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"Your Supreme Pontiff, the competition organizing committee cannot make a ruling on this matter, so they plan to consult you to determine a final outcome."
At Spirit Hall, Salas, after much effort, finally managed to dump the mess onto Bibi Dong.
This matter was now inextricable; logically, no one could convince anyone else. To resolve it, only someone with absolute authority could make a decision.
In the Spirit Master's world, who possessed absolute authority?
Only the Supreme Pontiff!
Spirit Hall established the rules for Spirit Masters, and as the highest leader of Spirit Hall, the Supreme Pontiff held the power to define many things!
If the Supreme Pontiff declared Xuan Ming guilty, then he was guilty, and vice versa.
"Bishop Salas certainly knows how to play games," Bibi Dong said, casually flipping through the investigation files on her desk.
"After all that fuss, he finally dumped the trouble into my hands."
Salas's expression stiffened, and he quickly bowed his head, "Your Supreme Pontiff, please calm your anger, your subordinate absolutely did not mean that!"
"Absolutely did not mean that?" Bibi Dong snorted lightly.
"Alright, since you want to be a non-stick pot, I won't force you."
"They want a result, so this seat will give them a result."
"Xuan Ming is innocent. This is my intention, the intention of the Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall."
"Is that enough?"
Salas's heart tightened, and he quickly bowed, saying, "Your Supreme Pontiff is wise; your subordinate will now convey your decree to the competition organizing committee."
"…"
"Any more questions?" Bibi Dong asked.
"Your subordinate takes his leave!" Salas bowed his head and quickly exited the main hall.
After Salas left, Bibi Dong leaned back in her chair, lost in thought, "Golden Crocodile, trying to incriminate me in this way?"
Now, Xuan Ming's matter was bound to escalate. By linking her with Xuan Ming, as long as Xuan Ming's matter blew up, she would not be able to escape responsibility. At that time, Golden Crocodile would have a legitimate reason to depose the Supreme Pontiff… "His calculations are quite loud, but unfortunately, he's thinking too beautifully."
…Meanwhile, after the competition organizing committee received the Supreme Pontiff's decree conveyed by Salas, there was an uproar. Although they still had doubts, the Supreme Pontiff's authority was unquestionable, so they could only reluctantly declare Xuan Ming innocent and reinstate his eligibility to compete.
After this news spread, the entire Heaven Dou City once again erupted. Some cheered, believing the Supreme Pontiff was wise and had cleared Xuan Ming's name. Others were indignant, feeling that the Supreme Pontiff was biased towards Xuan Ming and had been unfair.
Everyone in the Royal Fighting Team was very happy after hearing this news.
Even if Xuan Ming went on stage, he might not necessarily make a move, but being able to stand with him in the arena for a Spirit fight was a very happy thing in itself.
"Where's Xuan Ming? He can join us for tomorrow's match," Dugu Yan said excitedly.
During the period when Xuan Ming was temporarily suspended, he didn't even go to the Spirit fighting arena, staying in the hotel instead, saying he was stabilizing his spirit power and spirit ring.
But today, after they returned from their match, they didn't even see a trace of him.
"I don't know. He didn't say. It's almost dinner time, so he might have gone to eat?" Zhuqing guessed.
"Eating? Probably not. I think he probably went to accompany the pretty older sister," Ning Rongrong said strangely.
"Pretty older sister?" Dugu Yan was startled.
"What pretty older sister?"
"Uh…" Ning Rongrong was a bit awkward.
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling didn't seem to know about the existence of Bi Ji and Zi Ji. Should she tell them?
If she told them and these two got angry, would Xuan Ming think she was sowing discord?
Just then, a knock sounded, and Xue Qinghe's voice came from outside the door, "Xuan Ming, do you have time?"
Ning Rongrong walked forward and opened the door, "Your Crown Prince, Xuan Ming is not here."
"Not here?" Xue Qinghe frowned slightly, scanning everyone in the room. When he saw Gu Yuena was also there, his brows relaxed again.
"Where did he go?"
"I don't know. Rongrong guessed he probably went to accompany the pretty older sister," Xiao Wu said.
"Pretty older sister?" Xue Qinghe's brows furrowed slightly.
"Rongrong, what pretty older sister does he know now?"
"…" Ning Rongrong.
Why did I have to open my mouth!
…Outside Heaven Dou City, the afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the winding path, draping the earth in a golden veil.
Xuan Ming, returning from Heaven Dou Royal Academy, was walking alone on the road back to Heaven Dou City.
During this time, Bi Ji and the others were all at the Spirit fighting arena watching Gu Yuena's matches, and the Three-Eyed Golden Lion was no exception. He had also asked Ning Fengzhi to help arrange a special private box for Bi Ji and the others.
As for him, he continued to stabilize his Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger spirit ring and the evil aura on his body. Although this energy wouldn't harm him, it wasn't very friendly to those around him. When he tried to attach the evil attribute energy to his Domain to enhance its suppressive power during team battle training, he almost accidentally injured Dugu Yan and the others.
