[Alexander POV]
Argh, bureaucracy and ancient opulence. Still, it beats a dusty training ground. 🙄
The Pope's Palace. It loomed against the azure sky, a breathtaking testament to gold, spires, and spiritual might. Glistening under the midday sun, its sheer size made the surrounding clouds feel like humble cotton tufts. Tch, tch, still looking rich as ever. 💸 Gleaming white marble paths, polished to a mirror sheen, stretched out before me, flanked by golden-winged statues that seemed to gaze down with an air of eternal judgment. The faint, echoing chime of distant bells, perhaps from a high-up prayer hall, drifted on the gentle breeze. 🔔
I strode confidently, the soft click of my polished leather shoes the only sound against the vast, silent grandeur of the main corridor. Tapestries depicting legendary Spirit Masters and divine beasts adorned the towering walls, their threads shimmering with faint spirit energy. The air itself felt crisp, imbued with the faint, metallic tang of ozone and a subtle floral scent from unseen gardens – perhaps the sacred jasmine Master prefers. ✨🌸 My destination, Master's personal office, felt like a familiar anchor in this sea of spiritual power.
Reaching the grand, intricately carved wooden doors – which felt less like doors and more like portals to another dimension – I paused just a beat, then gave a firm rap. No need for pleasantries beyond that. I pushed it open, stepping into the familiar, elegantly appointed space. Bookshelves lined with ancient tomes reached the impossibly high ceiling, a crackling fireplace offered warmth despite the pleasant day outside, and the scent of aged parchment and Master's unique tea blend hung in the air. 📚🔥🍵
Bibi Dong, draped in her usual magnificent robes, sat behind a colossal rosewood desk, meticulously reviewing documents. Her long, flowing hair, a cascade of violet, shimmered faintly in the light filtering through the stained-glass windows. She barely looked up, a small, knowing sigh escaping her lips.
"Mm, Alexander," she began, her voice a silken ribbon of authority, "how many times have I told you not to be so casual in my office? This is the Pope's sacred space, not a common tavern." She finally lifted her gaze, a hint of a playful exasperation in her usually stern purple eyes. "Anyway, sit here." She gestured to the plush, crimson velvet chair opposite her. "So, what is it?" 💜🛋️
I plopped down into the comfortable chair, leaning back slightly. "Mm, Master, I reach Rank 70." I grinned, a touch of boyish mischief playing on my lips. "I need to get a soul ring. Mm, what do you think should be the best?" 😅
Her delicate eyebrow arched, a flicker of genuine surprise in her eyes. "Already? Mm, well, you are still only cultivating your Heavenly Divine Sword, only, right?" There was a subtle probing in her tone, testing my adherence to her instructions.
"Mm yep, Master. I am still not cultivating Abyssal Dragon Martial Soul, just as you asked." I confirmed, a hint of dutiful obedience in my voice, though my internal dragon snickered at the thought. Soon, my friend, soon. 🐉😏
Bibi Dong nodded slowly, a satisfied hum in her throat. "Mm, good. It's better that way. You can start cultivating your dragon Martial Soul when you reach Titled Douluo." Her gaze held a mixture of strictness and pride. She had a plan, and I was, for now, a key part of it. 🎯
"Mm, got it, got it, Master." I waved a dismissive hand. "So, Master, mm, do you investigate the lower ranks in other countries? Mm, like in Star Luo Empire and Heaven Dou Empire? Mm, Master?" My tone shifted, becoming a little more serious, hinting at underlying concerns. 🌍🕵️♂️
She sighed, a deeper, more weary sound this time, her gaze drifting towards the ornate window overlooking the clouds. "Mm, it's just as you said, mm. There are still corrupt people in Spirit Hall." Her voice held a note of frustration, a weight on her shoulders that I rarely saw. 😔
"Mm, Master, every organization will have corruption. It's how to manage it." I offered, a pragmatic truth. I knew her goal was absolute purity within Spirit Hall, a righteous dream, but an impossible one. ⚖️
"Mm, I know." Her eyes, sharp and intelligent, met mine. "Mm, though, what do you think about the upcoming tournament in three years? It's under Spirit Hall this year." A subtle probe, perhaps testing my ambition. 🏆
I waved a hand again, brushing off the idea. "Arh, Master, I am not interested in it. Let Hu Liena and others from the Golden Generation play." Too much fuss, too little challenge. 🥱
"Mm, just thought you might be interested in it, after all, you are still only 22." She gave a slight, almost imperceptible smirk.
