Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Villain Life Simulator

Hearing those words, Qian Renxue's mouth twitched slightly. There was no way she could take it back and admit she was actually Bibi Dong's daughter.

The whole room fell silent with her lack of response, creating a somewhat delicate atmosphere.

Seeing this, Su Cheng took the initiative to stand up, quietly clearing away the shattered pieces of the teacup from the table. He then pulled out a new cup, poured tea for her, and said calmly, "Why such anger the moment we meet? Is it because of what happened back then, that it left you with lasting pain?"

He glanced briefly at the door behind him, now shattered to pieces. "If that's the case, then I apologize."

"Apologize?" Qian Renxue sneered, her expression full of disdain.

"Just saying it does lack sincerity." Su Cheng set the freshly poured tea in front of her. "How about this? If there's anything you need help with in the future, feel free to ask. Anything I'm capable of, I'll do my best."

Qian Renxue raised her eyes to glance at him, speaking in a cool tone, "I want you to leave Bibi Dong. Would you agree to that?"

"…"

Seeing Su Cheng's silence, Qian Renxue laughed coldly, waving her hand dismissively in irritation. "Forget it. Do whatever you like. Let's just pretend the past never happened."

From her perspective, there wasn't much she could hold against Su Cheng now. Saying too much would only seem like she was being unreasonable.

Was she really supposed to hold him accountable for breaking a childhood promise and leaving as soon as they parted ways?

As Su Cheng had pointed out earlier, for a Spirit Master, seeking out a more promising faction was perfectly normal.

Back then, he hadn't signed any binding contract, nor had he received any particular benefits. Why should he be obligated to devote his life?

Even among those disciples who joined various factions, defectors were not uncommon. Much less in his case, where they hadn't even formalized any agreement.

Should she blame him for that small lie he once told?

But then again, not only did that incident rid her of Xue Beng, the hidden threat, but given their positions, bringing it up repeatedly would only make her a laughingstock.

Not to mention, as far as factions were concerned, they were both now on the same side.

Given Su Cheng's exceptional talent and cultivation, his presence in the Spirit Hall was only beneficial for Qian Renxue.

A Spirit Master with the strength of a Title Douluo in his early twenties, and a "two-for-one" package at that – where else could she find such a deal?

At this moment, Su Cheng spoke up, "I have yet to learn your name, miss."

"Qian Renxue."

"Didn't you say earlier you were Bibi Dong's sister?"

"We're a special case." Qian Renxue replied, sounding impatient, as if unwilling to elaborate further.

Su Cheng nodded lightly and did not pursue the matter, instead asking, "Since you're the Pope's own sister, you must have a distinguished status within the Spirit Hall. And yet, you chose to impersonate Prince Xue Qinghe of the Heaven Dou Empire – could it be for a special mission? Would you mind sharing the details with me?"

Qian Renxue looked at him with a trace of mockery in her eyes and replied coldly, "It seems Bibi Dong hasn't told you anything."

"I told you, I'm not interested in Spirit Hall's power. My relationship with her is mutual; I'm not here to climb the ranks. It's not that she didn't tell me – I simply never tried to pry. I've always relied on my own cultivation to improve my strength."

"Then why are you asking now?"

"You misunderstand. I only guessed you might be in a bad mood because my actions back then disrupted some of your plans. So, I thought I'd find out if there's anything I can do to make up for it."

In truth, Su Cheng was merely curious.

He had long suspected that Qian Renxue's plan to seize the throne would most likely end in failure, yet he couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why.

Especially considering that, with Xue Beng dead, Xue Qinghe, the sole heir to the throne, should've been unshakably secure.

Even if the truth about the assassinations of the other princes came to light, he would still be in an invincible position.

Yet Qian Renxue didn't know his true thoughts, and her feelings grew increasingly complicated, tinged with a faint bitterness.

For some reason, she now wished Su Cheng had been drawn by the Pope's power, rather than appearing so "selfless."

"…Forget it. This mission's failure wasn't really your fault. There's no need for you to feel guilty, nor any need to make amends. As for the plan from back then, there's no harm in telling you now, since our actions have already been exposed."

She certainly couldn't say that it was the rumors about Su Cheng and Bibi Dong that had planted anxiety in her heart and ultimately triggered all these changes.

