Xiao Feng's fingers lightly tapped against the stone table.
An invisible pressure swept through Gui Mei's heart. He knew that if he refused to speak, he might truly be killed. He feared death—everyone feared death, and Title Douluo were no exception. The stronger someone was, the more they feared dying.
In less than a few seconds, Gui Mei compromised. He had never willingly submitted to Bibi Dong in the first place. There was no need to get himself killed over such trivial matters now; it was not worth it. Besides, Yue Guan was the only person he cared about.
Now that Yue Guan was dead, he naturally had to live on carrying Yue Guan's will as well.
"Pope Bibi Dong sent me and three elders to investigate the cause of Yue Guan's death. If he was killed, we were to bring the culprit back."
Listening to Gui Mei's words, Xiao Feng frowned slightly. "That's all?"
Xiao Feng felt that Gui Mei had not finished speaking. It was not really Gui Mei's fault; he did not dare say the rest. Saying now that they had come to recruit Xiao Feng, and would kill him if he refused, would only make him die faster, wouldn't it?
Xiao Feng merely asked coldly, "I'll ask one last time. Are you sure that's all? Think carefully before answering. Remember, think carefully!"
Xiao Feng put particular emphasis on his final words, and Gui Mei's body stiffened. Trembling, he said, "The Pope said we were to recruit you. If you agreed, we would take you back. If you refused, we would kill you. She said that a prodigy who was not one of us would only be trouble if left alive."
Gui Mei forced himself to say those words. He had already prepared himself to join Yue Guan in the next second, but the pain he had expected never came.
He glanced over and saw Xiao Feng standing outside the pavilion.
"I keep my word. I'll let you go. Go back and tell Bibi Dong that if she sets her sights on me or those around me again, my God Nine Sect will not mind destroying Spirit Hall! Even Qian Daoliu won't be able to stop it. I said it. This world is vast; beneath the God Realm, all are ants. Tell Bibi Dong to consider whether Spirit Hall has the strength to contend with the God Realm."
"That's enough, Mengmeng. Let him go."
"Understood, Young Master."
With that, Xiao Feng's figure vanished at the end of the path, while Rui Mengmeng disappeared into thin air, leaving behind only the utterly disbelieving Gui Mei lying on the ground.
"I... I really didn't die?"
Although Gui Mei was severely injured, as long as he was alive, everything could still be dealt with. Lying on the ground, he circulated his Soul Power and began healing his injuries. Half an hour later, Gui Mei could barely move, so he limped away.
The reason Xiao Feng had not killed Gui Mei was that he wanted to test Bibi Dong. Gui Mei had betrayed Bibi Dong; if Bibi Dong killed Gui Mei, it would prove that she had plenty of manpower under her command and did not care about losing a mere Title Douluo. If she did not kill Gui Mei, it would prove that Bibi Dong's forces were still within Xiao Feng's expectations.
Yue Guan was dead, and three more Title Douluo had also died. If Bibi Dong killed Gui Mei as well, then it could only be said that Bibi Dong was truly iron-blooded and extravagant—she killed Title Douluo whenever she pleased, with resources to spare!
How would Bibi Dong know Gui Mei had betrayed her? Please. There had been four Title Douluo in total. The other three had died without even leaving scraps behind, yet Gui Mei alone returned alive? Bibi Dong would not believe there had been no shady deal involved!
Just as Gui Mei set off to return to Spirit Hall, Tang Hao's urgent "gift" arrived!
Inside Pope Palace.
Bibi Dong sat upon the papal throne, listening to the report from the person below. Her face was livid, because she had just learned that three of the four elders she had dispatched had died! Their life plaques had shattered at the same time, which meant the three of them had been instantly killed.
Aside from Gui Mei, whose rank had been somewhat higher, the other three elders—newly advanced Title Douluo at ranks ninety-one and ninety-two—were simply gone. Although these elders had all been old men in their seventies or eighties, they were still three full-fledged Title Douluo. To be inexplicably killed in an instant like that left even the always cold-blooded Bibi Dong unable to remain calm.
