Having settled on a plan, Dugu Bo was preparing to leave when he could no longer hold back and spoke up again.
"Little friend Bai, I have an unreasonable request. I don't know whether I should voice it."
"Go ahead."
Bai Guyue stopped and turned to look at Dugu Bo.
"Little friend Bai, I hope you can take Yanyan as your disciple. I think she would be much better off with you as her master than with me, her grandfather, teaching her."
Dugu Bo wanted to secure a future for Dugu Yan.
"Dugu Bo, you haven't even joined Spirit Hall yet, and you're already asking my husband to take your granddaughter as his disciple. Isn't that going too far?"
I, Bibi Dong, haven't even had my fill of my man, and you want to use your granddaughter to take up his time?
Dugu Bo really is dreaming too big.
Dugu Bo had just opened his mouth to explain.
Bai Guyue patted Bibi Dong on the shoulder and said:
"Forget a full disciple. If I take one, they'll need good talent. Even if your granddaughter inherited your genes, I wouldn't think much of her. But she can be a disciple in name, and I can give her a few pointers now and then."
He was still only an ordinary Soul Emperor, so it was a little early to take and teach a disciple. A disciple in name, though, was fine.
"A disciple in name is good too. I'm already quite content."
Dugu Bo looked at his granddaughter and gave her a meaningful glance.
"Your disciple Dugu Yan greets you, Master."
Dugu Yan came before Bai Guyue, knelt, and kowtowed.
He really has taken me as his disciple.
Even if I'm only a disciple in name, if I work hard, I might be able to change Master's mind and become a true disciple.
She had heard all about Bai Guyue's deeds from her grandfather.
Just becoming the Pope's man was enough to make people look up to him.
"Get up. Once your grandfather's affairs are settled, I'll come and give you some guidance."
Bai Guyue didn't have anything on hand that was presentable enough to give her.
"As long as Master has time to guide me, that's enough."
Dugu Yan stood up, her little face full of secret delight and excitement.
"You two should head back first. If you stay away too long, Prince Xue Xing might grow suspicious."
Bai Guyue first sent the two of them back.
As soon as the grandfather and granddaughter left, Bibi Dong was displeased.
"Xiao Bai, you know full well that taking a disciple takes up a lot of time, so why did you do it? Is this your way of avoiding me?"
You really won't behave. I was going to let you rest, but it looks like three times a day wouldn't be too much-once in the morning, once at noon, and once at night. Let's see if you have the strength to avoid me then.
"You're overthinking it. She's only a disciple in name, and I still haven't completed my God Trial."
Bai Guyue waved a hand and denied it.
"Is that so?" Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow at him, then said, "I'll take your word for it this once."
"But seeing Dugu Yan makes me wonder, when can we have a child?"
Bibi Dong really did want a child.
That way, she could raise the child well.
"Are you dreaming? How could we have a child just because we want one?"
Bai Guyue was speechless.
"Who says we can't? I, Bibi Dong, have always had good luck getting pregnant," Bibi Dong retorted unhappily.
How could you look down on me?
"I'm hoping for twins, a boy and a girl. That way, we might have someone for the positions of Holy Son and Holy Maiden."
Bibi Dong stroked her belly, hoping it would live up to expectations.
"Twins, a boy and a girl?" Bai Guyue's eyes widened. "Are you damn well trying to work me to death?"
Bibi Dong smiled. "Sorry for the trouble ahead. For the sake of our children, a little hard work is worth it."
"Go, go, go. Leave me alone and stop bothering me. I'm going into seclusion from now on!"
Bai Guyue refused.
With Bibi Dong acting like this, he had to go into seclusion to study Self-Created Soul Skills.
Bibi Dong neither agreed nor objected. Instead, she took Bai Guyue for a stroll nearby, then went to the Pope's Palace to give him a proper reward with her body.
Meanwhile, in a garden of Spirit Hall, Qian Renxue sat on a patch of grass, her legs curled up and her arms wrapped around her knees as she bowed her head and wept.
She looked like a wounded kitten.
"Boohoo..."
"You won't acknowledge me as your daughter. Mother, do you even have a heart?"
Qian Renxue choked back sobs.
What had a daughter who wanted her mother done wrong?
"Xue'er, Grandpa finally found you."
The moment Qian Daoliu found Qian Renxue, tears streamed down his aged face. He had searched all over and finally found her, only to discover his granddaughter crying here in secret, which made his heart ache all the more.
The moment Qian Renxue saw Qian Daoliu, she wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and forced a smile.
"Grandpa, why are you here?"
She couldn't let Grandpa see this useless side of her.
"Xue'er, Grandpa begged for something to help you improve."
Qian Daoliu took out the Radiant Heavenly Heart Fruit.
"I don't want it."
Qian Renxue refused outright. At first glance, she knew the fruit had come from Bibi Dong and Bai Guyue.
"Xue'er, resentment won't solve the problem. This can improve your strength."
"If you want to solve the problem, the only way is to improve your strength."
Qian Daoliu had already done everything he could.
To improve his granddaughter's strength, he had swallowed his pride and begged, practically humbling himself before them.
"Grandpa..."
Qian Renxue started to speak but stopped, and in the end accepted the Radiant Heavenly Heart Fruit.
Grandpa had begged for it for her sake. If she kept refusing, she would only put him in a difficult position.
"Eat it, Xue'er. Once your strength reaches a certain level, you can ask about everything yourself."
Qian Daoliu spoke.
Qian Renxue nodded. Grandpa was right. There was no use thinking about it any further now; strength was what truly mattered.
She began eating the Radiant Heavenly Heart Fruit, one bite at a time. With every bite, she could feel its immense power.
When she had finished it all and the power gathered together, Qian Renxue felt stronger than ever before.
She sat down and began absorbing it, and explosive power began to fill her entire body.
"Ugh... aah~"
Pope's Palace
Bibi Dong led Bai Guyue to the Pope's throne and had him sit down.
"Take a look. How does it feel?"
Bibi Dong stood to one side, smiling as she asked.
"The view is good. Seeing you in this position also brings to mind how you forced me before."
Bai Guyue rolled his eyes, offering only a complaint rather than any words of appreciation.
"That's a separate matter."
As for forcing him, if she hadn't used that method, how could they have become husband and wife? Sometimes she had to be forceful. Without it, how could she have a happy life?
She was more and more satisfied with the choice she had made back then.
Just then, a guard's voice rang out from outside. "Your Holiness, a guest from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan wishes to see you. Should we let him in?"
A guest from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?
Bibi Dong couldn't figure out who it might be.
Would that fellow Yu Yuanzhen come? He shouldn't!
"Let him in!"
Bibi Dong composed herself and spoke indifferently.
Before long, the doors of the Pope's Palace opened and a figure walked in. When Bibi Dong saw who it was, her expression changed slightly.
Yu Xiaogang?
Why did he come?
"Dong'er!"
Yu Xiaogang saw Bibi Dong, then saw her so-called husband sitting on the Pope's throne, and a sharp pain stabbed at his heart.
My dear Dong'er, how could you let him sit on the Pope's throne? I should clearly be the one sitting there.
"Yu Xiaogang, what are you doing here?"
"You're not welcome here. Get out!"
Bibi Dong looked at Yu Xiaogang with undisguised disgust and immediately ordered him to leave.