Cen Yu put away the three spirit bones and waved at Hu Liena and the others, signaling them to stand aside with him.
Under their puzzled gazes, the youth said softly, "Let's protect ourselves and just watch the show."
"What?"
Just then, several squads of palace guards rushed out, surrounding the arena.
Liu Erlong was stunned: "Your Excellency Pope, what is the meaning of this?"
Bibi Dong said with a faint, enigmatic smile: "Since the rewards have been distributed, it is time to discuss other matters."
She waved her scepter, pointing at Xiao Wu: "Men, seize that girl!"
"As you command, Your Excellency Pope."
Yue Guan and Gui Mei sneered and immediately charged toward Xiao Wu.
At that moment, a long sword crashed down, landing horizontally in front of the Shrek group, forcing the approaching Gui Mei and Yue Guan back with sheer power.
Seeing this, Bibi Dong snorted coldly, her gaze icy as she looked at Ning Fengzhi: "Sect Master Ning, what is the meaning of this?"
"That girl is a transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. If you continue to obstruct us, then the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect shall be an enemy of Martial Soul Hall."
"What?!"
As these words fell, the entire arena fell into a deathly silence. Everyone looked at Xiao Wu in disbelief.
How could this be?!
Seeing her identity exposed, Xiao Wu collapsed powerlessly to the ground.
Coincidentally, the Lovesick Heartbreak Red fell out at that very moment, and instantly, the aura unique to a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was revealed beyond doubt.
Sword Douluo and Dugu Bo, who had initially thought Bibi Dong was spouting nonsense, turned grave upon sensing this aura.
It really was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?!
Seeing the expressions of the two Title Douluo, Liu Erlong covered her mouth and staggered back two steps: "How is this possible? My Xiao Wu... is actually... a Soul Beast?!"
Just then, before anyone could react, a streak of purple light flashed by.
Cen Yu grabbed Xiao Wu by the neck and stood beside Bibi Dong: "Why must you all be so dramatic?"
"Now you don't have to worry about whether your companion is a Soul Beast or not; she belongs to me now~"
Seeing this, Dugu Bo immediately wanted to strike to snatch Xiao Wu back.
Unfortunately...
"Heh..."
Bibi Dong took a step forward, and nine spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red—appeared beneath her feet.
"Since the matter is settled, stand down."
The terrifying pressure of the Hundred-Thousand-Year spirit ring descended upon Dugu Bo, instantly stripping him of his ability to move.
"Damn it! Is this... the true power of a Hundred-Thousand-Year spirit ring..."
He had miscalculated. He thought that with his strength, even if he couldn't win, he could at least take the little monster and Xiao Wu away from this place.
Damn it... the Lovesick Heartbreak Red had masked her Soul Beast aura; had it not been for that, he would never have let her come to this Martial Soul City!
"Ah! Xiao Wu! Let her go!"
"San! Wait!"
Tang San roared, ignoring his companions' attempts to stop him, and charged toward Cen Yu with his Clear Sky Hammer.
"Give my Xiao Wu! Back to me!!!"
"Oh?" Cen Yu chuckled, raising his hand to manifest a spear radiating an evil aura, which he then hurled with force toward Tang San.
"You'd better worry about yourself; in your current state, you can't do anything."
Just as the spear was about to pierce Tang San—
"BOOM!!!"
A massive impact and a cloud of smoke erupted in the center of the arena, forcing Cen Yu back several steps.
When the smoke cleared, everyone saw it was a scarlet hammer.
At the same time, a deep voice resonated from the sky: "You dare to harm my son? Get lost!"
Hearing this, everyone looked up.
In the air, a figure wearing a black cloak hovered silently.
Bibi Dong sneered: "I wondered who it was; so it is the Clear Sky Douluo."
Hearing this, Flender shouted in surprise: "Your Excellency Clear Sky!"
Realizing who it was, Tang San knelt on the ground, crying out: "Dad... Father!"
Watching this grand drama unfold, Cen Yu couldn't help but twitch his lips.
They don't actually think that a mere Tang Hao can change anything, do they?
However~ he did have a gift to present to this renowned Clear Sky Douluo.
Thinking this, a strange purplish-red energy flew out silently and submerged into the Clear Sky Hammer.
At that very instant, the Clear Sky Hammer was pulled by a bolt of lightning and instantly returned to Tang Hao's hand.
With every step he took in the air, a spirit ring appeared beneath his feet.
By the ninth step, a blood-red hundred-thousand-year spirit ring appeared, and a terrifying sense of oppression instantly shrouded the Pope Palace.
Bibi Dong let out a cold snort, her own aura surging forth to engage in an invisible confrontation with Tang Hao.
Seeing this, Cen Yu feigned anger and shouted, "Presumptuous! How dare you act recklessly in Martial Soul Hall?"
Before Tang Hao could even react, an arrow radiating a chilling aura and a cyan Luan feather rushed toward him.
"What?!" With no time to react, Tang Hao could only hastily use the Clear Sky Hammer to block.
"Bang--!"
Accompanied by a shockwave, Tang Hao staggered backward for quite a distance, his previously overbearing aura instantly vanishing into thin air.
Just then, Cen Yu's voice drifted out again, "How does that saying go? Acting tough will only get you slapped in the face~"
Seeing the suddenly appearing Azure Luan Douluo and Guangling Douluo, Bibi Dong was stunned for a brief moment before reacting, casting a satisfied glance at the disciple beside her.
So this kid had anticipated this situation long ago and prepared a contingency plan in advance; not bad.
She slammed her scepter down, "Coordinate with the two Elders and take Tang Hao down!"
In an instant, Gui Mei and Yue Guan charged toward the sky, and beyond that, two more Title Douluo flew out from within the Pope Palace.
Tang Hao was greatly alarmed and immediately wanted to detonate his spirit rings to unleash the Great Sumeru Hammer.
But this was not the original story; having been brainwashed by Cen Yu and Bibi Dong in turns, Gui Mei and Yue Guan struck immediately, interrupting his power buildup.
This time, with Bibi Dong's protection, even though the fighting in the sky was intense, the Pope Palace did not suffer the slightest impact.
With Cen Yu standing right beside Bibi Dong, Tang Hao had no way to take advantage of the situation to spirit away Xiao Wu.
As the battle gradually reached a fever pitch, Guangling Douluo ascended to high altitude, and the eighth spirit ring beneath his feet lit up.
"Eighth Spirit Ability--Endless Boundary!"
In an instant, a massive arrow radiating a terrifying icy aura tore through the air.
Under the effect of this spirit ability, frost began to spread even over Tang Hao's body.
"Ah! Die!"
With a miserable scream, Tang Hao swung the Clear Sky Hammer violently, smashing toward the nearest Gui Mei.
But at the same time, a right arm dragged along frozen beads of blood as it fell from the sky.
By the time it hit the ground, the flesh and blood had dissipated, leaving behind only a shimmering spirit bone.
Cen Yu handed Xiao Wu to Bibi Dong, walked over to pick it up, and after glancing at Tang Hao in the sky, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Hahahaha..."
Who would have thought, there was actually an unexpected harvest; the dignified Clear Sky Douluo came in person to drop loot.