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"Investigate?"
Spirit Hall.
After the Competition organizing committee decided to investigate Xuan Ming, Salas, as the representative of Spirit Hall, rushed back without delay.
Others might not know Xuan Ming's relationship with the Supreme Pontiff, but he knew it all too well!
That was someone who could sneak into the Pope's Palace late at night and leave through the main entrance the next day as if nothing had happened!
He had already left a bad impression on the Supreme Pontiff after the Sunset Forest incident. If he were to genuinely investigate Xuan Ming now, wouldn't the Supreme Pontiff kill him?
"Your Holiness, the organizing committee is now strongly demanding an investigation into Xuan Ming to give Canghui Academy justice. Your subordinate… doesn't know what to do," Salas said nervously.
Bibi Dong put down the information regarding the organizing committee's investigation order. "Investigate it as it should be investigated."
"Ah?" Salas was stunned.
"Your Holiness, this…"
"Investigate it as it should be investigated, understand?" Bibi Dong asked.
Salas was slightly taken aback. "Your subordinate understands!"
"This Soul Master Competition is becoming more and more muddled. So many people watched on site, yet they couldn't even tell if there was a problem with the participants." Bibi Dong paused, then looked at Yue Guan, who was standing nearby.
"Yue Guan, go join the fun, lest problems keep popping up every other day."
Yue Guan bowed slightly. "Understood."
Leaving the deliberation hall, Salas began to summon the Spirit Hall's Holy Knights and Red-robed Bishops. Since it was an investigation, it naturally had to be formal.
However, just as Salas was about to depart, Qian Jun Douluo suddenly appeared before him.
"Elder Qian Jun." Salas quickly bowed in salute.
Qian Jun Douluo, a ninety-sixth-level peak Douluo, along with Jiang Mo Douluo, was the teacher of the previous Supreme Pontiff, Qian Xunji. However, not long after Qian Xunji became Supreme Pontiff, Elder Qian Jun and Jiang Mo also broke through to ninety-sixth level, joining the Hall of Offerings, and had not shown their faces for decades.
"The Second Offering is looking for you," Qian Jun Douluo said indifferently.
Salas was stunned but dared not ask further. He had his subordinates wait where they were, while he followed Qian Jun Douluo towards the palace where the Second Offering, Golden Crocodile Douluo, resided.
Salas felt uneasy, following Qian Jun Douluo through the intricate corridors of Spirit Hall.
The Second Offering, Golden Crocodile Douluo, was a terrifying existence in Spirit Hall, second only to the High Priest, Qian Daoliu. His strength was unfathomable, and his personality even more unpredictable. The Sunset Forest incident half a year ago was directed by Golden Crocodile Douluo. But after that day, these Offerings left Heaven Dou City and returned to Spirit City, while the Supreme Pontiff remained in Heaven Dou City, leaving all the awkwardness to him!
Soon, the two arrived at a palace deep within Spirit Hall.
By a stone table in the center of the courtyard sat an old man in a golden robe, who was none other than the Second Offering, Golden Crocodile Douluo.
"Elder Golden Crocodile." Salas quickly bowed in salute.
"I heard there was a problem with the competition? And it's that kid Xuan Ming again," Golden Crocodile Douluo said indifferently.
Salas was slightly taken aback. "There is a problem, but…"
"What did the Supreme Pontiff say?" Golden Crocodile Douluo asked.
Salas dared not conceal anything and respectfully said, "Your Holiness said to investigate it as it should be investigated."
Golden Crocodile Douluo snorted coldly. "Covering up is covering up; why say it so subtly."
Salas buried his head even lower, not daring to breathe loudly.
"Since she wants to cover up, then let her cover up," Golden Crocodile Douluo said indifferently.
"However, you must let everyone know that it is the Supreme Pontiff who wants to cover up for Xuan Ming, understand?"
