There wasn't a sound in the Main Hall of the Pope Palace.
The Pope Scepter in Bibi Dong's hand scraped lightly against the floor.
A faint, dry sound rang out.
She stared intently at Su Chen.
The name Yu Xiaogang.
It had always been taboo in the Pope Palace.
No one dared mention it lightly in her presence.
Much less threaten to ruin his reputation.
"After all, he came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
Bibi Dong's voice was somewhat low.
"If you go after him, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan probably won't sit by and do nothing. This could bring unnecessary trouble to Spirit Hall."
Su Chen's expression remained calm.
He took a step forward.
"Teacher, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan expelled him from the family long ago."
"Now he's just a good-for-nothing who lives off Spirit Hall's low-level subsidies."
Su Chen's voice carried undisguised contempt.
"Most importantly, he stole confidential materials from Spirit Hall's Library Pavilion, then dressed them up as his own Ten Core Competencies."
"He took Spirit Hall's knowledge and used it to build himself a so-called Grandmaster's reputation."
"This isn't just theft. It's a grave affront to Spirit Hall's dignity."
Su Chen looked Bibi Dong straight in the eyes.
"If we don't punish him, outsiders will think Spirit Hall is weak and easy to bully—that even a plagiarist can get away with anything."
Bibi Dong's fingers tightened around the scepter until they turned faintly white.
Su Chen's words were like sharp blades.
They cut straight to the heart of Spirit Hall's interests.
She couldn't refute them.
Nor did she want to.
Back then, Yu Xiaogang had left without a word.
He had even turned around and gotten together with Liu Erlong.
Over the long years, that old affection had long since twisted into an obsession and resentment she couldn't let go of.
"How many people do you need?"
Bibi Dong finally relented.
She leaned back in the Pope Throne.
The cold authority of the supreme ruler returned to her.
"Not many. No need to use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken."
Su Chen replied.
"Give me a squad of elite Temple Knights, and assign a Soul Douluo-level cardinal to lead them."
"Very well. I approve."
Bibi Dong waved her hand.
"You are now Spirit Hall's Holy Son. Every Martial Soul Branch Hall on the continent is at your command."
"Handle this cleanly. Don't let outsiders laugh at Spirit Hall."
"Thank you, Teacher."
Su Chen bowed slightly.
He turned and strode out of the Main Hall.
The heavy doors slowly swung open behind him.
Brilliant sunlight spilled once more across his black brocade robes.
The moment he stepped over the threshold,
the system's mechanical prompt rang in his mind right on time.
"Ding. The host has voluntarily initiated a plot to suppress the Child of Destiny and the hypocritical supporting character." "God-Level Choice System has triggered a chain quest." "Quest, first stage: Go to Nuoding City. Publicly expose the plagiarism and flaws in Yu Xiaogang's Ten Core Competencies, and shatter his Grandmaster facade." "Quest, second stage: On the opening day of Nuoding Academy, forcefully suppress the Child of Destiny, Tang San, and seize some of his initial fortune." "First-stage quest reward: A clue to a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone and 500,000 Gold Soul Coins." "Second-stage quest reward: Increased Twin Martial Souls compatibility and one random high-grade Profound Rank Soul Skill."
Su Chen looked at the pale blue screen that had appeared at the edge of his vision.
A cold curve lifted the corner of his mouth.
The system's quests fit his plans perfectly.
Nuoding City.
That hypocritical master and disciple.
Their good days were over.
Two days later.
On the border of Fasinuo Province.
A broad official road led to Nuoding City.
A small but fearsome convoy raced along it at high speed.
At the very front rode fifty fully armed Temple Knights.
Every one of them rode a Scaled Horse with the bloodline of a Hundred-Year Soul Beast.
Their heavy silver armor reflected the sun in a cold metallic gleam.
Each of them radiated a formidable Soul Power fluctuation at the Soul Ancestor level or higher.
At the center of the convoy,
a luxurious carriage was drawn by four purebred Black Scaled Dragon Horses.
The carriage was made entirely of fine, dark-gold Deep Yin Wood.
