Meanwhile, Hu Liena, another prodigy acknowledged by the Pride of Heaven Ranking, kept turning the Jade Pot Ice Heart Art over in her hands without making sense of it. She felt as though the book said something, but when she thought back carefully, she could not seem to grasp anything at all.
Wang Qiye watched her from the shadows for an entire night, yet Hu Liena failed to glean even a scrap of anything substantial.
Not until early morning, when someone knocked outside, did Hu Liena casually set the book aside and go to open the door.
"Little Na, I brought that Dai Mubai you mentioned."
Two people entered the courtyard, looking around with interest.
This was Yan's first time entering Hu Liena's courtyard.
"Did you need something from me, Miss Hu Liena?"
Since he was not a prodigy, Dai Mubai was not yet a member of the Golden Generation and could only count as a candidate.
As Hu Liena sized him up, however, she secretly rejoiced.
He truly was extraordinarily handsome, with a high, straight nose and deep-set eyes.
The more Hu Liena looked, the more she liked him.
"What a shame. Why did that bearded fellow and that little fatty make the ranking, while you aren't on the Pride of Heaven Ranking? Those two are nowhere near as good-looking as you."
Dai Mubai immediately brightened at her words. He had wanted to curry favor with her in the first place.
Although he knew perfectly well that the bearded Oscar was exceptionally handsome once he shaved, he still did not say a single good word for his brother.
"It's truly an honor to receive your praise, Miss Hu Liena. I've always believed that looks are a kind of natural gift. You and I are both exceptionally gifted people."
Hu Liena had not expected him to be such a smooth talker. Just as she was about to speak, Yan said from beside them, "Of course. Our Nana is the prettiest girl in Spirit City. As for you, though..."
Before Yan could get a few cutting remarks out, Hu Liena said coldly, "Don't you have training to do? Get going."
"Eh? But I wasn't..."
Hu Liena's brows shot up. "Are you refusing to listen to me now?"
Yan did not dare argue and could only walk hesitantly outside, looking back three times with every step, just like a pitiful little puppy.
"Let's ignore that fellow. Come into my room. I just got an interesting Soul Tool."
"The honor is all mine."
Dai Mubai was like a courteous gentleman. Hu Liena, who came from a commoner Soul Master background, had never encountered such manners before. Being with him filled her heart and eyes with delight.
She chatted with him about everything under the sun in her room, having a wonderful time.
Meanwhile, Wang Qiye had long since given up on Hu Liena entirely.
"Sometimes I really don't understand. There's a broad road to the heavens right before their eyes, so why do some people insist on pushing it away?"
On the other side of the city, Oscar was eagerly leafing through a cookbook.
Wang Qiye nodded to himself.
His comprehension was a little lacking, but diligence could make up for clumsiness. Perhaps he really might comprehend this art someday.
After poring over the cookbook for a long time, Oscar still did not seem satisfied. He simply set up a grill, got a few sausages, and put them on it to roast.
Seeing this, Wang Qiye was even more pleased.
With Hu Liena as a comparison, he could hardly have been more satisfied with Oscar. Although Oscar still fell a little short of Ma Hongjun, putting in effort was a good thing.
Inside another mansion, Ma Hongjun slowly opened his eyes.
"I'm burning to death! Burning to death! Burning to death!" He scrambled up and patted himself down for a long while before realizing there was not a single flame on his body, and broad daylight already shone outside the window.
"What's going on? That art last night..."
Ma Hongjun blinked and looked around. The events of the previous night seemed to have left no trace whatsoever.
Could everything last night have been something I imagined?
Countless images and words suddenly flooded Ma Hongjun's mind.
The enormous influx of knowledge made cold sweat pour from his entire body. He felt as though his head were about to split open.
When Ma Hongjun regained consciousness, he discovered that he had acquired an art.
"No, no, that's not right. Could what happened last night have been real? Did I really obtain an art?"
Faced with this situation, Ma Hongjun pushed the door open and went out, intending to find Dean Flender first.
"Something appeared in my head out of nowhere. Who knows whether it's good or bad!"
Fifteen minutes later, Ma Hongjun was told that Flender had already left on a mission and would not return until the day after tomorrow at the earliest. Zhao Wuji was also away.
Now Ma Hongjun had no idea whom to turn to.
But a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind. What would happen if he went to Pope Bibi Dong?
Once the thought appeared, it seemed to take root in his head. The more Ma Hongjun considered it, the more certain he became that this was an excellent idea. But would that pope really agree to see him again?
Still, he might as well treat a dead horse as though it were alive. Ma Hongjun decided to try. After all, he did not even know what state he was in-whether he had been cursed or poisoned, or whether all of this was actually his imagination and he was mentally ill without knowing it.
It took Ma Hongjun only ten minutes to run to the entrance of the Papal Hall. After informing the guards at the entrance, he squatted there and waited patiently.
I hope I don't run into that madwoman Hu Liena. I hope the pope agrees to see me.
Ma Hongjun closed his eyes, his heart bobbing up and down with unease.
He did not know whether the pope would receive him, but all he could do now was take a gamble.
A while later, under the guards' astonished gazes, Ma Hongjun actually walked into the Papal Hall.
"Little fatty, tell me. What brings you here?"
Bibi Dong wore papal robes. Far from concealing her figure, the elegant robes made the softness at her chest look exceptionally full.
Beneath that full bloom, her waistline tapered sharply before curving smoothly into the line of her hips.
Ma Hongjun secretly swallowed.
"Your Holiness, please help me."
"What happened? Tell me in detail."
Ma Hongjun gave a full account of how someone had imparted an art to him and how a great deal of knowledge had appeared in his head.
Compared with that unknown art, Ma Hongjun wanted to keep his life more.
"An unknown art? Interesting. Write it out from memory for me."
Ma Hongjun picked up a brush to write, only to discover that the moment he tried to put the art into writing, he could no longer remember it at all.
With an ugly expression, Ma Hongjun shook his head. "I can't write it down. Whenever I think about writing it out, the art goes blank."
Bibi Dong nodded gravely. "Then can you demonstrate it for me?"
Ma Hongjun closed his eyes and carefully sensed it. "Yes."
Then Ma Hongjun stepped back twice and began demonstrating the art in the center of the hall.
Rather than an art, it was more like a dance.
Ma Hongjun's hands moved through one palm seal after another. Though fat, he danced lightly through the Papal Hall.
Bibi Dong thought he was making fun of her, but then she discovered that the art really did seem to work. As Ma Hongjun danced, an inexplicable sense of joy and delight arose within her, and she could not help wanting to draw closer to him.
Ma Hongjun, meanwhile, also felt himself beginning to lose control, as though he could not stop.
As he danced, his heart grew hotter and hotter, as though flames were burning within it.
Ma Hongjun's eyes grew redder and redder. He felt that he could no longer control his body, yet instead of acting on instinct as it usually did, his body continued that strange, fiery dance.
Bibi Dong drew closer and closer.
Watching the dance, Bibi Dong even felt that the suffering she had endured before was not so unbearable anymore. She even felt her mood brighten and joined Ma Hongjun's dance with interest.
Inside the majestic, solemn Papal Hall, the two danced gracefully, with strange laughter occasionally mingling in.
It looked both absurd and eerie.
Before you continue