295. Not As Delicious

The courtyard, ever blooming like spring, attracted butterflies and bees.

The morning sun rose in the eastern sky, casting its light upon the vast mortal world, as if breathing life into the land.

Inside the room.

Bibi Dong sat upright at the dressing table, having already taken off her nightgown.

She changed into a light, form-fitting inner garment.

Her delicate fingers gently grasped a jade hairpin, gathering her burgundy hair, which had a slight purple hue, into place.

Her tender gaze was filled with affection, her charm undeniable.

She looked at the mirror, where a young blond man wearing a loose robe, his muscular chest exposed, lay sprawled on the bed with messy hair.

His face, sharply defined, appeared pale but retained a rugged masculinity.

He lay there with his eyes closed, limbs spread out lazily on the bed.

Bibi Dong’s elegant, radiant face carried a smile.

Softly, she called out, "Jue~, get up and help Mom tie hair."

"Mm~ I'm coming."

Qian Renjue slowly opened his sleepy eyes.

He noticed the thin purple silk nightgown in his hand, casually tossed it aside, and yawned before sitting up.

After quickly tidying up his clothes, he rubbed the red marks on his neck.

"Hurry~"

Bibi Dong, looking at the lazy young man in the mirror, spoke with a touch of playful reproach in her gentle voice.

She couldn’t bring herself to scold or punish him. She had spoiled him too much.

"I'm coming."

Qian Renjue stood up, yawned again, and stretched.

Getting up late wasn’t entirely his fault.

The weather had cooled a little, and it was so cozy sleeping with a warm, soft body beside him.

"How do you want your hair done, Mom?"

Qian Renjue rubbed his eyes and placed his warm hands on her shoulders, gently massaging them.

"However you think looks good."

Bibi Dong lightly stroked the warm hands on her shoulders.

"Got it."

Qian Renjue took the hairpin and held it between his lips.

With both hands, he gently gathered her smooth hair from behind her ears and carefully twisted it into a bun, securing it with the hairpin.

Snap!

He clasped his hands together and gently cupped her head, looking at it from different angles.

"How do you like it, Mom?"

"Jue~, are you doing this to make it look good or just because it’s easier?"

Bibi Dong rolled her eyes at him with a hint of teasing.

"Of course, it’s because it looks good! You always look beautiful, Mom."

Qian Renjue hugged her neck from behind, leaned forward, and smiled as he looked at her exquisite profile.

"Hmph, both your mother and Xiao Xue have taught you in vain."

Bibi Dong’s face flushed, but the morning breeze that swept through felt warm to her.

"How could that be?"

Qian Renjue shook his head.

"If you don’t like it, I’ll change it."

"No need, it’s fine like this. You go wash up quickly."

Bibi Dong touched Qian Renjue’s face.

She loved it when he praised her beauty.

"Okay."

Qian Renjue nodded, letting go of her, and draped the papal robe over her slender figure.

"Teacher, Senior Brother! Breakfast is ready!"

Hu Liena’s clear voice drowned out the chirping of birds outside.

Her short, orange hair swayed, and her charming face carried a hint of domesticity.

She carried a bowl of steaming noodles and placed it under the pavilion where the warm breeze blew.

"Teacher."

Hu Liena saw Bibi Dong appear and smiled, but her eyes glanced behind her.

"Huh? Where’s Senior Brother?"

"He’ll be out later."

Bibi Dong smiled as she walked to the table.

"Then, Teacher, please sit down and eat. I’ll wait for Senior Brother to come out before I eat."

Hu Liena said sweetly, serving the food.

"Okay."

Bibi Dong sat at the table and watched Hu Liena’s movements as she asked, "Nana, how is your training going lately?"

"Very well! Senior Brother guides me every day."

"…"

In the room.

Qian Renjue quickly got dressed, dashed into the bathroom, and splashed cold water on his face.

It had been more than half a month since Qian Renxue started her god trial

Several days ago, Qian Renxue had already gone to the Douluo Hall to continue the test.

The matters in Heaven Dou City were temporarily being handled by him.

But honestly, there wasn’t much to do.

Qian Renxue was preoccupied with her god trial, and Bibi Dong remained in the Pope's Palace.

Now that he had the ability to teleport between spaces, Qian Renjue had been left to his own matter.

He would occasionally visit Heaven Dou to see Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan.

As for Xiao Wu, they simply kept in touch.

"Huff~ phew!"

Qian Renjue exhaled deeply, spitting out some of the water he used to wash his face.

The cold sensation woke him up fully.

He braced his hands against the sink, staring at his reflection, and muttered to himself.

"Considering the time…"

"I should probably go check on the Zhu family in Star Luo."

Qian Renjue dried his face with a towel, pondering how to replace the Star Luo royal family without starting a war that would lead to suffering for the people.

Just relying on Zhu Zhuqing was not enough. Her strength was too limited.

Maybe Zhu Zhuyun would be more suitable.

But Zhu Zhuyun had no reason to collaborate with him.

After all, her future as the crown princess, and later the empress, was highly anticipated.

———

When Qian Renjue stepped out of his room.

Only Hu Liena was left outside, resting her face on her hand, staring blankly at the doorway.

"Senior Brother~"

The moment Hu Liena saw Qian Renjue, she immediately stood up and walked toward him.

"Nana, good morning."

Qian Renjue smiled and gently held her face, stopping her from running into him.

"Good morning, Senior Brother."

Hu Liena pouted, brushed his hand aside, and snuggled into his embrace.

"Heh."

Qian Renjue chuckled helplessly.

He could only let her soft, fully grown body rub against him.

"Alright, you haven’t had breakfast yet, have you?"

"Not as delicious as Senior Brother."

Hu Liena replied coquettishly.

"Hm?!"

Qian Renjue raised his eyebrows.

What kind of statement was that? It sounded as if she had tasted him before.

———

Inside the Douluo Hall.

Qian Renxue sat cross-legged beneath the Angel Statue, floating in midair.

Behind her was the radiant Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul.

Beneath her was a sequence of spirit rings: three purple, three black, and one red, totaling seven.

Her golden Angel Domain enveloped the entire hall.

Fine threads of gold extended from the Six-Winged Angel’s back, each one connecting to the golden plaque above the hall.

The golden light on the plaque slowly flowed along the threads toward the Six-Winged Angel.

The Six-Winged Angel seemed to be undergoing some form of division.

After an unknown amount of time, a golden figure emerged.

The figure's face was obscured, but its body shape was almost identical to Qian Renxue’s.

Buzz!

The golden figure didn’t pause for long.

In an instant, it turned into particles of light and dispersed, flowing out of the hall through the cracks.

Ascending into the sky.

It scattered over distant lands, gathering once again over a slum.

In the narrow alleyways, both sides were lined with makeshift shanties.

The environment was dirty and chaotic, filled with the stench of filth, even corpses.

People rushed past the golden figure, even passing through it.

A group of them rushed toward a little girl who had just returned from begging.

Amid the cries and pleas, copper coins scattered on the ground, sparking a scramble.

The sounds of crying and fighting echoed.

"Please, don’t do this! This money is for my brother’s treatment!"

"My brother is dying!"

"Haha… dying young is better. How dare you fall ill in a place like this?!"

"Get lost! I picked this up first!"

"Haha… there’s even silver here."

"Hey! You need money to treat your brother? Well, I’ve got an old mother to care for. Sorry!"

"…"

No one could see the golden figure.

Qian Renxue frowned at the scene but could do nothing but watch.