Chapter 18: Time Stands Still — A Four-Way Argument

At that moment, Bibi Dong stopped concealing her strength. The oppressive aura of a Level 98 Ultimate Douluo burst forth, with the power of the Rakshasa God swirling around her.

"So this is the power you've been hiding?" Behind Qian Daoliu, the six-winged shadow of the Seraphim appeared. His divine angelic power clashed sharply and distinctly against Bibi Dong's soul power.

Bibi Dong said coldly, "You can kill Tang Hao and Tang San, destroy the Clear Sky Sect—I won't stop you. But I absolutely will not allow you to harm him, not even a single hair on his head."

"You'd go against me... for him?" Qian Daoliu said, visibly displeased.

"Hmph. If not for Xue'er, do you think I'd even bother speaking to you civilly?"

Beep—beep—beep—beep...

A mysterious force swept across the surroundings. Just as Bibi Dong and Qian Daoliu were about to clash, time suddenly froze.

Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, and Golden Crocodile Douluo—each of them became like still photographs, frozen in place.

At the Spirit Hall Academy, Hu Liena had no time to enjoy her reunion with her brother and Yan. They too, along with the surrounding students, were frozen like images in a paused frame.

Meanwhile, far away in the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe and the two Douluo of the Snake Spear and Porcupine sects were en route to Nuoding City. When this energy swept through, everyone—Snake Spear included—was frozen in time.

Only Xue Qinghe could move.

At that same moment, Bibi Dong, Qian Daoliu, Qian Renxue, and Hu Liena were pulled into a vast, empty void—a space of nothingness.

In this void, the four of them met.

"Mom… Grandpa!"

Tears streamed down Qian Renxue's face as she saw Bibi Dong and Qian Daoliu again.

Since her rebirth, she had longed to return to Spirit Hall to see her mother and grandfather. But she never expected to see them like this.

This was the longing that had accumulated over countless years. Qian Renxue had always yearned for a complete family—a mother who truly loved her. In her previous life, they had reconciled… but fate had separated them forever.

"Teacher… Grand Worship… and Sister Xue'er?"

Hu Liena's voice carried guilt, but also deep emotion.

Qian Daoliu and Bibi Dong, who had just been on the verge of fighting, quickly withdrew their powers upon hearing the voices of Qian Renxue and Hu Liena.

"So it's Xue'er and Nana," Bibi Dong said awkwardly, pulling back her soul power.

The grudge between her and Qian Renxue had long been resolved. Seeing how they addressed each other, Qian Daoliu finally realized:

"Bibi Dong… Xue'er… you two reconciled?"

Qian Renxue nodded and turned to Qian Daoliu. "Grandfather, during the battle at Jialing Pass, Mother died in battle. Before she died, she begged Tang San to spare me and Hu Liena. By then… I already knew everything."

Qian Daoliu nodded gravely. That had been the knot in his heart for years. Although he had dedicated his life to the Angel God's trials, his love for his granddaughter had always been pure and sincere. He kept Bibi Dong alive only so that when he was gone, Xue'er wouldn't be left completely alone.

Knowing the truth brought him both sadness and relief. He was glad Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue had reconciled—but devastated that all of Spirit Hall's efforts had come to nothing. In the end, Xue'er was left alone all the same.

"Xue'er, Nana—tell me, how did you live after I died? Did Tang San keep his word?" Bibi Dong asked, deeply concerned.

"Yes, he spared us. But he made sure we lived lives worse than death," Qian Renxue said coldly.

"Teacher," Hu Liena said with hatred in her voice, "Spirit Hall was completely destroyed by him. Though he promised to spare Xue'er and me, once he rose to power, he ruthlessly suppressed us. He turned a blind eye while the entire continent ostracized and humiliated us. We were forced to live in seclusion in the mountains. He executed nearly all key members of Spirit Hall—including my brother… and Yan."

"Before we died, he kept us under constant surveillance," Qian Renxue added. "Only when we finally died did he seem at peace. Tell me, Mother—what was the point of surviving?"

"In the end… Nana and I both died in sorrow."

A rare look of sadness surfaced on Bibi Dong's face.

Qian Daoliu said, "Xue'er, we lost on the battlefield. How could you expect mercy from the victor? In history, only the winners write the rules. Mercy to your enemies is cruelty to yourself."

Qian Renxue nodded. "Heaven gave me a second chance—this time, I won't show mercy. But, Mother, Grandpa… earlier, you looked like you were about to fight. What happened?"

At this, Qian Daoliu's face twisted with rage. "I want to kill Yu Xiaogang! But your mother—she still clings to feelings for that trash. She was even willing to fight me to protect him!"

"Qian Daoliu, Xiaogang is not trash!" Bibi Dong retorted.

"Bibi Dong, then tell me—what's so great about Yu Xiaogang?" Qian Daoliu snapped. "His so-called 'Top Ten Core Competencies of Spirit Hall'—they're either wrong or plagiarized. Our Hall compiled a vast database of soul master information, and he had the audacity to pass off common knowledge as his own 'theory.' And most of it came from you! His reputation in the soul master world was something you built for him."

Bibi Dong couldn't argue—because it was true. Yu Xiaogang's "theories" were little more than repackaged knowledge from predecessors.

"But at least he proved himself in the end," she said. "He broke past his innate limits and reached Soul King level. And he trained a genius like Tang San."

"Teacher," Hu Liena interjected, "Tang San had twin martial souls and top-tier talent. With a student like that, anyone could look like a good teacher. Yu Xiaogang just got lucky. If he were truly capable, he'd be able to turn a weakling into a powerhouse."

"And the only reason he surpassed Rank 29 was because Tang San gave him a rare herb—Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma. Without that immortal plant, Yu Xiaogang would be nothing."

Hu Liena's blunt words made Qian Daoliu regard her with newfound respect.

Qian Renxue said to him, "Grandfather, I don't agree with what you're doing. Kill Tang Hao and Tang San, destroy the Clear Sky Sect—that's fine. But Yu Xiaogang must not be touched."

Qian Daoliu frowned. "Xue'er, even you are defending him? If that worthless man hadn't meddled in our Spirit Hall, would our downfall have been so complete?"

"Even Tang San—our mortal enemy—was nurtured using our Spirit Hall's resources and knowledge, passed to him by that man."

(End of Chapter)

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