A Show of Hands, Bibi Dong Gets Slapped in the Face!

Heaven Dou City, Prince Xue Xing's manor.

Prince Xue Xing slammed his fist onto the table.

"That useless Xue Beng! He couldn't even handle something as simple as getting close to the Ye Family, and he even got himself killed!"

"Then, Your Highness, what should we do next..." asked a plump middle-aged man with two small mustaches at his side.

Xue Xing considered it.

"Wait and see. Since Spirit Hall was behind this, my imperial brother will surely make a move. We don't need to do anything."

"I'm just worried about the Crown Prince..."

Xue Xing snorted. "Xue Qinghe—never mind that he hasn't ascended the throne yet. Even if he does, he won't be able to do anything to me. Let's watch for now."

"Then perhaps we should have Poison Douluo teach Spirit Hall a lesson."

The figure seated in the grand chair had barely finished speaking when he met Xue Xing's incomparably sharp gaze.

"You... whose spy are you?"

"You dare make a move against Spirit Hall's people? Does your master want to kill with a borrowed knife?"

The adviser broke out in a cold sweat and dropped to his knees.

"Spare me, Your Highness! I was only doing this for your sake..."

Prince Xue Xing withdrew the bloodstained dagger in his hand, wiped the blood from it, and looked on indifferently.

"Someone, drag him out and feed him to the dogs!"

At the Crown Prince Manor, Xue Qinghe stood by the window, her gaze drifting into the distance.

"Young Mistress."

Snake Lance appeared behind her and called softly.

"Uncle Snake, didn't I ask you to protect Jin Yan? Why are you back so soon? Don't tell me that brat returned to Spirit Hall?"

By the end, displeasure had entered her voice.

"No, no, Young Mistress. The boy asked me to bring something back for you."

"Oh? What is it? Hurry and let me see."

Xue Qinghe turned around and hurried over, snatching the jade box from Snake Lance's hand and opening it impatiently.

A floral fragrance wafted out of the box, revealing an Immortal Herb with pale golden leaves and restrained radiance.

Before she could examine it carefully, an aura of blazing light rushed toward her.

"Sun God Emperor Flower!"

Almost instinctively, she spoke the name of the Immortal Herb. She clearly did not recognize it, yet she had called out its name without thinking.

"That's right. The boy said it was called the Sun God Emperor Flower."

Qian Renxue had already returned to her true appearance. Her thumb stroked the flower's leaves as she said, "Send someone to inform Xue Ye. I will be entering seclusion next."

After leaving those words behind, Qian Renxue went straight back to the master bedroom. She activated the mechanism beneath the bed, and the bed board rose to reveal a deep, dark opening. She jumped directly inside.

Meanwhile, at Spirit Hall.

Bibi Dong received news from the Heaven Dou Empire today and immediately convened the Council of Elders.

"Elders, this is the news sent by the Heaven Dou Empire today. You may pass it around and read it."

Suppressing her anger, she threw the letter in her hand onto the conference table.

The elders below were baffled. They did not understand why Bibi Dong was so furious today.

Demon Bear Douluo, seated at the head of the table, picked up the letter and casually opened it.

He did not care how Bibi Dong felt. After scanning its contents, he nodded in sudden realization, passed the letter to Ghost Leopard Douluo beside him, and transmitted, "Read it to Old Bear. What the hell does it say?"

Ghost Leopard Douluo rolled his eyes, scanned the letter's contents, and handed it to Spirit Kite Douluo while transmitting to Demon Bear Douluo.

"Good! Well done!" Demon Bear suddenly shouted.

Only after everyone looked at him did he awkwardly stop laughing.

Bibi Dong clenched her fist but ultimately said nothing, though her expression was rather unpleasant.

"What are you laughing about? Jin Yan's actions this time disregarded Spirit Hall's dignity. How can you still have the nerve to laugh?"

