Reading settings
Douluo Dalu_ Legend of the Ancestral Dragon_chapter_0069
Chapter 69
Chapter 69: The First Meeting of Two Empresses
Bibi Dong, as the Pope of Spirit Hall, had many things to attend to every day.
Spirit Hall's influence spread throughout the continent, and a large volume of information was transmitted back to Spirit City daily.
Within the Pope's Palace, specialized Red-robed Cardinals and Platinum Bishops processed this information, filtering out important details for Bibi Dong's decisions.
Even after multiple layers of filtering, Bibi Dong's workload remained substantial.
In fact, Aotian had already sent her a voice transmission yesterday, saying he would bring guests back and would likely arrive around noon today.
However, due to her heavy workload, Bibi Dong did not go out to greet them.
She had a few guesses about the guests Aotian mentioned.
Over the years Aotian had stayed in Nuoding City, Bibi Dong hadn't been entirely at ease. After all, he was such an outstanding man; what if another vixen lured him away?
She had once asked Aotian if he had found other women. He said no, but mentioned he had taken in two beautiful little followers.
She told Aotian to bring those two beautiful little followers to Spirit City to visit whenever he had the chance, but Gu Yuena had never agreed, so they had yet to meet.
After receiving Aotian's voice transmission yesterday, Bibi Dong felt a certain anticipation, wondering just how beautiful these "beautiful little followers" Aotian spoke of truly were.
"They should be arriving soon." Bibi Dong lifted her head from a pile of documents and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, contemplating whether to go to the entrance of the Pope's Palace to greet them.
Just then, she heard footsteps and Aotian's voice.
Bibi Dong immediately stood up, tidied her clothes, and prepared to welcome her guests.
"Ahead is the Pope's Imperial Study. She's inside," Aotian said with a smile.
Xiao Wu tightly held Gu Yuena's hand, feeling a bit nervous.
An attendant stood at the entrance of the Imperial Study. Seeing Aotian approach, she respectfully bowed.
Aotian nodded slightly, then led Gu Yuena and Xiao Wu into the study.
"You're back?" Bibi Dong said gently.
As she spoke, her gaze only lingered on Aotian's face for a moment before shifting to look at Gu Yuena and Xiao Wu behind him.
The two girls behind Aotian were both very tall. The younger one was delicate, charming, and very likable.
When Bibi Dong's gaze fell upon Gu Yuena, she was instantly stunned.
This silver-haired girl's appearance was even more striking than the younger one's. If Bibi Dong were to describe it, she would feel the girl's beauty was no less than her own.
Especially that noble, empress-like air; it was very similar to hers.
And within that nobility, there was also an ethereal quality.
The evaluation Bibi Dong gave in her heart was: "Her beauty and air are both no less than mine!"
While Bibi Dong assessed Gu Yuena, Gu Yuena was also assessing Bibi Dong.
She had heard Aotian mention his beloved many times and had been curious about Bibi Dong for a long time.
Coming to Spirit City this time, she secretly harbored the desire to compete with this woman.
Since Bibi Dong had taken the beauty-retaining pill refined by Aotian, her looks had become even more flawless.
The evaluation Gu Yuena gave Bibi Dong in her heart was: "Her beauty is no less than mine, her air is a bit common, and her figure... well, it's a bit large."
She couldn't help but look down at her own chest, then at Bibi Dong's, sensing the difference between them.
Gu Yuena puffed out her chest, and her previously budding figure instantly expanded, restoring her true physique.
Her graceful and well-proportioned figure finally narrowed the gap with Bibi Dong's. Although it still couldn't quite compare, the difference was no longer significant.
Bibi Dong's pretty face clearly froze for a moment, then a rich smile blossomed.
"Aotian, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" Bibi Dong walked over, forcefully pulling Aotian's arm deep into her embrace.
Her smile seemed boastful, triumphant, and even a little provocative.
Aotian felt a headache coming on. The moment they met, he could already smell the thick scent of gunpowder, which he had not anticipated at all.
He finally understood that he had ultimately underestimated the competitiveness and jealousy between women.
This situation... why did it feel a bit like the original wife was about to tear into the 'Xiao San'?
Aotian bit the bullet and introduced them. "This is Gu Yuena, and this is Xiao Wu."
"And this is Bibi Dong, the current Pope of Spirit Hall."
Bibi Dong released Aotian and smiled. "I've heard Aotian talk about you two for a long time. I've been looking forward to this for many years, and at last, you're here. Come, please sit down."
Bibi Dong pointed to the sitting area to the side.
After they sat down, Bibi Dong called for tea. An attendant quickly entered and served tea to Xiao Wu and Gu Yuena.
"Gu Yuena, I'm curious, what ability did you use to change your form just now?" Bibi Dong asked with interest.
She had never seen any Spirit Master whose body could grow larger or smaller.