Fortunately, he didn't try it during a match, or it would have been truly embarrassing.
As he walked, Xuan Ming's pace gradually slowed. Although the setting sun shone on him, there was no feeling of warmth; instead, a cold aura surged from all directions.
"You finally came," Xuan Ming stopped.
"What do you mean? You know me?"
A white-robed old man slowly emerged from the void.
"You've been watching me for so many days, how could I not know?" Xuan Ming said.
"Shi Nian."
Shi Nian's mouth curved slightly, revealing a sinister smile, "It seems the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has already received the news. However, since you knew someone would make a move on you, why did you come out alone?"
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School as well. They didn't even send a few people to follow you secretly. It seems they don't value you that much."
"Whether they value me or not, don't worry about it. If you're going to make a move, do it quickly," Xuan Ming said.
Shi Nian frowned slightly, "You deliberately lured me out?"
"Otherwise?" Xuan Ming said.
"Why?" Shi Nian asked, puzzled.
"Are you crazy?"
"I heard your Spirit, Lingering Dream, can make people see their greatest fears. I'm very curious about what I truly fear," Xuan Ming said.
"Your students were too weak, and they had bad luck. Now, let me see what you can do."
Shi Nian's eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected Xuan Ming to face him with such a mindset. However, his seventh Spirit Ability, Nightmare, had already been successfully activated. Xuan Ming was already caught in his Lingering Dream, and there were no other presences nearby. This kid couldn't possibly resist him!
"Since you are so eager to experience despair, then I shall grant your wish," Shi Nian growled. His figure gradually blurred, and everything around him became hazy.
Xuan Ming stood still, not gathering spirit power, nor offering any resistance, anticipating the effects of Lingering Dream.
It wasn't that he was foolish; it was that even if he got lost in an illusion, the Ice Dragon King would pull him out, and Ah Yin also had enough ability to protect him.
Illusions, this was something he had never experienced before. After all, Spirit Masters with this mental attribute were extremely rare, and not every mental Spirit Master had Shi Nian's skill.
Everything around began to change. Xuan Ming suddenly felt his body become incredibly heavy. The next instant, he felt as if he was weightless, constantly falling through the air. He instinctively wanted to fly up, but he couldn't exert even a tiny bit of strength.
The surrounding environment changed drastically. The originally hazy and blurry scene rapidly dissipated like thin mist swept away by a strong wind, replaced by a dazzling white.
Xuan Ming felt a flash of white light before his eyes. When he could see his surroundings clearly, he found himself in a hospital room.
The walls were a monotonous white, emitting a cold light, as if without any warmth.
The bedsheets on the hospital bed were also white, wrinkled and spread out, looking somewhat old.
Various medical instruments were placed by the bed, emitting ticking sounds. Those sounds were particularly jarring in the silent hospital room, like the ticking clock of a life's countdown.
"A dream?" Xuan Ming felt utterly weak, his eyelids so heavy.
No spirit power, no Spirit, nothing could be felt, only the quiet hospital room and the cold electronic ticking.
The hospital room was filled with the pungent smell of disinfectant, a scent that pierced his nostrils, making him involuntarily frown.
"It's just a dream…"
…Shi Nian leaned against a large tree, his seventh spirit ring constantly emitting dazzling black light. Ten meters in front of him, Xuan Ming lay quietly on the ground, completely still.
No fear, no pain, no anger, only emptiness.
Shi Nian's brows furrowed deeply. He had used Nightmare to torment and kill dozens of people, but he had never seen a situation like this.
His Nightmare had already taken effect! This young man had indeed seen his greatest fear, but why was his reaction like this?
"What exactly did you see?"
Looking at the unchanged Xuan Ming, Shi Nian began to lose patience.
The Seven Great Families entrusting him with this task was inherently extremely dangerous. Once discovered, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School were uncertain, but Dugu Bo, that vengeful Old Poison, would definitely launch an endless pursuit against him!
If not for the Seven Great Families offering sufficient benefits, and even revealing to him that Xuan Ming possessed an extremely precious high-quality Ten Thousand Year Spirit Bone—that if he completed this transaction, this Spirit Bone would be his, and Xuan Ming's matter would be kept secret—how could he possibly take such a risk?
At this thought, Shi Nian stepped forward, intending to forcibly kill Xuan Ming. But as soon as he approached within five meters of Xuan Ming, blue-golden vines burst forth from Xuan Ming's wrist, instantly forming a giant cage that tightly enveloped Xuan Ming.
Shi Nian tried to forcibly break through, but this vine cage was extremely sturdy; as one layer was destroyed, another immediately grew out.
"Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast?" Shi Nian's face showed surprise.
This kid actually carried a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast with him?
"Hmph, even if you have a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast guarding you, what of it? I want to see how long these vines can protect you," Shi Nian snorted coldly, and once again began to destroy the Blue Silver cage.
Although he was not an attack system Spirit Master, something like Blue Silver Grass, even if it grew to Ten Thousand Years, couldn't stop a Spirit Saint like him!