Douluo Starting with the Chaos Divine Examination

Wuhun Hall, Sacred Soul Mountain.

The thick, oppressive clouds hung low over Sacred Soul Mountain. No matter how fiercely the wind blew, it couldn't disperse the dark shroud above.

Mu Chen stood halfway up the mountain, gazing at the brightly lit sleeping quarters of the Supreme Pontiff. After knocking out and intimidating a few guards, he finally located Bibi Dong's residence.

"Well, I guess it's time to face the consequences. I'll have to deal with the mess I made myself," Mu Chen muttered with a wry smile before teleporting into her room.

"Who is it?" Bibi Dong's brows knitted as she turned to face the intruder.

"It's me," he replied.

"It's you?" Her expression darkened further.

"Yes, it's me."

"What do you want?" she asked coldly, her tone sharp as a blade.

"You already know the answer, don't you?" Mu Chen responded.

"If you're here to apologize, don't bother. I won't accept any apology." Bibi Dong's voice was ice-cold.

Mu Chen remained silent, observing her. He understood her bitterness; her past had been marred by betrayal. Her teacher, Qian Xunji, had viewed her as nothing more than a tool to propagate talent, a violation that left scars she'd carried for years. And now, to face someone else using her for power—even if not in the same way—only deepened her wounds.

Soft words wouldn't work, Mu Chen knew. Bibi Dong wasn't one to be soothed by empty promises or pledges of lifelong loyalty. Apologies held no weight here, and she wouldn't care to hear promises of responsibility.

"Do you want to defeat me?" he asked.

Bibi Dong's gaze remained intense, and her mind spun, unable to decipher his intentions. She'd already resolved not to forgive him, yet here he was, not pleading for forgiveness but asking her if she wanted to beat him.

"Do you want to defeat me?" Mu Chen repeated.

"Is that what you came here for?" Bibi Dong asked.

"Your first martial soul has reached its limit with nine rings, and you've gathered seven spirit bones. But for your second martial soul, you still need two rings, correct?" he asked.

She hesitated, then gave a slight nod.

"These two cores," he continued, producing two golden orbs. "They're similar to spirit rings from spirit beasts. By absorbing their energy, a spirit master can obtain spirit rings. One core grants a 100,000-year ring, and the other 130,000 years."

"What's this supposed to mean?" Her tone was edged with anger. "Is this some kind of... payment for services rendered? Are you treating me like... like some common woman of the night?" Her fury was palpable, and Mu Chen knew he had struck a nerve.

He sighed. He had come to help her grow stronger, but his method, he realized, might seem like a callous gesture, with a tinge of insult to someone who prided herself on her strength and independence.

"Yes, it's insulting, I know. But do you not want to defeat me?" Mu Chen pressed, his tone unwavering. "Every ring I possess is at the 100,000-year level. Even with your twin martial souls, you can't beat me. These cores will allow you to fight on more equal footing, perhaps even surpass me. Take them, if for no other reason than to level the playing field."

Before she could respond, he left the cores floating in the air and vanished from her quarters.

Bibi Dong stared at the golden orbs, his words still echoing in her mind.

"You can think of it as me simply increasing the difficulty of the challenge," he'd said.

Increasing the difficulty... for himself?

The realization dawned, and Bibi Dong's hands clenched tightly, her eyes blazing with anger. It wasn't the act itself but the sheer audacity of his statement that infuriated her. He was giving her this chance as if he believed she needed the handicap just to pose a threat.

After a long moment, she finally gritted her teeth and snatched the cores into her storage soul guide.

—

In a carriage heading away from the Holy Spirit Mountain, Mu Chen reappeared, taking a seat beside Xiao Wu, with Jiangzhu on his left. Across from him sat Princess Xue Ke and Liu Erlong.

"You're back?" Xiao Wu asked, concern in her voice.

Mu Chen nodded.

"Did everything go smoothly?" she continued.

"More or less," he replied calmly. Then he turned to Xue Ke and Jiangzhu. "Xue Ke, Jiangzhu, among us, you two are the only ones without the Killing God Domain. Take these rings; each contains 10,000 explosive talismans, enough to secure you passage through Hell Road and gain the Killing God Domain."

Xue Ke and Jiangzhu nodded, accepting the rings he offered.

"What about me?" Liu Erlong asked.

"You…" Mu Chen hesitated, realizing that she, too, had been affected by his tactics earlier that day, just as Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu, and Bibi Dong had been.

"So, you're just going to leave me empty-handed?" Liu Erlong's voice was laced with frustration, though her gaze held an undeniable warmth.

"Well, I might be a little short on resources right now, but with the Tang Sect coming up, I'll definitely need your help. Think of it as us building our future together," Mu Chen said with a grin.

"Oh, so you're just planning to use me without offering any kind of compensation?" Liu Erlong replied, feigning indignation, though her eyes betrayed her affection.

"Aren't we all working together to build the Tang Sect, our future home?" he replied, laughing.

"Hmph. Give me your hand!" she demanded suddenly.

"What for?" he asked, already sensing where this was going, recalling his earlier encounter with Huo Wu.

"Just give it to me!" she insisted.

"What are you planning?" Mu Chen extended his arm cautiously.

As expected, Liu Erlong pushed up his sleeve and bit down firmly on his other arm, leaving a clear mark that would stay with him for some time.

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