When he couldn't make sense of it, he stopped thinking about it. After all, there were far too many illogical things on Douluo Continent; this was hardly the only one.
Soon afterward, Dugu Bo and Sword Douluo also rushed back to Lan Yu's side.
Seeing that Lan Yu was safe and sound, both of them breathed a sigh of relief.
Dugu Bo stepped forward and asked, "Lord Sage, are you all right?"
"Of course I am. They picked the wrong person to target."
"Damn Spirit Hall! What exactly are they trying to do?"
"No need to get angry. Once we reach Spirit City, I will personally demand an explanation from their Pope."
Hearing this, Sword Douluo still offered a reminder. "Spirit City is Spirit Hall's stronghold, after all. Please proceed carefully."
"Thank you for the warning. I will."
After that brief incident, the group regrouped and continued toward Spirit City.
When they made camp for the night, Qian Renxue sought out Lan Yu again.
"Can we find somewhere to talk?"
Lan Yu nodded and followed Qian Renxue to a secluded spot.
"What did you want to talk about? You can say it now."
"Today's attack... it wasn't my intention. I never planned to make a move against you. Please don't misunderstand."
"I don't care whether it was your intention or not. Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were the ones who attacked me, and they are elders of your Spirit Hall. I will definitely settle this debt with Spirit Hall."
"The two elders serve the Pope. If they attacked you, it must have been the Pope's order, not..."
Lan Yu directly cut Qian Renxue off.
"I don't care how much internal conflict there is within Spirit Hall. In my eyes, the Pope represents all of Spirit Hall.
Until your Spirit Hall removes the Pope from office, everything the Pope does will be counted against Spirit Hall.
Whether that decision was the Pope's own will or a decision made by Spirit Hall as a whole.
I know a little about your Spirit Hall's Pope... All I can say is that Angel God will surely look upon you with disappointment for handing Spirit Hall's power to a madwoman."
"What do you mean by that? What do you mean, handing Spirit Hall's power to a madwoman?"
"I mean exactly what I said. Once we reach Spirit City, I will settle this debt with Spirit Hall. You'd best stay out of it.
A single mushroom may be weak, but mushrooms that reproduce wildly can easily drown an entire city. If you don't believe me, we can try it."
After saying that, Lan Yu returned to the tent where he cultivated.
Meanwhile, the badly injured Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo returned to Spirit City, where they now knelt before Bibi Dong in Pope Palace.
"You two are elders of Spirit Hall, Title Douluo, yet you couldn't defeat a child? Trash! Utter trash!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo both lowered their heads, not even daring to explain themselves.
They understood their Pope's temper. The more they explained, the worse it would become.
After berating them for a while, Bibi Dong finally sat back down on her Pope Throne.
"That child has a god backing him. Do you think that is true?"
"Reporting to Your Holiness, it should be true. The methods he used were nothing like those used by ordinary Soul Masters.
Your Holiness, have we offended a god's representative like this...?"
Bibi Dong glared at Chrysanthemum Douluo. "Are you questioning my decision?"
"I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!"
"Hmph. Get out and reflect on your failures properly."
"Yes!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo felt as though they had received a pardon. They hurried from Pope Palace, feeling as if it were the den of some savage beast.
After Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo left, Bibi Dong propped her head up with one hand, her gaze dark and gloomy.
"Another inheritor of a god, and one so high-profile at that. I thought I could eliminate him easily, since he was merely an immature child.
Yet those two pieces of trash actually ruined everything for me.
Now he has been completely offended. I need to find another way to get rid of him."
Bibi Dong's mind had long since become abnormal, and she was even more prone to extremes when handling matters.
With someone so fond of taking extreme measures holding Spirit Hall's highest authority, it would be stranger if Spirit Hall did not collapse.
Some time later, the Heaven Dou Empire's competing teams finally arrived in Spirit City.
Many of them were visiting Spirit City for the first time and were captivated by its unusual sights.
Under the guidance of Spirit Hall's reception staff, Botanical Academy headed to the hotel where they would be staying.
There were still two days before the Grand Finals officially began. During those two days, the competing teams were free to explore Spirit City.
It was Ning Rongrong's first time in Spirit City as well, and she wanted to look around properly. So she brought Zhu Zhuqing along and also wanted Lan Yu to join them.
"We're going out shopping. Aren't you coming with us?"
"I won't be going. I have other things to do."
"Other things? What things?"
"You don't need to worry about that. Go enjoy yourselves. Once the competition starts, you won't have this kind of free time."
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at Lan Yu. "All right. Be careful."
"Don't worry. I'll be fine."
After Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing went shopping, Lan Yu headed toward Pope Palace.
However, he was quickly stopped by the Temple Knights on duty.
"Pope Palace lies ahead. Halt."
"The Sage of the Sage Lord of Fungi has come to visit Spirit Hall under Angel God's command. Is this how Angel God's followers treat their guests?"
Lan Yu's voice spread through the Mycelium Network, and Pope Palace could certainly hear it clearly.
Bibi Dong, who had been resting with her eyes closed upon the Pope Throne, suddenly opened them when she heard the voice.
"Sage Lord of Fungi? That child? He actually came here? Who gave him the nerve? Could the god behind him truly be willing to support him unconditionally?"
An emotion called jealousy rose within Bibi Dong's heart.
The Rakshasa God, who stood behind her and granted her inheritance, not only failed to support her, but had also restricted her because of the God Trial.
Without comparison, it was one thing. But once there was comparison, she understood what it meant for people to be compared to people, and goods to be compared to goods.
The thought lasted only an instant before Bibi Dong sent someone to invite Lan Yu into Pope Palace.
After Lan Yu entered Pope Palace, the doors behind him silently closed.
Pope Palace, which should have embodied Angel God's will and displayed a sacred side, instead gave off a sinister feeling at this moment.
Lan Yu looked at the beautiful woman seated upon the Pope Throne, with no intention of bowing to her at all.
Bibi Dong also met Lan Yu's gaze. Their clash of eyes had not ceased from the instant Lan Yu stepped into Pope Palace.
"Child, why do you not bow upon seeing this Pope?"
"First, I am not a child. Second, I am not a member of Spirit Hall.
Furthermore, you are Spirit Hall's Pope, while I am the Sage of the Sage Lord of Fungi. Our statuses are equal, so why should I bow to you?"
"Ridiculous. You, some self-proclaimed Sage of the Sage Lord of Fungi, dare claim to hold status equal to the Pope of Spirit Hall?"
"What? Are you going to blaspheme against a god, Bibi Dong?"
Before you continue