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Seated on the throne, Bi Bidong saw that Xu Sheng did not avoid her gaze and even dared to stare directly into her eyes, and she knew this child was no ordinary person.
Her thin lips parted slightly, "Your name is Xu Sheng, right?"
Xu Sheng, neither servile nor overbearing, replied calmly, "If there is no second Xu Sheng who has come to Martial Soul City, then it is indeed me!"
Gui Mei, who had already taken a dislike to him, flashed a bloodthirsty look in his eyes and said coldly, "Brat! You're looking for death! Don't think that just because you have some talent you can be disrespectful in front of His Holiness!"
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—nine soul rings rose from underneath his feet...
A chilling ghostly figure emerged behind Gui Mei, exuding a sinister black aura and closely trailing him; the pair of blood-red pupils within that blackness were truly terrifying!
Then, his first soul ring flared intensely, and Gui Mei coldly shouted, "First Soul Skill—Ghost Shadow!"
With a shudder of its red pupils, an afterimage appeared behind him, and in a blink, it transformed into a clump of black energy charging toward Xu Sheng...
This guy had the gall to be so disrespectful to the Pope; how would he then treat him and Chrysanthemum Guan, as if they were beneath him?
He must teach him a lesson, to make him understand that there are differences even among Titled Douluos!
Xu Sheng's pupils suddenly contracted, and as he watched the swiftly approaching evil black energy, he could not help but step back...
Just one step away, that black energy almost struck Xu Sheng!
"Stop!" Bi Bidong ordered with a mix of warmth and anger, holding the Purple-Golden Scepter in her hand; her icy words sent a shiver down everyone's spine...
The submissive Gui Mei immediately bent down, his mind instantly realizing his impropriety, and in an instant he stopped and retracted the Ghost Shadow attacking Xu Sheng, withdrawing his Martial Soul...
A hint of displeasure emerged on Chrysanthemum Guan's lowered face, cursing Gui Mei inwardly, "This old ghost—if only he had been one step quicker, a mere accident could have been created! His Holiness would definitely not fall out with us over a talent that has been ruined!!"
This guy truly is as cowardly as his Martial Soul!
Bi Bidong's stern phoenix eyes swept over Gui Mei and then at Chrysanthemum Guan, "Make another move without permission, and don't blame me for not showing mercy!"
Chrysanthemum Guan and Gui Mei both bowed, "Yes, Lord Pontiff!"
Xu Sheng suppressed the accelerating thrill in his heart, "That scared me to death; next time I should be less bold, having soul power without soul rings isn't very useful!"
Just facing that ordinary Centennial Soul Ring, he had felt on the verge of death...
Seeing Chrysanthemum Guan and Gui Mei silent with bowed heads, Bi Bidong then commanded Xu Sheng in an unquestionable tone, "Xu Sheng, since you possess Innate Soul Power Level Ninety, release your Martial Soul now!"
Xu Sheng nodded slightly, slowly extended his right hand, and with a thought, a cluster of begonias irrigated with blood began to converge. Then, the nine-hearted begonia that manifested gradually solidified, spinning with alarming murderous intent as it appeared from his palm...
The entire Martial Soul Hall was tinged with a hue of crimson by this powerful soul power...
This scene made the breathing of Bi Bidong and the others falter, and she took a deep breath, looking on with a tinge of nostalgia, murmuring softly, "This Martial Soul is so purely Evil!"
It had many similarities to her own Spider Martial Soul...
Most profoundly affected was Chrysanthemum Guan, who also had a plant-based Martial Soul; he silently exclaimed, "This kid's Martial Soul is actually making my own Chrysanthemum Martial Soul want to submit to it!"
On the other hand, Gui Mei gaped, speechless, "It's just a plant Martial Soul, yet the murderous aura it carries far exceeds my own! They aren't even on the same level!"
All he felt from this Nine-Hearted Begonia were two auras, extreme Evil and boundless murderous intent!...
A fleeting brilliance flashed in Bi Bidong's eyes as she said indifferently, "Take it back."
Upon hearing this, Xu Sheng slowly clenched his hand, retracting the Nine-Hearted Begonia...
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Without the influence of Nine-Hearted Begonia, the peculiarity within the Martial Soul Hall dissipated...
Xu Sheng's lips curled up slightly as he smiled and said, "I wonder how His Holiness feels now?"
Though Nine-Hearted Begonia is only a plant, it is on the same level as Qian Renxue's top-tier Angel's Martial Soul!
He was still very confident in this!
The coldness on Bi Bidong's face thawed a bit as she praised without stinginess, "Not bad, possessing such an extreme Evil Martial Soul, coupled with Innate Soul Power Level Ninety, your future is boundless!"
Chrysanthemum Guan sighed with a look of dismay, "It's over! Hearing His Holiness's words, it seems that our positions are indeed about to be shaken by this kid,"
Gui Mei looked at Chrysanthemum Guan's expression and felt somewhat bitter in his heart...
"Is it coming?" Xu Sheng narrowed his eyes, anticipating that Bi Bidong was about to make a high-energy reaction...
Upon the throne, Bi Bidong's cold face struggled to curl into a faint smile, "Xu Sheng, would you be willing to become my disciple?"
Both Chrysanthemum Guan and Gui Mei focused their gazes on Xu Sheng, naturally hoping he would decline...
Xu Sheng thought to himself, "Just as expected."
Upon seeing his Martial Soul and talent, Bi Bidong's first thought was to recruit him. On the surface, she was asking, but he knew that without a Soul Ring, he would not be able to leave Martial Soul Hall if he refused!
But what did that have to do with him, a fish striving for nothing more than to get along?
Having a beauty actively asking to be your mentor, refusing would be doing an injustice to his own desires.
"I am willing! However, Your Holiness, I have one condition. May I ask if you could grant it?" Xu Sheng stared earnestly at Bi Bidong...
As soon as these words came out, Gui Mei and Chrysanthemum Guan both gave sneering smiles...
Chrysanthemum Guan was secretly delighted, "His Holiness detests most when others negotiate terms with her, this kid is asking for it!"
Gui Mei thought, "It seems this kid is done for today; I can already imagine His Holiness's angry expression!"
However, to their disappointment, Bi Bidong wasn't angry. She just slightly frowned her beautiful eyebrows, "What condition?"
This question from Bi Bidong was like a sledgehammer to Chrysanthemum Guan's head, who felt utterly dazed and cursed, "Damn, His Holiness is actually not angry?"
With eyes closed in despair, Gui Mei thought, "Is this kid's talent already enough to make His Holiness tolerate him? We're screwed, totally screwed..."
Standing tall, Xu Sheng spoke firmly, "Your Holiness, I am willing to become your disciple and to be loyal to Martial Soul Hall. However, I hope that in the future, when I ask to leave Martial Soul Hall temporarily, you will not stop me!"
Why did Xu Sheng make this condition? Of course, he couldn't possibly stay in Martial Soul Hall forever, right?
There were so many young ladies outside, and countless delicious foods to try. Even as a salted fish, he had his aspirations!
Bi Bidong pursed her tender lips, weighing the pros and cons in her mind...
After a while, she said expressionlessly, "I can agree to your condition! However, I too have my terms!"
Gui Mei felt like he'd been struck by yet another arrow and his mouth twitched uncontrollably, "What? Your Holiness, aren't you spoiling him too much?"
He hadn't expected Bi Bidong to actually agree to such an absurd request from the kid!
Chrysanthemum Guan patted his aching heart, feeling extremely wronged...
"You don't get angry even after crossing Your bottom line multiple times, yet just one wrong word from Lao Gui and myself prompts a scolding—whine, whine~I feel so unjust!"