"Did the teacher say anything?" Hu Liena tilted her head and thought for a moment, her short blonde hair swaying gently with her movement. "No, not really."
A knowing glint flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes, his Golden Pupils gleaming slightly in the sunlight. He should have realized it sooner—when they met in the cave, he used the alias " Hao Yi," while Bibi Dong called herself " Luo Dong." Now that he appeared as " Huo Lai," how could a name alone possibly lead the high and mighty Pope to any particular association?
"I see." Huo Yuhao replied softly, a perfectly measured expression of regret on his face.
Hu Liena suddenly lowered her voice and leaned closer mysteriously. "But... ever since Teacher came back from the Star Dou Great Forest last time, he's been acting strangely." She twirled a strand of hair with her slender fingers, "Although he's much gentler than before, he always seems absent-minded, as if he's waiting for someone..."
Huo Yuhao's heart stirred slightly, but his face remained expressionless. "So that's how it is." His gaze unconsciously drifted towards the direction of the Pope's Hall, where a tightly closed window reflected a blinding light in the sunlight.
"Hey, you haven't been to Spirit City yet, have you?" Hu Liena suddenly changed the subject, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Shall I show you around?"
Huo Yuhao withdrew his gaze, smiled, and nodded. "Alright, then I'll trouble the Holy Maiden."
Hu Liena happily took his hand. "Come with me!"
The two strolled along the main road of Spirit City. Hu Liena, like a dutiful tour guide, pointed out various buildings and talked incessantly. Huo Yuhao listened attentively on the surface, but his mind had already wandered far away.
'There are two main objectives this time...' he thought to himself, 'First, to wait for Tang Hao to show up and teach that father and son a lesson; second, to head to the Slaughter City...'
His fingertips unconsciously caressed the Demon-Slaying Sword at his waist. A tangible killing intent stirred within him, like a caged beast. Third Prince Nezha, had once said that to control killing intent, one must first experience slaughter. And on the entire continent, the most suitable place was none other than the Slaughter City —the place where the Asura God left his legacy. Huo Yuhao was naturally very curious about what benefits he could gain there.
A few days later
Before the Pope's Hall, the Pope Token in Huo Yuhao's hand gleamed coldly in the sunlight. Upon seeing the token, the guarding knight immediately knelt on one knee. "Please come in, my lord."
Inside the council hall, Huo Yuhao sat quietly in a guest chair, his slender fingers rhythmically tapping the armrest. Sunlight streamed through the stained glass, casting dappled shadows on his handsome profile. His Golden Pupils gleamed dangerously in the shadows, like a lurking beast.
Bibi Dong had just finished listening to the report from the Temple Knights.
"The boy in black... golden pupils..." Her fingertips trembled slightly, and she gripped the purple-gold scepter tightly, her knuckles turning white.
"It's him... he's back?"
Her heart suddenly raced, and without any hesitation, or even having time to tidy her appearance, she strode towards the council hall.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. The door was pushed open abruptly, and Bibi Dong appeared in the doorway. Today, she was wearing a formal black and gold Pope robe, and her face under the Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown was still flawless, but her purple eyes were filled with undisguised surprise.
Bibi Dong was not tall, and wore a magnificent black robe with gold trim. She wore Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown and held a two-meter-long scepter inlaid with countless gems. Her fair complexion and near-perfect face made her stand out from the crowd.
In particular, the intangible nobility and holiness emanating from them makes people unable to help but feel a sense of worship.
But at this moment, her eyes were soft to the point of being fragile.
" Hao Yi..." Her voice trembled slightly.
" Hao Yi, you're here..." Her voice was so soft, as if she were afraid of disturbing something.
Huo Yuhao slowly raised his eyes, his gaze icy cold, a smile failing to reach them. " Your His Holiness the Pope, how have you been?"
Huo Yuhao chuckled, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. "What, Your His Holiness the Pope, are you surprised? Or do you think I'll never discover that the ' Luo Dong ' I spend every day with is actually you?"
I've asked people around me what Pope Token Pope Token mean, and guess what their answers were?
