Qian Xunji

Di Hong only wanted to stay as far away from Tang Hao as possible. He always felt like the other man was trying to take advantage of him.

Realizing he had misspoken, Tang Hao coughed twice, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Well, I just spoke too quickly and said the wrong thing."

"What I meant was, from now on, you're my brother, Di Hong."

"Not my brother-in-law. Definitely not my brother-in-law."

It would have been better if he had not emphasized it. His insistence only made everyone more suspicious of Di Hong's relationship with the Clear Sky Sect.

Heaven knew he truly had nothing to do with the Clear Sky Sect. He had already kept his distance from them in every possible way. Saving Tang Yuehua had only been an accident. Besides, even if he had not saved her back then, she would not have been in any real danger—at most, she would have suffered a little more fright.

Tang Xiao slapped his forehead, his eyes full of helplessness. His younger brother was hopeless. Everything about him was fine, except for that mouth of his.

"Alright, alright, stop talking. Let's go."

After stepping forward, pulling Tang Hao away, and offering everyone an apologetic remark, they left.

As Tang Yuehua departed, she gave Di Hong one last reluctant look before leaving.

"Brother Di Hong, you really are fortunate. Tang Yuehua is the daughter of the greatest sect in the World," Xue Ye teased with a smile. Even Ning Fengzhi looked at him with amusement in his eyes.

Naturally, Xue Ye hoped the two of them would end up together. Di Hong was on his side, after all. If he could marry Tang Yuehua, it would be a good thing for both Xue Ye and the Heaven Dou Empire, because the Clear Sky Sect seemed to lean toward the Star Luo Empire.

If their Sect Master's daughter married Di Hong, perhaps the Clear Sky Sect would lean toward the Heaven Dou Empire. Even if they did not support them, they would at least no longer support the Star Luo Empire.

Political marriages might lack love, but they could bring enormous benefits and interests. Besides, the way Tang Yuehua looked at Di Hong clearly did not seem like she had no feelings for him.

She had obviously fallen for him.

It was just that Di Hong did not seem to notice, and even appeared to harbor a faint resistance toward it.

Spirit Hall sent a Cardinal Bishop to receive them. The people from the Star Luo Empire had arrived a day before them and had already settled in.

Upon entering Spirit City, Di Hong found the city unusually empty. There were not many pedestrians, and even the shops along the streets seemed rather deserted. Everywhere on the streets, Spirit Hall Soul Masters could be seen on patrol.

It could be said that Soul Masters were everywhere here. If one threw down a brick, eleven out of every ten people it hit would be Soul Masters. The escorting army was stationed outside the city, as they were not permitted to enter Spirit City, so Xue Ye could only have them camp beyond the city walls.

Because there were too many Soul Masters attending the exchange meet, Spirit Hall had specially arranged several hotels for them.

When checking in, Di Hong noticed that even the staff here were Soul Masters. Though their ranks were not high, outside, they would have been honored guests of some minor factions.

"There are still several days before the Soul Master Exchange Meet begins. During these days, everyone may look around the city or cultivate."

"But remember, you must not violate Spirit City's rules or Spirit Hall's laws."

Xue Ye reminded the leaders of the various sects and academies. This was not the Heaven Dou Empire. Every word and action in Spirit City required caution; the slightest carelessness could bring punishment from Spirit Hall. As the Crown Prince, he had exemption privileges and would be fine, but ordinary Soul Masters were different.

"Yes." Everyone cupped their hands in salute before leaving separately.

As the Crown Prince, Xue Ye naturally could not stay here. Nor could Ning Fengzhi. One was the empire's Crown Prince, while the other was the Sect Master of one of the Upper Three Sects; naturally, their treatment could not be compared to that of ordinary Soul Masters.

Di Hong, however, stayed at the hotel and did not wander about.

This was Spirit Hall's headquarters. He had to be cautious—cautious beyond cautious.

Spirit City had been built against the mountains. Two structures stood atop the mountain, and even from afar, they were enough to inspire awe.

Standing by the window and looking at the building halfway up the mountain, Di Hong knew that it was Pope's Palace, one of Spirit Hall's two great halls. There was not merely a Pope inside; Spirit Hall's elders were all there as well.

Di Hong estimated that there had to be nine Titled Douluo within. Though there probably were no longer nine now, considering that two Titled Douluo had been lost previously.

As for the jade-white building at the mountaintop, Di Hong guessed that it was Douluo Hall. It was said that only deceased elders at the Titled Douluo level could enter it, but Di Hong knew that Qian Daoliu was inside.

Other than him, all of Spirit Hall's worshippers were also there.

Furthermore, the Angel God's inheritance lay within.

Although Douluo Hall was far less conspicuous than Pope's Palace, in Di Hong's eyes, it was Spirit Hall's true core.

The Douluo Hall standing atop the mountain possessed the imposing air of standing at the highest peak and looking down upon all the mountains below.

If one day he entered Douluo Hall, there could only be one possibility: he had become a Titled Douluo. Only Titled Douluo could enter that place, and everyone who became a Titled Douluo would undergo their investiture ceremony there.

Whether one bore hostility toward Spirit Hall or not, this step had to be taken. Tang Hao had severely wounded Spirit Hall's Pope and even killed a Titled Douluo. No matter how much Spirit Hall hated him, they still had to acknowledge his title of Clear Sky Douluo.

Inside Pope's Palace halfway up the mountain.

Within the resplendent, magnificent hall, the vast chamber was currently empty. The current Pope, Qian Xunji, sat upon the seat belonging to the Pope, holding a list in his hand.

The list was densely packed with names. Most of them belonged to Soul Masters participating in the exchange meet, though there were also some unaffiliated Soul Masters attending as observers.

His deep eyes swept across name after name. When he saw Chen Jianjun's name, he was surprised.

"I never expected him to come to Spirit City as well."

As the Pope, he naturally knew him well. This man's strength was extraordinarily formidable, and he had few rivals across the entire continent. The only ones who could likely defeat him were his own father, Qian Daoliu, and Tang Chen of the Clear Sky Sect.

Of course, there was also that person from Sea God Island.

Spirit Hall's disastrous defeat at Sea God Island was a scar he could not erase. Whenever he thought of that place, his teeth itched with hatred. Spirit Hall, which had run rampant across the continent, had actually suffered a setback there.

But now his father had personally gone there. Before long, good news would surely arrive.

He continued reading the list. Most of the Soul Masters failed to interest him.

However, there were a few who caught his attention, such as Tang Hao and Tang Xiao of the Clear Sky Sect. Tang Hao in particular had been praised as the Clear Sky Sect's once-in-a-century genius. Perhaps he would become a threat to Spirit Hall.

Naturally, Di Hong's name was also on the list.

Mutated Martial Soul: Vermilion Bird. Innate Full Soul Power. A Spirit King at twelve years old. Now, at fourteen, he had reached level sixty-nine, at the Soul Emperor rank.

Such talent could no longer be described as merely terrifying. Others might believe that story, but as the Pope, Qian Xunji certainly did not. It might fool idiots, but it could not fool him.

As the possessor of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul and the supreme Pope of Spirit Hall, he could say with absolute certainty that this Di Hong definitely did not possess Innate Full Soul Power.