Outside Pope Hall, the Silver Armor Soul King didn't dare to act rashly, standing there waiting respectfully.
Luo Yu, however, started to stroll around, admiring the surroundings, nodding from time to time.
His hands weren't idle either, rubbing the fluffy ears of the Soft Bone Charming Rabbit.
Little did he know that the rabbit's pink eyes were already muddled with emotion, covered in a layer of mist, and her pearly teeth were biting her thin lips.
'Is my benefactor really treating Da Wu as a pet, or is he deliberately teasing...'
Da Wu was now feeling incredibly shy, with a tingling sensation continuously surging through her heart, a little conflicted but not daring to voice any objections, only able to scold coyly in her mind.
'Benefactor, don't keep touching my rabbit ears, it's too sensitive there. Why don't you touch somewhere else!'
Da Wu tried to move, adjusting her position, but Luo Yu's fingers gripped her ears firmly and continued without letting go.
The Soft Bone Charming Rabbit's pink eyes were almost dripping water, and she eventually gave up struggling.
'Forget it... it's just ears~'
'If my benefactor wants to touch, let him touch.'
'Da Wu can bear with it...'
'It feels weird and bashful, but it seems kind of comfortable...'
Luo Yu continued to enjoy himself here.
On the other hand, the Silver Armor Soul King felt completely out of sorts.
Watching Luo Yu leisurely stroll around, he subconsciously touched his face that had swollen up like a pig's head, and a look of malice flashed through his eyes as he couldn't help saying sarcastically:
"This is Pope Hall! Do you know nothing of the rules, strolling around like that, acting like this place is your own backyard?"
Luo Yu paused in his tracks, took a glance at him with a sidelong look, and smiled.
"Are you—"
"Teaching me how to conduct myself?"
"Ah!!!"
Luo Yu's dismissive gaze, haughty demeanor, and contemptuous tone.
Nearly drove the Silver Armor Soul King mad!
He trembled with rage, his face contorting menacingly: "Not even Martial Soul Hall is in your eyes, you've truly gone too far!!"
Luo Yu yawned, "Don't overthink it, Martial Soul Hall is fine, it's just you personally that I look down upon."
"You're presumptuous!"
The Silver Armor Soul King felt his sanity explode, fury burning in his heart, his rationality fading.
"It's 'presumptuous', not 'presumptuous'!" Luo Yu slowly corrected, "If there's a draft coming through your teeth, talk less!!"
"With your mouth shut, no one would know you're toothless."
"Ah!! You're the shameless one." The Silver Armor Soul King's eyes bloodshot, his lips quivering with anger, his five rings surging forth as the Fierce Tiger Martial Soul enveloped his body.
"Sigh." Luo Yu sighed and shook his head, "Do you know what's written on your face right now?"
The Silver Armor Soul King touched his face and then snickered repeatedly, "Do you really think I'm stupid? There's clearly nothing there."
"No, there are clearly five characters written."
Luo Yu affirmed, nodding, saying word by word: "Begging for abuse, begging for a lesson!"
"You're courting death!!" The Silver Armor Soul King was livid.
Luo Yu beckoned with a hook of his finger, his eyes growing colder.
"Honestly, if you charge at me now, I'd count you as a real man, only daring to rant and not to act, what are you, really?"
The venomous Silver Armor Soul King roared: "Brat, don't be too arrogant, when my uncle comes out, your death will be upon you, I can already hear your pitiful wails and screams before you die, hahaha."
Luo Yu sighed, "Poor child, perhaps, what you're hearing is your own screams."
The Silver Armor Soul King revealed a ruthlessly confident smile, "Boy, make it clear whose turf this is, let's wait and see who lives and who dies!"
"Swoosh!"
Palas, with his eight rings, came whistling over, arriving in an instant.
The Silver Armor Soul King quickly asked, "How did it go, Uncle?"
Palas smiled cruelly, "What problem could there be when I personally take action? Her Majesty the Empress is in a thunderous rage, this brat can go to his death."
The Silver Armor Soul King rubbed his hands together, "Hehe, boy, your time to die has come."
