Evening Banquet

After Qian Yun and the other rose to their feet, Bibi Dong flipped her hand, and a treasure box appeared in her palm as if by magic.

She handed the box to Qian Yun and said softly, "Xiao Yun, open it. Inside are two Soul Tools for spatial storage; they aren't anything too precious."

Qian Yun understood immediately; the items in the box likely served the same purpose as Tang San's Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges.

Qian Yun opened the antique, luxurious box in his hands. Resting quietly on black silk were two jewelry-style Soul Tools. One was a bracelet shaped like a pink fox with its head and tail meeting, while the other was a golden gemstone that looked like a cat's eye.

Just by glancing at them, Qian Yun was stunned by Bibi Dong's extravagance. These items were worth a fortune based on their appearance alone, not to mention the added spatial storage function.

Watching their surprised expressions, Bibi Dong smiled. "Consider this a welcome gift from me. I hope you two will cultivate diligently in the future, not let your talents go to waste, and strive to serve my Martial Soul Hall as soon as possible!"

Qian Yun straightened his chest and said loudly, "This student will certainly not fail your expectations."

"Mm." A hint of gratification appeared in Bibi Dong's eyes. Regardless of their talent, it was clear that both Qian Yun and Hu Liena were intelligent, so their future achievements should be significant.

"You are already at level ten soul power, which means you can hunt soul beasts to obtain your first soul ring. Do you have any good plans?" Bibi Dong asked.

Hu Liena looked at Qian Yun and spoke tentatively, "My martial soul is a Demon Fox, which belongs to the category with stronger spiritual talent, so I plan to hunt a soul beast that is also a Demon Fox. This will most likely produce a soul ring that matches my attributes."

Bibi Dong nodded with satisfaction. "Mm, not bad. Being able to say such things proves that you have thought about it seriously."

Hu Liena smiled shyly; she didn't really understand these things. It was Elder Li who had told her about the direction for her first soul ring.

Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes shifted to Qian Yun, carrying a hint of expectation. "And what about you, Xiao Yun?"

Being stared at by her eyes, Qian Yun felt a bit embarrassed. "My martial soul is quite special, so I don't have a designated choice for now. I can only settle on the spiritual type, just like Nana."

Hearing this answer, Bibi Dong was not disappointed; instead, she praised him. "You are quite right. Although your Crown martial soul is appearing for the first time, there is no denying that its power is unquestionable. It truly shouldn't be restricted to a single domain."

Qian Yun hadn't thought that much about it; it was simply that when he asked Elder Li about it, the man had been clueless as well.

Having understood their situation, Bibi Dong did not waste any more of their time. "Alright, Yue Guan, take them to their residence. Have them come over again at dinner time."

"Yes." Yue Guan smiled and accepted the order, placing one hand on Qian Yun's shoulder while his sharp thumbnail brushed against his chin.

Qian Yun's previously relaxed body tensed up instantly, and he cursed inwardly. But he dared not act out.

The two were led by Yue Guan out of the Pope Hall, no longer under the cold, watchful eyes of the knights they had encountered upon arrival.

Once outside the hall, Qian Yun realized that from this vantage point, the entire Martial Soul City could be seen at a glance. Looking into the distance, everything within his sight was the territory of Martial Soul City. Complex yet orderly buildings filled the skyline. Although he hadn't seen the imperial capitals of the Heaven Dou Empire or the Star Cloud Empire, in terms of prosperity, they likely couldn't compare to this behemoth that spanned the territories of two great empires.

This place was far more prosperous than the Muyi City he had glimpsed, and it was even on par with the super-metropolises of his past life.

The two were taken by carriage to a place quite far from the Pope Hall, stopping in front of a large courtyard. Qian Yun had finally reached his destination.

"We're here. Do you little ones like the house I chose for you?" Yue Guan turned around, revealing his signature seductive smile.

To be honest, Qian Yun did not like his voice; if he had a choice, he would stay as far away from this guy as possible. However, it could not be denied that his aesthetic sense was on point; there was nothing wrong with this courtyard.

The grand courtyard was exquisitely laid out. Even through the wall, one could see a towering tree inside. It was now autumn, and it was covered in golden leaves. As the breeze blew, they rustled, and golden leaves drifted with the wind, looking truly beautiful.

With the people delivered, Yue Guan would not stay long. As the secretary to the boss, he had to be ready to answer Bibi Dong's summons at any time.

"This is your territory from now on. All your food, clothing, and daily necessities will be arranged for you by the servants. If you need to eat or use anything, just tell them." After Yue Guan finished speaking and gave a few more instructions, he left.

"Phew." Qian Yun could finally breathe a sigh of relief. He really didn't want to spend any more time with someone like Yue Guan, who smiled without reaching his eyes.

"Right." Qian Yun took out the box Bibi Dong had given him and pushed it toward Hu Liena. "Which one do you like? You choose first."

Hu Liena didn't stand on ceremony with him; her small hand grabbed the pink fox bracelet and put it on her fair wrist.

