The journey to the Spirit Hall headquarters took five days. Ghost Douluo, while swift, moderated his pace to accommodate his young charge. He was puzzled; for the last day, Chu Tianxiu had appeared to be in a deep, trance-like sleep, though his vital signs remained strong.
'Could this be a unique trait of his talent?' Ghost Douluo wondered.
What he didn't know was that Chu Tianxiu's consciousness was fully engaged in a long-awaited reunion.
A day earlier, while Chu Tianxiu was silently circulating his soul power, a familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
A wave of relief and joy washed over him. He immediately focused his consciousness inward, which outwardly made him appear asleep.
'System! You're finally back!'
'System, you went into a deep sleep last time without fully explaining your functions. Report your capabilities.'
'Which worlds are currently available for the lottery?'
'Understood. By the way, System,' Chu Tianxiu began, a sly tone in his mental voice. 'You were absent for a whole year. Shouldn't there be some compensation for your host?'
'Unacceptable! You're being utterly unreasonable!'
'Open it! Immediately!'
Chu Tianxiu scanned the list. 'System, I have several pointed questions regarding your selection criteria.' The cloaks and chains were practical for building a future organization, but the clothing designs and accessories seemed… oddly specific. 'Well, I suppose even a system can have peculiarities.'
At that moment, Ghost Douluo gently shook him awake. Rubbing his eyes, Chu Tianxiu looked out the carriage window. "Uncle, have we arrived?"
Ghost Douluo nodded. "We are here. Prepare yourself."
They disembarked before a structure of breathtaking scale. The Spirit Hall headquarters was a colossal complex of white-gold, its spires seeming to pierce the clouds. Guards clad in brilliant armor knelt as Ghost Douluo passed, their greetings echoing with respect.
Ghost Douluo led him to the immense doors of the Papal Palace. He placed a hand on his chest and bowed slightly. "Your Holiness, I have brought him."
A clear, authoritative, and cold female voice resonated from within the hall. "Let him enter."
Ghost Douluo turned to Chu Tianxiu. "Little Xiu, go on in. The Pope awaits."
Chu Tianxiu nodded and walked forward alone, the great doors swinging open before him. He proceeded deep into the vast, echoing hall until he reached its center.
There, upon a magnificent throne that seemed to radiate power, sat the woman he had admired since his past life. Bibi Dong. Her beauty was celestial, her posture regal, and her eyes held a depth of wisdom and hidden sorrow that captivated him instantly.
His own eyes reflected a complex mix of admiration and a fierce, protective resolve. 'I will not let her fate from the original story come to pass. Not this time.'
Bibi Dong was simultaneously observing him. She found his reaction unusual. Most children her age would be overwhelmed with fear or awe. But in this boy's gaze, she saw a startling clarity and a determined light that belied his years.
"Child, are you Chu Tianxiu?" she asked, her voice softening a fraction.
Chu Tianxiu blinked his large, bright eyes. "Yes. Are you Pope Sister?"
A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Bibi Dong's lips. No one had ever addressed her with such innocent familiarity. She stood and descended from the dais. "That is correct. I am the Pope. Tianxiu, can you release your martial soul for me to see?"
Chu Tianxiu nodded earnestly. His soul imprints flared, and the black phantom and the coiled Nine Nether Demon Chains materialized behind him. Though he had no spirit rings, an immense, oppressive aura flooded the hall, pressing down on everything.
Unlike Ghost Douluo, Bibi Dong, after a initial moment of surprise, calmly erected a shimmering barrier of soul power around herself, neutralizing the pressure effortlessly.
After Chu Tianxiu withdrew his martial soul, Bibi Dong stepped closer and took his small hand in hers. "Tianxiu, my name is Bibi Dong. Would you do me the honor of becoming my disciple?"
Chu Tianxiu's face lit up with a happy smile. "Okay! But I do not want to call you 'Master'."
Bibi Dong was amused. "And why is that?"
"Because it sounds too formal and makes you seem distant," he explained frankly.
Bibi Dong found herself chuckling softly. The child's directness was refreshing. "Then what would you prefer to call me?"
"Then I will call you Sister Dong'er from now on," he declared. "It sounds much friendlier."
Bibi Dong's breath caught. "Dong...er?" she whispered, the name stirring old, painful memories. "No one has called me that in a very long time."
"Sister Dong'er, are you alright?" Chu Tianxiu's concerned voice pulled her from her reverie.
She looked down at his earnest face, and a genuine warmth dispelled the coldness in her eyes. "I am quite alright. You may call me that. Now, how would you like to come and live with your Sister Dong'er from now on?"
Chu Tianxiu happily agreed, placing his hand in hers. Together, they walked out of the main hall, their figures side-by-side, heading towards her private residence.