This follower of Aotian's was not so simple.
Gu Yuena had not smiled once since entering. Hearing Bibi Dong's question, she stated directly, "I am not human. I am a Soul Beast."
"A hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast!" Bibi Dong exclaimed, immediately standing up. Her spirit power surged as she watched Gu Yuena with vigilance.
Humans and Soul Beasts were natural enemies. Bibi Dong knew very well how much Soul Beasts hated humans.
"The woman with Aotian is actually a Soul Beast? Could she be lurking by his side, using this opportunity to infiltrate the Pope's Palace and harm me? But Aotian... didn't he notice?" The thought flashed through Bibi Dong's mind.
She looked at Aotian and saw his helpless expression.
He hadn't expected Gu Yuena to be so blunt and reveal her true identity.
Before returning, he had already concealed their Soul Beast auras; Bibi Dong wouldn't have been able to discern them. It wouldn't have been too late to reveal the truth once they all got along.
But now, the scent of gunpowder had only just begun to fade, and a fight was about to erupt again.
Aotian had no doubt that if he weren't here, a battle would truly break out.
Bibi Dong's spirit power surged as she watched Gu Yuena warily. Gu Yuena, in turn, wore a sarcastic expression, while Xiao Wu was tense and fidgeting uneasily.
Aotian quickly stood up, placed his hands on Bibi Dong's shoulders, and gently pressed her down. "There's no need to make such a fuss," he said. "It's my fault for not explaining things to you beforehand. Both of them are Soul Beasts. Gu Yuena is the Silver Dragon King; she once possessed god-level strength but suffered some injuries. Xiao Wu is a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, a Soft-Bone Rabbit who has taken human form."
"You knew all along?" Bibi Dong turned her head to look at Aotian.
Aotian nodded. "I'm not human myself. What's so strange about taking in a few Soul Beast followers?"
Bibi Dong finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at Gu Yuena, she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I misunderstood you."
Gu Yuena's expression froze for a moment. She had never expected the Pope of Spirit Hall to apologize to her.
She suddenly realized that she was a guest in the Pope's Palace because of Aotian. Giving them such a cold shoulder would only make things difficult for him, wouldn't it?
Remembering that Bibi Dong was the woman Aotian loved, Gu Yuena felt a little embarrassed and regretted not controlling her emotions earlier.
So, she also apologized. "I was at fault, too. I shouldn't have been so hostile. You are the woman Aotian loves, which makes you my... friend."
(end of chapter)
Bibi Dong, as the Pope of Spirit Hall, had many things to attend to every day.
Spirit Hall's influence spread throughout the continent, and a large volume of information was transmitted back to Spirit City daily.
Within the Pope's Palace, specialized Red-robed Cardinals and Platinum Bishops processed this information, filtering out important details for Bibi Dong's decisions.
Even after multiple layers of filtering, Bibi Dong's workload remained substantial.
In fact, Aotian had already sent her a voice transmission yesterday, saying he would bring guests back and would likely arrive around noon today.
However, due to her heavy workload, Bibi Dong did not go out to greet them.
She had a few guesses about the guests Aotian mentioned.
Over the years Aotian had stayed in Nuoding City, Bibi Dong hadn't been entirely at ease. After all, he was such an outstanding man; what if another vixen lured him away?
She had once asked Aotian if he had found other women. He said no, but mentioned he had taken in two beautiful little followers.
She told Aotian to bring those two beautiful little followers to Spirit City to visit whenever he had the chance, but Gu Yuena had never agreed, so they had yet to meet.
After receiving Aotian's voice transmission yesterday, Bibi Dong felt a certain anticipation, wondering just how beautiful these "beautiful little followers" Aotian spoke of truly were.
"They should be arriving soon." Bibi Dong lifted her head from a pile of documents and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, contemplating whether to go to the entrance of the Pope's Palace to greet them.
Just then, she heard footsteps and Aotian's voice.
Bibi Dong immediately stood up, tidied her clothes, and prepared to welcome her guests.
"Ahead is the Pope's Imperial Study. She's inside," Aotian said with a smile.
Xiao Wu tightly held Gu Yuena's hand, feeling a bit nervous.
An attendant stood at the entrance of the Imperial Study. Seeing Aotian approach, she respectfully bowed.
Aotian nodded slightly, then led Gu Yuena and Xiao Wu into the study.
"You're back?" Bibi Dong said gently.
As she spoke, her gaze only lingered on Aotian's face for a moment before shifting to look at Gu Yuena and Xiao Wu behind him.
The two girls behind Aotian were both very tall. The younger one was delicate, charming, and very likable.
When Bibi Dong's gaze fell upon Gu Yuena, she was instantly stunned.
This silver-haired girl's appearance was even more striking than the younger one's. If Bibi Dong were to describe it, she would feel the girl's beauty was no less than her own.
