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--- Chapter 138 ---
Spirit Hall, Pope's Palace.
"Dao Meeting?" Bibi Dong slowly picked up the invitation letter from Dao Academy and briefly read it with an unreadable expression. Yet, deep inside, the pope was seething with rage and regret.
Three years ago, when Liu Erlong left Blue Tyrant Academy and founded Dao Academy, Bibi Dong dismissed it as nothing but her former rival's pipe dream.
That was one of her biggest mistakes!
Bibi Dong underestimated the value of Dao Academy. Then, again, she didn't expect a new academy to possess a master theorist who was even wiser than her old love.
Even though Bibi Dong doesn't admit it, the theory published by the Dao Academy was really beneficial to the Douluo Continent, even causing the Spirit Hall to recruit many new commoner spirit masters.
Even the public called this master theorist a title Sage!
Compared to Yu Xiaoggang's Grandmaster Title, Sage is definitely in a higher position and resonates with the commoner's beliefs.
However, this "Sage" title is exactly why Bibi Dong couldn't make a move against Dao Academy. Since the Sage has helped the Douluo Continent, any danger imposed on this person's academy will cause a backlash.
So, Bibi Dong endured. She stayed silent while keeping her eyes on the Dao Academy's steady yet rapid growth until her unreliable daughter shared information about a storable spirit ring, also commonly known as Spirit Catcher now.
Spirit Catcher is monumental. It was a breaking point for Bibi Dong and other faction leaders. After all, the value of this thing could change the world.
It naturally causes greed to surface in their heart.
Suddenly, Dugu Bo appeared and declared that Dao Academy was under his protection. Those greedy factions faced the sinister Poison Douluo's wrath, and their foundation was 'directly' damaged beyond repair. They won't be able to return for a few decades if not centuries.
At first, Bibi Dong looked down on Dugu Bo because he was known as the weakest Title Douluo. However, she was so wrong.
Not long after Dugu Bo punished those greedy factions, he arrived at the front door and challenged Bibi Dong's subordinate, Chrysanthemum Douluo, to a duel.
And Dugu Bo won. He defeated Chrysanthemum Douluo with absolute power, leaving the Title Douluo with a 'flower' martial soul to become a pig head as if he possessed a pig-beast martial soul instead.
That was a shocker. The Poison Douluo, the weakest Title Douluo, has silently reached level 95!
While Dugu Bo's cultivation is still lower than Bibi Dong's, she knows the damage the Poison Douluo could have done to any faction because he could wipe a city with his poison.
Any person with a brain knew that making Poison Douluo an enemy was a dumb decision. Even Bibi Dong, an infamous loving brain, ignored that her subordinate (Chrysanthemum Douluo) got beaten into a pig head that even his mother couldn't recognize and love.
With that, Poison Douluo deterred everyone and became the guardian of Dao Academy. No one dares to covet the method of making Spirit Catcher anymore, at least on the surface.
Bibi Dong fell into a deep thought, "Nine people, seven students, and two mentors..."
"Elder Ghost, call Nana to my palace." Her voice broke through several thick walls before reaching Ghost Douluo.
Ghost Douluo was meditating in his quarter and replied politely, "Yes, Your Holiness."
Not long after, Bibi Dong's disciple, Hu Liena, arrived at the palace.
Hu Liena slipped her steps with a smile, "Teacher, I heard you're looking for me?"
"Mm." Bibi Dong nodded calmly. Looking at her disciple, she couldn't help but recall her younger days, a saintess with a lively nature and immense potential.
Bibi Dong accepted this girl as her disciple due to this reason.
She tossed the letter to Hu Liena, telling her to read it.
Hu Liena accepted the letter and curiously read it, shocked to find it was an invitation letter to an event called "Dao Meeting" at the newly risen Dao Academy.
"This... Teacher, do you want the Golden Generation to attend this Dao Meeting?" Hu Liena asked warily. After all, this felt like a trap to her.
