Chapter 69: Bibi Dong's Tenderness
Ten days later.
Spirit City.
A convoy composed of more than ten carriages slowly entered the city. The convoy followed Angel Avenue without stopping and went straight to the foot of Papal Mountain.
The highest ruling institution of Spirit Hall, the Papal Palace, was located at the mountain's summit.
At this moment, from the most central carriage of the convoy, the curtain of an exquisitely crafted carriage was lifted, and Hu Liena, dressed in a white-and-gold gown, slowly stepped down.
From the other carriages in the convoy, Xie Yue, Yan, and the many experts of the Nirvana Squad also disembarked at the same time.
"Brother, accompany me to report to Teacher. As for the others, please return," Hu Liena said gently.
"As you command."
Hearing this, everyone nodded and left, including Yan.
Afterward, Hu Liena and Xie Yue lightly tapped their feet and swiftly ascended Papal Mountain.
In front of the Papal Palace.
More than one hundred palace-guard knights wearing golden helmets and silver armor, holding three-meter-long spears, were patrolling back and forth in rotation.
Each of them possessed strength of at least the level of a Soul King of the fiftieth rank or above, with no small number of Soul Emperors and Soul Sages among them.
One must know that within Zhou Chen's Ziwei Palace, there were only a handful of experts above the fiftieth-rank Soul King level. Yet here, before the Papal Palace, a Soul King was only fit to serve as a guard.
This was the foundation of Spirit Hall.
The reason Zhou Chen was in such a hurry to rush to Heaven Dou City to search for those fifty tons of divine crystals was precisely to rapidly strengthen the power of Ziwei Palace and contend with Spirit Hall on equal footing.
"Stop, you—Saintess Your Highness?"
Several outer palace-guard knights saw two figures flashing toward the Papal Palace and were about to shout, but then realized the newcomer was the Saintess Hu Liena, who had been missing for many days.
After seeing her clearly, the leading palace guard instantly understood. He knelt on one knee and said respectfully, "Greetings, Saintess Your Highness."
Before his words fell, all the surrounding palace guards knelt in unison, an imposing sight.
"I wish to see Teacher," Hu Liena said softly.
A quarter of an hour later, inside the Papal Palace council hall.
Hu Liena and Xie Yue sat on chairs, quietly waiting.
However, at this moment, Hu Liena's hands were tightly clasped together, as if she was somewhat uneasy.
She was indeed uneasy, because she had to deceive her teacher in order to conceal Zhou Chen's identity.
"Kaka—"
Suddenly, the arched door over three meters tall opened, and a woman bathed in radiance walked in from outside.
The woman had fair skin, peerless beauty, and a tall figure. She wore a luxurious purple robe embroidered with golden patterns, a nine-curved purple-gold crown on her head, and held a scepter inlaid with purple gemstones. She looked incomparably noble, inspiring reverence.
She was the current Pope of Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong.
The instant Bibi Dong appeared, Hu Liena and Xie Yue immediately rose, bowed, and said respectfully, "Teacher (Your Holiness the Pope)."
"No need for formalities."
A gentle and melodious voice sounded as Bibi Dong slowly walked to the deepest part of the hall, ascended dozens of steps, and turned to sit upon the Papal Throne.
Only then did she look at the two of them, especially at Hu Liena, and asked with concern, "On this journey, you weren't injured, were you?"
"No, thank you for your concern, Teacher," Hu Liena replied sweetly, warmth rising in her heart.
"That's good."
Bibi Dong nodded, then turned her gaze to Xie Yue and asked, "You are Nana's brother and also the leader of this operation. Tell me in detail about the process of encircling and suppressing the Blood Soul Masters."
"As you command."
Hearing this, Xie Yue pondered for a moment and then narrated the entire sequence of events in detail.
This account lasted nearly half an hour.
Bibi Dong leaned against one side of the Papal Throne, her fair jade hand supporting her chin, listening lazily.
