48: Chapter 48: Bibi Dong's Invitation

The night curtain hung low, the sky was dense with stars, and their brilliance shimmered.

Wang Donger sat before Lu Jing, looking at the book he had brought back from the Scripture Pavilion. Her peerless face was filled with curiosity as she asked, "You spent all day busy with this, just for this?"

"What else could it be?"

Lu Jing shrugged and reminded her, "Don't think that just because no one cares about this thing and it's just gathering dust in the Scripture Pavilion, it doesn't matter. For what we have coming up, it plays a vital role."

"Hm? How so?" Wang Donger became interested and couldn't help but ask further.

"It's just that—"

Lu Jing was just about to answer Wang Donger's question when a voice rang out from outside: "Young Master Lu Jing, the Pope requests your presence!"

"Bibi Dong? Why is she looking for you?" Wang Donger heard this, her willow brows furrowed slightly, and she asked in confusion.

"It might be because of what happened during the day." Lu Jing stood up and guessed.

"What happened during the day? What happened today?" Wang Donger pressed.

Regarding this, Lu Jing did not hide anything and simply explained the matter.

"So that's how it is."

Wang Donger nodded thoughtfully. After a moment of silence, she asked with some concern, "Will you be alright? Do you want to go find the High Priest for help and have him back you up?"

"There's no need for that."

Lu Jing shook his head and said softly, "Bibi Dong isn't that stupid. It's impossible that she would choose to go against me and the High Priest just for the sake of one Yan. If she's looking for me, there must be some other business."

"Sister Donger, go to sleep early. I'll be back soon!"

After saying this, he turned and walked out of the room.

Watching Lu Jing's retreating figure, Wang Donger bit her lip gently, and her hands, resting on her lap, tightened involuntarily.

At this moment, the Supreme Pontiff Palace was brightly lit, yet it could not mask a profound silence.

Lu Jing stood before the heavy, carved wooden door of the study, his thoughts turning slightly.

He hadn't taken the conflict with Yan during the day to heart, but he hadn't expected it to alert the Pope so quickly.

He gently knocked on the door, and a cold, dignified female voice came from inside: "Come in."

Lu Jing pushed the door open and entered.

The study emitted a warm, bright light, illuminating the room as if it were day.

Bibi Dong was sitting behind a large desk. Unlike her formal attire during the day—wearing the Pope's magnificent robes and the purple-gold crown—she had changed into a form-fitting purple casual dress. The fabric was soft, perfectly outlining her mature, voluptuous, and exquisite curves.

She lowered her head slightly, her waterfall-like purple hair draped over her shoulders, revealing her beautifully lined, fair neck. She was focused on reviewing the documents in her hands.

Her profile looked peerless under the light. It lacked a bit of the Pope's stern, untouchable aura and gained a bit of home-like gentleness and tranquility, but the authority and bearing settled between her brows had not diminished in the slightest.

Hearing footsteps, she raised her eyes. Those deep purple eyes looked toward Lu Jing, and she put down the quill in her hand.

"Xiao Jing is here." Her voice was calm, even carrying a hint of imperceptible gentleness.

She stood up, her long dress trailing on the floor, and walked elegantly around the desk. She gestured to the sofa covered in soft velvet next to her and said, "Sit."

Lu Jing walked to the side of the sofa as instructed, but did not sit down immediately.

He saw Bibi Dong personally pick up the white jade teapot on the coffee table and pour him a cup of clear tea. The swirling steam carried a faint tea fragrance that filled the air.

This made Lu Jing even more confused. The Pope summoned him late at night, not only with no intention of holding him accountable but actually treating him with such courtesy?

"Pope."

Lu Jing took the teacup, his fingertips feeling the warmth from the porcelain cup. He decided to get straight to the point and asked first, "I wonder why you summoned me so late? Is there something the matter?"

Bibi Dong sat on the sofa opposite him, elegantly crossing her legs. Hearing this, she smiled slightly. That smile added even more brilliance to her already peerless face, but it also made Lu Jing even more vigilant.

She looked at Lu Jing with great interest, her tone carrying a hint of teasing, "You are so smart, why don't you guess?"

Lu Jing pondered for a moment, then raised his eyes to look directly at Bibi Dong: "Is it because of... the matter with Yan during the day?"

Bibi Dong nodded lightly, confirming his guess: "Yes, and no."

She picked up her own cup of tea, blew on it gently, and continued, "I have already understood the course of events. It was Yan who provoked first and made a move to snatch your things; you were acting in self-defense. Since his skills were inferior, his injury was his own fault."

Now Lu Jing was truly puzzled.

Since it wasn't to hold him accountable, why bring it up specifically?

His expression was calm as he tentatively asked, "Then what is this...? Did Hu Liena ask you to stand up for him?"

Bibi Dong shook her head, put down the teacup, her gaze calm and waveless, and said softly, "That child Nana, although her mind is a bit too simple, she wouldn't bother me for this. She just blames herself, feeling that it started because of her."

"Then..." Lu Jing was completely bewildered.

Bibi Dong did not answer immediately. She stood up and walked slowly to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, her gaze cast toward the deep night outside and the twinkling lights of Spirit City in the night.

Her back, wrapped in the purple long dress, appeared graceful and aloof, as if bearing an endless weight.

After a long silence, she spoke slowly, her voice carrying a distant and heavy meaning: "Xiao Jing, do you know the current situation of Spirit Hall? And... the path it should take in the future?"

Lu Jing was slightly startled; he hadn't expected Bibi Dong to suddenly ask him such a grand question.

He thought for a moment and answered cautiously: "Pope, you should discuss such matters with the High Priest, or explore them with Sister Xue'er. My position is humble and my words carry little weight; my knowledge is shallow. Telling me these things... I fear it won't have any practical use."

Bibi Dong did not turn back, but her voice was exceptionally clear: "You might not be able to now, but what about the future you? What I value is your potential, and your vision that is different from ordinary people. Speak your mind, no need to be restrained."

Lu Jing looked at Bibi Dong's back, which appeared somewhat lonely yet incomparably firm by the window, and knew this was not the time to decline.

He took a deep breath, organized his thoughts, and said, "If I am not mistaken, Spirit Hall's future goal, and its only choice, should be... to unify the continent."

The shoulders of Bibi Dong at the window moved imperceptibly.

She turned around slowly, her peerless face carrying undisguised surprise and keen interest. Sharp light flashed in her purple eyes: "Oh? Tell me your thoughts."

Since he had already spoken, Lu Jing no longer hid anything and laid out his analysis: "Spirit Hall has been passed down for ten thousand years, with deep foundations; its Spirit Master power is the best on the continent, and its reputation among the people is extremely high. It can be said that it has the foundation and the status. However, Spirit Hall lacks a structured, large-scale army. Without an army, it cannot carry out large-scale territorial occupation and governance. This is the biggest shortcoming restricting Spirit Hall from advancing further."

He paused, observed Bibi Dong's expression, and seeing that she was listening carefully, he continued: "And Sister Xue'er is lurking in the Heaven Dou Empire, disguised as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, planning for something big. Once she successfully controls the supreme power of the Heaven Dou Empire, or even ascends the throne in the future, then the vast army and administrative system of the Heaven Dou Empire will be used by Spirit Hall. By then, Spirit Hall's final shortcoming will also be filled. With Spirit Hall's ambition and strength, it is naturally impossible to remain content in one corner. Launching a war, sweeping away Star Luo, and unifying the Douluo Continent is almost an inevitable choice."