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Bibi Dong turned around and looked at Yan with a cold stare. Her voice was deep and scary as she asked if he was questioning her decision. Yan froze instantly under the weight of her powerful aura. All his anger and words died in his throat, and his face turned pale. He quickly lowered his head and started to shake with fear. He told her that he would never dare to question her.
Xie Yue and Hu Liena felt their hearts tighten when they saw this. They lowered their heads even more, not wanting to make the Supreme Pontiff even angrier. After she quieted her own team, Bibi Dong looked out at the crowd. Many people were still confused and talking amongst themselves. She spoke again in a clear, firm voice that no one could argue with.
She explained that the Martial Soul Fusion Skill shown by Tianxing Academy was very special. She told everyone clearly that their attack was so strong that no Spirit Master below the rank of a Titled Douluo could survive it head-on. This meant even the Golden Generation of Spirit Hall stood no chance against it.
The entire audience was shocked to hear this. The high-level Spirit Masters in the crowd looked horrified. Since the Supreme Pontiff said it herself, everyone knew it must be true. The people who supported Spirit Hall had nothing left to say. They looked at Tang Chen and Xiao Ruier with a mix of fear and respect.
Bibi Dong did not say anything else about the fight. She raised her right hand and waved it gently. Three bright lights appeared, and the three spirit bones from before floated in front of her. There was a skull bone for wisdom, a right arm bone with fire power, and a left leg bone for speed. Seeing these ten-thousand-year spirit bones made many people in the crowd feel very greedy.
She looked at Tang Chen and told Tianxing Academy to come forward and take their prize for winning the championship. Even though the treasure was right there, the important people in the VIP area, like Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe, felt uneasy. They knew this peace would not last and that a bigger problem was coming.
Dugu Bo and Tang Chen looked at each other. Dugu Bo used his spirit power to send a private message directly into Tang Chen's ear. He told the boy to go get the reward and to be careful. He didn't think Bibi Dong would try anything while everyone was watching, and he promised to keep a close eye on her.
Tang Chen nodded to show he understood. He took a deep breath to steady his spirit power, which was still a bit messy from using the Fusion Skill. He walked toward the center of the square with a calm face. He did not act scared or overly proud as he approached the most powerful woman on the continent. His steps were steady, and many people watching admired how brave he was.
When he got close to Bibi Dong, he saw how beautiful she really was. She looked noble and elegant. However, she did not give him the bones right away. She stared at his calm face for a moment before speaking. She told him he was much more talented than she expected. She said that staying at Tianxing Academy was a waste and that Spirit Hall was the only place where he could reach the peak of his power.
She then made him a huge offer. She promised that if he joined Spirit Hall, he would immediately become an Elder. This would give him more power and resources than almost anyone else. People in the crowd gasped when they heard this. Usually, someone like Yue Guan or Gui Mei had to work for decades and reach the rank of Titled Douluo to become an Elder. Tang Chen was only a Spirit Emperor at level sixty.
Tang Chen looked into her eyes and knew this was his last warning. He knew that if Spirit Hall could not use his talent, they would try to kill him. He did not hesitate. He politely thanked her but said he liked being free. He told her he did not want to be controlled or follow their rules. He finished by saying that Spirit Hall was not the right place for him.
His refusal was very clear. Everyone held their breath, shocked that a young man would say no to the Supreme Pontiff. The small smile of respect on Bibi Dong's face disappeared. Her eyes turned cold as ice again. She looked at him for a few seconds and then said, "Very good," in a voice that had no emotion.
She waved her hand, and the three glowing spirit bones floated over to Tang Chen. She told him to take them. The process was surprisingly easy. After he took the bones, Bibi Dong turned around without another word. Surrounded by her guards and Elders, she walked back into the Supreme Pontiff Palace.
Once she was gone, the heavy feeling in the air vanished. The square erupted into loud cheers as people celebrated the miracle victory of Tianxing Academy. But Tang Chen did not stay to celebrate. He did not even hand out the bones yet. He put them away quickly and looked at Dugu Bo. They both knew they had to leave immediately.
Without talking to anyone else, the Tianxing Academy group followed Dugu Bo and Tang Chen out of Spirit City as fast as they could. They moved so quickly that most people didn't even realize they were gone. Xue Qinghe, Ning Fengzhi, and Sword Douluo Chen Xin also left at the same time and joined them.
They all sat together inside a large, fancy carriage provided by the empire. It was a smooth ride thanks to special spirit tools. They traveled for two hours and were nearly fifty miles away from the city. The woods outside looked peaceful, but the carriage was very quiet inside.
Finally, Dugu Bo spoke up. He was worried because the trip had been too easy so far. He didn't believe Bibi Dong would let them go without a fight. Just as Ning Fengzhi was about to answer, the silence was broken. Dozens of sharp whistling sounds came from the forest.
It sounded like a storm of arrows or hidden weapons. The sounds were fast and covered the entire carriage instantly. Strong spirit power locked onto them from all sides. There were many attackers, and they were not trying to hide their intent to kill anymore.
Everyone in the carriage looked alarmed. Chen Xin opened his eyes, and they were filled with sharp sword energy. Tang Chen also opened his eyes slowly. He looked very calm, as if he knew this was coming. He quietly said that what they were waiting for had finally arrived.