There's a Pit

Tang Hao held his Haotian True Body high.

For some reason, the Shadow Clones on the ground suddenly began to stir, their movements growing increasingly frantic as they shouted things Tang Hao could not understand at all.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

"It's over now, everyone disperse! Go back to your homes, go find your mothers!"

It was as if a field trip had come to an end; everyone's tense nerves relaxed. They silently retracted their spirits, and some even turned to the people beside them, striking up conversations about topics unknown.

Tang Hao's eyes widened slowly, utterly unable to comprehend the thought processes of these people. But since he could not make sense of it, he decided not to bother—that was Tang Hao's principle of conduct. He let out a cold, chilling snort.

"Playing god?"

As the words fell, the Haotian True Body in his hands began to descend with a buzzing roar.

Yet, the whistling Haotian True Body suddenly stalled in mid-air. It was not because Tang Hao feared harming the innocent, but because the sea of people on the ground had become even more absurd! It had reached a level that Tang Hao could not even describe in words!

On the ground, After the chaotic battle, the green of the earth had vanished, replaced by a layer of scattered dust. The dense crowd of Naruto figures had disappeared, replaced by a chaotic mess of refugees.

"Oh no! Everyone run! The Evil Spirit Master is killing people!"

"You Evil Spirit Master! To think you wouldn't even spare a six-year-old girl! Are you not afraid of the Spirit Hall's retaliation? I'll fight you to the death!"

"That's nothing! My son! You died so miserably! He's a man! You pervert, how could you not even spare my son!?"

"Wait! This part wasn't in the script we discussed!"

"You've already had your guts spilled and died; you're a corpse, you can't talk!"

"..."

The refugees Naruto had transformed into displayed various expressions and rich emotions; one could say it was a dance of demons.

Being framed so brazenly right in front of his face, veins bulged on Tang Hao's neck, crawling across his entire body. The muscles in his arms swelled violently, and the Haotian True Body, carrying the weight of the heavens, smashed down!

"You're courting death!"

As the Haotian True Body descended, Tang Hao faintly heard a roar coming from the distance.

"Tang Hao! How dare you!"

He looked up to see several streaks of light racing across the horizon, the surging spirit power erupting from those figures falling into Tang Hao's eyes!

Tang Hao immediately recognized the arrivals.

"Spirit Hall!"

Just as Naruto had guessed earlier, if Tang Hao had been sufficiently calm and cautious, he would have understood the principle of not chasing a desperate foe. After a brief, fruitless pursuit, he would have taken Tang San and left, as this was likely a trap.

But now, the despicable and shameless Naruto could clearly tell him: this didn't count as a trap, but it was certainly a pit!

Time rewinds to early morning.

At the Nuoding City Spirit Hall branch, A bearded Spirit Master dressed in the standard Spirit Hall uniform strode forward with a beaming smile, bowing slightly from time to time to gesture for the person behind him to follow, carefully attending to his guest.

"My lord, this way please!"

While being respectful with his words, the bearded Spirit Master muttered to himself.

The person before him was truly a strange one, shrouded from head to toe in a pitch-black cloak. He had only revealed his face once when proving his identity earlier, and had remained hidden within the cloak ever since.

It was truly bizarre, as was his request: to see the Bishop of this branch.

If it weren't for the fact that this man was a Spirit King!

He wouldn't be serving him at all!

The bearded Spirit Master stopped before a luxurious door, bowed slightly, and respectfully stepped aside to clear the path. "My lord, this is it. Our branch Bishop is inside."

The strange figure merely nodded, brushed past the bearded Spirit Master, and entered the room.

Clack.

The door closed.

Having finished his task, the bearded Spirit Master walked back toward his workstation with his hands behind his back.

What he did not know was that just seconds after he left, on the other side of that door, the Bishop—who in his impression was always dignified and composed—was already shaking like a sieve, dropping to his knees with a thud.

Right before his eyes, the strange figure reached out from under his cloak, revealing a token covered in intricate patterns and glowing with golden light.

