The next day, between seven and nine in the morning
A secret chamber in the Pope's Palace
Ghost Douluo appeared like a ghost at the entrance to the secret chamber and said respectfully, "Your Holiness, almost all the honored guests have arrived. Aside from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, the Clear Sky Sect, and the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family, nearly every faction is represented."
A few breaths later, Bibi Dong's cool voice came from within. "Has the Lord arrived?"
"Uh... not yet. He should still be resting in your bedchamber."
"Have Ling Yuan go and invite him over."
"Yes!"
The Pope's bedchamber
A strikingly beautiful woman in a purple-black leather jacket and trousers arrived outside the hall. Her short purple hair was parted to one side, her leather clothes perfectly showcased her voluptuous figure, and her lovely, mature face was exquisite.
Knock, knock, knock...
"My Lord, the assembly is about to begin. His Holiness the Pope sent me to invite you over~"
"Ah... got it~" Lin Chen's voice was a little lazy. Clearly, he had not yet gotten up.
The inner chamber, on a soft purple couch
Lin Chen struggled to extricate himself from the fragrant limbs and tender arms, but he moved too much and woke the two women beside him.
"Mm~" Hu Liena and Xiao Wu opened their sleepy eyes, then said alluringly, "Chen (Master), what's wrong?"
Lin Chen smiled faintly. "Your big sister is looking for me. The assembly should be starting, so I have to go. You two keep resting~"
The two women had only gone to sleep in the early hours of the morning. Though they had Soul Masters' bodies, they still could not withstand such a prolonged bombardment, so their delicate bodies were still somewhat hot and languid.
Even so, the little rabbit and the little fox propped themselves up to dress Lin Chen and groom him. He did not refuse.
Thanks to someone's mischief, the whole process went very slowly.
The time it took to drink a cup of tea later, outside the hall
Lin Chen wore a close-fitting, azure martial robe, his black hair tied high. He carried himself with a commanding bearing, his sword-like brows striking, two locks of hair falling beside his handsome face.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he said, "Ling Yuan, let's go~"
Ling Yuan Douluo looked momentarily taken aback, then hurried to follow respectfully behind him. The Lord's bearing is growing more imposing by the day.
When she had first met him, he had seemed like an ordinary disciple. Yet in less than a month, the Lord had already acquired a trace of a prince's bearing.
A person's appearance reflected the heart, and the heart grew more confident as one's strength increased!
The Pope's Palace
"Welcome, my Lord! Ling Yuan Douluo!"
"Welcome, my Lord, Ling Yuan Douluo!"
As the guards outside the palace shouted their welcome, Lin Chen and Ling Yuan entered the Pope's Palace. The honored guests already inside hurried forward to greet them.
"Oh! I am Kundera, king of the Balak Kingdom. Greetings, my Lord!"
"Huo Yanbao, sect master of the Fire Leopard Sect, pays his respects to the Lord!"
Half the reason they respected Lin Chen so much was his status, and the other half was his strength and talent!
Yesterday, Lin Chen had injured the Titled Douluo Tang Hao with the power of a Soul King, leaving them in awe. Most of the faction leaders present today would not even dare use their Soul Power in front of Tang Hao.
"Hee hee hee... I am Yang Wuqing, sect master of the Antelope Sect. I pay my respects to the Lord~" A handsome beauty in a brown leather jacket and trousers dipped in a curtsy.
She was tall and voluptuous, with sword-like brows, red lips, and handsome features. Her courteous tone carried a hint of obsequiousness.
Not far away
Skywater Academy had also been invited, but because of the limit on numbers, Shui Ningrou had brought only her two daughters. The two hot beauties, Yu Hairou and Xue Wu, had not come.
Shui Yue'er saw Lin Chen surrounded by the crowd, while she, her sister, and their mother could not squeeze through at all. She could only pout and huff helplessly from outside the crowd.
"Mother, who is that woman in the brown leather jacket?"
Shui Ningrou said gently, "She should be the sect master of the Antelope Sect. She's a Soul Douluo, and a formidable senior."
Shui Yue'er gave a soft huff. "Some senior! I don't think she knows the slightest bit of shame. With that expression and tone, she's even trying to seduce Brother Lin Chen~"
"Hold your tongue!" Shui Ningrou's pretty face changed slightly as she scolded her. "Yue'er, this is the Pope's Palace. Every faction here stands above our Skywater Academy. No talking nonsense."
Shui Yue'er stuck out her tongue. "Got it~"
In the crowd
Seeing that the beauty was rather attractive, Lin Chen sized her up briefly, then said calmly, "My wife has yet to arrive. Everyone, please wait in your seats for a while. We can talk afterward."
"Of course, of course~"
After the other faction leaders withdrew, the handsome beauty Yang Qingwu reluctantly said, "The Antelope Sect has always been His Holiness the Pope's most loyal faction. If you need anything in the future, my Lord, please do not hesitate to command us."
A trace of satisfaction flashed in Lin Chen's eyes. "Yang Qingwu, was it? I'll remember you."
With that, he walked straight to the inner side of the hall and took the seat closest to the Pope's chair. By now, the several rows of seats in the hall were almost full, enough to show Spirit Hall's power to rally support.
Sitting in his chair, Lin Chen looked around. There were many familiar faces, such as those from Skywater Academy, Plant Academy, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Of course, there were even more unfamiliar faces. Those people wore fine robes and were either wealthy or noble, and the presence they gave off suggested that they were at least Soul Saints.
What surprised him most was that the Star Luo Imperial Family, one of the two great empires, had also sent someone. Though only the emperor's son Dai Weisi had come, that alone was enough to show the Star Luo Imperial Family's attitude.
Beside him was a hot, mature beauty dressed in a purple-black leather jacket and trousers. She was none other than Zhu Zhuqing's older sister, Zhu Zhuyun.
Lin Chen looked toward Skywater Academy and saw that the three women were seated at the very back, near the entrance. He beckoned.
Ling Yuan, who was beside him, understood and leaned close. "My Lord~"
"Go and invite those three women from Skywater Academy over. Have them sit in the seats beside me."
"Yes~"
A flicker of surprise passed through Ling Yuan's beautiful eyes. She swayed her ample, plump hips as she walked toward Skywater Academy, somewhat surprised. The Lord seems to care a great deal about those three women from Skywater Academy. When did they meet him?