Inside the room.
Bibi Dong was currently dressed in a purple nightgown, covered by a fragrant quilt, half-leaning against the edge of the bed, quietly reading a book in her hands.
She glanced out the window—it was pitch black.
Bibi Dong put down the book, rubbing her tired eyes, and murmured softly, "Hao'er should be done with his work and resting by now."
Just then, a soft knock sounded at the door.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
"Who is it?" Bibi Dong asked in a serious tone.
Outside the door, Ye Hao shuddered. This was the female Pope? Terrifying!
"Mom, it's me," Ye Hao said softly.
"Hao'er?" Bibi Dong was slightly startled. She then lifted the quilt covering her, got up, and walked to the door, slowly opening it.
"Hao'er, why aren't you asleep yet?" Bibi Dong asked with a gentle smile. Suddenly...
Bibi Dong's eyes narrowed as she noticed the black figure behind Ye Hao. She asked seriously, "Hao'er, who is she..."
Ye Hao smiled slightly, stepping aside and pointing at Qian Renxue.
"I..."
Qian Renxue took a deep breath, calming her nerves, and lifted the black brim of her hat.
"I... I'm back."
When Bibi Dong saw that it was Qian Renxue, her previously serious expression softened. She looked at Qian Renxue with a complex gaze, and for a moment, Bibi Dong's heart was in complete turmoil.
"It's cold at night. You two... come in," Bibi Dong said, then turned and walked back into the room without looking back.
Ye Hao pulled the hesitant Qian Renxue, giving her a "leave it to me" look. Then, hand in hand, the two entered the room together.
The room was warm. Qian Renxue removed her black coat and sat beside Ye Hao, her head lowered as if she had done something wrong. Her fingers fidgeted nervously in her palms, trying to mask her inner tension.
"Hao'er... what brings you here so late at night?"
Seeing the two come to her room at such an hour, Bibi Dong asked calmly.
Ye Hao picked up a cup from the table, slowly pouring clear tea into it, and respectfully handed it to Bibi Dong with both hands.
"Mom, Sister came to ask about my origins," Ye Hao said with a smile.
"Oh?" Bibi Dong looked at Ye Hao with a meaningful gaze. This kid had been interested in Xue'er for quite some time. Seeing them like this, it was clear!
Bibi Dong took the fragrant tea Ye Hao offered, taking a small sip, her lips curling into a smile.
They were such a perfect match!
Years ago, what Qian Xunji had done to her, Bibi Dong had never forgotten. It was like a knife stabbed into her heart, a pain she couldn't let go of even now.
But as time passed, Bibi Dong gradually came to terms with it. She realized that it was unfair to Xue'er. After all, Xue'er was a piece of her own flesh. To say she didn't care would be a lie.
The bond between mother and daughter couldn't be severed!
Hao'er was a "god" created in her own image. After spending so much time together, she found him to be incredibly intelligent, brave, and resourceful. Bibi Dong couldn't help but adore him!
Suddenly, a surprising thought crossed Bibi Dong's mind...
Why not let Hao'er marry Xue'er? After all, Hao'er wasn't her biological son. This way, it would be even better. A son-in-law was like half a son, and Bibi Dong would be the one to benefit.
"The angel and the spider have switched places. Perhaps this is karma. Qian Xunji, oh Qian Xunji, you probably never imagined that the son I acknowledged would end up marrying your daughter," Bibi Dong thought, her lips curling into a smile as she looked at the two with a meaningful gaze. They were such a perfect match!
A talented man and a beautiful woman—truly a match made in heaven!
Bibi Dong maintained a calm expression and nodded. "I've already guessed why you're here. As Hao'er said, he isn't my biological child. He was created by a god in my image."
Hearing Bibi Dong's answer, Qian Renxue's eyes lit up. She slowly turned to look at her younger brother sitting beside her, her gaze filled with a mix of emotions.
No wonder he had been so confident back in Heaven Dou City. He should have told her the truth earlier.
Seeing this, Ye Hao scratched his head awkwardly and turned his gaze away.
---
After leaving Bibi Dong's bedroom.
Ye Hao and Qian Renxue walked through the long corridors of the Spirit Hall.
Ye Hao could clearly sense that the atmosphere was a bit off. Qian Renxue walked ahead, pouting like a child who had been wronged.
"You should have told me the truth earlier," Qian Renxue suddenly stopped and turned to Ye Hao, her eyes filled with a hint of resentment.
