The room was so quiet it could rival the tension of the last ball in a cricket match—needing a six to win, and the whole stadium holding its breath.
Finally, Su Chen stepped forward. The weight of a hundred stares pressing on his back, he opened his mouth.
"I would like to marry—cough, cough—I mean, become the disciple of the Pope."
He bit the inside of his cheek, forcing the words out while mentally face-palming at his near slip-up.
...
With Su Chen's declaration to take the Pope as his teacher, the heavy tension hanging in the room finally began to dissolve. Whispers returned. Breaths were released. The hall relaxed.
Even the old man, despite his calm demeanor, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He looked Su Chen in the eyes and asked simply, "Why?"
Su Chen, knowing he needed to preserve his image—especially in front of his new teacher—replied smoothly, "I feel more comfortable with the Pope... her presence is calm and reassuring."
It wasn't a complete lie. It just wasn't the whole truth either.
Bibi Dong blinked, visibly surprised by the answer. Something in her expression shifted—just for a moment. She said nothing, but Su Chen was certain she'd remember that remark.
After that, the awakening ceremony officially came to an end. The elders issued strict orders: no one was to leak what happened here today. Everyone understood the consequences. In Spirit Hall, even walls had ears—and those who spoke carelessly rarely got to speak again. One by one, the crowd dispersed, each person silently sealing the memory away.
---
Scene Change – Pope's Hall
Inside the grand hall of the Pope's Palace, Bibi Dong sat on her throne. Hu Liena stood beside her, eyes still occasionally flicking toward Su Chen with curiosity. Behind them were two powerful elders, their faces unreadable.
"Now," Bibi Dong said, her voice smooth yet commanding, "let's test your soul power."
Su Chen stepped forward calmly, though inside, he felt a flicker of anticipation. The crystal ball was brought out.
As he placed his hand on it, light flared immediately.
Innate full soul power.
Gasps filled the chamber—even from the elders.
No one seemed surprised... except Su Chen.
Wait... I got innate full soul power? But that wasn't in the gift pack!
Before panic could settle in, a familiar digital tone rang out in his mind.
> System Notification:
"Your innate soul power is the result of sacrificing the original innate martial soul of your body in exchange for compatibility with the Destiny Destroyer system."
Su Chen blinked. Ah... I see. So I traded something I never really knew I had to unlock something far greater. Guess that's fair.
He nodded slightly to himself, face calm, hiding the questions and calculations spinning in his head.
Now he had a powerful teacher, a system, dual martial souls, and full innate power.
And yet, this was just the beginning.
...
Bibi Dong looked at Su Chen with a calm smile and said, "Let me introduce your senior sister—Hu Liena."
Hu Liena stepped forward gracefully, her eyes gleaming with curiosity and something else Su Chen couldn't quite read.
"Nice to meet you, Junior Brother," she said with a soft smile, her tone friendly but with a hint of teasing charm.
Su Chen gave a polite nod, his thoughts racing. So this is the famous Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall...
Bibi Dong continued, her tone turning formal again. "From now on, you'll be living near Hu Liena's quarters. Tomorrow, we'll begin the hunt for your first soul ring. If you need anything—anything at all—you may come directly to me."
That last sentence wasn't lost on anyone in the room. The elders gave each other silent looks, realizing how personally the Pope was taking Su Chen's growth.
A servant led Su Chen to his new living quarters. When he stepped inside, his eyes widened slightly.
The room was beautiful—spacious, elegantly decorated, with soft light filtering through silk curtains. The furniture was carved from fine spirit wood, the bed large and inviting. A quiet breeze carried the scent of incense and fresh flowers.
This... definitely beats my old life, Su Chen thought, allowing himself a rare smile.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, gazing out the window toward the moonlit courtyard.
Tomorrow, my journey as a spirit master begins.
And with it, the first step toward breaking fate itself.
...
Here's a refined and clearer version of your scene written from Su Chen's point of view:
---
Su Chen's Point of View
Su Chen sat on the edge of the bed, staring into the void as a strange energy pulsed through his veins. "System," he called out calmly, "what are your functions?"
A cold, mechanical voice responded in his mind:
"Primary function: Destroy the fated. Earn Fate Destroyer Points (FDP). FDP can be used to purchase anything."
A faint smirk tugged at Su Chen's lips. So be it... let's destroy fate.
"Open my status," he commanded.
[System Status]
Host: Su Chen
Rank: 10
Martial Soul: Trident (Can evolve. Currently empty)
FDP: 0
Inventory:
2x God-Given Soul Rings
Su Chen's eyes narrowed slightly as he reviewed the details. Two god-given soul rings... and a trident martial soul? Not bad.
His journey to defy destiny had just begun.
---
Let me know if you'd like this expanded into a full chapter or rewritten in another style (e.g., wuxia narration, more introspective, etc.).
....
Here's the continuation, still from Su Chen's point of view, with a refined and immersive style:
---
After checking his status, Su Chen laid back and closed his eyes. The weight of fate, the system, and the unknown path ahead pressed lightly on his mind—but not enough to stop sleep from taking him.
He drifted off.
For the first time in a long while, his dreams were silent. No haunting prophecies, no visions of predetermined tragedy. Just darkness… and peace.
---
Morning came.
Golden sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. Su Chen's eyes slowly opened, sharp and alert.
He sat up and stretched, the air in the room still humming faintly with the presence of the system.
"System," he said, voice calm and steady. "Any updates?"
The mechanical voice echoed once more:
"No new tasks. The host is free to seek out fate threads to destroy. Fate anomalies can be sensed within a 10-kilometer range."
Su Chen stood, eyes gleaming. Time to hunt fate.
---
Let me know if you'd like to continue with him detecting his first target or visiting a sect, village, or rival.