Bibi Dong!

Su Yu came back to his senses and immediately spotted Hu Liena watching him beside him. He promptly scooped her up and spun around twice.

"Nana! I'm so happy!"

His voice brimmed with delight, and even the arms holding her trembled slightly.

A basic sage body, the Wood Release Ninjutsu Compendium, and the Sharingan I haven't absorbed yet!

With these three things, he felt he could laugh himself awake from his dreams tonight!

Hu Liena's skirt fluttered as he spun her around. At first, she froze for a moment, then began to giggle, patting his arms lightly with her little hands:

"Brother Su Yu! Put me down! I'm getting dizzy!"

Her laughter rang clear and bright like a string of silver bells, dispelling the solemnity in the great hall.

Xie Yue stood to one side watching, his brows furrowing. He muttered, "Childish," yet the corners of his mouth secretly curved upward.

Wait! That brat was holding his little sister!

"Su Yu, that's my little sister! Put my sister down!!!"

Only then did Su Yu realize what he was doing, and he smiled as he put Hu Liena down:

"Sorry! I got so excited that I forgot!"

Xie Yue pulled Hu Liena behind him and glared at Su Yu:

"Next time, just talk. Keep your hands to yourself!"

Hu Liena shoved Xie Yue aside and looked at Su Yu as she spoke:

"Brother Su Yu, what happened to you just now? You suddenly stopped talking. I thought something had happened to you!"

"I'm fine. I just found out what my martial soul really is!"

Hearing Su Yu's words, Xie Yue also came over.

"Hey, Su Yu, you said you figured out your martial soul. So what exactly is it?"

Su Yu was just about to speak when the crisp sound of high heels striking the floor came from outside the hall.

Click, click, click. The steady rhythm carried an invisible pressure as it drew closer.

The three exchanged glances, then hurriedly stood in a neat line, their backs ramrod straight.

Within just three breaths, the heavy doors were slowly pushed open from outside, and three figures appeared in the doorway.

On either side stood Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei, who had brought them in earlier.

Yue Guan's golden armor remained striking, while Gui Mei was still concealed beneath his black robe, his presence difficult to discern.

Standing between them was a woman.

She looked about twenty-five or twenty-six and wore a sumptuous purple gown.

Intricate golden patterns embroidered its hem, which swayed gently with her movements.

Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, with only a few locks loosely pinned up by a ruby-studded hairpin.

She was extraordinarily beautiful, with brows like distant ink-blue mountains, eyes like cold stars, a high nose, and naturally pale pink lips.

Yet a faint trace of coolness and authority lingered between her brows, making others hesitate to look directly at her.

Though she looked young, her mere presence seemed to make the surrounding air congeal.

Even Yue Guan and Gui Mei instinctively stayed half a step behind her. Clearly, she was someone of exalted status.

This should be Spirit Hall's current Pope-Bibi Dong!

The woman walked straight to the gilded chair in the center of the hall and sat down, her robes brushing the smooth steps.

Yue Guan and Gui Mei stood with lowered heads beside the steps one level below her seat, their posture respectful.

"His Holiness the Pope, these three are the most gifted children from today's awakening," Yue Guan reported with a bow, his voice steady.

Bibi Dong nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping indifferently over the three in the hall as her red lips parted:

"Mm, understood." Her gaze settled on Xie Yue.

"Take the child with level-eight innate soul power away. Yue Guan, Gui Mei, escort him to Spirit Hall Academy."

"Yes, Your Holiness!" The two accepted the order and motioned for Xie Yue to follow.

Though reluctant to leave, Xie Yue knew this was no time to interject. Before departing, he glanced back at Su Yu and Hu Liena, then followed the two out of the palace.

The heavy doors slowly closed, leaving only Su Yu, Hu Liena, and Bibi Dong inside.

A subtle silence filled the air, broken only by the faint sounds of flickering candle flames.

Bibi Dong raised her eyes slightly, her gaze settling on Hu Liena. Her tone betrayed neither pleasure nor anger as she spoke with seeming nonchalance:

"What is your name?"

Under that gaze, Hu Liena's heart tightened. She hurriedly stepped forward, nervously clutching the corners of her clothes with both hands, her voice trembling noticeably:

"Y-Your Holiness! My name is Hu Liena!"

Her cheeks flushed scarlet, and for a moment, even her breathing grew heavier.

"Hu Liena." Bibi Dong repeated the name, her fingertips tapping lightly against the armrest.

"A good name." She paused, then slowly stated Hu Liena's martial soul and soul power.

"Martial soul: Demon Fox. Innate soul power: level nine."

Hu Liena looked up in surprise-His Holiness the Pope even knew these things?

Seeing the astonishment in her eyes, Bibi Dong's lips curved ever so slightly, a barely perceptible gentleness entering her voice:

"Among Spirit Hall's younger generation, you already stand out from the crowd."

Her tone shifted, her gaze deepening. "Would you be willing to become my disciple?"

Those words exploded beside Hu Liena's ears like a thunderclap.

She stared blankly at Bibi Dong seated high above her, momentarily forgetting to react.

She could only feel her heart pounding wildly in her chest, almost leaping out.

She looked at Bibi Dong's almost perfectly beautiful face, then instinctively glanced at Su Yu beside her.

Her little hands clenched tightly, and her lips moved, yet for a moment, she forgot how to answer.

His Holiness the Pope... wanted to take her as a disciple? This was like a dream!

"What is it? Are you unwilling?"

Only then did Hu Liena come back to her senses. She hurriedly bowed her head deeply, her voice filled with irrepressible excitement and respect:

"I-I am willing! Your disciple, Hu Liena, pays her respects to you, Teacher!"

Watching her, Bibi Dong's lips curved in an almost imperceptible, faint smile that vanished in an instant:

"Mm. From now on, stay by my side and cultivate. Do not squander this gift."

"Yes! I will work hard!"

Hu Liena's voice carried a hint of tears. Clearly, she was overwhelmed with excitement.

Bibi Dong shifted her gaze to Su Yu beside her, a scrutinizing gleam in her amber eyes:

"As for you... innate full soul power, yet your martial soul is an unremarkable sapling. How interesting."

Su Yu raised his eyes to meet her gaze. "His Holiness the Pope, my martial soul is not a sapling!"

Bibi Dong tapped the armrest lightly with her fingertips, her glass-colored nails gleaming coldly in the candlelight.

She did not respond immediately. Her eyes slowly narrowed, her gaze enveloping Su Yu from head to toe like a finely woven net.

"Oh? Interesting. Then tell me, what exactly is your martial soul?"

"His Holiness the Pope, my martial soul is an elemental martial soul!"

"An elemental martial soul?" Bibi Dong's brows rose slightly, a measure of inquiry entering her tone.

"Are you certain your martial soul is an elemental martial soul?"

"Absolutely, His Holiness the Pope," Su Yu said with certainty.

"My martial soul is a wood elemental martial soul. I also call it 'Wood Release'!"