Meeting Bibi Dong Again

Chen Li's heart began to pound uncontrollably.

Before absorbing it, his greatest hope was merely to obtain a Soul Ring that the Rumble-Rumble Fruit could accept, breaking through his level shackles.

But the upgradeable attributes completely surpassed his most optimistic expectations!

What did this mean?

It meant that the high-quality Soul Ring forged by his Gulp Gulp Fruit was not a fixed endpoint, but a cornerstone that could continuously evolve and grow as he acquired more and higher-quality materials, and as his own strength improved!

What if...

What if every Soul Ring could be like this? What if he could gather nine Soul Rings for the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, and elevate them all to unimaginable qualities...

Chen Li's breathing quickened slightly, and an image involuntarily appeared in his mind.

One day in the future, he would stand between heaven and earth, his Lightning Martial Soul radiating brilliant light behind him. The Soul Rings surrounding it would no longer be the conventional yellow, purple, black, and red, but nine dazzling, cognition-defying Soul Rings, perhaps already crimson gold, purple gold, or even containing divine patterns!

Each one would represent a divine skill that touched the very origin of rules! What a sight that would be? Even the so-called gods would likely cast a glance, wouldn't they?

This thought, like a wildfire, instantly ignited the deepest ambition within his heart. But soon, he forcefully suppressed his surging emotions.

"One step at a time," he admonished himself in a low voice, his gaze becoming clear and firm once more. "The primary task now is to stabilize my realm, gain trust, and then... obtain more Soul Rings to verify the upgrade path and the required conditions."

He slowly closed his eyes, abandoning idle thoughts, his breathing gradually becoming long and rhythmic.

Soul Power circulated within his body along the newly opened meridians, widened and strengthened by the energy of the Thousand-year Soul Ring. It consolidated his level eighteen realm, repaired the last subtle damages, and deepened his fusion and understanding with that Purple Soul Ring.

Meditation replaced sleep and useless daydreams.

The next morning, as dawn broke.

Chen Li had already tidied himself up and changed into a fitted, dark casual outfit provided by the Martial Soul Hall. He was full of energy, his eyes clear, though a fleeting glint of sharp lightning occasionally flashed, showing how different he was from yesterday.

As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, he saw Yue Guan's striking red attire standing quietly in the morning mist.

"The timing is perfect. Your Majesty the Pope has half an hour of free time," Yue Guan said calmly, without any extra words, and turned to leave. "Follow me."

"Yes," Chen Li replied, quickly following.

The two walked one after another through the slightly quiet streets of Martial Soul City in the early morning, heading once again towards the magnificent building atop the hill, a symbol of the supreme authority in the Soul Master world: the Palace of the Pope.

Unlike last time, when he was the one being scrutinized, Chen Li felt less apprehension this time, replaced by a sense of calm and a hint of anticipation. He knew that this meeting would determine his future position and the resources he could obtain within the Martial Soul Hall.

The massive gilded doors slowly opened before them, exuding a solemn, majestic, and subtly oppressive aura. Light streamed through the tall stained-glass windows inside, forming sacred beams of light.

Huge pillars silently supported the dome, and the floor was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the exquisite murals above.

Chen Li's gaze was involuntarily drawn to the end of the hall, to the Pope's Throne atop the multi-tiered platform.

Bibi Dong was seated there.

Today, she was still wearing her signature brilliant gold ceremonial gown, which fit her perfectly, outlining a breathtakingly perfect figure that flowed from her shoulders to her feet.

The gown was embroidered with intricate and sacred patterns using gold and silver threads, and over a hundred red, blue, and gold gems were inlaid like stars, shimmering with a dazzling yet unapproachable brilliance under the hall's light.

The Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown atop her head was extraordinarily luxurious, with fine tassels hanging down that seemed to ripple with a strange halo as they swayed gently. Her slender, fair hands were clasped in front of her. In one hand, she held the Pope's Scepter, about two meters long, topped with a massive purple gem. The scepter rested on the ground, silently proclaiming her supreme authority.

What was most impossible to ignore was her near-perfect face and unique aura.

Her skin was as white as snow, her features as exquisite as if carved by the gods themselves. Her brows held both feminine beauty and the majesty and detachment of someone ruling the world.

Her pale purple eyes looked towards him calmly, as deep as the starry sky, as if capable of seeing through the deepest secrets of the human heart, yet possessing a natural nobility and sacredness that compelled one to submit and worship.

She sat there quietly, without any words or actions, yet she was the absolute center of the entire hall, and indeed, of Martial Soul City. She was the Pope, the leader, and the most powerful, mysterious core of this vast Soul Master empire.

Yue Guan stopped dozens of steps away from the platform and bowed. "Your Majesty the Pope, I have brought Chen Li."

Chen Li followed closely behind, also bowing, his voice clear and steady. "Chen Li pays his respects to Your Majesty the Pope."

He looked up, meeting her pale purple eyes with a steady gaze. His heart stirred slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

He knew that the real test might only be beginning now. And he was no longer the waste of yesterday who could only await judgment.

The moment Bibi Dong's gaze fell upon Chen Li, an invisible yet extremely pure and condensed surge of Soul Power quietly spread out. Like the most precise fiber optic probe, it gently but thoroughly scanned Chen Li from head to toe, inside and out.

This was not an attack, but a higher level of detection, against which any disguise or anomaly would be difficult to hide.

The result of the scan caused a barely perceptible flicker of surprise in her deep purple eyes.

"Not bad," she finally spoke, her voice clear and cold like an ice spring, revealing little emotion, as calm as if she were evaluating a newly completed work of art. "It seems you have not only resolved the difficulty of absorbing Soul Rings but have also received... an unexpected gift. Let me see it."

"Yes, Your Majesty the Pope." Chen Li held his breath, concentrating, and willed it with his mind.

Hiss, crackle!

More refined and condensed lightning fluctuations than yesterday erupted from the pores of his body, filling the air with a static electricity that made the skin tingle slightly.

Immediately afterward, the blue and white phantom of lightning, symbolizing the origin of electricity, clearly appeared behind him. At the core of the phantom, a deep, solid, and slowly pulsing Purple Soul Ring was clearly visible. Purple light and lightning intertwined, exuding a natural pressure.

The first Thousand-year Soul Ring.

Even with Bibi Dong's composure and knowledge, when this scene, which defied the ironclad rules of the Soul Master world, appeared so vividly before her, her pupils still couldn't help but contract slightly.