Over the past few days, people had discussed and recounted all of Tang Hao's deeds in full.
Without exception, everyone felt disgust and resentment toward him.
On the outskirts, Lin Chuan listened to the crowd's discussion and quietly sighed.
He left the ever-growing throng and headed into the city.
Tang Hao really had snapped and flown into a rage, but he had actually shown himself. In just a few days, he had also destroyed every Spirit Hall Branch in Fasinuo Province.
He'd gone on a frenzied, destructive rampage. He really was a madman.
But it left Lin Chuan at a loss. He'd never thought Tang Hao would destroy every branch in Fasinuo Province.
It was like running into someone who actually followed through on all their online trash talk.
Many Deacons had died in Fasinuo Province, and quite a few innocent people had been caught up in it. Spirit Hall would later compensate the families of those who had perished.
They would provide the bereaved families with money to help cover their living expenses.
There were too many people for Spirit Hall to comfort every single one of them. Cold, monetary compensation and practical assistance were how they expressed their remorse.
This selflessness had, in recent years, turned into hypocrisy.
There was more selfishness mixed in, but outwardly, they still acted benevolently.
Spirit Hall had kept this up for years for one reason: to secure a good place in the hearts of the common people.
It was an open strategy. After years of influence, Spirit Hall had established numerous branches across both empires.
The work Spirit Hall did and the role it played had become deeply rooted in the hearts of the people in both empires.
The Spirit Hall under Bibi Dong aimed to unite the entire continent, and the most important thing for uniting it was winning the people's hearts.
Win their hearts and earn their support, and once the continent was united, those commoners would be on your side—and could even help you cultivate powerful forces. Two birds with one stone!
In truth, Spirit Hall was very powerful.
It could easily have followed the example of Douluo II and monopolized the business of Martial Soul awakenings.
Whether you were an ordinary commoner or a member of the imperial family, you'd have to go to Shrek City to awaken your Martial Soul. It wasn't free, either—you had to pay.
Only awakenings performed in Shrek City counted as official and universally recognized.
But Spirit Hall had chosen a more humane path: free awakenings.
In the final battle, eighty percent of the Soul Masters across the continent came to Spirit Hall's aid. The people's support had already proved everything.
It was just that Tang San's protagonist halo was absurdly powerful. Everyone loved him, and even beasts adored him. Whenever he casually hunted a Soul Beast, the random Spirit Bone he obtained just happened to be the one he needed.
The two sides' positions were essentially:
"If hypocrisy makes people hate me, then I'll be hypocritical for the rest of my life."
"History is written by the victors."
In the bustling heart of the city, elegant shops with an air of wealth lined both sides of the street, while vendors called out one after another.
Among them, a restaurant held a commanding position.
The magnificent three-story building was made of brick and timber. Its finely detailed exterior resembled a tower of stacked pagodas, grand and imposing.
Four gold-engraved characters, "Jiuxiang Pavilion," adorned its broad lintel.
The place practically reeked of money, and everyone walking inside was either rich or powerful.
Just as its name suggested, even standing a little ways from Jiuxiang Pavilion was enough to catch the delicious aroma of food and make your mouth water.
The difference between city and countryside wasn't merely a matter of construction.
One side forged ahead, while the other merely followed in its footsteps, learning from its example and changing in the same way.
Jiuxiang Pavilion was one of the more famous restaurants in Tiandi City, and many of its patrons were officials and nobles.
Lin Chuan had booked a private room on the second floor. Leaning back in his chair, he watched Ling Yuan enjoy her meal and asked,
"Did you know about this before? Tang Hao destroyed every Spirit Hall Branch in Fasinuo Province."
Ling Yuan, who had been happily eating, rolled her eyes at him.
"Obviously. It was a huge incident, and I was in the Balak Kingdom, right next to Fasinuo Province. How could I not know?"
"But you were absorbing a Spirit Ring at the time. By the time you got back, several days had passed, and I forgot to tell you..."
Her voice softened as she spoke, turning apologetic...
In truth, she'd only just realized her mistake.
The moment food appeared, she'd gotten so excited that she'd forgotten her manners.
Lin Chuan silently glanced at Ling Yuan, then pretended nothing was wrong.
"Go find someone from Spirit Hall who's at least a Spirit Emperor and specializes in stealth. Have them keep watch on Meng Yiran at Exotic Beast Academy."
"Make sure no one notices. Have them carry out the task quietly, then come back just as quietly. If she breaks through to Spirit Elder, have them return to my residence at Spirit Hall."
As he spoke, he tossed Ling Yuan his Holy Son Token.
In the original story, Yu Xiaogang had wielded an Elder Token to throw his weight around, using his status as an elder of Spirit Hall to enjoy the respect of others and the convenience of being allowed to travel freely.
The Holy Son Token served as a pass within Spirit Hall. It outranked even the Elder Token and granted many privileges.
For example:
It allowed the bearer to enter the Library Pavilion, where Spirit Hall's records, collected over many years, were kept, and read anything inside at will...
It allowed the bearer to mobilize up to two Title Elders and assign Red-Robed Deacons as they pleased, among other things.
With the Holy Son Token, the person carrying out the task wouldn't have to worry about being stopped.
Ling Yuan would handle the arrangements, including selecting and assigning the person.
All Lin Chuan had to do was issue the task and wait for the result.
The two of them got along well, but the fact that she hadn't brought this matter to his attention showed there was a problem.
Clearly, despite their good relationship, she seemed to have forgotten the fundamental difference in their status and hadn't shown him the reverence and respect he was due.
Since they already got along well, it was time for the next step: establishing his authority so she'd take him seriously.
A dragon's inverse scale was deadly to touch; a powerful person's dignity could not be challenged.
In time, that regard could grow into respect. The shift in her feelings would need the right opportunity.
Building a true friendship took too much time. There was no time for that now.
For the moment, he could only use this approach to put her at ease, then cultivate a genuine bond later.
Ling Yuan took the Holy Son Token, sighed in relief, and patted her chest.
"Don't worry. I'll get it done."
She'd thought he might be displeased with her for neglecting her duties and letting her guard down. She got along well with the exceptionally talented young man before her, but he was still the future Pope.
Now that she'd watched his strength grow stronger and stronger, she was becoming a little afraid to offend him.
Still, the fact that he was giving her a task meant he could forgive her for it—or perhaps he didn't care in the first place.
She silently warned herself. She'd gotten carried away at the start, so she'd take this as a lesson.
She absolutely couldn't let her relationship with the future Pope sour.
From the very first time she'd spoken with Lin Chuan, Ling Yuan had thought things through carefully.
Once she'd learned that he was the chosen Holy Son, she'd been even more certain that she should build a good relationship with him early.
The positions of the Pope's right and left hands might still be fought over by Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo, but she could always serve as someone who carried out secret missions behind the scenes.
Keeping his secret for now would do her no harm. In fact, it had even earned her a chance to break through to Super Douluo.
And there was no need to mention that by following such a gifted young man, she was sure to achieve great things in the future.
The two of them sat there, each pondering their own schemes.
Watching Ling Yuan get to her feet, Lin Chuan took a light sip of tea and said,
"Once you've finished, go straight back to Spirit Hall. Wait for that person to come find you there, then head to Suotuo City."
His Soul Power growth really was bizarre. He'd gone from Spirit Emperor to Spirit Saint in just a few months, and it would be difficult to explain. Even if he returned, he'd have to wait until six months had passed.
For now, he might as well go speak with Dugu Bo ahead of time.