Just then, the hall doors were pushed open.
A seductive figure walked in.
Hu Liena carried a plate of freshly cut spirit fruit. The moment she stepped inside, she saw the jaw-dropping scene before her.
The little princess whom the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had supposedly cherished so much they feared she might break if they held her too tightly or melt if they kept her in their mouths was now acting like a little maid, massaging her junior fellow disciple's legs?
And from the look on her face, she actually seemed to be enjoying it, even feeling honored?
Hu Liena came to a halt, nearly dropping the fruit plate in her hands.
"Um... did I come at a bad time?"
Hu Liena blinked her alluring, peach-blossom eyes and asked hesitantly.
Lin Qiu looked up. When he saw Hu Liena, his expression softened a little.
"No, Senior Sister, you came at just the right time."
He pointed at Ning Rongrong, who was kneeling on the floor, his tone as casual as if he were introducing an ordinary ornament:
"This is the new maid. Her name is Ning Rongrong."
"Ning... Rongrong?"
Although Hu Liena had already heard that Ning Rongrong had been captured, seeing this scene with her own eyes still struck her like a thunderbolt.
She was the sole direct heir of one of the Upper Three Sects!
And now she was actually serving her junior fellow disciple as a maid?
When Ning Rongrong saw someone come in, she felt a little embarrassed and started to rise.
But the moment she heard Lin Qiu call her a "maid," she immediately froze as if under a binding spell, obediently remaining on her knees. She even gave Hu Liena a perfectly practiced, professional smile.
"Hello, Sister. I'm Rongrong."
Hu Liena: "..."
She looked at Lin Qiu's calm face, then at Ning Rongrong's meek and submissive demeanor, and instantly imagined an earth-shattering drama in her mind.
Junior Brother is incredible!
Not only does he overpower his peers in strength, but he's masterful with his methods, too!
To tame the precious princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect like this isn't just a conquest of Ning Rongrong herself—it's a trampling of the entire sect's dignity!
He's establishing Spirit Hall's authority!
"Junior Brother really is destined for great things. This move of striking at the heart is brilliant. Your Senior Sister admires you."
Hu Liena's gaze held more than her usual affection for Lin Qiu; it now brimmed with genuine admiration.
She walked over, set the fruit plate by the bedside, and picked up a peeled grape, holding it to Lin Qiu's lips.
"Here, Junior Brother. Have a grape."
Lin Qiu opened his mouth and accepted it, enjoying the service of two peerless beauties without a ripple in his heart.
Meanwhile, at the highest point of Pope Palace...
Bibi Dong stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, her powerful spiritual force taking in everything happening in the side hall.
Seeing the once-proud little princess so docile now, a satisfied smile appeared on Bibi Dong's dignified face.
"Well done, Qiu'er."
She had still been considering whether to wait a while before making a move against the Upper Three Sects. Spirit Hall was powerful, but if it drove those major forces into joining hands and fighting back, that would be troublesome.
But now, Lin Qiu had given her the perfect opening.
With Ning Rongrong in her hands, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had a weakness.
"Ning Fengzhi, I hope you'll know what's good for you tomorrow."
Bibi Dong tapped the floor with her scepter. A domineering, icy gleam flashed in her purple eyes. "Otherwise, I won't hesitate to change the balance of power on Douluo Continent ahead of schedule."
The next morning.
The plaza before Spirit City's Pope Palace was already teeming with people.
As the sacred ground in the hearts of soul masters across the continent, every Spirit Hall gathering drew everyone's attention.
This time, not only had the royal families of the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires been invited, but even the reclusive Clear Sky Sect had sent representatives.
Red carpet covered the ground, and flowers bloomed in profusion.
Representatives from the various factions took their seats according to their status.
"Have you heard? This banquet is mainly to confer the title of Holy Son on that mysterious figure."
"It's been all over the place! I heard Sword Douluo from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect came yesterday and caused quite a stir in the city."
"Who is this Holy Son, anyway? Why does His Holiness the Pope think so highly of him?"
The crowd buzzed with speculation, every conversation circling around the "Holy Son" who had yet to appear.
In an inconspicuous corner...
Yu Xiaogang wore a faded cloth robe and kept his head down, doing his best not to draw attention.
From time to time, he glanced sidelong at the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's seats not far away, afraid someone there might recognize him.
That self-consciousness and timidity had long since been carved into his bones.
Hearing the people around him talking, Yu Xiaogang furrowed his brow, a glimmer of confusion in his eyes.
"Holy Son? Could it be that young man?"
The image of the boy who had kicked him flying at the market that day surfaced in his mind.
"No, impossible."
Yu Xiaogang immediately dismissed the idea and shook his head.
"That boy may have some brute strength, but if he were the Holy Son, how could he have been so crude in the marketplace?
"And Bibi Dong has always had such high standards. How could she take a liking to a lout who relies on brute strength?"
At the thought of Bibi Dong, Yu Xiaogang's heart grew complicated once more.
The woman who had once obeyed his every word was now the lofty Pope.
And he was still a Soul Grandmaster, unable to break through level thirty for his entire life.
As long as I can see her at this banquet and tell her about that boy's misdeeds, she'll surely stand up for me.
Yu Xiaogang silently encouraged himself. After all, the understanding we shared in our theories is something no one else could ever replace.
Just then, the entire plaza fell silent.
"His Holiness the Pope has arrived—!"
At the Cardinal's ringing announcement, the doors of Pope Palace swung open with a thunderous crash.
Bibi Dong emerged slowly, dressed in a resplendent golden papal robe and wearing the Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown. She held a scepter and was surrounded by a host of Titled Douluo.
With every step she took, her aura of imperial authority grew stronger, pressing down on everyone present until they could hardly breathe.
"We pay our respects to His Holiness the Pope!"
On the plaza, apart from a handful of people from the Upper Three Sects and the Two Great Empires, thousands of soul masters dropped to one knee in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.
Bibi Dong took her seat at the head of the hall. Her gaze swept over the crowd before finally settling on a middle-aged man seated at the place of honor on her left.
He was the current patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Yu Yuanzhen's brow was furrowed. He did not bow, merely cupping his hands slightly. "Your Holiness, may I ask why you've summoned us here today?
"If this is merely for a meal, my clan's affairs are pressing. I'm afraid I'll have to decline."
His words were barbed, clearly revealing his dissatisfaction with Spirit Hall's repeated suppression of his clan.
Bibi Dong did not grow angry. She merely glanced at him before her voice rang across the plaza:
"I have summoned you all here today for one reason only."
She slowly rose to her feet and gestured toward the person beside her.
"To announce to the entire world that Spirit Hall is appointing a Holy Son!"
"..."
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