The next morning, Bibi Dong woke naturally at dawn.
When she opened her eyes, her first feeling wasn't the familiar heaviness, nor the evil thoughts churning endlessly in her mind, but a clarity she had never felt before.
Quiet.
Clear-headed.
Even somewhat relaxed.
She hadn't slept this comfortably in many years.
The Rakshasa Evil Thought seemed to have been pressed deep down, unable to affect her judgment for the time being.
Although Bibi Dong knew this wasn't a complete solution, even this much was enough to lift her spirits considerably.
She sat up and looked past the curtain toward the daybed.
Lu Chen was still asleep.
But he wasn't sleeping very soundly.
He had kicked one corner of the blanket aside and was lying at a slight angle, his face relaxed in the way a child's was after falling asleep.
Compared to the composed, calm little boy from the daytime—who sometimes seemed unlike a six-year-old at all—Lu Chen finally looked like a real child now.
Bibi Dong watched him, her expression softening a little.
"You're so little, yet you can't even sleep properly."
She said it quietly, without a trace of reproach in her voice.
Bibi Dong rose and went over to the daybed, pulling the blanket back over Lu Chen.
One of Lu Chen's hands was outside the blanket, resting at an awkward angle. Bibi Dong shook her head slightly and tucked it back under.
She looked at him and chuckled, then turned to wash up and change.
Not long after Bibi Dong had left, Lu Chen slowly opened his eyes.
He sat up in silence, yawned, and rubbed his head.
He straightened his clothes and tidied himself up a little.
Before long, Bibi Dong returned, already changed.
She had once again regained the dignity and majesty befitting the Pope. Her purple robe had been replaced with formal attire, and her expression was no longer as relaxed as it had been the night before.
Lu Chen immediately stood up straight.
"Teacher."
Bibi Dong glanced at him.
"You're awake?"
Lu Chen answered seriously, "I just woke up."
"Come eat breakfast."
"Yes."
When the two arrived at the Saintess Hall's dining area, Hu Liena was already there.
Seeing Bibi Dong and Lu Chen arrive together, Hu Liena immediately stood and bowed.
"Teacher."
Then she looked at Lu Chen and said with a smile, "Junior brother, how did you sleep last night?"
Lu Chen answered solemnly, "Pretty well."
Watching him, Hu Liena felt that her junior brother seemed a little more real than he had yesterday. What was going on?
Still, she didn't ask.
Breakfast was served soon after.
Compared with the Soul Beast meat from yesterday's lunch, breakfast was lighter, but it was still far beyond anything the orphanage could offer.
Lu Chen still had a good appetite, though he didn't eat nearly half the table's worth of food as he had the day before.
As she ate, Hu Liena couldn't help watching Lu Chen.
Bibi Dong, meanwhile, quietly finished her breakfast.
After the meal, she looked at Hu Liena.
"Nana."
Hu Liena quickly put down what she was holding and answered seriously, "Teacher."
Bibi Dong said, "Focus on your cultivation from now on, and try to break through to level thirty before you turn twelve."
Hu Liena immediately nodded.
"Yes, Teacher. I'll work hard."
Bibi Dong gave a slight nod.
She had always set high expectations for Hu Liena.
At eleven years old and level twenty-eight, her achievement was enough to amaze countless people elsewhere.
But in Bibi Dong's eyes, Hu Liena was her disciple and the Saintess of Spirit Hall. She had to aim higher.
Breaking through to level thirty before turning twelve was her next goal.
Hu Liena understood what her teacher meant.
Especially now that Lu Chen had appeared, she felt a little more pressure.
Her junior brother was only six, yet his Innate Soul Power was already level twenty.
Once he absorbed two Soul Rings, he would immediately become a Soul Grandmaster.
That kind of talent was terrifying.
Hu Liena wasn't jealous of Lu Chen, but as his senior sister, she certainly didn't want him to leave her too far behind.
She quietly resolved to work even harder from now on.
Bibi Dong then stood and looked at Lu Chen.
"Xiao Chen, let's go."
Lu Chen immediately rose.
"Yes, Teacher."
Hu Liena stood as well and saw the two of them to the entrance of the Saintess Hall.
Looking at Lu Chen, she smiled and reminded him, "Junior brother, listen to Teacher when you go to obtain your Soul Ring. Don't go running off."
Lu Chen nodded. "Got it, senior sister."
Hu Liena couldn't help adding, "When you get back, I'll keep helping you study Soul Master knowledge."
Lu Chen replied helplessly, "All right."
Bibi Dong didn't interrupt their conversation.
Seeing that Hu Liena and Lu Chen got along well, she was satisfied.
After all, they would both be her disciples in the future. It was a good thing if they could grow close.
A short while later, Bibi Dong led Lu Chen out of the Saintess Hall.
Outside, the morning breeze carried a hint of chill.
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei were already waiting.
They stood on either side of the steps, their auras well concealed.
With the strength of Titled Douluos, unless they deliberately released their pressure, ordinary people would have little idea just how powerful they were.
Gui Mei remained silent, as still as a quiet shadow.
Yue Guan, on the other hand, was clearly less patient.
He had happened to be away from Spirit City the day before, and by the time he returned, the commotion in the city had already ended.
He had vaguely heard a few people mention that a huge disturbance had taken place near the Awakening Temple the previous day and that His Holiness the Pope had personally appeared, but he hadn't yet had the chance to find out exactly what had happened.
Especially since that old fellow Gui Mei wouldn't say a word, even when asked.
Yue Guan was feeling rather annoyed when the doors of the Saintess Hall suddenly began to open.
Bibi Dong walked out.
And beside her, she was holding the hand of a boy of about six.
The child wore clothes that fit him well, with delicate features and a quiet bearing.
He was very young, yet unlike ordinary children, he wasn't timid or flustered. Instead, walking beside Bibi Dong, he seemed exceptionally composed.
More importantly, Bibi Dong was actually holding his hand herself.
Surprise flashed through Yue Guan's eyes at the sight.
He reflexively glanced at Gui Mei beside him and asked in a low voice, "Old Ghost, what's going on?"
Gui Mei looked at him but didn't answer.
Yue Guan raised an eyebrow.
That old fellow was usually as wooden as a block. If silence could solve something, he wouldn't say a word more than necessary.
But this time was different. A little boy had suddenly appeared beside His Holiness the Pope, and she was even holding his hand. That was no small matter.
Yue Guan had been away from Spirit City the day before, missing the spectacular sight, and he didn't know that the Pope had taken on a new disciple.
Seeing the boy now without warning, he naturally couldn't help being astonished.
Gui Mei continued to keep silent.
To him, there was nothing difficult to understand about Bibi Dong coming out while holding Lu Chen's hand.
After all, Lu Chen was already a disciple personally accepted by His Holiness the Pope, and he possessed a god-level Martial Soul.
In a sense, his importance was probably greater than ordinary people imagined.
Bibi Dong led Lu Chen over to the two men.
Yue Guan immediately schooled his expression and bowed together with Gui Mei.
"Your Holiness the Pope."
Bibi Dong gave a slight nod.
Standing beside Bibi Dong, Lu Chen looked up at the two men politely as well.
"Grandpa Ghost, Grandpa Chrysanthemum."
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