Perhaps because the Pope was also in the procession, the journey to Spirit City was exceptionally peaceful, with no encounters of assassins, Soul Beasts, or bandits.
Although the trip took some time and was tiring, everyone was still awestruck when they first laid eyes on Spirit City.
Despite Spirit City being only one-tenth the size of Heavenly Dou City, its construction far surpassed any other city on the continent.
The towering eighty-meter-high walls were entirely built with thirty-meter-thick granite, and the hexagonal design surrounding the hills clearly demonstrated its fortitude. Just by its appearance, one could tell that this city would be difficult to breach by external force.
Li Xun, seated in a carriage, followed the procession forward, glancing past the bustling streets toward the towering hill within Spirit City.
The most prominent structures there were the centers of honor and power for Spirit Hall.
Likely due to the Soul Master Competition, the streets of Spirit City were frequently patrolled by uniformed teams. Before long, the Heavenly Dou delegation was stopped.
As the Pope's procession parted ways, Li Xun watched as Yu Xiaogang followed Bibidong's carriage into the Pope's Hall, his eyes flickering with thought.
Dugu Bo couldn't resist his curiosity and struck up a conversation with Sword Douluo.
The leader of the team that intercepted the delegation was a Cardinal from Spirit Hall. Under his guidance, Li Xun and the others were led to a hotel in the western part of Spirit City.
Whether intentional or not, the delegation from the Star Luo Empire was arranged in the eastern part of the city, effectively dividing the two empires into camps and stirring up their sense of exclusivity.
Perhaps to accommodate the weary delegation, the finals allowed three days of rest after all teams had assembled, giving everyone time to recover.
With Li Xun's constitution, he was naturally unfazed. Watching Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong enter their cultivation states, he quietly closed the door and headed toward the Pope's Hall.
Xunyang Pavilion was a hotel jointly operated by Li Xun and various levels of Spirit Hall. The initial idea was simply to win over Spirit Hall members, ensuring that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would have some allies after joining Spirit Hall.
However, as time passed and ideas evolved, this chain of high-end Soul Beast restaurants began to undergo gradual changes.
Due to the large number of people involved in the profit-sharing, the restaurant didn't bring significant revenue to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. It couldn't monopolize the market like the Seven Treasure Pharmacy, jointly established by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Breaking Clan, which leveraged its financial advantage.
Considering that teahouses, taverns, and brothels have historically been the easiest places to gather intelligence, Li Xun decided to add this hidden function to Xunyang Pavilion.
The manager of Xunyang Pavilion was a slightly portly middle-aged man in his thirties. Upon hearing of Li Xun's arrival, he hurried out to greet him: "I've long heard that the Sect Leader and Young Master were coming. I've finally been able to welcome you."
"Manager Wu, it seems you're eager to return to the sect," Li Xun remarked.
Following the manager through a series of twists and turns, they soon arrived at a secret chamber: "Don't worry, your replacement is in the procession behind us. He should be able to take over within the next couple of days."
Manager Wu rubbed his hands together excitedly: "Young Master, I'm not in a rush. If necessary, I can stay here for another two years."
"If what you're saying is true, then I'll take it seriously," Li Xun teased upon hearing the words.
"Please, young master, I was just being polite," Manager Wu hurriedly waved his hands in protest. "If I don't return to the sect soon, my wife and children might not even recognize me anymore."
"Manager Wu, don't worry, I was just joking. I'm well aware of the pressure and dangers that come with this position," Li Xun reassured him.
Following Manager Wu's hint, Li Xun opened a hidden peephole in the wall and looked toward the main entrance of Spirit Hall. "Manager Wu, as a direct descendant of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, you'll have two options upon returning to the sect. One is to oversee the pharmaceutical distribution in a provincial capital of Heaven Dou, and the other is to take charge of the entire pharmaceutical planning for the Star Luo Empire."
"Although your innate talent may be lacking, your work ethic over the past few years has not gone unnoticed by both Teacher and me. We have high hopes for you!"
Tears welled up in Manager Wu's eyes as he listened to Li Xun's encouraging words. "Thank you, Sect Leader and Young Master, for your recognition. But I truly miss my wife and children. Could I visit them first before setting off?"
"Ah! Teacher and I are not without empathy. Of course, you'll have some time to rest. Don't worry," Li Xun comforted him.
"Manager Wu, do you have any information on Yu Xiaogang here?"
"Yes, yes," Manager Wu quickly replied, rummaging through a stack of documents. Soon, he pulled out a file with a simple sketch of a man with a crew cut.
Li Xun took the document and nodded approvingly at the fairly accurate depiction.
"Keep a close eye on the main entrance of Spirit Hall. If you see this person come out, send someone to inform Roxsen of the Heaven Dou Royal Knights. Tell him to capture Yu Xiaogang and bring him back to Heaven Dou to be handed over to Qian Renxue."
"If anything unexpected happens along the way, don't force it. Just return to Heaven Dou and report. After all, the Royal Knights have made their intentions quite obvious. Bibidong is unlikely to ignore her old lover."
In the luxurious meeting hall of the Pope's Hall, Yu Xiaogang sat calmly in a chair, sipping fragrant tea to mask his turbulent emotions.
Unlike the carefree and erudite Grandmaster of the past, he now resembled a stray dog. Not only had his disciple's defeat led to Tang Hao's intervention, but Shrek Academy had also been auctioned off by Crown Prince Xue Qinghe under false charges.
Fortunately, Liu Erlong had long since disappeared, and Flender and the others had fled at the right moment, preventing the Heaven Dou Empire from capturing them. Otherwise, Yu Xiaogang couldn't imagine what state he'd be in now.
However, he still had a chance to rise again—if only he could meet Bibidong.
On his way to Spirit City, Yu Xiaogang had tried to see Bibidong multiple times, but the guards had always stopped him, refusing to let him board her carriage.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't angry, but when he saw the way the Heaven Dou Royal Knights looked at him, he held back his frustration.
Time passed slowly as Yu Xiaogang drank cup after cup of tea. Just as he was growing impatient, a soft voice came from outside the hall.
"All of you, leave. No one is to approach this place without my orders."
"Yes."
As the doors opened, a figure from the depths of Yu Xiaogang's memory slowly walked in.
Yu Xiaogang slowly put down his teacup, gazing at Bibidong, who looked just as she had all those years ago. He realized that after so many years apart, he was still as empty-handed as he had been back then. For some reason, a sense of shame, guilt, and melancholy crept into his mind.
Yu Xiaogang quickly suppressed these thoughts, took a deep breath, and readjusted his mindset.
As the door slowly closed.
Bibidong stood quietly not far from Yu Xiaogang. After a long while, she finally sighed, "It's been many years since we last met, hasn't it?"
"Yes! How have you been?"
Looking at the aura Bibidong exuded, her goddess-like beauty, and then thinking of his own current state, Yu Xiaogang suddenly felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.
"Now, as the Pope of Spirit Hall, I stand above millions. Even the emperors of the two great empires on the continent must show me respect. How could I not be well?" A faint smile appeared on Bibidong's face.
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