"Xiao Ban, where should we go have fun next?"
Bibi Dong and Ban Shu strolled aimlessly along the bustling streets of Heaven Dou City.
"What do you mean? There are plenty of fun places here."
Ban Shu pointed to the rouge shop in the distance. "Don't girls like rouge and face powder? Why not go in and take a look?"
"I'm not interested in that stuff. It can't improve my strength, so what's the point?"
Bibi Dong glanced at the rouge shop and turned away. For someone naturally beautiful like her, things like that were completely useless.
"Fair enough. Looks like you don't need any of it."
Ban Shu looked Bibi Dong over. Even without makeup, she was a peerless beauty.
Seeing Ban Shu's admiring gaze, Bibi Dong smiled faintly, clearly pleased.
"Tell me, we didn't come here just to have fun, did we?"
Bibi Dong looked around. "What's the plan?"
"Of course." Ban Shu pointed to the magnificent building in the distance. "I actually had another reason for coming to Heaven Dou City: the Soul Fighting Arena here."
"The Soul Fighting Arena?"
Bibi Dong looked up at the huge circular building, the most prominent landmark in Heaven Dou City, and nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. How could we come here without visiting the Soul Fighting Arena? We can earn a little spending money while we're at it."
"Didn't our teacher give us plenty of money?"
"Come on, our teacher's money is our teacher's. What's ours is ours."
Bibi Dong held up a finger and waggled it in front of Ban Shu with a smile. "Spending the teacher's money comes with a burden. It's different when you earn it yourself. My little nest egg is about to get a boost."
"You actually have a little nest egg?"
Ban Shu rolled his eyes helplessly and took her hand. "Come on, let's book two rooms. The Soul Fighting Arena doesn't open until evening."
"Oh."
Bibi Dong nodded and followed Ban Shu as they searched the area.
Before long, they came to a building adorned with roses and hearts.
"How about this place?"
Bibi Dong pointed to the hotel ahead. "Look how pretty it is. The service must be good, too."
"Uh..."
Ban Shu looked at the hotel and scratched his cheek. "Don't tell me you don't know what kind of place this is."
"Oh, what does it matter? As long as it's comfortable, that's all that counts."
Bibi Dong patted Ban Shu on the shoulder. "What, are you afraid I'll take advantage of you?"
"Give me a break. There's nothing I'm afraid of."
Ban Shu snorted. Since Bibi Dong wasn't worried, why should he act timid? He took her hand and led her inside.
Behind him, Bibi Dong smiled faintly and stuck out her tongue at him.
Golden Crocodile Douluo, who had been following them from a distance, froze when he saw them enter a couples' hotel. "These two children shouldn't be in such a hurry. They're still so young; they shouldn't be thinking about spending their lives together yet."
Golden Crocodile Douluo stroked his beard and decided to remind them that evening not to get carried away.
Inside the hotel, Ban Shu went to the front desk and tapped on it. "Sorry for the trouble. We'd like two of your best rooms."
The receptionist looked at Ban Shu, then at Bibi Dong behind him, and gave them a knowing look. Then he smiled. "Sir, we only have one room left."
Realizing the receptionist had misunderstood, Ban Shu shook his head helplessly. "Don't get the wrong idea. We're siblings. We need two rooms."
"I'm terribly sorry, but we really only have one room left." The receptionist still wore that mysterious smile.
"I knew it."
Ban Shu slapped his forehead and was about to argue, but Bibi Dong pulled him back. "One room is fine. Let's do that."
"All right."
The receptionist handed them a room card. "Here's your room card, number 2399. Please keep it safe."
"That was fast. Are you the Flash?" Ban Shu stared blankly at the receptionist. He hadn't even seen how the man had processed their booking.
"Oh, don't worry about it. Come on." Bibi Dong dragged him upstairs.
After they went up, the receptionist shook his head and muttered to himself, "Looks like the girl's robbing the cradle. Tsk, I hope she doesn't get swindled out of everything."
When they opened the door, Bibi Dong immediately spotted the bed covered in rose petals and excitedly sprang onto it.
"Ooh, this is so comfortable!"
Bibi Dong made a few swimming motions on the bed, then rolled onto her side and beckoned to Ban Shu. "Xiao Ban, come over here~"
Ban Shu rolled his eyes. "I'm not even an adult yet. Be careful, or I'll have you arrested."
"Tsk."
Bibi Dong gave a soft snort and looked him up and down. He was tall and already close to six feet. "Tell people you're nine and see if they believe you."
"What's it to you? Am I not allowed to be well-developed?"
Ban Shu sat at the table and took a box from his storage ring. Light already filled the gaps in it; it would take only a little more to open.
When Bibi Dong saw him take out the box, she quickly jumped off the bed and leaned over his back. "It's been a whole year. The box can finally be opened. I've been dying to see what's inside."
"Don't rush. We'll have bread, and jam, too."
Ban Shu exhaled and slowly poured his Soul Power into the box. The light on its surface gradually brightened, then finally merged into one.
Click~
There were no dazzling effects or celestial omens. The box simply opened.
"Hm?"
Bibi Dong had been hiding behind Ban Shu, ready for anything. When nothing happened, she looked perplexed. "Could this be a trick? Did all that effort go to waste?"
"No."
Ban Shu opened the lid and saw a small, round bead inside, like an inlay from some object.
"What is this...?"
Ban Shu slowly reached out. The next moment, the bead glowed purple and floated into the air.
Before Ban Shu could react, his fingertip stung. A drop of blood was absorbed by the bead, which then hovered quietly in the air.
"Xiao Ban? Are you okay?"
Bibi Dong quickly took Ban Shu's hand and examined it repeatedly.
"I'm fine."
Ban Shu stopped her.
"Is this a blood-bonding ritual?"
Ban Shu looked at the trace of blood on his finger, deep in thought.
Before long, the bead began to move again. After floating in the air for a while, it sank into Ban Shu's forehead.
The next moment, Ban Shu closed his eyes and slowly collapsed.
"Xiao Ban!"
Bibi Dong hurriedly caught him and patted his face, but no matter how she called to him, he didn't respond at all.
"Grandpa Golden Crocodile! Grandpa Golden Crocodile, something's happened to Xiao Ban!" Bibi Dong looked around and quickly called for him.
"What happened?"
The next moment, Golden Crocodile Douluo suddenly appeared in the room.
Bibi Dong quickly told him what had just happened, then laid Ban Shu on the bed. "Grandpa Golden Crocodile, what happened to Xiao Ban?"
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