Of course, Xu Mochen wasn't the sort of man who lost his head at the sight of a beautiful woman. Besides, he couldn't be sure whether this woman was as bizarrely foolish as she'd been in the original story. If she really was as lovestruck as she'd been there, he could perhaps consider using a little "beauty trap" to pry a wealth of information about Spirit Hall from her... Ahem, just kidding.
But if Hu Liena was smarter than in the original story and not so lovesick, then trying that might well backfire. Besides, with Xu Mochen's skill, why would he need to trade on his looks to get information?
Still, there was no denying that Hu Liena was Bibi Dong's direct disciple. She must know far more than an ordinary Soul Master. What's more, however mature this young woman might be, she was still about his age, which made her easier to deal with. If he could find another way to draw some useful information out of her, it might greatly help him establish himself on Douluo Continent.
At the same time that Xu Mochen was sizing up Hu Liena, she was studying him as well. There was no denying that Xu Mochen was handsome. At first glance, he looked like a pretty boy with sharp brows and bright eyes. Yet he radiated an air of nobility, and beneath his spring-breeze smile, his cool gaze held a depth that was impossible to fathom.
What's more, when he looked at her, he clearly didn't react like so many other men his age, who took one look at her and were instantly bewitched by her looks and alluring aura, left drooling and dazed. Beneath his formulaic smile, his gaze seemed to be assessing her words and actions!
It seemed her teacher's warning had been right. This prince from the Sun Moon Empire was far from simple. Whether in intellect or strength, he clearly surpassed most people his age!
It looks like completing the task Teacher gave me will be difficult. Hu Liena didn't shrink from the challenge. Instead, she felt her fighting spirit kindle! She had always been the sort who grew stronger with every setback and never admitted defeat.
This time, she represented Spirit Hall in a confrontation with a prince from a distant, mysterious, and powerful country on another continent. The outcome of this encounter concerned Spirit Hall's future! She absolutely couldn't afford to make the slightest mistake!
With that thought, Hu Liena silently cheered herself on. Come on, Nana! Don't let this young man look down on you or Spirit Hall!
With their own thoughts on their minds, Hu Liena and the others led Xu Mochen's party to the front of Pope Palace. The guards there seemed to have been waiting for them; they slowly pulled open the heavy doors from either side. The lead guard then called out in a deep voice, his Soul Power ringing through the hall: "Guests from the Sun Moon Empire, His Holiness the Pope has been waiting for you in Pope Palace!"
Hu Liena, Xu Mochen, and the others entered Pope Palace without a hitch. As soon as Xu Mochen stepped inside, he began discreetly taking in his surroundings.
There was no denying that the interior of Pope Palace was magnificent. White marble reliefs covered the timeworn walls and soaring ceiling, each one lifelike. Colorful metal statues and oil paintings depicting Spirit Hall's history lined the walls, arranged one after another.
The windows were made of colorful stained glass. On the ornately carved marble seats along either side sat five powerful figures apiece, each radiating formidable Soul Power. Behind every seat stood several Spirit Hall clergy and attendants, heads bowed in service.
From the auras and positions of those seated, it was easy to tell they were all Titled Douluo—in other words, they were all elders of Spirit Hall! It seemed Spirit Hall had spared no expense in welcoming the Sun Moon Empire's delegation. Counting Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, a full twelve elders had come to receive him!
But what caught Xu Mochen's attention most was the figure seated at the head of Pope Palace, on a chair even broader than the elders' seats, more luxurious in its materials, and more imposing in its grandeur. She wasn't tall. She wore a magnificent purple robe trimmed with gold, a Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown on her head, and an opulent papal gown. In her hand, she held a staff nearly two meters long, studded with countless jewels.
Fair skin, lovely yet cool eyes, an almost flawless face, and the noble aura that occasionally radiated from her made her seem utterly extraordinary.
Judging from the original story and the information he'd gathered, her identity was plain: she was the Pope of Spirit Hall, the original story's ultimate antagonist, and the inheritor of the Rakshasa God—Bibi Dong!
From what he sensed, Xu Mochen could tell that she, too, possessed a divine aura. But unlike the profound chaos he bore or the noble gentleness of Qian Renxue, hers was filled with cold, evil energy.
It seemed His Holiness the Pope had, in all likelihood, already inherited the Rakshasa God's legacy! But Xu Mochen had other concerns. If he killed Tang San, Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong would become gods, and he would be left with no real opponents besides himself. If they joined forces then...
Even after successfully inheriting the position of the Purple Imperial Chaos Dragon King, he couldn't guarantee he would defeat this mother and daughter. And he had no confidence that the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Guidance Weapons could threaten gods. If he failed, every effort the Sun Moon Empire had made would surely go to waste! After all, the strength of a god was on an entirely different level from that of a ninety-ninth-ranked expert. It was a fundamental transformation.
What should he do, then? Was he really supposed to let Tang San grow stronger so that he could hold Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue in check? The moment the idea flashed through his mind, he dismissed it.
Give him a break! If the Sea God and Asura God weren't breaking all the rules to tip the scales in Tang San's favor, he might have considered it. But thinking about it now, even if he joined forces with Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, would they be any match for Tang San fighting alongside the previous Sea God and Asura God? And if his identity were exposed, they'd have even more reason to attack him directly! It seemed he'd have to think this through carefully.