"Oh?" Luo Yu raised an eyebrow.
With a fierce expression on his aged face, Palas's vast Soul Power roared, "Still putting on airs at the brink of death, the Empress must not be insulted, come with me at once to meet your doom!"
"Weren't you supposed to say good things about me?" Luo Yu said in surprise.
"Foolish boy, did you really believe that? You dare to clash with me, to strike my nephew, no matter what your background is, how could I let you live in this world?"
"Now, I shall personally capture you and bring you before Her Majesty the Empress to face death!"
"Boom!"
Palas's palm was covered with blue scales, bringing a fishy wind straight at Luo Yu's throat.
"Die, you arrogant fool!" The Silver Armor Soul King watched with exceptional schadenfreude and excitement.
Palas reached Luo Yu.
Just as he thought he was about to succeed, a huge pink Domain suddenly enveloped the entire area, directly shattering his Soul Power, immobilizing his figure firmly.
The smile on the Silver Armor Soul King's face froze, and he stood there stupefied.
"How... how is this possible?" Palas's face showed horror; he struggled fiercely but it was futile.
What just happened? He was a Soul Douluo, a powerful being. Why was he suddenly like meat on the chopping board, at the mercy of someone else?
Luo Yu's eyes lost their playful glint, revealing a cold hue.
"Slap!"
With a raised palm, he slapped the ghastly, astonished old face repeatedly, producing crisp sounds.
"Did you think you were so clever?"
"Do you think everyone should just be manipulated by you, waiting for your applause?"
"How do you feel now, is it fun?"
The Silver Armor Soul King collapsed to his knees on the ground, his eyes void, "Impossible, it can't be possible!"
Luo Yu couldn't hide the disgust in his eyes.
If it had been someone else, they would have certainly been played to death by these two scoundrels.
"Swoosh!"
A sudden wind arose as the elegant and noble silhouette of the Empress approached from the sky.
Her golden tight-fitting dress wrapped around her graceful and perfect figure, her slender long legs in high-heeled boots studded with jewels, her impeccable face of beauty filled with endless majesty.
"Clack, clack, clack!"
Empress Bibi Dong walked toward him, her shapely and slender legs moving gracefully with each step.
"Kid, the Empress is here," she said, "Let's see how arrogant you can be now."
"Your majesty, please save me!" Palas cried out desperately as if he had seen his savior.
But Bibi Dong did not look at him, her phoenix eyes firmly fixed on Luo Yu.
The Silver Armor Soul King came crawling and tumbling over, wailing, "Your majesty, this man is outrageously bold. He not only showed contempt for the Martial Soul Hall but also used profanities to belittle you. He deserves to die a thousand times over!"
"Get lost!"
Bibi Dong's brows came together as she produced a purple light in her palm.
"Bang!"
With a scream, the Silver Armor Soul King turned charred and was blasted away.
The Empress's gaze never left Luo Yu, completely indifferent to everything else.
She came close to Luo Yu, her delicate body beginning to tremble.
"Your majesty, you hit the wrong person," he pleaded, "It's this kid who has been verbally insulting you non-stop."
Bibi Dong ignored him, her eyes fixed solely on Luo Yu as she parted her lips to ask, "What's the matter?"
Luo Yu thought seriously for a moment, then spread his hands and replied, "Nothing much, I just said you were my wife and he didn't believe me, so he wanted me dead."
"How dare you! You're insolent! How could you insult her majesty?" Palas roared in anger.
"Boom!"
"You're the one being insolent!"
Bibi Dong turned her head with a cold voice of rebuke as the Spider Emperor Soul Shadow appeared instantly, bringing an overwhelming presence and a dense aura of murder aimed straight at Palas.
Palas began to tremble, almost scared out of his wits.
What... what's going on here, where did things go wrong?
He felt like crying.
Your majesty, whose side are you on?
Luo Yu smiled slightly, "Palas, you like to tattle, please continue your performance."
Palas's gums bled from biting too hard, "Your majesty, this kid is insulting you, didn't you hear it?"
