Taking a deep breath, Qian Xunji forcibly suppressed his anger and said in a low voice:
"Get to the point. I have no time to chat with you."
"All right." An Yi nodded, finally taking a list from inside his clothes and handing it over.
"Sorry to trouble you, Your Holiness, but I'd like you to help me collect these things."
Qian Xunji frowned as he took the list.
It listed all kinds of rare metals and ores. Quite a few of the materials would be difficult to gather on short notice, even with Spirit Hall's resources.
The quantities marked on the list made his eyelids twitch even more.
Qian Xunji raised his head and looked at An Yi. "These things are worth a fortune. Some can't be bought even if you have the money. What do you need so many materials for?"
An Yi picked up his teacup and said coolly, "I have a use for them."
Qian Xunji's expression darkened. "You're going to make Soul Tools?"
"Something like that." An Yi nodded.
"Sorry to trouble you, Your Holiness, but please collect them for me as soon as possible."
Qian Xunji was silent for a moment before he finally couldn't help asking, "Who exactly are you? How did you come to possess Soul Tool technology?"
An Yi glanced at him. "None of your business."
Qian Xunji's expression changed at once.
An Yi continued as though he hadn't noticed. "Don't ask what you shouldn't. Just gather everything I want as soon as possible."
"You!" The veins on Qian Xunji's forehead throbbed with anger.
"An Yi, don't go too far!"
An Yi raised an eyebrow. "Too far?"
"Qian Daoliu invited me here to be Qian Renxue's teacher. That's my only position in Spirit Hall."
"I'm not your subordinate, and I have no obligation to explain my affairs to you."
"As for these materials, get them if you can. If you can't, I'll go to your father."
Qian Xunji froze for a moment, then laughed in anger. "Fine, very good! Do you really think that because Father values you, you can do whatever you please here in the Pope's Hall?"
An Yi leaned back in his chair and watched him with interest. "What, Your Holiness? Are you looking to fight me?"
A cold light flashed in Qian Xunji's eyes. "I'm very curious to see just how capable you are, to dare act so arrogantly in front of me!"
As his words fell, a powerful fluctuation of Soul Power faintly emanated from his body.
An Yi showed no sign of tension. He even picked up his teacup again and took a sip.
"I'm not that capable. Just a little Soul Saint."
The smile on Qian Xunji's face froze.
A little Soul Saint?
How many people on the entire continent could become a Soul Saint at eighteen?
Coming from An Yi's mouth, those words were even more infuriating than an insult to his face!
An Yi set down his teacup and finally rose to his feet. "But I don't have a very good temper. Your Holiness, you'd better think carefully before you make a move."
"If you attack me, can you afford the price?"
Qian Xunji's face turned green, then white. "You..."
As the Pope of Spirit Hall, where had he gone all these years without being met with awe?
Yet now an eighteen-year-old young man was threatening him to his face!
He wanted nothing more than to strike now and give the arrogant brat before him a thorough lesson.
But in the end, he still didn't dare take that step.
Seeing that he still hadn't made a move, An Yi couldn't be bothered to waste any more time.
"If you're not going to fight, I won't disturb you any longer."
With that, he turned to leave.
At the door, An Yi suddenly stopped. As though he had remembered something, he looked back and added:
"By the way, I still have to go keep the Saintess company tonight."
Qian Xunji jerked his head up.
An Yi looked at him with a smile. "So don't come over. I don't like being peeped on."
With that, he waved and walked out of the side hall without looking back.
Qian Xunji was left standing there alone, his face livid.
After a long while, an irrepressible roar of anger rang out from the hall.
"An Yi!!!"
Qian Xunji's chest heaved, and he nearly couldn't catch his breath.
Never in his life had he suffered such humiliation!
Yet this was precisely someone he really couldn't act against lightly!
For now, all he could do was endure it!
Night fell.
Saintess Hall, the small garden.
Bibi Dong sat cross-legged on the grass as usual, honing her Divine Slaughter's Domain.
Tonight, however, she couldn't calm her mind.
Every so often, she would open her eyes and look toward the entrance to the small garden.
The entrance remained empty. That familiar figure never appeared.
Bibi Dong pursed her lips, inexplicably a little restless.
Last night, she had slept more soundly than she had in years, perhaps even in her entire life.
When she woke, it was as though the fatigue accumulated over many years had vanished. Even the restless killing aura within her was much calmer than before.
All of it had to do with An Yi.
Though she found it a little absurd herself, she really did want to sleep in that fellow's arms again.
She hadn't felt that sense of peace and security in many years.
But... it's getting late. Will he still come?
At the thought, Bibi Dong couldn't help frowning again.
Wait!
If he really comes, will he bring Qian Renxue along again?
The thought of that little girl left Bibi Dong with complicated feelings.
Whenever she faced Qian Renxue, she would remember things she didn't want to recall, and in the end could only choose to run away.
But An Yi didn't mind her coldness. Even last night, when she had lost control of her emotions and cried her heart out in his arms, he hadn't pressed her with a single question.
What exactly is he thinking?
Is it because of the brief time we spent together twelve years ago that he can't forget me?
Or did he approach me just to create an opportunity for Qian Renxue?
The more Bibi Dong thought about it, the more confused she became.
Without her noticing, a trace of scarlet light appeared in her eyes.
The temperature all around seemed to drop a few degrees. The dew on the grass took on a bloody hue, and killing aura began to spread outward beyond her control.
Just then, the cool moonlight suddenly grew a little brighter.
Silver radiance poured down, illuminating the entire small garden.
The restless killing aura seemed to encounter some kind of suppression and gradually subsided. Bibi Dong's breathing grew steady again as well.
"Are you all right?"
A familiar voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.
Bibi Dong turned her head sharply.
At some point, An Yi had sat down beside her.
His long, silver-white hair fell loose over his shoulders, and his deep blue eyes reflected the moonlight as he looked at her with a hint of concern.
Moonlight fell on him, lending him a more ethereal, otherworldly air.
Bibi Dong stared for a moment, then immediately turned her head away. "Why are you here again?"
An Yi raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I tell you at noon that I'd come back tonight? Your memory is really terrible."
"Still, at least you haven't forgotten me."
Bibi Dong bit her lip and said nothing.
Of course she remembered. Ever since they parted at noon, she had kept those words in mind. She hadn't even been able to settle down and cultivate while waiting for him to come.
But how could she possibly say any of that?
After a moment of silence, Bibi Dong finally turned her head and looked at An Yi's face.
"Why?"
An Yi was taken aback. "What do you mean, why?"
Bibi Dong's fingers tightened slightly, and her voice grew quieter. "The things you said last night, and the things you did... why exactly?"
She wanted to know the answer, but the moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them a little.
She was afraid that An Yi had acted so close to her out of pity, and even more afraid that he had treated her that way because of Qian Renxue.
Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, An Yi suddenly smiled. Instead of answering directly, he leaned over and lay down on Bibi Dong's lap.
Bibi Dong froze. "What are you doing?!"
An Yi found a comfortable position and looked up at her.
"I held you last night. Tonight it's your turn to hold me."
"What, did you want me to hold you again?"
Bibi Dong's expression stiffened. "Stop talking nonsense!"
"How am I talking nonsense?" An Yi shot back, perfectly self-assured.
"Who was it that held on to me last night and refused to let go? And who was it that stayed in my arms this morning and refused to get up?"
"You!" Bibi Dong's cheeks grew slightly hot.
She had already tried so hard to forget what had happened last night, yet this fellow kept bringing it up again and again!
He was simply hateful!