"I'm looking forward to it too. I never imagined you could make breakfast, darling." Ah Yin was also full of anticipation. Clearly, eating breakfast made for them by the man they loved would make them feel very happy.
After the three finished breakfast, Bibi Dong went back to bed. She had barely slept all night, and now she only wanted to catch up on sleep and do nothing else.
Zhao Ling had wanted to stay with her, but she chased him out of her bedroom, clearly afraid that seeing her alluring, sizzling figure would make a certain someone lose control and turn into a hungry wolf again.
After being chased out, Zhao Ling planned to take Ah Yin for a good stroll around Spirit City to pass the time.
Unexpectedly, Chrysanthemum Douluo came looking for him. "Demon-Suppressing Douluo, His Holiness the Pope summons you to the Papal Hall."
Zhao Ling frowned in puzzlement and asked quietly, "What's wrong? Is something the matter? Didn't I just visit him at the Papal Hall yesterday?"
"I'm not very sure either. His Holiness simply said he wanted to see you." Chrysanthemum Douluo shook his head, looking equally clueless.
After pondering for a moment, Zhao Ling said to Ah Yin, "Yin'er, why don't you head back to the Side Hall and wait for me? I'll make a trip to the Papal Hall."
Ah Yin nodded, rose onto her tiptoes, and kissed Zhao Ling on the lips before returning to the Side Hall.
Zhao Ling followed Chrysanthemum Douluo to the Papal Hall.
Upon entering the Papal Hall, Zhao Ling looked at Qian Xunji, who sat upright on the Papal Throne, and gave him a slight nod.
"Your Holiness, may I ask why you summoned me?"
Qian Xunji knitted his sharp brows and feigned displeasure. "Why are you still calling me Your Holiness? Given your relationship with Dong'er now, can't you call me Teacher?"
The corner of Zhao Ling's mouth twitched. Unable to resist, he summoned the diary system and began venting in it.
[Screw you, Qian Xunji, you old bastard. Are you really that obsessed with being called Teacher? Looks like he really enjoys getting one over on me.]
[Heh, you like taking advantage of me, do you? Fine, I'll let you have your way for now. It's not like it'll cost me a chunk of flesh.]
[But I'm remembering this slight. I'd like to see whether that girl Qian Renxue can still be born as she was in the original work.]
[If she's still your daughter, don't blame me for being immoral once she grows up.]
[No, you probably won't blame me. I'm sure you'd rather be my father-in-law than my teacher, right? Mwahahaha...]
After venting, Zhao Ling clicked to upload the diary entry, only to receive a notification that it had earned a C rating, rewarding him with looks +1 and charm +10.
Zhao Ling's eyes lit up at the rewards. His looks had finally improved again. Just a little more, and they would break past 90.
It hadn't been easy. As for his charm stat, aside from the three question marks, it finally had a title: "Female Killer Lv. 1."
When Zhao Ling still didn't answer, Qian Xunji raised his voice in puzzlement. "What's wrong? Is calling me Teacher really so difficult for you? Or do you no longer want me to personally arrange your engagement?"
Hearing this, Zhao Ling hurriedly offered an apologetic smile. "Of course not! Teacher, you must be joking. You're Dong'er's teacher, and you raised her like a daughter. Never mind calling you Teacher-even if you wanted me to call you Father-in-law, I wouldn't hesitate in the slightest.
His solemn declaration made Qian Xunji nod in satisfaction. "Forget Father-in-law. Just call me Teacher as Dong'er does. I did raise her, but I'm not her father, after all."
"Yes, all right." Zhao Ling's face was covered in smiles as he muttered, "It's fine. There'll be a chance to call you Father-in-law someday. When that happens, you won't be able to deny it even if you want to."
"What? What did you say?" Hearing Zhao Ling's quiet muttering, Qian Xunji raised his sharp brows in confusion.
Although he didn't know what Zhao Ling's words meant, he couldn't shake a sense of foreboding...
Chapter 97: Unable to Control Himself
"Nothing, nothing. You must have misheard."
Zhao Ling hurriedly shook his head like a rattle drum and asked tentatively, "Teacher, why did you call me here today?"
Hearing Zhao Ling's question, Qian Xunji immediately grew serious.
"Here's the situation. The Great Enshrined and I have agreed to hold your engagement to Dong'er in a week. I'll have Chrysanthemum Douluo make the preparations.
"Also, tomorrow I intend to announce your existence to the public and grant you the title of Demon-Suppressing Douluo and the status of Spirit Hall Honorary Elder."
With that, Qian Xunji took a Pope Token from his robes and tossed it toward Zhao Ling, who caught it firmly in one hand.
"Zhao Ling, this is our Spirit Hall's highest-ranking Pope Token. You understand what it does, don't you?"
Zhao Ling glanced at the intricately patterned Pope Token in his hand, recalling its uses in the original work. He didn't refuse it and put it straight into his storage space.
Not just anyone could possess a Pope Token. In the original work, there had been six in total, and only three had been issued to outsiders, all to the leaders of the Upper Three Sects.
