The next morning, the sun shone brightly.
After several days of intense competition, the Soul Master Competition had finally reached its grand finale. The three strongest teams that had advanced from the fourth round would now compete for the ultimate championship in front of the Pope's Hall.
Since people usually only remember the first place, there were no rewards for the second or third places. Teams that had been eliminated earlier didn't even have the privilege to watch the final match.
In front of the Pope's Hall, a massive arena had been set up overnight, no smaller than the one in the center of Spirit City. This arena wasn't made of granite but was instead constructed from colorful stones that resembled jade, showcasing the immense wealth of the Spirit Hall.
The competition was extremely strict. The team leaders and assistants were stopped before they could enter the square and were only allowed to watch from the periphery.
Just as the students were curiously observing their surroundings, twelve Cardinals dressed in splendid red robes and one white-robed Bishop emerged from the side of the Spirit Hall.
It seems my efforts in the Spirit Hall have paid off. I've been doing quite well recently!
Li Xun focused his gaze. The white-robed Bishop was none other than Salas, who had been summoned back from Heavenly Dou City by Bibidong.
This man had many flaws and wasn't particularly virtuous, but Li Xun, in need of capable hands in the Spirit Hall, found it easy to control such a fallen figure and thus lent him a hand.
After all, no one wants their opponent's house to have fewer pests.
"Your Excellency, the Pope, has arrived!" As Salas announced with a loud voice, the grand doors of the Pope's Hall slowly opened.
Bibidong, radiating majesty, stepped out. She was dressed in a dazzling golden gown, wearing a purple-gold crown, and holding the Pope's scepter.
Behind her followed five equally magnificent figures: Ning Fengzhi, the Sword Douluo, the Poison Douluo, and the Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo. Though they stood behind the Pope, their presence and aura were no less imposing than Bibidong's.
After all, only three types of people could enter through the main gate of the Pope's Hall.
The first, naturally, was the Pope. The second were those who had reached the Title Douluo level. The third were the elders of the Spirit Hall. It was said that even the emperors of the two great empires and the Platinum Bishops were not qualified to pass through this gate.
"Long live Your Excellency, the Pope! Long live! Long live!"
As Bibidong appeared, rows of solemn Spirit Hall knights outside the Pope's Hall immediately knelt on one knee, their voices echoing like a tidal wave across the entire Pope's Mountain.
The Soul Masters in Spirit City, hearing this, also joined in, shouting in unison, hoping their voices would reach the Pope's ears.
For the Soul Masters present, the Pope and the Spirit Hall were their faith.
Under the pressure of this overwhelming atmosphere, the members of the Spirit Hall team and the Blazing Fire team also knelt.
Seeing this, Li Xun raised an eyebrow but did not kneel. Instead, he gave a slight bow with a hand over his chest. He felt kneeling was unnecessary, but basic etiquette still had to be observed.
It's said that one should kneel to heaven, earth, parents, and teachers, but not like a fool standing there like a wooden block. That not only fails to display one's noble character but also makes others look at you like a monkey.
Seeing that Li Xun didn't kneel, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong also followed suit with a slight bow. After all, no one wanted to kneel before others.
Presiding over the ceremony, Platinum Bishop Salas naturally noticed the situation. However, since Li Xun and his companions had performed the rituals flawlessly and he had received assistance from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, he chose not to make any unnecessary comments.
Bibidong glanced around, her gaze lingering on Li Xun for a moment before shifting elsewhere. "Rise," she commanded.
At her words, the crowd kneeling before the Pope's Hall slowly stood up, relieved.
Bibidong observed the scene before her, a smile playing on her lips. "Seeing you all, I feel as though I am witnessing the future of the Spirit Hall. But here, I wish to see your full strength and potential."
"The ultimate victor will also receive the final reward from the Spirit Hall," she continued, waving her hand and retrieving three glowing Soul Bones from her Soul Guiding Device.
These three Soul Bones were distinct: one was a right arm bone, another a left leg bone, and the last a head Soul Bone.
As Bibidong looked at these Soul Bones, a peculiar glint flashed in her eyes. Had she not already announced the final reward, the prizes she presented now would certainly have been different.
After all, her intention was to provide Huliena and her companions with a legitimate reason to obtain Soul Bones, not to aid Qian Renxue's loyal subordinates.
She had already heard about the incident involving the Heaven Dou Empire's Royal Knights yesterday. Through the series of events that had unfolded over the past two years, Bibidong had come to realize that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was genuinely supporting Qian Renxue.
As for Yu Xiaogang and the Blue Lightning Tyrant School, she didn't particularly care. But her feelings toward Qian Renxue were complex—part of her felt a sense of pity, while another part didn't want the other to hinder her plans.
Now, it seemed these Soul Bones would benefit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. Bibidong glanced at Ning Fengzhi out of the corner of her eye.
By watching the promotion matches held by the Heaven Dou Empire, Bibidong had already gained a rough understanding of Li Xun's strength. Originally, she had speculated that even if Li Xun could win, it wouldn't be an easy victory.
However, she hadn't expected Li Xun to improve so rapidly in such a short time, even obtaining a 100,000 Year Soul Ring. In this competition, Nana and the others had no hope of winning.
She wondered where the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had found a 100,000 Year Soul Beast and how they had convinced it to willingly sacrifice itself.
Bibidong's thoughts were inscrutable, and everyone was captivated by the three Soul Bones in her hands.
The crowd before the Pope's Hall was now in an uproar. After all, aside from a few who had prior knowledge, who could have imagined that the reward for this continent-wide elite Soul Master Competition would be three Soul Bones? Moreover, just by the radiant glow emanating from them, it was clear that these Soul Bones were of exceptional quality.
Greed, desire, and disbelief.
For a moment, the eyes of those present were filled with various emotions, including some of the Spirit Hall's elders, such as Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo.
For Soul Masters, the most important things were Soul Bones, followed by Spirit Rings. While Spirit Rings were also difficult to obtain, as long as they weren't of too high a year, one could always find help to secure them.
But Soul Bones were different. Obtaining them was entirely a matter of luck. A significant portion of Soul Masters could hunt Soul Beasts their entire lives without ever obtaining a single Soul Bone.
Although there are some evil methods to increase the drop rate of Soul Bones, hunting Soul Beasts also carries risks. Indiscriminate slaughter could greatly increase the likelihood of attracting attacks from Soul Beasts over ten thousand years old.
"These three Soul Bones are the Wisdom Head Bone of Mental Concentration, the Flame Right Arm Bone of Explosive Burning, and the Wind Chasing Left Leg Bone of Swift Movement."
Bibidong slowly raised the Soul Bones with her Soul Power, intending for everyone to see: "These three Soul Bones are all from ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts. The most precious among them is undoubtedly this Head Soul Bone, which has an age of fifty thousand years. It was personally obtained by the former Pope through a hunt and is a top-tier Soul Bone, second only to External Soul Bones and hundred-thousand-year Soul Bones."
When Qian Xunji was mentioned again, Bibidong's eyes flickered slightly.
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