After bidding farewell to the Star Luo Empire delegation, Xu Mochen and the others set out once more. This time, they would cross the Star Luo Empire by way of the mouth of a broad river within its borders. The river was called the Holy Nurture River, the longest and widest river on the Douluo Continent. It flowed from west to east, passing through Spirit City at the continent's center, and had more than a dozen tributaries.
The Yan Yang Fleet would enter the river through one of its tributaries, then head east along the waterway before finally reaching Oracle Port, on the outskirts of Spirit City. The journey covered roughly 2,400 kilometers. Naturally, the Star Luo Empire was happy to guide the Sun Moon Empire fleet as far as its border.
And so, led by several Star Luo Empire galleons, the Yan Yang Fleet sailed east along the long river. Fishing boats and merchant ships from all over the Douluo Continent passed them along the way, but when they saw the enormous fleet, they sensibly gave it a wide berth.
After three or four days, the Star Luo Empire fleet formally escorted the Sun Moon Empire fleet to the border. They could go no farther; entering the waters under Spirit Hall's jurisdiction without permission would cause a diplomatic incident. Xu Mochen, of course, did not forget to give the Star Luo Empire fleet a generous reward before leading his ships onward.
It took only about ten minutes before Xu Mochen spotted three armed galleons approaching. Flying above them were flags emblazoned with golden angels!
"Looks like the people from Spirit Hall have already received word of our visit!" Xu Mochen felt a touch nervous. He couldn't help it: this visit to Spirit Hall was unquestionably the most important part of the voyage! The outcome of his Second Trial depended on it!
Xu Mochen believed Spirit Hall wouldn't rashly show them hostility, but he still couldn't be completely sure how this original-story's great villainous power would treat them. Still, when he thought of the powerful fleet beneath his feet, and the mighty Sun Moon Empire backing him, he felt a little reassured.
Soon, the three ships stopped in front of the Yan Yang Fleet, which brought its own forward momentum to a halt. But from the wheelhouse of the Tianyang, Xu Mochen watched the people aboard through a telescope and noticed a few things. The ships carried thirty-four Spirit Saints in red robes, serving as Red-Robed Cardinals, and eight Soul Douluo Platinum Bishops in white-and-gold robes. At their head stood two Titled Douluo.
One wore a white robe patterned with gold. His eyelashes were long, his skin as delicate as a baby's, and his strikingly beautiful features gave him a feminine air. Without the Adam's apple at his throat, no one would have guessed he was a man!
The other man wore a black robe trimmed in dark gold. His face was pale and gloomy, his form seemed almost unreal, and an eerie aura coiled faintly around him. He gave off a chilling air of deathly stillness!
"These two must be Pope Bibi Dong's right-hand men: Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei!" Xu Mochen made a rough guess. Then the two Titled Douluo spoke together, one in a soft, feminine voice and the other in a chilling one. "I am Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan." "I am Ghost Douluo Gui Mei." "By order of His Holiness the Pope, we have come to welcome our honored guests from afar. Please follow our fleet to the harbor. We will see to all your arrangements."
Xu Mochen had never tried to conceal his itinerary. He had even openly shared his travel plans when visiting the Heaven Dou Empire. With the Star Luo Empire's and Spirit Hall's intelligence networks, it was no trouble to track his movements and estimate when he would arrive.
The Yan Yang Fleet followed Spirit Hall's three ships for nearly another day, finally reaching Oracle Port in Spirit City. At the harbor, Xu Mochen spotted a large number of Church Guard Army soldiers clad in armor and carrying weapons, as well as a group of powerful Soul Masters in the various robes worn by Spirit Hall clergy.
Though this group was smaller and made less of a show than the delegations of the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire, Xu Mochen could clearly sense that every one of them was a Soul Master! Even the weakest ordinary Church Guard Army soldier had at least the cultivation of a Soul Grandmaster. Spirit Hall really was no simple power.
Once Xu Mochen and the others had disembarked, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo brought their subordinates over and bowed slightly. "The relevant officials may ride with us by carriage to Spirit City and meet His Holiness the Pope. Our men will see to the arrangements for the rest of your party."
"Then we'll trouble the two of you," Xu Mochen replied with a slight bow. He said nothing more and, with Mo Wuying, Gu Yuntong, and the others, followed Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo into the waiting carriages. Then they headed toward Spirit City.
All along the way, Xu Mochen worked through his plans, step by step. Above all, he wondered how he could stay in Spirit City to cultivate without putting himself in danger.
Before long, the convoy reached a point from which Spirit City was visible in the distance. Gazing at the vast city and its towering walls, Xu Mochen could tell that the fortifications had been built to the specifications of an imperial capital. The walls rose eighty meters high, making them immensely imposing from the outside, and were more than thirty meters thick. They had been constructed entirely from fine materials like granite.