Later, the Pope Token belonging to the Clear Sky Sect had fallen into Tang Hao's hands, and Tang Hao had given it to that fellow Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang had used that Pope Token to resolve quite a few problems that had been extremely troublesome for Shrek Academy.
Now that old bastard Qian Xunji was actually giving him a Pope Token. Zhao Ling wasn't foolish enough to refuse it. After all, only a bastard would pass up a free advantage.
"Teacher, I'll accept this Pope Token, then. Thank you, Teacher." Zhao Ling readily offered a warm smile.
As for Qian Xunji's intention to grant him the title of Demon-Suppressing Douluo and the status of Spirit Hall Honorary Elder, he refused neither.
Once his title of Demon-Suppressing Douluo received official recognition, the rank in his Soul Master Handbook would surely need updating, and his monthly stipend would certainly rise with the tide.
Honorary elder status could also prove quite useful in many situations, without requiring him to do anything for Spirit Hall. He would essentially be an elder in name only. He could still go wandering whenever he pleased, with no need for reservations.
"All right, that's everything. You may leave." Qian Xunji waved, indicating that Zhao Ling could go.
Zhao Ling nodded, turned, and left the Papal Hall. Watching his retreating figure, Qian Xunji knitted his brows tightly.
"Huh? What did he mean when he muttered that I would become his father-in-law sooner or later? I don't have a daughter, nor do I intend to take Dong'er as my adopted daughter. Is he sure he hasn't lost his mind?"
After leaving the Papal Hall, Zhao Ling summoned his Personal Attribute Panel and examined it.
[Name: Zhao Ling Age: 31 Looks: 89 (maximum 100) Charm: ??? (title: Maiden Killer Lv. 1) Strength: Level 93 Titled Douluo (Power Attack System) Physique: Primary Barbarian Battle Body Cultivation art: "Canglan Sword Art" Movement technique: Thousand Shadow Art Martial Souls: Netherworld Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, Death God Demon Scythe Soul Ring Configuration (First Martial Soul): purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red, red, red Soul Ring Configuration (Second Martial Soul): black, black, black Soul Bones: Iron-Armed Demon Ape left arm bone, Qian Jun Ant Emperor right arm bone, Plate Armor Rhino torso bone, Great Strength Gorilla right leg bone, Qian Jun Ant Emperor left leg bone, Phantom Nightmare skull bone, Amethyst Behemoth External Soul Bone Soul Skills (First Martial Soul): Iron Tower, Bronze Wall; Defensive Steel Hardening; Might Subdues a Thousand Armies; Beast in a Cage's Struggle; Pagoda Subdues Mountains and Rivers; Xingtian Subdues Demons; Demon-Subduing Tower True Form; Pagoda Protects the True Form; Netherworld Subdues Gods and Demons Soul Skills (Second Soul Ring): Death God's Darkness, Death God Soul-Suppressing Slash, Hell Demon Flame...]
After reading his Personal Attribute Panel, Zhao Ling turned his attention to the description of Female Killer Lv. 1.
[Female Killer Lv. 1 (passive): triggered when charm reaches 200%. Upon first meeting an unfamiliar woman, the holder of this passive gains an additional 20% favorability and reduces negative impressions by 20%. It also becomes easier to win women's favor through prolonged interaction.]
After reading the description of Female Killer Lv. 1, Zhao Ling fell silent. This system had clearly claimed to be a respectable system at the start, but the rewards it gave didn't seem very respectable.
At just its first level, this Female Killer passive granted an extra 20% favorability, reduced negative impressions by 20%, and made it easier to gain women's favor through prolonged interaction. Wasn't this encouraging him to pick up girls?
Zhao Ling was quite satisfied with this reward. He just wanted to test its effects as soon as possible. With that thought, he hurried toward the Side Hall Bibi Dong had arranged for Ah Yin.
Meanwhile, Ah Yin was reading the latest updates in the Diary Copy and felt utterly speechless about Zhao Ling.
The Pope raised Sister Dong'er, and now he's even planning to personally arrange her engagement to my husband. Isn't that a wonderful thing? What's wrong with my husband following Sister Dong'er's example and calling the Pope "Teacher"?
There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it, does there? Why is my husband so unwilling? And as if that weren't enough, he's actually set his sights on the Pope's future daughter, Qian Renxue.
Please, we don't even know whose belly the Pope's daughter is in yet, and you're already thinking about all that. You're practically a beast.
Ah Yin silently scorned him. Just then, she heard a knock at the door and knew it must be her husband returning, so she got up to open it.
When the door opened and Ah Yin saw Zhao Ling before her, she inexplicably felt that her husband had suddenly become so endearing. She wanted so badly to throw herself into his arms, act spoiled, and then...
Ah Yin's pretty face flushed, her cheeks burning hot.
She found it rather hard to understand. It clearly wasn't her first or second time with her husband, so why was she getting shy?
As she watched Zhao Ling draw closer, her heart beat harder and harder, and all sorts of scenes unsuitable for children kept playing through her mind.
Ah Yin felt she had gone mad. If she hadn't, how could she be imagining so many things?
No, I have to stay farther away from my husband. Otherwise, I'll only get stranger.
