PS: After so many days, I'm still a little unused to working on two novels at once. I'll take a few days to settle in and find my touch. For now, I'll post one chapter after midnight and another during the day. Let's establish a routine first, without burning myself out.
The wealth of Star Luo Imperial City gave Jiang Huai, a country bumpkin from the sticks, a thorough taste of what it meant to drown in gold and luxury.
For a moment, he really felt rather like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.
The Star Luo Empire had founded its nation on martial might. Quite a few Soul Masters came and went along the streets, and nobles clad in fine silks and satins were everywhere.
Some nobles even had women with animal ears and tails following beside them, led along the streets just like that.
Cat girls, fox girls, leopard girls...
The pleasures involved were not for outsiders to know.
Jiang Huai took a couple more looks, then his gaze fell on the leashes leading them.
Well, well, it did have a flavor all its own.
"Deacon, why are these women dressed so extravagantly?"
"Are animal ears and tails a particular preference here in Star Luo City too?"
Suddenly addressed, Su Haitao followed Jiang Huai's gaze, and his cheeks immediately reddened.
As a deacon working under Star Luo City's Platinum Temple,
Su Haitao naturally knew where these women came from.
Most had suffered mishaps during their Martial Soul Awakening, leaving them with some beastlike features, only to attract the attention of those noble lords as a result.
In some people's eyes, taking such women out with them was something worth showing off.
However, the Pope seemed to detest such behavior.
Considering that Jiang Huai might soon be sent to Spirit City by the Platinum Bishop, it was best that he avoid getting involved in such things.
"Young master, this isn't something I can explain in a few words."
Su Haitao turned sideways, blocking Jiang Huai's view a little, and raised a hand to gesture for him to keep walking.
"Let's see the bishop first. On the way, I'll give you a detailed explanation of our Spirit Hall."
Seeing Su Haitao hurry to change the subject, Jiang Huai could not help chuckling.
Having lived two lives, he had always been pure as ice and spotless as jade. How could he possibly behave like those noble lords?
He merely wanted to give these persecuted young women a home after he inherited the Star Luo throne someday.
When they arrived before the even more magnificent Martial Soul Temple in the city,
Su Haitao went forward and quietly exchanged a few words with the guards on duty.
After listening, one of them quickly ran toward the back,
while the other led the two of them into the Platinum Temple.
When the deacons along the way saw Su Haitao return with a child and be led straight to the bishop's office by a guard, they more or less guessed what had happened.
It seemed Su Haitao had found a promising seedling on this trip to the countryside.
And for him to have hurried back so urgently, the child had most likely already agreed to join Spirit Hall.
A promising future lay ahead!
Involuntarily, many of them looked at Jiang Huai with considerably more warmth.
Soon, after they passed through a resplendent corridor, an enormous white marble door appeared at the end of their field of vision.
The large words "Platinum Bishop" were carved upon it, proclaiming the identity of this place's master.
Now that they were here, Su Haitao grew nervous instead and could not help swallowing.
Fortune, rewards, a chance at promotion-they're all behind this door!
Ancestors, bless us! Our Su family is finally going to make something of itself!
This child Jiang Huai is utterly sincere and filial. Once he makes a name for himself in Spirit City, he might even give his guide a helping hand.
He could not help it. He simply wanted to get ahead so badly!
Soon, the guard who had gone in to announce them pushed open the stone door and gestured for the two to enter.
Behind a desk, an old man in platinum-colored robes set down the documents in his hands and looked up at them.
The instant Su Haitao saw him, he dropped to his knees and said respectfully,
"Your subordinate Su Haitao pays his respects to Lord Feidinan, Platinum Bishop."
Standing beside Su Haitao, Jiang Huai raised his hands and followed suit with a bow before looking up again to examine the old man before him.
The man's expression was calm, betraying neither joy nor anger.
He was clearly just sitting there, doing nothing, yet when his gaze swept over, Jiang Huai felt an indescribable sense of oppression.
So this was a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse?
If a Soul Douluo powerhouse was already so terrifying,
then just how formidable were those Titled Douluos in Spirit City?
Sure enough, even at the bottom of the fantasy barrel, people were still divided into four ranks.
The ant realm, the young friend realm, the fellow Daoist realm, and the senior realm.
Fortunately, thanks to his talent of innate full soul power, he was no ant in this Soul Douluo expert's eyes.
"Su Haitao, is this young friend the genius you discovered in one of the villages below?"
Feidinan's gaze settled on Jiang Huai.
"A White Tiger Martial Soul and innate full soul power?"
"And he's willing to join our Spirit Hall?"
"Yes, Your Excellency!"
No sooner had Su Haitao answered than Feidinan rose from behind the desk.
Jiang Huai saw only a blur before his eyes, and the Platinum Bishop was already standing before him, examining him closely.
The speed made his eyelid twitch.
But...
Jiang Huai raised his head and actually caught a trace of an inscrutable smile on the man's face.
Wait, senior, what are you so excited about?
A feeling that things were not looking goood welled up unbidden.
"Come, young friend. Release your Martial Soul and let this old man have a look."
"This is Star Luo City. I'm sure you understand what a White Tiger Martial Soul means here."
Feidinan smiled, then continued.
"However, I need not ask what your previous identity was. So long as your talent is sufficient, I have my own means of sending you to Spirit City and recommending you to His Holiness the Pope, to try to secure special attention for your training."
Hearing this, Jiang Huai slowly nodded and directly activated his White Tiger Martial Soul.
Now was the time to show his talent!
The next instant, a terrifying white tiger phantom appeared behind him.
Aside from the powerful blood Qi already inherent in the White Tiger Martial Soul, there was also a faint trace of the power of light?
Feidinan's previously rather composed expression changed at once.
"Oh! What a pure white tiger presence!"
"The quality of this Martial Soul actually surpasses that brat Dai Tianfeng's!"
Having presided over Star Luo City for many years, Feidinan was naturally no stranger to the Dai Family's White Tiger Martial Soul.
Just the presence given off when this child released his Martial Soul had already allowed him to detect a difference.
If he were Dai Tianfeng and had a son like this, would there be any need to hesitate over the choice of crown prince?
A White Tiger Martial Soul, innate full soul power, and a Martial Soul whose quality even surpassed his own.
What family wouldn't carefully nurture an offspring like this?
Yet this child had lived in a little village outside the city and had been brought here by Su Haitao as soon as he awakened his Martial Soul.
Could Dai Tianfeng still be unaware that he had such a son?
Or was there some hidden circumstance he did not know about?
Feidinan examined Jiang Huai anew, his expression turning somewhat meaningful.