Becoming Bibi Dong's Disciple

More than two weeks later.

Lin Bei finally arrived at Spirit City.

Spirit City sat on the border between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire, but neither of the two great empires had any claim over it.

This holy city in the hearts of spirit masters was built around the mountains. At the center of the city, a massive peak towered upward, and the Papal Hall stood atop the hill, grand and magnificent.

At the city gate, when the guards saw the carriage Lin Bei was riding in, they did not stop it at all and simply let Lin Bei and the others enter.

It was already evening.

The afterglow of the setting sun stained the horizon with a fiery red sheen.

In the carriage, Omora said, "Come with me to pay respects to His Holiness the Pope first, then you can rest."

"Okay."

Lin Bei nodded. He did not know why he had to meet the Pope either.

He felt that a country boy like him should not be worthy of Bibi Dong's attention.

The carriage slowly traveled along Spirit City's wide streets. Before long, they arrived at the entrance of the Papal Hall.

Lin Bei got out of the carriage first, followed by Omora.

Omora said to the guards at the entrance, "We seek an audience with His Holiness the Pope."

As he spoke, he handed over a token.

When the guard saw the token, he nodded. "Please wait a moment, my lord. Allow me to go in and report."

Lin Bei took the chance to look around.

Before long, the guard came back out. "The Pope is already waiting in the Council Hall."

Omora nodded and led Lin Bei into the Papal Hall.

Inside the Council Hall.

Bibi Dong sat high upon the papal throne.

She wore a luxurious black robe embroidered with gold patterns, the Nine-Bend Purple Gold Crown on her head, and held a scepter about two meters long, inlaid with all kinds of gemstones.

Her skin was fair and flawless, her face almost perfect, and her entire body radiated a suffocating nobility and coldness.

This was Bibi Dong.

A woman who was not very tall, yet whose presence was extraordinarily powerful... no, she should be called His Holiness the Pope.

"Greetings, Your Holiness."

Omora arrived before Bibi Dong and dropped to one knee in salute.

Lin Bei, at the side, copied him as best he could.

"Omora, you have worked hard."

Bibi Dong's cool voice rang out, echoing through the vast Council Hall.

"It was no hardship."

Omora answered with his head lowered, as if he did not dare lift it and let his gaze offend the goddess upon the papal throne.

Lin Bei, however, was not so particular, and looked straight at Bibi Dong.

The Bibi Dong in his sight was even more beautiful and noble than the image from the anime in his previous life.

That flawless face, if released into the world, would be a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms and cities... Uh, it seemed she really did "topple kingdoms and cities" later on.

"Rise."

Bibi Dong spoke, her gaze turning to Lin Bei. "This is the child from Notting City?"

"Yes, Your Holiness."

Omora and Lin Bei stood. Omora said to Bibi Dong, "The quality of this child's martial soul has already surpassed the Clear Sky Hammer of the Clear Sky Sect, and it possesses terrifying offensive power."

"Oh?"

A trace of surprise flashed through Bibi Dong's jewel-like eyes. "His martial soul has already surpassed the Clear Sky Hammer?"

"Yes, Your Holiness."

Omora gave Lin Bei a look.

Lin Bei nodded, stretched out his right hand, and began to summon his martial soul.

Boundless Chaos Light surged from his right hand, then condensed into a simple, unadorned giant axe.

The giant axe radiated a terrifying aura, shaking the entire Papal Hall until it trembled slightly.

Bibi Dong's eyes widened slightly—

From her perspective, she saw a Sky-Supporting Giant hovering behind the young man, its head touching the heavens and its feet planted on the earth.

The giant shadow held an incomparably massive axe in its hand.

It seemed like the most ancient of gods, its entire body shrouded in Boundless divine light, with stars and silver rivers revolving around it, radiating a terrifying aura that could destroy all the heavens!

Roar!

The colossal shadow within that boundless divine light suddenly let out an enraged roar. The giant axe in its hand swept forward, and in an instant, stars shattered, the Milky Way hung upside down, and all the heavens and myriad worlds plunged into a terrifying vision of birth and destruction.

