The Shifting Situation, Opening the Door to a New World

At this point, everything was clear.

The Law Enforcement Hall, which had originally served as Great Elder Qian Daoliu's right-hand arm alongside the Punishment Hall, had lost one arm. Yue Guan, Bibi Dong's confidant, had taken on the additional post of Law Enforcement Hall Master.

As for the commander of the Palace Guard Knights, he was merely someone dragged out to take the blame. Such a vile incident could not possibly pass without a high-ranking official being removed from office.

Lastly, Bibi Dong taking disciples was compensation.

This incident had placed Xu Yuan and Hu Liena in danger. It would have been hard to justify not giving them some benefits.

The two were still young and had not officially taken up positions within the hall. Taking them as disciples was the most suitable reward for now.

As for whether they would refuse, that was not within Bibi Dong's consideration.

Any normal person knew what choice to make.

Hu Liena was both surprised and flattered.

Pope Bibi Dong was her idol, the benchmark of her life. As a woman, she had become Pope, taken control of the entire Spirit Hall, and stirred the winds and clouds of the continent.

Naturally, she was more than willing to become the Pope's disciple.

It was simply that the surprise had come too suddenly, giving her an unreal, dreamlike feeling—as though a pie had suddenly fallen from the sky while she was walking and landed right on her head.

Under such circumstances, she could hardly agree fast enough. Why would she refuse?

As for Xu Yuan, guided by the belief that only fools turned down benefits, he naturally would not refuse either.

Though being the Pope's disciple was merely an identity and came with no specific position, it could still be considered a step into the heavens.

He had been planning to release Immortal Happy Water recently. With such an identity, everything became countless times easier at once.

The meeting ended.

Bibi Dong gestured to Xu Yuan and Hu Liena, then led them out of the meeting hall through a side entrance.

As her two trusted enforcers, Yue Guan and Gui Mei naturally followed closely behind.

The remaining Red-Clad Bishops, Archbishops, Platinum Bishops, and elders watched Xu Yuan and Hu Liena's departing backs with thoughtful expressions.

More than twenty years ago, Bibi Dong had become Pope Qian Xunji's disciple. More than ten years ago, she had taken the position of Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden. Five years ago, Qian Xunji had died, and Bibi Dong had succeeded him as Pope.

Which of the two would be the next to receive the position of Pope from Bibi Dong?

At this moment.

Outside the meeting hall, heads were already rolling, and dark red blood flowed across the ground.

It even ran down the mountain path toward the foot of the mountain, reflecting a dark crimson trail of blood beneath the sunlight.

The sight filled Spirit Hall's middle and upper ranks alike with awe.

Although Bibi Dong had only held the position of Pope for a few years, the political methods she displayed were not weak in the slightest.

Yet after this incident, everyone saw another side of Bibi Dong.

This petite, delicate woman was ruthless in her methods and swift in her actions, making cold sweat break out across many people's backs.

Ruthlessness alone would have been one thing, but she was also insane.

Geniuses as rare across the entire continent as Xu Yuan and Hu Liena had been used as bait without even the slightest hesitation.

Had she not considered what would happen if those Evil Spirit Masters broke their word and simply ate the two of them?

Many believed that with Bibi Dong acting so recklessly, Great Elder Qian Daoliu would not simply stand by.

Yet several days passed, and not only did the Great Elder fail to descend the mountain, but the entire Worship Hall remained silent, as though nothing had happened.

Many of Spirit Hall's higher-ups fell silent and began reassessing the current situation.

Of course.

People like Xu Yuan, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei, whose interests were tied to Bibi Dong's, were naturally delighted by this development.

The greater Bibi Dong's authority became, the more they would thrive.

Over the following days.

Xu Yuan and Hu Liena remained on Pope Mountain, eating and living with Bibi Dong.

When Bibi Dong took the two as disciples and carefully instructed them, she truly was not merely paying lip service.

Some of the concepts and experience she taught far surpassed even Yue Guan's, benefiting Xu Yuan immensely.

The most obvious change was that when Xu Yuan used his Martial Soul, elemental conversion became much simpler and more convenient.

Previously, when Xu Yuan used the Elemental Canon to perform fusion skills combining two elements, he needed to manually turn to the corresponding pages for both elements. It was manageable in ordinary circumstances, but in battle, it undoubtedly wasted a great deal of time.

Through the method Bibi Dong taught him, he could now switch directly.

It was like how Bibi Dong could switch between her Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Eater Spider Emperor Martial Souls in an instant without any interference.

As a result, Xu Yuan's elemental fusion could now be unleashed instantly like an ordinary attack.

Naturally, this greatly increased Xu Yuan's strength.

A week later.

After a week of Bibi Dong's careful guidance, Xu Yuan and Hu Liena returned to Spirit Academy at the foot of the mountain.

This time, as Xu Yuan descended the mountain, he could clearly sense that the attitudes of those around him had changed noticeably.

Everyone looked at him with goodwill in their eyes.

Some Red-Clad Bishops and Archbishops whose names Xu Yuan could not even remember tried every possible way to arrange a fateful encounter with him, merely so they could exchange a few words.

Yet after returning to the academy, things became somewhat different again.

The classmates who had once been fairly familiar with him now looked at him with obvious reverence in their eyes and were no longer as close as before.

They spoke cautiously, as though afraid that if they said something wrong, they would be dragged out and beheaded the next moment.

His status was different now. Xu Yuan understood.

That evening.

Xu Yuan placed the newly made Happy Water into a custom-made sealed case one by one. After greeting Hu Liena and leaving her a small barrel, he carried the case straight up Pope Mountain.

Along the way, people constantly greeted him, and Xu Yuan responded to each with a smile and a nod.

Before long, he arrived at the entrance to Bibi Dong's study with practiced ease and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock!

"Come in."

Hearing Bibi Dong's calm voice from within, Xu Yuan straightened his clothes and quickly pushed the door open.

"Teacher!"

Inside the study, Bibi Dong wore loose, casual clothing. Her legs were crossed high against the edge of the desk, while she reclined in her chair with a lazy expression.

"Is something the matter?"

This was not the first time Xu Yuan had seen her like this, so he was no longer surprised. He strode forward and placed the case in his hands on her desk.

"This disciple had some free time and made some special drinks from my hometown. I thought Teacher might not have tried them before, so I brought them for you to have a taste."

"Special drinks?"

Bibi Dong lowered her feet from the edge of the desk and sat up slightly. The weather had been growing hotter lately, and the mention of something to drink made her genuinely thirsty.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan immediately opened the case, took out a cup of Happy Water, and dropped two ice cubes into it.

He inserted a straw and slowly pushed it in front of Bibi Dong.

"Please try it."

Following Xu Yuan's instructions, Bibi Dong gently took the straw between her red lips and drew in a sip.

One sip!

That single sip seemed to open the door to a new world. Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes instantly lit up.