"Your Holiness, this absolutely cannot be allowed."
Demon Bear Douluo's voice echoed through the hall.
"The position of Holy Son concerns the future of Spirit Hall. It is equivalent to the position of heir to the Pope. This boy is nothing but an orphan who just turned six, with no achievements to his name. How can he be given such a high position right away?"
Bibi Dong leaned back against the Pope Throne.
She showed no anger at all.
"Elder Demon Bear, do you object to this decision of mine?"
"I wouldn't dare."
Demon Bear Douluo held his head high.
"But Spirit Hall has its own rules. Every Holy Son and Holy Maiden throughout history has rendered outstanding service to Spirit Hall. The fact that he awakened Twin Martial Souls isn't enough to make the hundreds of thousands of Soul Masters below accept him wholeheartedly."
Snake Lance Douluo sat across from Demon Bear Douluo.
He chimed in as well.
"Elder Demon Bear is right. Talent is still only talent. Countless geniuses have died young throughout the history of the Douluo Continent. Twin Martial Souls are especially dangerous; it's all too easy for their users to explode and die during cultivation. Making him Holy Son right away is too risky."
Porcupinefish Douluo stroked his chin.
"I agree with the two elders. In my view, we should give him an elite spot first and send him to Martial Soul Academy for a few years of observation. If he really does grow up safe and sound, we can confer the title then."
The core elders of the Elder Hall voiced their opinions one after another.
They were in complete agreement.
They absolutely could not let the Pope Palace establish a Holy Son so easily.
This concerned the distribution of power within Spirit Hall.
Once Su Chen's position as Holy Son was firmly established,
the Pope Palace's influence would surely surge.
It might even surpass the Worship Hall and the Elder Hall.
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan gave a cold laugh.
"Several elders have quite a short memory. Did you not see the celestial phenomenon from three days ago? Innate Level 20 full Soul Power, a supreme god-level Martial Soul. If an unparalleled prodigy like this isn't worthy of being Holy Son, then should we give the position to those mediocrities with innate Soul Power of seven or eight levels?"
Ghost Douluo Gui Mei spoke up as well.
"Your Holiness's decision is not yours to question at will."
The atmosphere around the round table instantly grew tense, like a drawn sword.
The Titled Douluo from the Pope Palace and the Elder Hall refused to yield an inch.
Soul Power clashed faintly in the air.
The halberd-bearing guards in the hall were forced to retreat again and again.
Su Chen sat quietly in his chair.
He watched the power struggle unfolding before him.
These Titled Douluo were arguing until their faces flushed red.
At its heart, they were all fighting for the interests of their own factions.
He knew that Bibi Dong's forceful pressure alone would not be enough to completely cow these old men.
Just then,
Second Worship Golden Crocodile Douluo, who had kept his eyes closed as he rested, slowly opened them.
He raised his right hand and tapped the round table twice.
The hall fell silent at once.
The second-ranking figure in the Worship Hall.
A Level 98 Peak Douluo.
His word carried more weight than Demon Bear and Snake Lance combined.
Golden Crocodile Douluo looked at Bibi Dong.
"Pope, the elders' words may be unpleasant, but they're reasonable."
Bibi Dong's gaze turned cold.
"Second Worship, do you also wish to obstruct me?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo shook his head.
"I'm not obstructing you. The Great Worship has already spoken. Since the boy is staying in the Pope Palace, the Worship Hall won't interfere further in his placement. But the Great Worship's tacit approval alone isn't enough for him to become Holy Son. He still has to follow Spirit Hall's rules."
"What rules?"
Bibi Dong asked.
"Overpower everyone of his generation."
Golden Crocodile Douluo uttered four words.
He turned his gaze to Su Chen.
His eyes were as sharp as knives.
"The Holy Son of Spirit Hall must be absolutely invincible among those of his age. Back when you, Bibi Dong, were confirmed as Holy Maiden, you also fought in the Martial Arts Arena. You challenged thirty core elites from Martial Soul Academy alone and carved out your reputation through sheer force."
