Hearing footsteps, Qian Xunji didn't turn around. He simply spoke in a calm voice, yet an invisible pressure hung over the words, making the air in the entire hall feel several degrees heavier.
"You're back?"
Bibi Dong released her grip on Deng Tianxin and knelt on one knee, bowing her head in greeting. "Teacher, your disciple has returned."
Deng Tianxin was set down on the ground. He stumbled before managing to steady himself.
He raised his head and curiously studied the man standing on the steps with his back to them.
This man gave him a completely different feeling from Bibi Dong. Bibi Dong was powerful, but her aura was like a drawn sword—sharp and direct.
Qian Xunji, on the other hand, felt like a mountain bearing down over his head, heavy and oppressive, making Deng Tianxin instinctively want to shrink back.
Qian Xunji slowly turned around.
He looked to be just over thirty, with handsome features and deep-set eyes. His golden hair fell loose down his back, and his gold papal robes trailed along the floor. Every gesture carried the authority of a man accustomed to giving orders.
His gaze rested on Bibi Dong for a moment, then slowly lowered to Deng Tianxin.
His expression was calm, yet Deng Tianxin felt as if a ferocious beast had its eyes on him.
Qian Xunji looked at Deng Tianxin, his brows drawing together slightly. In a cool voice, he asked, "Dong'er, who is this child?"
Bibi Dong rose to her feet, about to answer.
Before she could speak, Deng Tianxin stepped forward with perfect composure.
He straightened his little back, neatly folded his small hands in front of him, and gave a flawless ninety-degree bow, not the slightest bit perfunctory.
"Greetings, Your Holiness the Pope." Deng Tianxin's voice was childishly sweet, yet he spoke each word clearly and distinctly. "My name is Deng Tianxin. I'm six years old, and I came to Spirit Hall with Auntie Bibi Dong to broaden my horizons. It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope you'll look after me."
After speaking, he bowed once more. When he straightened, he kept his hands properly folded in front of him, a polite smile on his face.
Bibi Dong stood beside him, her eyes wide as saucers.
Watching Deng Tianxin's smooth, flawless display of etiquette, she felt her mind buzzing.
When this little rascal was alone with her, he was either grinning cheekily or talking slickly. One moment he'd say, "Auntie, I want to marry you," and the next he'd tell her she had a lecherous smile. He'd driven her blood pressure through the roof more times than she could count.
How had he suddenly turned into a well-mannered little gentleman in front of Qian Xunji?
His face changed faster than the pages of a book, without even a hint of transition.
Bibi Dong grumbled inwardly: You little rascal, you really do have two faces. In front of me, you're a little hooligan, but in front of my teacher, you put on quite the act. With acting skills like that, it's a crying shame you're not the star of a theater in Spirit City.
Deng Tianxin, your politeness makes me sick.
Looking at the little boy before him, whose bow had been flawless, Qian Xunji raised an eyebrow slightly.
He had seen plenty of people tremble before him, barely able to get a word out. He had also seen many adult Soul Masters try to act calm, only to fail to hide their nervousness.
But this six-year-old child had bowed with impeccable form, his gaze clear and honest. He showed neither fear nor fawning, which was rather interesting.
He noticed the dragon horns on Deng Tianxin's forehead, but paid them no mind.
All sorts of strange things happened on Douluo Continent, and they were all caused by Martial Souls.
Even if the horns weren't caused by a Martial Soul, they were probably caused by something else. It was no big deal.
"Deng Tianxin." Qian Xunji repeated the name, letting his gaze sweep over the boy. "Why did you come to Spirit Hall?"
Deng Tianxin lifted his head. His big, round eyes met Qian Xunji's without fear, and his little face was filled with earnestness.
"Your Holiness the Pope," Deng Tianxin answered in a clear, ringing voice that echoed through the spacious hall, "Teacher Bibi Dong said she wanted to take me as her disciple, so I came to Spirit Hall with her."
Standing nearby, Bibi Dong heard the words "Teacher Bibi Dong" tumble from Deng Tianxin's mouth and felt as if she'd been struck by lightning. Goosebumps spread from her arms all the way to the back of her neck.
Teacher?
This little rascal had called her teacher?
Since they'd met, what had he called her? Auntie, old auntie, lovesick fool, pervert—every single name had danced right on top of her temper.
Now he was suddenly calling her Teacher Bibi Dong, and so sweetly, so obediently, so naturally. For a moment, she was dazed, wondering if she was dreaming.
Bibi Dong instinctively rubbed her arms, trying to smooth down the goosebumps.
She thought to herself that some filthy thing must have possessed Deng Tianxin.
Qian Xunji turned his gaze to Bibi Dong, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes. "Dong'er, you intend to take him as your disciple?"
Bibi Dong came back to her senses and hurriedly bowed as she answered, "Yes, Teacher. This child has exceptional talent. I believe that with proper training, he'll become a great man one day."
"Oh?" Qian Xunji looked back at Deng Tianxin, his gaze growing more inquisitive. "There are few people Dong'er would take the initiative to accept as a disciple. Little friend, what makes you special?"
Deng Tianxin blinked, turned to look at Bibi Dong, then turned back, a sweet smile spreading across his little face.
"I'm already Level 22," Deng Tianxin replied.
"Twenty-two?"
For the first time, Qian Xunji's placid face showed a clear reaction. He looked over the little boy who barely reached his knee again, his gaze several times sharper than before.
Six years old. Level twenty-two.
Even to the Pope of Spirit Hall, who had seen countless geniuses, those two numbers together were enough to be called astonishing. How many Soul Masters on the continent spent their entire lives unable to break through the level-twenty bottleneck? And this child had already reached the threshold of a Soul Grandmaster at six.
He was somewhat puzzled. Why had Bibi Dong discovered such a genius instead of someone from Spirit Hall's ranks recruiting him?
Not that he thought there was anything wrong with Bibi Dong finding him. It was just that, given Spirit Hall's procedures, he should have heard of Deng Tianxin.
But he hadn't known about Deng Tianxin at all. He'd only learned of him when Bibi Dong brought him back.
It seemed they needed to improve the basic Soul Master knowledge training for Spirit Hall's lower ranks, Qian Xunji thought to himself.
Qian Xunji fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "What is your Martial Soul?"
Deng Tianxin blinked.
He had been prepared for this question. After all, saying he had a God of Love Martial Soul would be far too shocking.
A six-year-old boy with the God of Love as his Martial Soul? However you looked at it, something seemed off.
Deng Tianxin thought for a moment, then said, "I don't know. I'll show you."
After speaking, he released his God of Love Martial Soul.
In the next moment, a hazy pink-gold figure appeared behind Deng Tianxin, clad in flowing gauze and holding a heart-shaped scepter.
Six radiant wings spread behind it, while red threads and heart-shaped points of light floated around it, radiating a gentle yet dignified aura.
Bibi Dong and Qian Xunji both stared at the Martial Soul in shock.
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