Three days later.
Spirit City, Pope's Palace.
Council Hall.
Pope Bi Bi Dong, wearing Nine Twists Amethyst Crown, with fair skin and a perfect face, sat on her throne high in the hall. On her left and right stood two figures, one in gold and one in black.
The golden figure on the left was a man with skin as delicate as a baby's and a face more exquisite and alluring than most women's. His golden armor was engraved with mithril patterns, and the dazzling diamond set in his breastplate exuded nobility.
He is Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, a level 95 Title Douluo, and one of the two Punishment Elders of the Spirit Hall.
To Bi Bi Dong's right stood a figure dressed in black armor with a gloomy face.
He is another elder of the Spirit Hall, and also Chrysanthemum Douluo's sworn brother. Both are level 95 Ghost Douluo, Gui Mei.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo are not only staunch supporters of Bi Bi Dong, but also important pillars of the Spirit Hall.
Generally, the Spirit Hall's external affairs are decided by Bi Bi Dong and the two of them.
Below the three figures stood a cardinal in the main hall.
At this moment, Bi Bi Dong put down her fragrant tea and listened quietly to the cardinal's report.
"... Because of the Heavenly Water Academy Team's experience, Zhou Chen, the Palace Master of the Purple Micro Palace, suspects that our Spirit Hall is secretly helping Canghui Academy..."
"... They ultimately killed Bishop Stanford, and his remains are being returned..."
"Bang!"
The teacup in Bi Bi Dong's hand instantly turned into dust.
"Damn it, this is outrageous! How dare he kill the Platinum Bishop? He's openly provoking the Spirit Hall!"
Upon hearing Bi Bi Dong's furious voice, the members of the Spirit Hall standing in the hall fell silent for a moment, and the cardinal was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground.
No one dared to utter a sound, for fear of angering the enraged His Holiness the Pope.
After a long silence, Bi Bi Dong suppressed her anger and slowly stood up, her eyes flashing with brilliance. "Fine, fine, what a Palace Master of Purple Micro Palace! What a Xuanyuan Family Young Master! He doesn't take our Spirit Hall seriously at all!"
"Your His Holiness the Pope. Stanford is dead. What we need to do now is not to be angry for no reason, but to formulate a strategy for the future."
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan bowed slightly and spoke in a soft, clear voice.
"Are you teaching me how to do things?"
Bi Bi Dong glanced at Yue Guan, her eyes filled with disdain.
Strategy? You're Yue Guan a dead, transvestite, what strategy could you possibly come up with with that little intelligence? Anyone can spout nonsense!
"I wouldn't dare."
Yue Guan lowered her head, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her smooth forehead.
There was no way around it; Bi Bi Dong's aura was simply too overwhelming.
Although Bi Bi Dong is a woman, she is now the youngest Pope in the history of the Spirit Hall and is a level 99 Peerless Douluo, almost a demigod!
Moreover, Bi Bi Dong is exceptionally intelligent and skillful. After more than ten years of hard work, the Spirit Hall is more than twice as strong as it was during the reign of the previous Pope Qian Xunji. It can even be said to be the strongest period in a thousand years!
Before this His Holiness the Pope, who possessed both strength and beauty, wisdom and decisiveness, Yue Guan didn't even dare to breathe loudly.
"Your His Holiness the Pope."
Ghost Douluo bent down, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "Why don't we just start a war against the Purple Micro Palace and completely eliminate this major threat? Even if Purple Micro Palace has ten Title Douluo, they are still far inferior to us."
"That's right, we are at least 80% confident that we can completely destroy the Purple Micro Palace. The scales of victory are tipped in our favor."
Yue Guan also said with a serious expression.
Upon hearing this, Bi Bi Dong snorted coldly and mocked, "If you were so confident, you should have completed your mission and taken care of that kid when you went to Fasinuo Province nine years ago. We wouldn't be in such a passive situation now."
"And the result?"
Bi Bi Dong glanced at Yue Guan and sneered, "You lost both the Holy Maiden and your army, gained nothing, and even dragged my precious disciple Na Na into it."
Upon hearing this, Yue Guan immediately lowered his head in shame.
After a pause, Bi Bi Dong continued, "Yue Guan, Gui Mei, you two were once your teacher's personal guards. Have you forgotten how your teacher taught you back then? Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. Underestimating your opponent and being careless is a grave mistake."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Both Chrysanthemum and Douluo bowed respectfully.
