The Real Bibi Dong

From the Saintess Hall to the Pope's Palace, a distance that should have taken no time at all, Lin Hai had somehow dawdled for a full hour.

He exchanged pleasantries with one steward, then chatted with another guardian about his wife back home.

The guardian said that he and his wife had slept in separate rooms for years. The last time he saw her, she had been vomiting. Since soul masters rarely fell ill, he suspected he had been cuckolded.

Lin Hai now enjoyed considerable prestige and popularity within Spirit Hall, and over the past two years, he had heard quite a few strange stories like this.

What he really wanted to say was: You should ask your wife first whether she ate something unclean.

Like jewelry, gems, the Moonlight Treasure Box, Spirit Ring Pills, and so on...

That was right. Spirit Ring Pills had already begun to see limited use within Spirit Hall.

Lin Hai strongly suspected that his wife was not suffering from pregnancy-related nausea, but vomiting up residue from the pills.

Looks like Spirit Ring Pills still have room for improvement!

Stopping and starting along the way, he finally made it to the towering gates of the Pope's Palace.

"Ah, forget it. If it is a blessing, it is no disaster; if it is a disaster, there is no escaping it. Whether I stick my head out or pull it back, the blade will fall all the same."

He took a deep breath. Too lazy to announce himself, he flicked his fingers, and an invisible breeze quietly brushed past, nudging the palace doors open.

Lin Hai's figure swayed. As though melting into the air, he slipped silently through the doors—Elemental Shadow Dodge.

Holding his breath and focusing his mind, he first surveyed the situation inside.

At that moment, Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo were bowing as they reported to Bibi Dong upon the throne.

The report concerned news sent back by the Spirit Hall of Heaven Dou City, regarding gifted youngsters who had risen to prominence in the Heaven Dou Empire over the past few years.

They were nothing more than a few standout students from the major elemental academies, along with the pair of brothers from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

Hidden behind the doors, Lin Hai vaguely heard Ye Lingling's name as well.

By rights, so-called geniuses of this level would never normally catch Bibi Dong's attention.

But today was an exception. Not only had she asked about them herself, she had specifically ordered Chrysanthemum Douluo to give a detailed report.

Yue Guan was a clever man. After Old Ghost's guidance, he believed he had grasped Your Holiness the Pope's temperament.

He cleared his throat, his tone carrying just the right amount of flattery and disdain.

"Your Holiness the Pope, such so-called geniuses are not uncommon on the continent. They are hardly worth your personal attention."

"Nana, Xie Yue, and Yan alone far surpass them. Not to mention little Hai—he is only ten, yet he is already not far from becoming a Soul Ancestor."

He paused, his voice brimming with undisguised contempt.

"Those people should count themselves lucky if they can break through to Soul Ancestor by the age of twenty."

"Besides, even among Soul Ancestors, there is a world of difference in combat strength. Even if they formed a team, they would be no match for little Hai in a single exchange. Hehehe..."

As Yue Guan spoke, he habitually covered his mouth and chuckled. The signature orchid gesture of his right hand rose unconsciously.

Bibi Dong had originally been listening quite comfortably, but when her gaze swept over his fingers, the bit of pleasure Lin Hai had brought her instantly diminished by more than half.

Lin Hai, hidden behind the doors, was so embarrassed his toes curled. Was he really that awesome? Well, he was. But if he showed himself now, how awkward would this become?

He held his breath and quietly circulated his Soul Power, preparing to slip back out without a sound and wait until this round of shameless praise was over before coming in.

Perhaps because he relaxed for just an instant, when he withdrew through the doors, his foot made an almost imperceptibly faint scraping sound.

"Who is outside?!"

Bibi Dong's cold, imposing shout exploded through the hall like thunder.

Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo were startled! Three Titled Douluo were in the hall, yet none of them had noticed someone outside the doors? Was it the Great Enshrined?

No! Whenever that man came to the Pope's Palace, he would always release an aura from afar before entering directly. It gave the Pope enough face while preserving his own dignity as well.