Salas was slightly startled. "Elder Golden Crocodile, this Supreme Pontiff covering up, isn't that just…"
"The Supreme Pontiff's favoritism and malpractice is the Supreme Pontiff's business," Golden Crocodile Douluo said indifferently.
Listening to Golden Crocodile Douluo's words, Salas's heart was in turmoil, completely unable to fathom what this Second Offering intended.
The Supreme Pontiff covering up for Xuan Ming was already a sensitive matter. Elder Golden Crocodile not only spoke frankly but also wanted him to publicize it. Wasn't this putting the Supreme Pontiff in the spotlight?
Could the news from Spirit City be true? Was the Elder Palace really planning to depose the Supreme Pontiff?
"Elder Golden Crocodile, this… acting this way, will it cause internal turmoil within Spirit Hall and affect Your Holiness's prestige…" Salas cautiously probed, his voice trembling slightly.
"It was the Supreme Pontiff who told you to do it," Golden Crocodile Douluo's tone sank slightly.
"Do you understand?"
"Your subordinate understands!" Salas quickly agreed.
"Your subordinate will obey Elder Golden Crocodile's… the Supreme Pontiff's command! I will do my best!"
…Leaving Spirit Hall, Salas's face was beyond description.
Golden Crocodile Douluo and Bibi Dong were vying for power, but he was the one suffering!
What kind of situation was this!
He couldn't afford to offend the Supreme Pontiff, and he certainly couldn't afford to offend Golden Crocodile Douluo!
Approaching the Heaven Dou Royal Hotel, Salas's Spirit Hall team and Ning Fengzhi's Imperial Family team converged.
During the competition, the Royal Fighting Team stayed here. Among the competing teams from various parts of the Empire, some teams that had achieved good results in previous years were also arranged to stay here, enjoying the best treatment, including the Five Elements Academy.
"Bishop Salas, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" School Master Ning asked with concern.
Salas replied with a cold face, "I am fine. No need for School Master Ning to worry."
Ning Fengzhi smiled slightly, not caring about Salas's cold attitude. His gaze swept over the Spirit Hall members behind Salas, and he softly asked, "I wonder how Spirit Hall plans to investigate?"
Salas cursed inwardly that Ning Fengzhi was bringing up an unpleasant topic, but he dared not show it on his face. He simply said coldly, "School Master Ning, rest assured, Spirit Hall will handle it impartially."
"Handle it impartially?" Ning Fengzhi nodded. "That's good. Although Xuan Ming's actions are somewhat unexpected, his nature is not bad. I don't think he would do anything to harm the competition. However, the students of Canghui Academy becoming idiots is indeed a bit strange. I hope Bishop Salas can get to the bottom of it."
Salas snorted. "That's natural. No need for School Master Ning to trouble himself."
At this moment, Xue Qinghe also walked out of the hotel. Seeing the scene of the two factions confronting each other, he secretly found it amusing, but on his face, he feigned a serious expression and stepped forward, saying, "Bishop Salas, School Master Ning, since everyone is here, let's go in together. Xuan Ming and the others are still waiting."
Salas and Ning Fengzhi exchanged glances, both nodded, and followed Xue Qinghe into the hotel.
In the hotel lobby, Xuan Ming and the others waited quietly. Some academy members who had completed their matches were also watching the commotion from various parts of the hotel.
In this Soul Master Competition, the most watched person was undoubtedly Xuan Ming, the star of the Great Spirit Arena.
However, many people suspected that Xuan Ming's performance in the Great Spirit Arena was merely a publicity stunt. After all, to be promoted to that position by the combined efforts of the Great Spirit Arena, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, strength was no longer very important.
Especially those who had watched Xuan Ming's final "exhibition match" in the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena, they scoffed at some of Xuan Ming's titles.
He had only achieved his current status through deliberate arrangement and hype by the Great Spirit Arena. In the upcoming Soul Master Competition, as long as they defeated Xuan Ming, that glory would naturally transfer to them.