The sky grew dark.

The setting sun dyed the white clouds into a fiery glow. After the scorching sun went down, the evening breeze was cool, and the surrounding insects and birds chirped in unison, welcoming the time of day that belonged to them.

Hu Liena finally came out. After waiting for a long time, Qian Yun was sensible enough to compliment her, "You're dressed quite nicely."

Though he didn't know what was so good about it.

"That's because I dressed up for the Pope," Hu Liena said, while her eyes darted toward Qian Yun. "Why are you still wearing what you had on this morning?"

Qian Yun said nonchalantly, "What's the problem? I think it's quite formal."

The golden afterglow shone on Qian Yun's face, casting a shimmer on his fair skin. A warm breeze blew, lifting his long, flowing black hair. His eyes, like spring water or a calm sea, paired with his outstanding features and golden eyes, gave him an ethereal temperament.

Hu Liena looked away, though she didn't object. "Hmph, suit yourself."

With that, she was the first to board the carriage prepared for the banquet.

The two rode the carriage past many knights, but instead of entering the Pope Hall, they stopped in front of a small side hall.

Qian Yun looked up at this side hall and realized it was quite a distance from the Pope Hall. Didn't Bibi Dong find it too far to eat here?

However, come to think of it, it made sense. The Pope Hall was just where she handled official business. Even if she were a Title Douluo, she couldn't be on standby twenty-four hours a day; she would have her own private life after all.

Led by a servant, Qian Yun and the other opened a large door and found that Bibi Dong had already arrived.

As soon as Qian Yun entered, he saw Bibi Dong under the bright candlelight at the head of the table. She had shed her formal attire from the day and was wearing only a pale purple long dress. At this moment, she didn't look like the majestic female Pope from the day, but rather an ordinary, beautiful, and noble lady.

Her pale purple hair was piled high, revealing a snow-white neck. Her left hand gently cradled her slightly full abdomen, revealing a hint of white at her chest. Her slender fingers gently swirled a transparent wine glass, and as her red lips parted, the rich liquid added a touch of brightness to them, like an apple in a witch's hand, becoming even more alluring under the dim candlelight.

She seemed to have been waiting for a long time, and upon seeing them, she revealed a smile.

Qian Yun and the other walked forward with their heads bowed, saying apologetically, "Teacher, we apologize for being late."

Bibi Dong shook her head. "It's no matter. I only just arrived myself. Take your seats."

"Yes."

The waiter pulled out the chairs on the right, and Qian Yun and his companion sat down respectively.

After they were seated, Bibi Dong spoke first, "I am very happy that you like the gifts I gave you. The bracelet for Xiao Na suits you very well."

Hu Liena was so delighted by Bibi Dong's words that she didn't know what to do with herself. "Not at all, mine is just icing on the cake; Teacher is the one who is truly naturally beautiful."

Hu Liena didn't know what had gotten into her to say such a thing, and after she finished, all three of them were stunned.

"Hehe, our Nana really knows how to compliment people. Alright, bring out the dishes." Bibi Dong covered her mouth and chuckled, her bright, moving eyes full of smiles.

"Hehe." Qian Yun also chimed in with a laugh, while inwardly sighing that both of these women were high-level players; he would certainly have his hands full dealing with them in the future.

After the dishes were served, Bibi Dong began to close her eyes in prayer, and the two of them followed suit. Glancing at the calm-faced Bibi Dong, Qian Yun found it somewhat amusing.

Of the three people at the table, it went without saying for Qian Yun, but Bibi Dong was actually praying to the Angel God? She probably wished she could grind the deity into dust; it seemed she was just putting on a show.

The level of the meal Bibi Dong hosted was naturally high, and it ended in a relaxed and lively atmosphere.

The waiter cleared away the last plate, and it was finally time to discuss serious matters.

Whether it was because Bibi Dong had drunk some wine or because of the candlelight, a slight flush appeared on her face at this moment.

"After you left during the day, I thought about it carefully. I support Xiao Na's choice, but this Demon Fox spirit is very hard to find. Fortunately, news of one came out just last week, and I have already sent people to keep an eye on it." Bibi Dong spoke directly.

After speaking, her eyes shifted to Qian Yun's face. "As for Xiao Yun's spirit, I have to say that your spirit is very special. It seems that absorbing any kind of spirit ring provides a significant boost, yet none of them are particularly outstanding, and unlike Xiao Na's beast spirit, it cannot simply absorb the same type of spirit beast."

Qian Yun nodded. It was true that his spirit was an instrument spirit and a mental-type one at that. It looked like there were many types to choose from, but it seemed that none of them were the most suitable.

Bibi Dong pondered for a moment before continuing, "Therefore, after comprehensive consideration, I still recommend that you choose the Star-Chasing Deer, how about that?"

"Star-Chasing Deer?" Qian Yun repeated the name in a daze; this was a name that had never been mentioned in the original work.