The Grand Wedding

"We have returned."

Bibi Dong set down her scepter, her gaze sweeping over Gu Qing and Qian Renxue.

Only after confirming that neither had sustained any serious hidden injuries did she nod in satisfaction.

"I am already aware of the commotion Tang Hao caused outside Heaven Dou City."

Her voice echoed through the hall, carrying the unique majesty and composure of one in a position of power.

Qian Daoliu turned around, walking slowly to the center of the hall, his eyes locked firmly on Gu Qing.

"To be able to force that madman who detonates his own rings into severing his own arm to survive—your strength is truly worthy of admiration."

Gu Qing straightened his posture and retrieved the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, which radiated a blue-gold light, from his storage Soul Tool.

The moment the soul bone appeared in the air, the life force within the entire hall surged several times over.

A flash of brilliant intensity flickered in Bibi Dong's eyes.

Even Qian Daoliu's usually placid face revealed a hint of being moved.

"This is the soul bone left behind by Ah Yin's sacrifice, which Tang Hao had been carrying."

Gu Qing tossed the soul bone into the air, where it hovered steadily in the center of Bibi Dong and Qian Daoliu's line of sight.

"That old bastard ran too fast; this is the only interest he left behind."

Seeing this priceless treasure, Bibi Dong stood up directly from the Pope throne.

"With this soul bone in hand, Tang Hao's strength will be greatly diminished; he is no longer a concern."

Qian Renxue walked to Gu Qing's side and reported the subsequent arrangements in the Heaven Dou Empire in detail.

After listening, Bibi Dong expressed her approval of the Shadow Guard who was perfectly impersonating Xue Qinghe.

"For this period, you two should stay in Martial Soul City and prepare for the wedding; there is no need to worry about the Heaven Dou Empire anymore."

Qian Daoliu waved his hand, pushing the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone back toward Gu Qing.

"This is your spoils of war. Keep it for your own use, or give it to Xue'er as a betrothal gift."

Gu Qing did not decline, casually putting the soul bone away.

After the meeting in the Pope Palace concluded, Gu Qing and Qian Renxue walked out of the main gate side by side.

On the streets of Martial Soul City, the contestant teams from various high-level Soul Master Academies were arriving one after another.

A group of young people wearing shit-green uniforms passed through the city gate, heading toward the designated Contestant Village.

Walking at the very front of the team was Tang San, carrying the Clear Sky Hammer on his back.

Tang San raised his head, his gaze crossing the layers of buildings to look directly at the mountain peak where the Pope Palace stood.

Deep within those clear eyes surged an irrepressible, violent murderous intent.

Standing on the high steps, Gu Qing had already sensed that hostile gaze.

He looked down at the crowd below, who appeared as insignificant as ants.

"A bunch of clowns who don't know when they're going to die, daring to run wild in Martial Soul City."

Qian Renxue followed Gu Qing's gaze but did not recognize the identity of that team.

"Are those the teams that advanced from the Heaven Dou division?"

Gu Qing turned around and headed toward the living quarters behind the Pope Palace.

"Just a few bugs looking to bite. During the tournament, I will personally crush their spines inch by inch."

The sunlight was blocked by the towering spire of the Pope Palace, casting a large shadow over the teams that had traveled from afar.

The true confrontation had only just begun.

Tang San led the Shrek Seven Devils into their quarters in the Contestant Village.

Dropping his heavy luggage on the floor, Tang San turned to look at all his companions.

"Everyone, take this time to rest and adjust your condition."

Dai Mubai cracked his knuckles, the sound popping sharply.

"I can't wait to see that piece of trash named Gu Qing on the arena floor."

Ning Rongrong sat on the bed, taking out the latest intelligence sent from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

"The intel says that the wedding of Gu Qing and Qian Renxue will be held on the day the finals conclude."

Ma Hongjun sneered, a ball of scorching flame rising in his palm.

"Then we shall take the championship trophy and use it as a funeral bell for them!"

Oscar patted his chest, promising to have the most sufficient recovery sausages prepared before every match.

Zhu Zhuqing closed her eyes, entering a state of meditation to seize every second to improve her soul power.

Xiao Wu sat quietly to the side, watching Tang San's face, which was slightly distorted by anger, her heart filled with worry.

The sky over Martial Soul City was filled with a rich, festive atmosphere.

Sunlight pierced through the thin clouds, casting golden radiance upon the broad bluestone streets.

Dozens of main thoroughfares surrounding the Pope Palace were carpeted in red, embroidered with gold thread.

