A Startling Attack in the Forbidden Ground

"Your Holiness the Pope."

Xie Yue, his eyes bloodshot, helped the badly wounded Hu Liena up from the ground. He glared furiously and gritted his teeth. "He—"

Bibi Dong said, "Enough. Do you want all of you to end up on the ground?"

Hu Liena had been injured, and the Pope's dignity had been insulted.

Though Bibi Dong was furious inside, she had not lost her reason because of it.

It could be said that she wanted to teach Chen Changfeng a lesson more than anyone, but the Elder Judgment Token was enough to make her calm down. In the end, she reluctantly revealed Chen Changfeng's identity. "The token in his hand is an Elder Token from the Worship Hall—and an Elder Judgment Token at that. He truly has the right to discipline every one of you!"

What?!

A Judgment Elder?!

At those words, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Gui Mei both changed expression. The seven members of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation did not know what a Judgment Elder represented, but the two of them knew perfectly well.

Spirit Hall currently had only one Judgment Elder.

That was the Great Enshriner, Qian Daoliu.

Although Bibi Dong's influence within Spirit Hall had long surpassed that of the Great Enshriner, that was only within Spirit Hall itself. In truth, the authority over Spirit Hall's highest powers—the Elder Hall and the Worship Hall—still rested in Qian Daoliu's hands.

A Judgment Elder represented Qian Daoliu. Yet this Elder Judgment Token had actually been handed over to a young man, showing just how highly the Worship Hall regarded him. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Chen Changfeng, who possessed the Elder Judgment Token, now ranked second only to Qian Daoliu. To put it plainly, what they feared was not Chen Changfeng, nor the Elder Judgment Token in his hand, but Qian Daoliu, the man behind the title of Judgment Elder.

Though the Judgment Elder was more like an idle position, its status was beyond question.

These were Spirit Hall's rules, and also the rules by which the elders survived.

That was why Bibi Dong had said what she did.

Though Bibi Dong was now the Pope, she knew perfectly well how she had obtained that position.

She had relied on Qian Daoliu as well.

By Spirit Hall's rules, the Worship Hall had the authority to depose the Pope. Since Qian Daoliu could place her on the papal throne, he could also drag her down from it. It would take no more than a single order from him.

Bibi Dong was skilled at enduring. She was not someone who indulged her emotions. Although her dignity had been insulted, she ultimately forced herself to endure it.

She knew that Qian Daoliu was currently a level ninety-nine Limit Douluo, and there was still a certain gap between them. Even if she were to oppose Qian Daoliu, her current level ninety-eight cultivation was no match for his Six-Winged Angel.

After all, using the Rakshasa God inheritance to break through to level ninety-nine would still require time.

"Since the Judgment Elder wishes to compete tomorrow, then compete he shall."

Bibi Dong actually smiled, and her smile was particularly gentle. "Since it is all for Spirit Hall's honor, I have no reason not to support it. Nana's offense against the Judgment Elder today was indeed due to my poor discipline. After the tournament ends, I will naturally give the Worship Hall an explanation."

Hmm?!

Chen Changfeng raised a brow and narrowed his eyes at Bibi Dong.

He had hoped Bibi Dong would lose control of her emotions, but he had not expected her to rein herself in at the end.

Compared to that, this kind of person was even more frightening.

Otherwise, she could never have risen to become the Pope.

Bibi Dong was gentle on the outside but strong within. Beneath that beautiful exterior lay a proud heart. She would never allow anyone to stand above her—not Qian Daoliu, and not Chen Changfeng.

With a faint laugh,

Chen Changfeng's gaze swept over everyone before he silently turned and headed out of the hall.

The more one spoke, the more likely one was to make a mistake. This had merely been his test.

At the very least, he could now be certain that Bibi Dong still lacked the ability to challenge the Worship Hall and Qian Daoliu.

"Enough. Take Hu Liena away to rest first. I will personally arrange tomorrow's final." Watching Chen Changfeng leave, Bibi Dong waved her hand, and an exquisite pill flew before the seven of them.

Hu Liena held her chest as she accepted Bibi Dong's healing pill.

Xie Yue and the other six hurriedly supported Hu Liena as they left the council hall through the side door.

Rhythmically tapping the table before her with one hand, Bibi Dong's eyes surged with turbulent light.

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan said, "Your Majesty, are you worried that he will affect Spirit Hall's plans?"

"A Judgment Elder of Spirit Hall—do you think he will affect our plans?"

With a soft sigh, Bibi Dong said, "He will not affect Spirit Hall's plans. If anything, he cares even more about Spirit Hall than I imagined. What unsettles me is that the Worship Hall has cultivated a Judgment Elder in little more than a decade. Though even I cannot discern his true strength, he may be even more powerful than you imagined. We will learn his true strength in tomorrow's final. What I do not understand is why he insists on participating in the Soul Master Tournament. Could he also be here for Tang San? Is it all for Tang San alone?"

She did not understand.

Nor could she figure it out.

Bibi Dong instantly fell into a tangle of conflicted thoughts.

A cold gleam flashed through Ghost Douluo's phantom form. "Tang San again! Why not let me kill him? Even with Poison Douluo at Shrek Academy, I am eighty percent certain I can kill him in a single strike."

The Pope snorted coldly. "If you were truly that certain, Tang San would never have made it here alive. Gui Mei, have you forgotten what your teacher taught you back then? Even a lion must use its full strength to catch a rabbit. Underestimating the enemy is a great military taboo."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ghost Douluo said.

"It is late. Go rest. I need to think this over carefully." The light in Bibi Dong's eyes dimmed somewhat as she waved them away.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo left without a sound.

After leaving the Papal Palace,

Chen Changfeng looked up at the full moon hanging high in the sky, then turned into a streak of light and vanished from where he stood. When he appeared again, he had arrived at Spirit Hall's forbidden ground: Ghost Face Pig Ravine in the former Spirit Hunting Mountain Range.

It was worth mentioning that after more than a decade of recovery, Ghost Face Pig Ravine had been completely renewed, its vegetation flourishing with new life.

"Who?!"

A dangerous aura came from behind him. Chen Changfeng suddenly frowned and swiftly twisted aside.

At that very moment, a jade-like hand swept past his shoulder.

Before Chen Changfeng could react or see who had ambushed him, that hand curled around his neck, followed immediately by another arm wrapping around him.

His waist suddenly sank.

A lovely figure pressed herself against him without hesitation, her legs naturally hooking around his lower back.

His body instinctively resisted.

That instinctive movement only made their bodies fit together even more perfectly.

Their eyes met.

The woman's breath and faint fragrance drifted over him, making Chen Changfeng's eyes light up at once. His eyes widened as never before. "Xiaoxue? Why is it you?"

Who else could have ambushed him but Qian Renxue?

So it had only been a false alarm.

It was Qian Renxue, who had slipped away at night from the Heaven Dou Empire's competing team.

These past few days,

she had gone to Spirit Hall, but had failed to see Chen Changfeng, who was away on a mission.

So for several days in a row, she had come alone to this forbidden ground of Spirit Hall, a place that held such beautiful memories.

At last, she had finally waited for Chen Changfeng.

At that moment,

a smile blossomed across Qian Renxue's face, with a touch of smug delight. "Brother Changfeng, you lost. I caught you this time, didn't I?"