The Pope's Letter and Conditions

Bibi Dong closed her eyes for a moment.

Her feelings for Hu Liena were complicated.

Because of what Qian Xunji had done, she had never liked Qian Renxue. Whenever she saw Qian Renxue, she was reminded of Qian Xunji—her lifelong inner demon.

So after Bibi Dong took Hu Liena as her disciple, she poured all her maternal love into her.

Bibi Dong shook her head. Forget it. She didn't want to think about it.

"Yue Guan."

"Your subordinate is here."

"I'll write a letter to Qin Yao myself."

Bibi Dong raised a hand, signaling Yue Guan to stand.

"Also, I plan to send the seven members of the Martial Soul Hall Academy Team to Heaven Dou City for a period of training."

Yue Guan paused, unsure what His Holiness the Pope had in mind.

"You and Gui Mei will lead them."

Bibi Dong added,

"Officially, they'll be going to ask His Highness the Holy Son for guidance. In truth, it's time for Liena and the others to see more of the world. They won't become truly capable by training cooped up in Spirit City."

Yue Guan quickly grasped Bibi Dong's intent. The Pope was killing two birds with one stone.

On one hand, Hu Liena and the others would improve by making use of Qin Yao's resources and those of Heaven Dou.

On the other, the Pope would personally write to request Immortal Herbs on Hu Liena's behalf, lowering her pride. If Qin Yao gave them some, it would show how much face the Pope had. If he refused, it would be a test.

As for sending him and Gui Mei along, a Titled Douluo at level ninety-six and another at level ninety-five escorting seven children was more than an impressive enough show of force.

Bibi Dong truly cared about Hu Liena and the other children.

"Understood." Yue Guan cupped his hands. "When do we leave?"

"Set out within three days of the letter being written."

Five days later.

At the bottom of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, in Sunset Forest.

Qin Yao had just finished a round of cultivation. The purple Soul Power around him slowly subsided.

Dugu Yan slid down from above the cliff, holding a letter sealed with wax.

"Your Highness, a letter from Spirit City. Someone from Pope Palace delivered it. Grandpa received it and told me to bring it over right away."

Qin Yao took the letter and glanced at the wax seal.

The pattern of the Nine-Curve Purple Gold Crown.

The Pope's personal seal.

He opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.

It was written in Bibi Dong's own hand. Her writing was neat and forceful, and her wording was polite but not obsequious. Even when asking someone for a favor, this woman couldn't hide the pride in her bones.

The letter was brief.

The first paragraph concerned the Martial Soul Hall Academy Team.

Seven young Soul Masters were about to head to Heaven Dou City for training, led by Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei. She hoped His Highness the Holy Son would offer them guidance, since they were all part of Spirit Hall's future.

The second paragraph was the real point.

Bibi Dong wrote that her disciple, Hu Liena, trained diligently and had outstanding talent, but her progress had slowed because of limited resources.

If Qin Yao had a suitable Immortal Herb, the Pope was willing to trade a Fifty-Thousand-Year Mental Aggregation Wisdom Skull for it. She would also help him hunt a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring in the future.

At the end of the letter, she had added: the Soul Bone had been sent along with the team, and His Highness the Holy Son could inspect its quality first.

Qin Yao folded the letter and put it away.

A Fifty-Thousand-Year Mental Aggregation Wisdom Skull.

Of course he knew this Soul Bone.

In the original story, it had eventually fallen into Tang San's hands. Its attached mental-concentration effect was extremely useful, greatly improving the efficiency with which one used their mental power.

A fifty-thousand-year Soul Bone was neither especially impressive nor particularly poor, but its Mental Attribute made it exceptionally practical.

After all, mental power was genuinely difficult to cultivate.

But Qin Yao didn't need to absorb it himself. He had his sights set on a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone; something that was only fifty thousand years old didn't meet his standards.

But to give it to someone else...

Qin Yao glanced at Ye Lingling, practicing her healing arts on the other side of the valley floor, then at Dugu Yan, leaning against the stone wall as she wiped away her sweat.