The emblem of the Six-Winged Angel, symbolizing Spirit Hall's supreme authority, was carved into each side of the carriage.
Beside it,
a cardinal in red rode a tall horse as an escort.
He was an eighty-third-level Soul Douluo.
One of Salas's trusted men.
Bibi Dong had specifically assigned him to oversee Su Chen's escort and accommodations on this trip.
Inside the carriage,
Su Chen sat cross-legged on a soft beast-hide cushion.
His eyes were closed.
The Chaos God-Demon Art circulated steadily through his body.
After absorbing two Soul Rings beyond his level,
his Soul Power was now abundant.
It continued to rise slowly and steadily.
"Your Highness the Holy Son, Nuoding City is still five miles ahead."
The cardinal in red reported respectfully from outside the carriage window.
"The Nuoding City Lord and Ma Xiunuo, the local Martial Soul Branch Hall's presiding officer, have already led the city's senior officials outside the gates to welcome you."
Su Chen slowly opened his eyes.
Black and white light flashed and vanished in their depths.
"Tell them there's no need for all those flashy ceremonies."
Su Chen's voice came from inside the carriage.
"Go straight to the Martial Soul Branch Hall. Seal the city gates and clear out all nonessential personnel."
"Understood."
The cardinal in red immediately raised his right hand.
He made a specific Soul Power signal.
The Temple Knights up ahead instantly accelerated.
They became a silver torrent of steel,
charging straight toward Nuoding City.
At that moment, outside Nuoding City,
the atmosphere was oppressive to the extreme.
The city gates were shut tight.
The merchants and travelers who usually filled the streets had all been driven several miles away.
The Nuoding City Lord stood right in the middle of the gates,
dressed in luxurious aristocratic clothes.
He kept wiping the cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Beside him
stood Ma Xiunuo, the presiding officer of Nuoding City's Martial Soul Branch Hall.
The elderly Soul Master looked just as nervous.
His hands were clasped in front of him.
He hardly dared breathe too loudly.
Behind them
stood hundreds of City Defense Army soldiers and low-ranking Spirit Hall deacons.
Every one of them stood rigid beneath the blazing sun.
The sudden arrival of His Highness the Holy Son, the highest authority in Spirit Hall, in a remote border town
was nothing less than a world-shattering event for them.
Even the slightest failure in their welcome
could cost them their heads at any moment.
The ground began to tremble faintly.
On the distant horizon,
a silver line appeared.
As the heavy hoofbeats fell in perfect unison,
a killing intent surged toward them.
"He's here. Everyone, get down on your knees!"
The Nuoding City Lord's legs gave way.
He dropped to his knees first.
Ma Xiunuo and the hundreds behind him all went down on one knee.
Their heads bowed.
Their eyes fixed on the ground.
A moment later,
the fifty Temple Knights reined in sharply before the gates.
Their horses reared up.
They let out a chorus of neighs.
The crushing pressure of their Soul Power left the Nuoding City Lord afraid to even breathe.
The luxurious dark-gold carriage came to a slow stop.
The cardinal in red dismounted.
He walked to the carriage
and opened the door himself.
Su Chen stepped out.
His black robe embroidered with gold thread swayed gently in the breeze.
He looked down at the Nuoding City's officials kneeling across the ground.
He said nothing at first.
The air seemed to freeze.
The Nuoding City Lord could feel that the clothes on his back were already soaked through with sweat.
"Proceed to the branch hall."
Su Chen ignored the Nuoding City Lord.
He gave the order directly to the cardinal in red.
Then he sat back inside the carriage.
The carriage rolled slowly past the kneeling crowd.
The sound of its wheels crushing over the stone road
rattled every person's nerves.
Only after the convoy had passed through the city gates...
Only then did Ma Xiunuo dare to wipe the sweat from his face.
He hurriedly scrambled to his feet.
He called for the Deacons under his command to follow the convoy.
Nuoding City Martial Soul Branch Hall.
It was the grandest building in the city.
But compared with Pope Palace in Spirit City,
this place was as humble as a country shack.
