Qian Xunji continued talking to himself: "Hals, you know I've always thought highly of you. But after something like this happened, I have to do something, or it'll be hard to convince everyone."
That was pure bullshit. As the Pope, Qian Xunji had always had the final say in Spirit Hall.
Hals knelt on the ground, head bowed in silence.
Qian Xunji glanced at Hals and continued:
"Hals, if I'm not mistaken, you've already become a Soul Douluo, haven't you?"
Soul Flame flickered in Hals's eyes, but because his head was bowed, Qian Xunji didn't notice.
"Yes, Your Holiness."
A flicker of wariness passed through Qian Xunji's eyes. After a moment's thought, he said:
"In that case, Hals, I have a mission for you."
Hals kept his head bowed, but bent his body a little lower.
"I await your orders."
Qian Xunji's lips curled upward. Then he put on a serious expression and said, "I have a dream: to make Spirit Hall the most powerful organization on the continent. I want my glory to spread across the entire continent."
"But there are always stumbling blocks on the road to success, like the two great empires, Star Luo and Heaven Dou. Our control over them is far too weak. I need someone to help me remove these two stumbling blocks."
At last, Qian Xunji's foxlike intentions had revealed themselves.
"I want you to infiltrate the Star Luo Empire and observe its affairs in secret, even influencing the situation there if you can."
Hals tensed, his mind racing as he tried to figure out Qian Xunji's intentions. He felt a little irritated, his emotions slipping slightly out of control. After all these years, he had grown used to relying on force and rarely took the time to think things through.
If I go to Star Luo, what will the greatest impact be? That's it. Hals understood. Once I go to Star Luo, my master will have less protection by her side. So his real target is still my master. But why is his target Bibi Dong?
The more Hals thought about it, the more confused he became. But what could he do? If he refused, his strength wasn't enough to protect his master. So he had no choice but to agree...
Qian Xunji waited for a while, but Hals didn't answer. His expression darkened a little. He turned to look at Hals and was about to say something when Hals spoke:
"I understand. Everything is for Your Holiness. Could you give me three days to make some preparations? I'll leave at once after that."
Qian Xunji clearly hadn't expected Hals to agree so readily, but that suited him even better.
Qian Xunji acted pleased with Hals. He even rose from his throne, came down to pat Hals on the shoulder, and offered him a few insincere words of praise before letting him leave.
As he walked along, Hals didn't turn into Black Mist and hurry home as he usually did. Instead, he strolled along slowly. He had to figure out how to tell Bibi Dong.
Hals looked at the familiar corridor before him. The path that usually seemed so long felt unusually short today. He didn't hurry inside, but stood silently outside Bibi Dong's door, the green flames in his eyes shining brightly in the darkness.
After a long while, Hals let out a soft sigh and knocked on Bibi Dong's door.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Bibi Dong was lying on her bed, flipping through the book in her hands—the same book by Yu Xiaogang. She was engrossed in it when the knock sounded, so she reluctantly set the book aside and got up to answer the door.
"Hals?" Bibi Dong looked at him, unable to hide her delight. She was also a little shy.
Hearing Bibi Dong's voice, Hals didn't say anything. He simply bowed in silence, then opened his mouth and hesitated before saying, "Master, there's something I want to tell you."
Bibi Dong sensed that something was wrong with Hals. Her expression grew a little more composed, but she still opened the door and walked inside first.
"Come in. Whatever it is, come inside and tell me."
"Mm." Hals nodded, closed the door, and followed her in.
Neither spoke. Bibi Dong lowered her head and avoided looking at Hals. He, meanwhile, kept looking at her, but the flames in his eyes had dimmed. A trace of worry and guilt showed in them.
"...So you're leaving. You're going to leave me." Bibi Dong spoke first, her voice low.
"No, I have no choice. I have to protect you, Master. Qian Xunji's real target is you, and as long as I'm alive, he'll have to think twice. I asked him for three days. I'll use that time to make a piece of protective equipment for you, and I'll also go into seclusion to comprehend things and do everything I can to find a way to get to your side quickly..." Hals grew agitated, his body trembling slightly.
Bibi Dong kept her head lowered and said nothing, but a tear fell onto the bedsheet.
Hals panicked and tried to explain himself, stumbling over his words. "No, I didn't—I have no choice. I don't want to leave you either, but..."
He suddenly fell silent. Bibi Dong had risen and thrown her arms around Hals.
Hals's mind went blank. Bibi Dong's delicate scent filled his nose. It was light and gentle, not at all overpowering.
Hals sat there in a daze, not daring to move. After holding him for a while, Bibi Dong suddenly pressed both hands against his chest and pushed herself upright. Then she wiped her eyes with both hands and, seeing Hals's baffled expression, burst into laughter.
"All right, all right. Go take care of your own business. Don't worry, I can look after myself. You'd better become a Titled Douluo soon and come back to help me.
"Besides, make a good start for yourself in Star Luo. After all, I'm the Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall, and my dream is to develop Spirit Hall and establish a Spirit Hall Empire. You'll be helping me, too. Go on, don't worry." Bibi Dong clenched her dainty fist, bent her arm, and struck a strong pose. "Don't worry. I'm not someone to be trifled with, either."
Her adorable words lifted Hals's spirits a little.
Bibi Dong stood up, turned Hals around, and pushed him forward with both hands on his back until he was out the door.
Hals had been dazed from the beginning to the end. He stared blankly at the closed door and only came to his senses after a long while. He touched the spot where Bibi Dong had just leaned against him, and a smile appeared beneath his hood. Jiujiu never changed...
For the next two days, Hals stayed in seclusion, focusing on his cultivation and paying no attention to the outside world.
In the darkness, the flames in Hals's eye sockets burned on without end. He lowered his head and held out his right arm before him, carefully examining the Runes on it.
"Space..."
After thinking it over, he didn't hesitate. The Blood-colored Soul Ring flashed behind him, and Frost Force gathered into a sharp dagger in his left hand. He brought it down, and his right arm fell in front of him.
Hals's face twisted slightly, but he endured the extreme pain without making a sound.
A few green glimmers drifted out of the Lantern at his waist. Hals thought it over, then drew the souls back into the Lantern.
With a muffled grunt, a green glow about half the size of a fist drifted out of Hals's body. Flames rose from his left hand. As the glow slowly floated down onto his arm, the flames leapt skyward and enveloped it.
Hals glanced at the sky, which was beginning to brighten. He knew it was time.
Hals turned around and, out of habit, tried to reach out with his right hand to pick up the bracelet and necklace in front of him. Only then did he remember that he had refined his right arm into the bracelet and necklace lying there.
After a moment's thought, he moved his mind, and a large number of souls drifted out of the Lantern. They gathered around the wound on Hals's right shoulder and condensed into a solid, transparent green arm, brimming with the aura of souls.
After admiring the jewelry for a while, Hals glanced out the window and worked out the time. Bibi Dong should be awake by now.
Frost Force condensed into a small box. Hals casually placed the jewelry inside, then took one last look around the room and left. If the room had a soul, it might not have known that, for the next few years, its master would never return...
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