"…Ji Chen fought the Blood Infant Douluo in a desperate battle and saved my sister… In the end, the Nirvana Squad lost nearly half its members, and the Blood Infant Douluo died at the hands of a mysterious female Soul Sage…"
At this point, Xie Yue finally stopped. He looked up at Bibi Dong on the throne and said respectfully, "Your Holiness the Pope, that is how things transpired."
"Oh, you've worked hard. I still have a few questions to ask Nana alone," Bibi Dong said calmly, waving her hand lazily.
Hearing this, the perceptive Xie Yue immediately bowed, then withdrew from the council hall.
After Xie Yue left, Bibi Dong suddenly straightened, her beautiful eyes fixing on Hu Liena. Her gemstone-purple pupils emitted an aura of authority.
"Nana, I want to know—who exactly is that Ji Chen?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Hu Liena, already feeling guilty, was so startled that she sprang up from her chair. She forcibly calmed herself and said with feigned composure, "Ji Chen is my guard. He comes from the Balak Kingdom…"
"Enough! I want to hear the truth!"
Bibi Dong shouted coldly, her graceful figure leaning back against the Papal Throne. Her eyes, containing a sharp and imposing presence, looked down upon Hu Liena.
Faced with Bibi Dong's stern interrogation, Hu Liena felt her mind go completely blank.
She did not know where the problem had arisen that made Bibi Dong realize something was wrong with Ji Chen's identity.
Nervousness caused fine beads of sweat to instantly form on her smooth, fair forehead.
"Teacher, I… what I said is the truth," Hu Liena said, biting her red lips with her pearly teeth, determined not to betray Zhou Chen.
"Hmph, stubborn girl!"
Bibi Dong snorted coldly. The scepter in her hand struck the ground with a dull clang, startling Hu Liena into a sudden shudder.
"You think that if you don't speak, I won't know?"
Seeing that her disciple refused to tell the truth no matter what, Bibi Dong slowly stood up and said coldly, "Ji Chen, or Zhou Chen? A mere teenage boy possessing such terrifying strength—who else could it be besides the Zhou Chen you let escape six years ago?"
"What surprises me is that, for your sake, he actually dared to face a Titled Douluo head-on in a fight to the death. He truly is a deeply infatuated one."
"Teacher!"
Hu Liena finally could not hold back. She raised her head, looked straight at Bibi Dong, tears shimmering in her eyes as she said, "Teacher, what exactly do you want? Must you kill him? If so, then please kill me first! Or I will take my own life right here!"
As soon as these words fell, Bibi Dong's body suddenly trembled violently. She stared blankly at Hu Liena, countless agonizing memories surfacing in her heart.
This child was so similar to herself from decades ago.
Back then, she too had yearned for love. For love, she broke with her teacher Qian Xunji and, regardless of life or death, wanted to be with Yu Xiaogang.
Unfortunately, Yu Xiaogang was different from that young man named Zhou Chen.
Zhou Chen could stand in front of Nana without retreating a single step, using fortieth-rank soul power to directly confront the Blood Infant Douluo. Such a feat—how could it not make Nana admire and cling to him?
But Yu Xiaogang, that coward… there was no need to mention him.
The gap between the two was not merely one of strength, but more importantly, of courage—of that domineering resolve of protecting one's beloved, with no one else worthy of the task.
Unfortunately, she had never encountered such a man herself.
Bibi Dong took a deep breath, sealing those painful memories deep within her heart.
After calming herself, she looked at her tearful disciple and said gently, "Nana, I never said I would kill him."
"Really?"
Hearing this, Hu Liena felt like a drowning person grasping the last lifeline and asked in delighted disbelief.
"Of course."
Bibi Dong smiled faintly and said, "Since Zhou Chen can fight a Titled Douluo for your sake, then for your sake, he might also sincerely join Spirit Hall and become one of us. Isn't that so?"
(End of Chapter)
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