Celebration Banquet

Ning Fengzhi looked at the smiling Bibi Dong.

The smile on his own face gradually disappeared—

He very much wanted to say to Bibi Dong: In truth, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Spirit Hall are not that close, so there's no need to make us closer through marriage.

But if he said that, he really would be tearing all pretense of cordiality with Spirit Hall apart.

Ning Fengzhi knew:

Although Bibi Dong was asking whether the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wanted a Marriage Alliance with Spirit Hall, the meaning behind her words was actually pressing him: did the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect want to join Spirit Hall, to become Spirit Hall's friend or ally?

Could he refuse?

The instant that thought rose in his heart, Ning Fengzhi himself rejected it.

He understood—

That Holy Son in his line of sight was the card Spirit Hall had laid face-up today.

It was equivalent to saying:

Look, our Spirit Hall has already given you a chance.

If you refuse, once our Holy Son grows up and becomes the next Pope, will your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect be able to withstand his wrath?

Our Holy Son is an unparalleled monster.

Once he grows up, he will absolutely not be someone your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can contend with.

When that time comes, don't blame us for not giving you a chance.

Sigh...

Ning Fengzhi sighed inwardly. Looking at Ning Rongrong, who was playing around with Lin Bei not far away, a trace of sorrow flashed through his eyes. After thinking it over, he said to Bibi Dong, "Your Holiness, the matter of a Marriage Alliance concerns my daughter's lifelong happiness. Please allow me to consider it carefully after I return."

Bibi Dong smiled and nodded. "Naturally. However, Sect Master Ning must give me an answer as soon as possible. Preferably within three days..."

A three-day deadline...

This old woman really wasn't leaving him any way out.

Ning Fengzhi blinked, forced a smile, and said, "I will be sure to give Your Holiness an answer within three days."

Bibi Dong smiled and nodded, saying, "Then I will look forward to Sect Master Ning's news."

Then she pointed at the delicacies at the banquet and said, "Sect Master Ning, these delicacies were all made by a rank seventy-three Food Soul Saint. They are extremely delicious. You and Bone Douluo should be sure to have a good taste. I will go over there first to entertain the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire."

Ning Fengzhi watched Bibi Dong walk toward Xue Qinghe, and the gloom in his eyes did not disappear.

Right now, he felt as if he were being roasted over a fire. He did not want to stay here at all, so how could he be in any mood to sample delicacies?

"Uncle Rong."

Ning Fengzhi gave Gu Rong a look.

Gu Rong nodded lightly, then walked over to Ning Rongrong and brought her back.

"Stinky Lin Bei, remember that you owe me ten cakes and three chicken legs! I'll come back to get them from you!"

Ning Rongrong turned back and said fiercely to Lin Bei.

Then she turned to look at Ning Fengzhi and asked, "Daddy, are we going back now?"

Ning Fengzhi forced a faint smile onto his face, reached out, and stroked Ning Rongrong's head. "Mm, let's go back first."

He took Ning Rongrong's hand and gave Lin Bei one last look. Lin Bei noticed Ning Fengzhi's gaze and returned him a smile, then saw Ning Fengzhi leave with a darkened face.

Tsk...

It wasn't like I had to marry your daughter.

Why are you giving me that sour look?

If you're not satisfied, go tell my teacher Bibi Dong.

Lin Bei grumbled inwardly and took a fierce bite of the chicken leg in his hand—

Ah, so fragrant!

Sure enough, chicken legs snatched from a little girl's hands were the most fragrant.

"Junior Brother, why are you even stealing a little girl's chicken leg?"

Lin Bei was eating happily when he was suddenly judged by justice.

He turned to look. It was Xie Yue's trio.

The one who had just spoken was his senior sister, Hu Liena.

Lin Bei swallowed the chicken in his mouth, wiped the corner of his lips with a handkerchief, and smiled.

"Senior Sister, how is this snatching? I only took it off the plate before she could make a move. Don't go slandering an innocent man."

"Your Highness."

Xie Yue and Yan bowed to Lin Bei.

