Gu Yuena merely glanced at the woman in the purple dress before looking away, turning her attention back to Chen Ci.
When Gu Yuena looked at Bibi Dong, their gazes crossed for an instant, and Bibi Dong almost thought the girl had discovered her.
But Bibi Dong quickly decided she was overthinking it, for the girl had only glanced at her before looking away.
Besides, she was a Titled Douluo. There was no way a young girl could see through her disguise.
Unless the girl was a Soul Beast that had taken human form to cultivate anew.
However, Bibi Dong sensed no trace of a Soul Beast's aura from the girl, so she, too, turned her attention to Chen Ci.
By now, Chen Ci had helped the fallen Hu Liena to her feet and was fighting alongside her, intending to surround and hunt down the Dark Shadow Ink Fox, which was over nine hundred years old.
Although they were supposedly hunting it together, Chen Ci was doing almost all the fighting himself. As a power attack system Soul Master, Hu Liena was less useful at this moment than even an agility attack system Soul Master would have been.
Even so, Hu Liena did not simply give up. Instead, she did everything she could to prove herself.
Especially with an exceptionally beautiful girl watching from nearby.
Seeing her disciple's behavior, Bibi Dong, who had been through such things herself, immediately saw through Hu Liena's thoughts.
Bibi Dong chuckled softly and continued observing Chen Ci.
Had she not sensed a boy and a girl approaching Hu Liena earlier, she would certainly have stepped in to save her.
Was the spear this boy held his Martial Soul?
It certainly seemed so. Moreover, his third Soul Skill covered his skin in a faint layer of golden dragon scales, enhancing his defenses and carrying a measure of draconic pressure.
A spear Martial Soul associated with a high-ranking dragon... was he from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?
Seeing that purple Soul Ring, Bibi Dong naturally assumed Chen Ci was a rank-thirty Soul Elder.
One who had only just reached rank thirty and broken through to Soul Elder, at that.
After all, according to Spirit Hall's records, ever since the Soul Master cultivation system had come into existence, no Soul Master had ever possessed a thousand-year ring among their first two Soul Rings.
But wasn't he far too young? He looked no older than Hu Liena. How could his cultivation be a full ten ranks higher than hers?
Wait, why had this boy used only one enhancement-type Soul Skill throughout the fight, without using his first or second Soul Skill?
Had I missed something?
Bibi Dong concentrated, trying to determine exactly what first and second Soul Skills Chen Ci was keeping hidden.
Wait, this boy seemed to have only one Soul Ring. Only one Soul Ring?!
Bibi Dong's eyes widened, filled with disbelief.
Since becoming the Pope of Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong had stood above countless millions and rarely lost her composure like this.
His first soul ring was a Thousand-Year Soul Ring? How was that possible?!
Meanwhile, without so much as the effort of blowing away dust, Chen Ci had beaten the nine-hundred-year-old Dark Shadow Ink Fox half to death.
He put away his spear and stood with his hands behind his back, asking Hu Liena, whose eyes were sparkling with admiration:
"Miss, were you planning to kill this Soul Beast and absorb its Soul Ring?"
Hu Liena nodded.
"Yes."
"Miss, I've already beaten this Soul Beast to the brink of death. In its current state, you should be able to kill it yourself."
"Thank you."
Hu Liena walked over to the Dark Shadow Ink Fox, which was already an arrow at the end of its flight, and shouted:
"First Soul Skill: Demonic Fox Charm!"
In an instant, the Dark Shadow Ink Fox fell under Hu Liena's charm and dropped all its defenses.
Hu Liena seized the opportunity to stab the Dark Shadow Ink Fox with her short blade.
She killed the Dark Shadow Ink Fox with a single strike, and a dark yellow Soul Ring tinged with faint purple appeared above its corpse.
Looking at the Soul Ring, Hu Liena shook her head and said:
"Judging by this Soul Ring's color, this Dark Shadow Ink Fox was nearly a thousand years old, more than two hundred years beyond the limit for a second soul ring.
"I can't absorb it as my second soul ring."
Then Hu Liena turned to Chen Ci and praised him:
"Young sir, you look about my age, yet you're already a rank-thirty Soul Elder.
"You're amazing."
"No, actually, I'm only..."
Chen Ci was just about to explain to Hu Liena when he heard someone speak for him:
"Hu Liena, it seems you still haven't fully understood everything I've taught you.
"Your observation during battle is also lacking."
Chen Ci looked toward the woman speaking and found that she was none other than the renowned Pope Bibi Dong.
Chen Ci was not surprised in the slightest. When he had seen Hu Liena through Blue Silver Vision, he had already considered the possibility that Bibi Dong would appear.
As for whether Bibi Dong would discover Gu Yuena's true identity, Chen Ci believed she would not.
After all, during the era of Legend of the Dragon King, Gu Yuena had even become a disciple of Skycrosser Douluo Yun Ming.
Yun Ming during the era of Legend of the Dragon King was far more powerful than the Titled Douluo of the first installment's timeline.
If even Yun Ming could not discern Gu Yuena's true identity, how could Bibi Dong?
That was why Chen Ci had brought Gu Yuena along to rescue Hu Liena.
Hearing Bibi Dong's reprimand, Hu Liena playfully stuck out her tongue, not taking it too seriously.
Bibi Dong shook her head and said helplessly:
"Didn't you notice that this boy used only one Soul Skill from beginning to end during the battle?"
Only when the conversation turned to Chen Ci did Hu Liena focus, beginning to recall every detail of the fight.
With Bibi Dong's reminder, Hu Liena finally realized with a start that Chen Ci had used only one Soul Skill the entire time!
Could it be...
"Does he only have one Soul Skill?"
Bibi Dong nodded.
"Exactly."
Hu Liena's eyes immediately widened as she turned to Chen Ci in disbelief.
Chen Ci nodded as well and said:
"That was what I was about to tell you."
Hu Liena exclaimed in surprise:
"How is that possible?
"Your first soul ring actually reached the thousand-year level?!
"How could the Soul Master who took you Soul Hunting be so irresponsible? What if something had happened to you?"
Following Hu Liena's lead, Chen Ci explained his background:
"There wasn't a Soul Master taking me Soul Hunting. Gu Yuena and I are both orphans. We both come from Soul Douluo Village."
He believed that, having witnessed his talent in this battle, Bibi Dong would surely recruit him into Spirit Hall once she learned about his background.
With Spirit Hall at his back like a mighty mountain, he would fear no one on the Douluo Continent when it came to strength or potential.
Nor would he fear anyone in a contest of backing.
Unless he had absolutely no other choice, he did not want Gu Yuena to take action.
Her serious injuries had yet to heal, and acting rashly might damage her origin.
At best, it might affect Gu Yuena's strength; at worst, it might affect his chance of becoming the Dragon God.
Everything unfolded just as Chen Ci had expected.
After he revealed that he was an orphan, Bibi Dong paid even closer attention to him.
However, before Bibi Dong could begin recruiting him, Hu Liena spoke impatiently:
"Teacher, let's recruit them into Spirit Hall."
Before you continue