All rights reserved to the respective authors.
"Dialogue": Represented in double quotes for conversations between characters.
'Thoughts': Represented in single quotation marks, indicating the characters' internal reflections.
[Diary]: Represented in square brackets, used for messages intended for the heroines or entries written by Tenshin.
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After finishing his entry, Tenshin closed his martial soul, the Celestial Book, and stood up, thinking, 'That's enough writing for today—I should head home now.'
He quickly made his way down the mountain along the winding path. The sun bathed the landscape in a warm glow, high in the sky, while a refreshing mountain breeze rustled through the thick weeds, vibrant flowers, and blue-silver grasses that lined the trail.
Tenshin suddenly halted and glanced at the nearby weeds, sensing a faint presence hidden among them. 'Dinner for tonight, perhaps?' he mused, as he picked up a small stone with a slightly sharp edge from the ground.
Without hesitation, he tossed the stone toward the source of the presence. A crisp sound echoed.
Tenshin walked toward the sound and discovered a hole entrance, concealed by withered grass and a haystack. At the mouth of the hole lay a medium-sized rabbit. He reached out and picked it up. With the bunny now in his arms, Tenshin made his way home.
Halfway into the village, a voice suddenly called from behind, "Tenshin, stop right now!"
Turning around, Tenshin saw Xiao Wu and Tang San. "Xiao Wu, what's wrong?" he asked.
Xiao Wu's eyes were red, her gaze shifting from the rabbit in her hands to his face. She muttered angrily, "Rabbits are so cute—how could you kill one?"
In his mind, Tenshin thought, 'Rabbits are so cute, they naturally end up as spicy rabbit dishes with extra bowls of rice for dinner.' A flicker of doubt crossed his face, and with a raised eyebrow, he replied, "Because you can eat them! Just like wolves eat rabbits and rabbits eat grass—it's the natural order."
He continued, "Besides, rabbits are incredibly fertile. They can have multiple litters a year. The village elders even say that if you see rabbits in the fields during winter, you should catch them, or they'll multiply and ruin the crops come spring."
At this, Xiao Wu's face turned red, her small fists clenched, and her body trembled with anger. "You... you..." she stammered, unable to form a response as tears welled up in her eyes. Stomping her foot, she turned and ran off.
Tenshin turned to Tang San. "Tang San, did I say something wrong?" he asked, but Tang San only stared at him with a blank expression. Without a word, he turned and followed Xiao Wu.
Realizing they weren't coming back, Tenshin resumed his walk toward the village. A small, mocking smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he thought, 'Silly little rabbit, don't try to lecture me.'
That night, Tenshin happily devoured three large bowls of food.
Spirit Hall
That night, Bibi Dong found herself unable to shake off Tenshin's words. Though she loathed to admit it, his analysis was disturbingly accurate.
In the beginning, Qian Xunji had treated her well—almost too well. But the moment he discovered her feelings for Yu Xiaogang, his demeanor shifted completely. What had once been kindness turned into cold calculation, then into outright cruelty. He had threatened Yu Xiaogang's life without hesitation and, as if that weren't enough, had confined her in that accursed secret chamber.
Reflecting on it now, Bibi Dong found something peculiar. During the time her relationship with Yu Xiaogang had slowly developed, Qian Xunji had been notably absent. Whether due to seclusion or the overwhelming duties of the Pope, he hadn't interfered. If he had been aware earlier, he would have undoubtedly crushed any thoughts she had of Yu Xiaogang long before they could take root.
After all, Yu Xiaogang was weak—his martial soul destined for mediocrity. His soul power had stagnated below level 30, and by all rational standards, he was beneath her. Qian Xunji would have seen their relationship as laughable, an insult to the Spirit Hall's prestige.
As her teacher, Qian Xunji had never intended for her to marry Yu Xiaogang. In truth, marriage had never been a choice he was willing to grant her—because he, probaly, had his own plans.
Perhaps, as Tenshin speculated, he had groomed her to become his own wife or intended to bind her to the Qian family through a carefully arranged union. But he never anticipated that Yu Xiaogang, of all people, would disrupt his plans.
Now, with the revelations in Tenshin's diary and the technique it had granted her, Bibi Dong felt as if a fog had lifted from her mind. For the first time in years, she could see things with unsettling clarity.
In a way, she was not entirely blameless. Had she, too, been ungrateful? A potential white-eyed wolf, as some might say? The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Her current mindset was worlds apart from when she had been the naive Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall. Reflecting on her past, her expression darkened. Back then, she had been… foolish. Perhaps even defective in her thinking—an idealistic girl ruled by youthful emotions.
When she first awakened her twin martial souls, had it not been for the Spirit Hall's protection, she might have ended up as little more than a prize for some noble or powerful clan. A tool for breeding, valued only for her talent, too inexperienced to understand the dangers lurking in the world.
Yet, under the Spirit Hall's care, her early years had been peaceful, sheltered—too sheltered. She had never encountered true hardship before meeting Yu Xiaogang, and that false sense of security had made her naive. She had believed the world was simple, that people were kind.
And then, there was Yu Xiaogang. In her eyes back then, he had seemed brilliant—knowledgeable beyond measure, unwavering despite his weak talent. His dedication to research had fascinated her, made her want to help him, to prove that strength alone did not define worth.
But now, with hindsight sharpening her thoughts like a blade, she felt nothing but cold irony. Hadn't all of Yu Xiaogang's so-called theories been recorded in the Spirit Hall's library and treasury all along? The very place she had been raised in, the knowledge freely available to her?
How ridiculous. How utterly outrageous she had been back then.
Back then, she had never paid much attention to theoretical knowledge. Her sole focus had been on cultivation. After all, whenever she needed to hunt soul beasts for her soul rings, she had been accompanied by the Spirit Hall's elders and senior members. There had never been a need for her to immerse herself in studies—everything she required had been provided for her.
