"You—!!"
Demon Bear Douluo's face instantly darkened like the bottom of a pot. He clenched both fists, yet couldn't utter a single word.
Even if he had been too arrogant at the time, thinking Tang Hao was merely Level 84 while he, a dignified Level 93 Titled Douluo, could handle Tang Hao with a snap of his fingers!
But that kid had immediately used the Clear Sky Avatar and Ring Detonation, grievously wounding him with a single blow!
Then he had fled into the distance, never to be seen again!
But no matter what, for a dignified Titled Douluo to have his leg broken by a Soul Douluo was the greatest humiliation of his life, and the scar he least wanted anyone to bring up.
Now the new Pope had exposed it in front of everyone, practically throwing his dignity on the ground and stomping on it.
"Now let's talk about the Clear Sky Sect's unity."
Bibi Dong gave the others no chance to catch their breath and continued:
"Afterward, the former Pope, Qian Xunji, issued an order condemning the Clear Sky Sect and demanding that they hand over Tang Hao and that Soul Beast."
"What happened then?"
"Tang Hao's old father was already on his deathbed. When he heard the news and couldn't find his filial son, he choked on his anger and died on the spot."
"If Tang Xiao hadn't happened to break through Level 90 at the time and become a Titled Douluo, barely stabilizing the situation, what do you think the Clear Sky Sect's elders would have done?"
"Would they have risked their lives against Spirit Hall for that unfilial son, Tang Hao? Or would they have sold him out to protect the sect?"
Bibi Dong surveyed the hall, her eyes full of scorn:
"Every one of you here is an old fox who's lived for decades. You can't see through this?"
"You're truly still living in the past, in the shadow of that old monster Tang Chen!"
"Back then, with Tang Chen in command, the Clear Sky Sect really was the strongest sect under heaven. Even the Grand Pontiff had to avoid his edge. The Clear Sky Sect's disciples really were fearless of death and united as one."
"But what about now?"
Bibi Dong slammed a hand on the table, her voice suddenly rising:
"Tang Chen is gone!"
"He's been missing for so many years. No one has seen him alive, and no one has found his corpse! The Clear Sky Sect of today is nothing but a toothless old tiger!"
"Although Tang Xiao is a Titled Douluo, he's indecisive, better at preserving what he has than making progress. As for those elders..."
Bibi Dong curled her lip in disdain:
"They're nothing but a bunch of selfish old geezers who only bully their own!"
"I'll make this clear!"
"As soon as Spirit Hall's army bears down on them, as soon as our blades are at their throats,"
"it won't take long for those so-called tough guys to announce that they're expelling Tang Hao from the sect!"
"They'll say: 'Qian Xunji's death was Tang Hao's personal act. It had nothing to do with the Clear Sky Sect! We're innocent. We're the victims!'"
"To save their own skins, they'll cast aside Tang Hao, abandon their affiliated clans, and even throw away their dignity without a second thought!"
"This is the Clear Sky Sect of today!"
"A bunch of cowards, strong on the outside but hollow within, who only know how to cling to life!"
The people exchanged glances. The fear in their eyes gradually gave way to doubt and consideration.
That was true.
They feared the Clear Sky Sect because they feared Tang Chen, who had once been invincible under heaven. That man had cast too great a shadow over them. Who among those present would dare claim they could withstand even one move from Tang Chen?
No one! Not a single one would dare say such a thing!
The only person in Spirit Hall who could stop Tang Chen was Qian Daoliu!
But if they set Tang Chen aside and stripped away the halo of "the strongest sect under heaven," was the Clear Sky Sect of today... really that frightening?
If they could abandon their own sons and brothers, could a sect like that still have the mettle to "fight to the death"?
"Your Holiness..."
Ghost Douluo Gui Mei, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly spoke in a hoarse voice. "What you say makes sense, but what if we bet wrong? What if the Clear Sky Sect is truly driven into a corner and fights like a trapped beast...?"
"Bet?"
Bibi Dong glanced at him. "Ghost Elder, I never gamble."
"Because I've already prepared a grand gift they won't dare refuse."
"What grand gift?" Gui Mei asked, startled.
"I'll personally write Tang Xiao a letter," Bibi Dong said calmly.
"I'll tell him: as long as the Clear Sky Sect declares that it's closing its gates and withdrawing from the world, hands over the Four Great Clans under its protection, and publicly expels Tang Hao,"
"I... may consider giving the Clear Sky Sect a way out."
"If you were Tang Xiao, facing Spirit Hall's army at your gates, the elders forcing your hand from within, and a choice between life and death..."
Bibi Dong looked down at the elders, her eyes glinting with a cold understanding of human nature:
"Would you choose to die for a younger brother who had already brought down a calamity, or would you cut off your tail to survive and preserve the sect?"
