Upon hearing Ye Tian's instructions, the Sea Witch and the others quickly split up to act.
At the side, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm was clamoring.
"Even if you take me away, you won't be able to harm me in the slightest!"
"Be sensible and let me go. I won't stoop to your level."
"Otherwise, you'll pay the price!"
Hearing this, Ye Tian turned around and smiled at the Skydream Iceworm.
It seemed that millions of years of luck had made him delusional.
Once they returned to Spirit City, Ye Tian had plenty of ways to deal with him.
The Sea Witch and the others, as titled Douluos, moved with extreme speed.
In less than half an hour, the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Essence had been almost completely mined.
"We'll leave the little that's left for the Star Luo Empire. We must leave quickly," Ye Tian said.
The forces in Star Luo City were still a significant threat to them.
It wasn't wise to linger here.
"Alright."
The Sea Witch nodded, stored the Cold Marrow in her spatial storage, and led the way toward the cave exit—also keeping watch for any incoming enemies.
As they exited the cave, Ye Tian realized the surrounding Star Luo Imperial Guards were already nowhere to be seen. Nor had any strong reinforcements come to surround them.
Seeing this, Ye Tian smiled faintly: "Seems like the Star Luo Empire has no rapid response capability."
"This isn't necessarily a bad thing for Spirit Hall."
Guimei stepped forward and agreed with a smile.
"You better let me go! Or you'll regret it!"
Still dangling from Xiaobai's hand, the Ice Silkworm continued threatening everyone—though there was now a hint of fear in his voice.
"You're too noisy."
Xiaobai raised a hand and gave him a solid knock on the head.
The Ice Silkworm instantly quieted down.
Gazing at the oncoming night, Ye Tian took a deep breath and said, "Return to Spirit City!"
…
At the same time—In Spirit City.
Once bustling streets were eerily quiet today.
Few people could be seen.
And the rare passerby was in a hurry, not daring to linger.
Two days ago, the Elder Hall had suddenly imposed a curfew.
Though no official reason was given, the move had already stirred unease within Spirit Hall.
Rumors among the populace claimed that Spirit Hall was preparing to move against the major sects of the soul master world.
Elder Hall
Azure Luan Douluo, dressed in a white and gold sacred robe, stepped into the great hall with furrowed brows. With confusion in his expression, he looked at those gathered and said:
"Second Brother, isn't sealing off Spirit City a bit extreme?"
"On my way here today, I saw many shops were closed."
"If this continues, people will become increasingly discontent."
"Qianjun and Jiang Long have met with trouble."
Golden Crocodile Douluo sat on the second-highest seat in the hall, his aged face deeply wrinkled. He sighed, his expression heavy.
"What?"
Azure Luan Douluo's face froze: "... But their soul lamps haven't gone out…"
Golden Crocodile Douluo grasped the armrest of his chair and stood abruptly, staring hard at Azure Luan Douluo:
"We had spies in the Elephant Armored Sect."
"Bibi Dong sent Ye Tian and Guimei to ambush Qianjun Douluo and Jiang Long Douluo."
"Though their soul lamps haven't gone out, they're essentially as good as dead."
At this point, a deep sorrow clouded Golden Crocodile Douluo's face.
He had been lifelong friends with Qianjun and Jiang Long—closer than blood brothers.
Now that his brothers were in danger,yet he couldn't save them.
The sorrow and rage almost made his chest explode.
Boom!
Azure Luan Douluo, equally furious upon hearing this, smashed his fist into a stone pillar, shaking the hall and sending dust raining down.
Blood veins filled his eyes, murderous aura surging.
"Bibi Dong! She actually dared to attack us!"
"I warned Big Brother long ago—Bibi Dong's ambition is boundless. One day she'd bring disaster to Spirit Hall."
"But Big Brother didn't take it seriously, and now my words have come true!"
Burning with fighting spirit and anger, Azure Luan Douluo looked at Golden Crocodile Douluo:
"Second Brother, Big Brother isn't here now."
"What do you think we should do?"
"If you ask me, we should strike first—wipe out the Pope's Hall in one sweep!"
At this, Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes flickered, showing hesitation.
He had grown used to following Qian Daoliu's lead.
Now that Qian Daoliu was gone, he felt unprepared to make such a decision.
Facing Azure Luan Douluo's surging fighting spirit, Golden Crocodile Douluo waved his hand:
"This is a serious matter. Let me think it over for two more days."
To him, making a move against the Pope's Hall would tear away Spirit Hall's final veil of legitimacy.