The heavy doors of the Pope's Palace were pushed open by invisible force, and Lin Hai shuffled inside with an awkward expression.

A flicker of surprise passed through Bibi Dong's eyes, while Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo exchanged stunned looks.

Bibi Dong spoke first, her tone probing. "Little Hai? The one outside the doors just now... was that you?"

Lin Hai hurriedly explained, "Teacher, it was me. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. I just wanted to test out my new spirit skill..."

His voice grew softer and softer. Chrysanthemum Douluo's words had left him somewhat ashamed. Lin Hai was not entirely without pride.

Upon hearing this, much of the surprise in Bibi Dong's eyes faded instead.

After all, no one knew better than she did just how bizarre and powerful her disciple's spirit skills were.

The news that Lin Hai had broken through to Soul Ancestor diluted her displeasure at having been watched.

"Ghostly Charm, Yue Guan, you may withdraw. We will discuss matters later." Bibi Dong waved her hand.

The two understood immediately and bowed.

"Yes, Your Holiness the Pope."

They then quickly withdrew from the main hall.

Only after the sound of their footsteps had completely faded did Bibi Dong slowly descend the steps and walk over to Lin Hai, her gaze complicated.

"Little Hai, this spirit skill of yours... is related to concealment?"

Lin Hai scratched his head and smiled.

"You could say that. My Fourth Spirit Ring came from the Floating and Sinking Pearls. Its ability is..."

Without holding anything back, he described the effects and details of his new spirit skill to Bibi Dong in full.

In his heart, Bibi Dong and Hu Liena were the two people he trusted most in this life.

After listening, Bibi Dong surprisingly did not marvel at the heaven-defying nature of his spirit skill as she usually did. Instead, she gave a soft sigh and looked at him with deep eyes.

"So... you intend to leave Spirit City and travel the continent?"

Lin Hai's heart jolted. His eyes widened at once, and a storm churned in his mind.

Could it be... could it be that Teacher heard me blurt out, "I want them all!" in my dream? No way...

The thought instantly brought a cold sweat to his back. After all, Bibi Dong's name had been part of the sentence's opening.

Before Lin Hai could ask, Bibi Dong's cool voice rang out first, carrying a penetrating certainty that seemed to see through everything.

"Do you find it strange that I am so certain you intend to leave?"

Lin Hai nodded instinctively. His heart was indeed filled with confusion, as though none of his thoughts could be hidden before his teacher.

"Because I understand you."

Bibi Dong's gaze seemed able to pierce through his soul.

"And I understand the deeper meaning behind every one of your Spirit Ring choices."

"You have always planned your actions carefully."

"For your First and Second Spirit Rings, you chose the Mysterious Suppression Ruler and the Illusionary Thought Bell, focusing on laying the foundations of the body and Spiritual Power. That was a long-term arrangement for the future."

Lin Hai nodded again, his heart faintly shaken.

"The Flowing Light Qin should have come later. But when you saw me suffering from headaches, you chose it for your Third Spirit Ring."

No emotion could be heard in Bibi Dong's voice, yet a trace of warmth lingered in her heart.

"Other than the Bu Yuan Cauldron you have already refined, six divine artifacts remain: the Immortal's Parasol, Flame Water Jade, Inkstone of No Return, Floating and Sinking Pearls, Mercy Sword, and Heaven Tying Chain."

"I suspect you will save the supremely lethal Mercy Sword for your Seventh Spirit Skill: Martial Soul True Body, hoping to obtain the possible qualitative amplification it may bring."

"The Immortal's Parasol is limited by your current strength in the early stages, while the Heaven Tying Chain is somewhat less practical within your Spirit Ring system. Most likely, they will become your Eighth and Ninth Spirit Rings."

By this point, Lin Hai felt his scalp go numb. Teacher... just how much thought did you put into this to understand my intentions so thoroughly?

With such intelligence... how could she have... Sigh! What a fool...