Spirit Hall's Beloved Bing Jiu

A few days later, Bing Jiu returned to Spirit City.

Inside the Papal Hall, Bibi Dong summoned her alone.

"Your Holiness, regarding what you assigned me..."

"Get up."

Bibi Dong took Bing Jiu's hand and gently stroked her cheek. "How many times have I told you? When it's just the two of us, you don't need to call me Your Holiness. If you want, you may call me Mother."

"Yes."

Bing Jiu smiled and rubbed her face against Bibi Dong's hand. "Thank you, Mother."

Bibi Dong's hand was still as warm as it had been six years ago.

Over the past six years, although Bibi Dong had been extremely strict with her, she had fulfilled her responsibilities as a mother and always taken excellent care of Bing Jiu.

She had given her the warmth of a home.

"Mother, these are the records of the crimes committed by Spirit Hall bishops that Bing... no, that your daughter gathered during this inspection."

Bing Jiu handed Bibi Dong a stack of neatly organized documents.

Bibi Dong flipped through a few pages and sighed. "Tell me the details. I truly never expected there to be so many parasites within Spirit Hall."

"Yes, Mother. This time, 158 criminals among the Purple-Robed Bishops and those below them were executed on the spot by your daughter. A total of nine Black-Robed Bishops and Red-Robed Bishops were uncovered, and Chrysanthemum Elder and Ghost Elder have already executed them on the spot as well."

"Mm, well done."

Bibi Dong patted Bing Jiu on the shoulder. "When you handle matters, I am always the most at ease."

"Thank you for your praise, Mother."

"You little flatterer. The Grand Elder has something to discuss with you. Hurry over. Don't keep him waiting too long."

"Yes!"

Bing Jiu bowed to Bibi Dong, then turned and left.

As Bibi Dong watched her departing figure, for some reason, it kept overlapping with the image of a golden-haired girl.

Her expression turned distant before gradually dimming.

"When she was that age, she must have looked like this too—so lovable..."

Worship Hall

"Oh my, my adorable little Jiu Jiu is back..."

Guang Ling Douluo teasingly pinched Bing Jiu's cheeks and shook them around. "Hehe, don't keep such a straight face all the time. Let this old man give you a kiss."

"Guang... Grandpa Guang Ling, please don't do this. I'll get embarrassed."

Bing Jiu puffed out her cheeks. She instinctively tried to grab Guang Ling's mischievous hands, but how could he let her have her way? He continued kneading and pinching her cheeks.

Normally, Bing Jiu was exceptionally serious in her work and rarely smiled. Yet after Guang Ling Douluo got hold of her, she looked exactly like a little kitten that had been teased into a fury but did not dare resist.

Her usual dignity was nearly gone.

The contrast made the corners of the mouths of the other Worshipers in the hall—some resting with their eyes closed, others quietly sipping tea—twitch uncontrollably.

Golden Crocodile Douluo stroked his beard and held back his laughter, letting out a few muffled hums, but he did not stop him.

"Enough, enough."

Qing Luan Douluo suppressed a smile as he pulled Guang Ling Douluo away. "Stop bullying Bing Jiu. If you keep this up, be careful Bibi Dong doesn't come after you with her life on the line."

"Hmph! So what? This old man isn't afraid of her. She tricked Little Jiu into calling her Mother—does that mean I can't be Little Jiu's grandfather?" Guang Ling Douluo stood with his hands on his hips, puffing his cheeks in indignation.

The moment he said that, the hall fell silent.

Even Bing Jiu could not stop the corner of her mouth from twitching.

As a level ninety-seven Super Douluo, why did Guang Ling Douluo seem to be... vying for affection in front of her?

Seeing that no one responded to him, Guang Ling Douluo grew even more annoyed. "Hmph! I don't care. Little Jiu is so adorable—how can she not have a grandfather? Little Jiu, tell me. Will you let me be your grandfather or not?"

"This... Senior Guang Ling, isn't this a little..."

"Enough, Guang Ling. Stop making things difficult for Little Jiu."

At that moment, an elderly male voice, calm and unruffled yet clearly overpowering the commotion in the hall, rang out.

As soon as that voice sounded, Guang Ling Douluo stomped his foot in anger, but he could only return to his original seat and sulk.

"Little Jiu, you've worked hard."

Qian Daoliu slowly entered the hall and patted Bing Jiu on the shoulder, his eyes filled with approval.

In truth, six years ago, when he had granted Bing Jiu the position of Spirit Hall Saintess because of that unimaginable martial soul, he had felt some regret.

Could such a young child truly bear the position of Saintess?

But the facts proved that Qian Daoliu had been wrong—terribly wrong!

Over the past six years, Bing Jiu had not neglected her cultivation in the slightest. Not only had she become the youngest Soul Elder on the continent, she had also used decisive methods to bring all of Spirit Hall into perfect order.

The incompetent had fallen beneath her sword, while the talented had been promoted and entrusted with important duties.

Without exaggeration, because of Bing Jiu, Spirit Hall's control over its branch halls across the two great empires, as well as its overall strength, had undergone a qualitative transformation.

Bing Jiu cupped her hands toward Qian Daoliu. "Bing Jiu greets the Grand Elder."

"Good child, no need for such formalities. Come, sit."

"Yes."

Qian Daoliu led Bing Jiu to take a seat in the Worship Hall. The Seven Great Worshipers of Spirit Hall were gathered together.

Although Bing Jiu seemed somewhat out of place, not a single person questioned her right or standing to sit there.

"Now, let's discuss serious matters."

Qian Daoliu took a sip of tea, his expression somewhat solemn.

Seeing his expression, everyone present felt a sense of foreboding rise within them.

Bing Jiu's eyes were sharp, but she said nothing. Instead, she rose and refilled the empty teacups of the seven Worshipers.

She also closed the doors of the Worship Hall and ordered the Spirit Hall experts outside to guard them strictly, forbidding anyone from entering.

Qian Daoliu watched Bing Jiu's actions and did not know what to say. He merely shook his head.

Bing Jiu had dismissed every unnecessary presence, leaving Qian Daoliu with no further concerns.

"This time, our people discovered a Dark Demon Evil God Tiger with 60,000-Year Cultivation in the Star Dou Forest within the Heaven Dou Empire!"

"What? A Dark Demon Evil God Tiger!"

Upon hearing that name, all the Worshipers present were startled.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was an existence ranked separately from the continent's Ten Great Ferocious Beasts, but that was certainly not because it was too weak!

Guang Ling Douluo slammed his palm against the table and rose. "Grand Elder, even a ten-thousand-year Dark Demon Evil God Tiger contains evil power beyond what an ordinary Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast can compare to. Since that is the case, our Worship Hall should act and destroy it!"

"However, now is not yet the time for us to act."

"Why?"

Qian Daoliu calmly took another sip of tea. "The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger in the Heaven Dou Empire is indeed troublesome, but do not forget—on this continent, what poses the greatest threat to our Spirit Hall?"

Evil Soul Masters.

That answer surfaced in the minds of everyone present at once.

Bing Jiu lowered her eyes silently.

She had already guessed this outcome.

In fact, ever since Spirit Hall had been founded, Qian Daoliu had issued a strict order.

As the gathering place of Spirit Hall's strongest forces, the Worship Hall was forbidden from participating in the continent's various conflicts except during special times.

And there was only one reason for this!

To fight Evil Soul Masters!