Originally, Qian Renxue hadn't cared much about whom Bibi Dong was interested in or who she might become involved with.

She had known since childhood that her parents had no affection for each other, and Bibi Dong had even transferred her resentment onto her.

However, when she discovered that the protagonist in the story was Su Cheng, an inexplicable irritation welled up inside her, so severe that she struggled to eat or sleep soundly for a time…

Qian Renxue lightly swirled the teacup in her hand, gazing down into the crystal-clear tea as it reflected a pair of mesmerizing phoenix-like eyes.

She couldn't quite understand how this young man, whom she'd only encountered briefly, could leave such a deep imprint on her heart.

From their first meeting until now, a full seven or eight years had passed.

Yet his shadow had not faded with time; instead, it had grown sharper and more vivid.

Was it because of his immense talent? As the Heaven-sent inheritor of the Angel Spirit, her innate spirit power was as high as level twenty, making her peerless among young Spirit Masters.

Or was it his appearance? But that made even less sense. While Su Cheng was indeed good-looking, he was far from the extravagant handsomeness of certain unique Spirit Inheritors – not to mention he was nowhere near as striking as his foul-tempered sister.

Was it his presence, then?

But could mere presence truly stir someone so deeply? Especially since, at the time, he'd only been a young boy barely over ten years old…

After a long silence, Qian Renxue finally said, "It's not an excuse, but this mission's failure was largely due to bad luck…"

She then recounted briefly what had happened in Heaven Dou City.

As he listened, Su Cheng realized that he was actually connected to these events, though Qian Renxue wasn't aware of it.

After the Spirit Master Tournament, Zhu Zhuqing returned to the Star Luo Empire to seize power.

With the strong appeal of the Hell White Tiger Spirit, many noble factions in the Star Luo Empire, dissatisfied with the current distribution of power, invested in the Zhu family, granting the Hell Spirit Cat lineage increasing influence within the empire.

After all, the Star Luo Empire was essentially an alliance of nobility. Even an Emperor at the Title Douluo level couldn't subdue all the nobles single-handedly. Besides, part of the Dai family's current prestige came from the martial fusion skill they shared with the Netherworld Spirit Cats.

When her five-year term ended, Zhu Zhuqing returned to Heaven Dou Empire to reunite with her old teammates, while also planning to acquire the royal family's national treasure, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, and began probing royal secrets through various channels.

The Heaven Dou royal family was, of course, aware of the turmoil in Star Luo's upper ranks and saw Zhu Zhuqing as an opportunity to gain leverage, giving both sides ample opportunity to interact.

The royal family of Heaven Dou suspected that Zhu Zhuqing harbored other intentions, which only heightened the wariness of Qian Renxue, the false prince.

On top of that, her mind was already troubled by the rumors about Su Cheng and Bibi Dong, causing her to lose focus and unintentionally reveal many flaws.

Apart from Zhu Zhuqing, Tang San, the son of Clear Sky Douluo, had also returned to Heaven Dou City.

With the support of Dugu Bo, a close friend of Prince Xue Xing, a web of influences had formed, bringing many hidden stories from the past to light, ultimately resulting in the failure of Qian Renxue's plan to seize the throne.

"…What a shame. You were so close." After a long silence, Su Cheng sighed, saying, "In some ways, your experiences with your sister are really quite similar…"

"How are they anything alike?"

Qian Renxue rebuked loudly, her face showing displeasure.

She hated being discussed in comparison with Bibi Dong.

If possible, she would rather have nothing to do with that woman.

Su Cheng wasn't interrupted by her harsh scolding. Instead, he looked her directly in the eyes and spoke in a low tone, "I may not fully understand, but just listening to your words, I can imagine some of it. At such a young age, you infiltrated the imperial royal family filled with dangers, enduring loneliness for twenty years. That must have been far from a pleasant experience. Deprived of family love, lacking companionship from friends… even the slight authority you gained throughout that ordeal holds no meaning to you."

Qian Renxue's eyes flickered, but she didn't speak.

Since childhood, everyone who met her praised her talent, saying she was destined for greatness, even holding the potential to ascend to godhood.