That was what she thought, yet her body was honest as it threw itself into Zhao Ling's arms. She even rose onto her tiptoes to kiss him. Throughout the whole process, Ah Yin's head buzzed.
Wh-what's going on? Why won't my body obey me? I clearly wanted to stay away from my husband!
Huh? What on earth? Why are my hands misbehaving? You two, stop wandering all over my husband!
Seeing Ah Yin throw herself at him, her soft hands roaming over his body, Zhao Ling gave a wicked smile.
"Yin'er, since you're the one throwing yourself into my arms, you can't blame your husband for being ungentlemanly."
Zhao Ling scooped Ah Yin up, hooked the door with his leg to pull it shut, and locked it before carrying the beauty in his arms toward the bed.
At that moment, Ah Yin wanted to cry but had no tears. What's wrong with me? Why can't I control my own body?
Chapter 98: A Sore Loser
Meanwhile, Bibi Dong, who was resting in her bedroom, read the latest update and suddenly didn't know what to say.
She felt that her husband seemed rather shameless. Setting aside whether the child named Qian Renxue would disappear forever because she had fallen in love with Zhao Ling...
Even if she were born on the Douluo Continent as the diary described, that would surely be several years from now. By the time that child grew up, wouldn't Zhao Ling be in his fifties or sixties?
Although Titled Douluo lived far longer than ordinary people, and their aging was greatly slowed as well.
Thus, even in his fifties or sixties, Zhao Ling would surely look as though he were only in his twenties or thirties, just like Qian Xunji now.
Still, being fifty or sixty years old was an undeniable fact.
How could he be so certain that the child Qian Renxue would take a fancy to him once she grew up?
In any case, Bibi Dong made up her mind. If Qian Renxue was still born on the Douluo Continent in the future and was still her teacher's daughter, she would protect her like her own younger sister.
After all, her teacher hadn't locked her up as the diary had described, much less violated her. Instead, he had personally chosen a date for her engagement to her husband.
To her, this was a kindness she could never repay in a lifetime. If she accepted such great kindness from her teacher yet failed to protect his daughter, wouldn't that make her far too thoughtless?
At the same time, Liu Erlong in Heaven Dou Imperial City was also rather speechless and judged Zhao Ling to be a beast. Having delivered her verdict, she continued leisurely watering her flowers.
Over the boundless sea, Bo Saixi was racing toward land. To her, speeding across the sea as though walking on level ground was effortless, and she was far faster than those ships.
When "Zhao Ling's Diary Copy" suddenly appeared before her again, Bo Saixi's delicate brows creased slightly. She stopped on the sea, her dainty feet hovering over its surface, her robes fluttering, ethereal and unworldly.
She opened "Zhao Ling's Diary Copy" with a thought. Reading the latest update, she frowned in confusion. Qian Xunji? I think an earlier diary entry mentioned that he was Qian Daoliu's son.
Then who is Qian Renxue? Could she be Qian Xunji's daughter? Qian Daoliu's granddaughter?
Huh... Why does the diary say that the child named Qian Renxue hasn't been born yet?
If this child named Qian Renxue hasn't been born, why does he say Qian Xunji will become his father-in-law someday? Isn't that contradictory?
Bo Saixi was rather bewildered. She vaguely guessed that the diary entries she could see might only be updates from the past few days. Perhaps the earlier entries hadn't involved her, so she hadn't been able to read them.
This inevitably made her curious about those earlier diary entries, but the diary simply wouldn't show them to her, leaving her feeling as though a hundred claws were scratching at her heart.
She forcibly suppressed her restlessness and reassured herself. It's fine. Once I find the author of this diary, won't learning about those entries be easy?
Even if I'm not at sea and can't wield demigod-level strength, it won't matter much.
She was, at the very least, a level 99 Limit Douluo. Once she reached Spirit Hall, as long as that fellow Qian Daoliu didn't intervene, she would have no opponent.
As for whether Qian Daoliu would fight her, she felt that was generally unlikely. After all, that old fellow had once wanted to court her, but she had loved Tang Chen and hadn't accepted Qian Daoliu's affection.
She believed she understood that old fellow Qian Daoliu quite well. He knew right from wrong. Back when he learned that she loved Tang Chen, he hadn't pestered her and had left with grace.
Presumably, when she went to Spirit City this time, Qian Daoliu wouldn't fight her as long as she showed no hostility.
With that thought, Bo Saixi picked up speed and swiftly vanished into the distance where sea and sky shared one color.
The next day, just as he had promised, Qian Xunji summoned all the elders and enshrined to the Papal Hall. Before them all, he announced that Zhao Ling would receive the title of Demon-Suppressing Douluo and the title of Spirit Hall Honorary Elder.
In addition, he announced to everyone present that his sole disciple, Bibi Dong, would become engaged to Zhao Ling the following week.
At once, all the elders and enshrined turned their gazes toward Zhao Ling. Although this Elder Demon-Suppressing looked unfamiliar to them...
They also knew that he was the mysterious Titled Douluo who had competed with His Holiness the Pope in a clash of presence in the Papal Hall two days earlier.
Looking at Zhao Ling's absurdly youthful face, the elders and enshrined offered their congratulations one after another.
Before you continue