Golden Crocodile Douluo rose to his feet.
He braced both hands on the table.
"This boy has innate Level 20 Soul Power. Such a foundation far exceeds that of ordinary people. Martial Soul Academy has a group of exceptionally gifted youngsters right now. If he can go to the Martial Arts Arena and face those elite students' challenges in front of everyone, the Elder Hall won't say another word."
Demon Bear Douluo immediately chimed in.
"Second Worship is absolutely right. If he can win, I, Demon Bear, will be the first to kneel and call him Holy Son. If he doesn't dare, or if he gets knocked flat, he can obediently crawl back to the Orphanage."
Bibi Dong clenched her scepter hard.
Purple Soul Power erupted from her.
"Golden Crocodile, don't push it. Su Chen only awakened his Martial Soul three days ago. He doesn't even have a Soul Ring yet, and you want him to face Soul Masters from Martial Soul Academy who have already obtained one? You call that following the rules?"
The core elites of Martial Soul Academy
were at least Soul Masters above Level 10 who had obtained their First Soul Ring.
Some were even Soul Grandmasters on the verge of breaking through Level 20.
Soul Rings granted more than just skills.
They also enhanced every aspect of physical strength.
A Soul Master without a Soul Ring and one with a Soul Ring
were worlds apart.
Golden Crocodile Douluo did not back down.
"He has a god-level Martial Soul and innate Level 20 Soul Power. We can't judge someone like him by ordinary standards. If he can't even challenge people above his rank, what kind of unparalleled genius is he? Spirit Hall doesn't need hothouse flowers."
Bibi Dong was about to erupt,
when a fair hand suddenly rested on the back of hers.
Bibi Dong was taken aback.
She turned to look.
Su Chen had already risen from his chair.
His expression was utterly composed.
He showed not the slightest fear.
Instead, there was even a hint of excitement in his eyes.
He had just taken the Marrow Cleansing Pill.
His body had undergone a complete transformation.
His physical strength had surged to a terrifying level.
His full Level 20 Soul Power surged within him.
He had been wondering where he could test his current combat strength.
Now these elders had delivered practice dummies right to his door.
Su Chen stepped around Bibi Dong's Pope Throne.
He walked up to the round table.
He faced Golden Crocodile Douluo's pressure head-on.
"Second Worship is right. Strength is everything."
Su Chen's voice was steady.
It rang clearly through the spacious hall.
"Since the elders believe I'm unworthy of being Holy Son, then let's follow Spirit Hall's rules."
A flicker of surprise crossed Demon Bear Douluo's eyes.
He hadn't expected this six-year-old brat to dare take him up on it.
"Good boy. You've got guts. You really dare to go to the Martial Arts Arena?"
Su Chen looked at Demon Bear Douluo.
"Why wouldn't I? But if we're holding a contest, there should be something at stake."
"What do you want to wager?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo asked.
"If I lose, I'll hand over the Pope Token of my own accord, give up the position of Holy Son, and volunteer to do odd jobs at Spirit Hall's lowest-ranking branch."
Su Chen swept his gaze around the elders seated at the table.
His voice suddenly turned cold.
"But if I win, from this day onward, no one may bring up my identity or lack of seniority again. To see me will be like seeing the Pope. Anyone who dares show disrespect will be treated as a traitor to Spirit Hall. Do you elders dare accept?"
Su Chen's words struck the floor like iron.
The Titled Douluo in the hall were all stunned.
They had spent their lives in lofty positions.
Never before had a six-year-old child dared speak to them in such a tone while negotiating terms.
Bibi Dong watched Su Chen's back.
Bright light gleamed in her eyes.
This disciple was exactly to her liking.
Audacious.
Imperious.
Golden Crocodile Douluo burst out laughing.
"Good. I accept. If you can beat those arrogant geniuses at Martial Soul Academy, the Worship Hall and the Elder Hall will not only recognize your position, but all of Spirit Hall's cultivation resources will be at your disposal from then on."
