"Who said I was thinking about him? I was just thinking about something else!" Shui Bing'er's cheeks flushed pink, her gaze slightly evasive. While she had indeed been thinking about Lin Jie, it wasn't in the way her younger sister imagined.
"Hehe~ Xue Wu-jie, look! Big Sis is blushing!" Shui Yue'er giggled as she leaned toward the blushing Shui Bing'er.
"Keep that up and I won't be so polite," Shui Bing'er huffed, raising a delicate fist in mock annoyance.
"Hehe, okay, okay, I'll stop. I won't say another word," Shui Yue'er replied, still smiling cheekily.
As the girls of Tianshui Academy returned to their residence, Shui Bing'er remained thoughtful, clearly lost in her own musings.
By now, the fourth round of the tournament had come to a close without suspense. Unsurprisingly, the top three teams advancing to the finals were the strongest—Spirit Hall Academy, Shrek Academy, and Godwind Academy. What came next was the final clash to determine the ultimate champion.
The day after the fourth round concluded, the eliminated academies began to leave, unable to continue spectating the final rounds. Some, however, chose to remain to witness the crowning of the champion.
Beneath the radiant morning sun, the Pontiff's Palace, already resplendent, gleamed even more brilliantly. At the foot of the holy mountain, two rows of elite palace knights stood at full attention, extending from the grand gates all the way down the slope. Clad in matching bright silver armor and bearing heavy knight swords, they gave the entire scene an air of sacred solemnity.
At the break of dawn, the three remaining finalist teams gathered in front of the Pontiff's Palace. Only the competing team members were allowed to enter; their coaches and instructors had to remain outside.
Twenty-one Spirit Masters stood silently in the vast plaza, awaiting the final trial.
The seven members of Spirit Hall Academy, led by Xie Yue, stood at ease, their eyes filled with unwavering devotion—to Spirit Hall, and to their Supreme Pontiff.
On the opposite side, the team from Godwind Academy bore resolute expressions, each carrying their own determination.
Meanwhile, the Shrek Seven remained composed and low-key, standing in a neat line, calmly awaiting the events to come.
The plaza before the Pontiff's Palace was larger than any previous competition venue, and the stone tiles beneath their feet emitted a faint luster. Though not actual jade, the stone was exceptionally dense and durable—far more so than ordinary rock.
Suddenly, the side doors of the Pontiff's Palace opened. A group of twelve cardinals clad in crimson robes emerged, walking solemnly into formation.
The cardinal at the lead raised his voice. "Her Holiness the Supreme Pontiff arrives!"
"Long live the Pope! Long live! Long live!"
Three thunderous cheers erupted across the plaza, echoing like a tidal wave throughout Spirit Hall. Even those within Spirit City paused and turned their gazes toward the Pontiff 's Palace. For the Spirit Masters living in the city, the Pope was their faith incarnate.
Yet, inside a modest teahouse in one corner of the city, a tall, disheveled man sipped his tea with an air of indifference. His eyes held disdain—a stark contrast to the surrounding crowd filled with reverent awe.
Back at the plaza, the massive double doors of the Pontiff's Palace slowly swung open.
All eyes instinctively turned toward the doors. Even the Spirit Hall Academy students found their hearts racing.
Lin Jie narrowed his eyes, gazing toward the entrance—and the moment a figure appeared, his pupils contracted.
A woman stepped forth, draped in regal robes of silvery purple. Upon her head sat a nine-curved golden crown inlaid with amethysts. Her slender, jade-like fingers held a scepter nearly two meters long, studded with countless gemstones. Her snow-white skin, elegant willow brows, mysterious violet eyes, and gently curled crimson hair framed her perfect, noble, and serene features. Words failed to describe her beauty and majesty. This was none other than the Supreme Pontiff—Bibi Dong.
In that moment, it felt as if all light had converged upon her. She seemed almost ethereal, transcendent, as though she stood above the mortal realm.
Every member of Spirit Hall dropped to one knee in unison.
"Greetings, Your Holiness!"
Four others followed behind her. Three of them wore robes adorned with golden emblems the size of a child's fist—stunning gems embedded in their chests.
One of them was a man familiar to the Shrek team—Chen Xin, the famed Sword Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, a Rank 96 Title Douluo, known as the strongest offensive sword user.
