Using Tang Hao as Bait

Qiangu Aoshi raised a hand in a gesture of support.

"Two Elders, please rise."

"Bibi Dong is harsh and ungrateful. For the sake of Spirit Hall's greater good, you have still done so much for her under her command. You have truly worked hard."

As he spoke, Qiangu Aoshi took out two immortal herbs from the Hundred Treasures Pouch.

He handed the Narcissus Jade-Marrow Bone to Chrysanthemum Douluo.

He handed the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid to Ghost Douluo.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were no ordinary titled Douluo. They could unleash the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the Bipolar Stillness Domain. In terms of value, they were comparable to the Consecration Hall's consecrated elders.

They were worth Qiangu Aoshi's effort to win over.

"Elder Chrysanthemum, you are also a lover of flowers and plants. I will give this Narcissus Jade-Marrow Bone to you. I need not explain its effects, do I? It strengthens the muscles and bones, opens the eight meridians, and will definitely take your current strength another step further."

"Elder Ghost, the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid has the gentlest medicinal properties. Your body differs from ordinary people's, half human and half ghost. Absorbing this herb's medicinal power will bring you nothing but benefits."

Chrysanthemum Douluo was beside himself with excitement. That was the Narcissus Jade-Marrow Bone! One hard and one soft, it perfectly complemented his Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum Martial Soul.

With a reverent, solemn expression, he wiped his hands repeatedly against the hem of his robe before finally accepting the Narcissus Jade-Marrow Bone with trembling hands.

"Holy Son, we were blinded by greed in the past and actually chose to serve Bibi Dong. From this day onward, we brothers will go through fire and water for you without hesitation!"

Ghost Douluo knew nothing about immortal herbs, but he understood Chrysanthemum Douluo. Seeing how excited Chrysanthemum Douluo was, he knew that what Qiangu Aoshi had taken out had to be something precious.

Imitating Chrysanthemum Douluo, he wiped his hands repeatedly on the hem of his robe before receiving the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid with both hands.

"Thank you, Holy Son. From now on, I will follow you wholeheartedly, with no divided loyalties."

A smile curled across Qiangu Aoshi's lips.

Having won over Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, the last two holdouts, the vast majority of the Elder Hall's elders had now pledged themselves to him.

With a single word from him, he could strip Bibi Dong of her power at any time!

However, Bibi Dong had still been Pope for more than a decade and retained some authority among the middle and lower ranks.

He needed to make something major happen, something that would utterly disgrace Bibi Dong while establishing his own absolute prestige.

Only then could he kick Bibi Dong off the Pope's throne in one stroke.

Qiangu Aoshi instructed Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo.

"Return to Bibi Dong for now. From now on, report any decision she makes to me in private."

"The day Bibi Dong makes a mistake will be the day her tenure as Pope comes to an end."

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo readily accepted their orders, then withdrew with the Narcissus Jade-Marrow Bone and Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid.

Qiangu Aoshi stood in the doorway, watching Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo's figures gradually disappear into the distance.

"I wonder how Ning Fengzhi's efforts to contact the Clear Sky Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan are going. I'll add fuel to the fire for him. Don't disappoint me."

With that, Qiangu Aoshi turned and returned to the inner room, where he hugged his soft, fragrant cat pillow and went to sleep.

The next day!

A piece of news spread throughout Spirit Hall: Tang Hao, who had been captured and brought back to Spirit Hall, had completed his trial. He had confessed to murdering Spirit Hall's previous Pope and would be publicly executed in ten days.

The entirety of Spirit Hall was greatly stirred by the news. The Pope's position was sacred beyond measure. Tang Hao had hammered Spirit Hall's previous Pope to death; it was a stain upon all of Spirit Hall.

Only Tang Hao's blood could wash it away!

The news spread at astonishing speed from Spirit Hall to the two great empires.

Heaven Dou City, Shrek Academy!

Yu Xiaogang, who had become a complete cripple and whose Luo Sanpao had even been crippled by Qiangu Aoshi, slammed his palm down on the table.

