Bibi Dong's Visit

After gazing at each other for a long while, the last traces of disbelief and absurdity in Lin Ze'an's heart were finally replaced by a sense of wonder.

He cautiously reached out and gently pinched Little Sprout's soft, squishy cheek.

Little Sprout didn't seem to mind the touch. Instead, it nudged its little head forward and affectionately rubbed against Lin Ze'an's finger. "Dou~~~"

The ticklish rub of its cheek against his finger, along with that soft, sweet cry, seemed to poke at Lin Ze'an's heart. He couldn't help but burst out laughing.

At that moment, all his confusion and surprise vanished.

Whatever its origins, whatever had brought it into being, it was his responsibility now.

"All right. From now on, you can stay with me and be my spirit pet."

Little Sprout seemed to understand him. It raised its little head and cried, "Doudou!"

Just then, a knock rang out clearly from the courtyard gate.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Lin Ze'an and Little Sprout turned toward the gate at almost the same time.

He gently stroked Little Sprout's head and whispered, "Shh~ I'll go see."

Little Sprout nodded and immediately fell quiet, its big eyes curiously fixed on the entrance.

Lin Ze'an hurried to the gate and gently raised his hand. With a slight movement of his mind—

The vines wound around the gate seemed to come alive, silently retreating to either side and clearing the way.

Only then did he reach out and slowly open the gate.

But the person outside left Lin Ze'an momentarily stunned.

Bibi Dong? What was she here for? Surely she hadn't come to stand up for Hu Liena?

Though that was what he thought, he showed none of it. He bowed respectfully to Bibi Dong. "Your Holiness the Pope."

Bibi Dong's gaze swept lightly over Lin Ze'an. She gave a slight nod. "Rise."

With that, she walked straight into the courtyard and looked around.

"You've made this little courtyard quite nice. For you, training at home should be almost as effective as the Mimicry Training Ground."

Before Lin Ze'an could respond, Bibi Dong's gaze fell on Little Sprout.

After a brief silence, Bibi Dong asked hesitantly, "Is this... a Soul Beast?"

Seeing this, Lin Ze'an hurried over and scooped Little Sprout into his arms.

He looked up at Bibi Dong and explained, "Your Holiness the Pope, this is my spirit pet. It's harmless and won't have any effect on Spirit Hall."

Unexpectedly, Bibi Dong merely glanced at him, then waved a hand. "It's only a weak Soul Beast."

"Even a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast couldn't run wild in Spirit Hall. If you like it, keep it."

Lin Ze'an blinked. He hadn't expected Bibi Dong to let the matter go so easily, and the huge stone weighing on his heart finally dropped most of the way.

But then again, Little Sprout wasn't really a Soul Beast. And even if it were, she wouldn't risk leaving him with a bad impression over one Soul Beast.

Bibi Dong glanced sideways, her gaze falling on Little Sprout once more. "It does look... quite unlike anything I've seen before."

She was well-traveled and knowledgeable, but she had never encountered a Soul Beast like this. It wasn't mentioned in Spirit Hall's ancient records, either. Could it be a new species?

Still, she didn't dwell on the question. Bibi Dong turned slightly, passed by Little Sprout, and looked back at Lin Ze'an.

"How have you been getting along in Spirit Hall? Is there anything you still need?"

Lin Ze'an looked at her in confusion at the question, but answered anyway. "Thanks to Your Holiness the Pope's care, I have everything I need for now."

She nodded slightly. "Your master, Chrysanthemum Douluo, is one of the pillars of Spirit Hall and one of my most trusted aides."

"To have him personally teach you is a blessing."

"But remember, Spirit Hall's glory isn't bestowed as a gift. It's earned through strength and contribution."

Hearing that, Lin Ze'an's mouth twitched. Chrysanthemum Douluo really was one of her most trusted aides, but it seemed more like she treated him as a slave...

"I understand, Your Holiness the Pope. I'll train hard and won't let you or my master down."

Bibi Dong didn't say anything more. Instead, she slowly raised her hand.

The next moment, a bundle of medicinal herbs wrapped in silk and several books with timeworn covers appeared out of nowhere on the stone table beside them.

"Train hard. I have high hopes for you, just as I do for Hu Liena."

"When your Soul Power reaches level 30, join Nana and the others in becoming part of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation."

"These," Bibi Dong said, pointing to the herbs and books on the table, "are herbs that will help with your training, along with some books about cultivation."

Lin Ze'an stared at the things on the table, momentarily stunned.

So after all that, had she basically come to remind him to train?

"Safe travels, Your Holiness the Pope."

Only after Bibi Dong's figure had completely disappeared did Lin Ze'an finally let out a breath. He locked the courtyard gate and returned to the table.

Lin Ze'an turned around, intending to take a good look at the bundle of herbs and books Bibi Dong had left behind.

But the next second, his gaze froze—

Little Sprout was crouched beside the bundle, happily eating the herbs.

"...You like eating those?" Lin Ze'an asked in surprise, then curiously.

Little Sprout looked up, half a stalk of herb still dangling from its mouth. It nodded vigorously and cried indistinctly, "Dou!"

Watching Little Sprout gobble everything down with such relish, Lin Ze'an helplessly rubbed its head.

Compared to Douluo Continent, Little Sprout from the Seer Universe was naturally powerful. He just didn't know how strong a Little Sprout born on Douluo Continent would be.

After thinking for a moment, he stood up and said, "Go ahead and eat. I'm going out for a bit. Stay home and behave."

Hearing this, Little Sprout looked up, blinked, and nodded at Lin Ze'an before burying its head in its dinner again.

After closing the gate and making sure Little Sprout wouldn't sneak out, Lin Ze'an turned and headed toward the distant cluster of palaces, still magnificent in the dusk.

He planned to visit his master first. For one thing, he wanted to report what had happened that day, including Little Sprout's appearance and Bibi Dong's visit.

For another... his master had forgotten to give him pocket money. He didn't have a single coin on him, so he couldn't even go out to eat.

But there was an awkward problem...

Lin Ze'an soon realized he was lost.

He scratched his head, confusion written all over his face. From a distance, it hadn't seemed like much, but once he got closer, he realized there were so many palaces.

But which one did his master live in?

He looked around, trying to find someone he could ask for directions.

Fortunately, after walking just a little farther, he spotted two guards standing up ahead.

Lin Ze'an's eyes lit up, and he immediately hurried over.

"Hello!" He raised his little face and greeted the guards politely, then took his token from his waist.

Come to think of it, Bibi Dong had given him this token earlier. With his talent, even though he was Chrysanthemum Douluo's disciple, his rank was still only one step below the elders'.

When the guards saw Lin Ze'an approach, their stern expressions softened slightly.

As soon as they saw the token in his hand, they straightened respectfully and bowed to him. "Greetings, my lord!"

Lin Ze'an waved a hand and asked, "Excuse me, which palace is Chrysanthemum Douluo's residence?"