It took more than a day to return to Spirit Hall.
The trip had taken nearly half a month. As soon as Bibi Dong stepped down from the carriage, a young woman came hurrying over.
"Your Holiness!"
The woman bowed in greeting.
"Has something happened?"
She was Xue Yue, one of the trusted aides Bibi Dong had cultivated, who specialized in gathering news and intelligence.
While Bibi Dong had been away from Spirit Hall, Xue Yue had remained responsible for gathering intelligence so that she could learn about the hall's recent affairs as soon as she returned.
"Your Holiness, after you left, a great many matters piled up. The Great Enshrined of the Worship Hall handled them in your place. The Second Worship was also very displeased about your departure and has been throwing tantrums the whole time."
"He said..."
Xue Yue hesitated, then noticed that Bai Guyue, Elder Yue and Ghost Elder were all present. For the time being, she chose to keep her mouth shut.
Having followed Bibi Dong for so many years, she naturally knew her temper. Some things were better said in private.
"Just say it here."
Bibi Dong waved a hand.
She was in a good mood now, and after she had been away for so long, Qian Daoliu's and Golden Crocodile Douluo's reactions were only to be expected.
If they hadn't reacted, that would have been strange.
What she hadn't expected was that Qian Daoliu would actually help her handle the affairs. It came as something of a surprise.
She had thought everything would keep piling up until she returned, giving them an excuse to make a big fuss.
"Yes, Your Holiness."
Xue Yue was surprised. What had gotten into His Holiness today? But she didn't dare ask. Just as she was about to speak, Yue Guan cut her off.
"Your Holiness, I think Gui Mei and I should go inside and wait for you first."
Neither Yue Guan nor Gui Mei wanted to hear it.
Hearing about something like this would do them no good.
As the saying went, the less you heard, the fewer your troubles; the more you heard, the more you fretted.
"Why leave? Listen together. We'll all go to the Worship Hall afterward."
Bibi Dong's voice drifted over, her tone leaving no room for refusal. Yue Guan and Gui Mei, who had just started to leave, stopped in their tracks.
They had no choice but to stay obediently and listen.
Seeing this, Xue Yue immediately continued.
"The Second Worship said that as the Pope, you had only just inherited the position, yet you left for so long without giving a reason. He said it was outrageous and you had to be severely punished. He also said that if you returned without going to the Worship Hall to admit your mistake, he would... he would remove you from the position of Pope."
When Xue Yue finished, she hardly dared breathe, terrified that Bibi Dong would lose her temper.
"So that's what he said. It does sound like something the Second Worship would say."
Bibi Dong was all smiles. Far from being angry, she found it funny.
"Your Holiness???"
Xue Yue froze.
Was this really the Pope she knew?
Not only was she not angry, she was laughing.
She had changed so much after one trip.
"Xue Yue, you can go back. I'm going to the Worship Hall."
"Yes."
After Xue Yue left.
Bibi Dong looked at Yue Guan and Gui Mei. As her subordinates, they immediately nodded their agreement when they noticed her gaze and went along with her.
Then she looked at Bai Guyue...
"What are you looking at? I'm not going. Your business is yours to settle."
Bai Guyue glared at Bibi Dong and turned to leave, not wanting to wade into these muddy waters in the least.
He didn't want to go?
That wasn't up to him.
Bibi Dong seized Bai Guyue by the wrist and dragged him toward the Worship Hall. No matter how he struggled, it was no use, and he finally resigned himself to it.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei followed close behind.
In the Worship Hall, beneath the Angel God Statue.
There was one table and two chairs. Qian Daoliu and Azure Luan Douluo were handling affairs, and the table was covered with files.
The seven great Worships took turns handling them.
"Dammit, Bibi Dong, what the hell did she go off to do? She's been gone so long and still hasn't come back. She's driving me mad."
Azure Luan Douluo grumbled.
I, Azure Luan Douluo, actually have to deal with the Pope's damned business. I give up.
"Third Brother, how can you say that? When I was handling it before, didn't you say it was just a little matter? How come you started complaining as soon as it was your turn?"
The speaker was the Fifth Worship, Light Feather Douluo. He looked like a silver-haired youth, with a pale, handsome face. When he came to the table, his face was full of mocking smiles.
"Old Fifth, get lost. Don't force me to beat you up."
Azure Luan Douluo glared at him.
"Your Third Brother is very angry right now. If you annoy me, I'm beating you up, no arguments."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Third Brother, I'm so scared."
Light Feather Douluo laughed teasingly beside him.
"You bastard!"
Azure Luan Douluo flew into a rage and raised his hand to hit him.
Four figures suddenly appeared outside the Worship Hall.
The more he looked, the more familiar one of them seemed. Bibi Dong!
So Bibi Dong still remembered to come back.
"Oh, you're all busy. Looks like I came at a bad time. There are still so many files on the table that haven't been dealt with."
Bibi Dong smiled as she teased them.
If I'd known, I would have come a little later and saved myself the trouble of carrying them back to handle. No, I have to make these guys finish them.
"What the hell?"
Azure Luan Douluo was dumbfounded.
Bibi Dong, you dare act so arrogantly? This is the Worship Hall, not the Pope's Palace.
"Bibi Dong!"
Golden Crocodile Douluo was the first to step forward, furious, his voice deafening.
"You dare act so arrogantly when you've come into the Worship Hall? How bold of you. I think you're tired of living."
I can't stand this for a moment. My fiery temper can't take it.
"Second Worship, why are you shouting so loudly?"
Bibi Dong smiled, unconcerned.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei, however, were trembling all over with fright.
The Second Worship was a genuine Level 98 Titled Douluo, far stronger than they were.
Fighting both of them at once would be easy for him.
"Bibi Dong, how dare you!"
Golden Crocodile Douluo's face turned livid with rage.
The position of Pope was actually given to such a foolish woman. She was clearly the one who made a mistake first, yet now she's giving me attitude.
This is outrageous. She's really grown bold.
"Second Worship, you're a Worship, but I'm the Pope. With that tone of yours, do you think I'll speak nicely to you?"
Bibi Dong sneered.
I might have been wary of you before, but now that I have Xiao Bai as my trump card, I don't take you seriously at all.
You're so arrogant now. Let's see how arrogant you can be later.
"Hey, what are you two afraid of?"
Bai Guyue looked at the two men, who were dumbstruck with fright.
"Brother Bai, this is the first time we've encountered something like this. It's only natural that we're a little nervous."
It wasn't that the two of them were timid. Rather, the pressure from someone of a higher level made their hearts tremble.
"Don't worry. We'll counterattack in a moment."
Bai Guyue patted them on the shoulders.
The two nodded, feeling somewhat reassured.
Brother Bai really gave them a sense of security. Yue Guan even regretted not being a girl.
"Bibi Dong, it looks like I'll have to beat you up today."
Golden Crocodile Douluo clenched his fists, eager to fight.
His Level 98 strength burst forth.
"As if you could!"
Bibi Dong released the aura of a Titled Douluo to contend with him.
"Titled Douluo, Level 93!"
Golden Crocodile Douluo was shocked.
"You actually broke through."
"What else?" Bibi Dong showed no fear. "I went out to hunt Soul Beasts and break through to Titled Douluo."