A few days later.
Spirit Hall — Pope's Palace.
Bibi Dong was quietly going through a pile of papers written by Xiao Yan.
As she read through the names and the content on the papers, even Bibi Dong couldn't help but frown from time to time.
Some of the specialized terms inside, even she couldn't fully understand.
But she still managed to grasp the main ideas described in those papers.
In short, from now on, low-level soul masters could directly use the soul power of their elders to condense soul rings on their own. In the future, soul tools would transform endlessly, their development flourishing like never before.
The status of auxiliary-type soul masters would rise significantly, and so on, and so forth.
"Unbelievable."
After a long while, Bibi Dong finally uttered those few words.
On the surface, she appeared calm, but in reality, her heart was already surging like the roaring ocean, waves of tsunamis rising and crashing within her.
"I never imagined that Master Xiao Yan had been researching so much over these past five years."
At this moment, Bibi Dong didn't know what to do. If these papers were released, the impact on the entire world of soul masters would be too great.
It would absolutely trigger a complete upheaval of the soul master world.
"Yes, Your Holiness. If only Master Xiao Yan had written the exact method of self-condensing soul rings clearly in these papers, that would have been perfect."
At this moment, Elder Wu Ning also let out a sigh.
If everyone could self-condense soul rings, then future soul masters would never again lack high-year soul rings.
And then there were the soul tools — though Wu Ning didn't understand much about them, he still felt a trace of dread about what he read in the papers.
Soul-guided mortars, soul-guided rail cannons, soul-guided laser cannons…
Why did these things sound so terrifying?
"Wu Ning."
Suddenly, Bibi Dong softly called toward Elder Wu Ning in the Pope's Palace.
Wu Ning immediately responded, "This subordinate is here."
"Can our Spirit Hall allow soul masters to self-condense soul rings?"
When Bibi Dong's words fell, a trace of confusion flickered in Wu Ning's heart.
But he still replied at once: "Reporting to Your Holiness, our Spirit Hall can absolutely research and create a perfect system of self-condensing soul rings. We just need some time, and also…"
"And also what?"
"And also… self-condensed soul rings may not necessarily work as well as soul beast soul rings. With the resources of our Spirit Hall, we can provide every member with suitable soul beast soul rings."
Wu Ning's meaning was clear — while the advantages of self-condensed soul rings were obvious, in the short term, they could never surpass perfectly compatible soul beast soul rings.
Wu Ning was leaving the decision up to Bibi Dong herself — deciding who should be given self-condensed rings, and who should be given soul beast rings.
This kind of thing was, in truth, the easiest way to offend people.
Bibi Dong naturally understood what Wu Ning was thinking, but she still believed that, for Spirit Hall as a whole, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.
Thus, she planned to implement it within Spirit Hall.
As for who should self-condense and who should use soul beasts, even Bibi Dong didn't have an immediate answer.
They could only have Spirit Hall recruit some volunteers and collect enough experience with self-condensed soul rings first.
"This self-condensing soul ring method still has some flaws — it's not as versatile as soul beast rings."
Bibi Dong suddenly thought of something and spoke up.
"Yes, Your Holiness. Self-condensed soul rings can only help soul masters obtain most conventional rings — certain special types of rings can't currently be condensed.
Moreover, self-condensed rings require a vast consumption of natural treasures, and high-level soul masters need to transfer soul power to help the self-condensing ones."
Wu Ning hurriedly added.
If that consumption was irreversible, Wu Ning wouldn't recommend self-condensation at all — and not every high-level soul master would be willing to do this.
Only some older soul masters might pass down their soul power to the younger generation.
"These matters aren't for our generation to worry about — leave it to those who come after."
Bibi Dong waved her hand casually.
"Elder Wu Ning, I'll leave the task of publishing all of Master Xiao Yan's papers to you."
"Yes."
…
After Elder Wu Ning left with the papers, the vast Pope's Palace was once again left with Bibi Dong alone.
After a while, Bibi Dong stood up from her Pope's chair.
Dressed in her regal, elegant papal robes, she slowly walked down the grand steps.
Each step she took, she spent a long time in thought.
The impact of self-condensed soul rings on her was greater than even she had expected.
Self-condensed soul rings — she had encountered something similar before.
It came from the rewards of the Divine Trials — the Rakshasa God Trial had reforged her soul rings into high-year rings.
Not only that, even some soul rings with weak soul skills were given other abilities, becoming much stronger.
How similar that was to the contents of Xiao Yan's papers.
Could it be… was Xiao Yan also an inheritor of a god?
Such a thought flashed across Bibi Dong's mind.
If not a divine inheritor, she truly couldn't imagine how an ordinary soul master could come up with the idea of self-condensed soul rings.
Even the use of natural treasures and soul power infusion to strengthen ring age — both were remarkably similar to divine trial rewards.
So then… whose divine heir was this Xiao Yan?
A flicker of killing intent appeared in Bibi Dong's eyes.
After five long years, she once again felt that terrifying feeling — of not being in control of everything.
Although she wasn't yet the strongest on the continent, her identity as a divine inheritor had always been her pride.
She didn't even place Qian Daoliu in her eyes.
Xiao Yan?
Just who… are you?
As Bibi Dong thought this, her powerful soul power instantly filled the Pope's Palace.
In no time, the entire palace seemed to tremble and sway.
Sensing Bibi Dong's "outburst," Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan immediately flashed inside.
"Your Holiness!"
Hearing Yue Guan's concerned voice, Bibi Dong ceased her soul power release.
"It's nothing. I was merely… feeling sentimental."
Bibi Dong raised her jade-like hand, signaling that nothing was wrong.
Suddenly, Bibi Dong curiously asked Yue Guan, "By the way, Yue Guan, do you know what Qian Renxue has been up to lately?"
Her asking about Qian Renxue had nothing to do with maternal concern.
She had simply received information recently — that Qian Renxue had been acting somewhat out of character.
"This subordinate doesn't know, but I've heard that Qian Renxue and her teacher have been getting along very well recently, frequently visiting Ning Fengzhi, and often going to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
It seems to have something to do with Ning Fengzhi's daughter, Ning Rongrong."
Yue Guan didn't know much more than that.
As far as he knew, not just Ning Rongrong — the entire Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Emperor Team had undergone earth-shaking changes.
Every member's strength had greatly improved, and even the Academy's three chief instructors didn't know the deeper details.
"Ning Rongrong? That little girl who turned the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
Upon hearing Ning Rongrong's name, Bibi Dong once again felt a wave of irritation.
A premonition stirred within her — this Ning Rongrong probably had something to do with Xiao Yan.
Could it be that Ning Fengzhi had found Master Xiao Yan and figured out a way to evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?
Such a thought flashed in Bibi Dong's mind — and immediately she was startled by her own idea.
The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect combined with Master Xiao Yan — this would be a disaster for her future plans!
It must just be paranoia!
Immediately, Bibi Dong turned toward Yue Guan and barked:
"Yue Guan!"
"This subordinate is here!"
Yue Guan didn't know why Bibi Dong suddenly reacted so strongly, but he immediately responded.
"Help me investigate everything about Qian Renxue and the Emperor Team. If there's anything that could hinder Spirit Hall's future development — eliminate it in secret."
As Bibi Dong finished speaking, a surge of killing intent burst forth.
Even Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, no stranger to bloodshed, instantly sensed it.
Yue Guan immediately bowed and pledged:
"Yes! This subordinate will give it my all!"
"And also, give the Seven-in-One Fusion Technique paper to Nana and the others first. Let them learn it before publishing it."
Bibi Dong added after a brief thought.
"Yes."
(End of Chapter)