"His Holiness the Pope has arrived!"
The last word, "arrived," was drawn out, giving everyone plenty of time to react.
Three people entered right after. At the front was a stunning woman dressed in a magnificent pale-purple gown embroidered with gold silk. A crown sat atop her head, set with 108 different diamonds. In her hand was a scepter bearing a huge, glittering gemstone that dazzled the eye, surrounded by eighteen smaller gems like stars around the moon. It symbolized the status of its bearer. This was none other than Bibi Dong, the Pope of the Spirit Hall.
Behind Bibi Dong were two men: Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei, the Pope's trusted attendants.
The elders who had just sat down got to their feet once again, then bowed deeply to Pope Bibi Dong. "We pay our respects to Your Holiness the Pope."
The Third Offering, Azure Luan Douluo; the Fourth Offering, Mighty Lion Douluo; the Fifth Offering, Guangling Douluo; the Sixth Offering, Qianjun Douluo; and the Seventh Offering, Xiangmo Douluo, who had already arrived in the meeting room, also stood up. They did not bow to Bibi Dong, however, merely inclining their heads to acknowledge her.
Bibi Dong gave the offerings a slight nod in return.
"Please, there's no need for such formalities." As she spoke, Bibi Dong walked straight to the seat of honor and sat down.
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei sat down as well.
Once Bibi Dong had taken her seat, she noticed that the seats of honor and second place to her left were still empty. Her brows knitted together.
It seemed the Great Enshrined and the Second Worship had once again shown no regard for her, the Pope.
"Third Offering, why haven't the Great Enshrined and the Second Worship arrived yet?" Bibi Dong asked Azure Luan Douluo, glancing at the empty seats.
"The Great Enshrined and the Second Worship had matters to attend to, so they were delayed. Please forgive them, Your Holiness," Azure Luan Douluo replied.
"Of course. I was only worried that the Great Enshrined and the Second Worship wouldn't come, leaving all of us waiting here."
"Your Holiness is joking."
Before long, someone pushed open the meeting-room door, and an old man walked in.
The old man stood well over eight feet tall, with a flat crown of a head, eyes bright as lanterns, and a ruddy complexion. Though his hair and beard were white, he was hale and hearty. His towering frame and imposing presence seemed to hold up the sky and stand firm upon the earth. Beneath his golden armor, one could make out his powerful muscles. He looked like a smoke-blackened Vajra, a fire-tempered demon.
His eyes and brows carried a thousand layers of killing intent, while his very presence commanded respect for a hundred paces around.
The newcomer was none other than the Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo Jin Xingchuan.
The elders rose to their feet once more and bowed. "Greetings, Second Worship."
The five offerings who had already arrived stood and bowed as well. "Greetings, Second Worship."
Golden Crocodile Douluo nodded slightly, then went to his seat and sat down. Turning to Pope Bibi Dong at the head of the table, he said, "I was held up by some matters and arrived late. Please forgive me, Your Holiness."
Though Bibi Dong had cursed Golden Crocodile Douluo's family countless times in her mind, she couldn't say that aloud.
"No matter, Second Worship. I wonder why the Great Enshrined hasn't arrived yet."
"Big brother, he'll be here any—"
"I'm already here."
The meeting-room door opened once again, and an old man and a young man walked in.
The old man was old in years, but looked only in his thirties or forties. He was none other than the Great Enshrined, Qian Daoliu.
The younger one was Qian Renyu.
When they saw the Great Enshrined, Qian Daoliu, arrive, every elder and offering stood and stepped behind their chairs. Then they bowed solemnly. "Greetings, Great Enshrined."
"There's no need for formalities." Qian Daoliu spoke, then glanced at Qian Renyu beside him. "This is my grandson."
The offerings showed no particular reaction to Qian Daoliu's words, but the elders—except for Demon Bear Douluo, Ghost Leopard Douluo, and Flame Hawk Douluo—were astonished.
They had long heard that a child had come to the Worship Hall. Rumor had it he was the former Pope Qian Xunji's illegitimate son. They hadn't expected it to be true.
As if by unspoken agreement, everyone bowed to Qian Renyu. "We pay our respects to the young lord."
"There's no need for formalities, elders."
"We aren't master and servant. You're all my seniors, so please don't call me young lord again. Just use my name," Qian Renyu said.
Though Qian Renyu said that, none of the elders dared to do so.
They couldn't call him "young lord"—he'd just told them not to.
What about calling him "Yu"?
The offerings could call him "Yu" without a problem.
But if they called him "Yu" while the Great Enshrined stood right there watching, they might as well be asking for trouble. He was a Level 99 Limit Douluo.
The Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo, was watching too. He might have been weaker than the Great Enshrined, but that was only in comparison. His cultivation had reached Level 98. Who among them could withstand a sweep of that crocodile tail?
Even if neither the Great Enshrined nor the Second Worship laid a hand on them, one strike from either of their Coiling Dragon Staffs would be enough to put them in a world of hurt.
While the elders were trying to decide what to call Qian Renyu, Demon Bear Douluo stepped forward and bowed to him. "Greetings, young master."
The other elders came to their senses and bowed to Qian Renyu as well. "Greetings, young master."
The elders thought to themselves that Demon Bear looked burly and dim-witted, and usually couldn't get a word out of him. Who would have guessed he had such hidden depths?
Qian Daoliu, too, now saw Demon Bear Douluo in a new light.
Anything the elders could think of, he could think of as well.
He just hadn't expected the seemingly foolish Demon Bear Douluo to be so quick-witted today. One should never judge by appearances.
As for Qian Renyu, he hadn't thought that deeply about it at all. He had grown up in a democratic society and disliked master-servant relationships. Besides, he considered the elders to be of the same generation as his adoptive father, Qian Xunji. They were his seniors, so there was nothing wrong with them using his name.
He hadn't imagined the elders had so much going on in their heads.
When Qian Daoliu led Qian Renyu over to take their seats, another awkward problem arose.
Only a select few were allowed to attend elder meetings. One had to be a Titled Douluo to serve as an elder and take part.
Recently, only Spirit Kite Douluo had broken through Level 90 and become a Titled Douluo, so a chair had been added to the meeting room for her.
Now that Qian Renyu was attending the elders' meeting as well, there was one chair too few.
But before anyone could react, a chair suddenly shot to Qian Renyu's side at lightning speed.
The one who brought it was none other than Demon Bear Douluo, Mo Dengxian.
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