Qin Chuan stood up.
He walked around the table and stopped in front of Bibi Dong. She sat in her chair, looking up at him, his reflection caught in her purple-gold slit pupils.
Qin Chuan reached out with his right hand and hooked his index finger under Bibi Dong's chin.
Bibi Dong's body tensed.
Qin Chuan couldn't be bothered with how cold and aloof she was. He bent down and brushed his lips against hers.
Bibi Dong went rigid, frozen in place.
As a level 97 Super Douluo and the Pope who commanded hundreds of thousands of Spirit Hall followers, she hadn't suffered such an affront in years.
She drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the emotions churning inside her, without letting a trace of bashfulness show on her face.
Qin Chuan stepped back and stood there, smiling.
"I was just checking whether you meant what you said. Otherwise, we'd have to play Truth or Dare to find out."
Bibi Dong raised a hand and wiped the corner of her lips, then took a deep breath.
"And now?"
"No need. You meant it." Qin Chuan sat back down, his tone turning serious. "Your Holiness, as long as you agree to three things, I'll swear allegiance to Spirit Hall."
Bibi Dong suppressed the flush on her face and regained her papal composure.
"Go ahead. As long as it's something I can do."
Qin Chuan secretly rejoiced. He was already a member of Spirit Hall, so how hard could swearing an oath be? Besides, Spirit Hall had Qian Renxue, Hu Liena, and Sis Dongdong.
He held up one finger.
"First, I need some money. I want to open a [Douluo Game Hall] in Spirit City. It won't just be for fun. It'll help everyone cultivate, especially female Soul Masters."
Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow.
"Help them cultivate?"
Qin Chuan nodded. "My fifth Soul Skill is called Happy Cultivation. While playing games, participants will increase their soul power without even realizing it. Female Soul Masters get a two-hundred-percent bonus."
Bibi Dong paused in surprise.
She had cultivated for most of her life and had never heard of games increasing soul power. But which of the things she'd seen in the arena yesterday had she ever heard of?
"If that's true, then that's wonderful. This sovereign..." She paused and corrected herself. "Oh, no, I mean..."
"Sis Dongdong," Qin Chuan supplied.
The corner of Bibi Dong's mouth twitched. She looked at his utterly matter-of-fact expression, hesitated for half a breath, and ultimately refrained from correcting the way he addressed her.
"I'll find time to visit the game hall." She didn't follow his lead and adopt the new form of address, her tone still carrying the Pope's aloofness. "By the way, what games do you have there?"
Qin Chuan opened the System Shop and glanced through it.
It offered a dazzling array of game props, machines, and devices. Most required points to redeem, though, and some were outrageously expensive.
He didn't introduce them one by one, merely saying, "Loads. I guarantee you'll like them. And every game comes with rewards."
Bibi Dong nodded. "All right. What are the other two things?"
Qin Chuan raised a second finger.
"Is Xiao Wu still in Spirit City?"
Bibi Dong said, "She is. After the tournament ended, Ning Rongrong returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing refused to return to Shrek."
Qin Chuan thought, Those two girls have their heads screwed on straight. They know nothing good awaits them back there.
"Once the shop opens, have both of them come help me out. Also, Xiao Wu must be protected. No one is allowed to set their sights on her. That's my second condition."
Bibi Dong didn't agree immediately.
She lifted her teacup and took a sip, her gaze lingering on Qin Chuan's face.
Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit in human form.
Killing her would yield a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and a Soul Bone, enough for a level 89 Douluo to break straight through their bottleneck.
Who knew how many people across the continent coveted such a prize? Even within Spirit Hall, some wanted to make a move. To say she didn't covet it herself would have been a lie.
But Qin Chuan had made his request today.
Bibi Dong considered it. Qin Chuan was only level 51, yet his [Rule Martial Soul, "God of Drama"] could already suppress Titled Douluos.
Once he reached level 90 and unlocked all nine Soul Skills, she couldn't begin to predict what kinds of games would appear.
She couldn't afford to offend this man.
"All right, no problem." Bibi Dong set down her teacup. "And the last thing?"
Qin Chuan shook his head.
"I haven't decided yet. Let's leave it for another day."
Bibi Dong glanced at him without pressing further.
"Fine. We'll discuss it another day. Also, from today onward, I appoint you Spirit Hall's Saint Son."
[Saint Son-that puts me on equal footing with the Saintess, Hu Liena.] Qin Chuan stood and cupped his hands in salute.
"Thank you, Sis Dongdong."
The corner of Bibi Dong's mouth shifted, but she didn't correct him again.
The two left the secret chamber and followed the hidden passage toward the main hall.
Spirit Hall's main hall.
The hall towered overhead, Spirit Hall's emblem carved into its vaulted ceiling, while two rows of stone pillars supported the vast space.
Sunlight filtered through gaps in the dome and fell onto the black gold stone tiles.
Bibi Dong sat on the papal throne atop the dais, the Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown back on her head and the Pope's Scepter standing at her right.
Six Titled Douluos stood below, with Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo at the front. Hu Liena, Yan, and Xie Yue stood behind them.
In the square outside, hundreds of people stood in formation, all key members of Spirit Hall.
Bibi Dong spoke. Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried throughout the hall.
"I hereby announce that, from today onward, Qin Chuan shall be Spirit Hall's Saint Son."
Inside and outside the hall, silence held for a breath before everyone bowed in unison.
"As Your Holiness commands!"
Qin Chuan stood below the dais and accepted their salute. He thought, Saint Son. Not bad. I've got an official position now.
Once it was over, Qin Chuan left Spirit Hall with Hu Liena, Yan, and Xie Yue.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo followed behind, tasked with protecting them.
The four walked along Spirit City's main street.
The sunshine was pleasant, and people bustled along the street. Quite a few recognized Qin Chuan and pointed from afar. "Look, that's the man who beat a Titled Douluo yesterday!"
Qin Chuan ignored them. He was looking for a storefront.
Spirit City's shopping street was long, with shops lining both sides. After walking down one street, Qin Chuan spotted a three-story building on a corner.
It had gray-white stone walls, sweeping eaves with upturned corners, a spacious main entrance, and a large floor-to-ceiling window on either side. The third-floor windows were open, the breeze stirring the curtains inside.
The building was empty. The previous business had moved out, leaving only some old shelves and dust-covered counters. But the structure was sound and the space ample. It would only need minor renovations before it could be used.
Qin Chuan made a circuit and returned to the entrance.
"This one."
Hu Liena followed behind and poked her head in for a look.
"We have more than enough Gold Soul Coins. If we're renovating, we should make it the best."
Qin Chuan didn't stand on ceremony. After returning, he found a blank booklet and wrote down the renovation plans, item by item.
He clearly specified which machines would go on the first floor, how many rooms the second floor should be divided into, and how the third floor should be laid out.
Once finished, he handed it to Ghost Douluo.
"Get the best craftsmen and finish the renovations as quickly as possible."
Ghost Douluo took the booklet, flipped through it, and nodded expressionlessly.
"Understood."
That afternoon, Hu Liena showed Qin Chuan around Spirit Hall.
Spirit Hall's residential quarters lay behind the main hall: rows of separate courtyards assigned to core members. Hu Liena, Yan, and Xie Yue all lived in this area.
Hu Liena chatted as they walked.
"That Tang San is absolutely disgusting." Her expression looked as though she'd swallowed a fly. "I used to think he was pretty impressive, with some clever tricks in a fight. Turns out this is the sort of thing he's been doing behind everyone's backs."
Qin Chuan gave her a sidelong glance. "Did you have a crush on him before? Is that why you held back during the tournament?"
Before you continue