Inside the branch hall's council chamber,
Su Chen walked straight to the seat that had belonged to Ma Xiunuo and sat down.
A Cardinal and two fully armed Temple Knights stood guard on either side.
Ma Xiunuo stood trembling in the center of the hall with several senior branch officials.
"Ma Xiunuo."
Su Chen spoke.
His voice echoed through the spacious hall.
"Your subordinate is here."
Ma Xiunuo shuddered all over.
He immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Bring me every file on the commoners whose Martial Soul Awakenings were handled by Spirit Hall in Fasinuo Province this year."
Su Chen got straight to the point.
He hadn't come here to inspect their work.
He had come to find Tang San.
"Yes, Your Highness. Please wait a moment."
Ma Xiunuo didn't dare ask a single question.
He immediately beckoned a clerk over.
In less than ten minutes,
three thick stacks of parchment files were carried to the long table in front of Su Chen.
"Your Highness, five thousand six hundred children of the appropriate age underwent Martial Soul Awakening in Fasinuo Province this year."
Ma Xiunuo reported with his head bowed.
"Only two hundred and twelve of them possessed Soul Power. The highest Innate Soul Power was level six."
Su Chen didn't look through the files.
He gently tapped his fingers against the wooden table.
"None with Innate Full Soul Power?"
Ma Xiunuo froze.
He thought carefully for a moment.
Then his expression suddenly changed.
"Your Highness, there was indeed one."
"A few days ago, Deacon Su Yuntao, who was responsible for conducting Awakenings in the surrounding villages, brought back a special report."
"A child in Holy Soul Village was born with Innate Full Soul Power."
A note of disbelief colored Ma Xiunuo's voice.
"But that child's Martial Soul was a standard Trash Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass."
At the sound of that name,
Su Chen's tapping fingers stopped.
Found him.
"Bring Su Yuntao here."
Su Chen leaned back in his chair.
His gaze was icy.
"Also, find that Awakening certificate."
A few minutes later,
two Temple Knights hauled a young Deacon of average height and ordinary appearance into the hall.
Su Yuntao was terrified.
He had no idea what he had done wrong
to warrant a personal summons from the exalted Holy Son.
"Your subordinate Su Yuntao pays his respects to Your Highness."
Su Yuntao dropped to his knees.
He pressed his forehead hard against the cold floor tiles.
Ma Xiunuo rummaged through the files and pulled out a sheet of parchment stamped with Spirit Hall's seal.
He respectfully offered it to Su Chen.
Su Chen picked up the parchment.
It clearly read:
Name: Tang San.
Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass.
Soul Power: Innate Full Soul Power, level ten.
Awakening official: Su Yuntao.
Looking at the Awakening certificate that had set the original story in motion,
Su Chen let a mocking sneer creep across his lips.
He casually tossed the parchment onto the table.
His gaze settled condescendingly on Su Yuntao, still kneeling on the ground.
"Su Yuntao."
Su Chen's voice was quiet,
yet carried an unquestionable authority.
"You filled out this certificate yourself?"
Su Yuntao shuddered all over.
He hastily replied,
"Yes, Your Highness. I filled it out myself. There's not a single falsehood in it. When that child took the test, the crystal ball really did shine with a blinding light. It was unquestionably full Soul Power."
Su Chen let out a cold laugh.
"I didn't say you falsified it."
"I'm asking whether your head is filled with paste."
Su Yuntao jerked his head up.
His eyes were full of confusion and terror.
Ma Xiunuo and the Cardinal beside him were also stunned.
They didn't understand why the Holy Son had suddenly turned on him.
"A Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, a Trash Martial Soul by every measure."
Su Chen slowly rose to his feet.
He walked to the edge of the long table.
"Has there ever been a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul with Innate Soul Power in the history of Douluo Continent?"
Su Yuntao stammered out a reply.
"N-no, Your Highness. There's never been one. Blue Silver Grass is recognized as a Trash Martial Soul."
"If there's never been one,"
Su Chen's eyes sharpened.
"then how could a child named Tang San possibly bear level-ten Innate Full Soul Power with nothing but a stalk of Blue Silver Grass?"
