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"Focus and sense what you've gained."
Golden Crocodile gestured to Tian Yue.
While Tian Yue sensed the changes brought on by absorbing the Immortal Herb, Qiangu Yichen and Kuang Zhan woke one after another.
At their elders' prompting, they began to feel out the Immortal Herb's specific effects.
Tian Yue jumped three feet into the air and shouted excitedly,
"I'm level twenty! And after I absorb a Soul Ring, I'm sure my strength will increase even more.
"And my Martial Soul has grown stronger overall, too."
Golden Crocodile caught his bouncing granddaughter and carefully assessed her physical strength.
Smiling, he said, "You can absorb a two-thousand-year Second Soul Ring now."
Kuang Zhan and Qiangu Yichen also looked delighted.
Kuang Zhan had gained about as much as Tian Yue, though the fire attribute of his Martial Soul had improved.
Lin Huai figured that his other attributes had probably improved more, which was why he hadn't reached the level of Ultimate Fire.
Qiangu Yichen, meanwhile, summoned his Martial Soul.
The white-gold dragon patterns that had once coiled around the red staff had turned into dark-gold dragon patterns wrapped around a black staff.
"The dragon soul inside my staff has mutated. It's lost its ability to break evil, but its destructive power has increased greatly. My Martial Soul's attacks also carry a 'shatter' effect."
Everyone present was satisfied. Qian Daoliu told Golden Crocodile to take the three children to obtain their Soul Rings.
As for the remaining five elders, they continued trying to form Soul Cores alongside the other Titled Douluo elders.
Qian Daoliu personally began instructing Lin Huai.
Every morning, Lin Huai worked on understanding the Flowing Water Sword Technique on his own.
In the afternoons, he trained in blade techniques under Qian Daoliu's guidance and tried to incorporate the Flowing Water Sword Technique into them.
At night, he cultivated Soul Power and practiced praying on his own. Every now and then, he exchanged insights with Malenia and shared interesting things he remembered from his previous life.
From Malenia's account, Lin Huai learned that Miquella wasn't just physically incapable of growing up; his mind had also remained at roughly the age of a teenager.
No wonder his path to godhood had seemed so impulsive.
Two days passed, but Lin Huai still couldn't master the use of prayer.
That evening, Bibi Dong arrived at the Worship Hall.
Only Qian Daoliu and Lin Huai were inside, discussing their insights into blades and swords.
"Grand Elder."
The two looked over at Bibi Dong and noticed that her air had changed.
"Have you made up your mind?"
"Yes. I've decided to remain the Pope."
Bibi Dong's expression was calm.
"Actually, I'd made up my mind on the first day. Over the past two days, I've been looking through events I once ignored.
"I'm gradually realizing that I don't like this world. I can't explain why, but I want to try to change the way things are."
Qian Daoliu didn't dwell on it, thinking it was just a young person's fiery enthusiasm.
"Go ahead and do what you want. The elders and I will step in when needed."
Lin Huai was a little surprised.
He hadn't expected Bibi Dong not only to have recovered, but also to have embraced the idea of sweeping changes. No wonder mother and daughter were so alike; they thought along similar lines.
"Good luck, Your Holiness. Maybe you can gather the people's faith and become a god, just like the Angel God and the Sea God."
Bibi Dong looked at Lin Huai.
"I came to see you, too. I want to take you with me to Nuoding City."
"Grand Elder, I want to go and see what Yu Gang is really like. Yue Guan isn't here these days, so I hope you can help me handle the government affairs for a few days."
At that moment, Yue Guan was still at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, absorbed in the immature Immortal Herbs.
Qian Daoliu hesitated.
"Helping you with your government affairs is easy enough, but why do you want to take Lin Huai with you?"
Bibi Dong's gaze was earnest. "A feeling."
"I can swear on my Martial Soul that I won't let him come to any harm."
Qian Daoliu still seemed unsure.
What if she didn't intend to survive?
