"One thousand six hundred years is quite good!"
"The name Marrow Cleansing Pill is rather novel."
Qian Xunji bent down and reached out, not taking them all but picking up just one pill, holding it up to examine it closely.
Looking at the purplish-black pill before him.
Qian Xunji suddenly froze.
He seemed to have seen this color somewhere before.
His golden eyes couldn't help but glance at the glass jar Ye Tian was holding. Were all those inside filled with what Ye Tian called Marrow Cleansing Pills?
This seemed somewhat unusual.
He had never seen any Soul Master squander their Soul Skills like this before.
Even Food-type Soul Masters...
Was it because of the uniqueness of Ye Tian's Martial Soul?
After all, this was an unprecedented Innate Full Spirit Power Soul Master in the support system.
Qian Xunji secretly speculated, still wanting to ask something.
But Bi Bidong had had enough, taking light steps to move behind Ye Tian.
Her jade-like palm covered Ye Tian's head.
Her eyes still held disgust as she looked at Qian Xunji, saying coldly:
"Teacher, is there anything else?"
"!!!"
Ye Tian shuddered.
He didn't know if Qian Xunji had matters to attend to, but he certainly didn't dare to have any issues himself.
Ye Tian could clearly feel the bone-chilling cold transmitted from the palm on his scalp, making him break out in goosebumps.
He immediately transformed into an obedient child.
"Heh..."
Qian Xunji smiled unnaturally, not daring to provoke Bi Bidong too much, and shook his head.
"Nothing else."
"Ye Tian, you should go back and consolidate properly. Spirit Bones will come eventually."
Ye Tian nodded seriously and formally.
After speaking.
Qian Xunji looked at Bi Bidong again, his eyes filled with guilt and helplessness.
Ye Tian couldn't determine whether it was genuine or not.
But it didn't really matter.
Before Qian Xunji could speak, Bi Bidong felt nauseated to the point of wanting to vomit...
Grabbing Ye Tian by the collar, she turned and left.
"Ah! Teacher, slow down! Wait, I can walk by myself!"
Before Ye Tian could react, he nearly stumbled and fell.
Resisting, he was lifted up by Bi Bidong again, his feet leaving the ground.
Ye Tian felt like crying but had no tears.
Back in the orphanage, he had been desperate to get rid of his split pants. Now, Ye Tian was desperate to grow taller!
Otherwise, he'd keep being carried around like a chick everywhere.
It was utterly embarrassing!
Qian Xunji remained silent, watching Bi Bidong's retreating figure, speaking softly:
"Dong'er, if you need anything in your daily cultivation or life, you can tell your teacher. I'll try my best to accommodate you."
"No need for teacher's concern."
Bi Bidong's voice carried hatred as she already left the hall carrying Ye Tian.
"..."
The Papal Hall returned to tranquility.
Qian Xunji stood with his hands behind his back.
The entire figure stood within the shadow cast by the pillar, sighing leisurely.
"Dong'er, if you want to blame anyone, blame yourself for being too foolish and naive back then, stupid enough to think that liking someone could change everything. Always feeling like it was some vague, indistinct dream..."
As Qian Xunji spoke, he shook his head helplessly.
But when he thought of his daughter Qian Renxue, he cast aside those thoughts.
His brows relaxed again.
Perhaps it was because he, as both the Angel Successor and Spirit Hall Pope, had been wearing a hypocritical Angel Successor mask when teaching Bi Bidong...
Never revealing the various shadows that came with being the Pope.
That's what made Bi Bidong so naive and immature.
"Hmph, perhaps in the future, Dong'er will come to understand her teacher."
A trace of mockery appeared on Qian Xunji's face.
He had once thought Qian Daoliu was too honest, too pretentious—not ruthless or cunning enough to be Pope. But now that he had truly taken this position, he realized... he wasn't enough either.
"Guimei!"
Suddenly, Qian Xunji called out sharply, all mockery gone from his face, replaced only by authority.
Before his voice faded,
a shadowy figure drifted like a ghost before Qian Xunji, awaiting orders.
"Go to the Hall of Worship and deliver the message... it's feasible."
"Yes!"
Guimei acknowledged and vanished without a sound.
Qian Xunji's figure faded into the distance, reappearing moments later seated on his throne.
He sat slouched and askew,
holding the pill he had taken from Ye Tian.
"A Marrow Cleansing Pill, huh..."
"Gulp~!"
Qian Xunji quickly tossed the purplish-black pill into his mouth and swallowed.
Instantly,
a transcendent, immortal-like sensation swept through his entire body, making him straighten up involuntarily, nearly letting out some strange sounds.
But soon,
that feeling vanished as if it had never been.
Qian Xunji sat rigidly on the throne, momentarily dazed by the pleasure.
He felt somewhat bewildered, then frowned.
"What's going on?"
"The effects and physical reaction don't quite match up. It felt so amazing when taken, yet it only restored some Soul Power and stamina."
Qian Xunji pondered endlessly...
He could only shake his head helplessly, stifling a laugh.
If only he had taken all the pills Ye Tian offered. Now, he hadn't even gotten to savor the taste properly.
But Qian Xunji was certain:
Ye Tian's First Soul Skill could make even a Titled Douluo like him feel incredible—it definitely wasn't simple.
Qian Xunji picked up his brush and began working.
Exhaling a breath of turbid air contentedly, he remarked wryly, "Fortunately, the greedier someone is, the easier they are to control..."
——
It was already noon.
Bi Bi Dong, hauling Ye Tian along, put all her effort into rushing back to her residence. She didn't even give Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ye Tian a chance to speak.
Even after leaving the Papal Hall's vicinity, she showed no signs of stopping.
Ye Tian, buffeted by the wind, felt drowsy.
Suddenly,
Ye Tian realized Bi Bi Dong had wrapped her arm around his waist again, holding him vertically in the crook of her arm.
A jade-like hand pinched his ear.
"Ah, Teacher! You—you show some respect! For your disciple—"
As Ye Tian wailed,
the gusting wind carried a cold, clear voice straight into his ears.
"Show respect? But you don't know when to quit when given face!"
Bi Bi Dong snapped.
She naturally had her limits; after all, Ye Tian was still just a minor Soul Master.
As for why someone would wail so loudly...
it could only be attributed to shamelessness.
"I ask you, do you even know the value of a Spirit Bone?"
"How dare you say those things?"
Grabbing the slender hand by his ear, Ye Tian retorted irritably:
"I was just testing the waters! What if the Pope took a liking to me and gave it? With you here, Teacher, even if I'm rejected, I won't lose anything. It's a no-loss deal just by speaking up—why not try?"
"Hmph! Greed knows no bounds, like a snake trying to swallow an elephant."
Bi Bi Dong snorted coldly, suddenly slowing her pace.
The atmosphere shifted abruptly!
The hand that had been pinching Ye Tian's ear now rested on his short black hair, stroking it gently as if petting a cat, and she said softly:
"If you really want a ten-thousand-year soul bone that badly... it might not be impossible."
Hearing this,
Ye Tian did not feel pleasantly surprised; instead, he felt a chill of horror.
His body trembled with a sudden jolt, filled with unease.
Swallowing hard, he asked:
"Teacher, what do you mean by that?"