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Ke Jie ascended the steps leading to the Pope's Palace to receive the investiture from Pope Bibi Dong.
The coronation ceremony of a Title Douluo could only be presided over by another Title Douluo. Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo showed their respect by personally acting as the master of ceremonies.
The coronation ceremony consisted of four main parts:
First, receiving the investiture from the Pope in front of the Pope's Palace and showcasing the strength of a Title Douluo.
Second, confirming the title and announcing it to the public.
Third, climbing nearly a thousand steps to reach the Hall of Douluo.
Finally, personally inscribing one's name and title within the Hall of Douluo.
This would later become their final resting place.
Verbally describing the process didn't seem overly complicated, but the actual execution was far from simple.
The Hall of Douluo housed countless predecessors of the soul master world, so climbers were required to ascend quietly and without flying. The nearly thousand steps had to be climbed on foot.
And it wasn't over yet—every time a step was climbed, one had to bow toward the Hall of Douluo to express respect for those who came before.
In short, this process was not only time-consuming but also physically demanding. A lower-level soul master might collapse halfway up. Only a Title Douluo, with their immense strength, could endure the entire ritual.
The first part of the ceremony was quickly completed, and Ke Jie turned to face the crowd.
"This old man is named Ke Jie. My martial soul is the Sky Dome Chessboard, and my title is 'Sky Dome.'"
As he spoke, he publicly displayed his martial soul.
The Sky Dome Chessboard was enormous, instantly covering the entire square.
At that moment, Xiao Wu was casually playing with medicinal herbs in her hand. As the chessboard spread out, whether by fate or coincidence, the herbs slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground, exposing her aura.
Although she quickly bent down to pick them up, the aura of a spirit beast had already been detected by the Title Douluos present.
A flicker of fiery excitement flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes.
However, the coronation ceremony of a Title Douluo was akin to the enthronement of an emperor—it could not be interrupted midway.
The entire Pope Mountain was surrounded by the Spirit Hall's elite forces. There was no way Xiao Wu could escape.
"Little one, that girl has exposed her aura. Though it was only for a moment, this old man can confirm that all the Title Douluos present have sensed it," Dugu Bo transmitted through sound waves, adding, "Perhaps we can try to take advantage of the chaos."
Ning Tianchen shook his head and didn't respond.
Taking action against Xiao Wu would undoubtedly provoke Tang Hao's retaliation.
Although Xiao Wu's soul rings were highly coveted, there would be other opportunities in the future. There was no need to act now.
Hidden behind the Sky Dome Chessboard, no one could see Ke Jie's expression.
When Xiao Wu's presence was exposed, he nearly moved to capture her on the spot.
"Damn it! How did I miss her back then!" Ke Jie felt a pang of regret.
When Shrek Academy had accidentally stumbled into Seven Treasures Academy, he had noticed something unusual about Xiao Wu. At the time, he was only at the Soul Douluo level and couldn't immediately see through her disguise.
For the sake of pride, he hadn't returned to investigate. Now, looking back, he realized how much he had lost.
Xiao Wu was on the Spirit Hall's territory—would Bibi Dong let her go? It was obvious even without thinking too hard.
The members of Shrek Academy remained completely unaware of what was happening.
Seeing no strange looks from the surrounding powerhouses, Xiao Wu relaxed and boldly stood her ground.
"Teacher Lu Qibin's martial soul is also a chessboard, but compared to this Sky Dome Chessboard, its size is much smaller," Yu Tianheng couldn't help but marvel.
Flender smiled and explained, "Teacher Lu is only a Soul Emperor, three major ranks below a Title Douluo. If he were to break through to become a Title Douluo, his chessboard wouldn't be small either."
He hoped his old friend could achieve such greatness, but unfortunately, Lu Qibin's talent had long been exhausted. Even breaking through to become a Soul Sage in his lifetime was unlikely, let alone a Title Douluo.
Yu Xiaogang said, "Xiao San, take a good look at this coronation ceremony. With your talents, you may one day ascend to the Hall of Douluo."
Tang San nodded and then curiously asked, "Principal, you once mentioned that our academy's predecessor, the Title Douluo, was an elder of the Spirit Hall. Since we're already in Spirit City, isn't it reasonable to pay him a visit?"
"That's right, Headmaster. Perhaps my…" Dai Mubai didn't finish his sentence.
Flender awkwardly turned away.
Liu Erlong knew Flender loved to boast and stepped in to save him. "Title Douluo-level experts have unpredictable personalities. You have no connection with that predecessor, so visiting them uninvited would be inappropriate."
