Two Years Later...

At three in the morning, Bibi Dong set down her delicate hand from handling official affairs. After placing her pen aside, she looked toward the little boy receiving an IV on the sofa.

For some reason, Bibi Dong had kept glancing toward the little boy over the past few hours. At that moment, the boy turned over and ended up right at the edge of the sofa.

Bibi Dong's heart tightened. She rushed over and placed her hand beneath the edge. Only after seeing that the boy had not fallen did she let out a breath of relief.

Seeing how adorable the little boy was, Bibi Dong finally made up her mind to adopt him. She called into the shadows, "Ghost Charm!"

A black shadow suddenly appeared beside Bibi Dong and cupped his hands. "His Holiness the Pope!"

"Go to the Spirit Orphanage and handle the adoption procedures. Write my name as the adopter, and just make up a name for the adoptee! Oh, right. Demon Bear, who returned to report earlier, said this child seemed to be the orphan the Zhao Family had been searching for all those years."

Ghost Charm's eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at the sleeping little boy. He had never expected this filthy child to be the orphan of the couple who had once eased the tense situation between Spirit Hall and the Star Luo Empire through their own efforts.

Suddenly, Ghost Charm said, "So what Brother Zhao Tian said was true! His son with his wife had just been born back then!"

"What do you mean, just born?"

Realizing he had misspoken, Ghost Charm immediately shut his mouth, cupped his hands, and withdrew. After Ghost Charm left the Papal Palace, a slender, enchantingly built man in golden armor draped an arm over his shoulder.

"What's wrong, Old Ghost? Why the long face?"

Ghost Charm shook his head. "Sigh! Do you remember what Old Bear told us after he returned with Miss today?"

Yue Guan nodded. "Of course! Brother Zhao Tian and Sister Liu's son has been found! What about it?"

"That's exactly why I'm so troubled!"

Half an hour later, Ghost Charm told him that Bibi Dong intended to adopt Zhao Tian's son. He also told him that he had nearly let slip something he should not have said.

After hearing this, Yue Guan said solemnly, "Old Ghost, it's fine for us to talk about this among ourselves. But once that child grows up, never tell him about it."

Ghost Charm nodded. "Of course! That child is wonderful. His eyes and ears resemble Sister Liu's, while his mouth and nose resemble Brother Zhao Tian's. Such a good child... I don't want him to carry hatred for the rest of his life."

After saying that, Ghost Charm did not linger to chat with Yue Guan and headed straight for the Spirit Orphanage. Seeing Ghost Charm leave, Yue Guan did not stay long either and returned to his own residence.

Before long, Ghost Charm left the Spirit Academy with the completed paperwork in hand and hurried toward the Papal Palace. Inside the Papal Palace, Bibi Dong had already ordered her servants to quickly bring the most comfortable crib.

After placing the child in the crib, Bibi Dong prepared to wash up and sleep. Elsewhere, Qian Daoliu spoke to the Offerings and Elders about what had just happened.

Since the Offerings who had gone there did not know what had happened earlier, they had no idea what was going on when their eldest brother summoned them to the Papal Palace.

Qian Daoliu told them that Bibi Dong had adopted a son. He also said that he had permitted Bibi Dong to adopt him, and even declared that the boy would either become Pope or become his heir.

Qian Daoliu dearly wanted Bibi Dong to change the child's surname to Qian, but that was impossible. He could only entertain the thought in his mind.

In the blink of an eye, two years passed, and the child from back then had reached the age to awaken his spirit.

At that moment, Bibi Dong was handling Spirit City's government affairs from recent years in the Papal Hall. Elsewhere, a six-year-old child slowly opened his eyes on the roof of the Papal Palace and exhaled a breath of foul air.

The child was named Zhao Xiaotian. Ghost Charm had added the character Xiao to the name of Zhao Xiaotian's father from this life, Zhao Tian. Ghost Charm hoped Zhao Xiaotian could become someone as respected as Brother Zhao Tian.

Zhao Xiaotian looked at the sun that had only recently risen in the distance and muttered to himself, "Still no breakthrough into the Transformation Realm? It feels like something shackling my hands is preventing me from breaking through."

At that moment, a Ghost Shadow appeared behind Zhao Xiaotian. The shadow took human form and said in a gloomy, hoarse voice, "Xiaotian, it's time. Grandpa Ghost will take you to awaken your spirit now!"

Zhao Xiaotian did not turn around. He merely stood up and brushed the dust from his luxurious clothes. Once he had cleaned himself off, he turned and followed Ghost Charm toward the Spirit Awakening Hall.