Before this, they had been rather unconvinced that Lin Bei could become the Holy Son, but after fighting him once, and then seeing him granted a soul ring today, the two of them were completely convinced.

They could not beat him.

And he had been acknowledged by the Angel God and granted a soul ring.

Wouldn't only someone kicked in the head by a donkey refuse to accept that?

Lin Bei nodded to Xie Yue and Yan in greeting.

Hu Liena also put away her teasing expression and smiled. "Congratulations, Junior Brother."

The three of them had wanted to come over and congratulate Lin Bei ever since the banquet began, but Ning Rongrong had been there the whole time, so they had found it inconvenient. Now that Ning Rongrong had left, they finally found a chance to come over.

"Thank you."

Lin Bei replied with a smile.

Of the trio of Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Yan, Lin Bei could really only talk with Hu Liena. As for the other two, they were older than Lin Bei, yet weaker than him. Add to that the fact that Lin Bei was now the Holy Son, and they had even less idea how to chat with him.

Lin Bei and Hu Liena were chatting quite happily here.

On the other side, however, the atmosphere was extremely stiff.

It could even be said that the atmosphere there was the worst in the entire banquet, as if an Arctic iceberg had been moved over, howling with an icy, biting gale—

Anyone who walked near those two would feel a bone-piercing chill.

Bibi Dong stood beside Xue Qinghe, and after their initial toast, she said nothing more.

The two stood there in silence, with no verbal exchange and no eye contact, like two strangers—

Though from the perspective of their roles, the two of them were indeed strangers.

One was the Pope of Spirit Hall.

The other was the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire.

"Congratulations, Your Holiness, on taking in such a fine disciple." After a long silence, in the end, it was Xue Qinghe who raised his wine cup with a smile and offered his congratulations.

"Many thanks, Crown Prince."

Bibi Dong looked at Qian Renxue indifferently. In the end, she could not suppress the anger and resentment in her heart. After saying those words, she turned and left at once.

Watching Bibi Dong's resolute departing figure, a trace of confusion and resentment flashed through Qian Renxue's eyes.

Her gaze followed Bibi Dong's figure until that slender, alluring silhouette disappeared into the crowd. Only then did Qian Renxue withdraw her eyes and become Xue Qinghe once more.

Holding his wine cup, he came before Lin Bei, a poised and generous smile appearing on his face as he said, "Congratulations, Holy Son. Do you still remember me?"

"Of course I remember."

Lin Bei placed a hand over his chest in greeting. "Greetings, Crown Prince."

Xue Qinghe smiled and looked toward Hu Liena and the others. "These three must also be outstanding talents of Spirit Hall, yes? Holy Son, please introduce them to me."

Lin Bei smiled. "Crown Prince, this is my Senior Sister, Hu Liena. These are Xie Yue and Yan. They also possess extremely powerful talent, rare geniuses of our Spirit Hall. My teacher praised them as the 'Golden Generation.'"

Then he introduced Xue Qinghe to Hu Liena and the other two. "This is the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe."

"Greetings, Crown Prince."

Hu Liena and the other two saluted Xue Qinghe.

Xue Qinghe smiled. "The three of you truly are exceptional talents. With people like you in Spirit Hall, it will surely grow even stronger in the future. It truly makes one envious."

Hu Liena brushed a hand through her hair and smiled. "Your Highness flatters us. The Heaven Dou Empire is vast and abundant, blessed with outstanding people and a rich land. When it comes to geniuses, you have far more than our Spirit Hall."

As the saying went, everyone helped carry the flower sedan.

Over here, Hu Liena and Xue Qinghe immediately began flattering each other. Both were widely read and knowledgeable, and both had an understanding of all kinds of strange tales and unusual events across the world. Once they began chatting, neither of them stopped.

Lin Bei, Xie Yue, and Yan listened quietly from the side.

Xie Yue and Yan usually put all their thoughts into cultivation and paid little attention to other matters, so they could not understand what Hu Liena and Xue Qinghe were talking about and could not join in.

Lin Bei, on the other hand, was a transmigrator. He knew the development trajectory of this world very clearly, but as for the strange tales and unusual events in the world, he only knew bits and pieces, so he also could not join the conversation.