Flender seized the opportunity. "What Erlong said is correct. Besides, I don't even know where that predecessor's residence is. Visiting after the tournament ends might make it seem like we're using the competition results to curry favor."
---
The ceremony continued. Ke Jie left the square in front of the Pope's Palace and, under the guidance of attendants, began walking toward the Hall of Douluo.
The climb to the Hall of Douluo was excruciatingly long. By noon, Ke Jie had only made it halfway.
Such a sacred moment meant that even though the audience was hungry, they wouldn't leave the Pope's Palace voluntarily.
Ning Tianchen kept observing the surroundings. After the Spirit Hall's elites infiltrated the stands, they made no further moves or reinforcements.
What he didn't know was that the base of Pope Mountain had already been completely surrounded by the Spirit Hall's guards.
For Bibi Dong, this was an opportunity not only to capture Tang Hao and his son but also to seize Xiao Wu as an added bonus. Naturally, she had to prepare thoroughly.
By the afternoon, Ke Jie finally reached the Hall of Douluo.
The subsequent rituals didn't last long. After inscribing his name and title, he left the Hall of Douluo.
With that, the coronation ceremony was officially over.
Ke Jie returned to his team but showed no intention of leaving the scene.
The audience began gathering their belongings, but the master of ceremonies didn't announce their dismissal.
"Could it be that there's more to come?" Many people wondered.
"Damn it, could the Spirit Hall really intend to take back the soul bones from us?" Chen Huayu's face changed slightly as he whispered.
Ning Tianchen shook his head while pulling his teammates back a few steps.
There was still more to come.
The members of Shrek Academy didn't plan to stay longer and turned to leave, but they were stopped by the Spirit Hall's guards.
They were no longer the champion team, so the Spirit Hall naturally had no qualms about taking action against them.
"Your Holiness, what is the meaning of this?" Yu Xiaogang angrily questioned.
A wave of murmurs spread through the audience, all confused by the Spirit Hall's actions.
Bibi Dong tapped her scepter lightly on the floor. "Do you all know that Shrek Academy harbors ill intentions? Not only have they sheltered the son of a wanted fugitive, but they've also taken in a transformed spirit beast."
Chen Xin had already informed Ning Fengzhi of the situation, and the latter now felt regretful.
Xiao Wu had been frolicking right under their noses for so long, and they hadn't noticed anything. Now, the Spirit Hall would reap the benefits.
Tang San's heart tightened as he finally understood Tang Hao's earlier arrangements.
"Transformed spirit beast—I don't know what you're talking about. As for the wanted fugitive, our Shrek Academy has always acted uprightly. We absolutely do not harbor such individuals. Your Holiness, please do not slander us with baseless accusations," Yu Xiaogang confidently declared.
In his view, denying that Tang San was Tang Hao's son would allow them to evade the Spirit Hall's accountability. As for the accusation of harboring a transformed spirit beast, it was entirely unfounded.
Flender didn't rush to conclusions. His gaze swept over Tang San and the others, and he immediately noticed something.
Xiao Wu was trembling all over and was now hiding behind Tang San. Clearly, she was the transformed spirit beast Bibi Dong referred to.
But if even Flender couldn't see through Xiao Wu's condition, how had the Spirit Hall discovered her?
Of course, Flender didn't realize that his cultivation level wasn't high enough to see through Xiao Wu's identity.
Facing the accusations, Bibi Dong wasn't angered. She turned to Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin. "Sect Leader Ning, Sword Chen Xin, the girl exposed her aura just now. You must have sensed it. Why don't you serve as witnesses and tell everyone if my words are true?"
Directly offending Bibi Dong for the sake of outsiders would be highly disadvantageous for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Fengzhi nodded in confirmation. "Xiao Wu of Shrek Academy is indeed a transformed spirit beast. This, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect can attest to."
"Xiao Wu, what's going on?" Dai Mubai anxiously asked.
Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin couldn't help but reveal greedy expressions in their eyes.
Xiao Wu's strength was inferior to theirs. Capturing and raising her would make obtaining a hundred-thousand-year soul ring in the future very easy.
Only a fool wouldn't be tempted.
Tang San didn't notice their gazes and sighed, lowering his head. "Everyone, stop asking. Xiao Wu isn't human."
"This…" Yu Xiaogang was dumbfounded.
So, Xiao Wu, this transformed spirit beast, had lived among them without their knowledge.
