Chapter 225: Qian Renxue Refuses to Kneel Before His Father—A Path Toward Death
The three teams—Tianshui Academy, Spirit Hall's team, and Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team—all appeared with full seven-member lineups. The Second Team had adjusted their formation: Gu Chen, Tang San, Yu Tianheng, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Ye Lingling, and Oscar.
Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun remained in the rest area alongside Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and others. Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were still pale, their complexions bloodless. After being defeated by Davis and Zhu Zhuyun—crushed four times—they were hanging on by a thread.
Even with assistance from Nine Heart Begonia, the number one healing spirit, three days wasn't enough to fully heal them. Ye Lingling had to conserve soul power for the match, so she couldn't use everything on them.
Qian Renxue appeared calm. After half a day of tactical discussion with Shui Bing'er, he had finally found a strategy to defeat the Spirit Hall team. Of course, his father wouldn't give him a challenge he couldn't handle.
"The arrival of His Holiness the Pope!"
As the lead attendant shouted, three waves of thunderous cries echoed throughout Spirit City:
"Long live His Holiness!"
The sound rolled up and down the mountain like a tidal wave, shaking the air. Every citizen of Spirit City stopped what they were doing and raised their arms in reverence, chanting praise for the Pope.
The massive ten-meter-high doors of the Pope's Hall swung open. Qian Xunji emerged first, holding the Pope's scepter, wearing a majestic purple-gold crown and clad in a pristine platinum ceremonial robe.
The streak of white hair on Qian Xunji's forehead had turned golden again—not because the Rakshasa energy was gone, but because he had learned to suppress it in normal situations. If tempted—say by a provocatively posed, nude Ah Yin—the white would reappear, and the darkness would surge.
Behind him walked six others.
Next to him was, of course, Ah Yin, dressed in her signature blue gown. Her gentle face lacked the authority of those behind her and gave off a warm and soothing presence.
The other five were dressed in crimson robes inlaid with gold and silver patterns. The gem on each of their chests, the size of a baby's fist, marked them as Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo Elders.
They were Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo, and the honorary elder Bone Douluo.
Only three kinds of people could walk through the front gate of the Pope's Hall: the Pope, Titled Douluo who had proven their strength, and the Hall's Elders. Even the Platinum Bishops or emperors of the two empires had no right to use this entrance.
Any soul master who reached Titled Douluo level could receive a title at the Douluo Hall and be named an honorary elder. Sect masters of the Upper Three Sects automatically gained honorary status regardless of power.
The last two were Tang Xiao and Ning Fengzhi. As sect masters, they wore their sect robes instead of the red ceremonial garb.
At that moment, all Spirit Hall affiliates—including the Spirit Hall team—knelt on one knee in reverence and awe.
Tianshui Academy, led by Qian Renxue, also dropped to one knee. He looked up respectfully at his parents. Shui Bing'er and her teammates followed suit.
"Greetings, Your Holiness!"
Only the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team, along with Flender, Yu Xiaogang, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun, did not kneel.
Gu Chen, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's once-in-a-century prodigy, had never been made to kneel by Ning Fengzhi or Bone Douluo. Naturally, he wouldn't kneel now.
Yu Tianheng, proud scion of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, would never kneel before Spirit Hall.
Tang San? Never. The Pope was his mortal enemy. If it had just been Tang Xiao and Ah Yin in front of him, he'd kneel immediately.
Ye Lingling was about to kneel but stopped when none of her teammates did.
Oscar had never cared about Spirit Hall. The only time he felt grateful was when receiving gold soul coins. After being reborn, his attitude matched that of Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu. Kneel to Spirit Hall? Never—not in his past life, and not now.
Spirit Hall soul masters glared furiously at the Second Team.
Qian Renxue glanced coldly at them, his gaze briefly lingering on Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun—faces pale with injury. In his eyes flashed not only anger but killing intent.
The Upper Three Sects—these wolves in sheep's clothing. Not even kneeling before his father? Traitors. They clearly harbored ambitions to overthrow Spirit Hall. They were courting death.
Qian Xunji, however, remained calm. A faint smile played on his lips as he gently raised his scepter and said, "Rise."
Everyone who had been kneeling stood up. Aside from Qian Renxue, most had already cooled their anger.
His parents might be tolerant—but Qian Renxue was not. He had already decided that he would enter the upcoming individual battles first and beat the Heaven Dou Second Team senseless—one by one—until they knelt and begged for forgiveness.
Qian Xunji's smile remained as he swept his gaze across the twenty-one young soul masters from the three finalist teams. When he reached Qian Renxue, he paused.
"I see hope in each of you," he said. "Before the Pope's Hall, I hope to witness all your talent and strength. The ultimate victor shall receive Spirit Hall's highest reward."
He lightly waved his angelic scepter. No one saw how he moved, but suddenly, two points of light appeared before him—growing rapidly.
As they emerged, every pair of eyes in the square—except those of Xiao Wu and Ah Yin—burned with greed, including those of Tang Xiao, Ning Fengzhi, Bone Douluo, and the Elder Hall's top figures.
Two soul bones. Two 100,000-year soul bones.
One glowed with pink light—a 100,000-year head soul bone from the Soft Bone Rabbit.
The other radiated a sinister purple-black aura—a 100,000-year right arm soul bone from the Death Spider Emperor.
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