What Do I Do If I Raised Her Favorability Too High?

Natural Energy was a special kind of energy. Unlike Chakra, which was refined from cells, it drifted between heaven and earth. Mountains, rivers, vegetation, soil, and insects could all carry traces of Natural Energy.

It was a chaotic, immense, frenzied, and nearly inexhaustible source of power.

And closely tied to Natural Energy was a force capable of contending with true gods.

Sage Mode!

In this mode, the power of one's ninjutsu and taijutsu would be amplified severalfold, even more than tenfold. In the Ninja World, it was also the only means below the Six Paths level capable of harming a Six Paths-level opponent.

Therefore, whether in the Ninja World or on the Douluo Continent, this was one of Su Chen's top-priority research projects.

Unfortunately, after spending decades in the Ninja World mastering the sage arts of the Three Great Sage Regions, he discovered that the situation on the Douluo Continent was even more complicated.

Because he simply could not sense Natural Energy here.

Although his Immortal Body had not fully awakened, it still granted him greater affinity with Natural Energy. Yet he could not detect even the faintest trace of it.

Su Chen had once wondered whether the spiritual energy absorbed in this world was Natural Energy.

But he eventually rejected that idea. After all, absorbing spiritual energy and converting it into Soul Power had no threshold whatsoever, whereas Natural Energy could turn one to stone at the slightest misstep. The two had nothing in common.

Su Xiao had taken him through lush forests and desolate marshlands alike, but naturally, they found nothing.

He had thought Sage Mode would vanish entirely in this world. Who would have expected that today, upon this soul bone, he would find that long-lost sense of familiarity?

Sage Mode.

The youth's gaze burned as his hand slowly clenched.

Whether it was the Sage Art: Wind Release: Rasengan Shuriken, which could destroy things down to the cellular level; the Sage Art: Myojin Gate, which could suppress the Ten-Tails; or even the Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands: Summit Enlightenment Buddha, whose power rivaled world-ending destruction, all of them required Sage Mode to activate.

Now that this path, which he had thought severed, had unexpectedly appeared before him, how could his heart not surge with excitement?

"Hey, kid, why are you so worked up?"

Yue Guan's voice pulled him back from his thoughts. Raising his head, Su Chen saw the man staring at him with a strange expression.

"Ah, it's nothing. I'm just a little excited to see a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone for the first time."

Su Chen coughed lightly, put the soul bone into his Storage Soul Tool, and casually brushed the matter aside.

"Hmm?"

Yue Guan raised a suspicious brow. There was nothing wrong with the youth's explanation, but he could not shake the feeling that this scene was strangely familiar.

Just as he was about to press further, he saw Bibi Dong approaching with the elders. He hurriedly bent at the waist in salute. "His Holiness the Pope!"

"No need for such formality."

Bibi Dong smiled faintly and bent down to help Su Chen up. "You're still young. You won't need to salute me whenever you see me from now on."

Yue Guan: .

What?

He stared dumbfoundedly at Su Chen, who had merely cupped his hands, then at himself, bent nearly ninety degrees at the waist. A sour feeling immediately rose in his chest.

Damn it, had this brat really snatched away his place as His Holiness the Pope's most favored person just like that?

Why was he suddenly regretting it?

"Su Chen, Su Chen, you truly are my lucky star. Tell me, what reward do you want?"

A faint blush appeared on His Holiness the Pope's lovely face. Her wine-red eyes shimmered as she reached out and gently touched the youth's cheek, a sweet fragrance washing over him.

From where Su Chen stood, he could even see the full curves outlined beneath her papal robes.

What the hell, why were you putting your hands on me?

Feeling the cool, silky touch on his face, Su Chen's entire body stiffened. He raised his head in stunned disbelief.

The white-haired youth suddenly leaped backward, instinctively even using the Body Flicker Technique. Only after leaving Bibi Dong's "attack range" did he finally let out a breath of relief.

But in the very next second, Su Chen's body stiffened again.

Because that slightly cool, silky touch had returned to his face. This time, it went even further, pinching his cheek.

The youth stared in disbelief at the woman before him, perfect in every way, and caught the amusement in those wine-red eyes.

It was as though they were saying, Do you really think you can get away?

Damn it, did this woman have no sense of personal boundaries at all?!

Were they really close enough for this??

