A Ghost Scares People

Just a moment later.

Bibi Dong's expression softened considerably. Nana was still innocent.

"Tell me what happened today," Bibi Dong said calmly.

Su Wen knew Bibi Dong had certainly heard about what happened at the Soul Master Academy, so he didn't hide anything and recounted it all.

At the end, he even sighed. "Teacher, I looked around, and there wasn't a single person who could fight."

Bibi Dong was speechless. "I didn't send you there to fight. I sent you to find people you can rely on. Once you become the Holy Son of Spirit Hall, you'll naturally need people to follow you. You can't be the Holy Son with no one useful at your side."

"The Holy Son?"

Su Wen was slightly surprised. Bibi Dong had already started thinking of him that way.

"What..." Bibi Dong smiled. "You don't want to become the Holy Son? You'd be second only to one person and above thousands, and a candidate to become the next Pope!"

"What about Nana?"

Su Wen asked.

"She might have faced some trouble and obstacles in becoming the Holy Maiden before, but her Martial Soul has changed. She even has a thousand-year second Spirit Ring now, so she's qualified. Even the Worship Hall has no reason to object."

Bibi Dong smiled faintly. "Once you reach level thirty, I'll make you the Holy Son and Holy Maiden directly, and establish Golden Class One. That's why I sent you to the Soul Master Academy. I want everyone to know that my disciples are the best, and the most qualified to become the Holy Son and Holy Maiden."

As she spoke, Bibi Dong suddenly changed the subject. "You've reported on what happened at the academy. What about after that?"

Hu Liena had been listening with excitement. She and her senior brother would become the Holy Son and Holy Maiden.

Just thinking about it made happiness well up in her eyes.

Bibi Dong's sudden change of subject caught Hu Liena off guard, and she answered almost instinctively. "I went to Spirit City with Senior Brother."

"And then?"

Hu Liena paused and looked at Su Wen.

He was speechless, too. He knew Bibi Dong must have found out something.

Someone was watching them.

Sure enough, just as Su Wen had expected, Bibi Dong held out her hand. "Hand it over!"

Su Wen sighed, rummaged through his Soul Tool, and took out a box.

Bibi Dong opened it, and the moment she saw what was inside, she couldn't hide her distaste.

She looked at Su Wen in confusion. "Why did you prepare this? Don't I know your body? You wouldn't need this even if you really did that. Or is it... you... you don't have confidence..."

By the end, a faint blush had appeared on Bibi Dong's fair cheeks.

Hu Liena blinked, not quite understanding.

Su Wen, however, was mortified.

"Teacher, you really do have an imagination..."

"Besides that, this stuff has another special ability. It can strengthen a Soul Master's physique. It played a big part in helping Nana absorb a thousand-year Spirit Ring."

Hu Liena nodded along. "Yes, Senior Brother's right. Senior Brother helped Nana with her Spirit Ring..."

"Heh..." Bibi Dong gave a cold laugh. The more Su Wen explained, the more she suspected something was wrong with him.

Nana's word couldn't be trusted, either. If Su Wen asked her to hit him, this silly girl would probably slap him twice without hesitation.

"Nana, soften this!"

Seeing that Bibi Dong didn't believe him, Su Wen decided to demonstrate.

Being suspected of being incapable—what man could stand that?

Hu Liena summoned her Martial Soul, and her First Soul Ring lit up.

Fox Fire appeared in her palm. As its heat roasted the Whale Rubber, a meaty aroma soon wafted through the air.

"Teacher, try some!"

Su Wen held the roasted Whale Rubber out to Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong furrowed her brow slightly.

She was reluctant.

Just looking at the stuff made her uncomfortable.

But when she saw how serious Su Wen looked, doubt crept into her mind.

Could the boy be telling the truth?

After a moment's hesitation, Bibi Dong reached out with a delicate finger and placed the Whale Rubber between her rosy lips.

The pleasant aroma she'd smelled turned into an intense fishy taste as soon as it reached her mouth.