The other two were easily recognizable—Bibi Dong's loyal enforcers: Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei.
Only two types of people could walk out of the Pontiff's Palace alongside the Supreme Pontiff: Titled Douluo, or elders of Spirit Hall. Even platinum bishops or kings had no such privilege.
The final person, while not a Titled Douluo, was none other than Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and also an elder of Spirit Hall.
Lin Jie's gaze, however, was not on any of these figures. It remained fixed on Bibi Dong. In his eyes, she was a powerful, capable, and patient woman—but also a deeply tragic one. Whether she was good or evil… depended entirely on perspective. To debate her morality was meaningless.
As he looked at her, Lin Jie felt a complex, indescribable emotion rising within him.
Everyone present knelt, including the members of Godwind Academy. But Shrek's seven stood tall, unbending.
Lin Jie didn't kneel—because he believed he didn't need to.
Zhu Zhuqing stood by his side. Since Lin Jie remained standing, so did she.
Ning Rongrong, as the daughter and successor of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, naturally would not kneel either.
Tang San, proud and principled, only knelt to his parents and teacher—not even a king could command his respect. Dai Mubai, as a prince, of course would not kneel.
Ma Hongjun and Oscar shared Tang San's view.
On the other side of the plaza, standing beside Liu Erlong, Xiao Wu lowered her head as soon as Bibi Dong appeared. A trace of hatred flashed through her eyes—but she said nothing, and few noticed her expression.
Bibi Dong's gaze swept across the plaza—until it landed on the Shrek Seven. Her followers glared at them with visible fury.
Chrysanthemum Douluo leaned in, whispering something into her ear. Bibi Dong's eyes lingered briefly on Tang San, then focused on Lin Jie. He intrigued her.
The moment Bibi Dong's eyes met his, Lin Jie felt a faint tremor in his soul. His eyes narrowed, a glint of light flashing across them, and the discomfort quickly faded. He met her gaze directly.
"How dare you look directly at the Pope!" the lead cardinal shouted angrily.
But Bibi Dong's expression softened. She raised a hand slightly, silencing the cardinal instantly. With reverence in his eyes, he stepped back.
Bibi Dong glanced once more at the Shrek team, then said no more. With a flick of her scepter, her soft voice echoed across the plaza.
"Rise."
Those kneeling slowly stood once more.
Wearing a faint smile, Bibi Dong looked down upon the twenty-one remaining competitors.
"I see great promise in you all," she said. "Here at the Pontiff's Palace, I hope you'll display your full strength and talent. The champion of this tournament will receive Spirit Hall's most generous reward."
As she finished speaking, Bibi Dong waved her scepter again—and three radiant beams of light appeared out of thin air, transforming into three distinct objects.
Three Spirit Bones.
A right arm bone, a skull, and a left leg bone—each glowing with fiery red, pale blue, and deep green light, respectively.
Even the spectators at the base of the steps could clearly see the brilliance of these three Spirit Bones. Instantly, the entire audience erupted.
Spirit Bones—three of them! And judging by their radiance, all three were of extraordinary quality.
Every Spirit Master present trembled inwardly. Spirit Bones were precious beyond measure—nearly impossible to find.
Spirit Bones also varied in quality. The older the Spirit Beast they came from, the more powerful and valuable the bone.
There were six main types: skull, torso, left arm, right arm, left leg, and right leg. Among these, the most valuable was the torso, followed by the skull. After that came the right arm, left arm, left leg, and right leg. On top of these, there were External Spirit Bones—rare and capable of growth, such as the Eight Spider Lances possessed by Zhu Zhuqing.
The three bones that Bibi Dong had revealed were all over 10,000 years in age—each one a priceless treasure.
At that moment, Ghost Douluo Gui Mei stepped forward and spoke in a deep voice:
"These three Spirit Bones are: the Skull Bone - Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull, the Immolation Flame Right Arm, and the Windchasing Left Leg Bone of Swift Movement. Each one originates from a ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast. The Wisdom Skull Bone, in particular, came from a beast over fifty thousand years old, slain personally by the previous Supreme Pontiff. It is a top-tier Spirit Bone, surpassed only by External Spirit Bones or those born from hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beasts."