His neck was stiff, his eyes wide.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he panted like a bull.

"Spirit Hall has some nerve! They actually dare execute Clear Sky Douluo! Clear Sky Douluo is such a heroic figure. I absolutely will not allow him to die at Spirit Hall's hands!"

Upon hearing the news, Tang San remained calm. Last time, because his strength had been insufficient and he had been powerless against the massive Spirit Hall, he had already temporarily severed the bond between father and son with Tang Hao in his heart.

"Teacher, calm down. Spirit Hall released such news precisely because they want us to panic."

"We cannot play into their hands. If we rush to Spirit Hall to rescue him from execution, they will certainly capture us all in one net. What we should do now is lie low. Once my twin Martial Souls have fully matured, I will destroy Spirit Hall and avenge this."

Yu Xiaogang glared fiercely at Tang San, his voice shrill. He looked as though he were Tang Hao's son, acting even more anxious than Tang San, the real one.

"Tang San, that is your father! Your father is about to be executed by Spirit Hall, so how can you still be so calm?"

"I cannot endure this for even a moment. I am going to Spirit Hall now. As an elder of Spirit Hall, I have the responsibility to stop Spirit Hall from making such a wrong decision."

After saying that, Yu Xiaogang ignored Tang San's attempts to stop him and rushed out of the wooden house, running toward the outside of Shrek Academy.

Tang San wanted to chase after him, but no matter how hard he thought, he could not understand why Yu Xiaogang was even more anxious than he was.

What exactly was the relationship between Yu Xiaogang and his father, Tang Hao?

However, Flender, reclining in a rocking chair, stopped him with a leisurely voice.

"Tang San, there is no need to stop Xiaogang. Spirit Hall's current Pope, Bibi Dong, is your teacher's former lover. She may not listen to anyone else, but she will surely still listen to your teacher."

"If Xiaogang goes, perhaps your father might really survive."

Upon hearing this, Tang San no longer tried to stop Yu Xiaogang.

Liu Erlong stopped Yu Xiaogang again. Tears filled her eyes, and her still-charming face was set with stubborn resolve.

"Xiaogang, for you, I even had my Fire Dragon Martial Soul crippled. If you go to Spirit Hall to find that woman now, I will cut ties with you. From this day on, we will never have anything to do with each other again."

Yu Xiaogang shoved Liu Erlong aside.

"Erlong, move aside. Clear Sky Douluo's life is at stake. I cannot worry about you right now."

Without her Martial Soul, Liu Erlong was merely an ordinary woman. With that shove from Yu Xiaogang, she fell hard onto the ground.

Yu Xiaogang did not even spare her another glance before striding out of Shrek Academy.

Seeing this, Liu Erlong could no longer suppress the pain in her heart. Hugging her knees, she began to sob.

Flender's eyes turned, and a thought occurred to him. Yu Xiaogang did not want Liu Erlong, but he did.

He immediately rose from the rocking chair, straightened his clothes, and crouched beside Liu Erlong. In an infinitely gentle voice, he said:

"Erlong, do not be sad. Xiaogang has always had that kind of temper."

"Right now, Clear Sky Douluo is the only thing on his mind. It is a pity that you gave him so much, yet he turns a blind eye to it all."

"If he is unwilling to take responsibility for you, I am."

"From now on, let me take care of you, Erlong."

"Let us return to that little village in Soto City. We can farm the land and raise chickens and ducks there for the rest of our lives."

Liu Erlong raised her head through tear-filled eyes.

"Boss Flender, you are a good man. If I could return to the past, perhaps I would choose you."

"But now, my heart already belongs to someone else."

"Since he has cast me aside like worn-out shoes, I no longer wish to see him again."

"Farewell, Boss Flender. I am returning to the place that raised me. I will never appear again."

Liu Erlong rose to her feet and staggered away from Shrek Academy.

Flender stood frozen in place and sighed toward the heavens.

"Since ancient times, love has only left behind endless regret; this sorrow stretches on without end. Yu Xiaogang, you fucking ruin people's lives!"