Audience with Your Majesty the Pope

Training Camp.

Chen Xi, who had been training, suddenly saw Chief Instructor Jiekaer beckoning to him.

"Chief Instructor, has the higher-ups approved my temporary leave from the Training Camp to obtain a Soul Ring in the Soul Hunting Forest?"

Chen Xi jogged over to Jiekaer.

"I don't know whether they approved it or not."

"But Your Majesty the Pope has come in person and specifically asked to see you."

"Remember to bow to Your Majesty the Pope later. Mind your manners, understand?"

Jiekaer gave the reminder with a serious, earnest expression.

"I understand, Chief Instructor."

Chen Xi nodded firmly, though his small hands lightly twisted the hem of his skirt.

To be honest, he was a little nervous right now.

After all, the words "Your Majesty the Pope" represented power and status on the continent. Whether in strength or standing, the Pope stood at the very pinnacle of the pyramid.

Even the emperors of the two great empires, Tiandou Empire and Star Luo Empire, had to defer to Your Majesty the Pope.

Following Jiekaer, Chen Xi arrived before the Training Camp's heavy iron gates.

The iron gates slowly opened, revealing a luxurious carriage before Chen Xi's eyes.

Jiekaer stopped some distance from the carriage and bowed.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Pope."

Chen Xi followed his example and bowed as well. "Greetings, Your Majesty the Pope."

The carriage door opened.

A woman appeared before them, dressed in a brilliant golden papal robe and wearing a Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown. Her features were nearly flawless, and every movement exuded nobility and elegance.

"Rise."

Bibi Dong lightly raised her hand, signaling for Chen Xi and Jiekaer to stand. Then, she fixed her gaze on Chen Xi and studied him carefully.

After a long while.

Bibi Dong waved at Jiekaer.

"You may withdraw first."

"Yes, Your Majesty the Pope."

Jiekaer answered, then turned and returned to the Training Camp.

"Chen Xi, you needn't be nervous."

"I saw the report Jiekaer submitted, so I came to see you. I'll also take you to add a Soul Ring."

"Come aboard."

Bibi Dong gently beckoned, motioning for Chen Xi to board the carriage.

After entering the carriage, Chen Xi discovered that there was another girl inside, somewhat older than himself.

Judging by her appearance and age, Chen Xi made a quick guess. This should be the current Pope's only disciple, Hu Liena.

Hu Liena was also examining Chen Xi.

From the outside, aside from looking like an oversized porcelain doll, Chen Xi did not seem particularly special.

"Yue Guan, head to the nearest Soul Beast Forest."

Bibi Dong's voice sounded within the carriage.

The moment her words fell, the carriage gradually began to move.

"Chen Xi, as far as I know, you awakened your martial soul at the Spirit Hall Holy Temple, and even the temple staff did not know what your martial soul was."

"Could you release it for me to see?"

"If possible, I would like to study your martial soul."

Bibi Dong looked at Chen Xi, her voice carrying a trace of gentleness.

"Yes, Your Majesty the Pope."

Without giving it much thought, Chen Xi released his martial soul—the Pen of Destiny. One yellow and one purple Soul Ring continuously flickered around him.

The instant he released his martial soul, Bibi Dong turned her gaze toward it. After only a brief look, she realized that she had truly never seen it before.

A hint of curiosity even appeared in her imposing eyes.

Hu Liena, meanwhile, immediately looked toward Chen Xi's Soul Rings. When she saw that his second Soul Ring was a thousand-year Soul Ring, her eyes filled with astonishment.

But after thinking it over carefully, Chen Xi had already reached rank thirty Soul Power at six and a half years old. Having a thousand-year Soul Ring no longer seemed all that strange.

"Does your martial soul possess any special abilities?"

Bibi Dong asked as she observed Chen Xi's martial soul.

"Peering into destiny, Writing the Future."

Chen Xi answered seriously.

"Peering into destiny..."

Bibi Dong murmured to herself. As she looked at Chen Xi's martial soul, anticipation appeared in her eyes, along with a fleeting trace of avoidance.

She greatly wished to know what fate awaited her in the future.

Yet she also feared that the future would differ from what she imagined, or that it would bring a fate she was unwilling—and unable—to accept.

After pondering for a long time.

Bibi Dong's eyes returned to calm.

"Put your martial soul away."

After softly speaking those few words, Bibi Dong silently closed her eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

Chen Xi was somewhat stunned upon hearing this.

He had already prepared himself to peer into Bibi Dong's destiny, yet Bibi Dong had actually told him to put his martial soul away.

But after thinking about it briefly, Chen Xi withdrew his martial soul.

Hu Liena had spent more time by Bibi Dong's side, so she caught the subtle change in Bibi Dong's emotions.

The carriage fell silent.

For a time, no one spoke.

Chen Xi secretly observed Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong was exceptionally beautiful. In terms of appearance, she was almost on par with Qian Renxue, and Bibi Dong's talent was also extraordinarily high, nearly at the very peak of genius.

Although the Soul Master world widely claimed that Tang Hao was the youngest Titled Douluo, Chen Xi, who knew the original story well, was fully aware that Bibi Dong had become a Titled Douluo far younger than Tang Hao.

If Bibi Dong had not deliberately concealed it, the youngest Titled Douluo spoken of in the Soul Master world today would definitely not have been Tang Hao.

The same was true in theoretical matters. Although Master Yu Xiaogang had quite a reputation in theory, what was that reputation worth? Out of ten people, nine looked down on him, and the remaining one probably would not even spare him a proper glance.

Bibi Dong was not famous in theoretical matters, but that did not mean she knew nothing. On the contrary, when she had been the Saintess, she had researched martial soul theory together with Yu Xiaogang.

Moreover, Yu Xiaogang researched theory, while Bibi Dong's side had most likely been tested and proven safe.

And with Yu Xiaogang's Soul Grandmaster strength, how much authority could he have had in Spirit Hall back then? Where had his position as an honorary elder even come from?

After thinking it over, Chen Xi felt that when Bibi Dong had been the Saintess in Spirit Hall, she had probably helped Yu Xiaogang quite a bit.

Otherwise, considering the previous Pope, Qian Xunji, let alone Yu Xiaogang, it was uncertain whether even his father, Yu Yuanzhen, would have been worthy of Qian Xunji's notice.

How had a woman with looks, talent, ability, and scheming like Bibi Dong ever fallen for Yu Xiaogang?

Chen Xi simply could not understand it.

In terms of talent, even if one rank meant an entire street's difference, Bibi Dong would still be nine and a half streets ahead of Yu Xiaogang.

As for looks, there was nothing to say about Bibi Dong. As for Yu Xiaogang, Chen Xi had not seen him, so he would not comment.

In terms of theory, Chen Xi felt that Bibi Dong was only stronger than Yu Xiaogang, never weaker.

Yu Xiaogang's only presentable advantage, his background, was completely insignificant before Spirit Hall.