Bibi Dong froze completely.
A flash of unmistakable disbelief and a flicker of panic at having her deepest secret exposed crossed those originally cold, imposing phoenix eyes.
Ever since that night many years ago, when she had devoured Qian Xunji and begun the Rakshasa God's inheritance, tainted with wicked thoughts and deep resentment...
That secret had been like a poisonous thorn buried in the darkest corner of her heart. She had hidden it with the utmost care. Even Qian Daoliu, a Limit Douluo, had never noticed the divine aura quietly taking root within her.
It was her most closely guarded secret.
And now this youth before her, who looked barely more than a teenager and had only Soul Ancestor cultivation, had revealed her greatest secret with a few casual words!
"How... how is that possible?!"
Shock surged through Bibi Dong, and even her voice carried an almost imperceptible tremor.
The terrifying pressure spreading from her released Martial Soul and Soul Rings wavered for a moment under the violent turmoil in her heart.
After that brief lapse, Bibi Dong, the deeply calculating Pope, quickly forced herself to calm down.
She looked again at Yang Teng, still suspended in midair by her invisible power. The cold killing intent and scrutiny in her eyes quietly faded, replaced by an intensely complex curiosity and a trace of indescribable wariness.
Her originally cool, threatening tone shifted subtly, growing a little gentler and taking on a hint of probing.
"Who exactly are you?"
Bibi Dong's voice was low. Her eyes fixed on Yang Teng, trying to read some clue from his face.
"How do you know... about this?"
Yang Teng was still dangling in the air, in a rather awkward position, but the mocking smile on his face hadn't faded in the slightest.
He rolled his neck as if he were merely uncomfortable, then spoke in a complaining tone laced with unmistakable teasing:
"Hey, I say... His Holiness the Pope, is this how you treat..."
Bibi Dong's brows knitted slightly. She gave him a long look and weighed the matter for a moment. At last, her finger twitched almost imperceptibly.
The invisible force restraining Yang Teng vanished at once. He landed lightly on the ground and brushed the dust off his clothes.
Everyone present was stunned.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin, Ning Fengzhi, Shrek's Flender, Liu Erlong, Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the others all gaped in disbelief, hardly daring to trust their eyes.
Just a moment ago, the Pope of Spirit Hall had been brimming with killing intent, dragging Yang Teng over like he was an ant.
The next moment, Pope Bibi Dong's attitude had completely turned around!
She had not only withdrawn her killing intent and changed her tone, but had even released Yang Teng. The change had come so quickly and so strangely.
Bibi Dong paid no attention to the crowd's astonishment. She watched Yang Teng land, striving to maintain the Pope's dignity, though the wariness and curiosity deep in her eyes had only grown stronger.
She spoke slowly. Her voice was no longer cold; instead, she adopted an almost equal, conciliatory tone.
"Yang Teng... young friend."
The address sounded especially odd coming from the Pope.
"I think there may be some misunderstandings between us."
She paused, sweeping her gaze across the crowd and lingering for a moment on Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi before looking back at Yang Teng. Her tone carried an invitation that brooked no refusal:
"Let's set today's matter aside for now. When your Skywater Academy reaches Spirit City for the finals, I hope we can find a chance to speak privately. What do you say?"
"Your Holiness the Pope!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo cried out almost at the same time, their faces full of confusion and urgency.
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan couldn't help pointing toward Shrek Academy, especially Tang San among the crowd, and exclaiming:
"Your Holiness! What about them? Are we just going to let this go?"
Bibi Dong shot the two of them a cold glance. The chill in her eyes silenced them instantly.
She gave a cold snort. Her voice returned to the cool arrogance befitting the Pope, with a deliberate air of dismissiveness:
"He's just an insignificant junior. Hardly worth mentioning. For today... I'll let him go."
She didn't mention Tang San by name. He was just a minor nobody, after all.
Before anyone could react, Bibi Dong surveyed all the Soul Masters present and spoke out loud, her voice carrying through the canyon on Soul Power:
"Pass on my order! On their way to Spirit City, the representative teams of the various academies of the Heaven Dou Empire were attacked by an unknown force. Upon receiving word, Spirit Hall immediately dispatched elite forces to their aid!"
"Fortunately, through everyone's efforts, the enemy was driven off and no one was killed! This attack was heinous! Spirit Hall will spare no effort in hunting down the mastermind behind it and bringing them to justice!"
