Chapter 15 A Fifty Thousand Year Soul Bone, Qian Renxue Undermines Her Partner
"Second Elder..." Bibi Dong's lips curved slightly. "It's time to deliver on that fifty-thousand-year soul bone reward you promised."
Golden Crocodile Douluo's Adam's apple bobbed as he forced out, "...Here you go."
He rose slowly from his seat and walked toward the ring.
"Lin Fan, you've won." Though the words cost him, he had no choice but to say them. A soul bone radiating dark light materialized in his hand. "As agreed, this fifty-thousand-year Dark Dragon Scale Right Arm Soul Bone is yours."
Lin Fan accepted it from him without hesitation, quietly thrilled.
"Thank you, Senior Golden Crocodile."
The students in the audience began to applaud. They hadn't wanted to — Lin Fan had been insufferably sharp-tongued all day and had mocked them plenty — but the strength he had shown left them no room to argue. The ease with which he had taken on higher-level opponents, and the composed dominance he carried even after a grueling fight, had left a deep impression on their young minds.
Thunderous applause rolled through the stands, peppered with a few grudging grumbles that were quickly swallowed up by the noise.
Lin Fan put on a humble face. "Thank you for the applause, seniors. I really don't deserve it."
Another wave of noise swept the crowd. Some called him a hypocrite, some laughed at the performance, but most just shook their heads.
Golden Crocodile Douluo stood to the side, his expression cycling between barely-contained fury and bitter resignation. He had entered this tournament planning to use it as a tool to undermine Bibi Dong. Lin Fan had turned that plan to dust.
His eyes drifted to the fifty-thousand-year Dark Dragon Scale Soul Bone now in Lin Fan's hands, and his chest ached. He already had a complete soul bone set — this piece had been reserved for his personal disciple. And now it was gone.
The longer he looked, the worse he felt. He let out a cold snort, turned on his heel, and walked away before he could stare at it any longer.
The students filed out one by one. Dismissal had come, and the arena that had been packed all day emptied out quickly.
Lin Fan didn't linger. He headed straight to find Hu Liena, reaching the academy gate just as she appeared there, smiling at him.
"Senior Sister, I won!" He strode up to her, proudly holding the soul bone up for her to see. "Don't forget our bet."
Hu Liena rolled her eyes at him. "Relax. I keep my word. I haven't finished learning the dance yet though, so give me until tomorrow night. Come find me tonight instead and I'll treat you to dinner."
"Works for me."
...
Lin Fan was humming to himself as he reached his door when a faint sense of unease crept over him. He brushed it off, figuring it was nothing.
Surely Golden Crocodile Douluo wouldn't be petty enough to wait inside his house over a soul bone, right?
The thought was almost funny. But his steps slowed anyway. He reminded himself that Golden Crocodile Douluo was a senior figure of considerable standing in Spirit Hall. Someone like that wouldn't stoop so low.
He pushed open the door and walked in.
A crushing wave of soul power slammed into him like a tidal wave, locking every muscle in his body in place.
Of course it had to be this.
"You're finally back. I've been waiting quite a while." The voice was almost amused.
Lin Fan looked over in disbelief. Golden Crocodile Douluo was sitting on his sofa like he owned the place.
"You actually came," Lin Fan thought, biting back every word he wanted to say. He forced his expression flat, kept his voice steady. "Second Elder. What's going on?"
"Hahaha, relax, kid. Weren't you all confidence back on that stage?" Golden Crocodile waved his hand and the suffocating pressure vanished at once. "I'm not here to hurt a junior."
A roar shook the walls from the direction of the storeroom, deep and rolling, rattling the objects on the shelves.
Lin Fan's chest tightened. So that's what this was about. What was he planning to do with the tiger?
Then, cutting through the tension like light through storm clouds, a sacred aura poured out from the storeroom — pure, overwhelming, and absolute. The roar choked off mid-sound.
"You really do make me work for it." A woman stepped out of the storeroom cradling a trembling little Scorpion Tiger against her chest. She looked like she had walked out of a painting.
Qian Renxue.
"Senior Golden Crocodile, who is this?" Lin Fan asked, playing innocent while his mind was already running through the possibilities.
"Hello, Lin Fan." Qian Renxue stroked the little Scorpion Tiger's fur gently as she spoke. "I'm Qian Renxue. Daughter of the previous Pope, and the holder of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul."
"I'd heard the previous Pope had a daughter," Lin Fan said, feigning mild surprise. He pulled a chair over and sat down. "Though no one's seen her since the new Pope took office. What brings you to me?"
Qian Renxue settled into the seat across from him, paused for a moment, then said something that nearly knocked him sideways.
"With both the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor and the Death Spider Emperor as your martial souls — I have to ask. Are you Pope Bibi Dong's illegitimate son?"
Lin Fan nearly fell off his chair.
"Miss Angel," he said, recovering, "it's a shame you don't use that imagination to write fiction."
"I'm not joking, and neither is this funny." He let a touch of genuine annoyance into his voice.
"My background is clean. As for why I have two Spider Emperor martial souls — I don't know, and frankly it's nobody else's business."
"That said," he added, "you're not the first to think it. There were rumors floating around Spirit Hall for a while. The Pope dealt with it herself and had the people spreading them punished."
Hearing him say it plainly seemed to settle something for Qian Renxue. The tension in her shoulders eased.
"I apologize for asking so directly. Your martial soul is genuinely unusual, and with the rumors I'd heard, I had to ask."
She had simply needed to hear it from him.
Lin Fan waved it off, though his curiosity about her actual purpose here was only growing.
"So. What did you actually come here for, Miss Qian Renxue?"
"I'll be direct." She met his eyes. "Come work for me. Money, status, beautiful women, whatever spirit rings and spirit bones you need — I can provide all of it. I can even get you a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring."
Lin Fan almost laughed out loud. She really didn't waste time.
And the offer was genuinely impressive — anyone else probably would have said yes on the spot.
He stroked his chin, drawing it out. "That does sound pretty good.
But I'm Pope Bibi Dong's disciple. I won't betray my teacher. And when she gets angry, she's terrifying."
"Not to mention," he continued, "why would I give up being the Pope's second disciple to work under you?"
He tilted his head slightly. "Unless you're offering to make me the next Pope?"
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