Gui Mei?
Ye Xuan had expected someone important to come, but he had never imagined it would be the person Bibi Dong trusted most.
Gui Mei and Yue Guan were like her trusted right and left hands.
Their individual strength was nothing to scoff at, and their Martial Soul Fusion Skill was downright monstrous. Gui Mei was even a little stronger than Yue Guan.
Bibi Dong had personally sent him here. It seemed she took this strange man seriously.
Ye Xuan clasped his hands and said, "So it's Ghost Douluo himself. May I ask why the Pope sent you to find me?"
"Sading, you may leave." Gui Mei waved at Bishop Sading, who immediately hurried away.
After Sading had left, Ye Xuan invited Gui Mei to sit with him.
Zhu Zhuqing returned to her room.
A Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall had come to discuss something with him. She certainly couldn't sit in and listen.
Once seated, Gui Mei got straight to the point. "According to Sading and the others, Young Master Ye has only 20 levels of Soul Power, yet you were able to kill a Soul Emperor. Might I witness your abilities for myself?"
"Twenty levels was what I had when I came to Spirit Hall to submit my mission. I've since reached level 30," Ye Xuan said.
"Level 30? That doesn't matter. I want to know what means you use to fight without activating your Martial Soul." After speaking, Gui Mei fixed Ye Xuan with his eerie eyes, as though ready to strike at any moment.
"So Ghost Douluo wants to test my abilities. Then I'll show you a little something." Ye Xuan raised his hand lightly. In an instant, a leaf flew off a distant branch and shot straight toward Ghost Douluo.
The sudden attack sent a chill down Ghost Douluo's spine. He hurriedly dodged, turning into a shadow and evading the leaf.
The leaf flew in front of Ye Xuan. He reached out and caught it between his index and middle fingers. "Ghost Douluo, shall we continue?"
Ghost Douluo's expression changed dramatically. From that one move, he could tell that even a Soul Douluo would be killed instantly.
He had done that with nothing but a leaf, and it had been this powerful. How terrifying would Ye Xuan be if he got serious? He hardly dared to imagine it.
"Young Master Ye's methods are truly uncanny. If we keep testing you, Spirit Hall will seem insincere. Here's what you need. Now, let's discuss the real reason I came." As he spoke, Ghost Douluo produced a Soul Tool and pushed it toward Ye Xuan.
Ye Xuan recognized it at a glance as a Space Soul Tool.
Since Ghost Douluo said it contained what he needed, it was probably filled with all sorts of books.
Ye Xuan didn't rush to look inside. Ghost Douluo returned to his seat as well.
He continued, "Spirit Hall has no powerful experts stationed in this region, so our control here is weak. We know little about what goes on inside the Star Dou Great Forest. We hope you'll keep watch over it for us. If you sense the presence of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, please record what you find. Spirit Hall may have use for it in the future."
Gui Mei's words surprised Ye Xuan.
He knew exactly what Spirit Hall wanted: they intended to hunt Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, so gathering information about them was crucial.
But gathering such information was beyond the abilities of ordinary Titled Douluo.
Spirit Hall was entrusting this task to him. Did they trust him?
Or did they simply consider him an outsider, someone whose death wouldn't matter?
"Ghost Douluo, Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts don't just appear at the drop of a hat. You know better than anyone how dangerous it would be to enter the Star Dou Great Forest and search for one. Whether I can even do it aside, do you think these things are worth me risking my life for?" Ye Xuan asked.
"Young Master Ye, there's no need to rush. Spirit Hall isn't asking you to enter the Star Dou Great Forest. Just stay here, and if you sense any unusual fluctuations, record them. It would be even better if you could track down where the presence of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast approaching the outskirts came from," Gui Mei said.
"That's all?" Ye Xuan's expression darkened slightly. Why did this seem far too simple?
Seeing his suspicion, Gui Mei lowered his voice. "Young Master Ye, there's no need to hide the truth. Spirit Hall has received information that a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast is said to appear in Suotuo City. It should be a Soul Beast that has taken human form."
"What? A Soul Beast that has taken human form? Interesting. Rest assured, Ghost Douluo. I'll keep an eye out," Ye Xuan said.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Young Master Ye. If you learn anything, you can have Sading send word directly to Spirit Hall. Of course, we'd be even more delighted if you'd come to Spirit City in person," Gui Mei said.
"Good!" Ye Xuan nodded.
"Young Master Ye, I've delivered my message and brought the books you requested. I hope you'll keep your promise. I'll take my leave." With that, Gui Mei rose to go.
Ye Xuan didn't try to stop him. He watched him leave.
Once Gui Mei was gone, Ye Xuan's expression turned serious.
"How did Spirit Hall learn about this? Something has changed—but what brought it about?"
Spirit Hall had always searched for Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, but in its early days, it couldn't possibly have noticed Xiao Wu.
And here in Suotuo City, the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast could only be Xiao Wu.
Ye Xuan then opened the Soul Tool and found that, sure enough, it held all kinds of books about Martial Souls.
He took one out and began reading it carefully.
The next day!
Zhu Zhuqing came over to Ye Xuan, puzzled. "Brother Ye, what did that Titled Douluo want with you yesterday?"
"They want me to keep watch here and tell them if I learn anything about a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast," Ye Xuan replied.
"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? Did they want you to go into the Star Dou Great Forest and look for one?"
"No. They just want me to keep an eye on things here in Suotuo City."
"How could there be a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast here?"
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help wondering if the people from Spirit Hall had lost their minds.
"Don't worry about them. Let's just carry on with our lives," Ye Xuan said.
He had already broken through one layer of the rules' seal. Even if Spirit Hall surrounded him, he could still fight them.
Besides, as he continued studying Martial Souls and comprehending his own swordsmanship, he would only grow stronger. Even if Spirit Hall really had some scheme in mind, he wasn't afraid.
Over the next few days,
Ye Xuan devoted himself to studying the books.
At first, he found the books he read fairly ordinary.
But later, he discovered that some of them had problems, as though they had been deliberately altered.
If he hadn't already gained a deep understanding of Martial Souls, he might not have noticed the changes.
These things were one trap after another.
Not long afterward.
Spirit Hall.
After returning to Spirit Hall, Gui Mei went straight to see Pope Bibi Dong.
Gui Mei said respectfully, "Your Holiness, Ye Xuan truly does possess great strength without using his Martial Soul."
"Could he be a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form?" Bibi Dong asked.
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