At those words,
everyone in the hall froze.
The Cardinal furrowed his brow.
As a Soul Douluo,
he immediately realized how unreasonable this was.
Innate Soul Power was directly proportional to the quality of one's Martial Soul.
That was the most basic common knowledge in the Soul Master World.
Only a powerful Martial Soul could give rise to a high level of Innate Soul Power.
How could a clump of weeds, with no vitality to speak of,
possibly contain the vast energy of full Soul Power?
It was like trying to use a thin paper cup
to hold boiling magma.
The cup would burn through in an instant.
There was only one explanation.
Another, incomparably sturdy vessel
was bearing the weight of the magma for that paper cup.
Su Chen didn't give them time to think.
He pointed out the truth himself.
"Blue Silver Grass can't withstand full Soul Power. That proves there must be another Martial Soul inside him."
Su Chen's voice rang through the hall.
"To give rise to innate level-ten full Soul Power, it would have to be at least a top-tier Tool Martial Soul or a supreme Beast Martial Soul."
"That Tang San has Twin Martial Souls."
Twin Martial Souls.
Those four words exploded in Ma Xiunuo and Su Yuntao's ears like a bolt of thunder.
Su Yuntao's eyes widened in terror.
He recalled the scene in Holy Soul Village on the day of the Awakening.
When the child named Tang San awakened Blue Silver Grass,
his left hand had been clenched tight the entire time.
He'd even held it behind his back.
At the time, Su Yuntao had been so shocked by the child's Innate Full Soul Power that he hadn't noticed that tiny detail at all.
"This subordinate deserves to die! I was blind!"
Su Yuntao regretted it so bitterly that he could have torn out his own entrails.
If he had discovered the Twin Martial Souls back then
and reported it to Spirit Hall's higher-ups,
it would have been a tremendous achievement.
Instead, he had let the opportunity slip right through his fingers.
Su Chen looked coldly at Su Yuntao.
"You do deserve to die. A genius with Twin Martial Souls and enormous potential for recruitment slipped through Spirit Hall's fingers because of your ignorance."
Su Yuntao collapsed to the ground, terrified.
His face was ashen.
Ma Xiunuo hurriedly knelt and pleaded for his subordinate.
"Please calm your anger, Your Highness. Now that we've uncovered the child's background, I'll immediately send the City Defense Army to Holy Soul Village and bring him back by force for you to deal with."
"No need."
Su Chen sat back down in his chair.
"He's not in Holy Soul Village now."
Su Chen took a freshly delivered report from the Cardinal.
"According to the report, Old Jack from Holy Soul Village used the Work-Study Student placement and has already taken Tang San to Nuoding City."
"Tomorrow is the opening day of Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy."
Su Chen's gaze turned unfathomable.
Everything was progressing according to the original timeline.
Tang San's first meeting with Yu Xiaogang
would happen tomorrow, at the gates of Nuoding Academy.
That hypocrite Yu Xiaogang
had also deduced that Tang San possessed Twin Martial Souls after seeing this certificate of Innate Full Soul Power,
then shamelessly insisted on taking Tang San as his disciple.
"Grandmaster. Ten Core Competencies. Twin Martial Souls."
A cold smile curled Su Chen's lips.
He raised his head.
He looked toward the Cardinal standing off to the side.
"Pass on my order. Seal off all information about my arrival in Nuoding City."
"Recall the entire City Defense Army to the barracks. No one is to cause a disturbance in the streets."
The Cardinal respectfully acknowledged the order.
"Your Highness, shall we go straight to the academy tomorrow and take him?"
"Take him? How dull."
Su Chen toyed with the Void Ring on his thumb.
"Isn't that good-for-nothing who calls himself Grandmaster always showing off his knowledge?"
"Prepare the carriage."
Su Chen issued his final order.
"Tomorrow morning, we're going to Nuoding Academy."
"I want to do it in front of the entire faculty and student body."
"I'll trample this so-called Grandmaster, along with the theories he prides himself on, straight into the mud."
Before you continue