The Sacred Hall of the Worship—an exalted place, unreachable for ordinary folks. Here, the continent's most formidable powers gather.
Peerless Douluo, Qian Daoliu, the strongest on the continent.
And then the Six Great Enshrined, all of them Super Douluo without exception.
These seven figures are the embodiment of the Worship Hall, which is, in turn, the true core of the Spirit Hall.
As long as the Worship Hall stands, Spirit Hall will continue to hold the ultimate sway over the continent.
Even before setting foot in Spirit Hall Academy, Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Yan had heard of this legendary place.
And now, this baby-faced student, Yi Tongxue, was implying that he lived right here?
The three of them had never set foot in the Inner Courtyard, let alone met any of the enshrined.
If they weren't escorting Yi Tongxue home, they doubted they'd ever have had a chance to even see this place in their lifetimes.
"Shall we keep going?"
Yan's voice trembled slightly as he glanced at the others.
Hu Liena nodded. "Of course. Yi Yi is different from other kids. He's very clear with directions—he wouldn't make this up."
Xie Yue took a deep breath. "Then let's trust Yi Yi this once. And if we get caught, we'll just claim we got lost."
"Alright."
Having agreed, the trio continued forward.
If the Inner Courtyard had been solemn and awe-inspiring, the atmosphere near the Sacred Hall was thick and nearly oppressive.
Whether it was due to their nerves or the concentrated presence of the powerful figures stationed here, even the air seemed to pulse with spirit energy. Their hearts pounded wildly, each step loaded with tension.
Lin Luo, naturally, couldn't understand their anxiety. He didn't get what they were so scared of.
To him, the six old grandpas in the hall were nothing if not gentle, each more amiable than the last and practically fighting for a chance to hold him.
As for his grand-grandpa, Qian Daoliu, he mostly avoided him, almost as though he were hiding. Lin Luo had never felt any sense of foreboding here—if anything, he was just bored.
Before long, a majestic golden palace appeared in front of them, broad and resplendent. Lin Luo immediately raised his little fist, pointing to a spot around the side.
The three exchanged a quick look, their hearts almost leaping out of their throats.
This was the big leagues, and Baby Yi lived here?
They skirted around the palace entrance and came to a hallway at the rear of the main hall. Lin Luo lifted his little hand, pointing toward the entrance of a particular corridor.
"Right here?" Xie Yue's voice trembled as he asked, his words almost a whisper.
Lin Luo nodded his tiny head. "Yi-ya."
"Alright, we'll come get you tomorrow morning. Let's go, Nanna, quickly!"
Hu Liena set Lin Luo down gently, nodded hurriedly, and the three bolted out of there, practically sprinting away without looking back.
Here, the atmosphere pressed down on them so heavily that it was nearly terrifying. All of this without a single powerful figure appearing—just the mere *feeling* of being here had them on edge.
Watching the backs of his retreating friends, Lin Luo felt puzzled. Why were they running off like this?
Pfft, what scaredy-cats.
Lin Luo waddled forward, toddling down the hallway toward his home.
I'm a baby who knows how to go out and come home on my own and even recognize my house—surely, I deserve some praise.
As he arrived at the door, Lin Luo gave it a soft knock, hoping Qian Renxue would have some sense and not make a fuss over a minor absence.
After all, while he may not *fear* her exactly, he sure did respect her.
Knock-knock-knock!
It wasn't a loud knock, considering his little fists were too soft. Still, the door swung open almost immediately.
Qian Renxue stood there, anxiously looking down. When her gaze landed on his round little face, her entire tense expression melted into relief.
Lin Luo looked up, spreading a gummy, toothless grin in the purest way he could muster.
An oppressed god king… forced into a fake smile.
This wasn't fear—it was respect for Mom.
"You've been gone *all morning*! Do you even remember where home is?!" Qian Renxue huffed, her chest heaving with relief and exasperation.
Lin Luo toned down his smile, opening his mouth to let out a soft, sweet coo, "Mama~"
The single word softened Qian Renxue completely, her anger dissolving as she quickly scooped him up.
"Little troublemaker! Making Mama worry… Do you know I was this close to crying over you in here? And I didn't want to bother Grandfather to look for you…"
She rubbed his chubby little backside gently, breathing in his familiar baby scent, finally feeling settled.
But as Lin Luo looked around, he spotted someone else inside.
Bibi Dong!
Bibi Dong sat at the table, her face as cold as ever as she watched them.
"Qian Renxue."
Her voice was just as frigid as her expression.
"Did I not tell you to keep an eye on him and prevent him from running off?"
"If this child causes any trouble for the Spirit Hall, do you think you'll be able to protect him?"
"Your grandfather hasn't even fully accepted him yet; do you really think he's safe here?"
Finishing her harsh words, Bibi Dong stood, taking Lin Luo from Qian Renxue's arms.
"If you can't manage to look after him, then perhaps someone else should take over."
On a normal day, Qian Renxue would have fired back at Bibi Dong without a second thought, but not today.
Today, Bibi Dong was the one who had quietly searched for Lin Luo when he went missing, all without causing a stir and, eventually, returning to wait for him in Qian Renxue's room.
Qian Renxue saw it all, took it to heart. Bibi Dong really had started to change her view of Lin Luo.
And so, she listened to her mother's scolding without protest, like a child being chastised, eyes downcast.
"...It won't happen again," Qian Renxue murmured.
Bibi Dong gave her a hard look, then turned her attention back to Lin Luo, examining him carefully.
*Qian Renxue might be a mother, but she was still young, and far too inexperienced.*
If Lin Luo had just gotten back, her first move should have been to check for any injuries, not to start scolding.
Only after ensuring he was unharmed did Bibi Dong feel at ease, setting him gently on the table.
"If there's a next time, I'll send him to be raised elsewhere. See to it that doesn't happen," she said icily.
Qian Renxue nodded silently, biting her lip, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
This rascal deserved a scolding, no question.
As Bibi Dong headed toward the door, though, she suddenly stopped in her tracks at the sound of a soft, endearing call.
"Grandma~…"
The little voice echoed from behind her.
Lin Luo lay on the table, staring at Bibi Dong's back, repeating softly, "Grandma~…"
Bibi Dong froze in place, a flicker of surprise on her face.