With those words, Spirit Hall's attempt to ambush them was rebranded as an attack by an unknown force, while Spirit Hall itself became their righteous rescuers.
It was a complete reversal of right and wrong, but it would also put an end to the trouble.
Talk about the thief crying "Stop, thief!" This woman... I'm speechless!
Yang Teng muttered to himself.
Bibi Dong didn't linger. Purple light flashed, and she transformed into a streak of light and vanished above the canyon.
The Soul Masters of Spirit Hall were left staring at one another, completely at a loss.
The atmosphere in the canyon had turned exceedingly strange and delicate.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin watched the direction Bibi Dong had gone, his brows tightly furrowed, doubts churning in his heart.
He put away the Seven Kill Sword and walked up to Yang Teng, who was about to return to the Skywater Academy team, blocking his way.
His face was now full of confusion and curiosity.
"Young friend... you're Yang Teng, aren't you?"
There was a note of inquiry in Chen Xin's voice.
"I wonder what you said to Bibi Dong just now. How did you make her... change her attitude so completely?"
Chen Xin simply couldn't figure out what anyone could say to make someone like Bibi Dong change her mind in an instant.
"Senior Sword Douluo, is your brain... perhaps damaged from fighting just now?"
His tone was utterly impolite. If Chen Xin had a question, he could ask—but what was the point of blocking his way?
"Even Pope Bibi Dong doesn't dare do anything to me. Does your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect think your necks are tougher than the Pope's scepter?"
His words were exceedingly discourteous, even carrying an outright threat.
Chen Xin's expression darkened. As a Super Douluo, he nearly lost his temper. His hand tightened around the sword hilt, then slowly relaxed.
He remembered Bibi Dong's utterly abnormal change in attitude, and all the unbelievable things about Yang Teng.
There was no way it was ordinary for Yang Teng to make Bibi Dong back down in fear!
Chen Xin drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his displeasure and doubts. He stepped aside and said nothing more.
But his sharp eyes remained fixed on Yang Teng's back.
Yang Teng couldn't be bothered to pay him any more attention. He walked straight back to the Skywater Academy team.
Shui Bing'er and the others immediately crowded around him, their faces showing relief at having survived the ordeal and boundless curiosity about Yang Teng. But when they saw he had no intention of explaining, they didn't dare ask.
Gu Yuena stood quietly to one side, silver-haired and violet-eyed, as cool and composed as ever.
When Yang Teng returned, she spoke softly, in a voice only the two of them could hear. Her tone carried a faint note of appraisal:
"That woman's quite powerful. She's so young, yet a deity has already taken an interest in her."
She had clearly sensed the hidden Rakshasa God aura on Bibi Dong.
"Indeed, she's pretty strong."
Yang Teng nodded in agreement, then curled his lip, his tone turning dismissive.
"But when it comes to brains... the problems are too serious to even rate!"
Gu Yuena glanced at him, then asked:
"What do you plan to do after winning the championship?"
She knew Yang Teng had joined the tournament for more than just the title.
Yang Teng stretched, his tone easy and casual, as if discussing some trivial little matter:
"After winning the championship? Hmm... I'll go inherit the Asura God's position for fun! Might as well go through the proper steps."
"The main reason I entered this tournament was to humiliate Shrek! Otherwise, why would I waste my time here?"
Gu Yuena nodded, then tilted her head as she looked at him.
"You? Given your origins and status... do you still need to inherit a godhood from the Douluo God Realm?"
Gu Yuena knew that behind Yang Teng stood an existence far greater and more exalted than the Douluo God Realm.
"Of course I do."
Yang Teng replied as if it were only natural.
"Since my ultimate goal is to upgrade and expand this Douluo God Realm into my own God Star, having a native godhood will make things more convenient. Besides, creating a godhood from scratch is such a hassle!"
Gu Yuena fell silent for a moment, understanding his plan.
She gave a small wave of her hand, her tone returning to its usual coolness:
"Do as you like. You can do whatever you want with the Divine Realm."
She paused. A resolute glint flashed in her violet eyes as she looked at Yang Teng and added:
"But you mustn't forget what you promised me."
"You must resolve the suffering my Soul Beast Clan has endured because of the Dragon God's split, and the path to godhood that the Divine Realm's rules cut off."
"In the future God Star, there must be a place for my clan's Soul Beasts to ascend and become gods!"
Yang Teng raised a fist, grinning.
"Consider it done!"
Before you continue