Both of them were good candidates, but Qin Yao wasn't a charity. Without earning it, they couldn't expect a reward.

Besides, Bibi Dong's offer in the letter wasn't all that crazy. Perhaps it was because she hadn't yet met Yu Xiaogang again.

But what interested Qin Yao most was Bibi Dong's offer to help him hunt a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.

As for the Immortal Herb Bibi Dong wanted in exchange...

Qin Yao thought about the stock he had on hand.

He did have some that Hu Liena could use. But he had to think carefully about one thing: was Hu Liena worth investing in?

In the original story, she was fiercely loyal to Bibi Dong and quite capable. But even knowing Tang Yin was from the Clear Sky Sect, she still fell for him. That really made no sense.

Still, Qin Yao didn't care. If Hu Liena betrayed Spirit Hall in the future, he would personally crush her throat!

But sending an entire team over right off the bat was such a hassle!

Qin Yao rubbed his temples.

"What a hassle."

Dugu Yan leaned closer. "Your Highness, what's the hassle?"

"The Pope wants to send the people from Spirit Hall Academy here and have me take them out for training."

Dugu Yan scrunched up her nose. "Your Highness isn't a babysitter."

"Yue Guan and Gui Mei are coming too."

Dugu Yan's expression shifted. She hadn't expected two Titled Douluo to come as well.

"Then what will Your Highness do?"

Qin Yao tucked the letter into his Soul Guidance Gun.

"We'll see when they get here. They're coming either way; there's no stopping them."

He paused, then added, "The Pope also wants to trade a Fifty-Thousand-Year Soul Bone for an Immortal Herb."

Dugu Yan's ears perked up. "A Fifty-Thousand-Year Soul Bone?!"

"A Mental Aggregation Wisdom Skull." Qin Yao nodded. "It's good quality, but I have no use for it."

"Then give it to me!"

Dugu Yan blurted it out, then realized she had been too presumptuous and quickly corrected herself.

"I mean, if Your Highness thinks it's suitable..."

Qin Yao glanced at her but didn't answer.

"We'll decide whether to make the trade once it arrives."

He stood and walked back to his cultivation spot.

After two steps, he suddenly stopped.

"Yanzi."

"Yes!"

"Train hard lately. Once they arrive, you may have to spar with them."

Qin Yao didn't turn around as he continued,

"Be ready. Don't embarrass me when the time comes."

Dugu Yan straightened her back.

"Rest assured, Your Highness."

"Good!" Qin Yao tossed out the word and continued on.

Dugu Yan made a face at his back, then turned and dragged Ye Lingling away.

"Lingling, Lingling! The Pope's disciple is coming, along with the people from Spirit Hall Academy! His Highness said I have to fight them!"

Ye Lingling looked uneasy. "Couldn't it be dangerous?"

"What's there to fear? His Highness is here."

Dugu Yan patted her chest.

"Besides, His Highness said I should study their Soul Skills ahead of time. Lingling, help me think of the Demon Fox Martial Soul's weaknesses."

Ye Lingling considered it.

"A Mental Attribute control-type Martial Soul. It's vulnerable to opponents with strong willpower and high mental power. Your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor has poison-based Mental Interference, so you should have some resistance."

"Right, right! That's it!"

The two of them crouched by the stream and began whispering as they studied the matter.

Qin Yao returned to his spot and closed his eyes.

What he hadn't told Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling was that Hu Liena and Xie Yue had a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

That move, "Demon Charm," released a Red Mist Domain that weakened everyone's senses, Soul Power, and movement by fifty percent. Only those who used the domain could see within it.

When a peak Soul Ancestor unleashed this Fusion Skill, even an ordinary Soul King was no match.

Dugu Yan, especially, wouldn't stand a chance.

But that was exactly why it was worth practicing.

A true warrior couldn't be raised in a greenhouse. Letting them spar was an excellent idea.

Qin Yao closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. Purple Soul Power began circulating through his body once more.

In seven days, the Martial Soul Hall Academy Team would arrive in Heaven Dou City.