After all, the Pope was an elected position—theoretically, any soul master had the chance to become one. It was this legitimacy that had attracted countless soul masters to Spirit Hall.
Without that veil, Golden Crocodile Douluo couldn't imagine how many soul masters would lose faith in Spirit Hall.
He didn't want to see that happen.
Moreover, he still harbored hope—that Qian Daoliu would return soon.
As a Rank 99 Limit Douluo, Qian Daoliu was the true stabilizing force of Spirit Hall. With him present, the Pope's Hall could be suppressed with a flick of his fingers.
It was because of these two reasons that Golden Crocodile Douluo remained hesitant.
"Second Brother, do you know what time it is already!" Azure Luan Douluo urged earnestly.
Then, with firm determination, he said: "If anything happens to Qianjun or Jiang Long,
I'll personally end Bibi Dong—to honor their spirits!"
"Azure Luan, don't act rashly!" Golden Crocodile Douluo clasped his hands behind his back and warned:
"The soul lamps of Qianjun and Jiang Long haven't gone out. We have no hard evidence!"
"Just wait a little longer. As long as I'm here, the Pope's Hall won't be able to stir up any waves!"
"Then I'll wait another seven days!"
Azure Luan Douluo gritted his teeth and strode out of the Elder Hall.
He hadn't expected his Second Brother to become so indecisive.
Watching his departing figure, Golden Crocodile Douluo sighed softly and shook his head:
"Third Brother… still as reckless as ever."
"Of course I know Bibi Dong is behind Qianjun and Jiang Long's misfortune…"
"But she's still Xiaoxue's mother, Big Brother's daughter-in-law... It's not our place to act."
…
Pope's Hall – Study Room
In a light purple long dress, Bibi Dong leaned her weary head on one hand, flipping through a few official documents with the other.
After reading for a while, she closed her eyes—quietly recalling what she had just read.
Lately, though Golden Crocodile Douluo had not shown himself, he had stirred great unrest in Spirit City.
Even the troops stationed near the Pope's Hall had been replaced by Elder Hall's forces.
Bibi Dong vaguely suspected that Golden Crocodile Douluo had caught wind of something.
She massaged her temples, worry showing on her face.
Ye Tian had yet to return from Elephant Armor City, and Bibi Dong was concerned he might be ambushed by Elder Hall forces on the way back.
"Dong'er, my dear wife."
Just then, the door to the study creaked open.
Bibi Dong suddenly looked up—and saw that the one who entered… was Ye Tian.
The only ones who dared to barge into her study without warning were Ye Tian and Hu Liena.
The turbulent expression on Bibi Dong's face immediately vanished.
A gentle smile appeared: "Xiao Tian."
"What were you worrying about just now?"
Ye Tian softly closed the door, walked across from the desk in the study, rested his hands on the table, and looked up at Bibi Dong.
With a smile still lingering on her lips and her head resting on her wrist, Bibi Dong replied, "Of course, I was worrying about you."
"Mm, now that's something I like to hear."
Ye Tian nodded seriously, walked around the desk, and sat beside Bibi Dong.
His right hand gently wrapped around Bibi Dong's soft waist.
With his left hand, he picked up the document on the desk and began reading it carefully.
Bibi Dong, looking a bit weary, said:
"No need to look anymore. That whole stack on the table is about Golden Crocodile Douluo."
"He seems to have discovered something and has already begun secretly monitoring the Hall of the Pope."
"No wonder the streets were eerily quiet when I came back."
Ye Tian put down the document and suddenly understood.
A serious look appeared on his face:
"What do you plan to do?"
Bibi Dong suddenly withdrew her left hand, turned to stare at Ye Tian, her smile deepening:
"What do you think I should do?"
Then—
Her smile faded, replaced by the calmness of old:
"The arrow is already nocked; it must be loosed."
"I've already sent Nana out of the city to mobilize troops loyal to the Hall of the Pope."
"By the current pace, they should reach Spirit City by noon tomorrow."
She had been Pope for twenty years. It was time to unleash the full extent of her accumulated strength.
As she spoke—
Bibi Dong fixed her gaze on Ye Tian once again.
"I only have two thousand troops completely loyal to me."
"Xiao Tian, there's no need for you to keep hiding things. Isn't it time for the Heavenly Strategy Army you've stationed in Spirit City to take action?"
Hearing this, Ye Tian gave a dry chuckle:
"I really can't keep anything from you, wife."
"But the forces I've stationed in Spirit City only number about two hundred."
"Adding in the ones Thirteen and Zhou Long brought, we only have three hundred total."