Bibi Dong frowned slightly, but under Su Wen's expectant gaze, she finally swallowed it.

A while later.

Aside from her slightly flushed skin, nothing unusual happened to Bibi Dong.

But surprise showed in her beautiful eyes. After eating the Whale Rubber, she could feel a wave of heat inside her.

Ghosts Are Scary

Once refined, that heat would turn into a special energy that strengthened the bones and improved the meridians' ability to withstand strain.

Though it didn't have much effect on her, it could make a big difference for Soul Masters and Soul Grandmasters.

"How is it, Teacher?"

Su Wen could tell from her expression that she'd been impressed.

"Heh, those nobles really don't know how to make use of a good thing."

Bibi Dong suppressed her amazement. Who would've thought this little bit of Whale Rubber had such a special effect?

She also felt relieved.

It seemed her disciple wasn't suffering from some physical problem after all.

Bibi Dong looked at him curiously. "How did you discover this?"

"When I was reading in the Spirit Hall Library, I happened to find that Whale Rubber could strengthen... that. So I thought, if it could strengthen that, then it should be able to strengthen the body, too. I tested it later, and, well, that's how we got here."

Su Wen made up an excuse without hurrying, as if he were recounting an everyday occurrence.

A hint of embarrassment flashed through Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes. She coughed and suddenly decided she didn't want to pursue the topic any further.

"This stuff really can help you, but it also has a serious side effect. When you take it from now on, the two of you can't be together unless I'm there."

Hu Liena was about to say something, but Bibi Dong silenced her with a glare before she could speak.

Hu Liena immediately lowered her head, clutching the hem of her clothes and daring not to say a word.

"Come here!"

Bibi Dong gestured for Su Wen to come closer, then reached out and pinched and tugged at him from one side to the other.

Su Wen's muscles were well-developed. If he kept in this shape, he'd have a great physique in the future.

The corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

She checked Hu Liena as well, then finally decided to let them go.

"Nana, help me roast all this Whale Rubber."

Once Bibi Dong had left, Su Wen took out the dozen or so pieces of Whale Rubber he'd collected in Spirit City that day.

Ten hundred-year pieces, five thousand-year pieces, and one ten-thousand-year piece.

Though Whale Rubber had become much less effective for him, every little bit added up.

After Hu Liena roasted it, Su Wen gave her some of the Whale Rubber.

"Nana, go back and eat it, too. Remember to soak yourself in cold water."

"Senior Brother, Nana understands... Senior Brother, Nana... Will Nana get bigger if she eats a lot of this?"

Su Wen was a little surprised to see Hu Liena blushing and looking shy.

So she had understood that part after all.

Su Wen glanced at the slight swell of her chest and couldn't help marveling at how quickly people in the Douluo world grew.

"Well, you probably will. But even without this, Nana definitely won't be lacking in that department."

Su Wen patted her head. She gave a barely audible "Mm," then hurried away.

Su Wen returned to his room to prepare to eat the Whale Rubber, but his expression suddenly changed. He sensed someone sneaking in from outside.

Tian Yue looked around and carefully crept into the courtyard.

Full of excitement and guilt, she came to the door and peeked through the crack.

She wanted to see what treasure Su Wen had that made her grandfather lament every day that time passed too slowly, and that Su Wen's luck was simply unbelievable...

Instead, what met her eyes was a pale-faced Ghost Bride, her eyes glowing blood-red and her bright red lips looking as if she'd just fed on blood.

Tian Yue and the Ghost Bride stared at each other through the crack in the door.

The Ghost Bride gave her a chilling smile, and only then did Tian Yue's mind catch up.

Panicking, her face drained of color, and she let out a scream.

The next moment, Su Wen heard someone sobbing.

He opened the door.

Tian Yue sat on the floor, waving her little hands in terror as if trying to keep the Ghost Bride away. Her eyes were misty.

She babbled incoherently.

"Why are you crying?"

Su Wen instinctively glanced at Hongdou, who tilted her head.