Quarrel

"I still insist on appointing Hu Liena as the Saintess of Wuhun Hall."

Inside the Elder Hall within Wuhun City, a woman of short stature, dressed in a bright golden ceremonial gown and wearing the Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown, voiced her opinion to the gathered elders and consecrators of Wuhun Hall.

She was none other than the current Pope of Wuhun Hall—Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong's perfect face was currently covered in frost, completely devoid of her usual calm and indifference.

The reason this Pope, who made all the forces on the continent tremble in fear, could barely suppress her anger was standing right in front of her: an old man with graying hair.

This gray-haired old man was Tian'e. Upon hearing Bibi Dong's continued insistence, Tian'e said with a look of disdain, "On what grounds should she be the Saintess? Is she even worthy?"

"Hu Liena's talent and aptitude are top-tier within Wuhun Hall. Why wouldn't she be worthy?"

"Has Your Holiness been muddled by busywork? Talent? Does Wuhun Hall not have anyone better than Hu Liena? Aptitude? Forgive this old man for being blind, but I don't see it."

The elders in the Elder Hall watched this scene helplessly. Here it was again. It had been over three years, and every time they held a meeting, the Second Consecrator and the Pope would inevitably argue over the position of the Saintess.

Moreover, it was always the same few lines back and forth: the Pope saying how good Hu Liena was, and the Second Consecrator saying how she wasn't, until their ears were calloused from hearing it!

"Old Ghost, how long do you think the Second Consecrator and the Pope will argue this time? I bet it'll be for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan was so bored he had started whispering bets with Ghost Douluo. At first, they had been afraid of the two big shots arguing, but now, they were just there to watch the show.

"I bet a stick of incense's time."

Ghost Douluo didn't reply, but Mo Xiong, who was standing to the side, leaned in and whispered.

"Go away, go away, I'm betting with Old Ghost. Why are you joining in, Mo Xiong?"

"Oh, it's fine, add me in."

Several consecrators were speechless at the sight of Ju and Gui making bets, but they didn't stop the whispering. They understood; they argued every time, and nothing new ever came of it. The Fourth Consecrator, Qingyu Douluo, had already started dozing off.

Perhaps the two arguing realized how bored the other elders and consecrators were, or perhaps they were simply tired of the same old argument, but the next part of the dispute became much more explosive.

"It has been three years. Every time I want to appoint a Saintess, the Second Consecrator jumps out to stop me. Tell me, what exactly does the Second Consecrator want?"

Bibi Dong was tired of this bickering. She couldn't understand it; it was just appointing a Saintess, was it really necessary?

"Heh, I don't want anything. I'm just bored, is that not allowed?"

Tian'e put his hands behind his back and sneered.

"You!"

The aura of Bibi Dong, a level 98 Super Douluo, instantly erupted from her body, startling the group of slacking elders and consecrators.

"A level 98 dares to act presumptuously in front of me!"

Tian'e didn't hold back either; his level 99 Limit Douluo aura instantly permeated the entire Elder Hall.

"Calm down, calm down. We are all from Wuhun Hall, don't let outsiders laugh at us by actually fighting."

Seeing the atmosphere between the two becoming increasingly volatile, the Third Consecrator, Yinlong Douluo, immediately jumped out to intervene. If a Limit Douluo and a Super Douluo started fighting, never mind how long the Super Douluo could hold out, Wuhun City would be ruined.

Bibi Dong looked at Tian'e with a grave expression. Not long ago, Tian'e had been a level 98 just like her; how had he suddenly reached level 99? How could he still break through at his age?

"I will give you this face, Third Brother."

Tian'e retracted his aura and gave Bibi Dong a cold look.

"The reason I stop you from appointing a Saintess is simply to tell Your Holiness that Wuhun Hall is not your personal fiefdom. Act with some restraint; we old guys are still here!"

"I am not blind. Before you, Bibi Dong, ascended to the position of Pope, what was the reputation of Wuhun Hall among the soul master community, and what is it now?"

"Don't treat me like a blind man. The First Consecrator ignores the affairs of the Pope Hall out of consideration for certain things, but I am not him. As long as something threatens the survival and growth of Wuhun Hall, I don't mind playing the villain!"

"I have said my piece. Your Holiness, take care of yourself."

After dropping these words, which served as a warning, Tian'e turned and left. When he reached the gate of the Elder Hall, he seemed to remember something, turned back, and said: "Don't say I didn't give that girl Hu Liena a chance. Have her come to the Martial Practice Arena tomorrow. If she can truly suppress everyone of the younger generation, then what harm is there in giving her the position of Saintess?"

After Tian'e had truly left the Elder Hall, the Pope's number one loyalist, Chrysanthemum Douluo, walked behind Bibi Dong. Looking at Bibi Dong, who was nearly crushing her scepter, he said cautiously: "Your Majesty, what now?"

Bibi Dong took a deep breath, suppressing the anger and killing intent in her heart, and ordered: "Go bring Nana to the Pope Hall."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Watching Yue Guan disappear outside the gates of the Elder Hall, Bibi Dong took another deep breath and also left the Elder Hall.

"Sigh."

The Third Consecrator, Yinlong, sighed. They had been arguing for three years, and the position of Saintess was finally going to be decided, but why couldn't he feel happy about it?

Ever since Tian'e returned from the Star Dou Forest three years ago, the Consecrator Hall had completely changed its attitude of ignoring the specific affairs of Wuhun Hall and had begun to intervene significantly in various matters.

If the Consecrator Hall and the Pope Hall had previously pretended not to see each other, now, under the series of actions taken by the Consecrator Hall, the conflict between the two sides had begun to escalate. While they hadn't reached the point of gathering troops to fight each other, making things difficult for the other side had become a daily occurrence.

"Third Brother, don't look so gloomy. Don't look at how noisy things are now; once Xue'er and Shuang'er grow up, what conflicts could there possibly be?"

"Qianjun, you don't understand."

Looking at the Sixth Consecrator, Qianjun Douluo, who had stepped out to comfort him, Yinlong gave a bitter smile. Given the daily style of the Qian sisters, if they really grew up, the way they would resolve conflicts would likely be through physical elimination.

As someone who had grown up in Wuhun Hall, Yinlong stood on the side of the Consecrator Hall, but he truly didn't want to see Wuhun Hall bleed because of its own people.

"If you have time to worry, you might as well go meditate and improve your strength. I've been quite envious since Second Brother broke through."

The Fourth Consecrator, Qing Yu, stepped forward and patted Yin Long on the shoulder. Now that the Consecrator Hall had Qian Ningshuang's assistance on one side and the return of Qian Chongling on the other, the various Consecrators had all experienced a second spring, each seeing the hope of a breakthrough.

"Sigh, I suppose you're right. Let's go, back to the Douluo Hall."

Sighing once more, Yin Long had no choice but to temporarily set aside his worries and refocus his attention on improving his strength.

As the few Consecrators departed, the dozen or so Elders remaining in the hall stared at one another in confusion; the information contained in the Consecrators' words just now was quite significant.

Only a few Consecrators knew about the nature of Qian Ningshuang's martial soul and the existence of Qian Chongling. Aside from those in the Consecrator faction who had a slight inkling, the Elders of the neutral faction and the Papal faction were completely in the dark.

Perhaps I should find an opportunity to defect to the Consecrator faction. Can any amount of external benefit be more important than increasing my own strength? Those Consecrators are all old men whose talents were exhausted, yet they can still achieve a breakthrough—I can too.

Several neutral and Papal faction Elders thought to themselves in secret.