Snake Spear Douluo, She Long

Bibi Dong turned and looked at Meng Xuanji.

"Xuanji, stand behind me. I'm going to break the formation."

Before Bibi Dong could even raise her hand, Meng Xuanji immediately ducked behind her, terrified that the aftershocks of battle would hit him.

When it came to staying alive, Meng Xuanji was absolutely first-rate.

The phantom of the Death Spider Emperor emerged behind Bibi Dong. A massive Spider Emperor hovered above her, letting out a low roar at the soul tool formation.

"Sixth Soul Skill, Bloodthirsty Spider Spikes."

"Hiss!"

A barrage of blood-red spider spikes tore through the air!

In the blink of an eye, the once energy-rich soul tool formation had been riddled with holes and shattered like glass!

Meng Xuanji's mouth fell open into an O.

Too domineering!

Was this the power of a Title Douluo?!

Even though Bibi Dong had yet to obtain her ninth soul ring, that did not stop her from possessing power far beyond that of a Soul Douluo.

Just then, reinforcements from the other halls arrived. Even the Consecration Hall had sent a Soul Douluo to provide support.

Meng Xuanji took a closer look and immediately recognized the man sent by the Consecration Hall.

Wasn't this Snake Spear Douluo, Qian Renxue's guard in the original story?!

She Long arrived with a large force of reinforcements and immediately questioned Bibi Dong upon seeing her.

"Your Holiness, why have you destroyed the soul tool formation of Yangxin Palace? Do you realize that you are damaging Spirit Hall property?"

She Long was a Soul Douluo from the Consecration Hall faction, someone highly likely to break through to the Title Douluo realm in the future. With the consecrated elders backing him, he naturally did not fear Bibi Dong.

In the eyes of the Consecration Hall's upper ranks, the lofty Pope Bibi Dong was merely a puppet supported by the Grand Consecrator, utterly undeserving of their reverence.

"She Long, I am apprehending an assassin who attacked Spirit Hall. Who gave you the right to interfere? Move aside!"

Bibi Dong's scepter struck the ground. A massive wave of soul power suppressed the entire area, leaving even She Long with a stifled sensation in his chest.

So strong. As expected of the Saintess nurtured by the previous Pope—she truly has some skill, She Long thought, casually wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"An assassin? Is Your Holiness joking? The soul tool formation was already activated. How could an assassin possibly be inside? Are you toying with us?"

Though She Long's words were harsh, they reflected the thoughts of most people present. The formation had clearly been activated, so how could the assassin have gotten inside?

"I don't have time to explain myself to you. Move aside!"

Bibi Dong forcefully sent She Long flying and flashed several times, arriving at the doors of Yangxin Palace.

She had already sensed Hu Liena's faint life force. If this dragged on any longer, She Long might very well get her student killed.

Bang!

With a raised hand, Bibi Dong blasted open the heavy doors with sheer soul power.

The interior of Yangxin Palace was a complete mess, with traces of soul skill combat everywhere.

"Hu Liena! Where are you?!"

Bibi Dong stepped into Yangxin Palace, and her spiritual power swiftly enveloped the entire hall. Before long, she found the figures of three people.

"There!"

Bibi Dong looked up. On the second-floor corridor, two blue-robed deacons stared at her in terror.

The heavily injured Hu Liena was hiding behind the curtains behind them.

Had Bibi Dong arrived even a moment later, Hu Liena would likely have met a terrible end.

"Your Holiness!"

The two deacons who had attempted the assassination were horrified. How had Bibi Dong gotten in so quickly? Was the soul tool formation outside just for decoration?!

After Meng Xuanji triggered the soul tool formation, the two had immediately begun searching for the suddenly vanished Hu Liena. Just as they had roughly pinpointed her location, Bibi Dong blasted open the doors.

Just as Bibi Dong was about to strike, her sharp gaze suddenly fell upon the belts of the two deacons.

With her exceptional spiritual power, she could sense an immense energy fluctuation inside their belts, something like explosives.

At this distance, even Bibi Dong could not be completely certain she could take them down without harming Hu Liena if she attacked rashly.

Thus, Bibi Dong lowered her jade-like hand and chose to negotiate with them.

"Deacons, why have you suddenly appeared here? As I recall, this is not a place you should be."

Bibi Dong swept her cold gaze over them, and the hearts of the two innate deacons nearly stopped for half a beat.

The pressure brought by a quasi-Title Douluo was simply too overwhelming!

"Your Holiness, we... we are also pursuing the assassin," one of them said nervously in his panic.

"Oh? An assassin? Then tell me, where is this assassin?"

"The assassin, the assassin..." The two were as frantic as ants on a hot pan, sweat pouring down their foreheads.

How could they possibly know where this so-called assassin was? They could not exactly tell Bibi Dong outright that they were the assassins.

"The assassin is right here with me!"

Bibi Dong suddenly turned around to see She Long carrying Meng Xuanji inside by the back of his neck.

"I have already caught the assassin. It's this brat. He was the one who triggered the soul tool formation. I have already had someone verify it. There is absolutely no mistake."

She Long spoke with a proud expression.

"Yes, he's the assassin! He's the one who wanted to attack Yangxin Palace!"

As though they had grasped a lifeline, the two deacons pointed at Meng Xuanji together.

Bibi Dong looked at the smug She Long and truly wanted to slap him to death. He was still causing trouble at a time like this! Damn it!

She Long's spiritual power was not weak either, so he had naturally sensed Hu Liena behind the curtains. But one should not forget that he was from the Consecration Hall. If his interference today led to Bibi Dong's student dying, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous blow to Bibi Dong.

Her disciple had been killed by outsiders on the very first day she took one in. How could someone so incompetent lead Spirit Hall? Once Bibi Dong lost her public credibility, she would only be fit to remain the Grand Consecrator's puppet for the rest of her life.

"Bibi Dong, let's see how you plan to clean this up."

She Long grinned wickedly at Bibi Dong, as though openly telling her—

I did it on purpose. So what can you do about it?

Crack.

Bibi Dong clenched her fists tightly, her bones grinding together.

If there had not been so many people present, she would have personally killed that bastard She Long!

"Cough, cough... let go of me. I'm not an assassin."

The already injured Meng Xuanji struggled desperately in She Long's grip, only to be impatiently thrown to the floor.

"If you are not an assassin, why did you attack Yangxin Palace? Was it just for fun?"

She Long demanded.

"Cough, cough... I... I was trying to save someone."

Meng Xuanji raised his head. Through the faint moonlight, he could vaguely make out the graceful figure beyond the curtains. She must have noticed him too.

At this moment, it seemed that only he could break the deadlock.

"Cough, cough... I am willing to prove my innocence to you."

As he spoke, Meng Xuanji dragged his heavy body to his feet and slowly walked, step by step, toward the center of Yangxin Palace. Facing the crowd, he completely exposed his back to the two deacons.

Seeing Meng Xuanji deliver himself to them, the two deacons' hearts began to stir.

Compared to killing Hu Liena, the person they truly wanted dead was Meng Xuanji.

That strange and mysterious martial soul of his posed an absolutely top-tier threat to the empire.

Since he had willingly walked into their hands, they would not let such a perfect opportunity slip away.