Bibi Dong lowered her head and tapped her index fingers together, saying rather shyly, "I don't have any money. Becoming a Soul Master must take a lot of Gold Soul Coins, right?"
Gu Xuewei nearly laughed. She had been worrying about why the child was hesitating, only to discover that this was the reason.
Twin martial souls and innate full soul power-with credentials like these, high-ranking Soul Masters would probably fight tooth and nail to take her as a disciple.
"Child, if you join Spirit Hall, not only will we waive your tuition, we'll provide food and lodging, too. And we can give you five Gold Soul Coins every month as an allowance."
Gu Xuewei made Bibi Dong that promise outright. Although none of this fell within her authority, Spirit Hall's higher-ups would never refuse unless something was wrong with their heads.
"A hundred Copper Soul Coins equal one Gold Soul Coin, and one Copper Soul Coin can buy one loaf of black bread. Then five Gold Soul Coins can buy five hundred loaves of black bread."
Bibi Dong muttered quietly, thinking nobody could hear her. But Gu Xuewei was a Soul Master, and she was standing right there. How could she not hear?
Gu Xuewei smiled. "Child, have you made up your mind?"
"Big sister, I'll agree, but can you give those five Gold Soul Coins to our village?" Bibi Dong asked.
"Why would you want to give them to the village? Five Gold Soul Coins isn't much, but you could still buy some tasty treats and fun things." Gu Xuewei had her suspicions, but she did not voice them, deliberately asking instead.
"Didn't you say you'd give Dong'er food and lodging? Then I won't need those Gold Soul Coins. You can give them to the villagers so the uncles, aunties, brothers, and sisters there can live a little better."
At those words, the village chief's eyes instantly brimmed with tears. Crouching down, the chief hugged Bibi Dong tightly and said through choked sobs, "Dong'er, you're such a good girl. But you don't have to do that. Just take good care of yourself."
Gu Xuewei sighed. "That's the way of the world. Those wealthy nobles drift through life in a drunken stupor, indulging in every imaginable luxury, while commoners like us often struggle just to stay fed and clothed."
"Ah, why am I talking about this? Dong'er, go get ready. Once I've finished my report, I'll take you to Spirit City."
Bibi Dong nodded. "Thank you, big sister. I'll go now."
An hour later, outside Phoenixsong Village, Bibi Dong reluctantly waved goodbye to the village elders, holding back her tears, then followed Gu Xuewei toward Spirit City.
Phoenixsong Village was not far from Spirit City, only about twenty li away. The woman and the little girl walked for a little over half an hour before arriving.
Thanks to the reforms carried out by Spirit Hall's successive Popes, not only had the Soul Masters responsible for awakening children's martial souls become kinder, but the Spirit Hall Main Halls, branches, and other offices in more regions had also become more diligent.
Thus, when Gu Xuewei and Bibi Dong entered Spirit City, they encountered no extortion or demands for bribes and passed through smoothly.
With Gu Xuewei leading the way, the two entered the Spirit Hall Branch within Spirit City.
The branch hall master opened Gu Xuewei's report, which ran to several full pages. The more he read, the more evident the joy on his face became.
After a while, he smiled. "Well done. I'll go to the Papal Palace right now and seek an audience with the Pope."
Without waiting for Gu Xuewei to respond, he took the report on Bibi Dong and ran straight toward the Papal Palace.
As a Soul Saint, Zhao Rui possessed considerable physical strength even without using his martial soul's abilities. Before long, he appeared at the entrance to the Papal Palace.
"Are you Mr. Zhao Rui?"
"Yes, that's me."
"Hello. The Pope has asked you to go straight in."
As the hall master of Spirit City's branch, Zhao Rui frequently visited the Papal Palace to submit documents. Thus, unlike everyone else, he did not need to go through a complicated procedure to meet the Pope.
The Papal Palace.
Clad in golden ceremonial robes, the handsome, blond-haired, blue-eyed Qian Xunji was reading the documents Zhao Rui had submitted.
Several minutes later, he forced himself to remain composed and said, "I will have Ghost Elder and Elder Ju bring that child here."
"Gu Xuewei, was it? How old is she this year? What is her cultivation level?"
"Twenty-two, I believe. She's a rank thirty-one Soul Elder," Zhao Rui said.
"Very good. I will arrange for her to become a Soul Douluo's disciple. Once she reaches rank forty-one, I will also send her to a branch with a vacancy to serve as its hall master."
"In addition, everyone at the Spirit City branch will receive twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins as a reward. You may leave," Qian Xunji said calmly.
"As you command," Zhao Rui said.
Meanwhile, beneath a gate on the other side of Spirit City stood a black-haired youth in blue robes, with sword-like brows and star-bright eyes. Exceptionally handsome, he had a carefree, unrestrained air about him.
Looking at the enormous Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum sculpture atop Spirit City, he smiled faintly. "Oh my, Little Chrysanthemum has already become a Titled Douluo."
"I've been away so long, yet Spirit City is still just as lively."
He watched the carriages and pedestrians passing him now and then. Even as they hurried to and fro, their faces held hope and yearning for their future lives. Flags from all manner of shops fluttered along both sides of the street, where vendors slapped their little stalls.
I'll get something to eat at the Martial Soul Grand Hotel first and see whether there's anything new. With that thought, Qian Chongling headed straight toward the Martial Soul Grand Hotel.
Several minutes later, Qian Chongling entered the Martial Soul Grand Hotel, which resembled a small manor. Rather than heading to the upper floors reserved for high-ranking Soul Masters, he casually chose a window seat on the ground floor and told the server to bring him a few dishes of their choosing.
Shortly after the server left, a broad-shouldered, thick-waisted middle-aged man at a nearby square table spoke with a laugh.
"Hahaha! Have you heard? The son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's chief actually awakened a pig!"
At those words, not only did the people sharing his table look skeptical, but guests at several surrounding tables also began asking questions.
"Is that really true?"
"That's too outrageous."
"The heir of the mighty Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Upper Three Sects, actually awakened a pig?"
The middle-aged man was not particularly surprised by their doubts. Even he had not believed it when he first heard the news.
But that was simply the truth. He said, "Come on, with the way the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan usually acts, if their heir really had outstanding talent, they'd have trumpeted it to the whole world by now."
"That makes sense."
"The way the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan usually behaves certainly lives up to the word 'tyrant' in its name!"
"You know, that's really how it is. Before Yu Yuanzhen, the current chief of the Blue Tyrant Family, took office, nobody picked up lost belongings on the roads or locked their doors at night within a thousand li of their headquarters!"
Hearing this, some of the people snacking on melon seeds and sipping wine looked thoughtful, while others looked baffled. Just as they were about to ask, a short, stout man explained, "Brother, nobody without a bit of worldly experience would understand what you mean by that."
(Two chapters will be posted around ten: one from the backlog and one freshly written.)
Before you continue