What would happen to his disciple?
Lin Huai, however, realized this was the perfect chance to steal Tang Hao's wife.
"Teacher, let me go. I'd like to get out for a while, anyway."
Thinking of how Lin Huai had spent the whole previous year buried in the library, Qian Daoliu agreed that he deserved a break.
"Fine. I'll have Guang Ling go with you."
Qian Daoliu summoned Guang Ling Douluo.
He told Guang Ling to keep Lin Huai safe.
Bibi Dong wrapped Lin Huai in Soul Power and took off first.
The three set out for Nuoding City.
Three days later, they arrived outside Nuoding City.
They could have gotten there sooner, but Lin Huai had suggested that Bibi Dong enjoy the scenery along the way.
After confirming that Bibi Dong meant Lin Huai no harm, Guang Ling disappeared for two days. He only reappeared when they reached Nuoding City.
"Wait. There's an aura of a Titled Douluo in the city."
Bibi Dong stopped Guang Ling.
On the way, Bibi Dong had told Lin Huai that after the Rakshasa Divine Sense disappeared, her divine trial had vanished as well, reducing her Soul Power to level 97.
Guang Ling sounded puzzled.
"How can a small, remote city have a Titled Douluo in it?"
"This is interesting!"
The two concealed their auras and took Lin Huai into Nuoding Academy.
They saw Tang San, whose appearance was ordinary, and the slightly adorable Xiao Wu, surrounded by a crowd as they headed toward the cafeteria.
Bibi Dong and Guang Ling exclaimed at the same time.
"A shapeshifting Soul Beast!"
"That rabbit from back then!"
In the shadows, Tang Hao shuddered and released his Soul Power to search all of Nuoding City.
"Strange. There aren't any other Titled Douluo here. Have I been drinking too much cheap liquor lately?"
He shook his head and tipped more of the shoddy liquor he'd somehow gotten into his mouth.
Lin Huai stopped the two just in time as they prepared to act.
"My Martial Soul tells me that the man and woman both have the aura of a divine sense."
Malenia's voice suddenly rang in his mind.
"I don't sense it. Though those two do have it, and so does that Titled Douluo in the distance."
Ignoring Malenia's interruption, Lin Huai continued his warning.
"This divine sense is stronger than the Rakshasa God's. We need to discuss this."
Bibi Dong and Guang Ling reappeared with Lin Huai outside the city.
Guang Ling asked urgently,
"Lin Huai, what do you mean by divine sense?"
Lin Huai briefly described how he'd dealt with the Rakshasa Divine Sense before.
"The divine sense that's appeared now is far stronger than the Rakshasa's, and it feels somewhat similar.
"I strongly suspect those two will become important pieces in the destruction of Spirit Hall."
"Then I'll kill them first!"
Bibi Dong stopped him in time.
"Fifth Elder, don't rush. Let Lin Huai finish."
"This divine sense isn't something we can deal with."
Lin Huai thought for a moment.
"We'd better not attack. Even if we manage to kill them, a god might revive them somewhere else.
"At least for now, we can keep track of their movements and plan before we act."
Bibi Dong looked puzzled.
"Can't that strange domain of yours devour the divine sense?"
Lin Huai shook his head.
"It can, but it can't stop the divine sense from sending information.
"If that god finds out, we'll be at a disadvantage."
The two were stunned. They hadn't expected that more than one god wanted to destroy Spirit Hall.
How many gods had the Angel God offended?
"Your Holiness, you've figured out who that Titled Douluo is, haven't you?"
Bibi Dong nodded.
"He's Tang Hao."
"No way, that guy was hiding here!"
"Lin Huai, you've read more books. You make the plan."
Guang Ling looked at Lin Huai with easy confidence.
Lin Huai first sent Guang Ling to sneak into the Spirit Hall Branch and find the records concerning the two of them.
He and Bibi Dong would go test Yu Gang instead.
Once they'd completed their tasks, they would meet back outside the city.
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