After thinking for a moment, Hu Liena tilted her head slightly, her voice soft yet carrying an immovable stance: “The side halls and guest rooms of the Saintess Hall are plentiful.
If Young Miss Qian Renxue likes it, you may choose any room you are satisfied with to stay in.
I believe teacher would not object to this either.”
Her words cleverly linked ‘permission to stay’ with ‘the Supreme Pontiff’s authority.’ It both showed an open attitude and pointed out that her current status as Acting Holy Maiden was appointed by the Supreme Pontiff.
Even if her identity as Holy Maiden hadn’t been fully publicized to the continent yet, within Spirit Hall, she was already the Holy Maiden in everyone’s eyes.
Even if you, Qian Renxue, are the ‘former,’ you are now just a guest and have no right to demand more.
Qian Renxue’s eyes locked onto Hu Liena, her tone flat yet persistent: “I have no interest in the side halls.
Having been the Crown Prince in the Heaven Dou Empire for so long, I am used to occupying the main seat.
Only the main hall is barely acceptable.”
This was directly demanding the core sovereignty of the Saintess Hall.
Hu Liena’s smile remained unchanged, but her gaze sharpened slightly: “Young Miss Qian Renxue must be joking.
The main hall is the residence of the Spirit Hall’s Holy Maiden; this is a rule personally set by His Holiness the Supreme Pontiff.
Those who are not the Holy Maiden may not reside there.”
By bringing up ‘the rules’ and ‘the Supreme Pontiff’ again, her meaning was clear: You, Qian Renxue, are not the Holy Maiden now and have no qualification.
Qian Renxue naturally would not back down easily and took half a step forward.
That powerful Aura around her began to faintly spread.
Although not fully released, it already made the air in the hall heavy.
“What if I…
insist on staying?”
The atmosphere instantly tightened, and invisible pressure spread like ripples.
Facing this pressure directly, Hu Liena was surprised by Qian Renxue’s strength, yet she did not panic.
She remembered the lingering heaviness and suppression between teacher Bibi Dong’s brows these past few days, knowing her teacher was troubled by that mysterious and hard-to-find ‘enemy.’
If a direct conflict broke out with Qian Renxue now, no matter the result, it would only add trouble for her teacher and might even give the hidden enemy an opportunity.
Thinking of this, Hu Liena made a decision.
The smile on her face faded slightly, replaced by a more formal and distant expression.
Her tone slowed as she said: “You are teacher’s daughter.
By blood and relationship, we are not outsiders; there’s no need to be so hostile.
Since I am currently the Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall presiding over this hall, I have my duties.
If you insist on staying in the main hall…
so be it.”
After a pause, Hu Liena looked at Qian Renxue with clear eyes and said clearly, “The inner chamber of the main hall is spacious, and I will order someone to set up a new bed and supplies.
“However, I, Hu Liena, the current Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall, will never leave the Saintess Hall.
This is where my duty lies, and it is also the position and responsibility bestowed upon me by my teacher.”
Having said that, Hu Liena stopped looking at Qian Renxue’s reaction.
She turned and walked toward the study inside the hall.
Her steps were steady, and her back carried a sense of resilient determination.
She had given her bottom line.
Sharing the space was acceptable, but ceding sovereignty was absolutely impossible.
Qian Renxue stood where she was, watching Hu Liena’s back as she left without any hesitation, a glimmer of complex light flashing in her purple eyes.
This Hu Liena was not entirely a vase living off that woman’s favor.
At critical moments, she actually possessed some unexpected toughness and sense of responsibility.
She had thought the other party would either submit or go and bring out Bibi Dong to suppress her, but she did not expect such a “sharing” proposal.
“Leave?
Heh.” Qian Renxue sneered in her heart.
She had never intended to actually drive Hu Liena away.
That would not only look bad, but it might not necessarily succeed.
Being in the same room?
It suited her intentions perfectly.
This would not only allow her to observe this favored “current acting Holy Maiden” at close range, but perhaps she could also glean some inside information about that woman’s recent unusual actions through her daily words and deeds.
She wanted to see just how much this Hu Liena really knew.
Outside the Popes Palace, at the entrance of the corridor.
Su Xu stood as still as a sculpture.
He did not know that a brief and subtle confrontation had just taken place inside the Saintess Hall.
Just then, a slightly hurried yet still light sound of footsteps approached.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that it was Hu Liena, who had come to find Bibi Dong.
Her face seemed to carry a trace of ripples that had not yet fully subsided, but she quickly concealed it.
Hu Liena walked up to the sentry post, her gaze falling on Su Xu and Lei Meng.
She remembered these two.
Especially the young Guard Knight named Su Xu.
He had been on duty in front of the Supreme Pontiff Palace last time, and this time he was on duty outside her teacher’s Popes Palace; he seemed quite steady.
She was thinking of coming here to talk to her teacher, Bibi Dong, about something, and then incidentally have her subordinates buy a new bed and bedding.
But then she thought, since it was for Qian Renxue, not for herself, why should she have her own guards go?
It would be better to have these two guards on duty do it under the name of “official business.”
“You two,” Hu Liena decided, stopping her steps and giving orders, her voice returning to the clear and melodic tone peculiar to the Holy Maiden, “There is a matter that requires you to handle it.”
“Go into the city and purchase a set of high-quality bed, bedding, curtains, and corresponding living supplies.
They must be new and of good quality.” Hu Liena said concisely, “After purchasing them, send them directly to the Saintess Hall.”
Upon hearing this, a trace of astonishment appeared on Lei Meng’s face.
They were Guard Knights, and their duty was to stand guard.
How were they suddenly sent to do such menial work as purchasing furniture?
He subconsciously spoke: “Your Highness Holy Maiden, this…
we two are on duty, and our duty as guards…”
Su Xu’s heart also stirred.
Buying a bed and bedding?
And sending it to the Saintess Hall?
This was clearly not for Hu Liena’s own use.
After all, she must have spares in her hall.
Combined with Qian Renxue returning just now…
a guess formed in his mind: Could it be that Qian Renxue was going to move in?
Hu Liena waved her hand, interrupting Lei Meng: “It is fine.
I will explain the duty matter to my teacher myself; I am temporarily reassigning you two for a moment.
You only need to handle this matter well.
Go and return quickly.”
Upon hearing that it involved the Supreme Pontiff, Lei Meng immediately dared not say more and bowed his head in response: “Yes, we obey your command.” Su Xu also followed: “We obey your command, Your Highness Holy Maiden.”
This seemingly simple errand might be an opportunity.
An opportunity to approach the Saintess Hall openly and legitimately.
Although it was just delivering goods, at least he could step into that area and understand some superficial conditions, which would make it easier to go in and work later.
“Go, handle it as soon as possible.” Hu Liena nodded, said nothing more, turned around, and continued walking into the Popes Palace.
She needed to report the matter of Qian Renxue potentially living in the Saintess Hall to Bibi Dong, and incidentally find an excuse for reassigning these two guards.
Watching Hu Liena’s back disappear into the depths of the corridor, Lei Meng looked at Su Xu with some helplessness and whispered: “What kind of matter is this…
making us go buy bed and bedding supplies?”
Su Xu’s expression was calm, and he patted his shoulder: “Since it is the order of the Holy Maiden, and the Supreme Pontiff has consented, we just need to do it.
Let’s go, Lei Meng.”
After briefly handing over their duties to the colleagues responsible for temporarily filling in, the two took off some armor parts that were inconvenient for movement and walked quickly toward the prosperous commercial district in Spirit City.
As for the money, it would be reimbursed from above, so Su Xu was not worried.