A determined glint flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes: "Three hundred capable of taking on Soul Kings is enough."
She had already witnessed the power of the Heavenly Strategy Army.
To the Elder Hall, the Army hidden in the shadows was like a trump card.
"So you're saying we move against the Elder Hall tonight?"
Ye Tian caught the implication in her words and asked.
To be honest, action against the Elder Hall had to be taken as soon as possible.
Otherwise, if Qian Daoliu returned—
Even if the tide didn't fully reverse, the situation would become deadlocked.
That would be extremely disadvantageous to the already weakened Hall of the Pope.
Facing Ye Tian's question, Bibi Dong nodded lightly.
Half-resting in Ye Tian's arms, her eyes half-closed, she spoke tiredly:
"I've already decided to take on Golden Crocodile Douluo myself."
Right now in Spirit City, Qian Daoliu was away and couldn't return.
Qianjun and Jiang Long were already considered dead.
Of the Seven Worshippers, only four remained, led by Golden Crocodile.
Though only four were left, they still posed a huge threat to the weakened Pope Hall.
Any mistake could mean total defeat.
Ye Tian twirled a strand of Bibi Dong's silky hair around his finger, deep in thought:
"Among the remaining four Worshippers, Golden Crocodile Douluo is at level 98—unquestionably the strongest."
"Perhaps only you, wife, can handle him."
Bibi Dong sighed lightly:
"But the remaining three are no pushovers either. Especially Azure Luan Douluo—he's a level 97 with a dragon-type spirit, nearly on par with Golden Crocodile Douluo."
"If the two of them teamed up from the start, the Hall of the Pope would have no more than a ten percent chance of victory."
"Not necessarily."
Ye Tian smiled mysteriously.
"Leave Azure Luan Douluo to me."
With Gu Yuena on his side, the last thing he feared was a dragon-type spirit.
When the battle began, he could simply unleash Gu Yuena.
No matter how powerful Azure Luan Douluo was, he wouldn't stand a chance against the Silver Dragon King.
"Without Azure Luan Douluo interfering, our odds rise to fifty percent."
"You'll handle him?"
Bibi Dong suddenly sat upright, brows furrowed, pressing down on Ye Tian's shoulder:
"I won't allow you to take such a risk."
Ye Tian had become an inseparable part of her life. Even in the face of failure, Bibi Dong didn't want him to get hurt.
Seeing her anxious expression—
Ye Tian leaned in and kissed her stunningly beautiful cheek, smiling brightly:
"Relax, I never take risks."
"Not only that—I can increase our chances to eighty percent!"
Bibi Dong's ears turned slightly red, followed by a bitter smile:
"Xiao Tian, we're facing four Super Douluo."
"Such powerhouses could establish a top-tier force anywhere on the continent."
Though Ye Tian had created countless miracles, Bibi Dong still found it hard to believe what he just said.
After all, they had been together for twenty years—she knew all too well the strength of their enemies.
Hearing her words, Ye Tian suddenly pressed Bibi Dong down.
Their eyes locked, only inches apart.
"Dong'er, my lovely wife... are you doubting your husband's strength?"
"…Someone's coming."
Faced with this sudden change, Bibi Dong's ears flushed red as she whispered shyly.
"Trying to trick me?"
Their noses brushed, and Ye Tian kissed her warm, soft lips.
"Someone's really coming." Bibi Dong's slender hand weakly resisted, panic in her beautiful eyes.
Knock knock.
The door to the study was knocked.
A maid's voice came through.
"Your Holiness, Azure Luan Worshipper requests an audience."
"Hmph! Does an old man like me need to wait outside for Bibi Dong to summon me?!"
Creak.
The door was suddenly flung open with force.
Azure Luan Douluo, dressed in a radiant golden robe, walked in with a proud posture.
He frowned and scanned the room, seeing Bibi Dong seated properly at the desk going over documents—
And Ye Tian, the gentle-looking youth standing beside her.
Of course, the fuming Azure Luan Douluo didn't notice the faint blush on Bibi Dong's ears.
"Azure Luan Worshipper, what brings you to my Pope Hall?"
Bibi Dong put down the document, her voice cold—but her breathing was clearly unsteady.
Azure Luan Douluo snorted, annoyed by her question, and pointed angrily at her.
"You ask me why I'm here?!"
"If not for you, why would I come to this filthy place?!"
Azure Luan Douluo roared in rage.
"I came today to demand an explanation!"
"If you can't give me one—don't blame me for getting violent!"
(End of Chapter)