lf an hour later, the two of them were finally full and satisfied. At this moment, Bibi Dong was leaning comfortably against a large tree, a soft smile on her face. She even stuck out her cute and licked a bit of meat residue from the corner of her lips.
Seeing her cherry-red lips and the way her tongue moved so nimbly, Li Chang'an couldn't help but feel a flush rise through his body…
"Chang'an, what are you smiling about?"
When Bibi Dong turned to look at him, she caught sight of the silly grin on his face. Puzzled, she tilted her head slightly. Of course, she had no idea that inside this six-year-old boy's body was the soul of a grown man—with all the complex and mischievous thoughts that entailed.
Hearing her question, Li Chang'an composed himself slightly and responded casually, "Teacher, you said you came out this time to unwind. Could you tell me what exactly has been troubling you?"
After their meal, Li Chang'an felt that his relationship with the goddess-like Bibi Dong had gotten a bit closer. So he took the opportunity to ask directly, hoping he might be of some help to her.
After all, in the coming years, she would be his biggest supporter—and in his heart, she was already someone he like the most.
Bibi Dong tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and let out a wry smile. Although she didn't think there was anything he could do to help, since the topic was already brought up, she didn't mind opening up a little:
"My problem mainly lies with the conflict with the Elder Hall. Ever since I inherited the position of Pope, I've been trying to implement a series of reforms to elevate Spirit Hall to new heights. But the Elder Hall has been opposing my plans at every turn. Because of that, it feels like I can't make progress on anything…"
She spoke in simple, easy-to-understand terms so that the young Li Chang'an could follow, and this time he listened carefully, not distracted at all.
In his past life, Bibi Dong would've been the very definition of a powerful corporate woman—sharp, capable, and full of ambition. She was determined to lead Spirit Hall to a higher and farther path.
On the other hand, the Elder Hall, led by Qian Daoliu, was completely against her reforms. They believed Spirit Hall was already the most powerful force on the continent, and saw no need for change. Their views were the complete opposite of Bibi Dong's, and they gave her no support at all.
After listening, Li Chang'an closed his eyes and began to think deeply. In his previous life, clashes between old and new powers during reform were commonplace, and there were plenty of ways to resolve them. He was simply considering the most effective method.
Bibi Dong, seeing him close his eyes, assumed he was going to rest and didn't disturb him. Just saying all of this had already relieved a lot of pressure in her heart. As for solutions? She hadn't figured one out yet—and certainly didn't expect a child to offer one.
Just as Bibi Dong was about to close her eyes as well, Li Chang'an suddenly opened his eyes. A sharp gleam of intelligence flashed within them. He looked at her seriously and said:
"Teacher, I actually have an idea that might help you get out of this predicament. You can develop a group, win over a group, and then oppose a group."
"Develop a group, win over a group, and oppose a group? Explain what you mean, Chang'an."
At first, Bibi Dong had only planned to humor him, but Li Chang'an's words made her sit up straight, her beautiful eyes fixed on him with newfound interest.
"Ahem, teacher, wherever there are people, there are factions. 'Developing a group' means planting your own people within the Elder Hall. 'Winning over a group' means drawing in those neutral elders—you don't need them to support you, but at least keep them from standing against you. That alone reduces your opposition by a lot…"
[Bibi Dong. Points +22…]
At first, Bibi Dong listened with some skepticism. Then came surprise. And finally—clarity, like seeing the moon after the clouds part.
This was a strategy she had never thought of before. Li Chang'an's words opened a new door for her, offering a completely different way of solving the problem.
For example, when it came to dealing with a sect dispute, she could win a few over, keep a few neutral, and isolate the rest…
At that thought, Bibi Dong's gaze toward Li Chang'an changed. It now carried admiration, curiosity, and amazement. She was becoming more and more intrigued by this young disciple…
After Li Chang'an finished his passionate speech, Bibi Dong had already fully digested his words. She walked over, gently ruffled his little head with a hint of indulgence, and softly said, "Thank you…"
Li Chang'an could clearly feel that the heavy aura around Bibi Dong had lifted, replaced by a lighter, more relaxed demeanor. He hadn't expected his words to have such a strong effect.
Just as he was quietly marveling at the moment, a sudden gust of fierce wind came rushing toward him—it was aimed directly at him!
Li Chang'an was just about to react when he suddenly felt himself being swept up and held tightly against a soft, fragrant body that instantly made him feel a strange warmth inside.
He then heard Bibi Dong's cold, ethereal voice ring out:
"Get lost!"
The hostile aura vanished instantly, as if it had never been there at all.
Only then did Bibi Dong gently place Li Chang'an back on the ground and, with a slightly apologetic tone, said:
"Chang'an, I'm sorry. I was deep in thought and forgot to release my spiritual pressure. That soul beast must have taken the opportunity to charge at us. Are you okay?"
Li Chang'an shook his head, thinking to himself: 'Other than feeling a little flushed… I'm perfectly fine.'
Only then did Bibi Dong relax. She took Li Chang'an's hand and led him toward a bush nearby, where the soul beast had fallen.
The soul beast now lay weakly on the ground, its breathing barely noticeable. It looked like it didn't have much longer to live.
It was a tiger-type beast, but sturdier and more robust than an ordinary tiger. Its fur was snow-white, and what made it truly striking were its sapphire-blue eyes—beautiful and mesmerizing.
"This is a Azure Tiger, about a thousand years old. It has a pure royal bloodline and is considered a national treasure among soul beasts of the Heaven Soul Forest. If it weren't for that, I would've killed it outright."
Bibi Dong explained calmly. Her reaction speed was terrifying. In the moment she had saved Li Chang'an, she had already identified the attacker. That's why she had pulled her punch. Otherwise, this soul beast would have been dead by now.
Every forest has its own king, and the Azure Tiger was the ruler of the Heaven Soul Forest. Though it was barely a thousand years old, its bloodline and strength gave it an edge even over many other millennium-old soul beasts.
"Teacher… to be honest, I think this Azure Tiger suits me pretty well…"
It wasn't just Li Chang'an being greedy. As soon as the beast appeared, his system had issued a prompt, which gave him the confidence to ask.
"No! This Azure Tiger is the equivalent of a regular two- or three-thousand-year-old beast. Its bloodline is too powerful and domineering. I don't approve!"
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T/N:
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