Inside the Pope's Palace.
"Bang—"
"You impudent junior!"
After listening to Ghost Douluo's report, Bibi Dong slammed her desk with a loud crack, fury blazing in her eyes.
At this very moment, she could not help but feel a trace of regret.
Had she known things would turn out like this, she would never have concocted this scheme of framing others.
Her original intention had been to push the Elemental Sacred Academy—who had seen through her ploy—onto the opposite side of Spirit Hall. And indeed, events were unfolding in that direction. But certain details had spiraled into a situation she did not want to see.
Yue Guan had been captured, and Mu Yang openly stated that Qian Renxue should go to the Elemental Sacred Academy to demand his release. Wasn't this forcing her onto the firepit?
Ask Qian Renxue to intercede? Impossible! Back then, Qian Xunji had done those beastly acts to her—Bibi Dong would rather die than lower her head before the Angel Clan again!
But if she did not ask Qian Renxue, then what? Yue Guan had followed her for many years. Even if he had no great merits, he had labored hard. If she abandoned him now, would that not chill the hearts of her other subordinates? How could she then continue to lead them?
If the Elemental Sacred Academy were merely a soft persimmon, there would be no need for such hesitation—she would storm their gates and demand Yue Guan's return.
They refuse? Then she would simply annihilate them!
Unfortunately, the Elemental Sacred Academy was no weakling. The private forces she had cultivated these years alone could not rival them, and even if she counted herself, the gap still remained.
Of course, if she added the forces of the Worship Hall's faction, Spirit Hall's strength would be more than enough, far surpassing the Elemental Sacred Academy.
The problem, however, was that although she was Pope, the forces of the Worship Hall would not obey her direct commands. Any major action required the approval of the Elder Council.
Undoubtedly, such a proposal could never pass.
After all, the Elemental Sacred Academy was no pushover. If Spirit Hall clashed with them head-on, even if they emerged victorious, they would surely pay a heavy price. In that case, would it not be better to let Qian Renxue go ransom Yue Guan herself?
Furthermore, Bibi Dong foresaw that this matter could never be publicized at the Elder Council. Otherwise, the many elders aligned with the Worship Hall would certainly challenge her.
And why not? The Elemental Sacred Academy had been neutral from the start—neither interfering with Spirit Hall nor crossing their path. Moreover, Qian Renxue's relationship with Mu Yang was fairly good. Yet, because of her scheme, the relationship between the two sides had instantly plummeted to freezing point.
To create an enemy for Spirit Hall out of thin air—was this the act of a qualified Pope?
After a moment of silence, Bibi Dong waved her hand. "I already have a plan for this matter. Elder Ghost, go heal your wounds first."
"Yes, Your Holiness."
Suppressing his pain, Ghost Douluo bowed and withdrew from the Pope's Palace.
Immediately after, Bibi Dong summoned Hu Liena and whispered a few instructions to her.
Bow her head before Qian Renxue? Impossible!
Ignore Yue Guan's capture? Equally impossible.
Did she have no other choice? Not quite. Bibi Dong had thought of a third path.
The key was not that she herself must beg Qian Renxue, but that she needed Qian Renxue to personally go to the Elemental Sacred Academy to ransom Yue Guan.
There were only two ways: either she asked Qian Renxue directly, or Ghost went to her.
After all, Yue Guan was also an elder of Spirit Hall. As the young master of Spirit Hall, how could Qian Renxue sit by idly while her subordinate was in peril?
Of course, to prevent Qian Renxue from thinking she was seeking her help, Bibi Dong deliberately avoided ordering Ghost to find her in Spirit Hall's name. Instead, she made Hu Liena subtly remind Ghost to approach Qian Renxue in his own name.
An hour later, in the wilderness more than ten miles south of Spirit City—
"Young Master is truly formidable. This subordinate concedes defeat."
A fierce battle had just ended, leaving the battlefield in shambles. As his Martial Spirit Avatar's duration came to an end, the massive blood-red Devil Bear vanished. Devil Bear Douluo, face slightly pale, addressed Qian Renxue, who still hovered in the air in her Angel Avatar form.
"Thank you, Elder Devil Bear, for letting me win."
With a flick of her wrist, she dispersed the sacred sword in her hand. The colossal Angel Avatar faded away, revealing her peerless, graceful figure.
In the next instant, a majestic and divine voice resounded in Qian Renxue's mind.
Immediately afterward, a golden stream of light shot out from the center of her brows, forming a golden screen. The screen shattered, scattering into motes of light that sank back into her brow.
At the same time, the soul power radiating from Qian Renxue surged upwards. Around her body shone eight spirit rings—purple, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—all glowing faintly with a golden halo.
Moments later, under the golden glow, her fourth purple thousand-year spirit ring transformed into a black ten-thousand-year spirit ring, while her eighth ring, which had originally carried faint traces of crimson, fully ascended into a one-hundred-thousand-year spirit ring.
Clearly, Qian Renxue had once again completed a trial of the Angel God's assessment. Not only had she gained a level-up reward, but she had also received an upgrade in her spirit ring years—her fourth and eighth spirit rings had undergone a qualitative transformation.
Mu Yang, this young lady has already completed the fourth trial. What about you?
Gazing at her newly transformed one-hundred-thousand-year eighth spirit ring, Qian Renxue could not help but think in delight.
"Congratulations, Young Master, on obtaining a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring!"
Seeing her eighth spirit ring evolve into a hundred-thousand-year one, Devil Bear, Ghost Leopard, She Long, and the others all revealed envy in their eyes before offering their congratulations.
Waving her hand, Qian Renxue glanced at the contents of her next trial. Discovering that it needed to be completed within the Angelic Sanctuary, she returned to Spirit City, eager to continue her assessments and ascend to godhood as soon as possible.
The entrance to the Angelic Sanctuary was within the Douluo Hall. But before she even reached it, Qian Renxue spotted Ghost Douluo standing outside the hall from afar.
Ghost? What is he doing here?
Her brows furrowed slightly, puzzlement flickering across her mind.
Ghost and Yue Guan were Bibi Dong's loyal followers. Since her relationship with Bibi Dong was strained, after returning to Spirit City she had scarcely interacted with Ghost at all.
"Greetings, Young Master."
The moment Ghost saw Qian Renxue approaching, he quickly stepped forward and bowed.
"Mm, Elder Ghost, you're injured?"
Noticing the turbulence in his aura and the paleness of his face, Qian Renxue nodded slightly and asked.
"Please, Young Master, save Yue Guan!"
Without another word, Ghost dropped to one knee before her, his tone filled with urgency and supplication.
"Elder Ghost, please rise quickly. What in the world has happened?"
Qian Renxue's eyelids twitched, and she hurriedly helped him up.
Though Ghost was not her subordinate, he was still an elder of Spirit Hall. He was no mere stray cat or dog—both by reason and by propriety, she could not neglect him.
And yet, regardless of what had transpired, the fact that one of Bibi Dong's closest confidants had come to beg her personally left Qian Renxue secretly elated.
After all, this meant that the matter at hand was something Bibi Dong herself could not resolve—but she could. Otherwise, Ghost would never have turned to her.
Bibi Dong, oh Bibi Dong, so you also have this day?!
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
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