Later, her relationship with Yu Xiaogang was discovered by Qian Xunji, who had just emerged from seclusion. Enraged, he forcibly separated them, shattering any illusions she had about choosing her own path.
Yu Xiaogang, unwilling to accept this outcome, actually suggested that they elope—leaving the Spirit Hall behind to either seek refuge with his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan or simply wander the world together.
At the time, she had been foolish enough to seriously consider it. Looking back now, she could hardly believe how naïve she had been.
As the Holy Maiden, she had never concerned herself with politics or the true extent of the Spirit Hall's power. She had no real understanding of how many Titled Douluos served under its banner or just how deep its influence ran.
Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang had always spoken highly of his clan, one of the continent's renowned Three Upper Sects. He had assured her that they were powerful—that even the Spirit Hall wouldn't dare act against them.
Looking back now, she couldn't believe how naive she had been. She had placed blind faith in Yu Xiaogang without even considering using her status as the Holy Maiden to properly investigate the truth. She had been so sheltered, so foolishly idealistic—it was as if she had lived all those years in vain.
If the Spirit Hall hadn't been concerned about maintaining balance with the two great empires and the other sects—or rather, if they hadn't wanted to keep their true strength hidden—then a mere clan with a single Titled Douluo, and the weakest of the Three Upper Sects at that, would have been powerless against them. Where had Yu Xiaogang even gotten his confidence back then?
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, despite being a support-oriented sect, had at least two Titled Douluos. With Ning Fengzhi's assistance, they could hold their own against four Titled Douluos. As for the Clear Sky School, their strength far surpassed that. Not only did they have multiple Titled Douluos, but with Tang Chen—a peak-level Rank 99 Douluo—their position at the top of the Three Upper Sects was unquestionable.
Back then, she had relied heavily on Spirit Hall's resources, yet she had contributed nothing in return. Worse, she had allowed herself to be deceived by Yu Xiaogang and had even been willing to abandon Spirit Hall for him. Looking back now, she couldn't deny it—she had been ungrateful.
With this realization, her resentment toward Spirit Hall had begun to wane. In the past, she had cultivated relentlessly with the singular goal of one day destroying Spirit Hall. But now… she no longer saw things the same way.
Qian Xunji was dead by her own hands. The institution itself was not at fault. Spirit Hall had brought immense benefits to the common people—she was living proof of that. If not for Spirit Hall, a civilian like her would never have been given the opportunity to grow into who she was today.
Moreover, Spirit Hall held a responsibility that no other force cared to shoulder—the capture and containment of evil soul masters. If Spirit Hall were to fall, there would be no one left to counterbalance the power of the two great empires. Without that check, the common people would have no chance to rise. Martial soul awakenings, once an opportunity given to all, would become a privilege reserved for the elite. Unless one was born into the right bloodline, they would never have the chance to cultivate.
After all, the vast majority of the continent's resources were controlled by noble clans, sects, and empires—those who thrived by exploiting the lower classes. The ruling elites had no interest in dealing with evil soul masters unless they posed a direct threat to their authority. Many of those so-called 'untouchable' criminals were nobles themselves, escaping judgment without consequence. Only Spirit Hall actively pursued and imprisoned them, sending them to Slaughter City where they could no longer prey on the innocent.
Bibi Dong exhaled slowly. Destroying Spirit Hall would mean unraveling the only structure keeping the world from descending into chaos. Had she been so blinded by her hatred that she had failed to see the bigger picture?
Now that Bibi Dong had uncovered the truth and reflected on many things—helped in part by the effects of the Heart-Purging Occlumency technique—she felt more composed than she had in years. The storm of hatred that had once consumed her mind had settled into a sharp, calculating focus.
Her goal was no longer the destruction of Spirit Hall, but rather its expansion—its ascension. She would forge it into an unshakable force, one that would one day unify the entire continent. Only then could she bring lasting change and elevate the lives of the common people. However, such an ambition would require meticulous preparation and an unrelenting will.
Unification would not come peacefully. The two great empires, the noble sects, and their vassal forces would never willingly submit to Spirit Hall's rule. Bloodshed was inevitable. Yet, even with the horrors of war, a unified continent would mean an end to the constant, senseless conflicts between kingdoms and factions. With order established, civilians—who had always been the ones to suffer the most—would finally have a chance at security, dignity, and true opportunity.
What Bibi Dong did not yet realize was that, as she confronted the truth and redefined her path, the malevolent aura of the Rakshasa God had subtly shifted. No longer a corrupting force distorting her thoughts, it had begun to integrate into her very being. With the interference of external influences purified, her foundation had unknowingly strengthened. The darkness she once feared no longer felt like a suffocating weight—it was now simply a part of her. And for the first time in a long while, she felt in control.
One Month Later
The annual vacation lasted for a month. Whenever Tenshin went out, he inevitably ran into Xiao Wu, who was always out enjoying herself. Each time their paths crossed, the look in Xiao Wu's eyes burned with bitterness and resentment. In response, Tenshin maintained an innocent demeanor, carefully avoiding any provocation. Frustrated by his indifference, Xiao Wu eventually gave up and dragged Tang San back to the academy a little over halfway through the holiday.
Meanwhile, Tenshin spent his break resting—reading through scanned books, meditating, and engaging in light training to maintain his habits and physical condition. Before long, the vacation ended, and he returned to the academy. Fortunately, his packed schedule meant he was rarely around during the day, aside from sleeping at night. Although Xiao Wu still harbored resentment toward him, she refrained from further confrontation.
By the time classes resumed, it was clear that the relationship between Tenshin, Xiao Wu, and Tang San had reached an irreconcilable state.