Madam Ning, Yu Luomian

After calling her Sister, Golden Goose became much more efficient and stopped complaining.

Zhu Zhuyun had yet to bring them back, but it was already time to meet with the Heaven Dou Empire.

The agreed location was the top floor of the most luxurious hotel in Spirit City. From here, they could look down over the entire bustling city.

The two sides of the long negotiating table were occupied by Spirit City's faction and the Heaven Dou Empire's faction respectively. Xu Yu sat in the middle, overseeing the entire negotiation.

Of course, Bibi Dong, seated at the head of the right side, was glaring at him suspiciously, as though she suspected Xu Yu of plotting to rebel and climb over her head.

"Your Excellency the Pope, only you can keep Xue Qinghe on the other side in check from that seat. How could your subordinate possibly possess such ability? In this world, you alone possess such bearing!"

Xu Yu lowered his voice and added, "Your Excellency, you'll need to negotiate with him personally later. Only then can our Martial Soul Hall gain greater benefits from this."

After glancing at Xue Qinghe across from them, whose expression had not shifted in the slightest, Bibi Dong nodded, tacitly accepting his explanation.

This brat had become incredibly skilled at flattery.

Over the years, everyone beneath her had feared and dreaded her. Having someone around who knew how to flatter her did feel rather good.

Xu Yu's solemn and serious flattery of Bibi Dong made Xue Qinghe glance at him several more times, quietly speculating about his identity.

Ordinary people would never dare act so presumptuously before the Pope!

"Your Excellency the Pope, may I ask where the people from our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect are?" Though she addressed her as "Your Excellency," the speaker showed not the slightest bit of respect!

Even when facing Bibi Dong, her tone remained exceptionally hostile. Xu Yu glanced at the speaker. She sat beneath Xue Qinghe, second on the left side. She was a woman with sword-like brows and bright eyes. Her age was impossible to determine, but the fury in her gaze was mixed with worry and maternal affection. She was likely a mother.

It was time for him to perform. Xu Yu slammed his palm onto the table and rose to his feet, shouting furiously, "Insolence! Before the Pope, how dare you speak such nonsense! Whatever Her Excellency says is law—how could the Pope possibly be wrong?"

Even while roaring in anger, he did not forget to flatter her. Bibi Dong was almost embarrassed, while everyone else stared in astonishment. Especially those seasoned old hands who usually specialized in sucking up—they cursed themselves for being a step too slow.

"Bastard! How dare a brat like you speak to me like that?"

"Tch. Who do you think you are?"

"You detained my daughter for no reason at all, and you still have the nerve to ask who I am?"

The woman with sword-like brows and bright eyes said coldly.

Xu Yu paused, recalling that she was the leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's delegation. Could her daughter be Ning Rongrong?

"So it's Madam Ning. My apologies, my apologies. But... Ning Rongrong openly provoked Martial Soul Hall and disregarded its dignity. If we did nothing, what would the world think of Martial Soul Hall?"

"Provoked you? That was a provocation defined by yourselves. A group of Titled Douluo ganging up on a little girl—have you no shame?"

"A little girl? A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast little girl? Madam Ning, until the conflict between soul masters and soul beasts is resolved, as a soul master, you... are not qualified to question Martial Soul Hall's decision."

Xu Yu cast her a cold glance, then continued, "Who do you think you are? Standing on the moral high ground and condemning us for capturing soul beasts? Don't tell me every soul ring in your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was voluntarily sacrificed to you by soul beasts. If not, then don't put on that sanctimonious expression. It's disgusting."

"You!" The woman was enraged.

But Xu Yu was indeed right. It was only natural for soul masters to hunt soul beasts, and just as natural for soul beasts to hunt soul masters. Those from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect truly had no standing to condemn Martial Soul Hall's actions. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had practically been delivered to their doorstep—how could they possibly refuse it?

If killing a severely wounded Titled Douluo could allow a ninety-thousand-year soul beast to advance, would that soul beast give up such an opportunity? Obviously not.

Even Spirit Douluo of the same human race would not spare a wounded Titled Douluo on the brink of death, let alone soul beasts, whose conflict with soul masters was irreconcilable.

"Just return Rongrong to us. We will absolutely not involve ourselves in the matter of that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast."

There were disputes within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as well. They simply wanted a share of the spoils, didn't they? Everyone present deserved a portion. Their Sect Master and Sword Douluo had both been there at the time—how could that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast be given solely to Martial Soul Hall?

"Agreed. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan agrees with Madam Ning's proposal. Just return Liu Erlong, a member of our clan."

"Are you dreaming? A soul beast that appeared in Spirit City belongs to Martial Soul Hall. As for taking your disciples back, that depends on your sincerity. And I specifically checked—whether it's the lovely Ning Rongrong or the still-charming Liu Erlong, both disciples you two great sects want back are peerless beauties. The many outstanding young men of Martial Soul Hall are eagerly awaiting them. Ha—"

After getting out that one "ha," Xu Yu noticed Bibi Dong's unfriendly gaze and could not continue laughing. He cursed himself for forgetting that this big shot was also a woman.

Still, Bibi Dong knew how to employ people according to their strengths and understood the bigger picture. She knew these were merely Xu Yu's little negotiation tactics, so she let him continue as he pleased.

The shameless Xu Yu had angered Madam Ning and the man from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan on the left so badly that their faces twisted, yet they could do nothing. After all, their people were in Martial Soul Hall's hands. Openly opposing Martial Soul Hall to defend a soul beast was already contrary to the consensus of the soul master world. Their arrests were completely indefensible.

This world had always been like this: the strong devoured the weak. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that had undergone Form Transformation snuck into Spirit City and was caught—who could it blame? She and her daughter openly opposed Martial Soul Hall and were arrested—who could they blame? Martial Soul Hall for being too powerful and too strong?

"What price do you require? Say it." Madam Ning said coldly. She had already prepared herself to pay dearly.

Xu Yu smiled faintly at that. He glanced at Bibi Dong, and only after receiving her approval did he say, "Very simple. As long as the two great sects are willing to send two exchange teams to the Martial Soul Hall Academy for one year of study and exchange, your daughters will be returned immediately."

Hearing this, Xu Yu had also figured out that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's representative was likely Liu Erlong's father, Grandmaster's second uncle. Xu Yu had not expected him to come, but it made sense. He had fathered a daughter without raising her, and guilt weighed on his heart. If he did not come now that Liu Erlong had been arrested by Martial Soul Hall, the conflict between father and daughter would never be resolved.

Yet Xu Yu's condition left both the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan frowning in confusion. Sending people here for exchange studies was not a problem, but what benefit did Martial Soul Hall get from it? Did they want to study the inherited martial souls of their two great sects?

But what could they discover in only one year? Xu Yu had chosen this timeframe very carefully. His true aim lay elsewhere. One year was too short for the two great sects to be willing to give up, yet agreeing to it still pained them. After all, if they were lucky, a year of studying martial souls might genuinely reveal some flaws in their martial souls.

The chances were slim, of course. But did they really dare gamble on it?

Knowing they were conflicted, Xu Yu added more pressure. "Or, if the Heaven Dou Empire is willing to cede the southern provinces to Spirit City, then aside from the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, everyone else from Shrek Academy can be taken away."

At those words, Xue Qinghe's brows furrowed. She glanced at Bibi Dong across from her, assuming that this condition must have been proposed by her.

But the Heaven Dou Empire was already in her grasp. What else did she want? Was she trying to seize territory from her?