A Strange State

Shi Nuo nodded and made no attempt to hide anything, laying out the whole story.

"Your Holiness, Bei Ya and I had wanted to stroll around Spirit City to shake off the restlessness brought on by days of nonstop training."

"But that evening, six people led by a Soul Emperor with a Mantis Martial Soul cornered us on the Commercial Street, saying someone had paid them to kill us."

"We were already on the brink of death, but at the last moment, Bei Ya's whole body burst with golden light, and he instantly killed two Soul Kings."

After giving a rough account of what had happened, Shi Nuo waited for the Pope's decision.

When Bibi Dong finished listening to the little fatty's story, a trace of shock flashed in her eyes. She had no reason to doubt that it was true.

Her disciple had actually managed to kill two Soul Kings in an instant despite being only a Soul Grandmaster. That had taken her completely by surprise.

Even she, with Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power, hadn't been capable of such a feat at the Soul Grandmaster stage.

She did need an outstanding disciple to bolster her reputation and standing, but... this disciple seemed a little too outstanding.

"I understand. You're injured too, so go get some proper rest."

"Yes, Your Holiness."

After glancing once more toward his good brother's room, Shi Nuo bowed and limped out of Pope Hall.

Bibi Dong stared at the tightly shut door, a complicated look passing through her eyes. Although Lin Beiya had told her everything, he had once been one of Qian Daoliu's people. She still couldn't bring herself to trust him. Or rather, ever since the secret chamber, she had never trusted anyone again.

Turning toward her own quarters, Bibi Dong began weighing how to handle the matter.

Ignoring it completely was obviously out of the question. If she did, those with ulterior motives would have no qualms about jumping out to trip her up. That was the last thing she wanted.

But Demon Bear belonged to Elder Hall, and she still needed to win those people over if she hoped to stand against Qian Daoliu. It seemed she couldn't punish him too harshly, either.

"Alas... He's really given me a difficult problem. Looks like I'll have to get my ninth Soul Ring as soon as possible. Strength is the foundation of everything."

The next day, the people of Spirit City watched in amazement as squads of Spirit Hall guards began hunting for fugitives throughout the city. The common folk grew nervous, afraid that criminals lurking in the shadows might suddenly lash out and hurt someone.

The Soul Ancestor who had struck first and been injured when the Crystal Wall repelled him had already been found by the guards. Unfortunately, all they found was his corpse, which did nothing to help the investigation.

The leading Soul Emperor and the two Soul Ancestors who had fled with him had vanished without a trace, as if they had evaporated into thin air.

By rights, after the attempted assassination, Bibi Dong had immediately ordered the city sealed and all those entering or leaving it strictly checked. The men shouldn't have had a chance to escape.

After searching every house without success, the guard captain had no choice but to report to Bibi Dong and let the Pope decide what to do.

"Is that so? I understand. You may go."

"Yes, Your Holiness the Pope."

After dismissing the guard captain, Bibi Dong immediately ordered Yue Guan to be summoned.

Chrysanthemum Guan had also heard about the attack in Spirit City the previous night. He guessed that Bibi Dong had called for him because of it, and after bowing, cautiously asked, "Your Holiness the Pope, do you need me to track down those criminals?"

"No need. This morning, the guards found the body of one of the Soul Ancestors involved in the assassination on a street corner. Take the corpse to Demon Bear."

"Hm?"

Yue Guan was briefly taken aback by Bibi Dong's words, then understood. She had already determined that Demon Bear was responsible, but couldn't afford to fall out with him or start a fight just yet. So she wanted to use the Soul Ancestor's corpse to give him a warning.

The message was clear enough: I know you did this, but I'll let it go this time. If there's a next time, I'll settle both scores at once.

"Yes, I understand."

Chrysanthemum Guan offered no suggestions. He simply accepted the order and left Pope Hall.

Bibi Dong clenched her fingers until her knuckles turned white. Though the attack had targeted her nominal disciple, it had also dealt an invisible blow to her authority within Spirit Hall.

In the eyes of those old men in Elder Hall, she was still a nepotistic upstart who had risen to power through her connections. They might fear her, but they had little respect for her.

At that moment, her desire to break through to Titled Douluo had reached its peak.

Over the next few days, the Spirit Hall guards gradually eased their searches. The common folk breathed a quiet sigh of relief, convinced that the criminals had left Spirit City, and returned to their daily lives.

The attack was over, but Lin Beiya—who had been expected to wake up within a few days—still showed no signs of stirring.

Bibi Dong sent healing-type Soul Masters to examine him several times. They all gave the same answer: his injuries had healed and his Soul Power had recovered, but they didn't know why he hadn't woken up.

The doctors' words only made Bibi Dong more troubled. For now, she still needed Lin Beiya, a disciple capable of overpowering his peers. Hu Liena had good talent too, but it clearly wasn't enough yet.

If Lin Beiya really remained unconscious forever, it would deal a serious blow to her reputation. A teacher who couldn't protect her genius disciple would be nailed to the pillar of shame for all time.

As for the protagonist of this incident, he was currently in a state too mysterious to describe.

Lin Beiya felt as if he were floating in an endless sea of stars. Fragments of stardust drifted past him now and then. He was like a speck of dust adrift in the Milky Way, gently carried along by the gravity of massive celestial bodies.

"Is this... the Cosmo?"

He could still vividly remember the power that had suddenly burst from his body at the very end of the battle. Everything before him was also telling him that his strength had crossed into an entirely new realm.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't regain control of his body, much less pull himself out of this state.

Just as Lin Beiya was at a loss, a small, pitch-black vortex slowly unfolded around his Consciousness Sea. It began absorbing the passing fragments of stardust, growing stronger with the force of a river swallowing a hundred streams.

Lin Beiya had no idea how much time had passed. But countless ages had gone by in this sea of stars, so many that even he had forgotten the passage of time.

At the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, a woman with delicate features, dressed as a maid, carried a lavish lunch over to a nobleman.

The man had a refined air about him. When he saw the maid, he smiled warmly.

"Just leave it on the table. I'll eat once I've finished this section. Thanks for your hard work, Xiao Xue."

"Yes, First Prince."

At the man's instruction, the maid set the food on the table and then quietly withdrew with a bow.

This was Qian Renxue, who had gone undercover in the Prince's Mansion. After leaving the study, her pretty face—disguised with simple makeup—was clouded with worry.

She returned to her quarters in the Prince's Mansion, distracted, and beckoned toward the shadows in the room.

A slightly plump, middle-aged man slowly emerged from the shadows and cupped his hands toward Qian Renxue.

"What is it, Miss?"

"Go back to Spirit Hall and find out what happened. If possible, learn whether Lin Beiya is safe."

"Yes, Miss."

The plump man accepted the order and vanished in a flash, leaving Qian Renxue alone with her worries.

Two nights earlier, when she had tried to cultivate, she discovered that the Aries Gold Card she had hidden away was gone. She immediately realized that Lin Beiya had recalled the Sacred Cloth.