"Sister, I wanted to explain," Ye Hao said with a helpless smile. "But every time I tried, you would say, 'We're siblings, we can't do this.'"
"..." Qian Renxue was speechless. "So you..."
Ye Hao shrugged. "After thinking about it, I decided it was better to maintain the status quo.
Sister, back when we went to the Star Dou Forest, you once said that if we weren't siblings, you would..." Ye Hao raised an eyebrow suggestively.
"I..." Qian Renxue's face instantly turned red. She covered her cheeks in embarrassment, then snorted and walked ahead.
Qian Renxue had returned this time mainly to visit her grandfather. She had originally planned to complain about her annoying younger brother to him, but she never expected things to turn out this way.
The shock of today's events was too much for her to process.
"Annoying little brother, do you have any other secrets you're hiding from me?" Qian Renxue couldn't help but ask. She didn't want to be caught off guard again.
"Yes," Ye Hao said with a mysterious smile.
"You... fine, can you tell me everything now?"
"No!"
"Why?" Qian Renxue asked, puzzled.
"Everyone has their own little secrets. I have the right not to tell you."
"But I'm your sister!"
"Even my sister can't know. If you really want to know my secrets, unless..."
Qian Renxue knew exactly what Ye Hao was hinting at. To be honest, her mind was in complete chaos.
Just a moment ago, he was her annoying little brother. But now, she had been told that he wasn't her biological brother—they weren't related by blood.
This left Qian Renxue completely unprepared, and she still couldn't believe it.
The two arrived at the Elder Hall.
"Grandfather," Qian Renxue removed her black cloak and bowed respectfully to Qian Daoliu.
Qian Daoliu smiled warmly, appearing in front of Qian Renxue in an instant.
"It's good to have you back," Qian Daoliu said with a gentle gaze, carefully helping his granddaughter up.
"Hao'er, you're here too."
Ye Hao smiled. "Sister rarely comes back to the Spirit Hall. She came to see you as soon as she arrived."
"Xue'er, Hao'er, you are the future of the Spirit Hall. You two must work together and stay united," Qian Daoliu said earnestly, patting their shoulders.
"Grandfather, I understand," Qian Renxue said, though she seemed distracted, as if something was weighing on her mind.
Seeing this, Ye Hao shook his head with a bitter smile. At this point, he could no longer keep hiding the truth.
"Grandfather, there's something I've been keeping from you."
Qian Daoliu was taken aback. "You've been hiding something from me? What is it?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
After hearing the whole story, Qian Daoliu was completely stunned.
"A child of the gods," Qian Daoliu muttered. A child created by a god using Bibi Dong's essence.
No wonder Ye Hao looked so much like Bibi Dong at first glance. So that was the reason.
"Grandfather, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hide this from you."
Qian Daoliu smiled and shook his head. "It's alright. You've told me now, haven't you?"
Qian Renxue stood to the side, feeling incredibly frustrated.
She had originally wanted her grandfather to scold her annoying little brother, but things had taken a turn she never expected.
"Grandfather, do you remember what Xiao Hong told you?"
At Ye Hao's reminder, Qian Daoliu suddenly remembered. He turned to Qian Renxue and asked urgently, "Xue'er, I heard you have someone you like? Who is it?"
The inheritance of the Angel Clan was of utmost importance. Since Qian Xunji's death, the only members of the clan left were Qian Daoliu and Qian Renxue.
Moreover, Qian Renxue had extremely high standards. Ordinary men couldn't even catch her eye. Because of this, Qian Daoliu had always been deeply concerned.
Qian Renxue sighed in frustration. She glanced at Ye Hao, her resentment growing even stronger.
"Him," Qian Renxue snorted, crossing her arms and sitting down in a huff.
"Hao'er?" Qian Daoliu was shocked. He turned to Ye Hao, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Seeing this, Ye Hao had no choice but to explain the situation.
"..."
Qian Daoliu fell silent. What was going on here?
"Could this really be karma?" Qian Daoliu thought to himself.
"Ahem..."
"Young people should handle their own affairs. I'm getting old."
Qian Daoliu looked at Qian Renxue, who was still fuming, and said earnestly, "Xue'er, you're almost thirty. It's time to think about your future. Once your mission in Heaven Dou City is over, it will be time for you to take on the responsibilities of the Angel Clan.
Hao'er is a good person."