"It's a deal."
Su Chen said.
Bibi Dong rose to her feet.
She no longer tried to stop Su Chen.
She believed that the person she had chosen would never do something he wasn't confident he could pull off.
Even if Su Chen truly faced danger in the arena,
with her there,
no one could harm a hair on his head.
"Send the order."
Bibi Dong looked toward the Cardinal outside the door.
"Open the Central Martial Arena. Summon all elite students from the Junior Class and Intermediate Class at Martial Soul Academy. I will personally oversee the matches."
"Understood."
The Cardinal immediately accepted the order and left.
The tense atmosphere in the conference hall finally began to ease.
But a new sense of anticipation started to spread through everyone's hearts.
The Titled Douluo rose to their feet one after another.
They wanted to see for themselves
just how capable this six-year-old child was,
the one Bibi Dong valued so highly.
The Central Martial Arena of Spirit City lay in the area between the Pope Palace and the Elder Hall.
It was a place Spirit Hall specially used for large-scale contests and selection tournaments.
The arena was vast.
At its center stood a huge circular platform over a hundred meters in diameter.
The platform was paved with sturdy Adamantine Rock.
Defensive array patterns that kept Soul Power from leaking out were carved all around it.
At that moment,
the stands surrounding the arena were already packed with over a thousand people.
The instructors from Martial Soul Academy, summoned by the Cardinal,
had rushed here with the elite students from their respective classes.
The students ranged in age from seven to twelve.
They were all geniuses selected through layer upon layer of trials at branch halls across the land.
Every one of them radiated confidence and pride.
The students lined up below the stands.
They whispered among themselves,
speculating about this sudden summons.
"Have you heard? His Holiness has taken on a personal disciple and plans to make him Holy Son right away."
A tall boy murmured.
He was one of the top students in the intermediate class.
Eleven years old.
His Martial Soul was a Blazing Savage Bull.
He had already broken through to level eighteen.
"I heard our instructor say that boy only awakened his Martial Soul a few days ago. He's just a six-year-old brat. He doesn't even have a Soul Ring."
Another tall, thin boy wore a look of disdain.
"What gives him the right to become the Holy Son as soon as he awakens his Martial Soul? What does that make all the years we've worked so hard to cultivate? I refuse to accept it."
"Elder Hall doesn't accept it either. That's why we're having this match today. The higher-ups have said that whoever among us can defeat Su Chen in the arena will receive Elder Hall's special support."
As soon as those words were spoken,
the eyes of every student lit up.
Elder Hall's special support.
It meant boundless resources and a future that could soar to the heavens.
Their gazes toward the Martial Arts Arena entrance grew fiercely predatory.
They looked like hunters watching their prey.
As a steady rhythm of footsteps approached,
two rows of Temple Knights in silver heavy armor jogged into the Martial Arts Arena.
They quickly secured all the key positions.
Immediately after,
the Spirit Hall officials, led by Bibi Dong, slowly entered the arena.
The instructors and students in the stands promptly dropped to one knee.
"We pay our respects to His Holiness the Pope and the esteemed elders."
The voices of over a thousand people rang out as one.
Their presence was awe-inspiring.
Bibi Dong went straight to the highest viewing platform and took her seat.
Golden Crocodile Douluo, Demon Bear Douluo, and the others took their places on either side.
Su Chen did not follow them up to the viewing platform.
He stopped at the entrance.
His gaze swept over the Martial Soul Academy students below, all eager for a chance to fight.
He took the Pope Token from his waist.
Then casually tossed it to a Temple Knight beside him.
Su Chen strode toward the circular arena in the center of the grounds.
He didn't take the stairs.
Instead, he bent his legs slightly and sprang into the air like an arrow loosed from its bow.
He crossed more than a dozen meters in a single bound.
Then landed steadily in the very center of the Adamantite Arena.
Every gaze in the arena instantly fixed on the young boy dressed in black brocade.
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