Now that Bibi Dong had exposed her, wouldn't Xiao Wu's soul rings and soul bones end up benefiting Bibi Dong?
Yu Xiaogong's mind raced. If Xiao Wu had been wise, she should have offered her soul rings and soul bones to Tang San earlier. Shrek Academy might have won the tournament championship, and they could have avoided this trouble.
Bibi Dong spoke indifferently. "Since you all admit it, I'll spare the rest of you due to your ignorance. Leave the girl Xiao Wu and Tang San behind—the others may leave."
"Ghost, Yue Guan, move."
"Wait a moment." It was Flender who spoke.
Bibi Dong hadn't intended to show leniency, but considering the presence of so many spectators, she decided to give them a chance.
Flender straightened his collar and continued, "Your Holiness, ever since Xiao Wu joined Shrek Academy, she has never committed any heinous acts or harmed anyone. Could you spare her life in consideration of her conduct?"
Flender was still too naive.
A transformed spirit beast, before reaching maturity, inherently possessed soul rings and soul bones. In other words, Xiao Wu's identity was a sin in itself. Regardless of her behavior, the Spirit Hall wouldn't let her soul rings and soul bones slip away.
Of course, this wasn't Flender's fault. He had little expertise in soul master theory, and encountering a transformed spirit beast was a once-in-several-centuries event. It was normal for him to lack knowledge on the subject.
Bibi Dong didn't answer directly but instead turned to the audience. "I ask you—how many of you have lost loved ones to spirit beasts?"
The audience began to murmur.
There was a natural conflict between soul masters and spirit beasts. Mutual slaughter was common.
Transformed spirit beasts were still spirit beasts. Who knew how many people Xiao Wu might have killed during her hundred-thousand years before transforming?
Some spectators who had witnessed their loved ones being devoured by spirit beasts shouted loudly, "Kill her! We support Your Holiness!"
Yue Guan chimed in at the perfect moment. "Last month, a remote village near the forest in the Star Luo Empire suffered a spirit beast attack. Everyone in the village, regardless of age or gender, was devoured by spirit beasts."
These words poured oil onto an already boiling pot.
The audience erupted in anger, and some who had passed through that village couldn't help but join the outcry.
In an instant, the crowd was incensed, demanding that the Spirit Hall kill Xiao Wu. As for capturing Tang San, they instinctively ignored that part.
In the stands, Chao Tianxiang couldn't help but glance at Meng Shu. "Old man, should we…?"
Meng Shu bitterly shook his head. "We can't afford to offend them."
Back in the canyon, they dared to fight Chrysanthemum Douluo because he hadn't revealed his affiliation with the Spirit Hall, and that operation wasn't officially acknowledged—it wouldn't be mentioned again in the future.
After Bibi Dong's speech, the Spirit Hall had positioned itself as the righteous side. If they stepped forward now, wouldn't they be inviting trouble?
Worse still, their family might face backlash from pro-Spirit Hall factions in the future.
They wanted to connect with the Hao Tian Sect, but they had to act within their means.
...
Tang San stepped in front of Xiao Wu. "If you want to harm Xiao Wu, you'll have to step over my dead body!"
Yue Guan chuckled. "You won't be leaving either."
"Xiao San, we're all brothers. If we die, we'll die together," Dai Mubai declared as he stepped forward.
Without Tang San, his injuries could never fully heal—how would he ever return to the Star Luo Empire?
Rather than living such a miserable life, he might as well stand tall and, in the process, earn some goodwill from Tang San.
Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng hesitated for a moment but eventually stepped forward as well.
Their intentions weren't pure—they simply wanted to prevent Xiao Wu from falling into the Spirit Hall's hands.
"Everyone..." Tang San was deeply moved, but his gaze quickly hardened.
"The Seven Monsters are one. Together, we face this calamity."
However, in the eyes of outsiders, their actions were laughable.
This was the Pope's Palace, the heart of the Spirit Hall. Forget about the Title Douluos present—even a random guard could easily crush the seven members of Shrek Academy.
"Our elders aren't dead yet—it's not your turn to play heroes," Flender said as he and two others stepped forward.
Yu Xiaogang didn't back down this time—he finally showed some backbone.
The Golden Iron Triangle's martial soul fusion technique was powerful enough to rival a Title Douluo. That was his confidence.
Dai Mubai's actions startled Prince William, who hurriedly explained, "Your Holiness, this is solely Dai Mubai's personal decision. It has nothing to do with the Star Luo Empire or His Majesty."
---
For a moment, both sides were locked in a standoff, with Bibi Dong showing no urgency to act.
