"Ling Yuan, sis."
"So big!"
Su Chen looked completely serious.
This woman.
Now it was his turn to strike.
He'd found her weakness.
"There's nothing there."
"Just a little tiger."
At his words, a blush spread from Ye Lingyuan's fair neck to her cheeks.
She covered Su Chen's mouth.
Then she glanced around.
"Shut up!"
"Ling Yuan, sis, you wouldn't want other people finding out about your secret, would you?"
Su Chen pried her hand away, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Ye Lingyuan knew he was doing it on purpose. She shot him an annoyed look, then played along, pretending to be scared. "Y-you want what?"
"Hahaha!"
Su Chen slipped free of her arms, gave her a meaningful look, then turned and left.
"From now on, you'd better do as I say."
"You little rascal!"
Ye Lingyuan watched his retreating back, amused.
She'd actually been teased by a little brat.
Still.
She looked at her palm.
She really had become so much stronger.
This Immortal Herb was definitely no weaker than a Soul Bone. It might even be worth more than a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.
And little Chen had given her such a precious Immortal Herb.
Saintess Hall.
Su Chen pushed open the door and walked into the courtyard, where he saw that familiar figure.
Bibi Dong sat upright on a jade chair, wearing a wine-red dress that hugged her body. Her long legs were crossed.
"Where have you been?"
Bibi Dong knew who had returned without even turning around.
As Su Chen came closer, her nostrils flared almost imperceptibly.
She caught the faintest scent, a fragrance unique to women.
Bibi Dong's willow brows lifted slightly.
Su Chen came over with a smile. "Teacher, I ran into a Soul Master who needed help, so I lent a hand. Heh, your disciple's got a good heart, doesn't he?"
Bibi Dong gazed at him in silence, a hint of suspicion flickering deep in her violet eyes.
She parted her lips, wanting to press him for details, but it didn't feel quite right.
She couldn't restrict her disciple's freedom and deny him any personal space.
"Don't come back so late next time."
"Also, there's something I need to tell you."
Bibi Dong sat up straight and spoke softly. "In half a year, Spirit Hall will set out to conquer Devil Island. I'll be going with them. We'll have two thousand elite Soul Masters, with Titled Douluo as our main force."
Her eyes brimmed with confidence, even a touch of pride.
This force was among the very best on the entire Douluo Continent.
No other faction could bring together such an army with ease.
She looked up at Su Chen and asked gently, "I'd like to take you with me, so you can see the Sea Soul Masters for yourself and learn about the battles of Titled Douluo. What do you think?"
Su Chen wasn't surprised. In the original timeline, Bibi Dong had even taken along a good-for-nothing who did nothing but fart. Taking him was a given.
Su Chen weighed it over. He'd get to witness battles between Titled Douluo and Peerless Douluo with his own eyes.
That kind of experience couldn't be gained through daily cultivation.
It would be invaluable to his future training.
Besides, as long as he stayed with Bibi Dong, there might be danger, but nothing would happen to him.
He agreed. Still, if he could stop Spirit Hall from going, he would.
After all, it would be Spirit Hall's people who suffered the losses. What a waste.
In the days that followed, Su Chen returned to his usual routine of daily cultivation.
Bibi Dong also needed time to cultivate, but she always made time to train Su Chen.
Whenever Su Chen went out and came back, Bibi Dong could always catch that unfamiliar scent on him. Sometimes it was faint, sometimes stronger, and it made her deeply uncomfortable.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. Soon, only a few days remained before they set out to conquer Devil Island.
Su Chen ran into Yu Xiaogang at the library again.
He didn't look nearly as spirited as before.
A scar-faced woman followed behind him.
She kept trying to touch him.
Yu Xiaogang flung her off, his face burning with anger, then strode away.
The scar-faced woman wore a sorrowful expression.
Su Chen's eyes shifted. The scarred woman seemed familiar—she looked like someone from Spirit Hall. He went over and patted her on the shoulder.
"Master Su Chen!"
The scar-faced woman immediately straightened up when she saw Su Chen.
She bowed slightly.
Everyone in Spirit City knew Bibi Dong.
And anyone who knew Bibi Dong was bound to know her disciple.
After all, Bibi Dong often brought him along wherever she went.
"What's going on with Yu Xiaogang?" Su Chen asked.
The scar-faced woman grinned. "Hehe, it's embarrassing, but I've been pursuing him for half a year, and he won't give me an answer."
Su Chen's expression turned strange.
He even instinctively took a few steps back.
"You're a woman?"
Su Chen saw the scar-faced woman's lecherous grin.
He shook his head.
Then, without drawing attention, he wiped his hand.
This was explosive.
The plot had actually changed.
It was no longer the story of Bibi Dong and Yu Xiaogang.
Now it was Yu Xiaogang and the scar-faced woman.
"True love conquers all!"
"Keep at it."
Su Chen suddenly didn't feel like talking to her anymore. He turned and headed up to the top floor of the library.
As Su Chen walked away, the scar-faced woman's ingratiating smile twisted into something sinister.
"Yu Xiaogang, looks like I'll have to get rough."
"There's nothing in Spirit City that I, Scarface, can't get."
On the top floor of Changshu Pavilion, Su Chen picked up a few books and settled into a corner.
They were all illustrated guides to Sea Soul Beasts and books on Martial Soul Theory.
He had only been reading for a little while when a sweet fragrance drifted over. Then something was slipped into his mouth.
His mouth filled with juice and sweetness.
He turned and saw a woman in a red dress, her long legs exposed.
Bai Ruyan had appeared beside him without him noticing.
She held a few pieces of fruit and smiled at Su Chen flirtatiously.
"Little Chen, back to your books again?"
"Ruyan, sis, what are you doing here?"
"Hehe, His Holiness the Pope is coming to look something up tomorrow, so I'm getting familiar with the place."
Bai Ruyan smiled.
Su Chen had to hand it to Bai Ruyan.
She'd already got Qian Xunji wrapped around her finger.
As expected of Empress Ruyan—no, Soul Emperor Ruyan.
Su Chen instinctively glanced at her belly.
Bai Ruyan chuckled. "Little Chen, you don't have to look. I'm already pregnant. I just found out."
Su Chen froze. "Really? Does Qian Xunji know?"
"He doesn't know yet. I only realized something was wrong while walking around just now. I'll tell him tomorrow when the Pope comes."
Bai Ruyan suddenly hugged Su Chen and pressed her red lips firmly to his cheek. "I have to thank you, too. When I sensed it just now, I was so scared—and so happy."
Su Chen smiled. More than half a year had passed, and at last, something had happened.
It was a little earlier than in the original timeline, but at least now he could be sure it was Qian Renxue.
"How are you going to thank me, sis?"
Bai Ruyan leaned close to Su Chen's ear, pressing her lips against it as she breathed softly. "Little Chen, you're so good to me. Without you, I'd have had to stay in Saintess Hall."