Douluo Continent: An Adventure Begins in Wuhun City

As for this star prospect who has risen from being a loser in the academy, Wang Tian was quite respectful, pulling up a chair and waving his hand.

"Come, Chen Ming, sit down. You happen to know this person today. He is Chen Yao, the one who brought you into the academy back then, Lord Chen."

Looking at Wang Tian's beaming face, Chen Ming felt a surge of disgust.

Although Wang Tian acted cautiously, over the years, rumors inevitably arose about him. Chen Ming, a student valued by the academy, naturally knew about Wang Tian's actions.

He considered himself to be pure and innocent, and he was extremely disgusted by Wang Tian's behavior.

However, because of Principal Wang Tian's status and his own calculations, Chen Ming tried his best to hide his true thoughts and acted as if he was flattered, saying to Wang Tian.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Principal!"

Then, at Wang Tian's suggestion, he sat down in a chair.

Wang Tian watched Chen Ming sit down with a friendly smile on his face, but his eyes were fixed on Chen Ming's face, watching his expression.

Although he was the principal, he actually didn't have much contact with Chen Ming. Apart from personally expressing his condolences and appreciation to him for escaping a disaster, he had only met him a few times.

His energy was mainly focused on communicating and interacting with his female subordinates.

It was only recently, as Chen Ming's reputation soared, that Wang Tian began to consider investing in him, leveraging his long-standing connections within the Spirit Hall. However, Chen Yao's casual remark just now made him reconsider his opinion of Chen Ming.

After glancing at it a few times, Wang Tian sighed inwardly and put away his little scheme.

He's already this old, it's best not to mess around anymore, lest he dig a big hole for himself.

Chen Ming paid no attention to Wang Tian. As soon as he sat down, his attention was entirely focused on Chen Yao, a man whose name was etched into his very bones, even though he hadn't dared to look up when facing Chen Yao before and his memory of him was vague.

To say they are similar wouldn't be entirely true; there are a few similar traces between their brows. Their faces are exquisite, their features delicate, and their allure carries a touch of unruliness and wickedness. They are like a perfect masterpiece meticulously sculpted by the heavens, with every detail telling a story of breathtaking beauty.

Even though Chen Ming was extremely confident in his appearance and had won the hearts of countless girls in the academy, which made him secretly proud, he looked so pale and insignificant compared to Chen Yao when he stood in front of him.

It was as if Chen Yao was a meticulously crafted masterpiece, while Chen Ming was merely a half-finished work, a failed attempt that was carelessly scribbled by the artist in a fit of rage, then crumpled up and thrown into the trash can.

Such a stark contrast was a significant blow to the originally confident Chen Ming. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his flesh, but he maintained a smile on his face.

His gaze was intense, and his expression was extremely sincere as he spoke to Chen Yao.

"Lord Chen Yao, I never expected to see you again. If it weren't for your help back then, I wouldn't be where I am today. I've always wanted to thank you in person again!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yao turned his head slightly, glanced at Chen Ming, and said calmly.

"Back then, I took money from your father to get you into the academy. That transaction was long over. Your achievements afterward are your own. There's no need to be humble or thank me."

Apart from his two elderly parents who died young, Chen Yao didn't have much of a relationship with the people in the village where he was born. If he hadn't overestimated himself and gone to the top floor of Tianxiang Tower because his monthly salary was overspent and he urgently needed to make ends meet, he wouldn't have agreed to let Chen Ming's father put Chen Ming into the Martial Soul Academy for a pittance.

All I can say is that this kid is lucky, he caught the right wave, and he even managed to stand out in the cruel environment of the academy. He's got real talent.

But that's it.

Now, let alone whether this kid is two-faced or scheming, even if he truly has a pure heart and wants to repay a debt of gratitude, Chen Yao doesn't need him.

Even if he wanted the Heaven Dou royal family's national treasure, the Heart of the Sea God, Chen Yao estimated that Bibi Dong would immediately unleash her full power, rush to the Heaven Dou royal family's palace, and snatch it from him.

