Heavenly Tribulation

Xue Tianyu walked up to Bibi Dong and came to a direct halt.

He did not kneel, did not bow, and did not even bend his waist in the slightest.

He simply looked the Pope, who held power over the entire world, straight in the eye.

"Audacious!"

Ghost roared, stepping forward.

"Why do you not kneel upon seeing Her Holiness the Pope?"

Xue Tianyu glanced at Ghost, his eyes filled with nothing but disdain.

"What are you, that you are worthy of making me kneel?"

"You rat hiding in the gutter, do you think that just because there are many people here, I wouldn't dare to kill you?"

These words were arrogant, showing absolutely no regard for a Title Douluo.

Ghost trembled with rage, his nine soul rings instantly lighting up.

A terrifying pressure surged directly toward Xue Tianyu.

Xue Tianyu did not move an inch.

Behind him, Ice Emperor merely let out a soft huff.

An even purer, more overbearing aura of extreme cold erupted with a boom.

It shattered Ghost's pressure instantly.

Ghost was struck as if by lightning, retreating three steps before steadying himself, his eyes filled with shock.

"Enough."

Bibi Dong raised her hand, stopping Ghost, who wanted to continue his outburst.

She stared at Xue Tianyu.

This young man not only possessed heaven-defying talent, but the woman following him was also unfathomable.

Bibi Dong reached out and picked up the Wisdom Skull from the tray.

"Skywater Academy, Xue Tianyu."

"You are quite impressive."

She squeezed these words out through her teeth.

"In all my years presiding over the Soul Master Tournament, this is the first time I have seen a genius like you."

Xue Tianyu crossed his arms over his chest, looking at her with a playful expression.

"The Pope's horizons are truly a bit narrow."

"You should get out more often, lest you keep treating trash as treasures."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire arena fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone gasped in unison.

He actually dared to call the Golden Generation trash right to Bibi Dong's face.

This was nothing short of slapping Martial Soul Hall in the face—and doing so with both hands.

Bibi Dong's chest heaved violently, her breathing becoming heavy.

Her towering bosom rose and fell with the fluctuation of her emotions.

She gripped the skull in her hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Young man, being too sharp-edged is not a good thing."

"On this continent, countless geniuses have met an early end."

Bibi Dong's words were laced with undisguised threats.

Xue Tianyu was not buying it at all and retorted directly.

"The Pope worries too much."

"My life is very tough; I fear that if some people try to take it, they will end up losing their own coffin money in the process."

He took a step forward, closing the distance between himself and Bibi Dong.

Their gazes collided in mid-air, and the sparks between them seemed almost ready to ignite.

Up in the stands, Ning Fengzhi shook his head slightly.

He spoke to Sword Douluo beside him with a bitter smile.

"Uncle Sword, this Xue Tianyu really doesn't leave Martial Soul Hall any face at all."

A flash of admiration crossed Sword Douluo's eyes.

"This kid has a proud backbone, and he has the strength to match it."

"Martial Soul Hall has truly kicked an iron plate this time."

On the high platform, Bibi Dong took a deep breath, forcing a stiff smile onto her face.

"Enough talk."

"Since you have won, these three Spirit Bones are yours."

She pushed the tray containing the Spirit Bones forward with extreme reluctance.

Xue Tianyu reached out and pressed his hand directly onto the edge of the tray.

He did not rush to take the Spirit Bones, instead looking at Bibi Dong with great interest.

"Pope, there aren't any special 'seasonings' added to these Spirit Bones, are there?"

Fury surged in Bibi Dong's eyes, and her voice rose an octave.

"What do you take Martial Soul Hall for?"

"Since This Seat has brought them out, they are naturally untainted."

Xue Tianyu chuckled and took the tray over in one motion.

"That's good."

"If the Pope couldn't afford to lose and tampered with the Spirit Bones, the reputation of Martial Soul Hall would be shattered."

With a casual wave of his hand, the three Spirit Bones flew directly toward the Skywater Team below the stage.

"Shui Bing'er, catch."

Shui Bing'er hurriedly stepped forward, steadily catching the three priceless Spirit Bones.

The surrounding spirit masters watched with reddened eyes.

These were Spirit Bones!

Peerless treasures that were rarely seen even once in a lifetime, yet this Xue Tianyu had tossed them to his teammates as if they were common cabbages.

Bibi Dong looked at the empty tray, a sharp pain stabbing at her heart.

But she quickly composed herself and fixed her gaze back on Xue Tianyu.

"Xue Tianyu, although you are gifted, Skywater Academy has limited resources after all."

"If you are willing to join Martial Soul Hall, This Seat can make an exception and take you as a personal disciple."

"All the resources of Martial Soul Hall can be tilted in your favor."

"Even..."

She paused, casting out a lure that would drive everyone to madness.

"The position of future Pope, This Seat can also consider passing on to you."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire plaza instantly erupted.

The position of Pope!

