Flame Lord Yan's Challenge: Could a Firefly Dare Compete with the Bright Moon?

As Li Qinglian's voice fell,

Even Bibi Dong and Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan were left dumbfounded.

No matter how much Bibi Dong wanted to prevent Li Qinglian from becoming the Holy Son, she did not dare go too far.

After all, she had no face to suggest that six-year-old Li Qinglian fight Xie Yue and the others.

Delaying Li Qinglian's appointment as Holy Son for six or seven years and suppressing the Worship Hall's momentum a little would already achieve Bibi Dong's goal.

She merely wanted the people of Spirit Hall to know that Pope Hall's authority stood above that of the Worship Hall.

She understood this perfectly well.

Those old fellows in the Worship Hall were all arrogant and intolerant of anything that displeased them.

The Holy Son whom all those Attendants could wholeheartedly approve of and jointly recommend was surely far more talented than Yan and Xie Yue. She became even more certain of it when her own proud daughter personally came forward to support Li Qinglian.

She and Qian Renxue had not spoken in a long time.

Yet she had once been a young girl herself, and she saw Qian Renxue's affection for Li Qinglian in her eyes.

Romantic feelings for a six-year-old boy?

There were probably many other things mixed into it.

Still, that was perfectly normal.

How could men and women so often fall for each other at first sight? Men looked at beauty, women looked at circumstances—it was only natural. Li Qinglian must have something exceptionally outstanding about him for Qian Renxue to care so much.

But no matter what, Li Qinglian was only a six-year-old child. No matter how great his talent was, he could not possibly be a match for Yan and Xie Yue, who had cultivated for another six or even seven years.

This little brat is far too proud.

Spirit Hall gathers the most gifted soul masters in the world. Even if Yan and Xie Yue are somewhat weaker than him, how much weaker could they possibly be?

No matter how high his combat talent is, he can't possibly defeat a Soul Venerable at this age, can he?

Without showing it, Bibi Dong glanced to her left.

The three most outstanding geniuses under Pope Hall stood there.

Naturally, Hu Liena stood in the center. She was the Holy Maiden personally chosen by Bibi Dong, her long black hair especially eye-catching beneath the morning light.

At her side stood two utterly different figures: one calm and stern, standing with his arms crossed; the other blazing like fire, eager to fight.

"Brother, it looks like Teacher wants you to step forward."

Understanding Bibi Dong's signal, Hu Liena lowered her voice.

She knew that this dispute over appointing the Holy Son was far more than merely about a Holy Son.

It was also a struggle for power between Pope Hall and the Worship Hall!

Back then, Teacher had disregarded everyone's objections and forcibly appointed her Holy Maiden on Pope Mountain, establishing the Pope's authority.

Only through that matter did Teacher gain a voice within Spirit Hall!

And it was only after that that Teacher's standing in Spirit Hall rose significantly, and Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo became loyal.

Thus, it might appear to be about appointing a Holy Son, but it was absolutely not just about appointing a Holy Son.

Yet Li Qinglian was only six years old and had just awakened his martial soul, yet he was about to become a sacrifice in the conflict between Pope Hall and the Worship Hall.

"I won't do it. Even if I win, it'd be disgraceful."

"I, Xie Yue, have some pride."

Xie Yue gritted his teeth as he spoke.

Winning against Li Qinglian on Pope Mountain would please the Pope.

Moreover, his younger sister was already the Holy Maiden, so his chances of becoming the Holy Son would rise as well.

But it would be far too beneath him!

The Holy Son position was important, but he did not want to become the Holy Son in this way.

"I'll go!"

"Nana. Once I become the Holy Son, I'll be worthy of you."

Yan snorted coldly and stepped out from the crowd. His short crimson hair seemed to burn with a faint flame beneath the morning light.

The look he gave Hu Liena was fiery and direct.

He had always secretly loved Hu Liena; everyone in Spirit Hall knew it. But he knew that, as he was now, he was not worthy of her.

"You..."