In other words, he was blinded by his own ignorance and failed to see the change in Bibi Dong's attitude towards him, and he had a preconceived notion that Bibi Dong wanted to kill him.

Now she's in this predicament, even worse off than the mistresses of high-ranking officials and nobles. She has to be mindful of Bibi Dong's attitude even if she makes the slightest move.

Otherwise, he really wanted to cling to Bibi Dong's coattails and slowly develop to the maximum level in the Spirit Hall, instead of thinking about how to escape every day.

Upon hearing Chen Yao's words, Chen Ming's expression became slightly unnatural. Even though Chen Yao's words affirmed his current achievements and efforts, Chen Ming felt that Chen Yao was belittling him because of his flat and unchanging tone.

That is indeed the case.

After a moment of stiffness, Chen Ming's face returned to a bright smile as he addressed Chen Yao.

"Thank you for your recognition, Lord Chen Yao. I am deeply honored!"

Chen Yao simply nodded slightly, sipped his tea, and remained silent.

He had only come here out of boredom to chat and boast with Lao Wang, but Chen Ming's sudden burst of insincere flattery and praise was a bit of a mood killer, making him almost not want to stay any longer.

Although Chen Ming was not good at reading between the lines, he still sensed the awkward atmosphere in the air because of Chen Yao's silence.

His mind raced, and then he spoke again.

"After you disappeared back then, Miss Renxue was extremely anxious about it, which shows that you hold a very important place in her heart. I wonder if you have visited Miss Renxue since you returned this time?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yao paused slightly as he brought the teacup to his lips. He turned his head to look at Chen Ming with a strange expression on his face, and then spoke with a hint of amusement.

"You address Qian Renxue as 'Miss' instead of 'Your Highness'? Is this disrespectful to Qian Renxue, the daughter of the former Pope, or do you have feelings for her?"

Faced with Chen Yao's deep pupils and mocking smile, Chen Ming's smile froze instantly, and his body stiffened slightly.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 160 The Madness of Qian Renxue

"No, no, Princess Renxue and I are old acquaintances. It was just a slip of the tongue. I would never dare to be disrespectful, nor would I dare to have any intention of spying!"

After a brief moment of panic, Chen Ming forced himself to calm down and spoke up. Although he had lofty ambitions, he was still aware of his own identity. If others discovered his thoughts, the consequences would be unpredictable.

But Chen Ming's clumsy attempt at concealment could not fool Chen Yao and Wang Tian, ​​those two treacherous and cunning fellows, who immediately noticed something amiss.

Chen Yao, with a playful expression, was about to say something more when suddenly, the office door was pushed open again.

Wang Tian was somewhat angry. What was going on today? Chen Yao was one thing, but which bastard was so unruly, barging in without even knocking?

The three of them turned their heads in unison, but when they saw who it was, they were immediately stunned.

The person who walked in through the door was none other than Pope Bibidon, who was dressed in a long black dress, wearing a crown, with a calm expression, exuding majesty and nobility!

Beside Bibi Dong were two children, a boy and a girl.

Their clothes were tattered and patched, and they looked timid, covered in dust, and dressed like refugees.

However, the little girl among them had a head of bright orange short hair, and the dust on her face could not hide her delicate features, making her slightly conspicuous.

Bibi Dong entered the room, about to give some instructions, but when she saw Chen Yao in the office, she was taken aback. She didn't expect Chen Yao to wander here.

"I've met the Pope!"

Unaware of Bibi Dong's unusual behavior, Chen Ming and Wang Tian immediately bowed to the ground and spoke respectfully. Chen Yao, on the other hand, sat to the side, unmoved, but with a somewhat helpless expression. This made Wang Tian, ​​who was on the ground, extremely anxious, and he kept giving Chen Yao meaningful glances.

He was somewhat puzzled as to why Chen Yao, who had always been incredibly slick, was so disrespectful to the Pope in person this time. Had he lost his mind after not seeing him for several years?

When Chen Ming saw that Chen Yao dared to be so disrespectful to the Pope, he was secretly delighted, his eyes filled with anticipation, as if he had already foreseen the Pope's thunderous wrath in the next moment.

