Bibi Dong, the Pope

Time flies like a swift horse cracking its whip.

In a blur, two years had passed.

Since Jiang Mian and Zhu Zhuqing returned from the Extreme North, they had been staying in the Star Dou Great Forest to raise their Soul Power.

At this point, Jiang Mian's strength had reached level fifty-two, and he had taken Jade Swan Bi Ji under his command.

Zhu Zhuqing had also reached level thirty-nine, about to absorb her fourth soul ring.

As the largest soul beast forest under heaven, the Star Dou Great Forest boasted an unrivaled number of rare treasures and exotic items.

If the Sunset Forest could produce a miraculous Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, then the vast Star Dou Great Forest surely had similar wonders.

Over these two years, Jiang Mian and Zhu Zhuqing had successfully treated herbs like meals; any side effects were easily resolved by Jade Swan Bi Ji with a flick of her hand.

"Mian Ge."

A crisp, lovely voice came from afar, and a girl with two fluffy yellow ears on her head came bouncing over.

She wore a creamy yellow dress trimmed with white fur at the collar, looking extremely adorable.

Jiang Mian was meditating with Zhu Zhuqing; seeing the newcomer, he couldn't help but smile knowingly: "Auspicious Beast, you're here to disturb my cultivation again, aren't you?"

Bleh bleh bleh...

The Auspicious Beast, now in human form, made a funny face, her fair skin almost reflecting light—this must be what people meant by white to the point of glowing.

Jiang Mian smiled helplessly, looking at this little Auspicious Beast who seemed lively and cute on the surface but was actually quite sly, his eyes full of affection.

He never expected that the Auspicious Beast's transformation would perfectly match the image of his moonlit ideal!

"Auspicious Beast, you're almost at two hundred thousand years, right?" Jiang Mian asked. "How much more do you need?"

"About thirty thousand years more," the Auspicious Beast pouted, lying unceremoniously into Jiang Mian's arms.

Jiang Mian gently stroked her golden hair, already forming a plan in his mind.

At twelve years old, it was time to go out and see the world.

Yan had just crossed his four hundred thousand year Heavenly Tribulation; he was one of those Jiang Mian had put effort into boosting, since at the start, Yan was only three hundred and ten thousand years old. In just a few years, Jiang Mian had raised him to four hundred thousand.

Bear Lord was at five hundred and thirty thousand years, and Bi Ji had also crossed her six hundred thousand year Heavenly Tribulation. Snow Empress remained still, likely because the troubles in the Extreme North weren't resolved yet.

"Are you leaving?" Di Tian appeared before the three, smiling. "Jiang Mian, stay safe on the road. Remember, the Star Dou Great Forest will always be your home."

"Don't worry," Jiang Mian laughed. "With you backing me up, I'm bound to be invincible under heaven."

Di Tian raised a hand and flicked Jiang Mian on the forehead, chuckling in exasperation. "You little rascal, cause me less trouble."

"With Bear Lord and Yan following me, not many can hurt me," Jiang Mian said. "Besides, the Auspicious Beast's strength surpasses both of them."

Di Tian nodded, ultimately saying nothing more.

Zhu Zhuqing slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Di Tian, she instinctively moved closer to Jiang Mian. Jiang Mian, perceptive as ever, unhesitatingly took her hand.

Zhu Zhuqing had always felt out of place; though everyone treated her well, she still felt like an outsider.

That grasp gave her a sense of security. What outsider? You, Zhu Zhuqing, are mine!

"Go on, Bear Lord and Yan are waiting for you at the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest," Di Tian said, turning around. "I'm closely tied to the Auspicious Beast; if you're in danger, I'll arrive at once."

"Alright." Jiang Mian nodded, stood up, bowed deeply to Di Tian, and led Zhu Zhuqing and the Auspicious Beast away.

"Bear Lord, on this trip to the human world, don't act recklessly."

On the carriage, Yan, with his red hair and dark red robe, was earnestly advising Bear Lord: "Our priority is Jiang Mian and the Auspicious Beast's safety—no mass slaughter."

"Why are you so fussy?" Bear Lord frowned, unconcerned. "You weren't like this before, Yan."

"What do you know?" Yan said in exasperation. "Jiang Mian is the hope of our soul beast race. If anything happens to him, Di Tian won't let either of us off."

"Tch." Bear Lord curled his lip, about to retort, but when he saw Jiang Mian and the others approaching, he immediately changed his tune.

"Ah, Xiao Mian, you're finally here," Bear Lord said, driving the carriage toward the three. "If you'd delayed any longer, Yan would've nagged me to death."

Yan shot Bear Lord a sharp glare, then smiled at Jiang Mian. "It's impossible to reason with a brute like Bear Lord."

"What, got a problem?" Bear Lord growled. "If you've got the guts, let's fight it out!"

