Arriving at Spirit City

Ye Xunfeng did not bid Dugu Bo and Ah Yin farewell. Instead, he headed alone toward Spirit City.

Unfurling his Wishing Angel Spirit, he shot toward Spirit City like a meteor, announcing to everyone in Spirit Hall that he had arrived.

After flying to the outskirts of Spirit City, Ye Xunfeng withdrew his Wishing Angel Spirit and walked into the city step by step.

Each step felt like he was measuring the distance between himself and his blood-soaked vendetta, unbearably heavy.

The sky was brilliant, as though celebrating the rebirth of his future.

The soul masters all hurried along. The closer he came to Spirit City, the more soul masters he saw. Everyone seemed orderly and composed; this place was thriving.

Looking at the bustling scene before him, Ye Xunfeng felt indescribably conflicted.

To be fair, Spirit Hall had indeed secured many benefits for lower-ranking soul masters.

Back then, his mother had gained the chance to change her fate through Spirit Hall's free Martial Soul awakening.

Yet such an organization, one that should have protected soul masters, had fallen into the hands of Qian Xunji, a narrow-minded, sinister, and vicious man, and had completely lost its way.

Then, because of Qian Xunji's schemes, it had fallen into Bibi Dong's hands. She hated the Angel Clan and Spirit Hall too much to begin with—how could she possibly sincerely consider Spirit Hall's development?

It could be said that Spirit Hall had ultimately forgotten its original purpose.

Although he, too, wanted to unify the continent, he would never use methods as crude as those in the original work.

Even now, he could not understand which idiot had come up with the plan to send a genius with innate soul power rank 20 undercover.

And why give the position of Spirit Hall's Pope to Bibi Dong? He clearly knew that she had killed his son and did not care for his granddaughter.

Could he not have taken the Pope's position himself, raised his granddaughter until adulthood, and then passed the position on to Qian Renxue?

Ye Xunfeng looked up and could vaguely make out the outline of Spirit City in the distance.

The city had been built atop a gentle hill, its walls tall and majestic. On a nearby mountain peak stood Douluo Hall, the most famous hall on Douluo Continent.

At the heart of the city, the dome of Pope Palace gleamed with dazzling golden light beneath the sun. Farther behind it, the spires of Elder Hall pierced straight into the clouds, where the statue of the Angel God was enshrined.

At that thought, Ye Xunfeng unconsciously quickened his pace.

At that moment, inside Pope Palace in Spirit City, Qian Xunji sat upon the Pope's throne, his fingers continuously tapping the armrest with dull thuds. His expression was hideous.

Ever since his father, Qian Daoliu, had returned from outside two years ago, the authority in his hands had gradually been hollowed out.

The Titled Douluo of Elder Hall no longer obeyed his commands. Even the attendants within Pope Palace looked at him with evasiveness and something strange in their eyes.

The root of it all was that bastard.

The younger brother he had believed had died in the womb long ago.

"Your Holiness." A guard rushed in frantically and fell to his knees with a thud. "News has come from the city gate. A young man has entered the city. His appearance... his appearance is exactly like the Grand Pontiff's!"

Qian Xunji's tapping fingers abruptly stopped.

The entire Pope Palace instantly became terrifyingly silent. Even breathing could be heard clearly.

"He... has come?" Qian Xunji's voice trembled uncontrollably, but he swiftly suppressed that flicker of panic and sneered coldly. "Good. Very good! There is a road to heaven, yet you refuse to take it. Hell has no gate, yet you insist on barging in!"

He abruptly rose to his feet. Golden Soul Power exploded around him as nine Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black. The standard nine-ring configuration of a Titled Douluo.

"I'd like to see just how capable you little bastard really are!"

Qian Xunji strode out of Pope Palace and stood before its gates. Behind him followed a large group of low-ranking Spirit Hall soul masters, their gazes fixed firmly on the city gate as they waited for Ye Xunfeng to appear.

On Spirit City's main street, Ye Xunfeng strolled unhurriedly while passersby on both sides turned to examine him.

It was not because he resembled Qian Daoliu, but because of the oppressive aura of a high-level soul master emanating from him.

It was faint yet exceptionally imposing, making ordinary people instinctively move aside, afraid to approach him.

Under normal circumstances, he could have completely restrained that pressure, but his emotions were too turbulent today for him to rein it in.

"Who is that? He looks so young."

"No idea, but with that presence, he must at least be a Soul Douluo, right?"

"How is that possible? Look how old he is. He can't be more than twenty. How could there be such a young Soul Douluo?"

Ye Xunfeng turned a deaf ear to the passersby's discussions and simply continued forward.

His gaze passed through the crowded streets and broad plaza, crossed layer upon layer of steps, and landed precisely on the golden figure standing before Pope Palace.

Qian Xunji!

Even from such a distance, he could see him with perfect clarity.

The man had long golden hair and golden eyes, bearing some resemblance to Qian Daoliu. Yet his brows were steeped in gloom and hostility, making him repulsive at a glance.

This was the man who had ruined his mother's body with a bowl of abortion medicine!

This was the man who had driven his mother, carrying her broken body and newborn child, into the depths of the mountains with a single assassination order!

This was the man who had made his mother too afraid to ever set foot in Spirit Hall again, leaving her to draw her final breath alone in that isolated little forest!

Ye Xunfeng did not stop walking, but his hands unknowingly clenched into fists. His nails sank deeply into his palms. A sharp pain struck, and blood slowly dripped from his fingers onto the ground. The pain only made him clearer-headed.

No rush. I cannot rush.

He would settle this debt slowly and make Qian Xunji experience despair bit by bit.

He would not kill him outright. After all, Qian Xunji had let his mother live six more years. So he would let Qian Xunji live another six years as well—unable to use Soul Power, slowly exhausting his life until he died.

Besides, he was not Qian Daoliu's match yet.

Killing Qian Xunji now would only be troublesome. More importantly, it would be far too easy on him. Ye Xunfeng wanted him to personally witness everything being taken from him.

Ye Xunfeng concealed the killing intent in his eyes.

Qian Xunji, standing before Pope Palace, finally saw Ye Xunfeng approaching step by step.

In that instant, his pupils abruptly contracted.

Similar—too similar!

This young man looked as if he had been cast from the same mold as his father, Qian Daoliu. His golden hair shone softly beneath the sunlight, his features were deep and well-defined, and he possessed an innate air of noble arrogance.

Only his eyes were purple, clear as amethysts. They were that woman's eyes, and now they were the color Qian Xunji hated most.

Jealousy, rage, and a trace of fear he could not suppress instantly flooded Qian Xunji's heart.

"Stop!"

A Soul Douluo beside Qian Xunji shouted sharply and hurried forward to block Ye Xunfeng's path. "Pope Palace is a place of great importance. Unauthorized people are forbidden from approaching!"