Return to Spirit Academy, Bickering Among Those in the Shadows

After getting out of bed and washing up, Zhao Xiaotian left his room. As he stepped outside, he touched the pale blue bead in his pocket and smiled faintly.

Let it be a dream. I just hope that when we meet again, I won't have any other feelings involved.

Zhao Xiaotian and Liu Baibin boarded a carriage bound for Spirit City. Soon after the carriage set off, a white figure leaped out of the White Shadow Sect and followed behind them.

On the carriage, Liu Baibin asked, "Xiaotian, you can't call me Uncle at the academy, understand?"

Zhao Xiaotian nodded. "Got it!" After saying that, he took out a mask and put it on. Liu Baibin smiled at the sight. "I wonder whether Ruyan and Ruxue will target you when they see you."

Before long, the carriage arrived outside Spirit Academy. Since Zhao Xiaotian needed to go to the Papal Palace to let Bibi Dong know he was safe, he had the carriage head there instead.

Not long afterward, the carriage stopped outside the Papal Palace. Zhao Xiaotian stepped down, and the Holy Emperor Warriors outside the palace all dropped to one knee.

"Holy Son!"

Zhao Xiaotian ignored them and walked straight into the hall. As soon as he entered, he saw Bibi Dong listening to reports from the masters of the Spirit Temples across various regions.

As Bibi Dong listened, she spotted Zhao Xiaotian standing outside the doors. She immediately interrupted Salas, who was reporting. "All right! Report these matters tomorrow. You may all leave!"

"Yes, His Holiness the Pope!"

After everyone had left, Bibi Dong walked up to Zhao Xiaotian and asked, "Xiaotian! How was your time with your mother's family?"

Before Zhao Xiaotian could speak, Bibi Dong said in shock, "Your Soul Power Level is already Level 38!"

At that, Zhao Xiaotian summoned his martial soul and soul rings. The Taiji diagram behind him slowly rotated, while one purple and two black soul rings gleamed brilliantly around him. Ghost Charm and Yue Guan, hidden in the shadows, stared at the scene in disbelief.

Once Bibi Dong recovered, she coughed lightly. "Ahem! Very good. As expected of the Holy Son of our Spirit Hall. Xiaotian, I want to introduce someone to you today."

Zhao Xiaotian frowned. "Who?"

Bibi Dong called toward the outside, "Nana, come in!"

The young girl outside the doors entered. Zhao Xiaotian looked at Hu Liena with a puzzled expression, while Bibi Dong introduced her. "Xiaotian, let me introduce you. This is Hu Liena. Like you, she is a student in Class Three."

Zhao Xiaotian continued staring fixedly at Hu Liena. Seeing this, Bibi Dong coughed a few times. "Ahem! I took Nana as my disciple on the second day after you went to your mother's family. So, Xiaotian, you must treat her well from now on."

Zhao Xiaotian nodded. "Understood!"

Hu Liena also understood Zhao Xiaotian's identity and cupped her hands. "Nana greets the Holy Son!"

Zhao Xiaotian ignored Hu Liena and said to Bibi Dong, "Mother, I'm returning to the academy. Your son will often come back to the Papal Palace to see you."

Bibi Dong nodded. "All right! Go on, then. Be careful on the road."

Bibi Dong then turned her gaze to Hu Liena. "Nana, return to the academy with your senior brother!"

Zhao Xiaotian frowned. "Mother, I've already taken the sect master of the White Shadow Sect as my teacher, so she isn't my junior sister!"

Bibi Dong's expression darkened slightly. "You are my son. There is nothing wrong with Nana calling you Senior Brother."

Zhao Xiaotian wanted to argue further, but Bibi Dong cut him off. "Enough! Nana will be your junior sister from now on. Go back to the academy together."

Zhao Xiaotian said nothing more. He left the Papal Palace and boarded the carriage he had arrived in. Hu Liena followed him onto the carriage as well.

At Zhao Xiaotian's command, the carriage headed toward Spirit Academy. Inside the Papal Palace, Bibi Dong said to the shadows, "Ghost Charm! Protect my son in secret. If anything happens to him, bring me your head!"

Ghost Charm stepped out of the shadows and cupped his hands. "Yes, His Holiness the Pope."

Qian Daoliu in the Worship Hall had also sensed Zhao Xiaotian's return to Spirit City. He called toward a room covered in frost, "Light Feather, go protect my grandson!"

The door to the frost-covered room opened, and a youthful-looking man dressed in pale blue walked out. He cupped his hands and said, "Understood, Big Brother. Leave little Xiaotian to me!"

In the blink of an eye, Zhao Xiaotian and Hu Liena's carriage had arrived at Spirit Academy. Zhao Xiaotian was the first to step out, and students from Class Three and other classes immediately appeared outside.

When Yan, standing among the Class Three students, saw Hu Liena step out of the carriage second, fury blazed in his eyes. Zhao Xiaotian paid him no attention at all and walked past him toward the classroom.

At this moment, Liu Jin, Light Feather Douluo, and Ghost Charm were already bickering in the shadows. None of them could stand the sight of the others. Ghost Charm in particular looked like a child who had done something wrong, not daring to raise his head.

"Well, well! Little Light Feather, you saw this old man and still haven't paid your respects?"

"What a joke! I, Light Feather, am the Fifth Enshrined Elder of the Worship Hall. Since when has anyone been worthy of making me bow?"

"Yes, yes, yes! I, White Jade Douluo, a peak Level 97 Douluo, am not qualified to have you bow to me."

Hearing those sarcastic words, Light Feather Douluo angrily released his soul rings. Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—nine soul rings appeared around him and rose and fell as Level 97 Soul Power erupted instantly.

Liu Jin refused to be outdone and released his own soul rings. Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red—nine soul rings appeared around Liu Jin and rose and fell as peak Level 97 Soul Power erupted instantly.

The appearance of the hundred-thousand-year soul ring left Light Feather Douluo dumbfounded. Ghost Douluo, Ghost Charm, was especially terrified. He was only a Level 95 Titled Douluo; when had he ever encountered such a scene? His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed onto the ground, pretending to be dead.

The powerful Soul Power fluctuations instantly drew the attention of Spirit Academy's upper ranks. More than a dozen Soul Sages and Soul Emperors appeared in the academy plaza at once.

The students from every class were so frightened that they hurried back to their respective classrooms. At this moment, only one class's homeroom teacher waited calmly in the classroom for his students.

Zhao Xiaotian and Hu Liena entered the classroom. Liu Baibin nodded at Zhao Xiaotian but completely ignored Hu Liena.

Zhao Xiaotian returned to his seat and sensed the powerful Soul Power fluctuations as well. He merely felt helpless and had no intention of interfering. Taking out a book, he began to read.

At that moment, Liu Baibin transmitted his voice to him. "Xiaotian! These two peak Douluos are both your elders. Aren't you going to do something?"

Zhao Xiaotian replied, "It has nothing to do with me! Besides, neither of them will fight over something this trivial."

"Ha ha ha! Xiaotian, I didn't expect you to understand Offering Light Feather so well!"

After a pause, Liu Baibin transmitted his voice again. "Xiaotian! I have two daughters, your cousins. One is called Liu Ruyan, and the other is called Liu Ruxue. They are both sixth-year students now and will soon graduate and return to the family for cultivation. How about getting to know them?"

Zhao Xiaotian nodded slightly in response. "All right! After school, Uncle, bring my two cousins over."