She could kill three low-ranking Title Douluo herself, but she could not kill them instantly. She could not imagine who possessed such strength—or whether they had fallen into a trap and been instantly killed because of it.
Fury made Bibi Dong's chest rise and fall. Her beautiful eyes were filled with icy malice as she viciously drove the Imperial Staff in her hand into the floor and demanded of those below, "Who can tell me what is going on? In a tiny Nuoding City, I have lost four Title Douluo! Who can tell me what exactly happened?"
Powerful Soul Power surged forth, making the people below even more terrified. They all lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to move, afraid that they would be dragged out to vent her anger the next second.
Just then, a figure whose voice was full of terror rushed in from outside while clutching a box.
"Your Holiness, there is something from Nuoding City. Elder Yue Guan, h-he is dead!"
The moment Bibi Dong heard the words "Elder Yue Guan is dead," confusion arose in her heart. Logically speaking, aside from herself and Gui Mei, no one else should have known about Yue Guan's death. How did this person know?
Suddenly, Bibi Dong's gaze fell upon the box in that person's arms—a box carrying the scent of blood. In an instant, a fury unlike anything she had ever felt surged within her!
The people kneeling below grew even more frightened. Three Title Douluo elders had died, and now Elder Yue Guan was dead as well. There was no need to ask; they knew this was a major disaster.
Bibi Dong's Soul Power shook, and the contents of the box immediately fell out. Everyone who saw it had a drastic change in expression. That was right—it was Yue Guan's severed head!
Bibi Dong fell silent as she looked at the eyes on Yue Guan's head, still filled with terror from before his death.
"Your Holiness, there is also a letter here."
Trembling, the man produced a letter. Without another word, Bibi Dong leaped down from her seat and opened it. After reading it, she viciously tore it apart, gritting her teeth as she said, "Tang Hao!"
That was right. The letter read: "Spirit Hall, I have returned!"
Other than Tang Hao, Bibi Dong could not think of anyone else who would dare write such words and possess the strength to kill Yue Guan and the others!
Bibi Dong then strode out of Pope Palace on her long legs, but before leaving, she said one thing.
"Call an elders' assembly this afternoon to decide on the matter of surrounding and killing Tang Hao!"
The deaths of four Title Douluo could not be concealed. Paper could not contain fire forever. Moreover, Bibi Dong could not understand: who was helping Tang Hao?
In the battle all those years ago, the previous Pope, Qian Xunji, had been severely wounded. Tang Hao, newly advanced to Title Douluo, had fought three with one hammer. Although Tang Hao later broke through and escaped, Bibi Dong did not believe he had emerged from that battle without any lasting injuries.
Tang Hao was powerful, but he could not possibly be powerful enough to instantly kill three Title Douluo. Therefore, in Bibi Dong's estimation, someone had to be helping Tang Hao. That was why she convened the elders' assembly.
Bibi Dong: "Comparing numbers? Comparing top-tier combat power? My Spirit Hall has never lacked either!"
What Bibi Dong did not know was that the person who had killed so many of her subordinates was merely an ordinary silver-haired woman. Yes, Rui Mengmeng was merely ordinary—if one ignored the fact that she possessed the strongest combat power on land.
Elsewhere, Gui Mei, healing his injuries while fleeing for his life, returned to Spirit Hall in only half a day.
At this moment, inside Spirit Hall.
Nearly all of Spirit Hall's top combat forces were discussing one matter: whether they should go to Nuoding City and surround Tang Hao!
Bang!
Suddenly, the doors of Pope Palace were rudely shoved open, and the blood-covered Gui Mei staggered inside. Seeing Gui Mei drenched in blood, everyone was shocked.
His vision went dark, and Gui Mei fell stiffly to the ground.
At once, everyone fell silent—especially the elders who had previously advocated going to surround and kill Tang Hao.
Before you continue