Bibi Dong lightly turned the scepter in her hand, her fingertips icy. "Anyone who could so decisively betray the family and nation of his birth clearly possessed a cold, hard nature.
"Today, he could betray Star Luo for profit. If he encountered greater temptation or danger in the future, there was no guarantee he would not betray Spirit Hall as well. Such a person could be used, but never fully trusted, much less entrusted with anything central."
Her gaze shifted to Yue Guan, carrying the clarity of the Pope. "Yue Guan, you brought him here. I have given you face, and resources will be allocated to him appropriately.
"But you must understand that until he proves his absolute loyalty and irreplaceable value, he will not enter the true core training sequence, nor will he have access to any secrets within the Hall. Those are the rules, and they are also the prudent course."
The usual languid smile remained on Yue Guan's face as he gave a slight bow. "Your Majesty has considered everything thoroughly. I understand. I only noticed that his martial soul was unusual and thought he might add another case to the Hall's research, while incidentally causing Star Luo a little trouble.
"As for whether he could amount to anything or whether he was worthy of trust, that naturally still required time and trials to prove. Your Majesty's willingness to give him an opportunity was already good fortune for him."
He had only made a casual move in the first place and had never truly taken Chen Li seriously.
Bibi Dong's handling of the matter perfectly served Spirit Hall's interests while also preserving his dignity, so naturally he had no objections.
"Good. It is enough that you understand." Bibi Dong no longer discussed the matter and turned to business. "You went to the border this time and made contact with her. How did it go?"
Yue Guan's expression turned serious, his languid air vanishing as he lowered his voice. "Reporting to Your Majesty, the contact went smoothly. Everything is stable on her side, and her identity has not been exposed. The item you ordered delivered has safely reached her hands, and she stated that she would proceed step by step according to the plan."
"Very good." A profound gleam flashed through Bibi Dong's eyes. "The seed has been planted. We need only wait patiently. The rest of the arrangements must also proceed according to plan. As for Ghost Charm, have him act according to the original plan and ensure that the stage in the Heaven Dou Empire is prepared as soon as possible."
"Yes, I understand," Yue Guan replied solemnly.
"Go."
Yue Guan said no more. After bowing, his figure transformed into a blurred red shadow and silently departed the Palace of the Pope.
Only Bibi Dong remained in the vast hall.
The towering dome cast deep shadows over the throne. She closed her eyes slightly, her stunning face utterly expressionless. Only her fingertips unconsciously tapped lightly against the gem on her scepter, producing a faint, steady rhythm.
Spirit Hall's efficiency was indeed astonishing.
Chen Li's residence arrangements and identity registration were completed in little more than two hours. A taciturn deacon led him to an area of Spirit City reserved for internal personnel and pointed out a room at the end of the second floor of a standalone building.
"Sir Chen Li, this is your residence. After dawn tomorrow, a representative from the research institute will come to discuss martial soul research with you. Until then, please rest here. If you require meals or daily necessities, you may collect them from logistics using your identity token." After giving his instructions, the deacon bowed and withdrew, his brisk steps revealing his rigorous training.
Chen Li pushed open the door and entered.
The room was not large, a standard one-bedroom unit, but though small, it had everything it needed.
The outer room was a small hall that served as both a study and reception room. The inner room was a bedroom, and there was also a private washroom.
The furnishings were simple and practical, and the windows were bright and spotless. Compared to the luxurious yet cold room he had occupied at the Dust Family estate in Star Luo, this place actually made him feel more at ease.
He sat at the desk in the outer room, his fingers unconsciously tracing the smooth grain of the wood.
Joining Spirit Hall meant that he had taken this step.
Whether in his previous life or this one, whether he possessed a system or not, any being who had yet to grow and could not demonstrate value would ultimately struggle to escape being looked down upon or even discarded in a world where the strong ruled.
Surviving, then becoming stronger, was the law of survival etched into his bones.
In his original plan, relying on family resources to develop within the Star Luo Empire had been one path. If he was abandoned, seeking out Yu Xiaogang in the Heaven Dou Empire—the man reputed to be invincible in theory—had been another option.
Now, through a strange twist of fate, Yue Guan had brought him back to Spirit Hall. The choice seemed abrupt, but it might actually be better. In terms of resources, foundations, and the chance to access advanced knowledge and power, Spirit Hall was undoubtedly the best option available to him at present.
His faction had been decided. Next came figuring out how to survive, establish himself within this colossal entity, and use its resources to solve his fundamental problem and achieve rapid growth. If this path proved impassable...
Chen Li's eyes turned cold as Tang San's figure flashed through his mind. If all else failed, going early to cling tightly to the Child of Destiny's thigh would not be a bad strategy.
Although Tang San was not actually as good to his friends as people claimed, he did give them resources.
Especially when it came to this.
Before survival, pride was worth nothing.
But...
Chen Li took a deep breath and temporarily suppressed his stray thoughts.
His most urgent task was to verify what kind of turning point the Second Martial Soul he had obtained through today's sign-in—the Munch-Munch Fruit—could bring him.
He closed his eyes and calmed his mind. The path of his Soul Power's circulation quietly changed.
He no longer drew upon that violent, scorching lightning. Instead, he connected with the newly born void-like core within him, as though it could contain all things.
When he opened his eyes again, the air behind him distorted slightly. A dark phantom roughly one meter in diameter silently emerged, its edges rippling faintly without pause.
Unlike the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's dazzling lightning and overwhelming presence, it carried an eerie stillness, as though even approaching light would be swallowed. At its center lay unfathomable darkness. Nothing could be seen clearly within, and it merely radiated an aura that was both hungry and all-embracing.
"So this is the external manifestation of the Munch-Munch Fruit's martial soul?" Chen Li sensed it carefully. Unlike the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's clear sense of power and urge for destruction, the Munch-Munch Fruit felt more like a bottomless sack or furnace, its calm surface concealing limitless possibilities.
With a thought, he opened the exclusive storage space that came with the system.
In one corner of the space, several hundred Soul Rings of various colors floated silently, like amber sealed away in time.
Nearly a hundred White Soul Rings, dozens of Yellow Soul Rings, and even a lone Purple Soul Ring. They represented all of Chen Li's failed attempts over the past few months to add Soul Rings to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, and they were also the most important raw materials in his possession.
After sweeping his gaze across them, Chen Li selected two white Ten-year Soul Rings. At his command, the two phantom Soul Rings separated from the system space and appeared in the real world before him. They emitted a faint glow, their forms complete, as though they had just risen from the corpse of a soul beast.
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