But no one, including her parents, ever cared about her personal growth or feelings, or asked if she truly desired any of it.

It seemed as though this was a mission she was supposed to bear as a matter of course.

The words of admiration were things she had long since grown tired of; she had no need for anyone's praise.

Because none of those people understood the effort, sweat, pain, and anguish she endured to achieve this power.

Up to this point, this man standing before her was the only one who saw through the glittering facade to the blood, sweat, and hardship beneath it all.

But sadly, he was Bibi Dong's man…

"... Bibi Dong is similar to you. What she truly wants may not be the Pope's throne; she also suffers from her own loneliness and torment."

"Enough."

Qian Renxue's expression grew cold, unwilling to listen any further.

She abruptly stood, saying calmly, "Since you care for her so much, stay by her side. And perhaps you can cure her mental illness so she stops behaving so crazily."

With that, she seemed to hesitate for a moment, but eventually pursed her lips tightly and left the room.

As she stepped through the broken door, she felt as if something had suddenly emptied within her, a strong wave of bitterness sweeping through her entire being.

Her eyes reddened, nearly welling with tears.

But she quickly suppressed these inexplicable emotions, looked forward, and walked toward the direction of the Elder Hall…

Watching Qian Renxue's retreating figure, Su Cheng sighed.

As expected, mere words weren't enough to resolve the deep-seated issues between this mother and daughter that had accumulated over the years.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?"

A voice suddenly rang out, causing Bibi Dong's body to tremble. She looked toward the hall door, slightly flustered, and saw Su Cheng standing there, watching her.

"Nothing," Bibi Dong looked away, avoiding Su Cheng's gaze, speaking softly. "Did Qian Renxue come to see you?"

"Yes, she just left."

"And she told you everything?"

"Told me what, that you have a long-lost sister?"

"Sister?" Bibi Dong froze at his words.

"Yeah, Qian Renxue said she's your sister." Su Cheng replied casually. "I actually read in the history books of Spirit Hall that the position of Pope is traditionally passed down through the Qian family bloodline, each possessing the Six-Winged Angel spirit. I always wondered why you were different—was it due to a spirit mutation? Though you and she don't really seem to be blood relatives."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong fell silent for a long while before slowly speaking, "No, we are blood-related."

After another stretch of silence, she spoke with great difficulty, "In truth… she's my daughter."

"I see. I knew you two didn't seem like sisters." Su Cheng nodded thoughtfully, offering a casual comment.

"..."

Bibi Dong looked up in surprise, staring at Su Cheng, who seemed unbothered.

This sense of surprise even outweighed the anxiety and unease in her heart. She said in a daze, "Don't you have anything you want to say?"

"Say what?" Su Cheng blinked, then seemed to realize something. "Oh, you have good genes—your daughter is very beautiful and gifted, though she seems to have quite a grudge against you."

"...That's not what I meant… Don't you… care that I lied to you?"

"What did you lie to me about? It's not like you've ever told me much about your past." He propped his chin on one hand, thinking aloud. "So, Qian Renxue… She must be the daughter you had with the previous Pope, right? But there's nothing to be done. If I'd been born earlier, he wouldn't have had a chance."

"Yes… thirty years ago, Qian Xunji…" When she mentioned that name, Bibi Dong's voice turned somber, a flash of pain and resentment crossing her gaze.

"Alright, Dong'er. Qian Xunji has been dead for decades. Since you're with me now, I thought you'd long since forgotten about him." Su Cheng suddenly interrupted, his tone calm as he diverted the topic. "But come to think of it, your daughter is quite similar to you."

"Similar?" Bibi Dong was taken aback.

She had always felt that Qian Renxue resembled her father more than herself.

Cold, arrogant, ruthless, willing to stop at nothing to achieve her goals…

It was because she often saw her daughter displaying traits reminiscent of her father that Bibi Dong grew increasingly resentful of her, even wishing they would never see each other again.

"Oh, I didn't mean her appearance. I meant her experiences and state of mind."

Su Cheng's voice remained steady, as if the truths he learned today were mere trivialities, of no great consequence.

His calmness unconsciously affected Bibi Dong as well, gradually soothing her turbulent emotions.

The old scars and pains stirred by Qian Renxue's return began to soften under his gentle reassurance.