A Lion's Mouth

"An external martial soul, indeed!"

As Bibi Dong caught sight of Feng Baiyu's martial soul, a flicker of nostalgia crossed her eyes.

Xiao Gang, how have you been all these years?

Observing the shift in Bibi Dong's expression, Feng Baiyu wore a peculiar look on his face.

This madwoman, she isn't thinking about her "white moonlight" at a time like this, is she?

Feng Baiyu suspected as much, but he had no intention of pointing it out.

Go ahead and reminisce about your lost love; as long as you don't pick a fight with me, you can pine for whoever you want.

With his savior yet to arrive, Feng Baiyu was more than happy to stall for time.

However, ideals were plump while reality was skeletal; after only a few minutes of wallowing in nostalgia, Bibi Dong remembered the purpose of her visit.

"Feng Baiyu," Bibi Dong's crisp, authoritative voice rang in his ears. "I intend to take you as my disciple. What say you?"

"My thanks to Your Majesty for the high regard, but I already have my grandfather to guide me," Feng Baiyu replied, having already considered various responses to Bibi Dong's potential inquiries. "Having a level 97 Title Douluo spar with me for three hours every day is more than enough for my cultivation."

A nominal master was of no use to Feng Baiyu. By using this excuse to brush her off, he didn't think Bibi Dong could find any further pretext.

Could she really spare an hour every day to tutor him?

"You refuse?" Bibi Dong was not entirely surprised by his choice. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. "You should know, there are countless benefits to becoming my disciple."

Feng Baiyu looked up at her and whispered, "Are there hundred-thousand-year spirit rings or spirit bones?"

"You!" Bibi Dong let out a cold snort. "Feng Baiyu, aren't you overestimating your own worth? Hundred-thousand-year spirit rings and bones are things even Title Douluos can only dream of!"

"But my grandfather promised to get me at least one hundred-thousand-year spirit ring in the future," Feng Baiyu said with an expression of absolute certainty. "Your Majesty, do you not offer any benefits when taking on a disciple?"

Watching that punchable face, Bibi Dong couldn't help but clench her fists.

Ever since she became Pope, no one had dared to speak to her like this in a long time. This Feng Baiyu was truly pushing his luck just because he had those old fogies from the Consecration Hall backing him!

"Feng Baiyu!" Bibi Dong stared him down. "I want the method for using whale glue to enhance one's physique."

"Of course, no problem!" Before Feng Baiyu could answer, the cry of a phoenix echoed from outside.

Soon, a figure landed before Feng Baiyu and said indifferently, "However, Your Majesty, what do you intend to trade for it?"

"Grandfather!" Feng Baiyu exclaimed upon seeing the newcomer.

He had expected Butler Shui to go fetch the two Consecrators, Qianjun and Jiangmo, but he hadn't expected his own grandfather to arrive in person.

"Haha, haha!" Feng Qingluan laughed, ruffling his grandson's hair. "Not bad, you've gained another level of spirit power. You haven't been slacking off these past two months."

Bibi Dong watched the intimate display between the grandfather and grandson, a hint of coldness in her eyes. However, she quickly composed herself.

It was already difficult enough for her to deal with one of the three Consecrators, let alone the other auras lurking outside.

"Feng Baiyu," Bibi Dong interrupted their conversation. "What do you want!"

"The Grand Consecrator previously traded a seventy-thousand-year spirit bone for the secret recipe," Feng Baiyu stated the previous price, looking perfectly innocent. "Your Majesty, surely you are more generous than the Grand Consecrator!"

"A seventy-thousand-year spirit bone?" Bibi Dong laughed in anger. "You certainly know how to ask for the moon!"

"Your Majesty, that is where you are mistaken," Feng Baiyu said with a straight face. "The Grand Consecrator only wanted this recipe for the families of the Consecrators in the Consecration Hall. But if Your Majesty possesses it, it would be enough to win the hearts of thousands of spirit masters across the world!"

Feng Baiyu continued leisurely, "Surely you understand the difference!"

"As the Pope, do you not wish to seek welfare for the spirit masters of the world?" He shook his head. "This is a golden opportunity to spread great love!"

"Your Majesty, you must promote the development of spirit masters, improve their physical fitness, strengthen the institutional construction of Spirit Hall, implement spirit master responsibilities, protect their interests, broaden their growth channels, create re-employment opportunities, and strive to help more people become spirit masters..."

Feng Baiyu spouted bureaucratic jargon, listing a heap of nonsense that Bibi Dong would never actually do, yet couldn't openly refute.

Not only was Bibi Dong left stunned, but even Feng Qingluan beside them felt as if he were meeting his grandson for the first time.

How on earth did he come up with all this?

Bibi Dong waited for him to finish, taking several deep breaths to calm her rising anger. Just moments ago, she had felt the urge to kill more than once, but she had no choice but to suppress it.

"I do not have a seventy-thousand-year spirit bone," Bibi Dong said, looking at him. "However, I can allow you to enter the Pope Palace treasury and choose one treasure."

"Choose one?" Feng Baiyu raised an eyebrow. "Your Majesty, are you certain the items inside can even be considered treasures?"

"My grandfather is a level 97 Title Douluo!" Feng Baiyu puffed out his chest, bringing his grandfather up again. "Our Feng Family doesn't look at just any common trinket!"

"Whether you like it or not, you'll only know once you see it!" Bibi Dong said coldly. "Ghost Douluo, take Feng Baiyu to the Spirit Hall treasury."

"Yes," Ghost Douluo replied from the side. "Young Master Feng, let us go."

Feng Baiyu turned to his grandfather. "Grandfather, I'm going now."

"Go on," Feng Qingluan said, not stopping him. He let his grandson leave with Ghost Douluo.

He had shown his face today not to burn bridges with Bibi Dong.

The secret recipe for the whale glue had already leaked; telling Bibi Dong now was no great loss.

As for how she would use it once she got her hands on it?

To the people of the Consecration Hall, it didn't matter in the slightest.

Even if the world knew the secret of the whale glue, so what?

Beyond driving up the price of whale glue and perhaps allowing a noble to boost their martial soul's age by a century or two, it served no greater purpose.

Only powerhouses with their level of heritage were qualified to hunt ten-thousand-year whales to strengthen the physiques of their descendants.

And even for them, it only allowed the younger generation to get a head start; having a thousand-year second spirit ring was already considered remarkable.

Feng Qingluan glanced at the Pope, let out a soft chuckle, and headed outside.

Bibi Dong had impressive abilities, but it was a pity she was not on their side.

Still, that skin was quite alluring, and her daughter was not bad either. Feng Qingluan thought to himself, feeling that his eldest brother's granddaughter would be a good match for his own grandson.

Feng Qingluan was aware that Qian Renxue had gone to the Heaven Dou Empire to play the part of some damn undercover agent; if the opportunity arose, he could certainly play matchmaker for his grandson.