Chapter 18: Crushing Victory

Bibi Dong didn't want to think this way. In her heart, she had idealized Yu Xiaogang countless times, almost turning him into a saint.

But now, looking at Zhou Sheng'an's utterly confident expression, she suddenly realized—

The image of Yu Xiaogang she had glorified in her mind was increasingly resembling Zhou Sheng'an.

It was a terrifying realization, proving that deep down, she already believed Yu Xiaogang was inferior to this man.

Realizing this, she became both furious and ashamed.

Clenching her fists as she stared at Zhou Sheng'an's face, a murderous intent boiled within her.

"Very well. You're quite confident!"

"But let me remind you—I am not only the Pope of the Spirit Hall but also Qian Renxue's mother! You should know who Qian Renxue is, shouldn't you?"

Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes and fixed her gaze on Zhou Sheng'an.

Zhou Sheng'an frowned slightly. In his previous life, he had come across this anime and knew about this particular setting.

Thinking about it now, he suddenly felt puzzled—why was Bibi Dong's relationship with Qian Renxue so terrible?

"Pope, I—"

"I do not approve of you and her being together. She has her own mission and duty. Your existence will only drag her down! As long as I am here, you two will never find happiness!"

Bibi Dong's voice was cold.

As she spoke, a strange thrill surged within her.

Back then, Qian Xunji had driven Yu Xiaogang away in the same manner.

Now, she was going to impose the same fate on Qian Renxue!

Zhou Sheng'an was momentarily stunned. What on earth was this woman talking about?

When he and Qian Renxue had been intimate, he had long known how strained their mother-daughter relationship was!

And now Bibi Dong was saying all this to him? Wasn't she taking herself too seriously?

"Leave Qian Renxue! I will spare your life. Otherwise, I will summon her back to Spirit City, ensuring you never see each other again. And I will kill you as well."

Bibi Dong's voice was icy.

Zhou Sheng'an remained expressionless, calmly asking, "Why?"

"Because she has her own mission!" Bibi Dong snapped.

Zhou Sheng'an shook his head. "You mean usurping Heaven Dou? If Qian Renxue were acting alone, her chances of success wouldn't be high. But with my assistance, it would be foolproof!"

"The Pope must have seen my governance abilities. And now, leading an army of a hundred thousand and defending the city, my capabilities are even more evident. Give me time, and I can even launch a coup!"

"I have the power to slay dragons! I can be a capable minister in times of peace or a treacherous hero in times of chaos!"

Zhou Sheng'an's voice was resolute, his gaze unwavering as he locked eyes with Bibi Dong.

His stare was too intense.

Bibi Dong instinctively averted her gaze—this kind of righteous, bright aura was what she detested the most!

At that moment, she suddenly felt the urge to destroy Zhou Sheng'an.

"Arrogant fool! You court death!" Bibi Dong snorted coldly, barely restraining her fury.

"Pope! You cannot project your own misfortune onto us! I am Zhou Sheng'an, the one and only Zhou Sheng'an! No one can be my precedent!"

Zhou Sheng'an's voice boomed.

Bibi Dong's face flushed slightly, her ample chest heaving with anger.

She was absolutely livid!

Did Zhou Sheng'an actually know something? Was he deliberately mocking her?

"Zhou Sheng'an, do you really think I won't kill you?" A faint purple light flickered in Bibi Dong's eyes, and the pressure of a Title Douluo erupted, enveloping Zhou Sheng'an completely.

At this moment, the very air in the room seemed to become Bibi Dong's weapon, pressing down on Zhou Sheng'an with lethal intent.

Under this overwhelming force, Zhou Sheng'an's face turned pale.

Suddenly, a layer of Blue Silver Grass sprouted from the ground, and five soul rings rose beneath his feet.

Yellow, purple, purple, black, black—five soul rings appeared in succession.

They caught Bibi Dong's attention, and her eyes burned with even greater fury.

The stronger Zhou Sheng'an was, the more it proved he surpassed Yu Xiaogang!

Her killing intent was now completely undisguised.

At that moment, a golden light flickered into the room, and Snake Spear Douluo hurriedly stepped in front of Zhou Sheng'an.

"Pope, please stay your hand!" Snake Spear Douluo cried out.

"You're actually protecting him?"

Bibi Dong's gaze was ice-cold as she glared at Snake Spear Douluo.

Snake Spear Douluo's face turned pale. He was no match for Bibi Dong—especially now, when she was consumed with rage.

"Pope, please calm down. Sir Zhou is the young master's… man."

"Ridiculous! Zhou Sheng'an, I will personally watch as your city falls and your people perish!" Bibi Dong sneered before vanishing in a flash.

…

After leaving Yanmen Pass, Bibi Dong immediately issued an order forbidding the Spirit Hall from aiding Zhou Sheng'an.

With Bibi Dong personally interfering, Qian Renxue's plea for reinforcements was rendered useless.

Watching the situation unfold on the screen, Qian Renxue gritted her teeth in frustration!

"Bibi Dong…!!!"

Qian Renxue was so furious her stomach ached.

Once again, it was Bibi Dong! The last time, she had gone mad and killed Sheng'an. Now, she refused to send reinforcements, deliberately making things difficult for her!

At this moment, Qian Renxue was nearly ready to confront Bibi Dong directly!

Without the support of the Spirit Hall, how could Zhou Sheng'an possibly win?

Her only hope now was that Snake Spear Douluo could rescue Zhou Sheng'an in time.

[Douluo Calendar, February 8, 2026—Snake Spear Douluo returns to Heaven Dou City and reports: Bibi Dong has expelled him a hundred miles away. He cannot approach Yanmen Pass!]

"!!!"

Qian Renxue's eyes turned bloodshot.

Her dark alter ego resurfaced, and her expression darkened. In a cold voice, she said, "Enough! How much longer are you going to sit back and do nothing? That lunatic who would even kill her own daughter—there's nothing she wouldn't do!"

"This is just a simulation for now. But if it were real, Sheng'an would already be dead!"

"Kill her! Kill her!"

Her dark self whispered over and over.

Qian Renxue's face remained grim as she coldly said, "Just wait… Just wait a little longer. I won't let that woman off. But right now, the priority is saving Sheng'an."

"Bullshit! This simulation is about to end, and you're still hesitating! Are you still clinging to that ridiculous mother-daughter bond?"

Just as her dark self finished speaking, new updates appeared on the screen.

[Douluo Calendar, February 12, 2026—Zhou Sheng'an orchestrates a crushing defeat against the Star Luo army, setting fire to their camps across seven hundred miles.]

[The Star Luo Empire is thrown into panic and retreats in disorder.]

[Zhou Sheng'an's fame spreads far and wide. The Star Luo general MacArthur dubs him the 'Fire Rakshasa.']

"!!!"

Staring at the three notifications, Qian Renxue's eyes widened in shock.

"Sheng'an… he actually won? How is that possible? That was the Star Luo army! Back then, Heaven Dou only managed to hold out because of Spirit Hall's support…"

…

At the same time, in the Zhu household of the Star Luo Empire, Zhu Zhuqing covered her mouth in disbelief as she read the news, her pupils trembling.

The seemingly insurmountable mountain in her heart had been overturned by that man!

Until now, she had always followed the rules of the Star Luo royal family, struggling to improve her fate within their system.

But now, Zhou Sheng'an's actions had shown her—

Even the mighty Star Luo Empire was not invincible!