Chapter 204: Xiao Wu's Mother
"I told you before—you can follow me, and I'll guarantee your safety. That's all."
"If you resent me and wish to leave, I'll ask my teacher to let you go."
Luo Ling's tone was calm as he glanced at Xiao Wu, then at Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong showed no killing intent, only a faintly amused smile.
Seeing that look on her face, Luo Ling immediately understood—Bibi Dong had no intention of killing Xiao Wu.
After hearing Luo Ling's response, Xiao Wu looked a bit dazed.
She was a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast in human form. Killing her would yield both a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring and a hundred-thousand-year spirit bone.
Very few spirit masters could resist such a temptation.
When she learned that Luo Ling was Bibi Dong's disciple, she had assumed that Luo Ling had deceived her all along, seeking only her spirit bone.
Yet now he was saying he would let her go.
"What do you mean by that?" Xiao Wu asked through gritted teeth.
"I think I made it pretty clear, didn't I? If you want to leave, no one will stop you." Luo Ling shrugged.
"Do you even know what kind of relationship your teacher and I have?" Xiao Wu asked bitterly.
Luo Ling was helping her, yet he was the disciple of her enemy.
He had once told her that, in the future, they would be friends. But how could she ever be friends with the disciple of her mother's killer?
Xiao Wu couldn't make sense of it at all.
Luo Ling raised an eyebrow. He already knew, from the original events, that Xiao Wu and Bibi Dong were enemies—but he couldn't let that show.
"What kind of history do you two have?" he asked, feigning confusion.
Seeing his seemingly clueless expression, Xiao Wu felt a small sense of relief.
Then she turned her hateful gaze on Bibi Dong. "She killed my mother!"
The truth burst from her lips.
Bibi Dong sighed lightly and replied, "Little rabbit, don't slander me. Your mother offered herself to me willingly."
"You forced her!" Xiao Wu shouted, her emotions erupting uncontrollably.
The two women glared at each other, every word sharp as a blade.
Luo Ling rubbed his forehead.
It felt like there was more to this story than either would admit.
In the original account, there were two conflicting tales of Xiao Wu's mother's death—one said Bibi Dong killed her, the other claimed a ferocious beast deep in the Star Dou Forest had devoured her.
But now Bibi Dong was saying her mother had sacrificed herself voluntarily. Neither version matched.
"So that's what you believed?" Bibi Dong said in mild surprise.
Then she summoned her second martial spirit.
It wasn't yet complete—its final spirit ring was an alluring shade of red.
Sensing that familiar aura, Xiao Wu's eyes turned bright crimson—but the next instant, she froze in place.
In front of Bibi Dong, a faint, glowing figure materialized.
It was a beautiful woman with a voluptuous figure, rabbit ears on her head, and rose-colored eyes exactly like Xiao Wu's.
Luo Ling also froze at the sight.
The woman's appearance bore a striking resemblance to Xiao Wu's—clearly, this was her mother.
"Mother!" Xiao Wu cried, tears streaming down her face as she lunged forward.
But her body passed straight through the woman's figure, falling helplessly to the ground.
The spirit of the woman—Xiao Wu's mother—reddened around the eyes. She tried to embrace her daughter, but could only watch her pass through like mist.
"Your daughter says I forced you to sacrifice yourself. Do you want to explain?" Bibi Dong said, her voice tinged with irritation as she looked at the sorrowful reunion.
Xiao Wu's mother paused, then let out a bitter smile and nodded faintly.
…
Ten minutes later, she recounted everything that had happened.
Her name was A Rou. Many years ago, she had ventured into the core of the Star Dou Forest searching for her husband, when a ferocious beast attacked her.
At the same time, Spirit Hall had been hunting hundred-thousand-year spirit beasts, and so she encountered Bibi Dong's group.
The beast's power was overwhelming—neither A Rou nor Bibi Dong could resist it. At that time, Xiao Wu had not yet taken human form.
To ensure Xiao Wu's safety, A Rou and Bibi Dong made a pact: A Rou would sacrifice herself to Bibi Dong, who in turn would protect Xiao Wu and hold off the beast long enough for the girl to escape.
A Rou fulfilled her part—she sacrificed herself. Her body was devoured by the beast, while her spirit ring and spirit bone went to Bibi Dong.
Xiao Wu, unaware of the circumstances, believed Bibi Dong had forced her mother to die.
That was the whole story—simple, but cruel.
"Little rabbit, you should be thankful I'm not a bloodthirsty person," Bibi Dong said coldly.
When Xiao Wu had confronted her earlier, she hadn't shown even a shred of respect for the Pope. Anyone else would already have been dead for such insolence.
Luo Ling stood silently, watching.
The Bibi Dong in the original story had been a madwoman—but this one was different.
Freed from the influence of the Rakshasa God and having abandoned Yu Xiaogang, she finally embodied what it meant to be a true Pope.
Xiao Wu looked uneasy. Now that she understood the truth, facing Bibi Dong again filled her with a trace of fear.
She was, after all, a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast in human form. Although Bibi Dong had once promised A Rou not to harm her, what could a lingering spirit really do if Bibi Dong changed her mind now?
"Enough," Bibi Dong said, waving her hand. "I only called you here so you could meet your mother. You've met her now. Whether you stay or leave is up to you."
Xiao Wu turned toward A Rou. She had finally reunited with her mother—but her mother was gone, and nothing could change that.
"Your Holiness… is there any way to bring my mother back to life?" Xiao Wu asked softly.
Her tone had changed—no longer defiant, but respectful.
Bibi Dong reflexively shook her head. The dead could not return. She had never heard of a soul beast reviving after becoming a spirit ring.
Xiao Wu's face darkened. She knew her question had been little more than wishful thinking.
"I want to stay," Xiao Wu said at last.
Bibi Dong nodded. She wasn't surprised. A Rou's spirit resided within her martial soul; it was only natural that Xiao Wu would want to remain nearby.
"So be it. I'll have someone arrange a place for you to live. You may go now." Bibi Dong waved her hand dismissively.
Xiao Wu cast one last sorrowful glance at her mother's spirit before leaving the hall. Only Luo Ling and Bibi Dong remained.
The atmosphere turned strange. Bibi Dong stared at her disciple for a long time before finally narrowing her eyes. "Luo Ling, you really are my 'good' student. Now tell me—what else have you been keeping from me?"
"I've kept nothing from you, Teacher," Luo Ling replied innocently.
"Oh, spare me! What's going on with Xiao Wu? From the way you spoke earlier, if I had decided to kill her, were you really planning to go against me?" Bibi Dong snapped in frustration.
(END CHAPTER)
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