Two figures flew across the sky, moving at incredible speed.
The Spirit Hall's party traveled below them, led by a grand bishop. The two flying overhead were Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo.
"Hey, old Ghost, what's gotten into the Pope lately? Why does every order he gives get stranger and stranger?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo was puzzled. He turned to ask his longtime partner.
Why had they been ordered to bring everyone from Shrek Academy back? What on earth was this all about?
"How should I know? Why are you asking me?" Ghost Douluo replied expressionlessly.
"Tch. I shouldn't have bothered asking."
Yue Guan turned away in disdain and flew ahead. The fierce wind whipped his hair through the air, making it snap and crack.
After a moment of silence, Gui Mei suddenly spoke.
"Keep your guard up lately. Something seems off."
"I know."
Yue Guan answered impatiently, though there was less disdain in his tone.
The other man was only looking out for him, after all. Besides, he could tell that both the Pope and the Grand Pontiff were hiding something from them.
How ridiculous. They were Titled Douluos at level 95! Wherever they went, they were honored figures, on equal footing with the ruler of a nation.
But in Spirit Hall, they were treated like servants. They had to work nine to five every day, and they weren't even allowed to know the real secrets. It was utterly humiliating.
"Ah! I miss the days when we followed Pope Qian. All we had to do was protect him. We never had to deal with this much trouble."
Yue Guan sighed, his voice wistful.
"Don't say that."
Ghost Douluo warned him.
As the two were talking, a powerful gust suddenly swept across the sky, sending their clothes flapping wildly.
"There's something strange about this wind!" Gui Mei cried out in alarm.
"Ke ke ke—"
"Of course there's something strange about it. We meet again, gentlemen!"
In the blink of an eye, after a gust of wind passed, Hsi Wu suddenly appeared in front of them. His enormous wings beat without pause, stirring up gust after gust.
"It's you?"
Yue Guan's pupils contracted as he spoke in shock.
He hadn't expected the other man to dare intercept them.
"Stop talking and run!" Gui Mei knew full well that the two of them couldn't defeat their opponent, so he grabbed Yue Guan and fled.
"Hmph! I've waited for you for so many days. What makes you think I'll let you get away so easily?"
Hsi Wu bared his fangs and laughed wildly.
In the next instant,
he flashed before them like a sudden gale and blocked their path.
"Well? Think you can get away?"
"You—" Yue Guan's face darkened. He had only just started to sneer when a whirlwind swept across his cheek.
"Heh. I know what you're about to say!"
Hsi Wu appeared in front of Yue Guan in a flash. His sharp claws seized him by the chest and hurled him toward the ground.
"Old Chrysanthemum!" Gui Mei shouted in alarm.
In midair, Yue Guan tumbled head over heels like a cannonball, plummeting toward the ground at tremendous speed.
"Boom—"
A gigantic mushroom cloud rose from the impact.
"Damn it!"
Only then did Gui Mei react. He hurriedly flew downward.
But how could Hsi Wu let him do as he pleased?
"Heh, too slow, too slow. It's been a few days, and you don't seem to have improved at all!"
He spread his wings and flew alongside Gui Mei as they fell together. The howling wind roared past their ears.
"Bastard."
Looking at the fiendish demon face before him, Gui Mei had never thought the other man could be so obnoxious.
"What the hell do you want?"
He roared furiously, but didn't strike back. Instead, he increased his speed toward the ground.
His anger only made Hsi Wu more excited.
"You can go even faster? Hehehe, interesting. How about now?"
"Boom—"
Hsi Wu folded his wings. His whole body shot into the ground like a sharp arrow, charging toward the mushroom cloud as it began to disperse.
"Damn it, get back here!"
Gui Mei cried out in anguish, feeling utterly powerless.
His opponent was far faster than he'd been just a few days ago. Had he been holding back before, or was he growing stronger at such an alarming rate?
Gui Mei had no idea.
But given the circumstances, he and Yue Guan were sure to die here, even though they were only a hundred kilometers from Spirit Hall.
Below, the thick dust had already settled. A massive crater had been gouged into the ground, where the black demon faced off against an old man clad in gold.
"So this is a demon?" The old man forced down his excitement, his eyes burning as he stared at his opponent.
Up in the sky, the moment Gui Mei saw the old man, he breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed they would survive after all.
The old man below was the strongest person in Spirit Hall: the Angel Douluo, Qian Daoliu.
"Crack—"
Hsi Wu took a step back, eyeing his opponent nervously.
He hadn't expected Spirit Hall to have someone this powerful!
"Ke ke ke! I'm done playing for now. See you!"
He beat his wings and shot into the sky like a rocket, trying to get away.
"Hahaha, you're staying right here!" Qian Daoliu laughed. The golden Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul appeared behind him, and he reached out to seize his opponent.
The situation turned on its head in an instant.
"Little fellow, you won't get away."
Qian Daoliu wore an eager smile. Capturing a demon with his own hands would fulfill the mission the Angel God had entrusted to the Qian Clan. What an honor that would be!
"Revered Angel God, your command is about to be fulfilled!"
He laughed fervently as he gave chase, only to see his opponent disappear into the nearby Star Dou Great Forest.
"Hm?" He furrowed his brow and released all his spiritual power to search the area, but still couldn't sense a trace of his opponent.
"What? Damn it!" Unable to find him, Qian Daoliu flew into a rage.
His violent aura surged into the clouds and shattered the sky. Nearby, Gui Mei and Yue Guan trembled in fear.
Phew! Thank goodness the Grand Pontiff arrived in time, or I'd have been done for.
Yue Guan thought back on it with lingering fear.
With no sign of their opponent, they had no choice but to return. After this incident, Yue Guan and the others didn't continue with their mission; they followed Qian Daoliu back to Spirit Hall.
Even after this battle, Spirit Hall still hadn't captured the demon. The news left many people across the continent utterly shocked.
Even the Angel Douluo had failed to capture it. What on earth was this demon?
"The demon has fled into the Star Dou Great Forest. Anyone who spots it will be rewarded with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone and the position of Second Worship in the Worship Hall!" Qian Daoliu raised the reward yet again, sparing no expense.
Such a generous reward drove everyone into an even greater frenzy. No one doubted the demon's existence anymore, and people poured into the Star Dou Great Forest like mad.
Meanwhile, at the gates of Spirit City, a black-haired, black-eyed boy with a pair of adorable tiger fangs walked into the city.
"Hello, my name is Simu. I'm here to join Spirit Hall."
The boy gave the guard knight an innocent smile.
Elsewhere, in a secret chamber.
Dai Xieyue knelt respectfully before him and pledged his loyalty. "I'm willing to be your most loyal servant, revered Shendu!"
Before you continue