Spirit Hall Cathedral

After hearing Mo Lin's words, Mo Jia sighed.

"Xiao Lin, I'm sorry. I overthought things. It's just that you're far more mature in your thinking than people your age, or even many elders. You always give me the feeling of being some old monster who loves scheming against others."

Mo Lin waved a hand, indicating that Mo Jia did not need to be like this.

"Little Uncle, you're my elder. You don't need to apologize. Besides, although I've spent these years on Soul Beast Island, I mostly stayed with those two great immortals. It's only natural for you to feel that way about me."

Seeing that Mo Lin was not angry, Mo Jia relaxed and began discussing what they would do next.

"Xiao Lin, you said before that once we reached the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, we'd first go to the Spirit Hall Cathedral there, then meet a member of the royal family. That means we'll need to use different identities. But it won't be easy to make everyone believe those two matters were handled by two separate groups of people."

"Little Uncle, you don't need to worry about that. Not at all."

After saying that, red energy appeared in Mo Lin's right hand. He rubbed it over his face for several minutes before lowering his hand.

Mo Jia stared at Mo Lin's face in such shock that his jaw practically dropped.

"Y-Your face... what happened to your face?"

"This is an ability of my soul skill. It can freely alter my own appearance and that of others. And it isn't some kind of illusion—it really is rapid cosmetic surgery." After speaking, Mo Lin spent several more minutes restoring his face to its original appearance, lest his little uncle worry that it could not be changed back. "With a divine skill like this, are you still afraid someone will connect those two matters?"

"Isn't your soul skill a little too strange?" Mo Jia said.

Mo Lin smiled smugly.

"It's strange, but useful. Isn't that a good thing?"

Upon arriving in Heaven Dou City, the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, Mo Lin and Mo Jia did not change their identities yet and headed to the Spirit Hall Cathedral there.

"Stop! Who goes there?" a guard shouted.

"Are Spirit Hall's guards all this lacking in perception? Looks like they'll need a proper overhaul in the future."

Mo Lin casually tossed over the Papal Token Bibi Dong had given him.

The guard caught it. The moment he glanced at it, he immediately dropped to his knees.

"I did not know of your arrival, my lord. Please forgive my offense."

Mo Lin could not be bothered with them and walked straight past, leading Mo Jia into the cathedral.

(Just to clarify: Mo Lin's token isn't an Elder Token. It's the kind of token that means "seeing this token is equivalent to the Pope herself being present." I made up this type of token myself, but I think it makes perfect sense for one to exist.)

At that moment, Salas was in his office handling matters related to the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament when a guard barged into his office without even knocking.

With Salas's violent temper, he naturally sprang to his feet and began swearing.

"What's going on?! Why are you so frantic? Don't you know you have to knock before entering a Platinum Bishop's room?!"

The guard hastily apologized a few times before getting straight to the point.

"Lord Bishop, someone from the Papal Palace has arrived!"

"What?! Someone from the Papal Palace?"

Salas was completely unprepared for this. Never before had anyone from the Papal Palace come directly on the eve of the tournament, so he hurried over.

The moment he entered the cathedral, a voice reached Salas's ears.

"Bishop Salas, long time no see!"

Salas looked at the youth sitting in the bishop's seat. Though his appearance had changed somewhat as he grew, Salas still recognized him. He was Mo Lin, whom Salas had sent to the Papal Palace years ago.

Salas immediately bowed.

"Lord Mo, in just eight years, you've reached such heights. This lowly one can only envy you."

"Bishop Salas has devoted himself to Spirit Hall for many years and has earned great merit. You're too modest." After exchanging pleasantries, Mo Lin had no intention of wasting any more words and said directly, "Let me ask you something. Is there an academy called Shrek Academy participating in the Heaven Dou City division of this Elite Tournament?"

Salas thought for a moment. There did indeed seem to be such an academy.

"Yes, Lord Mo. You mentioned this academy because you need me to..."

Salas made a throat-slitting gesture.

Mo Lin shot Salas a cold look, his tone exceptionally frigid.

"Bishop Salas, do you think it's amusing to cut off your superior while he's speaking?"

Salas instantly bent his old back to a ninety-degree angle.

"This lowly one knows his mistake. Please speak, my lord."

Although Salas was a member of Spirit Hall, Mo Lin did not particularly like his type. Not only did he look gloomy, he was even more sinister in reality.

"Among all the academies in this tournament, especially Shrek Academy, you may try to trip them up. But if even one person outside Spirit Hall finds out that Spirit Hall was behind any of it, then the position of Platinum Bishop of the Heaven Dou City Spirit Hall Cathedral can be given to someone else to try."

"Yes." Salas naturally understood that Mo Lin intended to protect Shrek Academy, but he did not dare ask further. He had already offended Mo Lin once before; how could he dare take the same risk again by asking outright?

"Oh, and one more thing. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will also send people to watch the matches in the Heaven Dou division this time," Mo Lin said.

Salas was greatly shocked.

"What?! The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is sending people too? Does that mean they intend to stand with the Heaven Dou Empire?"

Mo Lin repeated his earlier expression and tone:

"At your age, you're still this rash and impatient. It seems you really aren't suited for this position."

Salas bent at the waist ninety degrees once more.

"Please continue."

"I'm telling you this to prevent you from making a move against anyone from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan or Thunderclap Academy. Everything is under control. Don't cause unnecessary complications, understand? Salas!" Mo Lin put particular emphasis on Salas's name.

"Yes, yes, yes. This lowly one will certainly follow Your Excellency's instructions." At this moment, Salas had completely lost the bearing of a Platinum Bishop.

On the streets, Mo Lin and Mo Jia had already changed their appearances with Double Full Hands and put on the elder robes and insignias of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. They swaggered toward the imperial palace.

Mo Jia suddenly asked:

"Say, wasn't your attitude toward that bishop just now a little too frightening? Isn't he one of us?"

Mo Lin replied:

"Even among our own people, there are those I like and those I dislike. His way of doing things and his attitude toward others can easily make people resent Spirit Hall. Someone like him could ruin major plans and ultimately cause a mighty embankment to collapse because of an ant hole. So once I take power, I plan to purge him immediately. Uncle, we must always remember one thing: the downfall of many factions began with their subordinates acting arrogant and tyrannical. We absolutely cannot allow people we could recruit or form alliances with to end up standing against us because of people like that."