"Think I'm afraid of you?" Yan flared up too, rolling up his sleeves ready for a brawl.

"Enough." Jiang Mian quickly jumped between them, looking helpless. "I asked you two to protect me—don't start infighting."

"Since Xiao Mian says so, I won't stoop to his level," Yan snorted with a laugh, walking into the carriage and ignoring Bear Lord.

Jiang Mian helped the Auspicious Beast and Zhu Zhuqing onto the carriage first, then sat between the two girls, ostensibly to prevent discord.

But really, this rascal Jiang Mian was sly—this way, he could spread his attention evenly...

"Jiang Mian, where do we head first?" Bear Lord asked, looking at a map.

"First, to Martial Soul Hall!"

Jiang Mian had been in the Star Dou Great Forest for two years, unaware that Martial Soul Hall, thanks to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's scheme to shift blame, had put a continent-wide bounty on him.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had used a vicious trick, having someone impersonate Jiang Mian to cause trouble for Martial Soul Hall, and no one suspected the ruse.

Because after the impersonating soul master finished his deeds, he publicly and viciously insulted the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, with words so sharp they were unbearable to hear.

Added to the earlier rumors from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect about Jiang Mian's arrogance and disrespect toward his seniors, the world was even more convinced.

The key point was that they couldn't imagine why a sect with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's foundation would bother to frame a child.

Jiang Mian was completely unaware of this as he raced toward Martial Soul Hall. They didn't linger on the road, so it only took four days to travel from the Star Dou Great Forest to Martial Soul Hall.

"Who goes there!"

The guards at the entrance of Martial Soul Hall held long halberds, blocking the carriage from passing.

"If we don't show a bit of strength, they won't let us in easily." Jiang Mian patted the Bear Lord on the shoulder and said, "Go easy on them."

"Easy enough." The Bear Lord flashed a sinister grin. Without even releasing his spirit power, he grabbed two guards and tossed them aside like chickens.

Jiang Mian stepped out of the carriage and announced loudly, "I am Jiang Mian. I wish to see Pope Bibi Dong!"

"Jiang Mian? That's him?" The guards exchanged glances. So this was the infamous Jiang Mian. Indeed, you couldn't judge a book by its cover—he looked like a handsome young man, yet the things he did were utterly incomprehensible.

Noticing the guards' strange looks, Jiang Mian paused in confusion. "What, do I have to fight my way in?"

Well, that one sentence only deepened the misunderstanding.

"Seize him!"

The guard captain gave the order and released his martial soul first—two yellow, two purple, and two black rings. He was actually a Soul Emperor.

The depth of Martial Soul Hall's foundation was clear; even their security captain was a full-fledged Soul Emperor.

"Get lost!"

The Bear Lord bellowed, releasing his spirit power without mercy. In an instant, the guards were all knocked to the ground by his force.

Compared to the Bear Lord's spirit power, theirs was like a firefly trying to outshine the moon.

"Report to His Holiness the Pope immediately! The criminal Jiang Mian has come with an accomplice to provoke us!" the guard captain said, scrambling to his feet in terror. "And the accomplice is at least a Titled Douluo."

"What the hell?" Jiang Mian's eyes widened in bewilderment. I spent six years as a wild man in the Star Dou Great Forest, and now I come out to find I'm a criminal?

What kind of logic is that!

"What?" Inside the Pope's Hall, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Guimei stood up almost simultaneously upon hearing the guard's report. "This Jiang Mian is too reckless. Causing trouble at a local branch is one thing, but now he dares to come here and provoke us!"

On the papal throne, Bibi Dong slowly opened her eyes. Her expression remained calm as she said flatly, "Bring Jiang Mian and his group to the Pope's Hall."

Though puzzled, the guard accepted the order and left.

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan looked at Bibi Dong in surprise. "Your Holiness, what do you mean by this?"

"Don't you find something suspicious about this?" Bibi Dong leaned on her papal staff as she walked over to the two, her stunningly cold beauty enough to stir anyone's imagination.

"Please enlighten us, Your Holiness," Guimei said, confused.

"The truth will come out soon enough." Bibi Dong didn't answer Guimei's question. She had developed a strong interest in Jiang Mian.

How could someone with Innate Full Spirit Power be so set against Martial Soul Hall?

"His Holiness the Pope summons you."

At the guard's shout, the Bear Lord stopped. Looking at the groaning guards scattered on the ground, Jiang Mian drove the carriage contentedly to the entrance of the Pope's Hall.

"Brothers," Jiang Mian instructed, "when we go in, make sure we act tough."

"Don't worry, none of us have weak spines." The Bear Lord thumped his chest and strode boldly into the Pope's Hall.

Jiang Mian, Zhu Zhuqing, and the Auspicious Beast followed close behind, with the Scarlet King bringing up the rear. The five of them entered to face Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong sat high on the papal throne, with Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo standing on either side, but their oppressive aura still fell short of Jiang Mian's group.