Ke Jie whispered softly, "The Pope is deliberately stalling for time."
Dugu Bo nodded in agreement. "She's probably waiting for Tang Hao to appear. Today, no matter how you look at it, is the perfect opportunity to kill Tang Hao."
Ning Rongrong stamped her foot, her expression complex. "Shrek Academy sure is lucky. All the good things fall into their laps."
Xiao Wu was her close friend. Though they hadn't been in contact since leaving Shrek Academy, their bond as best friends remained.
As a soul master, she desperately wanted Xiao Wu's soul rings and soul bones. But as a friend, she hoped Xiao Wu could escape and hide somewhere far away where no one could find her.
Ning Tianchen pulled her into his arms. "Rongrong, our strength isn't enough right now. We have no say in this. Train hard, or else someday, we'll end up in the same situation as Shrek Academy today."
"But, Tianchen Brother, Xiao Wu..."
Ning Tianchen interrupted, "In this world, there's no right or wrong. Truth only belongs to those with the strongest fists."
"Miss, no matter what relationship you have with Xiao Wu, sever ties with her," Ke Jie advised. "You're the Sect Leader's daughter. Your actions represent him. Remember, don't act impulsively."
A few minutes later, a black shadow suddenly flashed by.
"Tang Hao, you've finally arrived," Bibi Dong said with a faint smile on her lips.
However, Tang Hao didn't immediately take Tang San and Xiao Wu away. Instead, he charged toward Ning Tianchen.
"Not good—he's after the soul bones!" Chen Xin stood up.
There was no deep enmity between Ning Tianchen and the Tang family. By attacking him, Tang Hao clearly had his sights set on the soul bones in Ning Tianchen's possession.
Dugu Bo and Ke Jie reacted simultaneously, launching their attacks.
"Seventh Soul Skill—True Martial Soul Form!"
"Seventh Soul Skill—Jade Phosphorus SerpentEmperor True Form!"
The Sky Dome Chessboard wrapped around Ning Tianchen's body, centering on him. The Jade phosphorus serpent tail lashed out, attempting to interrupt Tang Hao's assault.
Bibi Dong had intended to watch the spectacle, but Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo acted simultaneously.
"Damn it, you've fallen into his trap!" Bibi Dong cursed inwardly.
Tang Hao's plan was a three-pronged strategy: seizing Ning Tianchen's soul tool was his primary goal, while using the chaos to drag the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect into the mix was his secondary objective.
Of course, his ultimate aim was to seize the opportunity to rescue Tang San and Xiao Wu.
The best way to break the deadlock would have been to let the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect fight Tang Hao. Once they were weakened, the Spirit Hall could step in and capture Tang Hao.
After all, given Chen Xin's temperament, he would undoubtedly use this opportunity to settle the score with Tang Hao and decide who held the title of the strongest weapon martial soul.
Who would have thought that Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo would rashly intervene?
Faced with the combined forces of two Title Douluos, plus Chen Xin standing by, Tang Hao couldn't succeed and stopped in his tracks.
"Tang Hao, do you intend to spark a war between the two sects?" Ning Fengzhi's face darkened.
Tang Hao didn't respond. His figure hovered in midair, disdainfully gazing down at the Pope's Palace.
"Brother Tianchen, are you alright?" Ning Rongrong asked anxiously.
Ke Jie and Dugu Bo didn't dare to let their guard down, positioning themselves one in front and one behind Ning Tianchen.
The previous events had unfolded so suddenly that Ning Tianchen hadn't reacted in time. Only upon seeing himself wrapped in the Sky Dome Chessboard did he realize what had happened.
He touched the soul tool on his finger, feeling a sense of relief.
The soul tool contained not only the three soul bones awarded by the Spirit Hall but also five more obtained in the Sunset Forest.
If Tang Hao had taken it, not only would his hand have been at risk, but losing eight soul bones in one go would have been unbearable for anyone.
"Spirit Hall, I've returned."
"Hmph, I don't care whether you've returned or not. Daring to lay a hand on my grandson will cost you dearly."
Chen Xin leaped into the air, the seventh soul ring beneath his feet lighting up brightly.
"Seven Kill True Form!"
"Sword Chen Xin, do you need my help?" Dugu Bo asked.
With their true martial soul forms activated, wasting time wouldn't do any good. Why not stretch their muscles?
Chen Xin declined. "Old Poison, I'll remember your favor. However, this is a battle between the Seven Kill Sword and the Hao Tian Hammer. Don't interfere."
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