A trace of disappointment flashed through Hu Liena's eyes.

She said nothing and merely turned her gaze away.

If Yan became the Holy Son through this method, could she truly like him?

"Your Holiness the Pope."

"Since Li Qinglian says he is willing to accept a challenge, I am willing to give it a try."

Just as Bibi Dong was beginning to grow anxious, Yan finally stepped forward.

He strode into the arena, a confident and flamboyant smile on his face.

He stood half a head taller than others his age. Beneath his fitted clothes, his muscles were as sharply defined as cast iron. Below his short crimson hair were a pair of bright, spirited eyes; his entire body seemed like a walking blaze.

He knew that as long as this battle satisfied the Pope, becoming the Holy Son would only be a matter of time.

His gaze fell upon Li Qinglian, carrying a faint trace of mockery.

Had Li Qinglian not been in such a hurry, the Pope would have had no way to delay things after six or seven years.

By then, to ease relations with the Worship Hall, the Pope would inevitably appoint Li Qinglian as Holy Son. The Pope merely wanted to suppress the Worship Hall and establish her authority. She held no hostility toward Li Qinglian.

But now, Li Qinglian had voluntarily stepped forward, making the Pope dissatisfied with him instead.

Such behavior was far too rash.

"Li Qinglian, what do you think?"

Bibi Dong spoke.

Her voice was neither hurried nor slow, yet it carried an invisible pressure as it drifted down from the high platform.

On Pope Mountain, countless gazes simultaneously focused on that black-haired child.

As the prospective Holy Son, he had personally spoken those words on Pope Mountain. Even if Li Qinglian wanted to go back on them by claiming youthful impulsiveness, countless people would see him as frivolous and unfit to be the Holy Son.

Once Li Qinglian bore such a stain, it would be difficult for him ever to be appointed Holy Son again.

Countless people looked at Li Qinglian with some regret.

Li Qinglian was still too young. He had blocked off his own path.

"No problem. I'm willing to accept his challenge."

"But I have one question."

"If I defeat him, will I be able to become the Holy Son?"

"By then, no elder should jump out and criticize me again, right?"

Li Qinglian's lips curved slightly as he looked at Bibi Dong and Chrysanthemum Douluo.

His calm gaze swept over Bibi Dong, then passed over Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan.

Bibi Dong's expression darkened slightly.

She understood. Li Qinglian was actually taking a jab at her!

This little fellow wasn't stupid? Then why was he accepting Yan's challenge?

Bibi Dong could not understand it.

Yue Guan's face turned alternately green and pale. Being questioned publicly by a six-year-old child to this extent, this Chrysanthemum Douluo truly could not save face.

"Of course not. If you defeat Yan, I will have nothing to say."

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan stepped forward and spoke bluntly.

He felt like crying without tears.

After today, he would likely gain the infamy of making things difficult for a little child.

He was only an elder. How could he possibly want to oppose the Attendants?

But he was the Pope's subordinate, so at critical moments, he had to step forward and take the blame for his superior.

"Then let us fight."

"I'm also rather curious about the standard of Spirit Hall's younger generation."

As Li Qinglian spoke, his gaze appraised Yan.

Yan had crimson hair and seemed to blaze like fire from head to toe.

Yan was already thirteen years old, a full seven years older than Li Qinglian.

As one of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, Yan's cultivation had also broken through to rank thirty-one, making him a genuine Soul Venerable.

Yan's talent should be on the same level as Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing among the Shrek Seven Monsters. It's not bad.

Li Qinglian thought to himself.

Tang San was a reincarnator from another world, while Xiao Wu was a hundred-thousand-year soul beast rebuilding her cultivation.

Among the Shrek Seven Monsters, aside from those two, the others represented the normal standard of first-rate geniuses on the continent.

Yan cultivated at roughly the same pace as Dai Mubai, so his talent truly was first-rate.

But that was all.

His cultivation was only rank twenty-one, but his true body was the Death Divine Tree.

His actual combat power could not be measured simply by his cultivation.