Bibi Dong replied, "Yes. And it's not just you and the Golden Generation, but Ghost Douluo and I will also attend as mentors."
"Eh?" Hu Liena was surprised. "But your identity..."
Bibi Dong's identity is very sensitive. For the pope to attend the Dao Meeting, she definitely held it in high regard and everyone was wary of her every movement.
Bibi Dong waved her hand, "I can always disguise myself. My identity is sensitive, but I also wanted to see this academy personally. I wanted to see what makes them different from others…"
"I see..." Hu Liena found Bibi Dong's curiosity resonates with her desire to see the world. Being the saintess of Spirit Hall prevents her from getting out except for hunting for spirit rings and some fallen spirit masters.
Bibi Dong stood up from her throne and walked to Hu Liena, giving her head a few pats, "Nana, let's have dinner together."
Hu Liena's eyes lit up in excitement, "Okay~!"
...
...
Unknown to Bibi Dong, her daughter has silently returned to the Spirit Hall and visited the Worship Hall.
"Grandpa!" Qian Renxue stared at the solemn yet warm elder in white before her with a smile.
They hugged, and Qian Daoliu's solemn expression melted into a smile, "Xue'er, you're here! I thought you won't be visiting me until next year."
Qian Renxue giggled, "A certain genius boy is stirring problems for others, allowing me to keep everyone under control on my side. Also, thanks to him, I have controlled 40% of Heaven Dou Empire."
"It's just a matter of time before I complete my mission."
"A certain genius boy?" Qian Daoliu raised his eyebrow while rubbing his white beard. "Are you referring to the boy with a strong Martial Soul Fusion compatibility with you? That boy named Han Yuan?"
Qian Renxue replied, giving her grandfather a brief introduction about Han Yuan as far as she knew him, "Yeah, that one."
Qian Renxue didn't know that Qian Daoliu had investigated Han Yuan's background thoroughly.
Whether it was Han Yuan's birth village, Green Stone Village, his sister, or his early sign of genius, Qian Daoliu was confident he knew almost everything about the boy.
Even then, that "almost" made Han Yuan's unknown side mysterious to Qian Daoliu.
After awakening his mutated Blue Silver Grass, Han Yuan and his sister went missing for a few months before appearing with Liu Erlong. Then, they somehow agreed to establish an academy. The same Dao Academy that shook the continent several times recently.
Qian Daoliu also knew Han Yuan had a connection with the Merchant Union and founded some profitable businesses, but what concerned him more was the boy's unparalleled talent.
Three years ago, Han Yuan reached the Spirit Elder Realm. His heaven-defying record is even faster than Qian Daoliu's granddaughter, Qian Renxue, who awakened a God-level martial soul, Seraphim.
One has an innate spirit power of five.
And the other has the innate spirit power of twenty!
Now that Han Yuan has cultivated for three more years, Qian Daoliu is willing to bet the boy might have reached the Spirit King Realm if not the Spirit Emperor Realm.
They are roughly in the same realm now.
Qian Daoliu wasn't senile. He knew the boy was much more talented than his granddaughter.
No, he put Qian Renxue, who had god-like talent, to shame!
Seeing her grandfather in a daze, Qian Renxue shook Qian Daoliu's arm and asked, "Grandpa, are you okay?"
Qian Daoliu snapped out of his thought, "Ah, yes. I'm fine."
"Let's talk about the boy..."
"Xue'er, Grandpa has been reading old records and legends about Angel God and discovered some lead about your situation with the boy. It might be why your "Seraphim" martial soul has a connection with his mutated Blue Silver Grass."
"Oh, please tell me, Grandpa!" Qian Renxue was curious. She had been dying to explore this bizarre Martial Soul Fusion of hers and Han Yuan.
Qian Daoliu patted her head gently and uttered, "Once upon a time..."
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Alternative Title: Spirit Hall's Reaction