Hu Liena, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and Ghost Douluo came before Bibi Dong. Hu Liena knelt on one knee and said, "Teacher, your disciple Hu Liena has brought the honored guests." Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo then bowed slightly to Bibi Dong.
Unlike in the original story, where the elders seemed to kneel before Bibi Dong at every turn, in reality, unless they had committed a serious offense, Spirit Hall's elders only needed to bow when they saw the Pope. The Enshrined Elders didn't even need to bow.
For some reason, Xu Mochen keenly noticed that when Hu Liena called Bibi Dong "Teacher," several elders around them suddenly looked displeased, as if they were deeply unhappy with Hu Liena addressing Bibi Dong that way.
Xu Mochen calmly stepped forward a few paces until he was beside Hu Liena. With graceful, impeccable manners, he gave a slight bow and said clearly, "I am Xu Mochen, prince of the Sun Moon Empire. I come from Sun Moon Continent, across the vast ocean from Douluo Continent. I have come to pay a visit in hopes of establishing friendly relations between our lands and facilitating free trade between us."
"I have long heard that His Holiness the Pope is the foremost Soul Master on Douluo Continent, held in the highest esteem, and that Spirit Hall is the sacred land of Soul Masters across the continent. Therefore, I hope to establish diplomatic relations with Spirit Hall so that we may prosper together."
As a rule, Soul Masters from Douluo Continent who weren't Titled Douluo had to kneel when they met the Pope—or at the very least, kneel on one knee. Xu Mochen was willing to observe diplomatic etiquette, but he had his principles!
Spirit Hall's Pope was the Pope of Douluo Continent, not of Sun Moon Continent! Besides, even the church of the Sun Moon Cult on Sun Moon Continent had long since been purged and infiltrated by the imperial family, becoming little more than a puppet whose symbolic importance outweighed its actual power. Ordinary citizens of the Sun Moon Empire didn't have to bow even when they saw the Pope. In fact, when the Pope met the Sun Moon Empire's emperor, she had to bow instead, demonstrating that religious authority was subject to secular imperial rule, and that natural rights stood above divine authority!
Bibi Dong, seated at the head of the hall, wasn't angered by Xu Mochen and his party's refusal to kneel. Instead, she smiled and spoke to him with a touch of authority. "There is no need for formalities, Your Highness. We are honored that you and your party have traveled so far to visit us. We have already heard of your country's intentions, and Spirit Hall is quite willing to establish diplomatic ties and cooperate with your nation."
"As for what you may have heard, Your Highness, I expect you've heard plenty of malicious slander and defamation of Spirit Hall from other factions. Please pay no heed to such baseless rumors. Here, I assure you all that Spirit Hall will welcome our distinguished guests from afar with the highest standard of hospitality!"
After hearing this, Xu Mochen simply returned the courtesy with a respectful reply. "His Holiness the Pope need not worry. We would never harbor ill will toward Spirit Hall on the basis of rumors and gossip. If we believed them, we wouldn't have made a special trip to pay you a visit."
"However, we have come to visit Spirit Hall not only to establish diplomatic relations. We also have another request. If your esteemed hall is willing to grant it, our country is prepared to offer you privileges not available to any other nation."
"Oh? What additional request does your country have of Spirit Hall? Please rest assured that if it lies within my power, Spirit Hall will not refuse your wishes."
Bibi Dong was slightly taken aback. She had expected the Sun Moon Empire to seek diplomatic and trade relations with Spirit Hall, but she hadn't expected it to make further demands as well. That was beyond her expectations. She simply didn't know what made Spirit Hall so special in the eyes of this distant overseas empire.
At that, Xu Mochen immediately adopted an expression of admiration and spoke sincerely. "His Holiness the Pope is likely aware of the situation on Sun Moon Continent. The quality of Martial Souls and the number of Soul Masters there are both far inferior to those on your continent, so our knowledge of Martial Soul cultivation remains incomplete."
"Here on your continent, powerful Soul Masters are everywhere, and your esteemed hall is the cultivation sanctuary in the hearts of Soul Masters across the land. Surely your knowledge of Martial Soul cultivation is the finest on Douluo Continent! I am unworthy, but I have long admired your hall's profound expertise in Martial Soul cultivation. I therefore hope to receive His Holiness the Pope's permission to stay at Spirit Hall and study alongside Spirit Hall's young geniuses, receiving a Soul Master education in the Douluo Continent style!"
His voice wasn't loud, yet his words struck Pope Palace like a Soul Guidance bomb, instantly stirring an uproar! The elders seated nearby began whispering among themselves. They had never imagined that this prince from the distant Sun Moon Empire would actually want to stay at Spirit Hall and receive its instruction and training!
What were they supposed to do? Should they agree or refuse? If the Sun Moon Empire's prince really learned Spirit Hall's knowledge and took it back to his country, wouldn't that mean all the Soul Master knowledge accumulated by generations of Spirit Hall would leak out?
But what if they refused and offended the Sun Moon Empire? Some of the elders were wary and hostile toward the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Guidance Weapons entering Douluo Continent, but that didn't mean they wanted to fall out with the Sun Moon Empire over it!
Before you continue