In the blink of an eye, heaven and earth split open!

Bibi Dong felt herself enveloped by endless radiance. The next moment, she came back to herself and saw the giant axe martial soul gripped in the boy's hand.

"What a terrifying martial soul..."

She murmured softly. Her state of mind, which had not wavered in years, rippled faintly at that moment because of the boy's martial soul.

"Lin Bei, what is your martial soul called?"

Bibi Dong gave Lin Bei a deep look and asked.

Lin Bei answered, "I call it the Pangu Creation Axe."

"The name is rather fitting."

They really were mother and daughter. They even said exactly the same thing.

Thinking of Qian Renxue's earlier evaluation of his martial soul's name, Lin Bei could not help muttering inwardly.

Bibi Dong naturally had no idea what Lin Bei was saying in his heart. She asked, "Lin Bei, are you willing to become my disciple?"

Huh?

Become your disciple?

For a moment, Lin Bei did not react. He stared blankly up at Bibi Dong on the papal throne.

If he remembered correctly, in the original work, Bibi Dong had only taken Hu Liena as her disciple.

As for people like Yan and Xie Yue, although they were part of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, they were not Bibi Dong's disciples.

So why did Bibi Dong want to take him as her disciple now?

Lin Bei could not quite figure it out.

Was it because the Creation Axe was just that damn impressive?

Bibi Dong had taken a fancy to his potential, so she wanted to accept him as her disciple?

If that was the case, then aside from her rather poor judgment when it came to falling for Grandmaster, this woman's eye for things was still pretty good at other times.

Omora, standing beside him, saw Lin Bei frozen in place and quickly patted him on the shoulder.

Lin Bei came back to his senses and bowed to Bibi Dong. "Lin Bei is willing!"

The corner of Bibi Dong's mouth curved into a stunning smile that vanished in an instant. She said, "Very good. From today onward, you are my, Bibi Dong's, disciple."

After a pause, Bibi Dong continued, "All right. You have traveled for several dozen days, so you must be tired. Go down and rest for now."

"Yes, Your Holiness."

"All right, Teacher."

Lin Bei was sly, too, and immediately changed how he addressed Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong nodded slightly.

Omora then pulled Lin Bei away, backing out of the Council Hall of the Papal Hall.

A residence below the hill.

Omora said to Lin Bei, "This is the estate His Holiness the Pope prepared for you. Many maids and servants have also been assigned to you. You will live here."

Lin Bei smacked his lips, his expression unreadable as he looked at the residence before him.

It seemed Spirit Hall had made preparations long ago.

He had only just arrived, and they were already giving him a residence.

What did they want him to do?

He kept feeling that Bibi Dong taking him as a disciple had not been a momentary impulse either. Perhaps after Mashuno's letter arrived, she had already made all sorts of contingency plans—

Now that this residence had been given to him, was it to show that he possessed some kind of qualification?

Lin Bei pondered as he stood at the gate and watched Omora turn to leave.

After Omora's figure disappeared at the end of the path, Lin Bei shrugged—

Forget it. No matter what Spirit Hall was plotting, for now, becoming Bibi Dong's disciple brought him every benefit and no harm.

At the very least, it gave him a perfectly legitimate qualification to take over Spirit Hall.

On that point alone, as long as Bibi Dong's plans did not cause him any harm from here on out, cooperating a little was no problem.

Lin Bei turned and walked into the residence. Immediately, a middle-aged man who looked like a steward came up to him.

"Young Master Lin Bei, I am your steward, A Fu. This old servant will take care of your daily life from now on. If you have any special needs, please feel free to tell me."

A Fu looked very much like an English gentleman's butler from Lin Bei's previous life. His every movement and word adhered to some kind of etiquette, making people feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze.

Lin Bei raised an eyebrow and said something A Fu could not understand. "You're A Fu, but unfortunately, I'm not Batman."

How great Batman was.

His superpower was being rich.

Unfortunately, I was a broke little bastard.