With that, Qian Daoliu turned back to the Angel Statue, his gaze fixed on it with reverence.
---
The two left the Elder Hall.
"Sister, does this mean Grandfather has given his approval?" Ye Hao asked with a joyful heart.
"Ugh—" Qian Renxue let out a heavy sigh. She was still feeling overwhelmed and couldn't fully accept the situation.
"Little brother, to be honest, if you had told me the truth back then, I might have actually been moved by you."
"What about now?" Ye Hao asked eagerly, hoping for an answer from Qian Renxue.
"Now..." Qian Renxue looked up at the dark night sky, her heart heavy as she sighed.
"It feels like a dream. In my heart, I've always thought of you as my real younger brother. But now, I've been told you're not. My mind is a mess."
As they talked, Ye Hao escorted Qian Renxue to the back gate of the Spirit Hall.
"You can stop here. You're the young master of the Spirit Hall now. If people see you getting too close to a stranger, there will be rumors."
"Let them talk," Ye Hao said nonchalantly.
"Actually, you're the true young master of the Spirit Hall. You've sacrificed so much for the Spirit Hall."
Qian Renxue smiled gently. "That's how it is when you're aiming for greatness. For the Spirit Hall, I would do anything. I'm leaving now."
"Wait..." Ye Hao suddenly called out to Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue slowly turned around. "Is there something else?"
"Sister, no... Xue'er, I... love you." Ye Hao's face turned red as he spoke.
Hearing this, Qian Renxue was momentarily stunned, then a faint smile appeared on her lips.
She adjusted her black hat, waved her hand, and her figure gradually disappeared into the night.
After watching Qian Renxue leave, Ye Hao smiled. With no more worries, he felt at ease.
---
The next morning, the elimination rounds of the Continental Advanced Elite Soul Master Tournament officially began.
Teams from the Heaven Dou Empire, the Star Luo Empire, and the Spirit Hall had all gathered. Everyone took their seats, quietly waiting for the tournament to start.
The members of the Imperial Dou Team looked grim, especially after learning that Ye Hao was the young master of the Spirit Hall. They were all shocked.
The teammate they had spent so much time with turned out to be the young master of the Spirit Hall. This left them deeply unsettled.
The team, which had once been confident of winning the championship, now felt completely demoralized.
Inside the Pope's Hall, there was still some time before the tournament began.
"Are you planning to kill that Titan Giant Ape now?"
"Yes," Bibi Dong nodded. "As you know, that 100,000-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit is currently at Shrek Academy. After this tournament ends, I must capture that rabbit. The Titan Giant Ape is very close to the rabbit. By killing the ape first and absorbing its soul ring, I can make the rabbit furious.
This is called 'killing the ape to break the rabbit's heart.'"
Clang—
The heavy doors of the Pope's Hall swung open. Bibi Dong, dressed in a gold-embroidered robe, wearing a purple-gold crown, and holding a two-meter-long scepter adorned with countless gems, walked out slowly under the gaze of the crowd.
Her noble aura drew gasps of admiration from everyone present, making it impossible to look away.
"Greetings to His Holiness Pope!"
All the disciples and elders of the Spirit Hall knelt on one knee, paying their respects to Pope Bibi Dong.
Perhaps influenced by the atmosphere, many of the competing teams also bowed. Bibi Dong's presence was simply too overwhelming.
In the spectator stands, Ning Fengzhi, the leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, had a complicated expression. According to reliable information, Bibi Dong had recently broken through to level 100. What did that mean?
Level 100 was a legend.
It was a level that he, a Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda soul master, could never hope to reach in his lifetime. Even Sword Douluo, standing beside him, looked on with envy.
"I shouldn't have acted so rashly," Ning Fengzhi sighed deeply. The Spirit Hall's current strength was already on par with the two great empires. As a sect leader, it was time for him to reconsider his alliances.
Everything was about profit!
"That damned woman! She's the one who killed Xiaogang!" Among the Shrek Academy group, Liu Erlong clenched her fists. As someone deeply in love, she had witnessed her beloved's head being crushed by Ye Hao, leaving no trace of Yu Xiaogang's body.
Liu Erlong had cried so much these past few days that her tears had nearly dried up. Beside her, Xiao Wu's eyes were also red, a faint killing intent slowly emerging.
These two were clearly trouble.
"Rise," Bibi Dong lightly raised her hand, and all the elders and disciples stood up in unison.
"I now declare the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament officially open!"