Bibi Dong also came to her senses slightly at this moment, and led the two children to Wang Tian and spoke.

"These two children, Xie Yue and Hu Liena, are exceptionally talented and promising talents. They should be nurtured well by the academy and their cultivation progress should be reported to me regularly."

When Bibi Dong spoke, Wang Tian could no longer care about Chen Yao. He could only sigh inwardly and tell him to pray for his own good fortune. Then, he solemnly addressed Bibi Dong.

"Please rest assured, Your Holiness, the academy will do its utmost to train them and give Your Holiness a satisfactory answer!"

But Bibi Dong shook her head.

"There's no need to go all out. They can enjoy the same resources as the other promising talents. I will observe them for a period of time first, and if they meet my standards, I will make other arrangements for them."

Upon hearing this, Wang Tian couldn't help but gasp. It seemed the Pope wanted to test the two children first. If they passed, the Pope might very well be accepted as his personal disciples.

In an instant, the way Wang Tian looked at the two children changed.

However, he remained outwardly calm and respectful, addressing Bibi Dong solemnly.

"Wang Tian, ​​I will obey the Pope's decree!"

Bibi Dong nodded.

"You two can go now. Take these two children to wash up and change them into clean clothes."

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

Wang Tian got up, took the two children, pulled Chen Ming along, and quickly left the office.

Bibi Dong clearly intended to keep Chen Yao, so he dared not say anything and could only silently pray for Chen Yao in his heart.

Chen Ming, naturally, assumed that the Pope intended to settle accounts with Chen Yao alone. Just as Wang Tian was about to pull him out of the office, he secretly glanced back at Chen Yao, his eyebrows dancing with glee, a hint of schadenfreude flashing across his face.

Although Chen Yao also caught this sudden emotion just as Chen Ming was about to leave, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Just as Chen Yao was pondering, Bibi Dong had already walked up to him, picked him up from his casual sitting position, then took his place, sat down, and held him in her arms. She buried her head in his neck, took a long, greedy breath, and then slowly spoke.

"How did you end up here?"

Bibi Dong's actions and words brought Chen Yao back to his senses, and he temporarily put aside Chen Ming's question and responded.

“I spent some time at the academy back then and had a good relationship with Wang Tian. This time I’m out, so it’s a good opportunity to catch up with him.”

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong nodded, stretched out her jade-like hand, and began to wander freely through the gaps in Chen Yao's clothes, a wicked smile playing on her lips, and said.

"The fact that you get along so well suggests that Principal Wang Tian isn't as dedicated as he appears; he must be up to no good behind the scenes."

Feeling the strange touch on his body, Chen Yao, whose job had been taken away, felt somewhat helpless. He didn't know what was so interesting about his body that made Bibi Dong so willing to touch him. Even after all these years, Chen Yao still found it hard to get used to it and felt a bit awkward.

But she still endured it and spoke well of Wang Tian to Bibi Dong.

“He has been in office for so long without causing any trouble, which proves that he is suitable for the position. Let him retire peacefully and don’t cause him any trouble.”

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong's eyes flashed, and she moved closer to Chen Yao's face again, allowing Chen Yao to clearly feel Bibi Dong's fragrant breath.

Are you begging me?

Upon hearing this, Chen Yao's lips twitched.

"If you think so, then so be it."

Is this how you treat me when I beg?

Bibi Dong mocked.

"Please."

Chen Yao was shameless to begin with, with an incredibly thick skin. In addition, his years with Bibi Dong had completely worn away any remaining sense of shame, so he had no psychological burden whatsoever and spoke without hesitation.

"Just saying it?"

Bibi Dong was slightly dissatisfied with Chen Yao's emotionless request.

"What more do you want from me? We've tried every position over the years. Whatever you want to do, it's just a matter of your word. How can I resist?"

Chen Yao asked helplessly.

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes flickered, as if she had come up with some novel idea. With a wicked smile on her face, she leaned close to Chen Yao's ear, her lips slightly moving as she whispered something.