"Suit yourself. I was just worried you'd be embarrassed, but if you're not, why should I be?"
Ning Bei shrugged, lazily sauntering onto the high platform. He settled back onto the throne and pulled out a handful of melon seeds, cracking them open.
This spectator-like behavior made Bibi Dong's brow furrow slightly. For a moment, she questioned whether it was right or wrong to have allowed him to stay.
A few minutes later, Hu Liena led the stoic-faced man into the hall. She cast a deep glance at Ning Bei, who was still cracking melon seeds on the Pope's chair, as if trying to imprint his face into her memory. Then, she turned, nodded to her teacher, and respectfully exited the Papal Hall.
The Grandmaster, seeing Little Fox depart, didn't notice Ning Bei on the high platform. He assumed only the two of them remained in the hall.
Immediately, he began to cultivate his emotions, his stoic face transforming into an expression of deep affection and past love. He took a few steps forward, closing the distance between them, and his lips trembled as he spoke.
"Dong-er, it's been a long time. You're still as beautiful as ever!"
Ning Bei took in the Grandmaster's performance, nearly spitting out the melon seeds he'd just cracked. Oh, really? So this is how we're playing, huh!
Bibi Dong's brows also deepened at the sight. After a moment, she recovered and took a half-step back in disgust, silently widening the distance.
"Elder Yu, please mind your words. You should address me as Your Majesty the Pope!"
A hint of profound pain surfaced on the Grandmaster's face. He closed his eyes and turned his head slightly.
"Your… Your Majesty the Pope."
Bibi Dong gave him a complex look before her expression returned to indifference. She spoke impassively, "Elder Yu, what is the purpose of your visit to Your Majesty the Pope?"
Yu Xiaogang knew that directly asking about the Twin Spirits cultivation method would be too abrupt. He still intended to rekindle their past affection. After a twitch of his lips, he put on that same look of deep affection.
"Dong-er… must we really become this estranged?"
"Enough. I told you, address me as Your Majesty the Pope. If you dare to offend me again, I will have you thrown out."
Yu Xiaogang clutched his chest, retreating a few steps, clearly hurt. He seemed not to have expected Bibi Dong to treat him this way. Then, he sighed deeply.
"Your Majesty the Pope, I have come today with a request."
Bibi Dong's gaze was icy as she glanced at him, sneering, "Elder Yu, a mere Soul Grand Master, seems to have no need to ask anything of me!"
The meaning was clear: This Titled Douluo has no interest in meddling in the petty squabbles between Soul Grand Masters.
Yu Xiaogang eagerly looked up, raising his hand to grab Bibi Dong's arm, but he was repelled several steps by her Soul Power. However, he couldn't care less about that now.
"Only you can help with this matter!"
"Hmph, speak then!"
Seeing that Bibi Dong showed signs of relenting, Yu Xiaogang thought to himself that she still cared for him. He gathered his thoughts, regaining his usual calm and shrewd expression, and said, "I've taken on a disciple. He possesses one of the only two Twin Spirits in the world, but he's currently experiencing a Martial Soul conflict. I wish to ask you about the cultivation method for Twin Spirits!"
His hanging heart finally died. Bibi Dong's gaze towards him became even colder.
"If I'm not mistaken, your disciple is Tang Hao's son, isn't he?"
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang's face instantly filled with shock. He didn't know how this woman knew, but since she asked, she must have confirmed Tang San's identity.
"Your Majesty the Pope, I can guarantee on my name that Tang San will never pose any threat to Spirit Hall once he gains strength."
He even extended his right hand, pointing three fingers to the sky as if afraid Bibi Dong wouldn't believe him, and vowed earnestly, "Truly, I swear it!"
On the high platform, Ning Bei tightly covered his mouth, barely holding back his laughter. They have a mother-killing grudge; can you really resolve that with a few words? You're so full of it, does your father, Yu Yuanzhen, even know?
"On your name"? What name do you even have, you worthless…
Bibi Dong's eyelids twitched after hearing Yu Xiaogang's vow. What kind of person did I even like back then? Is that really a face on his neck?
Bibi Dong was thoroughly disgusted. It took a long time for her to compose herself.
"You don't need to worry about your disciple. I've already sent people to kill him."
Yu Xiaogang and Ning Bei were both startled. Yu Xiaogang was shocked that she would disregard their past relationship so completely, while Ning Bei was surprised that Bibi Dong was still sending people to intercept and kill the little punk, just like in the original story.
After the initial shock, Yu Xiaogang was filled with anger. He pointed at Bibi Dong's delicate nose and began to curse.
"You wicked woman! It was bad enough that you abandoned me for power 20 years ago, but now, for your own selfish desires, you're going after a genius of the continent! You have a heart of vipers and scorpions!"
"You're not worth a single strand of Er Long's hair!"
Bibi Dong tightly closed her eyes. Although she already knew what kind of person he was, hearing him say such things to her face still caused a pang of pain in her heart.
After a long while, Bibi Dong opened her eyes. The temperature in the entire hall seemed to drop a few degrees. Her red lips parted slightly.
"Say whatever you want. If there's nothing else, you may leave."
Hearing Bibi Dong's dismissal, the Grandmaster immediately panicked. He took a few steps forward, again trying to grab her arm, but was still repelled by her Soul Power.
"Dong-er, Your Majesty the Pope, please don't kill Xiao San. He truly is a good child."
"He is filial, kind-hearted, knows when to advance and retreat, and is exceptionally talented. He also knows how to cultivate diligently, truly embodying my youthful demeanor. Please, spare him."
"Ptui!"
On the high platform, Ning Bei couldn't hold back any longer and spat fiercely.
You disgust your old flame, that's fine, but can you not disgust me? Are you talking about that little punk?
What kind of kind-hearted person casually says, 'You have a death wish'?
What kind of filial person never returned to Holy Soul Village after becoming successful to visit Old Jack, who had helped him?
"Who?"
Startled by Ning Bei's voice, Yu Xiaogang immediately looked towards the high platform, only then realizing there was someone else seated on the Pope's chair.
After getting a clear look at the person, Yu Xiaogang pointed at Ning Bei, trembling as he stumbled back a few steps.
"You, you... how are you here?!"
Clearly, his conflict with Ning Bei after the preliminaries had left a deep impression on him.
Ning Bei rolled his eyes, ignoring him, and continued to crack melon seeds.
Seeing that he received no response, Yu Xiaogang turned his head to look at Bibi Dong again.
"Your Majesty Pope Dong, he's from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect; don't let him deceive you."
Clearly, the Grandmaster had misunderstood something, seeing Ning Bei sitting on the throne without Bibi Dong's objection, and hastily tried to expose Ning Bei's identity.
"I know. What does that have to do with you?"
Bibi Dong gave Yu Xiaogang a flat look, with no intention of reprimanding Ning Bei for his presumptuousness.
"You, you... Dong-er, you're confused! The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect poses the greatest danger to your Spirit Hall. How can you believe his glib tongue and even let him sit... sit..."
Clearly, Ning Bei's treatment drove him mad with jealousy, his eyes even beginning to turn red.
He had humbled himself to beg for the Twin Spirits cultivation method but couldn't get it, yet that kid on the high platform clearly had a close relationship with Bibi Dong. How could he not be jealous?
Bibi Dong's expression instantly brightened with satisfaction as she looked at Yu Xiaogang, then her eyes subtly lit up, as if she'd thought of something amusing.
-----------
Machine Translation by: https://beta.randomtranslator.com/
Read 1400+ original & fanfic translations and Translate for free at: https://www.randomtranslator.com/