His Holiness the Pope Was Delighted by What You Did at Spirit Academy

At last, Huo Yuhao made up his mind.

But he did not look up. He spoke in a low voice.

"Boss."

"When we reach the Star Dou Great Forest, be careful."

Qian Renchuan grinned.

"Don't worry."

"With Spirit Hall's experts coming along, what could happen? I'll treat it like a vacation."

Hearing that, Huo Yuhao could not help sighing inwardly again.

Boss is still so carefree.

Once I leave, it'll just be Boss and Second Brother at Spirit Hall. Can they really stand up to those schemers?

By now, he had begun to doubt the records from Shrek Academy ten thousand years in the future.

But there was one claim he believed without question.

That passage had been written in heavy, bold black ink.

Bibi Dong, Spirit Hall's last Pope and their birth mother, had borne her children after the previous Pope, Qian Xunji, forced himself on her. That was why she hated her children to the bone.

Huo Yuhao could tell as much from how rarely they had seen Bibi Dong over the years.

Bibi Dong felt no maternal love for her three children.

Only hatred.

Once I'm gone...

Can Boss and Second Brother really handle Bibi Dong?

But if I grow strong enough, I'll have a chance to come back and help them someday.

Elsewhere.

The Heaven Dou Empire.

The Elephant Armor Sect's headquarters.

Sunlight spilled across the Training Grounds.

Several Elephant Armor Sect disciples worked up a sweat, building their strength.

Outside the main gate, Huyan Ye finally returned to the sect, dusty and disheveled after nearly half a month on the road.

His injuries had mostly healed by then.

The journey had also given him time to come to his senses.

Looking back on what he had done at Spirit Academy, Huyan Ye wanted to slap himself.

What got into me back then?

How could I have read the situation so badly?

Qian Renchuan might not train, and people might call him useless.

But he was still the Pope's own son!

Spirit Hall's Eldest Young Master!

Yet because of a few hints from the Pope's Palace, Huyan Ye had repeatedly led others to provoke him.

He had even threatened to teach him a lesson.

And what had happened?

That night in the dormitory.

Qian Renchuan had not even released his Martial Soul.

With nothing but his fists, he had beaten more than a dozen Soul Grandmasters barely into their teens senseless.

What kind of useless six-year-old could take on more than a dozen of them?

Huyan Ye finally understood.

Spirit Hall's Pope set me up.

The Pope used me as a tool to spur the Eldest Young Master on!

So Huyan Ye had requested leave from Spirit Academy that very night.

Then he had rushed all the way back to the Elephant Armor Sect.

News of his return soon reached the sect master, Huyan Zhen.

Hearing that his favorite grandson was back, Huyan Zhen was overjoyed.

"Ye'er is back?"

"Bring him in!"

Before long, Huyan Ye entered the main hall with his head bowed.

But before Huyan Zhen could say a word, Huyan Ye dropped to his knees with a thud. His voice shook with tears and bitter regret.

"Grandpa!"

"Your grandson caused trouble!"

"Big trouble!"

Huyan Zhen froze.

His expression changed drastically.

He hurried over, hauled Huyan Ye to his feet, and demanded,

"What happened?"

"Weren't you studying at Spirit Academy?"

"What trouble did you cause? Or did someone dare bully a member of the Elephant Armor Sect?"

At his grandfather's words, Huyan Ye told him everything he had done at Spirit Academy, his face crumpled with misery.

How he had led others to provoke Qian Renchuan.

How he had taken a group to the dormitory in the middle of the night to gang up on him.

And how Qian Renchuan had defeated every last one of them by himself.

By the time Huyan Ye finished, Huyan Zhen's face had turned deathly pale.

He staggered back. The hand he pointed at Huyan Ye trembled as he cursed,

"You..."

"You damned fool!"

"You dared attack the Pope's own son? Do you have a death wish?"

That was the Pope's own son!

No matter how indifferent the Pope seemed, the boy was still a member of the Qian Family!

And Huyan Ye had taken a group to assault him in the middle of the night.

If the Pope decided to hold them accountable,

the Elephant Armor Sect would suffer dearly even if it escaped destruction!

Huyan Ye already knew how badly he had misjudged things. His grandfather's words left him trembling all over.

He sank to his knees again, pale-faced and pleading.

"Grandpa, what do we do now?"

"I... I was following the hints from the Pope's Palace."

"I thought the Pope really wanted us to teach him a lesson. Who knew the Eldest Young Master could fight like that?"

Footsteps pounded closer.

Just then, an Elephant Armor Sect disciple rushed into the hall in a panic.

"Sect Master!"

"Someone from Spirit Hall is here!"

Boom!

In an instant, both Huyan Zhen and Huyan Ye went white as sheets.

Spirit Hall really had sent someone!

They had come to demand an explanation!

But though Huyan Zhen was afraid, he was still the master of a sect. He quickly forced himself to steady his nerves.

"Quick!"

"Order the whole sect to welcome the envoy!"

Before long, a Red-Robed Archbishop strode into the Elephant Armor Sect's main hall.

A Red-Robed Archbishop.

Huyan Zhen's face drained of what little color it had left. He hurried forward to greet the man, trembling.

"I am Huyan Zhen of the Elephant Armor Sect. I pay my respects, Lord Archbishop."

At that moment,

Huyan Zhen could hardly have been more deferential.

The Pope must be furious. The Elephant Armor Sect is in serious trouble.

Beside him, Huyan Ye shook with fear.

When he saw that the visitor was a Red-Robed Archbishop, his legs gave way and he dropped to his knees again.

He did not dare raise his head.

Terror, dread, and anxiety

churned inside him.

He was terrified the Red-Robed Archbishop would sentence him to death at any moment.

But to Huyan Zhen and Huyan Ye's utter disbelief, the Red-Robed Archbishop did not fly into a rage. Instead, he stepped forward with a broad smile.

"Hahaha! Sect Master Huyan, no need for formalities."

"I came on His Holiness the Pope's orders to bring the Elephant Armor Sect a reward."

What?

A reward?

Huyan Zhen was stunned again.

What does that mean?

We attacked her son, and she's rewarding us?

The Red-Robed Archbishop turned toward Huyan Ye, who was still kneeling.

"You're Huyan Ye, aren't you?"

"Good. Very good."

"His Holiness the Pope was delighted by what you did at Spirit Academy."

"His Holiness said you did well."

"These are the resources His Holiness has bestowed upon the Elephant Armor Sect. I hope the sect will keep up the good work."

With that, the Red-Robed Archbishop waved a hand. Several Spirit Hall knights behind him carried large chests forward.

The chests opened.

They were filled with precious cultivation resources and Gold Soul Coins.

Huyan Zhen and Huyan Ye were completely bewildered.

What was going on?

The Pope wasn't angry? She'd even sent a reward?

And she wanted them to keep up the good work?

Keep doing what?

Keep beating up her son?