This was the pinnacle of power on the Douluo Continent.

To recruit this youth, Bibi Dong had actually offered up the position of Pope itself.

Not far away, Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, clenched her hands tightly upon hearing this.

She had gone to such great lengths to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire, all just to prove herself.

Yet this Xue Tianyu, without doing anything at all, could receive every promise from Bibi Dong.

All eyes were focused on Xue Tianyu.

Most people felt that this was a condition impossible to refuse.

However, Xue Tianyu laughed out loud in front of everyone.

His laughter was loud and arrogant.

The sound echoed for a long time before the Pope Palace, sounding exceptionally grating.

"Pope, have you not woken up yet?"

Xue Tianyu stopped laughing, his eyes filled with contempt and mockery.

"A wretched place like your Martial Soul Hall—I would find it dirty even if you gave it to me."

"Let alone becoming your disciple."

"Are you worthy?"

The final three words struck like a heavy hammer, slamming hard into everyone's hearts.

The entire scene fell into a deathly silence; one could hear a pin drop.

No one had expected Xue Tianyu to refuse in such a way—so humiliatingly.

Bibi Dong's face turned deathly pale in an instant, then shifted to a livid shade of green.

Always standing high above, when had she ever suffered such a grave insult?

"You are courting death!"

Bibi Dong could no longer suppress the fury in her heart.

A terrifying, overwhelming wave of soul power erupted from her body.

Nine soul rings rose beneath her feet, and the pressure belonging to a peak Titled Douluo bore down directly upon Xue Tianyu.

The stone slabs in front of the Pope Palace were instantly covered in cracks.

The soul masters below the stage were unable to catch their breath under this pressure and retreated one after another.

The girls from Skywater Academy also turned pale.

Shui Bing'er gripped the soul bone in her hand tightly, her eyes filled with worry.

Facing the Thunder Fury of Bibi Dong, Xue Tianyu did not even blink.

He let out a cold snort, and a power of extreme cold, even purer than Bibi Dong's, surged out from his body.

In the void behind him, the phantom of a massive Ice Phoenix spread its wings and soared high.

It was accompanied by a crisp phoenix cry.

Bibi Dong's pressure, which had felt like Mount Tai crushing down, was instantly frozen and disintegrated.

Xue Tianyu stood firmly in place, not even a speck of dust stirred on his body.

"Want to make a move?"

"You are welcome to try."

Xue Tianyu looked straight into Bibi Dong's eyes, his tone arrogant.

"Let's see if your Martial Soul Hall has more experts today, or if the sword in my hand is sharper."

Standing to the side, Snow Emperor took a step forward.

There was no expression on her stunningly beautiful face.

Yet, that aura capable of freezing all things made every Titled Douluo present feel a palpitation in their hearts.

Yue Guan and Ghost exchanged a glance, both seeing the fear in the other's eyes.

This woman was truly too terrifying.

Bibi Dong gritted her teeth, her chest heaving violently.

Reason told her that this was by no means the best time to strike.

The tournament had just concluded, and forces from across the entire continent were watching.

If Martial Soul Hall disregarded its reputation to kill a participating student, it would inevitably throw the world into chaos.

Moreover, she did not have absolute certainty that she could keep this Xue Tianyu here.

Just as the situation reached a stalemate.

Ning Fengzhi, who was below the stage, suddenly spoke in a loud voice.

"Your Holiness, the tournament has concluded successfully, and the champion has been decided."

"We have other urgent matters to attend to, so we shall not linger in Martial Soul City any longer."

"Farewell."

Ning Fengzhi's words were undoubtedly offering Bibi Dong a way out.

Bibi Dong took a deep breath, and the fluctuations of soul power on her body gradually subsided.

She stared at Xue Tianyu, carving that face deeply into her mind.

"Xue Tianyu, we shall see."

"Martial Soul Hall has noted this debt."

After speaking, Bibi Dong flicked her sleeve violently and turned to walk back toward the Pope Palace with long strides.

That resolute back revealed endless killing intent.

Xue Tianyu watched Bibi Dong's departing figure and curled his lips in contempt.

"A stray dog, yet still daring to bark."

He turned and walked down from the high platform, arriving before Shui Bing'er and the others.

"Let's go, back to the palace."

"Tonight, we shall celebrate properly."

This was everything that had happened at yesterday's award ceremony.

Withdrawing his thoughts, Xue Tianyu put the three soul bones into his storage space.

Snow Emperor, standing beside him, gently took his arm.

"Tianyu, what are you thinking about?"

Xue Tianyu patted the back of her cold hand, his tone very relaxed.

"Nothing, I was just remembering how frustrated Bibi Dong looked yesterday—wanting to kill me but being unable to do so."

"It is indeed quite interesting."

Ice Emperor giggled from the side, revealing two adorable little fangs.

"That old woman is just asking for a beating."

"Once you break through the Heavenly Tribulation, Tianyu, we will head straight to Martial Soul City and tear down her Pope Palace."