"His Holiness the Pope, please conduct yourself with dignity."

Su Chen cupped his hands and spoke stiffly, while taking another step back.

This time, Bibi Dong did not follow. She merely covered her mouth and chuckled, blinking at him. "What? Is the number one genius of Spirit Hall actually shy?"

What the hell!

No, was this really your character setting?

Weren't you supposed to be cold and ruthless?

And your daughter was already so grown up, so why were you still this immature?!

Though this side of her really was stunning.

Su Chen helplessly rubbed his forehead.

Raising Bibi Dong's favorability was part of the plan. Otherwise, he would not have needed to offend an enemy he could not possibly contend with at this stage.

That promise was Su Chen's goal.

Now, he had secured the promise and raised her favorability as well, but something had apparently gone wrong. Her favorability seemed a little absurdly high.

It had already far surpassed that of mere partners.

Just where had it gone wrong?

Su Chen looked at His Holiness the Pope, her eyes glistening, and sighed in frustration.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Elders, let's return and finish dealing with the remaining matters."

His Holiness the Pope rose, returning to her noble, icy demeanor. She nodded to the utterly stunned elders and swayed back toward the Pontiff Palace.

"Oh, and you, little fellow, come along and listen in as well. I have something for you to do afterward."

Before leaving, she waved a hand and added this.

The elders looked at Bibi Dong, then at Su Chen, their expressions indescribably strange.

They had never seen His Holiness the Pope in such a relaxed, delighted mood.

Could this brat possibly be His Holiness the Pope's...

Forget it, forget it. They did not dare speak carelessly about that.

"This brat really does resist getting close to me."

Inside the Pontiff Palace, Bibi Dong recalled Su Chen's resistant, faintly disdainful expression and the corner of her lips curled upward.

"What an unusual little fellow. It's been a long time since I've been this happy."

A trace of loneliness and pain flashed through His Holiness the Pope's eyes as she leaned weakly against the Pontiff's Throne.

Su Chen's guess had been correct. This truly was Bibi Dong's most difficult period.

But it was even harder than he had imagined.

After she killed Qian Xunji for revenge, Qian Daoliu did not kill her, but the threat of death had always hung over her head.

Because that Angel Douluo, renowned throughout the world for so long, had never concealed his naked killing intent toward her.

Otherwise, how would Guang Ling Douluo dare repeatedly overstep his bounds and point fingers at her, the Pope?

In Guang Ling Douluo's eyes, she was merely a puppet forced into power.

Yet even so, she had no choice but to devote all her energy to this place that disgusted her beyond measure. Otherwise, Bibi Dong knew very well what would happen to an enemy who had killed someone's son and lost all value.

She had to live!

She had to personally destroy this place and wipe out the Angel Lineage completely!!

Not only that, but the bastard child she had borne with that beast was being carefully taught and guided by Qian Daoliu. Her relationship with her own mother was as cold as ice, while spies constantly brought news of the man she longed for traveling across the continent hand in hand with her cousin.

Whenever she thought of it, Bibi Dong felt as though her heart were being cut apart, grief-stricken to the point of death.

Under the crushing pressure of mortal danger, the coldness of her own flesh and blood, and the betrayal of the one she loved, Bibi Dong had long stood on the brink of collapse.

If not for her growing obsession with revenge, she would have found some place to live out the rest of her days long ago.

And now, Su Chen's appearance was like a blazing beam of light violently piercing into her dim, colorless world!

Not only did his terrifying talent let her see hope for vengeance, but his ideals for Spirit Hall made him seem like a kindred spirit. More importantly, he had thoroughly defeated and crushed Guang Ling Douluo, the shadow hanging over her head, sweeping it away entirely!

Though it was only a trivial victory, it was a long-lost chance to catch her breath, a chance to breathe fresh air.

And his unique reaction to her also gave Bibi Dong no small amount of amusement.

"What a cute little fellow. If only he had appeared sooner."

As His Holiness the Pope listened to the elders report on various matters, her beautiful eyes inadvertently drifted toward the small figure in the corner, and a gentle smile touched her lips.

Hmm?

That feeling of being watched.

Su Chen, who had been sitting with his eyes closed contemplating Natural Energy, warily raised his head. His eyes met a pair of wine-red ones, and he immediately clutched his hair in agony.

Damn it, are you not done yet?!