Especially that noble, empress-like air; it was very similar to hers.
And within that nobility, there was also an ethereal quality.
The evaluation Bibi Dong gave in her heart was: "Her beauty and air are both no less than mine!"
While Bibi Dong assessed Gu Yuena, Gu Yuena was also assessing Bibi Dong.
She had heard Aotian mention his beloved many times and had been curious about Bibi Dong for a long time.
Coming to Spirit City this time, she secretly harbored the desire to compete with this woman.
Since Bibi Dong had taken the beauty-retaining pill refined by Aotian, her looks had become even more flawless.
The evaluation Gu Yuena gave Bibi Dong in her heart was: "Her beauty is no less than mine, her air is a bit common, and her figure... well, it's a bit large."
She couldn't help but look down at her own chest, then at Bibi Dong's, sensing the difference between them.
Gu Yuena puffed out her chest, and her previously budding figure instantly expanded, restoring her true physique.
Her graceful and well-proportioned figure finally narrowed the gap with Bibi Dong's. Although it still couldn't quite compare, the difference was no longer significant.
Bibi Dong's pretty face clearly froze for a moment, then a rich smile blossomed.
"Aotian, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" Bibi Dong walked over, forcefully pulling Aotian's arm deep into her embrace.
Her smile seemed boastful, triumphant, and even a little provocative.
Aotian felt a headache coming on. The moment they met, he could already smell the thick scent of gunpowder, which he had not anticipated at all.
He finally understood that he had ultimately underestimated the competitiveness and jealousy between women.
This situation... why did it feel a bit like the original wife was about to tear into the 'Xiao San'?
Aotian bit the bullet and introduced them. "This is Gu Yuena, and this is Xiao Wu."
"And this is Bibi Dong, the current Pope of Spirit Hall."
Bibi Dong released Aotian and smiled. "I've heard Aotian talk about you two for a long time. I've been looking forward to this for many years, and at last, you're here. Come, please sit down."
Bibi Dong pointed to the sitting area to the side.
After they sat down, Bibi Dong called for tea. An attendant quickly entered and served tea to Xiao Wu and Gu Yuena.
"Gu Yuena, I'm curious, what ability did you use to change your form just now?" Bibi Dong asked with interest.
She had never seen any Spirit Master whose body could grow larger or smaller.
This follower of Aotian's was not so simple.
Gu Yuena had not smiled once since entering. Hearing Bibi Dong's question, she stated directly, "I am not human. I am a Soul Beast."
"A hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast!" Bibi Dong exclaimed, immediately standing up. Her spirit power surged as she watched Gu Yuena with vigilance.
Humans and Soul Beasts were natural enemies. Bibi Dong knew very well how much Soul Beasts hated humans.
"The woman with Aotian is actually a Soul Beast? Could she be lurking by his side, using this opportunity to infiltrate the Pope's Palace and harm me? But Aotian... didn't he notice?" The thought flashed through Bibi Dong's mind.
She looked at Aotian and saw his helpless expression.
He hadn't expected Gu Yuena to be so blunt and reveal her true identity.
Before returning, he had already concealed their Soul Beast auras; Bibi Dong wouldn't have been able to discern them. It wouldn't have been too late to reveal the truth once they all got along.
But now, the scent of gunpowder had only just begun to fade, and a fight was about to erupt again.
Aotian had no doubt that if he weren't here, a battle would truly break out.
Bibi Dong's spirit power surged as she watched Gu Yuena warily. Gu Yuena, in turn, wore a sarcastic expression, while Xiao Wu was tense and fidgeting uneasily.
Aotian quickly stood up, placed his hands on Bibi Dong's shoulders, and gently pressed her down. "There's no need to make such a fuss," he said. "It's my fault for not explaining things to you beforehand. Both of them are Soul Beasts. Gu Yuena is the Silver Dragon King; she once possessed god-level strength but suffered some injuries. Xiao Wu is a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, a Soft-Bone Rabbit who has taken human form."
"You knew all along?" Bibi Dong turned her head to look at Aotian.
Aotian nodded. "I'm not human myself. What's so strange about taking in a few Soul Beast followers?"
Bibi Dong finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at Gu Yuena, she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I misunderstood you."
Gu Yuena's expression froze for a moment. She had never expected the Pope of Spirit Hall to apologize to her.
She suddenly realized that she was a guest in the Pope's Palace because of Aotian. Giving them such a cold shoulder would only make things difficult for him, wouldn't it?
Remembering that Bibi Dong was the woman Aotian loved, Gu Yuena felt a little embarrassed and regretted not controlling her emotions earlier.
So, she also apologized. "I was at fault, too. I shouldn't have been so hostile. You are the woman Aotian loves, which makes you my... friend."
(end of chapter)
