"I heard that the Platinum Bishop of the Heaven Dou City Martial Soul Holy Hall was a trusted subordinate whom Bibi Dong had personally promoted. That isn't false, is it?" Xue Hen asked Salas in an utterly calm voice.
At the same time, he slowly raised the Imperial Power Sword in his hand and pointed its tip at Salas, who was climbing to his feet.
Someone was pointing a sword at him again.
As the Platinum Bishop, Salas wasn't exactly a man who could command the wind and rain in Heaven Dou City, but he was certainly a figure of considerable standing. Even the emperor had to show him some respect. Yet today, he'd had a sword pointed at him twice in a row. It was a terrible humiliation.
But the two men who had done it were both Super Douluos above Level 95. He couldn't beat either of them. What could he do?
All he could do was endure it.
"Y-Your Excellency, what the Sky Screen showed may not all be true... Our Holiness the Pope doesn't know you. How could she regard you as an enemy? Besides, Your Excellency, your Soul Power is extraordinary. Our Spirit Hall has always sought to befriend powerful people from all sides and uphold order in the Soul Master World. We would only show you goodwill and seek to build a good relationship with you. We absolutely would not—and could not—regard you as an enemy!" With no way to escape, Salas could only grit his teeth, bow, and explain himself to Xue Hen.
He hoped Xue Hen wouldn't hold a grudge against Spirit Hall because of those "future" scenes on the Sky Screen. More than that, he hoped Xue Hen wouldn't take it out on a mere Level 89 Soul Douluo like him.
"Spirit Hall's principles are indeed as you say." Xue Hen nodded.
"Phew..." Salas breathed a sigh of relief.
"But Bibi Dong's principles may be another matter. She killed her own teacher and framed the Clear Sky Douluo. She also forced talented Soul Masters to join Spirit Hall, and sent people to hunt down those who refused. It's hardly strange that a woman like that would regard me as an enemy." Xue Hen changed tack and continued.
"Y-Your Excellency..." Salas's face went pale, and he staggered backward.
A sudden, dreadful feeling rose in his heart. Was this man about to...
Spirit Hall had once helped him. It had taken him in and helped him awaken his Martial Soul. So let him do Spirit Hall a good turn... by cutting down the claws Bibi Dong had planted in Heaven Dou City after murdering her way to power!
"Not good!" Salas thought. He immediately turned and circulated his Soul Power, then leaped into the air, trying to flee.
Whoosh! At the same instant, the Imperial Power Sword in Xue Hen's hand shot forward.
Boom! In the blink of an eye, it pierced Salas's body. Then his body exploded with a bang, turning into a cloud of blood mist.
That was right. Against Xue Hen as he was now, even a Level 89 Soul Douluo had no hope of escaping. One move was all it took to kill him.
"Now, what about the rest of you? Who among you is loyal to Bibi Dong? Step forward and meet your death." Xue Hen looked over the others and spoke.
The people of the Martial Soul Holy Temple, already wounded by the sword energy unleashed when Xue Hen split open the gates, were all terrified. Not one dared answer.
"None of you are loyal to her?" Xue Hen looked over the Soul Masters and shook his head. "Impossible. You're not disloyal to her. You're just afraid to die."
"Enough. I'll send you all on your way together." As he spoke, the Imperial Power Sword in his hand blazed with dazzling golden light.
At the sight, the Soul Masters were terrified out of their wits. Just then, one of them hurriedly shouted, "Your Excellency, the Sky Screen has exposed Bibi Dong's murder of the previous Pope. How could we still be loyal to someone like that? I beg you to see reason!"
"Oh?" Xue Hen paused with his arm raised to swing.
"Your Excellency, everyone knows you're a hero who distinguishes right from wrong. You mustn't kill innocent people indiscriminately! It would damage your good name, Your Excellency!" the man shouted on.
"Who are you?" Xue Hen asked, looking at the Soul Master who had spoken.
"I am Wang Yi, a Blue Bishop of the Martial Soul Holy Temple." The man struggled unsteadily to his feet and bowed to Xue Hen.
"After learning that Bibi Dong was the one who killed Qian Xunji, you decided to stop serving her?" Xue Hen asked.
"Phew..." Wang Yi took a deep breath and answered solemnly. "Yes."
Looking at Wang Yi, Xue Hen nodded, then turned and walked toward the hall entrance.
After two steps, he abruptly stopped.
He turned and swung his sword!
Boom! A terrifying flash of swordlight lit the hall as a mighty torrent of sword energy roared through it.
"Ahhh!" Countless screams rang out. Under the sweeping sword energy, the Soul Masters of the Heaven Dou City Martial Soul Holy Hall burst apart one after another. Blood splattered across the floor and spattered the walls and pillars.
A moment later, Xue Hen lowered his arm. The Imperial Power Sword in his hand dissolved into specks of light and vanished.
He clasped his hands behind his back and looked over the densely packed corpses before him, sneering. "Kill innocent people indiscriminately and damage my good name? Wrong! Killing every last one of you will only add to my reputation. After all, in this Soul Master World, who among you is truly innocent?"
With that, Xue Hen turned away, swept his sleeves, and strode out through the hall doors.
This time, he really did leave.
Before long, news that the Martial Soul Holy Temple had been wiped out spread throughout Heaven Dou City. Every Soul Master who had been inside at the time was killed by Xue Hen, except for those away on missions.
The whole city was shaken.
"Hahaha! Good! Just what I'd expect of my nephew. He did what I've wanted to do but never dared!" In the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Emperor Xue Ye clapped his hands in delight when he heard the news.
Salas had always been arrogant, relying on Bibi Dong's backing to make trouble in Heaven Dou City and oppose the imperial family. Emperor Xue Ye had long been sick of him. He'd only held back because of Spirit Hall's strength. Otherwise, Poison Douluo alone could have killed Salas—never mind that Xue Ye could also call on Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.
"Brother, Xue Hen's actions will surely provoke Spirit Hall to retaliate. How should we respond?" Prince Xue Xing was glad to hear that the Martial Soul Holy Temple had been destroyed, but he couldn't help worrying as well. Spirit Hall was no easy opponent.
"What is there to fear? Hen'er is a Level 98 Super Douluo. He has Twin Martial Souls, multiple Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, and soul bones. Spirit Hall wants to retaliate against him? Let them come! I'm afraid they won't. If one comes, he kills one; if two come, he kills a pair. I'd love for Hen'er to slaughter all the Titled Douluos in Spirit Hall. Then I could send out a million troops without a care and raze Spirit City!" Emperor Xue Ye declared with a grand sweep of his hand.
Thinking of Xue Hen's strength, Prince Xue Xing nodded. "That's true. With Xue Hen's power, even if that legendary Grand Pontiff of Martial Soul Hall stepped in, he might not win."
"He definitely won't win. Don't forget, Hen'er is in Heaven Dou City. This city is the imperial capital of our Xue Family. If Hen'er needs help, I certainly won't stand by!" Emperor Xue Ye said with absolute conviction, radiating authority.
Crown Prince's Mansion.
When Qian Renxue received the news that the Martial Soul Holy Temple had been destroyed, her face darkened.
Though the Martial Soul Holy Temple belonged to Bibi Dong's faction, they were still Soul Masters of Spirit Hall, after all.
At the time, she didn't yet know that Qian Daoliu had reached an agreement with Bibi Dong: Spirit City would announce that Bibi Dong had been expelled from Spirit Hall and was wanted across the entire continent.
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