The Empress glanced coldly at him, "I'm pleased by it! What concern is it of yours?"
"This... this man is a madman," Palas said, his voice trembling as he forced himself to speak.
The Empress's expression turned stern, her majestic presence fully revealed. "This is my man. Are you worthy to talk about him?"
"What???"
Palas's eyes bulged, almost shocked to death.
It couldn't be, it's impossible. How could the high and mighty Empress have anything to do with this kid?
The Empress is known for shunning men, how could she possibly fancy this guy? It made no sense.
"Thump!"
In his shock, Palas was hit by an energy blast and sent flying with blood mist bursting from his veins—an extremely gruesome sight.
And the one who made the move was none other than the Empress he'd always relied upon.
"Sigh."
"Self-inflicted, cannot live," Luo Yu shook his head. Why bother?
Only man and woman were left in the area. The man's appearance was divine, like a banished immortal joining the mortal world, and the woman's beauty was ethereal, an icy queen with an imposing presence.
Handsome young man and beautiful lady, eyes met eyes.
Bibi Dong's amber-like eyes misted over, gazing at Luo Yu foolishly.
She reached out to touch the man's face, then hesitated and pulled back, shy like a girl with a budding crush.
"You stinky man, you've finally deigned to return," she said.
Luo Yu shook his head with a smile, "Didn't I tell you before that I was going to transcend calamity?"
"You've changed," Bibi Dong shed her aloofness and royal demeanor, becoming gentle like a warm stream, turning into a charming lady.
"Changed where?" Luo Yu asked with a gentle smile.
Bibi Dong's cheeks flushed, her eyes twinkling,"You seem handsomer and more alluring."
"Tsk, tsk, I can hardly take such praise from the great Empress," Luo Yu teased.
At Luo Yu's jest, Bibi Dong spat lightly, "Who's the Empress? Don't tease me. With you, I'm forever Dong'er in need of your protection."
"Tsk, tsk, if these words got out," Luo Yu mused, "I fear I'd have to face the knives of too many jealous ones."
Bibi Dong pouted her red lips, "With your strength, who could be your match?"
Luo Yu spread his hands, "Right now, I don't really have any strength."
"What's going on?" Bibi Dong's expression changed instantly as she moved closer, her hand gripping the man's wrist anxiously.
The smooth and cool touch of her hand sent Luo Yu's thoughts adrift.
For Bibi Dong, too, her cheeks blushed with shyness. All these years, Luo Yu was the only man who had touched her.
"Your cultivation level, where is it?"
Luo Yu shook his head, "It's a long story. All in all, it's not a big problem. It's a good thing to break and then stand."
"Then I can protect you in the future!"
"Whoever dares to bully my man! I will take his damned life!!" Bibi Dong's voice turned cold and full of murderous intent as she spoke.
"Who's your man, don't claim people randomly," Luo Yu raised an eyebrow.
Bibi Dong paused, then stubbornly pouted her lips, "You promised me back then, to let me be your fiancée, and you just said it again."
"That was someone in your hall spinning lies," Luo Yu flatly denied.
"You're being unreasonable!" "I clearly heard it."
Bibi Dong pouted her red lips, her charmingly petulant appearance was breathtakingly beautiful, intoxicating to one's heart and mind, but it was a view only Luo Yu could appreciate.
Luo Yu just smiled, without a word.
Bibi Dong summoned her courage and boldly took the man's hand, declaring defiantly, "I don't care, now that you're back, I'm your fiancée!"
At that moment, following Bibi Dong's confession, a series of notifications sounded in Luo Yu's mind.
[Ding! Empress Bibi Dong's fondness for the host has reached 100.]
[Ding! The host has successfully captured the Empress's heart.]
[Current mission progress: 100%.]]
[Mission Reward, True World's Number One Beast Martial Soul: Ancestor of Ten Thousand Dragons, Dragon God!!]]
However, the system notification was far from over…
Hearing a series of notification sounds, Luo Yu's heart soared with ecstasy.
He had anticipated many martial souls before, but he never expected the system to reward him with the Dragon God Martial Soul.