Seeing the two men's expressions of sincere admiration, Bi Bi Dong nodded in satisfaction and continued, "From now on, all arrangements regarding the Purple Micro Palace must be carefully considered. You both saw the consequences of Stanford's rash provocation of the Purple Micro Palace; such a situation must never happen again!"
"Yes."
"Remember this: from now on, without my order, no one is allowed to provoke the Purple Micro Palace!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo spoke in unison once again.
Bi Bi Dong nodded, looked at the cardinal kneeling below the hall, and said, "Order the Spirit Hall Holy Temple of Heaven Dou City to exercise restraint as much as possible and refrain from any rash actions. Closely monitor the movements of the Purple Micro Palace, the Heaven Dou Empire, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and report back immediately if anything happens. As for the rest... proceed as planned!"
"Yes, ma'am."
With just a few words, the beautiful Pope finalized the Spirit Hall's strategy.
"Alright, you may all leave. I need to think this over."
Bi Bi Dong waved her hand, and Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo left silently. As for the cardinal, he scrambled out of the hall.
In the vast Council Hall, only Bi Bi Dong remained.
She stretched and leaned her graceful figure against the back of the Pope throne, her slender, white fingers rhythmically tapping on the armrests.
"Zhou Chen..."
Bi Bi Dong murmured to herself, a thoughtful glint in her eyes.
Suddenly, the cardinal from before came running back into the hall. He said tremblingly and fearfully, "Your His Holiness the Pope, Her Holy Maiden requests an audience."
"Oh, Na Na's out of seclusion? Let her in."
Bi Bi Dong came to her senses, and her tone became more affectionate.
Bi Bi Dong raised Hu Liena a young age, treating her as her own daughter.
Soon, Hu Liena slowly walked into the main hall.
Two years have passed, and now she is even more beautiful than before, with a more alluring figure and a more captivating, celestial fox-like Bewitchment.
Coupled with the white and gold dress she was wearing, she was absolutely stunning.
"Teacher."
Hu Liena bowed respectfully, her voice soft and melodious.
"Level 85 already, wow, Na Na, your cultivation speed is unbelievably fast."
Bi Bi Dong revealed a satisfied expression, her tone carrying both encouragement and anticipation as she said, "I'm afraid it won't be long before the title of the youngest Title Douluo in history falls upon you."
"You flatter me, teacher."
Hu Liena blushed slightly and stammered.
"No need to be modest. When I broke through to the Title Douluo level, I was already thirty-seven years old. You are only 22 years old this year and you are already level 85. I estimate that in three more years at most, you will be able to touch the threshold of the Title Douluo level."
After a pause, Bi Bi Dong suddenly changed the subject, saying, "Na Na, tell your teacher the truth, did Zhou Chen help you cultivate so quickly?"
"This..."
Hu Liena hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Bi Bi Dong and nodded shyly.
When Zhou Chen had her practice the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady Skill, he had instructed her not to tell anyone.
However, Hu Liena knew very well that her unusually fast cultivation speed would eventually need an explanation, so she might as well bring it up today. Anyway, as long as she didn't tell Bi Bi Dong about the cultivation technique she was practicing, it would be fine.
At this moment, seeing Hu Liena nod, Bi Bi Dong thought to herself, "Just as I thought."
Bi Bi Dong was already very familiar with the situation of the preliminary rounds of the Heaven Dou Empire Soul Master Tournament.
Therefore, she was well aware that Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, Shui Binger, Ning Rongrong, and other girls all possessed the level of Soul Emperor and Soul Saint, far exceeding the normal range of their peers.
It might be a coincidence if one girl is like this, but if a group of girls are like this, then it must be inevitable.
Moreover, all of these girls have close relationships with Zhou Chen.
Therefore, Bi Bi Dong had long suspected that Zhou Chen possessed a method to drastically increase strength in a short period of time. The reason these girls were so ridiculously strong was due to Zhou Chen's help.
Hu Liena's confirmation today turned Bi Bi Dong's guess into reality, and it also ignited a burning passion in her heart.
If... if the method that Zhou Chen possessed could fall into the hands of the Spirit Hall, how wonderful that would be?
With the Spirit Hall's massive Soul Master Legion and its deep resources, once it finds a way to significantly increase its strength in a short period of time, it will be able to sweep away everything!
At that time, the two great empires and the Upper Three Sects will be nothing but ants and dust!