The hall fell utterly silent.
Every elder silently asked themselves that question.
The answer... went without saying.
If it were them, they would choose the latter, too.
Because everyone present was clever, and everyone stood to gain from the status quo.
And clever people knew best how to seek profit and avoid harm.
"Besides..."
Bibi Dong's voice rang out again. "None of you here need to take any real risks in this battle."
"As for the four single-attribute clans, we can start with the softest persimmons."
"And which of those four clans is the softest persimmon?"
Bibi Dong raised her index finger and traced a circle in the air, then pointed at the Speed Clan's territory on the map.
"The Speed Clan!"
"Other than running fast, those people have no other skills to speak of. A few Soul Douluo priests from the Power Attack System could pin them down and rub them into the dirt."
"Better yet, Bai He, the Speed Clan's chief, is Tang Hao and Tang Xiao's maternal uncle. Their mother came from the Speed Clan."
"That blood tie binds them together to the bone."
"If the Clear Sky Sect still has even a shred of backbone and truly intends to rescue one of the clans, then the Speed Clan will be its first choice!"
"Because they're relatives! They're elders!"
"So..."
Bibi Dong slammed her hand on the table, her eyes flashing:
"We don't need to spread our forces out and play hide-and-seek with the Clear Sky Sect. We only need to concentrate all our elite forces on the Speed Clan!"
"As for the other three clans, send a few people to harass them and put on a show."
"As long as we hold them back and create the illusion that Spirit Hall is crushing them and they're on the brink of annihilation, that'll be enough. There's no need to fight to the death."
With that, Bibi Dong swept her gaze around the hall at the elders who still seemed hesitant. A thinly veiled sneer appeared on her face:
"What? You were worried about being picked off one by one, and now that I've concentrated our main force, you still don't dare?"
"If everyone's really so afraid of facing the Clear Sky Sect's reinforcements..."
Bibi Dong sneered and slowly rose to her feet. Her golden Pope's robes shimmered in the lamplight:
"Then I'll personally take command!"
"I'll personally lead the Chrysanthemum and Ghost Elders to the Speed Clan's territory!"
"If Tang Xiao dares to come, I'll deal with him myself!"
"If those elders dare to come, I'll personally send them on their way!"
"As for all of you here..."
Bibi Dong's gaze swept over Demon Bear, Ghost Leopard, and the others. Her tone brimmed with contempt:
"You only need to make a round past the other three clans, fire off a few Soul Skills to scare them, and see how they react. If those old geezers dare to come out, run. If they don't, take the opportunity to grab whatever you can."
"This is an easy battle where we hold the advantage and pick up the spoils. You can't possibly say there's still any danger, can you?"
"If you're even afraid of that..."
Bibi Dong shook her head and let out a long sigh.
"Then we might as well call off the battle and forget about avenging Qian Xunji."
"You bunch of cowards who only bully your own—what revenge could you possibly take?"
"Why don't we pack up now, prepare a generous gift, and all go kneel at the Clear Sky Sect's gates to beg for mercy?"
"Let Sect Master Tang Xiao show his great compassion and spare our worthless lives!"
"As for this Pope..."
Bibi Dong suddenly hurled the scepter in her hand onto the table. It crashed down with a resounding clang, making several elders shudder.
"I'm done being Pope!"
"Leading a bunch of cowards into battle would be worse than going home to sleep!"
"How humiliating!!"
Those final two words landed like a resounding slap, striking every Titled Douluo present across the face.
Even a clay figure had a temper, let alone a group of Titled Douluos who were usually high above everyone else.
How could anyone stand being called cowards and worthless by a junior who wasn't even thirty, then told to go kneel and beg for mercy?
Who could tolerate that?!
"Your Holiness, you're being too hard on us!"
Demon Bear Douluo finally couldn't take it anymore. His face flushed red as he stood up. "Although I may not be very strong, I'm still an elder of Spirit Hall! How could I be a coward who fears death?!"
"Since Your Holiness dares to personally take command at the most dangerous target, the Speed Clan, what is there for us to fear in dealing with the other three clans?!"
"That's right!"
Ghost Leopard Douluo immediately chimed in. "I've wanted to face that old ape from the Strength Clan for a long time! This time, I'll break his bones!"
"I'm willing to go!"
"I'm willing to go, too!"
For a moment, the crowd's passions flared.
Whether they had truly been roused to fight, couldn't stand being insulted, or simply wanted to regain some face in front of that "arrogant" Pope, it didn't matter.
Even Golden Crocodile Douluo couldn't say anything in that atmosphere. Otherwise, he really would become the coward Bibi Dong had called him!
Being called a coward to his face by a woman who wasn't even thirty was something none of them could accept!