Just as Xiao Lin and the others returned to Nuoding Academy, Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and their group also returned to the Spirit Hall.
Inside the Pope's Hall—
Bibi Dong looked at Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, who had barely recovered from the brink of death and was still severely injured, and narrowed her eyes.
"Yue Guan, you risked your life to protect the Golden Generation and brought back news of a 100,000-year soul beast. I, the Pope, am very satisfied."
After thinking for less than three seconds, Bibi Dong waved her hand and announced the reward.
"Award Elder Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan with a ten-thousand-year spirit bone and 10,000 gold soul coins."
"Thank you, Your Holiness. This is what I should do," Yue Guan said, clutching his chest. Though still in pain, his face was filled with joy.
For a Titled Douluo like him, gold soul coins were trivial. Spirit bones were the true treasures. After absorbing one, he might even break through his current level, and serious injuries could heal quickly.
He had made the right gamble.
"Yue Guan, tell me about the strength of that 100,000-year soul beast."
Bibi Dong wasn't interested in thanks. Right now, she only wanted to pass the divine test perfectly and obtain the best spirit rings.
A 100,000-year spirit ring was the most powerful in today's Douluo Continent, and such beasts always dropped 100,000-year spirit bones. Bibi Dong even opened a soul power barrier to prevent anyone else from hearing this sensitive information.
She desperately needed 100,000-year spirit bones to complete her divine test.
Whether the ring or bone matched her martial spirit didn't matter—such rare resources could not be given to others.
"Your Holiness, the 100,000-year soul beast was the Titan Giant Ape, known as the King of the Star Dou Forest."
"It only took two moves—no, just one. The first time I clashed with it, it hit me with an ordinary-looking punch that severely injured me."
"The second time, it used a gravity domain that directly tore apart my ninth soul skill and nearly killed me."
"If not for my Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum martial spirit's indestructible soul power, I wouldn't be standing here."
Even as he described the Titan Giant Ape, Yue Guan showed a trace of fear. In a one-on-one fight, he was no match. Even with Gui Mei, he didn't believe they could win—unless they used their martial spirit fusion skill and the Polar Still Domain.
"Gravity Domain, huh?"
Bibi Dong had the Killing God Domain herself and was well aware of a domain's power.
"Looks like I'll need to plan this carefully. If other 100,000-year soul beasts interfere…"
Bibi Dong wasn't afraid of the Titan Giant Ape; she had confidence in her strength. But caution was necessary—just in case. 100,000-year soul beasts were known to stand united against humans.
She was in a critical phase of her divine test and couldn't even use part of her soul power, so for now, she took note of the situation.
"Gui Mei."
"I am here."
As soon as Bibi Dong called, Gui Mei emerged from the shadows.
"I want you to scout out the Titan Giant Ape's activity area. Three years from now, after the Advanced Spirit Master Academy Competition, I'll consider making a move."
"Yes."
Gui Mei agreed without hesitation. Seeing his close friend Yue Guan receive a ten-thousand-year spirit bone, he wasn't jealous, but he did feel a bit envious. Naturally, he wanted to perform well and earn one himself.
In the next instant, Gui Mei vanished. Only someone with very strong spiritual power could follow his movements.
Sending Gui Mei to gather intel was a smart move.
Right now, what Bibi Dong wanted even more was to study the records in the Spirit Hall library about the legends of 100,000-year soul beasts.
The Forest King Titan Giant Ape was usually found only in myths—unknown to most soul masters.
Now that Chrysanthemum Douluo had really encountered one, she began to suspect there might be other powerful 100,000-year soul beasts in the Star Dou Forest.
Perhaps those legends weren't just stories.
For example, the Forest Emperor: the Sky Azure Bull Python.
Or the rulers of the Extreme North.
…
"By the way, the two—or three—geniuses that Xie Yue mentioned, which family or faction are they from?"
"They've already absorbed a 2,000-year second soul ring at such a young age?"
"That far exceeds Grandmaster's theoretical limit."
Bibi Dong frowned slightly, looking somewhat troubled.
She believed in Grandmaster (Yu Xiaogang)'s new theory about maximum ring age limits, but his original theory set the second ring limit at 700+ years.
How could someone already surpass that just months after the theory was published?
Even if Xie Yue claimed the boy called Xiao San had absorbed a plant-type soul beast's ring…
"I heard that this Xiao San has a Blue Silver Grass martial spirit?"
"Is Blue Silver Grass that strong? Innate full soul power?"
"Why has Spirit Hall never heard of a full soul power Blue Silver Grass user before?"
"That doesn't align with Grandmaster's theory, either."
Bibi Dong was full of doubts.
If she hadn't sent Na'er to find a purely spiritual-type soul ring, neither Na'er nor Yue Guan would've ended up in the Star Dou Forest near Soto City.
So—could these geniuses be from a hidden power under the Star Luo Empire?
She suspected so.
After all, the Heaven Dou Empire's emperor was weak, relying on various duchies to match the Star Luo Empire's strength.
And those duchies, being semi-independent, meant Heaven Dou had a weaker grip on its factions—making infiltration easier for Spirit Hall.
So if these geniuses were from the Heaven Dou Empire, Spirit Hall would likely know more about them.
But if they were still within Heaven Dou's sphere of influence…
Soto City?
Didn't Grandmaster go there to teach?
Shrek Academy had a few geniuses.
Bibi Dong knew a bit about Shrek Academy.
Still, it was the Star Luo Empire that concerned her most.
After thinking it over, she decided that Spirit Hall would have to exert pressure on the Star Luo Empire in the coming years.
Any empire with that kind of latent power would be a threat to her future Spirit Empire.
Especially since Bibi Dong knew the Dai family of Star Luo had inherited some kind of War God lineage.
Having seen the power of deities, Bibi Dong was wary of the Star Luo Empire.
She had only relaxed a bit because the current generation of Star Luo princes was said to have weak talent.
But now she realized—if soul masters could absorb soul rings beyond the limit, then talent and potential could also increase.
That so-called War God inheritance might exist.
Considering the Dai family's martial spirit fusion skill, a second-class god like the War God might not be weaker than her Rakshasa God.
…
Suddenly, Bibi Dong felt an intense sense of crisis.
She hadn't felt this way before—after all, she was the heir of a god.
But ever since that paper by Xiao Yan and Lin Dong had stirred up chaos in the soul master world…
She'd started to feel a loss of control, like heroes were rising from all corners.
She no longer felt she held all the cards. And that's why she was now so desperate for a 100,000-year-old ring and bone.
"Your Holiness, a new thesis has arrived."
Outside the Pope's Hall, Wu Ning spoke with some irritation, holding a paper in his hand.
"Bring it in."
(End of Chapter)
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