Thinking of this, Bi Bi Dong could no longer hold back. She organized her thoughts and tried to speak gently and tactfully, "Na Na, could you tell the teacher something..."
However, before Bi Bi Dong could finish speaking, Hu Liena interrupted her!
"I'm sorry, teacher. I promised him that I would never pass on the cultivation methods he taught me."
Hu Liena said firmly.
Although she loved Bi Bi Dong very much and regarded Bi Bi Dong as her teacher and mother, Zhou Chen was her man.
Therefore, she would never reveal the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady Skill, nor would she tell Bi Bi Dong that Zhou Chen possessed a cultivation resource called God Crystal.
This is her bottom line.
Upon hearing Hu Liena's refusal, Bi Bi Dong's expression immediately turned sour.
If it were anyone else, daring to speak to Bi Bi Dong like that, they would probably have been killed long ago.
But Hu Liena was Bi Bi Dong's beloved disciple and almost like a daughter to her. She couldn't possibly be ruthless towards her disciple, or even force Hu Liena.
She stared at Hu Liena, and Hu Liena looked up at her in return. The two beauties, one tall and one short, stared at each other, neither willing to back down.
After a long silence, Bi Bi Dong waved her hand and said helplessly, "If you don't want to talk about it, then forget it. You may leave. It's late, get some rest."
"Teachers should also get some rest; it's good for their skin."
Hu Liena glanced at Bi Bi Dong with concern, then slowly withdrew from the main hall.
She felt guilty, after all, she hadn't agreed to Bi Bi Dong's request. But she was also happy because the teacher hadn't pressured her.
"Sigh, girls are just naturally outgoing!"
Bi Bi Dong sighed, her melodious voice echoing throughout the hall.
After a moment, she stood up and walked to one side of the Council Hall.
There, a delicate human-shaped sculpture was placed.
Bi Bi Dong stretched out her jade-like hand and placed it on the sculpture's head, then gently twisted it!
With a clicking sound, the wall behind the sculpture slowly opened to both sides, revealing a passageway entrance.
Bi Bi Dong strode in, her figure flashing slightly as she traversed a thousand meters to reach the deepest part of the passage.
There is a Secret Chamber here.
On the walls of the Secret Chamber were placed luminous pearls, which emitted a soft light, allowing people to see the layout of the Secret Chamber.
At the very front of the Secret Chamber was a three-foot-high stone platform. On the platform was a thick leather-bound book and a... head.
This is the head of a young man around twenty years old. He has a handsome face and an expression of disbelief on his face as he is dying.
The head has been there for at least a year, but it has been preserved with lime water and various chemicals, so it will not rot.
Looking at the severed head, Bi Bi Dong sneered, "Look how clever Zhou Chen is, and then look at you..."
As she spoke, Bi Bi Dong stepped forward and picked up the leather-bound book next to the head.
Or rather, this is a notebook.
Opening the notebook, one finds it densely covered with lines and pages of text, mostly in the script of the Douluo Plane, with a small portion in an unknown type of square script.
If Bi Bi Dong were also a time traveler, she might recognize that those square characters are called Chinese characters.
The cover of this notebook has a few Chinese characters written on it:
Douluo Diary.
That's right, this notebook is a diary written by a time traveler.
The head next to it is the head of this time traveler.
Yes, this head was cut off by Bi Bi Dong.
This story begins more than a year ago.
At that time, a young man who appeared out of nowhere barged into Spirit City, said that he was willing to join the Spirit Hall, and showed his powerful strength at the Title Douluo level!
Bi Bi Dong was naturally delighted to have a Title Douluo join her. After a simple review, the young man officially became an elder of the Spirit Hall.
Of course, the Spirit Hall didn't completely trust him either, after all, the young man's background and origins were... impossible to find out, as if he had sprung up out of a rock.
All I know is the young man's name is Ye Wuhen.
Then, the funny part came.
After joining the Spirit Hall, Ye Wuhen did nothing but spend all his time fawning over Bi Bi Dong, clearly trying to win her Bi Bi Dong.
He also often said strange things, leaving Bi Bi Dong completely bewildered and increasingly suspicious of Ye Wuhen.
So, one day, Bi Bi Dong secretly sneaked into Ye Wuhen's room and took a look around.
Then, she noticed a thick leather notebook on the desk in the room.
On the open notebook lay a quill pen; clearly, this was the notebook where Ye Wuhen kept his diary.
Curious, Bi Bi Dong naturally began to carefully examine the pages.
Then, she was stunned.
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