At that moment, Spirit Kite Douluo, having finished the letter, abruptly slapped the table and stood. Her golden eyes seemed to burn with fire.

"Spirit Kite, you're the one in the wrong here. The Heaven Dou Empire provoked us first. What's wrong with giving them a warning? Or does Spirit Kite Douluo think Spirit Hall lacks the strength to deter them?"

Ghost Leopard Douluo spoke calmly.

Spirit Kite Douluo was immediately rendered speechless.

"Enough."

Once Bibi Dong saw that Spirit Turtle Douluo had finished reading the letter, she clapped her hands and spoke.

"I believe this matter has somewhat given Spirit Hall a poor impression across the continent. It should be dealt with.

How about this? Recall Jin Yan from outside and imprison him for one year as a warning to others, giving the continent an explanation. Let us vote by raising our hands. What do you think?"

"I agree!" Spirit Kite Douluo was the first to raise her hand in agreement.

"I object!" Demon Bear Douluo and Ghost Leopard Douluo raised their hands almost simultaneously.

Bibi Dong tightened her grip on her scepter and looked toward Spirit Turtle Douluo.

Spirit Turtle Douluo was no longer young. He looked like an old man in his eighties, bald and wearing a round green bowler hat. He was short and hunched over, with a smooth dark-green tortoise shell on his back. He looked entirely harmless.

In truth, he was already over one hundred and twenty years old. His talent was poor, and an injury in his youth had left his cultivation permanently stalled at rank ninety-three.

Spirit Turtle Douluo held the letter in his hands, his tiny eyes sweeping around the room as he smiled.

"Your Holiness the Pope, I'm old. I won't vote on this matter."

After saying that, he lowered his head, and the shell on his back nearly enclosed his entire head within it.

A smile appeared on Bibi Dong's face. This result had not exceeded her expectations. Everyone knew that Ju and Gui Douluo were Bibi Dong's people. All told, it was four against two. She still held the upper hand.

A smug smile curved her lips.

"Since that is the case, then four to—"

"Your Holiness the Pope, Old Gui and I haven't voted yet."

At that moment, Yue Guan, who had been standing obediently behind Bibi Dong, spoke in his shrill voice.

The smile on Bibi Dong's face froze. She turned to look at Yue Guan and found him wearing an unnatural expression, his eyes apologetic as he looked at her.

Bibi Dong's heart skipped a beat, and a trace of foreboding rose within her.

When she looked at Ghost Douluo again, his face was obscured by a layer of black mist, making his expression impossible to see. Yet he was looking strangely at Yue Guan. Clearly, Yue Guan's sudden words had surprised him as well.

Bibi Dong felt slightly better. Good, good. Three against three.

"Your Holiness the Pope, I object," Chrysanthemum Douluo said with some apology.

"I think Jin Yan..."

Yue Guan still wanted to explain, but he discovered that no one was paying attention to him. He could only close his mouth awkwardly.

At once, everyone's gaze turned toward Ghost Douluo.

In an instant, Ghost Douluo felt greater pressure than he would in a fight. The ink-black mist around him thickened, concealing his entire body.

"I object."

Trusting his good brother, he quietly spoke.

In an instant, the great hall became so silent that a needle drop could be heard, and everyone wore a different expression.

Bear and Leopard Douluo looked purely entertained, while Spirit Kite Douluo wore an expression as though she had swallowed a fly.

Bibi Dong had thought she was certain to win this time, but she had suffered such a crushing defeat. It seemed to be four against two, but she knew Qian Renxue had two more titled Douluo at her side. In truth, it was six against two!

Even Spirit Turtle Douluo could not resist poking his head out, his tiny eyes darting around.

Bibi Dong seemed to have all her strength drained away as she staggered back two steps weakly.

She truly had not expected that even Ju and Gui Douluo, whom she trusted most, would one day betray her.

She lowered her head, but her eyes turned sharp.

"Jin Yan... what a Jin Yan. Without making a sound, he even poached my two greatest generals..."