The Pope's unusual behavior left the two elders, Ghost and Chrysanthemum, waiting outside the carriage somewhat bewildered.
Since when had Her Holiness the Pope taken such an interest in children?
Or had Her Holiness already won this little boy over?!
At the thought, Ghost and Chrysanthemum exchanged a glance and both gestured for the other to be quiet.
If Her Holiness learned of their guess, she might send them to the Extreme North to preach.
For their own safety, they absolutely had to stop letting their imaginations run wild.
The two elders reached an agreement then and there: they would not speculate about anything concerning Her Holiness again.
The consequences would be too severe. Neither of them could bear them.
"Let's go. We're heading to the Star Dou Forest."
The Pope's somewhat languid voice drifted out from inside the carriage.
"Yes, Your Holiness. We'll set off at once!"
The two Titled Douluo, Ghost and Chrysanthemum, did not dare slack off in the slightest. They immediately flicked the reins, urging the thousand-year Soul Beast [Great Strength Ox-Horse] forward.
The Star Dou Forest was the richest source of Soul Beasts on the Douluo Continent, home to all kinds of rare and precious creatures.
The [Bee Poison King Spider] Lin Tian had read about in the Library Pavilion lived in the marshlands on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest. That was their exact destination.
The area lay some five or six hundred li from Spirit Hall. An ordinary carriage would have taken three or four days to get there, but the carriage they were riding in was reserved exclusively for the Pope of Spirit Hall.
They would reach the edge of the Star Dou Forest in half a day.
"Lin Tian, you have to hunt a Soul Beast yourself to obtain its Soul Ring. Make sure you remember that."
Inside the carriage, Bibi Dong parted her lips and quietly reminded Lin Tian.
"When you absorb a Soul Ring, the Soul Beast's spirit may fight back. Don't be afraid. Just absorb it boldly. If you can kill its body, you can destroy its soul, too!"
"What's more, I'm right here with you. I won't let anything happen to you."
Bibi Dong patted Lin Tian's little head and explained everything he needed to know about absorbing a Soul Ring. Her meticulous care left Lin Tian rather overwhelmed.
Along the way, Bibi Dong patiently taught him about cultivating Soul Power and how he should practice it in his daily life.
Her detailed explanations made Ghost and Chrysanthemum feel as if Her Holiness had become a different person. Before this, such a thing would have been unthinkable.
Thanks to the [Great Strength Ox-Horse]'s astonishing speed, their party reached the Star Dou Forest after about an hour. Roars and ape cries filled the air.
Hearing the roars of giant beasts in the nearby woods, Lin Tian unexpectedly felt a knot of nervousness form inside him.
Though he had successfully completed his Martial Soul Awakening, he was still just a little kid who couldn't even defend himself.
If he wasn't careful in a place like this, death was all that awaited him!
"Your Holiness, we've arrived at the Star Dou Forest!"
The two elders, Ghost and Chrysanthemum, stood respectfully outside the carriage and softly informed the Pope that they had reached their destination.
"Thank you for your trouble, Elders."
Bibi Dong's lazy voice came from inside the carriage.
A fragrant breeze swept past. Bibi Dong wiped the dampness from her cheek and appeared before the two elders, her face flushed.
"Who would have thought that one day I, Bibi Dong, would set foot in the Star Dou Forest again? It's still as lively as ever!"
"Lin Tian, get down. We've arrived!"
"Come on, stop feeling around. Mommy will carry you down."
This...
Hearing Her Holiness use such unabashedly suggestive words, the two Titled Douluo, Ghost and Chrysanthemum, stared at each other. Was this really the Pope they knew? How had she become so bold and uninhibited?
"Elder Ghost, take the lead. We'll accompany His Highness the Holy Son for a walk. I haven't been to the Star Dou Forest in ages. It'll be nice to stroll around here."
Bibi Dong straightened her purple dress and motioned for Ghost Douluo to lead the way.
She rarely got the chance to leave Spirit Hall for some fresh air. Now that she had, she naturally wanted to have a good look around.
"Yes, I'll obey."
Ghost Douluo nodded and led the way.
Bibi Dong and Lin Tian walked in the middle, while Chrysanthemum Douluo toyed with a chrysanthemum and brought up the rear.
They had barely gone a few steps when a cold wind kept sweeping overhead, making the Titled Douluo among them tense up.
After all, the Star Dou Forest held forbidden beings they must never provoke.
Lin Tian curiously looked around. The forest was thick with trees, grass, and other vegetation, the canopies casting broad swaths of shade over the ground. Even in the blazing summer, the air carried a fresh scent, and it was much cooler than outside.
Blue Silver Grass carpeted the forest floor, making it seem as though they stood in a pale blue ocean. Nearby, several plump Soft Bone Rabbits darted in every direction as Nether Wolves chased them, a vivid display of nature's diversity.
As they made their way through the dense woods, the anguished cries of low-level Soul Beasts being hunted rang out now and then, stirring an uneasy feeling.
Perhaps sensing Lin Tian's fear, Bibi Dong, walking beside him, bent down and swept him into her arms. The sweet fragrance rising from her chest immediately calmed him.
Soon, Ghost Douluo brought Lin Tian and the others to a broad meadow. Lush greenery surrounded them, flowers bloomed everywhere, and larks flitted overhead. It was the perfect place to relax.
"Your Holiness, the road ahead is difficult. Please stay here and rest. I'll go hunt a Soul Beast for His Highness the Holy Son. The [Bee Poison King Spider]'s nest is nearby, so I should finish the task quickly."
"Very well. Thank you, Elder Ghost."
"But, Your Holiness, the Bee Poison King Spiders here are around five or six hundred years old. Can the Holy Son's body really withstand one? According to the Ten Core Theories of Spirits, I'm worried he..."
Ghost Douluo was concerned and couldn't help quietly warning the Pope.
"Don't worry, Elder Ghost! The Soul-Eater Spider Emperor is among the finest Beast Martial Souls. Soul Masters who possess it have much stronger bodies than ordinary Soul Masters. A mere five- or six-hundred-year-old Soul Beast won't harm him!"
Bibi Dong glanced at Lin Tian, her rose-red eyes holding a hint of pride.
"The Holy Son has already awakened the Twin Spider Emperor Martial Soul. His body can withstand far more than other Soul Masters. As for those theories about Soul Masters circulating across the Douluo Continent, they only apply to ordinary commoner Soul Masters. They're completely useless for geniuses!"
As Bibi Dong said this, she seemed to make up her mind. Then she turned to the two elders beside her and said:
"Both of you, remember this: Yu Xiaogang is a useless piece of trash, a fraud who only knows how to freeload on the theories in the Spirit Hall Library. I order you: the next time you see him, break all four of his limbs, ruin his family jewels, and throw him into a mass grave to fend for himself!"
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