After the match ended.
The Spirit Hall Team was officially formed.
They were summoned by Bibi Dong immediately.
The Pope Palace was grand and quiet.
The towering vaulted ceilings on either side were carved with the Angel Divine Might Mural. Holy light spilled down, lending the entire hall an even more solemn air.
On the supreme throne at the very front, Pope Bibi Dong sat upright.
She wore a Purple Gold Crown and held the Pope Scepter, the symbol of supreme authority. Her peerlessly beautiful face was calm as still water, and her deep, lovely eyes gazed down at the young people approaching below.
"Greetings, Your Holiness the Pope!"
Led by Su Ming, everyone dropped to one knee, their expressions respectful.
"Rise."
Bibi Dong's cool, noble voice echoed through the hall.
She slowly rose and, holding her scepter, descended the steps one by one. Her gaze swept over the group before finally settling on Su Ming at the front.
Looking at the boy, only twelve years old yet already so composed and calm, a rare, undisguised look of approval and pride appeared in Bibi Dong's eyes.
"You performed very well in this Internal Selection Tournament."
Bibi Dong spoke slowly, her voice full of supreme authority. "Su Ming in particular. Your strength has proven you worthy of leading the younger generation of Spirit Hall."
"This battle left all the higher-ups with nothing to say and fully displayed the might of my Pope Palace."
Hearing this, Xie Yue and the others felt a chill in their hearts. Yan, especially, lowered his head in frustration, bitterness welling up inside him.
Bibi Dong turned around, facing away from everyone, and lightly tapped her scepter against the floor.
"The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is about to begin. Victory alone is not what I want."
Her words carried an unquestionable dominance. "I want you to crush every genius from the two great empires with absolute authority and leave the championship trophy here in Spirit City, completely intact!"
"To ensure you reach your peak before the tournament, starting tomorrow, the Pope Palace will open Spirit Hall's highest-level Mimicry Training Ground to all of you and provide rare resources to aid your cultivation."
"I will give you resources and glory. In return, you will bring back an absolute victory for Spirit Hall."
Hearing Bibi Dong's stirring, forceful words, Xie Yue and Hu Liena exchanged a glance, their fighting spirit instantly ignited.
Everyone dropped to one knee again and shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the vast hall:
"We will not fail in our mission!"
Bibi Dong nodded slightly and waved her hand. "Good. You may leave. Su Ming, stay behind."
"Yes."
Everyone bowed and took their leave.
As she left, Hu Liena playfully winked at Su Ming and silently mouthed, "See you in a bit," before following the others out of the hall.
The heavy doors of the Pope Palace closed behind them.
For a moment, only Bibi Dong and Su Ming, master and disciple, remained in the vast hall.
With no outsiders present, much of the chill and authority surrounding Bibi Dong faded away.
Looking at Su Ming's aloof, stiff demeanor, she shook her head with a helpless smile, the corners of her lips lifting warmly.
"There's no one else here. You don't have to be so stiff."
Bibi Dong stepped in front of Su Ming, genuine satisfaction showing in her eyes. "Twelve years old, a four-ring Soul Ancestor with ten-thousand-year soul rings, and you can even defeat a level-fifty-two control-type Soul King with ease."
"Su Ming, you made your teacher very proud today."
Su Ming remained composed and bowed slightly. "It is thanks to your excellent guidance, Teacher. I dare not take the credit."
"Enough, you little rascal. Why are you putting on such a formal act with your teacher?" Bibi Dong chided him with a laugh, though her eyes suddenly softened with a hint of self-reproach.
She sighed softly. "Now that I think about it, ever since you became my disciple, you've grown far beyond what I expected."
"But I'm busy with the affairs of the Pope Palace every day, spending most of my time dealing with all those tedious sect matters. I've never given you a proper gift to mark our bond as master and disciple."
As she spoke, Bibi Dong lightly brushed her fair hand through the air.
Hum!
In an instant, a dazzling blue-green light surged forth, dispelling the darkness around the hall.
Above Bibi Dong's palm, a strange bone glimmered with a lustrous radiance, floating slowly as if carved from the purest jade in the world.
With its appearance, the air in the entire Pope Palace seemed to grow thick, while a spiritual wave as fierce as a tsunami rampaged through the air.
Looking at the bone, Su Ming's pupils contracted slightly.
"This is... a Soul Bone," Su Ming blurted out quietly.
"Indeed. It's a ten-thousand-year Head Soul Bone."
Bibi Dong flicked a finger, and the bone slowly floated before Su Ming.
Looking at him seriously, Bibi Dong said, "Your Evil Phoenix Spirit is centered on the annihilation of Nirvana, the Ultimate Evil, but it also carries an utterly terrifying spiritual suppression and the ability to suppress spiritual laws. The stronger your spiritual foundation, the more your sealing ability will grow in power, multiplying geometrically."
"This Spirit Condensation Wisdom Skull can not only greatly expand your sea of consciousness and make you immune to the backlash of most spiritual Soul Skills, but also ensure there are no gaps in your law-sealing ability."
Bibi Dong reached out and gently patted Su Ming on the shoulder, her eyes filled with high expectations. "At the tournament, the two great empires will have no shortage of Soul Masters skilled in mental control and strange Soul Skills. Absorb it, and show those self-proclaimed geniuses what true despair looks like."
Looking at the Soul Bone every Soul Master dreamed of possessing, Su Ming drew a deep breath and accepted it with both hands. He bowed to Bibi Dong.
"Thank you for this generous gift, Teacher."
Half an hour later, deep inside the Golden Hall, in Su Ming's private cultivation chamber.
Su Ming sat cross-legged in the center of the chamber. The glowing Spirit Condensation Wisdom Skull floated before his knees.
"Then, let's begin."
Su Ming's gaze sharpened. Guided by his Soul Power, the Wisdom Skull slowly rose until it rested against the center of his forehead.
Rumble—!!
The instant it made contact, an indescribable torrent of spirit surged through Su Ming's brow and into his brain.
It was a pain that mingled utter cold with searing heat.
The ten-thousand-year Spiritual Origin contained in the skull was immense. When it crashed into Su Ming's Evil Phoenix sea of consciousness, steeped in Nirvana, the two utterly different energies immediately erupted into a brutal tug-of-war.
Su Ming gritted his teeth, veins bulging across his forehead.
He fiercely guarded that last sliver of clarity in his mind and forcefully roused the Ultimate Evil Soul Power within his body—not to fuse with the bone, but to dominate it, corrupt it, and assimilate it!
"A mere ownerless Soul Bone thinks it can take charge? I'll transform you!"