Xue Tianyu looked toward the endless world of ice and snow ahead.

"Tearing down the Pope Palace is only a matter of time."

"But for now, we have serious business to attend to."

Snow Emperor nodded, pointing toward a towering snow-capped mountain in the distance.

"Cross that mountain, and you will reach the core circle of the Far North."

"That is the place with the purest icy power on this continent, the most suitable location for your breakthrough."

The three of them did not linger, transforming into three streaks of light as they sped toward the depths of the blizzard.

Far North Core Circle.

A massive palace constructed entirely of ten-thousand-year mysterious ice stood tall amidst the wind and snow.

This was the residence of Snow Emperor, the Ice and Snow Temple.

Normally, no soul beast dared to come within half a step of this place.

Xue Tianyu stepped through the temple gates, feeling the dense, almost liquid-like icy spiritual energy surrounding him.

"A fine place."

He looked around; the interior of the great hall was incredibly vast.

In the center of the hall sat an ice pool emitting a faint blue glow.

The water was not frozen; instead, it churned continuously, releasing white, frigid mist.

"This is spiritual liquid formed from the Ten Thousand Year Mysterious Ice Marrow."

Snow Emperor walked to the side of the ice pool and looked back at Xue Tianyu.

"If you break through inside this, you can absorb the icy power to the greatest extent to resist the Thunder Punishment of the Heavenly Tribulation."

Ice Emperor also leaned in, her large eyes filled with anticipation.

"Tianyu, this pool water is so comfortable."

"In the past, only Snow Maiden was allowed to soak in it; she wouldn't even let me in."

Snow Emperor shot her a glare, her tone carrying a hint of playful reproach.

"With your fiery temper, you would only muddy the water if you went in."

Xue Tianyu walked to the edge of the ice pool and reached out to test the temperature.

Even with his Ice Phoenix constitution, he could feel a bone-chilling cold.

It was clear just how terrifying the energy contained within this pool was.

"The arrival of the Heavenly Tribulation is no small matter."

Xue Tianyu turned to look at the two women.

"The Thunder Fury will destroy everything in its vicinity."

"You must guard me from outside the hall; do not come near."

Snow Emperor frowned slightly, stepping forward to take Xue Tianyu's hand.

"How can that be?"

"I am the Lord of the Far North; all the wind and snow here obey my command."

"With me by your side, the heavenly thunder cannot harm you."

Ice Emperor hurriedly chimed in as well.

"Exactly, exactly."

"We agreed that if the sky fell, we would hold it up for you."

"Are you not treating us as your own by chasing us out now?"

Looking at the concerned expressions of the two women, Xue Tianyu felt a warmth in his heart.

"It is not that I fear you will be hurt, but that the Heavenly Tribulation must be faced alone."

"If an outsider intervenes, the power of the Thunder Punishment will increase exponentially."

"That would only end up harming us all."

Xue Tianyu's tone was extremely serious, without a hint of jest.

Hearing this, Snow Emperor and Ice Emperor finally relented.

"Then you must be careful."

Snow Emperor stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on Xue Tianyu's cheek.

"Bing'er and I will be guarding just outside."

"The moment the Thunder Punishment passes, we will come in immediately."

Ice Emperor, not to be outdone, wrapped her arms around Xue Tianyu's neck and took a bite.

"If you dare to have anything happen to you, I will blow this Far North to pieces."

Xue Tianyu chuckled and gave each of them a pat on their shapely backsides.

"Go on, wait for my good news."

The two women blushed, turning back every few steps as they retreated from the great hall.

The heavy doors slowly creaked shut, completely sealing out the wind and snow.

The interior of the hall fell silent.

Xue Tianyu stripped off his clothes, revealing his lean, muscular torso.

He leaped directly into the Ice Pool.

A bone-chilling current instantly enveloped his entire body, surging wildly through his pores and into his meridians.

Xue Tianyu closed his eyes and began to circulate the soul power within him.

His Twin Martial Souls, the Ice Phoenix and the Ice Heaven Snow Lotus, were released simultaneously.

The temperature inside the entire hall plummeted once more.

A massive Ice Phoenix circled above the hall, letting out a resonant, piercing cry.

A crystalline Ice Heaven Snow Lotus slowly bloomed in the center of the Ice Pool, radiating a sacred glow.

Xue Tianyu's aura began to climb steadily.

His soul power, already at a critical threshold, surged like a breached dam, violently battering against that invisible barrier.

High above, the originally gray-white clouds began to churn.

Over the Far North, a thick, heavy layer of black clouds had gathered at some unknown moment.

Within the black clouds, flashes of purple lightning flickered faintly.

An oppressive might of heaven and earth descended, shrouding a radius of several hundred miles.

Outside the hall.

Snow Emperor and Ice Emperor stood side by side, looking up at the tribulation clouds in the sky.

"This commotion is far greater than it was during my hundred-thousand-year Heavenly Tribulation."