Qian Xunji Cares About His Pride

Time passed slowly. A day and a night went by.

Su Mu's ice-and-fire body tempering had clearly reached its final stage.

The few people standing at the edge of the frigid pool waited quietly.

Suddenly, ripples spread across the lake's surface. Then Su Mu burst out of the water. When he landed on the ground again, his entire aura had undergone a heaven-shaking transformation.

"Little Mu-Mu, I won't disturb you any longer."

"Everything should be finished. If you need any help, remember to call me."

Seeing that Su Mu had completed his body tempering, the Life Goddess gave him a special reminder before her voice vanished from his mind.

Before Su Mu could respond, Bibi Dong threw her arms tightly around him, her fingers still running back and forth across his abdomen.

"Senior Brother, it's so hard! Amazing!"

Like a curious child, Bibi Dong began examining Su Mu's body.

"Stop fooling around!" Su Mu rapped Bibi Dong on the head, then pushed her a short distance away.

"Hehe, I got a little excited."

Bibi Dong stuck out her tongue. She really was a little excited.

Still—

Senior Brother's body really had become much tougher.

"Congratulations, Boss Su."

Xie An and Hu Liena congratulated Su Mu on completing his transformation.

"We're friends. Why are you being so formal?" Su Mu said with a smile.

"That's one thing, and this is another." Xie An smiled.

Su Mu said nothing more. Only after gathering up all the remaining Immortal Herbs did he leave with the three of them.

After leaving the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, they helped Dugu Xin hunt a Soul Beast around two thousand years old on their way back to Spirit Hall, allowing him to break through to the Soul Elder realm.

The moment the Jade-Scaled Snake evolved into a Flood Dragon, their martial soul changed from a poison-type martial soul into a power-attack-type one.

Dugu Bo decided to name the martial soul the Jade Phosphor Flood Dragon.

They returned to Spirit Hall.

After they had been gone for so long, Qian Xunji naturally came to welcome them in person. However, when he sensed the auras of three Titled Douluos before him, the smile on his face instantly froze.

"Teacher, weren't you smiling just now?"

Bibi Dong quickly stepped forward and found that Qian Xunji could no longer smile.

"You went out once, and Yue Guan and Gui Mei broke through to become Titled Douluos. You even brought Dugu Bo back—and the key is that he broke through too!"

That was the most important matter.

Because even I, the Pope, had yet to break through!

"Of course, it was thanks to Senior Brother."

Bibi Dong's voice carried a smile.

"Xiao Mu?" Qian Xunji was slightly surprised. He had not expected that a single trip would bring three Titled Douluos to Spirit Hall.

"Teacher." Su Mu bowed in greeting.

Qian Xunji nodded with a smile and patted Su Mu on the shoulder. "You've worked hard, Xiao Mu. You brought three Titled Douluos to Spirit Hall."

Now I can show off to that old bastard again.

I, Qian Xunji, will definitely become the greatest Pope in history.

"Isn't this Dugu Bo?"

"When I invited you before, weren't you unwilling to come?"

Qian Xunji looked at Dugu Bo, his face full of smiles.

"Your Holiness the Pope, I failed to recognize greatness before." Dugu Bo bowed respectfully, his attitude much humbler than before.

"It's fine. Now that you've joined Spirit Hall, you are also an elder of Spirit Hall. There is no need for such formality."

Qian Xunji had never intended to make things difficult for Dugu Bo.

It was just that—

When he had invited Dugu Bo to join Spirit Hall before and been refused, his dignity as Pope had been damaged, so he had to tease him properly.

"Yue Guan, Gui Mei, take Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin to their quarters. Arrange everything according to an elder's treatment. I have matters to discuss with Xiao Mu and Dong'er."

Qian Xunji instructed the two to get to work.

He had long had plans for Yue Guan and Gui Mei. Their Martial Soul Fusion Skill was exceptionally useful, and now that they had broken through to Titled Douluo, they were even more formidable.

"Yes, Your Holiness the Pope. We'll see to it immediately."

Yue Guan and Gui Mei accepted the order and promptly left with Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin.

"Boss Su, we'll head back to the academy first."

Xie An and Hu Liena also took their leave.

They had gained tremendously from this trip, and they needed to return and properly digest their gains.

Then Su Mu and Bibi Dong followed Qian Xunji back to the Pope's Palace.

They stepped into the main hall.

Qian Xunji walked at the front. Just as he was about to raise his foot onto the steps, he suddenly stopped and turned to look at Su Mu.

"Xiao Mu, come here." Qian Xunji beckoned to him.

Su Mu walked over upon hearing this. Qian Xunji immediately draped an arm over his shoulders and led him aside, where they began whispering.

"Xiao Mu, how did you help Yue Guan and the others break through? Dong'er said it was because of you.

"You know that your teacher is the Pope, yet I still haven't broken through to Titled Douluo. It's very embarrassing!

"So, Xiao Mu, you understand your teacher's pain, right?"

Qian Xunji did not say it outright, but his meaning was obvious. He was only one word away from begging.

"Teacher, I understand."

Su Mu replied with a smile.

Wasn't it just an Immortal Herb?

He had long planned to give one to Qian Xunji.

Seeing Su Mu about to take something out, Qian Xunji immediately grabbed his hand and stopped him.

"Xiao Mu, don't take it out yet. If you want to give something to your teacher, don't let Dong'er think that I begged you for it. Otherwise, she'll nag me endlessly.

"Her mouth is like a machine gun. It's no joke. Your teacher can't take it."

Su Mu immediately chuckled twice.

He did not answer, merely winked at Qian Xunji.

As fellow men, they understood each other with a single look.

Just then, Bibi Dong quietly approached. She was truly curious about what the two of them were discussing.

When she was about to get close, Qian Xunji instantly released Su Mu's shoulder. With a stern expression, he looked at the approaching Bibi Dong.

"Dong'er, what are you doing?"

Bibi Dong froze for a moment, then smiled. "Nothing. I just came over to see what the two of you were talking about."

I almost heard them. They were definitely talking about something shady.

Qian Xunji let out a sigh of relief, turned around, and stepped up the stairs one step at a time until he reached the Pope's throne. He bent down and sat.

"Teacher, I have an Immortal Herb that should be able to help you break through your bottleneck."

Su Mu took out a dazzling golden Immortal Herb.

"This Immortal Herb is the Aromatic Silk Beauty. Perhaps it can help Teacher break through your bottleneck."

This Immortal Herb was so dazzling that it was clearly a perfect fit for me.

Xiao Mu truly understands his teacher.

"Xiao Mu, you are thoughtful. Your teacher will reluctantly accept it."

Qian Xunji raised a hand and drew the Aromatic Silk Beauty over through the air.

He did not hurry to consume it. Instead, he began inspecting it carefully.

An Immortal Herb capable of breaking through the Titled Douluo bottleneck.

He had been stuck at this bottleneck for a long time. Su Mu's trip had undoubtedly brought him hope.

"Xiao Mu, what reward do you want? Just say the word."

In theory, whatever Su Mu wanted could basically be granted.

However, even as his teacher, Qian Xunji found it difficult to guess what Su Mu was thinking.

"Teacher, there's no need for a reward. If I need something, I'll ask you later." Su Mu changed the subject. "At present, with Dugu Xin included, we have five people on the team. We're still short two. Does Teacher have any suitable candidates?"

As for the Soul Master Tournament team, Su Mu currently had no suitable candidates in mind.

The others had already entered the preparation stage.

"There actually is one. She's Golden Crocodile Douluo's granddaughter. What do you think?"