Chapter 190: 209. Zhao Wuji in Cold Sweat
Let us shift our view elsewhere.
After Xiao Wu disappeared, Tang San immediately gave chase. During his search, he encountered the Man-Faced Demon Spider. After a fierce battle, he crippled the creature. Soon after, the Dragon Duke, the Snake Lady, Meng Yiran, and the other Shrek members all arrived at the scene.
When the Shrek trio—the reborn ones—saw the mutilated corpse of the Man-Faced Demon Spider writhing weakly on the forest floor, a strange mixture filled their hearts: So it really happened again—this spider.
They couldn't help but envy Tang San's heaven-defying luck. But while in their past lives that envy had been pure admiration, now, with the tangled mess involving Xiao Wu, that emotion had begun to rot into jealousy.
Despite their bitterness, they didn't dare stop Tang San from absorbing the spirit ring. After all, their future godhood still relied on following him.
With both the Dragon Duke and the Snake Lady watching, Tang San again managed to win the right to the soul ring from Meng Yiran after a formal duel, just like in the previous life.
Tang San approached the spider, finishing it off. A deep purple ring rose above the corpse, and he drew it toward himself to begin absorption.
Just then, from deeper in the forest, a calm, melodic voice sounded.
"I didn't expect to meet the famous Dragon Duke and Snake Lady here."
A striking woman with long wine-red hair stepped gracefully into view.
At first, none of the Shrek members recognized her—her hair color and aura were nothing like the purple-haired, imposing woman they remembered.
Suddenly, Oscar's face went pale. "That's… the Pope—Bibi Dong!"
The Dragon and Snake duo confirmed his fear by bowing respectfully. "We greet Your Holiness."
In an instant, cold sweat drenched the Shrek party.
Zhao Wuji was sweating the worst—not because of Tang San, but because of his past. He forced a polite greeting, his tone trembling. When he noticed she didn't seem to recognize him as a wanted traitor of the Spirit Hall, he relaxed slightly.
But that relief wasn't shared by the younger Shrek members. They had barely left the "beginner village," and already they had run into the final boss—how the hell were they supposed to survive this?
Especially now, when Tang San was about to gain an external spirit bone.
External bones, after being freshly acquired, didn't instantly fuse; there was a critical window when they could still be taken by force.
Bibi Dong spoke briefly with the Dragon and Snake duo, but as each second passed, the Shrek reincarnators silently prayed for her to leave quickly.
(Though their resentment toward Tang San ran deep, their survival—and godhood—still depended on clinging to him.)
Unfortunately for them, Bibi Dong's curiosity was piqued. Her gaze shifted toward the youth seated cross-legged deep in meditation—Tang San—who was immersed in the violent conflict of merging the Man-Faced Demon Spider's ring.
"You're the instructor of these children?" she asked coldly.
"Yes, Your Holiness," Zhao Wuji said quickly, bowing deeply. "Is there something you require?"
Bibi Dong pointed toward the mutilated spider corpse. Her voice was calm yet cutting. "That Man-Faced Demon Spider is not what you think—it has exceeded fifteen hundred years. Its true age is at least over two thousand. Is your student prepared to withstand such a powerful spirit ring?"
The words struck like thunder. The Dragon and Snake couple exchanged startled looks, relief flooding their eyes. Thankfully, Tang San had taken the ultra-aged spirit ring; otherwise, Meng Yiran might have died attempting it.
Zhao Wuji, however, wiped at his drenched face with trembling hands. "T-two thousand years? Your Holiness must be joking…"
"Do I look like someone who jokes with you?" Bibi Dong replied, her tone icy.
Zhao Wuji's expression turned ashen. Absorbing such a ring might well kill Tang San.
If it were any ordinary spirit master from the provinces, he wouldn't have cared—the weak died easily in this world. But Tang San wasn't "ordinary." He was the son of that man—the dreaded "Sky-Breaking Douluo," Tang Hao, murderer of countless Title Douluos.
If Tang San died under his watch, Zhao Wuji could already imagine his own death—being smashed to paste beneath that monstrous Haotian Hammer.
"Shrek Academy calls itself a school for monsters," Bibi Dong said dryly. "Yet its teachers can't even judge a spirit beast's true age. How laughable."
With that, she turned to leave.
Behind her, the Shrek trio nearly wept with relief. Good. Let her leave. Please.
But then, with a sudden thud, Zhao Wuji dropped to his knees.
Bibi Dong paused mid-step, without turning back. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Your Holiness," Zhao Wuji pleaded, his voice strained with desperation, "I beg you—please, guard my student while he absorbs the ring!"
In truth, he wasn't just begging for Tang San's sake—but for his own life. If Tang San died here, Zhao Wuji might as well start digging his own grave.
The three reincarnated devils of Shrek stared in disbelief behind him. Teacher Zhao, she was leaving—why would you call her back?!
Bibi Dong's voice sharpened. "And why would I help you?"
"Your Holiness," Zhao Wuji stammered, scrambling for words, "Tang San's a Blue Silver Grass user, yet he's reached this level of cultivation. He's a prodigy—if he dies here, it would be a tragedy for the entire world of spirit masters! The Spirit Hall stands for the advancement of all spirit masters, does it not? And you, as the Pope—surely you cannot bear to watch such genius perish unjustly?"
He layered his plea in flattery and moral logic—a desperate attempt at emotional blackmail.
Bibi Dong stared at him for a long moment. Then, with a flick of her fingers, golden threads of soul power wove together before her into a delicate web. She gracefully sat upon a throne conjured from her own power.
"Well then," she said coolly, "since you insist, I'll watch over this boy's absorption. Let's see what kind of 'genius' is worth a Pope's protection."
No, no, no, thought the Shrek trio in mute horror. Please, don't stay!
But it was too late. Bibi Dong had chosen to remain. Even Dragon Duke and Snake Lady stayed out of curiosity, wanting to see whether this boy could truly survive fusing with an over-aged ring.
And so, with every breath thick with fear, Tang San sat surrounded by silent witnesses—unaware that the most dangerous woman on the continent now watched over his fate.
(END CHAPTER)
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