"Why do you not kneel before the Pope!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan barked, releasing his spirit power to force Jiang Mian and the others to their knees.

The Bear Lord sneered disdainfully and released his own spirit power to resist Yue Guan's pressure. But with Yue Guan's level-94 spirit power, he was no match for the Bear Lord.

The moment the Bear Lord's spirit power touched Yue Guan's, it overwhelmed him with crushing force.

Guimei was startled and immediately released his spirit power to help resist the Bear Lord.

But even together, they were like a drop in the bucket. Bibi Dong frowned slightly, stood up, and gestured for them to step back.

"You are Jiang Mian?" Bibi Dong's gaze was razor-sharp. She could tell at a glance that Jiang Mian was nothing like the rumors painted him.

"Your Holiness." Jiang Mian clasped his fists and asked, "The guards called me a criminal just now. How do you explain that?"

"You committed countless evils yourself, and you ask us for an explanation?" Yue Guan snapped. "Jiang Mian, don't play dumb with us here."

"Silence!"

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow in anger. "Step back!"

"Yes."

Yue Guan and Guimei, seeing Bibi Dong's fury, had no choice but to retreat resentfully.

"I think you've been wronged." Bibi Dong's mood shifted faster than turning a page. She suddenly smiled. "A genius with Innate Full Spirit Power couldn't possibly be as vile as the rumors claim."

"If Your Holiness says so, then you must know what's going on." Jiang Mian gave a cold smile. "It's definitely the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect framing me."

"I have no interest in your history with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect." Bibi Dong smiled. "What I'm interested in is why you've come to see me."

"Your Holiness the Pope, I'm merely curious." Jiang Mian clapped his hands, and the Bear Lord and Scarlet King simultaneously released their Soul Power. "I'm wondering if my current strength is enough to wipe out Martial Soul Hall."

In an instant, the entire Pope's Hall was flooded with boundless extreme-attribute Soul Power. Bibi Dong involuntarily took two steps back, a flicker of shock flashing through her eyes.

"Could it be that these two have both reached that level?" Bibi Dong suppressed the shock in her heart, her expression turning cold as she said, "An enemy's enemy is a friend. Rather than both sides suffering losses, it's better for us to cooperate and win together."

"As expected of the once-in-a-millennium genius of Martial Soul Hall—you truly see things clearly." Jiang Mian nodded slightly and smiled. "I imagine I can lend my strength to Your Holiness the Pope's plans."

"You know?" Bibi Dong and Jiang Mian locked eyes, both revealing an intriguing expression.

"I can stay at Martial Soul Hall, but what about the treatment?" Jiang Mian tactfully changed the subject, grinning. "I trust Your Holiness the Pope won't be too stingy."

"Compared to you, my Martial Soul Hall's Golden Generation falls far short." Bibi Dong made no effort to hide her admiration. "I'll suppress the negative rumors for you, but you'll need to have these two seniors help train the disciples of Martial Soul Hall."

"Also, feel free to use all of Martial Soul Hall's resources as you see fit."

"Easy enough." Jiang Mian nodded. "As repayment, I and this one here will be participating in the Spirit Master Tournament."

Jiang Mian pointed at Zhu Zhuqing and said, "Her strength is also formidable—she definitely won't hold back the Golden Generation of Martial Soul Hall."

"Mm." Bibi Dong said, "This young lady, at such a tender age, has already reached nearly the fortieth level?"

"Almost there." Zhu Zhuqing's expression remained calm, showing no humility because the person before her was the Pope. She acted the same as she always did.

"How interesting. And this girl?" Bibi Dong looked toward the Auspicious Beast, her smile turning somewhat enigmatic. "This young lady seems even more extraordinary, doesn't she?"

"This is my soul beast." Jiang Mian explained without any concealment. "My martial soul can capture soul beasts. Not just this young lady, but these two as well—they also obey me."

The Bear Lord and Scarlet King exchanged a knowing smile and stepped back behind Jiang Mian on their own.

Bibi Dong was momentarily stunned by what she heard. It took her a while to recover, and the smile on her face grew even warmer. "With you here, my great ambition can be achieved."

After reaching the four-hundred-thousand-year level, the Scarlet King's strength could rival a level 98 Titled Douluo, and he could even hold his own against a level 99 for a short time.

As for the Bear Lord, there was no need to mention him—he was solidly at the level 99 Limit Douluo tier. The Auspicious Beast, favored by heaven, was only at one hundred seventy thousand years now, but her strength could still contend with a level 98 Titled Douluo.

After all, her power at ten thousand years could already match a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, let alone now that she was at one hundred seventy thousand.

"Report! Your Holiness the Pope, the Elder Hall requests your presence."