Bibi Dong's fingertips trembled slightly. She lowered her head, her voice almost inaudible. "I'm sorry... I lied to you."
"A lie?" Huo Yuhao stood up and slowly walked towards her, each step feeling like a blow to her heart. "Your Holiness Bibi Dong, as the Pope of the Pope's Hall, how could I, a nobody, possibly know you? I'm here to find a friend named Luo Dong, not Bibi Dong. Do you know her?"
Bibi Dong said, " Hao Yi, why are you talking like that? I don't understand."
A half-smile played on his lips, "Should I address you as His Holiness the Pope, or... Luo Dong?"
He suddenly approached, his golden pupils gleaming with a chilling light. "What I hate most is being lied to."
Bibi Dong's slender fingers unconsciously caressed the scepter, her knuckles turning slightly white. She lowered her eyes, her thick eyelashes casting a faint shadow on her face. "I'm sorry, I..."
"Is deception fun?" Huo Yuhao suddenly interrupted her, his voice turning icy. "Looking at how open and honest I am with you, don't you find it particularly laughable?"
The air in the Pope's Hall seemed to freeze. Bibi Dong looked up abruptly, a flicker of pain in her eyes. "It's not like that! I just..."
Bibi Dong felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. She opened her mouth, but found herself speechless.
Just then, a report came from outside the palace, " Your His Holiness the Pope, someone has requested an audience with Pope Token!"
The vulnerability in Bibi Dong's eyes was instantly covered by ice. She knew, of course, who it was—the figure who had once haunted her dreams, but now only evoked disgust. At this moment, she had no mind to deal with that self-important good-for-nothing.
However, before she could respond, the palace doors were pushed open.
Yu Xiaogang strode in, but the moment he saw the scene inside the hall, his pupils contracted sharply. "It's you?! Huo Lai?!"
" Yu Xiaogang's voice was full of hostility, "You're Huo Lai, the one who injured the Xiao San! Flender mentioned you to me, what are you doing here?"
Huo Yuhao leaned lazily against a gilded pillar, his long legs crossed, toying with a crystalline ice crystal between his fingers. A dangerous smile played on his lips. " Grandmaster Yu, how have you been? I heard your beloved disciple... is he still alive, or is he already dead?" The ice crystal shattered into dust between his fingers. "Last time, I only used a fraction of my strength, and he almost went to King of Hell. But that kid was quite filial; even on his last breath, he was still muttering about wanting to clear your name."
Yu Xiaogang's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, but when he met Huo Yuhao's heterochromatic eyes, which gleamed with a cold light, he involuntarily took a half step back.
"What, now you want to avenge him?"
His face was contorted with rage, his murky eyes fixed on Huo Yuhao: "You, Huo Lai, treating Xiao San like this, aren't you afraid?"
"Afraid?" Huo Yuhao suddenly chuckled, a dangerous glint flashing in his Golden Pupils.
He slowly stood up, his black robes billowing even without wind. "What am I afraid of? What do I have to fear? In this world, I'm no longer afraid of anything. Are you saying... I'm afraid of that Haotian Douluo, Tang Hao? Hmm? Are you saying Tang San is Tang Hao's son?"
Do you think I'd be afraid of his retaliation?
Yu Xiaogang's pupils suddenly contracted, and he staggered back half a step. "You... you actually knew... and you still dared to..."
"I'm going to beat up the son of Clear Sky Douluo!" Huo Yuhao's voice suddenly rose, his icy declaration echoing throughout the entire Pope's Hall. "You and your master are nothing but birds of a feather, mere ants..." He slowly approached Yu Xiaogang, each step feeling like a blow to the other's heart. "If you have the guts, let Tang Hao come find me. Anyway, I still have three-quarters of my life left. I'll fight you to the death if necessary."
Bibi Dong certainly understood what this three-quarters meant; Huo Yuhao might actually be able to use his lifespan to fight Tang Hao to the death.
Bibi Dong slammed her scepter heavily on the ground, causing the entire Pope's Hall to tremble. Her icy gaze swept over Yu Xiaogang: "You dare to trespass into the Pope's Hall without being summoned? You have quite the nerve."
