Seeing Demon Bear Douluo bring over a chair, Qian Daoliu immediately felt that Demon Bear was a comrade he could trust.
"Elder Demon Bear, you gave me your own chair. What will you sit on?" Qian Renyu asked, looking at Demon Bear Douluo, who had brought over his seat.
"You needn't worry, Young Master."
"You're still growing, so you mustn't overexert yourself."
"My skin's thick and my bones are tough. Standing for a while is nothing." Demon Bear Douluo thumped his chest as he spoke.
"That doesn't seem right. I'll go get another chair for you." Qian Renyu said.
"Young Master, how could I trouble you with such a small matter? I'll go."
The speaker was none other than Demon Bear Douluo's good partner, Ghost Leopard Douluo.
As soon as Ghost Leopard Douluo finished speaking, the meeting-room door opened. Just as it was about to close, it opened again.
Ghost Leopard Douluo had already returned with a chair.
Qian Renyu thought, As expected of a Titled Douluo from the Agility Attack System.
The other elders thought, Demon Bear and Ghost Leopard really are shameless.
Enough of that. Everyone took their seats, guests and hosts alike.
Qian Renyu sat between Qian Daoliu and Golden Crocodile Douluo. By chance, he met the gaze of Pope Bibi Dong.
Looking at Qian Renyu, Bibi Dong thought, So this is that beast Qian Xunji's illegitimate son. Well, well. Just wonderful.
Looking at Bibi Dong, Qian Renyu thought, Pope Bibi Dong really lives up to her reputation. She's truly beautiful.
Though she was already married, it only added a different kind of charm, making her even more alluring.
Among history's great schemers, Cao Gong stands tall;
beneath the heavens, Mengde is the most formidable.
The ancients truly hadn't deceived me.
"Great Enshrined, may I ask what important matter we're to discuss at today's elders' meeting?" Bibi Dong asked Qian Daoliu, seated to her left.
"I'm not the one presiding over this meeting," Qian Daoliu replied, then looked at Qian Renyu, seated beside him.
Noticing Qian Daoliu's gaze, Qian Renyu immediately stood and bowed to Bibi Dong. "Your Holiness, I was the one who called this elders' meeting."
Looking at the illegitimate son of Qian Xunji before her, with his golden hair typical of the Angel Clan and features that faintly resembled Qian Xunji, Bibi Dong felt her anger flare. She replied coldly, "Then, Young Master Qian, please begin presiding over the meeting."
"Thank you, Your Holiness." Qian Renyu paid no heed to the displeasure in Bibi Dong's voice.
Qian Daoliu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them when he heard Bibi Dong's icy tone. He glanced at her but said nothing, then closed his eyes again.
Just as Qian Renyu was about to speak, thunderous applause suddenly rang through the meeting room.
Qian Renyu was puzzled. Who's so good at reading the room?
He looked around and saw that Demon Bear had started clapping.
Qian Renyu thought, Demon Bear Douluo, you've got a heart of gold.
Qian Daoliu thought, Demon Bear Douluo's future looks bright.
The other elders thought, What got into Demon Bear today? Why's he suddenly caught on?
Bibi Dong thought, Why don't I have subordinates this considerate when I hold meetings? Thinking this, she glanced at Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei with some displeasure.
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei had already anticipated Bibi Dong's reaction. They were bobbing their heads like chicks pecking at rice, avoiding her gaze, while still clapping away.
The applause went on for quite a while without stopping.
So Qian Renyu raised both hands to signal, Okay, that's enough. You can stop clapping now.
Then he began:
"Everyone, Spirit Hall has existed for over ten thousand years. The times are changing, and society is progressing, yet in some ways, Spirit Hall has fallen behind. Worse still, some people use Spirit Hall's name to deceive others, throw their weight around, and oppress the innocent."
"As the saying goes, the tide of the world rolls on. Those who follow it prosper; those who resist it perish. We must adapt to the times and make changes. That is why we're holding this meeting today."
"Our meeting today is to discuss how to address these problems. I hope everyone will speak freely and share every thought they have, offering valuable suggestions to help Spirit Hall thrive."
"Everyone, feel free to speak your minds. Spirit Hall will never punish anyone for speaking frankly."
"I'll start by offering a few suggestions of my own."
"First, as everyone knows, every month our Spirit Hall provides benefits to low-ranking Soul Masters so they can live and cultivate more comfortably."
"Some really do use Spirit Hall's subsidies to cultivate."
"But quite a few loaf around all day, living off free food and drink, relying on Spirit Hall's benefits to get by."
"Others praise Spirit Hall only when they're collecting their benefits. Once they've got them, they turn around and badmouth us."
"They take their food from our bowl, then curse us as soon as they set it down."
[Take Ma Moujun and Ao Mouka, for example. They only remember how good Spirit Hall is when they're collecting their Soul Master subsidies.]
"Worse still, some people take Spirit Hall's benefits without saying a word in our favor. That would be bad enough, but they treat Spirit Hall as an enemy."
"Take the four clans that used to be affiliated with the Clear Sky Sect: the current Strength Clan, Defense Clan, and Breaking Clan. If you have time, ask around and see what they say about Spirit Hall."
[The Strength Clan in particular is practically the Clear Sky Sect's lapdog. When its clan leader, Tai Tan, saw Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul, he immediately knelt and acknowledged him as his young master. And he kept calling Tang Hao "Master." They have no shame at all.]
"Also, we should set an age limit for Soul Masters receiving these benefits. Otherwise, someone might use their poor aptitude and low cultivation as an excuse to leech Gold Soul Coins from Spirit Hall. We'd end up being the fools who foot the bill."
"Take a certain person, for example. His Innate Soul Power was only half a level, yet he seems to have figured out that Spirit Hall gives benefits to Soul Masters below level thirty. So he's deliberately kept his cultivation below level thirty for his entire life."
"He's no spring chicken, but he's got plenty of nerve. He keeps using his low cultivation as an excuse to mooch Gold Soul Coins from Spirit Hall."
Oh. Only then did Bibi Dong understand.
He loafed around all day, living off free food and drink.
He took Spirit Hall's benefits and badmouthed Spirit Hall.
His Innate Soul Power was only half a level.
His cultivation had never exceeded level twenty-nine.
And he wasn't young anymore.
This was talking about her Xiao Gang, wasn't it?
Before you continue