"Yes, Your Highness! I shall carry out your orders immediately!"
Crimson Flame Douluo felt as if she had been granted a pardon, quickly rising to her feet and retreating hastily from the Papal Hall.
As the heavy doors slowly closed, the sternness in Bi Bidong's eyes receded like a fading tide.
It was replaced by an indescribable complexity. Her gaze fell upon the scattered documents on the desk, her fingertips lightly brushing the edges of the pages:
"Xiao Yu, where have you gone? Your teacher has been so..."
Before she could finish her sentence, the thick doors of the Papal Hall were suddenly pushed open from outside, letting in a gust of cool air from the corridor.
Without looking up, Bi Bidong's voice still carried traces of lingering impatience:
"Didn't I tell you to find the Holy Son? Why are you back so soon?"
"Teacher! I'm back!"
A clear, youthful voice rang out, carrying a lightness from travel that instantly pierced the hall's silence.
Bi Bidong's head snapped up, her amber eyes flashing with surprise before filling with disbelief.
There stood Su Yu at the entrance, bearing slight traces of travel dust yet maintaining his upright posture, wearing that familiar smile directed at her.
"Xiao Yu?"
She instinctively rose to her feet, the hem of her Papal Robe sweeping an arc through the air as she moved. Her voice trembled with an emotion she herself didn't notice.
"You... you're back?"
Su Yu strode into the hall, stopping before her and giving a slight nod:
"I've made you worry, Teacher. I've returned."
Seeing the youth standing safely before her, the tension in Bi Bidong's heart suddenly released.
All her previous anxiety and anger now transformed into irrepressible joy.
Unable to maintain her usual composure, she stepped forward quickly, grabbing Su Yu's wrist before gently pulling him into an embrace.
Though twelve-year-old Su Yu was no longer short in stature, he still stood half a head shorter than the tall Bi Bidong.
As she held him in her arms, his upturned nose was surrounded by her faint, cool fragrance - that unique scent that belonged only to Bi Bidong.
Her face had shed its usual authority, now softened with tenderness.
Bi Bidong's movements carried a barely perceptible tremor.
She didn't speak, simply holding him quietly for a moment. Her arms weren't tight, yet they conveyed the preciousness of something lost and regained.
Only when her long-suspended heart finally settled back in place did she slowly release him.
Her amber eyes carefully scanned his form, confirming he bore no scratches or injuries before she finally relaxed. Her voice carried both reproach and lingering fear:
"Just coming back is enough! You nearly scared your teacher to death! Are you hurt anywhere? And next time—"
She paused, deliberately putting on a stern expression that couldn't conceal the softness in her eyes, "No more running off!"
Su Yu could clearly sense the concern in her voice, like warm water flowing over his heart. He couldn't help but curve his lips into a smile, gently shaking his head:
"I'm perfectly fine. The journey went smoothly. I've made you worry."
"Oh, Teacher, I've brought back a genius for you this time!"
Bi Bidong's eyebrows lifted slightly, her tone carrying a joking arrogance, though her eyes already brimmed with faint laughter:
"A genius? With you in the Spirit Hall, who else in this world could possibly deserve to be called 'genius'?"
"You'll understand when you meet her," Su Yu replied with a smile before raising his voice to call toward the hall entrance:
"Xue Na, you may come in now."
As the words fell, the hall door was gently pushed open, and a girl slowly walked in.
She appeared to be only six years old, dressed in a simple white dress embroidered with a few pale green plum branches on the skirt, accentuating her slender figure.
Her long black hair was loosely tied into a bun, with a few stray strands hanging by her cheeks, swaying gently with her steps.
Most striking were her eyes—pupils of blue-violet, gazing at Bi Bidong with a timid clarity.
The girl stopped beside Su Yu, slightly lowering her head, her hands clasped in front of her as she performed a well-mannered bow to Bi Bidong, her voice soft and delicate:
"Greetings to His Holiness the Pope."
Bi Bidong's gaze lingered on her for a moment, a flicker of surprise in her amber eyes.
She could sense that the girl possessed Innate Full Soul Power.
"This child..." Bi Bidong looked at Su Yu, her tone carrying a hint of inquiry, "Her name is Xue Na?"
"Yes, Teacher." Su Yu nodded with a smile.
"Xue Na's Martial Soul is lightning, a standard Elemental Martial Soul, and she has Innate Full Soul Power!"
Upon hearing Su Yu's words, a faint glimmer appeared in Xue Na's blue-violet eyes, yet she remained obediently standing.
Seeing her like this, the amusement in Bi Bidong's eyes deepened, and her tone softened slightly:
"Lift your head, let me have a look."
Xue Na hesitated for a moment before slowly raising her head, her blue-violet eyes meeting Bi Bidong's gaze. Though somewhat nervous, she did not shy away.
Bi Bidong examined her carefully for a moment before nodding gently:
"Indeed, a promising seedling. Since you brought her back, she may stay. In the future, she will study at the Martial Soul Academy and will not be shortchanged in resources."
Hearing this, Su Yu winked at Xue Na, who immediately understood and bowed again, her voice tinged with gratitude:
"Thank you, Your Eminence."
"Mm, you may leave now. Since Xiao Yu brought you back, you will temporarily reside in his Holy Child Palace. A maid will take you there!"
Xue Na bowed slightly, her voice clear yet carrying a hint of restraint:
"Thank you, Your Eminence."
After speaking, she glanced discreetly at Su Yu, and seeing his nod of approval, she followed the approaching maid and withdrew.
After Xue Na left, Bi Bidong reached out and pinched Su Yu's ear, half-dragging him toward a nearby seat, her tone carrying an unyielding authority:
"Stop dawdling here, come with me!"
"Ouch! Teacher! It hurts, it hurts!"
Su Yu grimaced as he was dragged along, pleading for mercy as he followed.
"You're going to tear my ear off! I was wrong! I won't run off recklessly next time, alright?"
Bi Bidong wasn't truly using force, but she deliberately tugged Su Yu's ear as she pulled him toward the seat, her tone stern with feigned reproach:
"How old are you and still so unruly? Bringing someone back without even mentioning it beforehand—do you really think this Holy Child Palace is a place for you to casually bring people to play?"
"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Teacher, I was wrong!"
Su Yu grimaced as he followed but didn't truly resist.
"I just saw that Xue Na has great talent and was afraid someone else would snatch her away! Can't you just consider it taking on another little disciple?"
"Enough of your glib talk."
Bi Bidong released his ear, watching Su Yu clutch it with a pained expression. A flicker of amusement passed through her eyes, though her words remained stern:
"Sit down! If you dare cause trouble again, next time it won't be as simple as just pulling your ear!"
Su Yu rubbed his ear and sat down resentfully, muttering under his breath:
"Understood, Teacher..."
But in his heart, he grumbled: The teacher's ear-pinching move is getting more and more skilled.