Locked in the Dungeon

At these words, Tang San forced a smile.

Come on, man, have you got any idea where you stand? You're just a little kid. How can you spout nonsense in front of all these adults?

"Tian Yi, are you getting a little too confident? Or did you run into the same situation as Xiao Wu?"

Tang San didn't dismiss the idea outright, instead asking tactfully.

Ling Chen couldn't exactly say he knew. Just that line, "Come back to life, my love!" had already gone down in infamy for ages.

Before Ling Chen's clone could say anything, it had already dissipated.

Tang San sighed and opened the letter. He couldn't figure out what Ling Chen was getting at.

All the conditions for resurrection:

Three basic requirements:

1. Three medicinal ingredients:

Ten-Thousand-Year Holy Soul Grass: Awakens the sleeping soul.

Ten-Thousand-Year Nine-Grade Ginseng King: Rebuilds the body and replenishes the source of life.

Ancient Spirit Beast Inner Core: Unites soul and body and stabilizes the soul.

2. One must reach the Title Douluo rank: Only the Soul Power of a Title Douluo can strip away and reinfuse one's own Soul Rings and Soul Bones while withstanding the backlash from the soul.

3. Sacrifice one's own Soul Rings and Soul Bones.

Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape leaned over to take a look. Sure enough, the idea was the same one they'd had.

"How does that kid know about this?"

Sky Azure Bull Python began to suspect Ling Chen. The overwhelming killing intent, the blood mist that made people hallucinate over a vast area, and the domain that could even affect Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts like them...

All these signs showed that Ling Chen wasn't as simple as he seemed.

Tang San shook his head. He didn't know either. The only person who'd spent much time with Ling Chen was Sword Douluo Chen Xin.

But now, Ling Chen had been taken away by Spirit Hall, and Xiao Wu had sacrificed herself. Tang San's hatred for Spirit Hall grew even stronger.

"He once escaped Slaughter City with me. Back then, he hadn't even awakened his Martial Soul. I don't know how he knew."

"But he was captured covering our escape. No matter what, I'm bringing him back!"

Tang San put Soft Bone Rabbit into the Wishful Treasure Pouch. There was still one thing he had yet to do: deal with that Man Faced Demon Spider!

Tang San could use the poison injected by his Eight Spider Soul Bone to track down the spider. Then came the one-sided slaughter.

Late that night, at Spirit Hall in Spirit City.

They had set out with a vast force to hunt a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Now, only six of them had returned.

Five of them were heading toward Spirit Hall's main hall when Yan could no longer contain the fury in his heart.

"Grandpa Ghost, I want to crush him! He took my arm and killed so many of our Soul Masters. Why are you still keeping him alive?"

As he spoke, Yan moved to attack the unconscious Ling Chen.

Chrysanthemum Douluo stopped him, speaking in that soft, androgynous voice.

"Idiot. He's Sword Douluo Chen Xin's disciple. Now that he's in our hands, he's our hostage. Besides, he's one of His Holiness the Pope's targets."

Hu Liena came over and patted Yan on the shoulder.

"We failed this mission. Bringing Li Tianyi back with us means it wasn't all for nothing."

Hearing this, some of the anger left Yan. He knew very well that Spirit Hall rewarded and punished people fairly. The promotion of the new Red-Robed Cardinal was a case in point.

Intelligence had to be verified, but spoils only needed to be handed over to earn a share of the resources.

You couldn't have both fish and bear's paw. As long as they hadn't come back empty-handed, Bibi Dong would go easy on them.

In the dead of night, Bibi Dong was still making her plans. So far, she had removed only two thorns in her side. The Clear Sky Sect had gone into seclusion, leaving her with no way to strike.

All she could do was reshuffle the sect rankings to change the current state of Douluo Continent.

When Elder Ju, Elder Ghost, and the Golden Generation returned, Bibi Dong's expression darkened.

"Only five of you came back?"

Bibi Dong furrowed her brow, waiting for Hu Liena's answer.

"Yes, Your Holiness the Pope! The mission failed, but we brought Li Tianyi back!"

Hu Liena stepped forward and bowed. She knew it was best to come clean.

"Tell me, what exactly happened?"

Bibi Dong's expression softened slightly, but the deaths of so many Soul Saints still pained her. Holy Soul Village had produced only one Soul Saint, after all. With numbers like that, how could she not feel the loss?

An hour later, after hearing Hu Liena's account, Bibi Dong looked gravely at the unconscious Ling Chen.

"How unexpected. This child actually possesses such terrifying strength. It seems Spirit Kite Douluo and the others' intelligence was indeed accurate."

Bibi Dong suddenly felt that the Soul Saints' sacrifice had been worthwhile. They hadn't captured a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, but with a demonic child like this, what need was there to worry about catching one?

"Very well. I'll consider your merits and failures to cancel each other out. After all, a sacrifice like that wasn't something you could control. We'll keep this child here for now. He's a very important chess piece!"

After leaving Ling Chen behind, the five of them left to get some rest.

"All right, everyone's gone. There's no need to keep pretending!"

Bibi Dong slammed her scepter down, and a force instantly enveloped Ling Chen, who lay on the ground.

Ling Chen gave a wicked smile. He hadn't expected Bibi Dong to see through him so quickly.

"Your Holiness the Pope certainly lives up to her reputation. You saw right through me!"

Bibi Dong smiled back and came over to Ling Chen.

"You're quite something! Most of the losses among our Spirit Hall Soul Masters were caused by you!"

Ling Chen didn't deny it. In terms of Soul Master numbers, neither of the two great empires could rival Spirit Hall. He'd also managed to absorb quite a bit of Martial Soul Origin along the way.

"Likewise. Compared to Your Holiness's ambition, what I've done is just a little mischief."

Whether it was slaughtering sects or hunting Soul Beasts, wasn't it all for Spirit Hall's benefit? Ling Chen had only been defending himself. The Killing Intent Perception that went off from time to time proved he'd constantly been on the brink of life and death.

You can kill people, Spirit Hall, but I can't kill you?

"Sharp-tongued! Since when do children get to tell adults what to do?"

Bibi Dong was a little annoyed, but she still kept her emotions in check.

Ling Chen made no comment. Since he'd come here, he naturally had something to do. Otherwise, he'd still rather stay beside Sword Douluo, even if he couldn't use his Martial Soul or killing intent.

That way, he'd have plenty of time to get used to his Green Steel Sword and gain a few opportunities from Tang San.

Now, it all depended on how Bibi Dong would deal with him.

"I'm not telling you what to do. You went to the trouble of dragging me here, so can't I complain a little? Besides, I'm already here, and you haven't even given me a welcome ceremony."

Looking at Ling Chen, battered from head to toe, Bibi Dong couldn't help but laugh.

"As a hostage, you should know your place! Since you want a welcome ceremony, then let me welcome you to Spirit Hall!"

Ling Chen suddenly found himself unable to move. He could only watch as he was taken to a mysterious dungeon.

As the gate closed, Ling Chen was locked in the dungeon.