clearly taking advantage of his weakness to forcibly suppress him; the nature of it was completely different.
Xuan Ming had not yet recovered his state; it was indeed inappropriate for him to have further solo contact with the now-divine Qian Renxue.
Xuan Ming opened his eyes and looked at Bibi Dong with some helplessness: "There's no need to be so tense. She just went through a major upheaval and lost her composure; it was just an impulse. After reaching the Divine Rank, one's Heart-Nature gradually aligns with their godhead and stabilizes. Besides, I still need to discuss the matter of spirit ring storage with her."
"Discuss?" Bibi Dong snorted as if she had heard a joke. "You think she's going there to discuss things with you? Based on my understanding of her, what she wants most right now is to use her advantage in strength to suppress you and make you submit!"
"If you go to her now to negotiate terms, she will absolutely take the opportunity to blackmail you! Once you refuse, not only will she not help, she will do everything in her power to obstruct and sabotage you!"
"Qian Renxue wants exactly this kind of situation! She wants to be stronger than you so she can control you and maintain her ridiculous pride and dominance! How could she possibly help you sincerely? She'll only find ways to trap you and force you to give in!"
Xuan Ming was left somewhat speechless by Bibi Dong's string of analysis. He rubbed his brow, feeling even more exhausted: "Wasn't it your suggestion in the first place to have her participate? Why are you now..."
"Times have changed!" Bibi Dong interrupted him, her tone somewhat irritable. "I originally hoped to give her something proper to do to ease our relationship and give her a sense of belonging to the Empire. But I didn't expect her mindset to become so twisted after reaching the Divine Rank! And I certainly didn't expect you to be... treated like that by her in such a weakened state!"
As Bibi Dong reached the end, her tone carried a trace of imperceptible jealousy and annoyance.
Letting Qian Renxue participate in Imperial affairs was one thing, but letting her steal her man? That was another matter entirely! Absolutely not!
Xuan Ming looked at Bibi Dong's protective, food-guarding-like behavior and the deeply agreeable expression in Gu Yuena's eyes, completely speechless.
A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.
He sighed, his tone carrying a hint of subtle anxiety: "Then what should we do about this? We have the method for forcibly stripping spirit rings, but the storage issue is stuck at the most critical step. If we can't use divine force or the Power Of Faith to stabilize and store spirit rings long-term to achieve recycling, this conflict cannot be fundamentally resolved."
His gaze swept over Bibi Dong and Gu Yuena: "There's less than a year left for the trial. If it can't be completed by then... I don't know what I might do."
His voice was very calm, but both Bibi Dong and Gu Yuena heard a trace of coldness within it.
Xuan Ming could be reasonable, he could stay calm, and he could endure and compromise for the sake of the big picture.
But if the path to his goal was completely blocked, if the 'order' he pursued could not be established in a relatively peaceful way... then he wouldn't mind switching to a more direct, more violent, or even more insane method to solve it.
For example, using absolute power to forcibly erase all obstacles? What that would bring would likely not be order, but pure destruction.
Bibi Dong and Gu Yuena looked at each other, both seeing the gravity in the other's eyes.
They knew Xuan Ming; they knew his words were by no means alarmist.
When his patience ran out, his methods would become extremely unpredictable.
"I'll go and talk to her," Bibi Dong spoke up.
"In any case, you cannot have contact with her for the time being."
"Do it as quickly as possible; this matter is very troublesome and won't be finished in a short time." Xuan Ming sighed and sat up.
"I'm going to Sea God Island to check on Bo Saixi's progress."
As he spoke, a flash of silver light appeared, and Xuan Ming vanished.
Gu Yuena looked at Bibi Dong's furrowed brow. "Should I go and help you?"
Bibi Dong shook her head. "If you go to talk, she'll probably be even more rebellious."
Qian Renxue had been suppressed too hard by Gu Yuena in the past. Now that she had finally reached the Divine Rank and gained an advantage in strength, she would definitely be thinking of how to find an opportunity to reclaim the Face she had lost back then.
At this time, if Gu Yuena went to talk to Qian Renxue about such things, that girl would definitely push her luck!
"You should be careful too; she might look for an opportunity to make a move on you lately," Bibi Dong warned.
Gu Yuena nodded. "She shouldn't be a match for me."
Qian Renxue had just reached the Divine Rank, and her progress had been too fast; she hadn't truly mastered the Angel God's power yet. To put it bluntly, she had the stats but lacked the skill.
If they really fought, it was debatable whether Qian Renxue could even beat Xuan Ming, let alone her.