The city's area was also nothing like the original story had claimed—it was nowhere near less than a tenth the size of Heaven Dou City! In fact, judging from what he had learned so far, Spirit City was already larger than the imperial capitals of the two great empires. It had a population of more than four million—not especially large, but one of the cities on the entire Douluo Continent with the highest proportion of Soul Masters.
After entering Spirit City without a hitch, Xu Mochen could clearly see the bustling streets, where merchants and visitors from every country and region of the Douluo Continent traded with one another. Buildings and wares in styles from all over the continent could be seen everywhere.
From what he knew so far, Spirit City was not only the sacred place in the hearts of Soul Masters across the Douluo Continent, but also reputed to be the continent's most prosperous commercial city. Merchants from every direction, from every shore and corner of the Douluo Continent, gathered there.
Spirit City's prosperity was largely due to its position right on the border between the two great empires. The Holy Nurture River, which ran through the city, also flowed through the other seven kingdoms and duchies, making it a convenient meeting place for merchants from all across the continent.
In other countries, merchants doing business across the border often suffered robberies, theft, and murder. The other country would then shrug and say, "What do I care if a foreign merchant gets robbed or killed here?" Unless the victim had powerful status and connections, there was little to do but accept their bad luck—even if they had been robbed in a foreign land.
Spirit City was different. Powerful figures abounded there, and order was strictly enforced. No robber with a death wish would dare cause trouble! Not just bandits—even Titled Douluo and Super Douluo wouldn't dare throw their weight around in Spirit City! The city also cracked down hard on theft. If a merchant suffered financial losses because of negligence by Spirit Hall personnel, Spirit Hall would even compensate them double.
Of course, Spirit Hall wasn't worried about some foolish merchant trying to extort them while he was there. Even if you gave those merchants a hundred times the nerve, none would dare provoke Spirit Hall, that towering old tiger!
Spirit Hall also strictly inspected merchants' business practices and the quality of their goods. Anyone caught selling counterfeits or engaging in other forms of commercial fraud would have all their goods and shops confiscated, be hit with a hefty fine, and be blacklisted for life, barred from entering Spirit City again. If they were caught sneaking back in, they would be killed without mercy!
If someone suffered losses at the hands of an unscrupulous merchant, Spirit Hall would deal with the merchant and also find a way to make the victim whole.
It was Spirit City's naturally advantageous location, along with its various protections for merchants and customers and its strict regulation, that made its commercial activity so prosperous!
Though goods entering Spirit City were subject to a hefty customs duty, merchants from every corner of the Douluo Continent were still more than happy to trade there. As a result, although the city had only a little over four million permanent residents, its population could temporarily swell to an astonishing seven or eight million—or even ten million—whenever it held a major commercial event!
As commerce in Spirit City gradually flourished, it also brought Spirit Hall immense wealth. That wealth, in turn, became one of the reasons for Spirit Hall's rapid growth!
Spirit Hall stood at the very center of Spirit City. From afar, Xu Mochen could clearly make out the towering cluster of enormous buildings. The tallest one was undoubtedly the famous Pope Palace, part of the Spirit Hall complex! As the carriage convoy approached Spirit Hall, it came to a halt.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo then came to the carriage carrying Xu Mochen and the others and told them that only Spirit Hall's highest-ranking members—the Pope, elders, and enshrined figures—could ride into Spirit Hall. Everyone else, even Soul Douluo Platinum Bishops, had to enter on foot as a sign of respect for the Pope. The same rule applied to visitors from outside.
Xu Mochen and the others raised no objections. This was another country's custom, and as visiting guests, they naturally ought to respect it. They all climbed down from the carriages and began walking toward Spirit Hall, escorted by a group of its personnel.
As Xu Mochen and the others neared the entrance to Spirit Hall, he noticed that both sides of the gate were already lined with Church Guard Army soldiers and clergy in sacred robes. At the very center of the entrance stood a golden-haired girl who looked only a few months older than him, accompanied by several Red-Robed Cardinals behind her and White-Robed Cardinals on either side.
When the group reached the entrance, the golden-haired girl at its head stepped forward and gave Xu Mochen and the others a slight curtsy. In a melodious voice touched with a hint of allure, she said, "Honored guests from the Sun Moon Empire, welcome to Spirit Hall. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hu Liena, and I am His Holiness the Pope's direct disciple. Today, on my teacher's orders, I've come to show you around Spirit Hall."
Xu Mochen responded with a smile. "Then thank you, Miss Hu." At the same time, he discreetly studied the girl, who was about his age. Her pretty, delicate face held a hint of allure, and her bright, sparkling eyes and lovely lashes seemed almost to speak. Her short golden hair lent her an air of nobility. Even her loose golden robe couldn't conceal her striking figure. He had to admit, once this girl grew up, she would be a devastating beauty—one capable of bringing a kingdom to its knees.
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