Don't look at the Blue Electric Overlord Dragon being hailed as The Number One Beast Spirit in the World.
But in the end, it's only mundane, any one of the Golden Holy Dragon or the Nine Great Dragon Kings could easily outshine it, couldn't they?
However, these martial souls, seemingly peerless, are nothing compared to the Dragon God Martial Soul, the vast difference between heaven and earth.
One must know that the Dragon God is the lord of all beasts, unparalleled in strength, with divine might covering the world, the Silver Dragon King and the Golden Dragon King are its incarnations, all Nine Great Dragon Kings are under its command.
When the Dragon God is enraged, a million corpses lie prostrate, and all beasts submit.
If there really must be a comparison, the Nine Great Dragon Kings are probably at the level of a God Rank Martial Soul, while the Dragon God Martial Soul is undoubtedly a Super God-tier Peak Martial Soul.
Therefore, it can be said without any exaggeration that the Dragon God Martial Soul is leagues ahead of all other beast martial souls in the world.
Luo Yu had no doubt that any soul master with a beast martial soul who encountered him would be innately suppressed, while those with a Dragon-class Martial Soul might as well kneel down right away.
This reward was just too awesome.
Luo Yu hesitated for a moment, feeling that the system's reward might be a bit exaggerated.
But then he thought it over and actually, it seemed pretty normal.
After all, if it weren't for his good fortune in cultivating the Beast God ahead of time and entering Bibi Dong's heart at her most vulnerable moment.
Would anyone else be able to capture the Empress with nothing but their bare hands?
Could that even be possible?
They might just be daydreaming about peaches.
That hellish level of difficulty... tsk tsk.
Even with the system throwing its back into it, it wouldn't unlock anything; probably before one even got close, they'd be wasted.
The higher the difficulty, the greater the reward; Luo Yu had taken a shortcut and gained a massive advantage.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the mission in the shortest time, activating the hidden special reward.]
"???"
Luo Yu was slightly startled upon hearing the prompt—there were hidden rewards?
This was getting exciting!
[Hidden mission reward, True Number One Weapon Martial Soul: Emperor of Swords, Nine Heavens Execution Sword!]
Luo Yu paused. What kind of martial soul was this?
He hadn't heard of it before.
Emperor of Swords, huh?
What merits do you have to make such a bold claim? Not even taking the Seven Kills Sword into account.
[Ding! System explanation: "Nine Heavens Execution Sword" will only appear when the host perfectly completes a mission for the first time. If missed, there will be no further opportunity to obtain it, hence the most generous reward.]
[Nine Heavens Execution Sword: Slashes the gods above, defies the mortal dust below, the Godly Sword nine transformations, each transformation a different world, each Soul Ring boasts distinct divine abilities and forms.]
Godly Sword nine transformations, what does that mean?
[Ding! Martial Soul function, please explore on your own.]
Hiss! To leave without an explanation?
Let it be, he would study it slowly later.
But from the system's introduction, it seemed this sword might be even more heaven-defying than the Dragon God Martial Soul.
No matter.
Now with twin Super God-tier Martial Souls, coupled with an Immaculate Divine Body forged by the Twenty-Four Tribulation Gold Lotus, this talent should be just strong enough to scrape into being ranked first in Douluo, right?
The corners of Luo Yu's mouth curled slightly upward.
Tang Lao San, are you ready for your baptism?
Brother is going to see Xiaowu, and while at it, I'll come play with you.
"Brother Yu?"
A pristine, soft tendril flickered before his eyes.
Luo Yu came back to his senses and saw the breathtakingly beautiful face close up, those long eyelashes fluttering gently as they gazed at him intently, a faint fragrance wafting toward him.
"What are you thinking about? You have such a mischievous smile," Bibi Dong said in a breathy, orchid-like tone.
Luo Yu was momentarily stunned; up close, he realized Bibi Dong indeed had become even more beautiful than before.
It seemed she had acquired a unique charm, her svelte figure exuding an aura that could drive men wild.
Yet the dignity between her brows and her icy queenly aura made others keep their distance, not daring to defile her.