After arriving at the Spirit Awakening Hall, Zhao Xiaotian saw seven people preparing to awaken their spirits. Ghost Charm pointed at the first spot and said, "Xiaotian, go wait in the first position for the Awakener to arrive."

Zhao Xiaotian ignored him and instead walked toward the last position, beside a red-haired boy. The red-haired boy merely glanced at Zhao Xiaotian and said nothing.

Everything about Zhao Xiaotian's words and mannerisms gave off an aloof, keep-your-distance air. Even Pope Bibi Dong had been startled by his cold expression when Zhao Xiaotian was five.

Seated on the other side of the red-haired boy was an orange-haired girl. Her cheeks were exceptionally cute, making people want to go over and pinch them.

But in Zhao Xiaotian's eyes, all of that would only become an obstacle to his growing stronger. He did not spare the girl a single glance and instead closed his eyes, pondering what a spirit truly was.

At that moment, a white-haired, elderly man entered and respectfully bowed to Zhao Xiaotian. Zhao Xiaotian ignored him. Only after Ghost Charm behind him waved a hand did the old man head to the center of the Awakening Array.

The old man introduced himself. "This old man is Salas, one of Spirit Hall's Red-robed Bishops, an eighty-eighth-ranked control-type Soul Douluo. I will be the guide who opens the path of spirit masters for you.

"Let us begin! Whoever I call, step into the array!"

Before long, Salas called out, "Lu Renjia! Guo Luren! Step forward."

The two stepped forward and entered the array. Soon, they floated into the air, and the inherited spirits of their respective families appeared in their left hands. Salas was very satisfied upon seeing this and said, "Very good! These are your spirit certificates. Keep them safe. They are also your only proof for enrolling in the Spirit Academy."

"Next, Shen Jinbing! Mei Naozi! Step forward!" The two stepped into the array. Likewise, they had inherited their families' ancestral spirits. Salas issued them spirit certificates as well and reminded them to keep them safe.

After that, Salas called out again, "Next! Xie Yue! Hu Liena!"

Zhao Xiaotian opened his eyes and watched as Xie Yue and Hu Liena slowly entered the spirit awakening array. Suddenly, Xie Yue shouted, and blood-red Spirit Seals appeared in both his hands.

The Spirit Seals resembled curved blades. Zhao Xiaotian did not find them particularly novel and closed his eyes again. Then, a fox's cry drew his attention once more.

When Zhao Xiaotian opened his eyes, he saw Hu Liena's stunning figure. After awakening her spirit, an alluring aura surrounded Hu Liena. Although it held great attraction for men, Zhao Xiaotian paid it little attention.

However, the red-haired boy sitting beside Zhao Xiaotian grew excited and shouted, "Nana! You're so beautiful!"

Salas lightly coughed several times, and the red-haired boy immediately fell silent. After handing their spirit certificates to the two, Salas called out the next pair of names.

"Next! Yan! Zhao Xiaotian!"

Zhao Xiaotian was the first to rise and enter the awakening array. Yan followed closely behind him into the center of the array. Salas's voice rang out. "Take a deep breath. Don't be nervous! There is no need for any unnecessary movements. Please extend your left hands!"

The moment Zhao Xiaotian extended his left hand, he felt the shackles that had long prevented him from breaking through to the Transformation Realm loosen. Before he could even open his eyes, roaring flames ignited around Yan.

Under the scorching heat, sweat beaded heavily across Zhao Xiaotian's forehead. Suddenly, an aura of extreme darkness radiated from Zhao Xiaotian's right hand. This aura instantly caught the attention of Spirit Hall's spirit masters who possessed holy light- and darkness-attribute spirits.

Ghost Charm, who was observing from the side, immediately focused his Titled Douluo-level gaze on the black and white lights in Zhao Xiaotian's left and right hands. Once the black light became exceptionally intense, the flames erupted by Yan's awakened spirit instantly dissipated.

The surroundings were also shrouded in a powerful aura of darkness. Ghost Charm looked at Zhao Xiaotian as though he were seeing an old acquaintance, because Zhao Xiaotian's dark spirit had inherited Zhao Tian's powerful spirit.

Since there had never been any record of this spirit on the Douluo Continent, after Spirit Hall recruited Zhao Tian, they named his spirit the Black God Fish.

As for the white light, it was the White Shadow Fish spirit of Zhao Tian's wife, Liu Ning. Since Liu Ning was a daughter of a prominent Spirit Hall family, her spirit had long possessed a name: the White Shadow Fish.