To See the Token Is to See the Pope? You Think You Deserve It!

It was a pitch-black token.

When Yu Xiaogang raised it, sunlight happened to fall across its surface, revealing the six emblems engraved upon it.

The previously clamorous training ground fell silent for a moment.

"Elder Token..."

Ma Xiunuo stood closest. The instant he saw it clearly, his expression changed.

Having served as a deacon in Spirit Hall for so many years, there was no way he would not recognize it.

Put simply, it was a token representing the authority of Spirit Hall's Elders.

Even though Yu Xiaogang looked as miserable as a beaten dog, as long as that token remained in his hand, many people could not simply pretend not to see it.

"Look closely, all of you!"

Yu Xiaogang seemed to have suddenly seized a lifeline, shouting until his throat nearly tore apart.

His face was covered in blood, half of it swollen beyond recognition, yet he forcibly pulled his lips into a smile, his expression fanatical as though he had returned from the brink of death.

He pointed the token at the Spirit Hall members below the steps and roared hysterically:

"To see this token is to see the Pope!"

"All Spirit Hall personnel, stand down at once!"

The moment those words rang out, the Law Enforcement Squad soul masters below the steps truly did halt.

The spearheads that had been aimed at Yu Xiaogang lowered involuntarily by half an inch.

Ma Xiunuo also furrowed his brow deeply, yet he did not take another step forward for a long while.

Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang's heart immediately settled, and wild joy instantly rushed to his head.

Yu Xiaogang braced himself with one elbow against the ground and pushed his upper body up a little higher. He raised his bloodshot eyes and stared fixedly at Qian Renyuan on the main seat.

"Qian Renyuan!"

Yu Xiaogang tugged at his hoarse, leaking voice, growing more excited the louder he shouted. "I am a genuine Elder of Spirit Hall! No matter how imposing you are, when you see the Elder Token, you still have to bow your head!"

After saying that, he suddenly turned and roared at Ma Xiunuo:

"Ma Xiunuo! What are you standing around for? Refusing to kneel before the Elder Token—do you have a death wish? Hurry up and seize this madman who has no respect for his elders!"

Ma Xiunuo's expression turned uglier than ever.

Of course, he could not possibly arrest Qian Renyuan. Even if he had ten times the courage, he would not dare harbor the slightest hostile intent toward this Holy Son.

But the problem was that the token in Yu Xiaogang's hand was indeed real. If he completely ignored it, that would also be difficult to justify.

And so, the situation remained deadlocked.

Yet in Yu Xiaogang's eyes, this became proof that he had regained the upper hand.

"Ha ha ha..."

Yu Xiaogang could not help laughing, sounding both wretched and smug.

"Do you see that?" He glared furiously at Qian Renyuan, his eyes filled with the pleasure of revenge. "No one can overstep Spirit Hall's rules! You can't touch me today!"

On the main seat, Qian Renyuan still rested his chin on one hand.

He did not rush to refute him, nor did he show the slightest dissatisfaction at Ma Xiunuo and the others' hesitation.

He merely sat there, quietly looking down at the lump of filth on the ground as though watching a clown thrash madly in a mud pit.

Yu Xiaogang's laughter still echoed across the training ground.

Qian Renyuan merely sat up slightly, and his right hand, which had rested on the armrest, slowly reached into his broad sleeve.

Then Qian Renyuan withdrew his hand from his sleeve, flipped his wrist, and casually tossed something into the air.

When Yu Xiaogang saw that streak of violet-gold light cut through the air, his laughter abruptly caught in his throat.

It was a violet-gold token.

Unlike the black Elder Token in his hand, this token bore none of those flashy designs. Yet the instant it appeared, the atmosphere across the entire training ground changed.

Yu Xiaogang's face instantly turned pale, while Ma Xiunuo's pupils contracted sharply.

The Pope Token.

Qian Renyuan looked down at Yu Xiaogang, his tone as calm as if he were stating something utterly ordinary.

"This token was personally bestowed by His Holiness the current Pope."

He leaned back against his chair and continued:

"As the Holy Son bearing the Pope Token, I hold the power of life and death."

Yu Xiaogang stared blankly at the violet-gold token. His lips trembled for a long time, but he could not force out a single word.

The sliver of hope that had just risen within him vanished just like that.

Qian Renyuan's gaze slowly fell upon the black token in his hand.

"Your second crime."

His voice rang out again.

"Fraud and deception."

Yu Xiaogang suddenly looked up, his face flushing an ugly shade.

But Qian Renyuan gave him no chance to speak, merely staring at him coldly.

"As for that so-called Elder Token in your hand..."

He paused there.

"It was nothing more than something you swindled through disgraceful means back then."

Yu Xiaogang's entire body stiffened. He knew better than anyone where that token had come from.

In a corner of the training ground, Tang San closed his eyes as well. He did not want to believe it.

He had always believed that his teacher had merely been unrecognized despite his talent. With each matter laid bare before him, he did not even know where to begin if he wanted to make excuses for Yu Xiaogang.

The idol of the Grandmaster in Tang San's heart was cracking more and more severely.

Qian Renyuan had already lost interest in admiring the reactions of teacher and disciple.

He slowly withdrew his gaze, then spoke indifferently:

"Jiang Mo, crush it."

"By your command."

Jiangmo Douluo walked over step by step.

Heavy footsteps rang out. The shadow cast by his tall body completely engulfed Yu Xiaogang in the pool of blood.

At last, Yu Xiaogang was truly afraid. He instinctively tried to pull back the hand holding the token, but he was too slow.

A combat boot slowly rose, then came crashing down.

Crack!

Jiangmo Douluo's foot landed directly on Yu Xiaogang's right hand, which still clutched the token tightly.

The sounds of bones shattering and the token breaking rang out almost simultaneously.

"Ah—"

Yu Xiaogang screamed, but the sound had barely burst from his throat before the agony twisted it out of shape, leaving only broken, intermittent hisses.

Jiangmo Douluo expressionlessly moved his foot away.

There was no longer any sign of an Elder Token on the ground.

The black token Yu Xiaogang had once treated as a protective charm had been crushed into powder, mixed with his mangled flesh and broken bones, and ground into the cracks between the stone slabs.

Yu Xiaogang lay facedown in the pool of blood, his body trembling in spasms. He stared at the pile of black fragments, as though his soul had shattered along with them. The final glimmer in his eyes was completely extinguished.

But Qian Renyuan had no intention of stopping there.

On the platform, his fingers lightly tapped the armrest. With those unhurried taps, the training ground fell silent once more.

Qian Renyuan lowered his eyes toward Yu Xiaogang, who had nearly collapsed into a heap, without even a trace of pity in his voice.

"Can't take it already?"

Qian Renyuan sneered. "You think this is over?"

Upon hearing that, Yu Xiaogang, sprawled in the pool of blood, suddenly shuddered.

He seemed to have guessed what Qian Renyuan would say next. An unprecedented terror struck him at once. He raised his blood-covered face, and there was even a trace of pleading in his eyes.

No! Don't say it!

But Qian Renyuan had no intention of leaving him even the slightest shred of dignity.

He looked down at Yu Xiaogang and began speaking unhurriedly.