On the second floor of the hotel, the members of the Five Elements Academy leaned against the railing, watching the "big show" about to unfold downstairs with great interest.
If they had to name the opponent they most anticipated, and also most worried about encountering, in this competition, it was undoubtedly the Royal Fighting Team, which should have been directly promoted but chose to participate in the preliminaries.
Although everyone was somewhat skeptical of the news from the Great Spirit Arena, to have reached that level, even if Xuan Ming's strength wasn't as exaggerated as rumored, he was definitely extremely powerful. Not to mention, they had seen the terrifying configuration of the Royal Fighting Team today.
One Spirit King, three Spirit Ancestors, one Spirit Elder, and then Xuan Ming and the girl standing silently beside him, who had never revealed her Spirit or spirit ring from beginning to end.
Even without Xuan Ming, the Royal Fighting Team's strength was extremely formidable!
Out of self-interest, they naturally hoped that the competition organizing committee would disqualify the Royal Fighting Team. However, there were also quite a few who looked forward to facing this team and winning the match.
"Xuan Ming, the competition organizing committee has decided to investigate you, mainly concerning the mental breakdown of the Canghui Academy students," Xue Qinghe said, his gaze sweeping over everyone's faces. "Do you have anything to say?"
"It's not my business. They broke down themselves," Xuan Ming said.
Although Evil God Protection was passively triggered, it only protected him and did not retaliate. The reason those people from Canghui Academy turned into idiots was because the mental impact gathered and unleashed by that move was too strong, and after being blocked by Evil God Protection, it was like a person with weak mental force using a mental control ability on someone with strong mental force and suffering a backlash.
At that time, those people had converted all their spirit power into mental force through a special Spirit Ability, and that so-called Seven Asura Illusion was an offense-only move. After the mental impact was blocked by Evil God Protection, it directly exploded.
Those guys from Canghui Academy were purely suffering the consequences of their own actions, driven mad by their own move.
"Even if the Canghui Academy participants became that way because of their own moves, how do you explain that aura around you?" Salas asked.
"A spirit ring," Xuan Ming said.
"I just absorbed a special spirit ring. The aura you saw is from that spirit ring."
"A spirit ring?" Salas frowned slightly.
"What kind of spirit ring would come with that kind of aura? Don't try to fool us with just any excuse."
"Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger," Xuan Ming said indifferently.
"Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger?" Salas frowned deeply.
"What is that?"
"Go check it yourself. Doesn't Spirit Hall claim to encompass all the information in the entire Spirit Master's World?" Xuan Ming said.
The Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger was indeed a Spirit Beast that only existed in legends for humans; very few people had even heard of such a thing.
After all, the Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger was extremely difficult to develop in the Spirit Beast World. Once it appeared, it would be attacked by the entire Spirit Beast race, who would never allow it to survive.
For a Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger to grow to a hundred years, it needed to devour at least a hundred ten-year Spirit Beasts. To grow to a thousand years, it would need to devour nearly a hundred hundred-year Spirit Beasts. As for ten thousand years, it would require another hundred thousand-year Spirit Beasts.
The sixty-thousand-year Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger he absorbed had devoured at least dozens of ten-thousand-year Spirit Beasts.
"Since you say so, I will go back and check," Salas said indifferently.
"However, until the results are out, for the safety of other participating teams, you cannot continue to compete."
Regardless of whether such a thing as a Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger existed, since Xuan Ming had given this excuse, he would just use it. As for whether others believed it, that was their business.
If it was true, then he was acting impartially. If it was false, then it was the Supreme Pontiff's concern.
If the Supreme Pontiff ordered him to fabricate some information, then he would be acting under orders, offending neither party.
"Goodbye."
After getting Xuan Ming's answer, Salas didn't ask any more questions and directly left with the Spirit Hall members.
Seeing this, the teachers and students from various academies watching from upstairs were all dumbfounded.
Just ask a couple of questions and leave? What the hell kind of investigation is this?
Can you be any more perfunctory?