"Ahum, mm, Master, you forget it's in three years, so I will be 25 at that time." I pointed out, a slight smugness in my tone.
"Arh, um, right." She chuckled softly, a rare, melodic sound that filled the grand office. "Mm, I slightly 😅 My fault, mm. Mm, for your seventh Martial Soul ring… Mm, let me just calculate." She picked up a quill, tapping it lightly against a large, leather-bound ledger. "Mm, your first ring is 1,000-year purple, and 4,000-year purple, and the third ring is 10,000-year black, and fourth ring is 40,000-year black, and fifth ring is 80,000-year black, and sixth ring is 99,000-year black... mm, next needs to be at least red." Her voice trailed off, the implicit problem hanging in the air. 😟
"Mm, correct, Master. 😋 Mm, my fault for being too strong, I guess! 😅 Since we don't know where 100,000-year Soul Beasts are in..." I feigned a sigh, though a genuine challenge thrilled me. Finding a 100,000-year beast was no small feat. It was akin to finding a needle in a continent-sized haystack, a legendary quest in itself. 🗺️🐉
"Mm, well, I don't know mm 🤔." She tapped the quill against her lip, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow. "Mm, so your soul ring has to wait, I guess, mm. Though I still don't expect your father, Chen Xin, to put you in Spirit Hall." A subtle change in topic, a shift to my background.
"Mm, well, he didn't know what to do since I awakened twin martial souls, and he didn't know how to train it. And since there is a case of people with twin martial souls dying quickly, so he did the safest option." I explained, a casual wave of my hand, but the underlying truth of my unique situation, and the very real dangers, was always present. My Heavenly Divine Sword, glowing faintly with golden light, and the shadowy rumble of the Abyssal Dragon within my soul, were two sides of a coin few understood. ✨🐉
"Mm, I guess, mm. So, how have you been?" Her tone softened, moving past the formal discussions to a more personal inquiry.
"Mm, good. You, Master?" I responded, genuinely curious.
"Mm, I am also good, but lately negative thoughts are coming to me." Her gaze was distant, a rare vulnerability in her eyes. The burdens of her position, the weight of a continent, were clearly pressing down. 💭☁️
Without a word, I extended my right hand, my Heavenly Divine Sword Martial Soul manifesting with a soft, golden hum. It wasn't a full projection, just a focused manifestation of its purest essence. "Mm, well, Mental Clarity," I stated, the name of a spirit ability, my voice calm and steady. "It's just an ability it has." A flicker of golden light, pure and soothing, shot from the tip of the phantom sword towards Bibi Dong, enveloping her for a fleeting moment. ✨🧘♂️
Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly as the light embraced her. A soft gasp escaped her lips, and then, a deep, cleansing breath. Her shoulders, previously tense, visibly relaxed. The distant, troubled look in her eyes cleared, replaced by a renewed sharpness. "Mm, definitely better, sweety. Mm, no problem now." A genuine, relieved smile touched her lips, a rare sight. 😊
I retracted my Martial Soul, the golden glow receding. "Mm 😅, it's better, I guess, Master." I offered, a slight smirk returning. Just doing my job, boss.
"Mm, definitely better." She confirmed, her posture regaining its usual regal bearing, though a hint of lingering warmth remained in her gaze. She picked up her quill again, the crisis averted.