In the blink of an eye, more than half a year had passed.
Inside Spirit City—
Ling Yuan's belly was already round and swollen. In just a few months, she would be giving birth.
Every day, Qian Xunji would gently support her as they strolled through the plum garden behind the Pope's Palace.
His tenderness and constant companionship touched Ling Yuan's heart deeply.
She had not only married for love—
She had married the right person.
Meanwhile, outside Spirit City—
After crossing mountains and rivers, suffering hardships, and wandering in despair—
Bibi Dong was finally about to arrive.
At this moment, she was wrapped in a tattered burlap cloak, her dress in rags and covered in patches.
Her long, orange hair and delicate face were covered in dust and dirt, making her look utterly wretched—
Like a beggar.
When she saw the towering, majestic city in the distance—
Her travel-worn yet still breathtakingly beautiful and pure face filled with emotion, and her eyes brimmed with tears.
"Spirit City… I, Bibi Dong, have finally returned!"
At the sight of the city, she gritted her teeth, leaned on her staff, and hobbled forward as quickly as she could.
Before long, she arrived at the city gates.
"Halt! This is Spirit City!"
"Only soul masters or those with a valid pass may enter."
"Outsiders are forbidden!"
Seeing Bibi Dong's beggar-like appearance, the armored gate guards immediately crossed their spears, frowning as they shouted to block her path.
"I…"
Bibi Dong's heart clenched painfully, and tears welled up in her eyes.
She recalled how, in the past, when she was the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall, she had never been stopped at the gates.
Even before she reached the entrance—
The guards would bow respectfully, greet her, and step aside to let her pass.
How could she have ever imagined that today, she would be blocked at the very gates of Spirit City?
'Bibi Dong… Bibi Dong… What were you thinking?'
'Why were you so blind back then, so foolish?'
'Why did you stubbornly insist on eloping with that deceitful, cowardly, and selfish Yu Xiaogang?'
'Why did you betray the Spirit Hall, abandon your position as Holy Maiden, and sever ties with your teacher and the elders?'
'How could you be so stupid, so naive?'
Pain and regret filled Bibi Dong's heart. She wished she could slap herself across the face.
If only time could turn back—
She would never make that same choice again!
"Hey! Who exactly are you? This is Spirit City!"
"If you're not a soul master and don't have a pass, then leave at once!"
Seeing that she remained silent, her hands clenched tightly, her eyes red with grief, and her expression full of anguish and turmoil, the two guards frowned even deeper.
They raised their voices, shouting for her to leave immediately.
To be fair, as guards of the Spirit Hall, they were well-trained.
Even though Bibi Dong looked like a beggar, they did not resort to violence but simply issued warnings.
If this were the gatekeepers at Nuoding Academy, she would have been kicked out without hesitation.
"I am not a soul master, and I have no pass."
Facing their warnings, Bibi Dong's face was filled with sorrow and bitterness as she spoke in a hoarse voice.
"But my name is Bibi Dong. Please, let me in."
"I need to see my teacher! I need to see the Worshippers!"
"This time… I truly know I was wrong!"
"I really do!"
The moment she revealed her identity, tears streamed down her face as she cried.
She fell to her knees in the direction of the Pope's Palace and the Douluo Hall, sobbing loudly.
"Teacher! Grandpa Qian, Grandpa Golden Crocodile, Grandpa Azure Luan…"
"Dong'er knows her mistake! Dong'er truly knows her mistake!"
"Please… Please forgive me!"
"Wuuu… Wuuu…"
"Bibi Dong?!"
Hearing the name, the two guards were instantly shocked.
When they took a closer look at her face—
And confirmed that it was indeed the selfish, ungrateful, and utterly foolish former Holy Maiden—
Their expressions immediately twisted with disgust and contempt.
"So it's you, Bibi Dong!"
"Didn't you elope with that worthless man? How dare you come back?"
"Do you have no shame?!"
"I remember you were quite indignant back then, thinking that the Spirit Hall treated you unfairly!"
"You truly have no sense of shame!"
"We've said it before—Spirit Hall does not welcome you!"
"Get lost! Leave Spirit City at once!"
"We don't welcome traitors like you!"
The two guards roared in fury, gripping their spears tightly, veins bulging on their arms as they prepared to drive her away.
And because of Bibi Dong's loud crying and confession—
Many soul masters in Spirit City quickly gathered at the gates.
Upon learning of her identity—
Everyone was filled with disgust and rage, shouting accusations at her.
Some even threw rotten vegetables and eggs at her.
"Get lost! Spirit City doesn't welcome traitors like you!"
"Weren't you all about love? Didn't you run off with that useless man? How dare you come crawling back?!"
"Scram! If you don't want to be our Holy Maiden, then stay far away from us!"
In an instant, Bibi Dong was driven away, forced to retreat step by step toward the city outskirts.
Along with the furious scolding, more and more rotten vegetables and eggs rained down on her.
Soon, her body was covered in filth, reeking of rot.
But despite all this—
After experiencing the cruel reality of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—
Her heart was filled with nothing but pain and regret.
As she was forced backward, limping and stumbling, she sat on the ground, her face soaked with tears, wailing miserably.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"It was my fault! I failed my teacher, I failed the worshippers, and I failed the Spirit Hall!"
"I was wrong! I truly know I was wrong!"
"Please, please give me one more chance!"
"Hah! You claim you know you were wrong? I bet it's just because that worthless man abandoned you, so now you have nowhere else to go!"
"Forgiveness? You think you deserve forgiveness?"
"Our Lord Pope treated you so well—everyone saw it with their own eyes. Even if it were just a dog, it would have wagged its tail and remained loyal for life. But you? You insulted the Pope's Palace and the Douluo Hall, betrayed us for a worthless man, and ran away.
"A traitor like you does not deserve forgiveness!"
Faced with Bibi Dong's desperate cries and pleas—
The only response she received was more disgust and hatred.
And from the crowd, even more rotten vegetables and eggs came flying toward her.