The Pope Decree!

It was not the Pope Decree issued to the Upper Three Sects!

It was a private Pope Decree newly established by the current Pope after her ascension!

Only those who became branch Bishops or Cardinals of the Spirit Hall were qualified to know of the token's existence and its specific design; there was absolutely no possibility of an outsider forging it.

And the bearer of this token was as if the Pope herself had arrived in person!

The Bishop of this remote, small-city branch slowly raised his head, pursed his lips, and pressed his hands together in prayer, his eyes filled with piety as his voice trembled.

"My... lord... what are your... instructions?"

"Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!"

Several melodious bell tolls echoed through the branch hall. The bearded Spirit Master, who had been chatting with Su Yuntao and the others, suddenly turned pale with shock and sprang from his seat.

The number of bell tolls represented the urgency of the situation, and these four tolls signified the highest level. Having worked at Spirit Hall for many years, he had only ever heard these four tolls when the previous Pope passed away.

The branch bishop ran into the main hall in a panic, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Move! Everyone, get moving!"

The entire Spirit Hall branch erupted into chaos!

Following the branch bishop's orders, all the Sharp-Tailed Rain Swallows kept in the hall were brought out. Envelopes were carefully tied to them before they fluttered out the windows, flying off in all directions.

The three oldest and fastest Sharp-Tailed Rain Swallows vanished into the horizon, heading toward Star Luo City, Spirit City, and Tiandou City, respectively.

Boom!

Under the cover of night, The Haotian True Body, resembling a mountain, smashed down. Several peaks were leveled, and the ground surged like ocean waves, sweeping out in all directions!

Countless "commoners" vanished under Tang Hao's strike, yet amidst the massive carnage, thousands of figures still managed to flee, disappearing into the night.

And Tang Hao...

Thud!

The Haotian True Body suddenly lifted as several beams of spirit power slammed into the Avatar, sending him flying backward.

Having barely steadied himself, Tang Hao looked down at the fleeing figures. The string of reason in his mind had snapped, and his bloodshot, crimson eyes began to seep blood!

But he no longer had the chance to attack again.

Several streaks of light blocked his path.

The leader was gaunt, nine spirit rings appearing beneath his feet in succession, while a massive phantom of a Ghost Leopard emerged behind him. The others behind him wore the robes of various bishops, their spirit wings unfurled.

Ghost Leopard Douluo, Spirit Hall Platinum Bishop Salas, the Spirit Douluo patriarch of the Spirit Kite Family, and seven flight-type Spirit Sage bishops.

The first to arrive were those from the nearby Tiandou City Spirit Holy Hall.

Ghost Leopard Douluo activated his spirit possession. He first glanced at the miserable scene on the ground, shrugged with indifference, then looked at the disheveled Tang Hao before him. He couldn't help but flick his long tongue across his lips and issue an order in a strange tone.

"Transmit the message!"

A certain Spirit Sage bishop nodded.

His spirit rings flashed, and several golden feathers shot out—not toward Tang Hao, but toward the main force behind them and back to Spirit Hall.

Forcing down the old wounds within his body, the wretched Tang Hao laughed wantonly. He raised the Haotian True Body, pointed it at the group, and roared.

"Good! You really are all in this together! Is that little beast the spawn of that bitch Bibi Dong?"

Ghost Leopard Douluo felt utterly bewildered.

Bishop Salas, however, was trembling with rage. He pointed at Tang Hao's nose and cursed, "Tang Hao! You have some nerve! How dare you address Her Holiness the Pope by name!"

Tang Hao swung the Haotian True Body in his hand, whipping up a gale as he took a stance. "Just a useless Douluo! A few Spirit Douluos! A bunch of Spirit Sages! What is there to fear!?"

"Hmph, very well!"

Ghost Leopard Douluo sneered, his figure exploding forward!

"Let me see how much ability this famous Haotian Douluo has left!"

The group charged straight at him, and the battle began anew!