" Yu Xiaogang, what are you doing here?"
Huo Yuhao tilted his head in agreement, revealing a mocking smile, "Yes, esteemed ' Grandmaster,' what brings you to the Pope's Hall?"
Yu Xiaogang's face turned pale and then flushed. He suppressed his anger and turned to Bibi Dong: "Let's not talk about the Xiao San... how have you been lately?"
"A man above ten thousand, wielding power over the world." Bibi Dong sneered, her purple eyes filled with mockery. "What do you think?"
" Bibi Dong..." Yu Xiaogang put on a pained expression, "I know you've had a tough time these past years..."
"You know?" Bibi Dong suddenly burst into a sharp laugh, the jewels on her scepter clinking violently from her trembling hands. Her gaze never left Huo Yuhao's cold profile. "What do you know? You're nothing but a coward, a piece of trash. What right do you have to understand me? Are you even worthy?"
Yu Xiaogang was stunned speechless by this sudden humiliation, his old face turning bright red. "I... I've come here to ask for your help..."
"Heh." Bibi Dong snorted coldly, her entire attention focused on Huo Yuhao. In her eyes, Yu Xiaogang was nothing but an annoying clown. "Who do you think you are? You dare to beg me?" She swung her scepter sharply. "Why should I help you? Guards!! Throw him out of the hall!"
The palace doors burst open, and four fully armed palace guards rushed in. Without a word, they grabbed Yu Xiaogang and dragged him out.
" Bibi Dong! You'll regret this!" Yu Xiaogang's hysterical roar echoed down the corridor. "You'll treat me like this for some brat! You'll be begging me to come back!"
As the commotion subsided and silence returned to the hall, Huo Yuhao slowly rose, the dark patterns flowing on his black robe appearing and disappearing in the candlelight. A mocking smile played on his lips, while Bibi Dong's heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.
"Your old flame is gone?" Huo Yuhao's voice was as soft as a whisper, yet sharper than a blade. "Then I should take my leave." He straightened his sleeves. "I've troubled Your Majesty. Although I have a favor to ask, it seems it's no longer necessary."
Bibi Dong felt a sudden dizziness, as if her heart was being torn apart. Unconsciously, she gripped the scepter tightly, her sharp nails digging into her palms, and blood slowly flowed down the magnificent scepter, spreading into dark flowers on the scarlet carpet.
Huo Yuhao walked slowly to her, then suddenly leaned down and whispered in her ear. His warm breath brushed against her earlobe, but his words were more piercing than the cold winds of the Far North: "Whether you are Luo Dong or Bibi Dong," he straightened up, the last trace of warmth in his Golden Pupils vanishing, "From this day forward, we have nothing to do with each other."
A metal token was placed into Bibi Dong's trembling hand. She looked down and saw it was the Pope Token she had personally given to " Hao Yi " when they parted ways in the Star Dou Great Forest. The token still retained the warmth of the other person's body, but that person had already turned and left.
"So..." Huo Yuhao's last words came from the palace gate, "So this brand is so cheap. Here you go."
"Boom--"
The resounding slam of the heavy palace doors closing seemed to bring this relationship to a close. Bibi Dong staggered back two steps, the scepter slipping from her limp hand with a crisp sound in the silent hall. She slowly knelt on the ground, finally unable to maintain her Pope dignity any longer, and tears streamed down her face like a burst dam.
On the long corridor outside the hall, Huo Yuhao's steps did not falter in the slightest. However, no one saw the fleeting glint of tears in his Golden Pupils, or his hands clenched so tightly in his sleeves that his knuckles turned white.
ps:
This part does have some issues, but Huo Yuhao's indifference at the beginning seemed somewhat feigned. However, after Yu Xiaogang arrives, he stops acting altogether—it's pure indifference, guys.
The qualifiers are over, guys, let's jump straight to the finals. And Bibi Dong really disgusted me here, so you know what I mean.
It feels like I created the group for nothing, but that's okay, feel free to look at it however you like, and everyone can share their opinions in the comments!