Every stone sculpture along the street corners was draped in vibrant red silk, with massive, colorful banners fluttering in the wind.

This was the most grand and unprecedented wedding Martial Soul Hall had hosted in decades.

Countless bishops in red robes bustled through the square, issuing commands.

Tens of thousands of skilled craftsmen had been urgently conscripted, working day and night to construct a massive viewing platform that reached toward the clouds.

Heavy carriages laden with rare treasures formed long queues at the city gates, their wheels carving deep ruts into the ground.

Gu Qing walked with steady strides amidst this clamor and opulence.

The red carpet beneath his feet felt as soft as cotton, emitting a faint scent of incense.

Holy Emperor Warriors, fully armed, knelt in perfect unison on both sides.

The butts of their long spears struck the ground with a synchronized, dull thud of clashing steel.

Qian Renxue followed half a step behind, her golden eyes reflecting this familiar yet strange, luxurious scenery.

It had been over a decade; walking the streets of Martial Soul City in her true form again made everything feel surreal.

"It seems the Elder Palace has spared no expense for our wedding."

Gu Qing stopped, his gaze sweeping over the guide pillars carved from Ten Thousand Year Warm Jade.

"Grandfather has always valued pageantry; he would naturally not be vague about such matters."

Qian Renxue lifted her slightly cumbersome hem and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Gu Qing.

"Besides, this is an excellent opportunity to showcase the foundation of Martial Soul Hall to the entire continent."

The two passed through the bustling outer square and stepped onto the long staircase leading directly to the core area of the Pope Palace.

The noisy clamor vanished here, replaced by a silence that was solemn to the extreme.

The statues on both sides of the stairs exuded a majestic, oppressive aura.

Gu Qing completely ignored this heavy pressure that would have made ordinary soul masters' legs go weak.

The crisp sound of leather boots echoed rhythmically against the vast, long staircase.

Qian Renxue took a deep breath, wiping her palms, which were slightly damp from nerves, against her sleeves.

The two ten-thousand-pound Purple Gold doors of the Pope Palace grew larger in their field of vision.

Four red-robed bishops waited outside the doors, their expressions filled with the utmost reverence.

Accompanied by the teeth-grinding sound of metal friction, the heavy Purple Gold doors were slowly pushed open.

The deep, luxurious interior of the great hall was revealed to them.

Several massive crystal pillars, each requiring ten men to encircle, supported the towering dome.

Bibi Dong sat perched at the end of the hall on the Pope throne, which symbolized absolute power.

In her hand, she gripped the Purple Gold Scepter, inlaid with countless fragments of top-tier soul bones.

Gu Qing crossed the high threshold and walked straight toward the base of the stairs.

Qian Renxue followed closely behind, her originally straight spine stiffening uncontrollably the moment she crossed the threshold.

When facing this woman who had given her life yet remained utterly indifferent, that instinctive repulsion could never be erased.

Gu Qing stopped ten paces away from the stairs.

He met the gaze of those eyes, deep as a cold pool, atop the high platform without the slightest avoidance.

The air in the hall seemed to freeze the moment their gazes met.

"That madman Tang Hao failing to gain any advantage against you is, indeed, somewhat surprising."

Bibi Dong leaned her scepter against the seat, her voice ethereal and devoid of emotional fluctuation.

"A cripple with a severed arm; he is hardly worth me suffering a loss."

Gu Qing brushed some non-existent dust from his sleeves, his tone as casual as if he were discussing an ant crushed underfoot.

"This achievement is enough to shut the mouths of those stubborn old fools in the Worship Hall."

Bibi Dong stood up, her magnificent purple-gold robe spreading out across the throne.

Her gaze swept over Gu Qing like a physical force, carrying a stern scrutiny.

"The participating teams for the High-Level Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament have arrived in Martial Soul City one after another."

"That group from Shrek Academy has been shouting across the world that they will make you pay in blood."

Hearing this name, Gu Qing let out a sneer of contempt.

"A bunch of fledglings who only know how to huddle together for warmth; they really think winning a regional championship means they can turn the world upside down."

Gu Qing raised his right hand, his fingertips toying with a vine of Blue Silver Grass that had sprouted from thin air.

"During the tournament, I will personally crush the bones they are so proud of, inch by inch."

Bibi Dong was extremely satisfied with the absolute arrogance and confidence Gu Qing displayed.

Martial Soul Hall needed more than just a supreme genius; it needed an invincible hegemon capable of crushing everyone of his generation.