Others might not dare, but Luo Yu did.
That alluring fragrance of a woman was right in front of him, constantly tantalizing Luo Yu's senses.
If not now, when?
```
He didn't hesitate, and went straight for those tempting lips with a kiss.
Empress Bibi Dong's eyes widened instantly.
She never expected Luo Yu to be so bold! To actually kiss her right here.
This… This was outside the Pope Hall.
How could he, here...
What if somebody saw them!
Bibi Dong hadn't been close to a man for so many years; sudden like this, her face immediately turned red.
Yet, she didn't have any intention of dodging.
The man's initiative left her in a mix of alarm and pleasure.
She had been waiting for this man for so many years, how could she stop him now?
She couldn't bear to push him away! She shyly closed her eyes, her heart pounding nonstop…
Caught between Luo Yu and Bibi Dong, the Soft Bone Charming Rabbit showed a look of grievance and jealousy, like a pet that had fallen out of favor…
On the other side, the Silver Armor Soul King, charred all over, lay on the ground. Regardless of the severe pain, he was more shocked by the sight before him, and he clutched his mouth firmly, trying not to make any sound.
The Platinum Bishop Palas, weak as a thread, collapsed on the ground, catching a glimpse of the scene made his world spin.
What's happening? Was Her Majesty the Empress… kissing a young boy???
This can't be, my goddess, how could she fancy men?
The Platinum Bishop even forgot his injuries, his pupils narrowed to a point, utterly shocked.
He still remembered it.
In the Hall, a Titled Douluo Elder who'd merely talked behind the Empress's back was beaten half to death.
What kind of supernatural being managed to kiss the Empress?
This isn't real! It just can't be!!
Palas would rather believe he was hallucinating than dare to imagine the Empress one day showing love towards a man.
"Pah!"
"Eww, you're bothering me, I can barely breathe," Bibi Dong pouted, softly hitting the man's chest.
Luo Yu smirked, seemingly unsatisfied, "With your cultivation level, you can't exchange breaths?"
Facing those burning eyes, Bibi Dong averted her gaze, stumbling over her words: "This is my first kiss, can't I be nervous?"
Luo Yu was about to make a move.
Bibi Dong, with her sparkling and spirited phoenix eyes, said, "Brother Yu, let's go back to my sleeping chamber to talk, it's not quite appropriate here…"
"What, worried about losing face?" Luo Yu teased gently.
Bibi Dong reproached him: "You're bad, it's not about losing face, who cares what others think, I'm just shy!"
Seeing the supreme Empress act so girlish and coy, Luo Yu felt as if his bones had turned to mush, exclaiming he couldn't handle it.
"Do you also act this coy normally?"
Bibi Dong huffed: "Certainly not, they don't deserve it."
"You know I have a phobia, now extremely repulsed by men."
"Only in front of Brother Yu do I want to be myself."
She shyly blinked her eyes, turned her back, and in a voice soft yet firm said: "Brother Yu, do you know…"
"All of Dong'er's tenderness, I want to give only to you."
"Swoosh!"
Luo Yu moved quickly, his arm sweeping around Bibi Dong's slender waist, his mouth breaking into a sly smile.
"Little girl, you better think this through, I'm not exactly a good man."
Bibi Dong's eyes were hazy, her palm caressing the man's cheek, "You're very important to me, no matter what, Dong'er is yours alone for this lifetime."
"Let's go."
With a sudden release, Luo Yu left Bibi Dong feeling emptily hollow.
"Brother Yu… You're really irritating!!!"
"What are you dazed for, if you don't lead the way, how would I know where your sleeping chamber is."
"Oh, right." Bibi Dong, like a young girl, beamed with joy, as if a hundred flowers were blossoming.
The Empress gently pulled Luo Yu by the hand, heading towards the sleeping chamber.
As for the two men struggling to survive on the ground, they were utterly ignored from beginning to end.
Why would the Giant Dragon take notice of the life and death of ants?
However, after Bibi Dong and Luo Yu vanished from sight,
a silver figure slowly emerged in the area, having been hidden here all along…
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