Looking at Qian Renxue standing in the back, she had not received a shred of attention from Bibi Dong from start to finish.

That gaze would even deliberately skip over the spot where Qian Renxue stood whenever it swept across the room.

Qian Renxue bit her lower lip hard, forcing the bitterness in her heart to be swallowed back down.

"Your Holiness, the situation in the Heaven Dou Empire has been completely controlled according to the plan."

Qian Renxue stepped forward, taking the initiative to break this suffocating neglect.

The appreciation on Bibi Dong's face vanished without a trace in an instant.

"Those matters naturally have dedicated people to follow up and coordinate; there is no need for you to waste your breath here."

This extremely cold response was like a loud slap across Qian Renxue's face.

"Your only task now is to stay obediently in your residence and prepare for your grand wedding."

Bibi Dong sat back down on the Pope throne, not even willing to spare Qian Renxue another glance.

Qian Renxue's face turned deathly pale in an instant, and her hands hanging at her sides clenched tightly into fists.

Her fingernails dug deep into the tender flesh of her palms, using the pain to maintain her outward composure.

Gu Qing keenly sensed Qian Renxue's intense emotional fluctuations.

He stepped half a pace to the side, firmly shielding most of Qian Renxue's body behind him.

This obvious act of protection caused Bibi Dong's brows to twitch slightly.

Gu Qing raised his head, his gaze meeting the high-seated Pope's without the slightest retreat.

"Xue'er has endured in the Heaven Dou Empire for over a decade; this achievement should not be lightly brushed aside with a single sentence."

The atmosphere in the great hall plummeted to freezing point due to this questioning remark.

Bibi Dong's eyes sank abruptly, and the scepter in her hand struck the floor with a heavy thud.

The deafening, muffled sound reverberated back and forth through the empty hall.

"Are you teaching me how to do things?"

A massive pressure swept down from the steps like a tsunami.

Yet Gu Qing stood like a boulder rooted to the earth, not even the hem of his clothes fluttering.

"I am merely stating an indelible fact."

Instead of backing down, Gu Qing took another step forward against that pressure.

Bibi Dong stared at Gu Qing for a full ten breaths of time.

That overwhelming, mountain-toppling sense of oppression suddenly receded as cleanly as a tide.

"You are certainly protective of her."

The gloom on Bibi Dong's face vanished, replaced by a complex depth.

"I called you both here today not just to inquire about the affairs of the Heaven Dou Empire."

Bibi Dong pulled a dark gold token from her sleeve.

The front of the token was carved with a lifelike Six-Winged Angel, while the back bore the image of a Rakshasa God exuding an evil aura.

"The position of Holy Son of Martial Soul Hall has been vacant for far too long."

Bibi Dong toyed with the token, which represented one of the highest powers in Martial Soul Hall.

"From this moment on, you, Gu Qing, are the new Holy Son of Martial Soul Hall."

This sentence exploded in the Pope Palace like a heavy bomb.

Qian Renxue was so shocked by this sudden news that her breathing even stalled for a beat.

The position of Holy Son was second only to the Pope in Martial Soul Hall, possessing the absolute right to act before reporting.

Gu Qing, however, did not show much being flattered by this appointment.

"Your Holiness is planning to tie me to the war chariot of Martial Soul Hall, then."

Gu Qing met Bibi Dong's gaze with composure.

"This is the treatment you deserve, earned with your strength and that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone."

Bibi Dong flicked her wrist, and the dark gold token flew toward the bottom of the steps like a streak of light.

Gu Qing raised his hand and caught the token firmly in his palm mid-air.

The cool touch of the metal surface carried a majesty that brooked no provocation.

"There is one more thing that requires you, the new Holy Son, to handle personally."

Bibi Dong stood up, her gaze cast toward the bustling city outside the great hall.

"You shall have full authority to preside over the finals of the High-Level Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."

"Regardless of the methods you employ, you must ensure that every participating sect witnesses the absolute might of Martial Soul Hall."

This was equivalent to handing the power of life and death over the entire tournament directly into the hands of Gu Qing.

As long as Gu Qing wished, he could crush any genius who displeased him on the arena floor at any moment.

"This task is quite to my liking."

Gu Qing tossed his Holy Son token into his storage Soul Tool with a casual flick of his wrist.

"As for those clowns jumping about in the shadows, I will clear them out one by one."

Bibi Dong nodded, clearly satisfied with Gu Qing's swift and decisive style of handling matters.

"The Elder Palace will have someone specifically assigned to coordinate the various procedures for the grand wedding."