The Secret on the Pope Token

A sword, a hammer, a dragon, a chrysanthemum, an incomplete human figure, a crown.

Wait. Looked at this way, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo could actually be counted as being on our Star Luo Empire's side.

That explained everything.

Dai Xuanyu suddenly realized that winning over Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo might be easier than he had thought.

That overlooked detail also showed him why Spirit Hall did not value the two Douluo.

The Heaven Dou Six Imperial Cards were the highest-ranking tokens Spirit Hall issued to people outside its ranks.

They were also known as Pope Tokens.

Anyone who held one carried the authority of a Spirit Hall elder, as though the Pope herself were present.

But why were they called the Heaven Dou Six Imperial Cards, rather than the Star Luo Six Imperial Cards?

Because Spirit Hall represented Soul Masters as a whole.

And the Soul Master class flourished most freely within the Heaven Dou Empire.

Many major events involving Soul Masters took place there.

After all, the Upper Three Sects were all based within the Heaven Dou Empire.

As for the Heaven Dou Six Imperial Cards, their six emblems each represented someone who had made a special contribution to Spirit Hall or held the rank of Spirit Hall elder.

But two interpretations of those six emblems had long been the most widely circulated.

One held that they represented three Titled Douluo of the Heaven Dou Empire and three of the Star Luo Empire.

The other held that they represented the Titled Douluo of the Upper Three Sects and three Titled Douluo belonging to Spirit Hall.

I'd say each side simply favored the explanation that suited its position best. A sharp gleam crossed Dai Xuanyu's eyes.

He suspected Spirit Hall might have arranged it that way on purpose.

One explanation suited the two empires; the other suited the Soul Masters themselves.

Either one held up.

"Xuanyu, what are you thinking about?"

Seeing that Dai Xuanyu had been silent for so long, the Star Luo Emperor, Dai Heng, asked curiously.

Dai Xuanyu came back to himself and answered at once:

"Father, I was considering what I should bring when I travel to Heaven Dou Imperial City."

"No need to rush. There's still time before the delegation formally sets out for the Heaven Dou Empire. You can plan at your leisure." Dai Heng chuckled.

Then he added generously:

"Here, I'll grant you a few more attendants and maids. When the time comes, bring whoever you like."

"Thank you, Father. I'll take my leave, then."

"Mm. Go back to your residence and prepare."

After leaving the imperial study, Dai Xuanyu took a side path out of the palace and returned to his residence.

That was the inconvenience of keeping his position as crown prince secret for now.

If he openly entered the palace to see his father too often, people would start to speculate.

"Master Yang, I'll be traveling with the delegation to Heaven Dou Imperial City soon. I won't be able to stay by your side and study then."

As soon as Dai Xuanyu returned to his residence, he asked his steward, Dai Xuan, a few questions.

Then he went to find Yang Wudi.

"A delegation? To the Heaven Dou Empire?" Yang Wudi was baffled.

Dai Xuanyu had no choice but to give him a brief explanation from beginning to end.

After hearing him out, Yang Wudi said with satisfaction:

"Good! The two empires should join forces and knock Spirit Hall down a peg!"

To Yang Wudi, anything that struck back at Spirit Hall was wonderful news.

"Indeed, Master Yang."

"Spirit Hall commands an enormous number of Soul Masters, and its strongest fighters are formidable too."

"It's one of the most powerful Soul Master forces on the entire Douluo Continent."

"If the two empires don't join forces to do something, wouldn't they be leaving a tiger free to roam?"

Dai Xuanyu followed Yang Wudi's lead, sounding just as concerned.

He meant to draw Yang Wudi into the conversation he wanted, but some of what he said was sincere.

Spirit Hall truly was the continent's most powerful Soul Master force. Dai Xuanyu knew there was no close second.

Unfortunately, after gaining control of the vast majority of Soul Masters, Spirit Hall would no longer be content with the status quo. It would seek to rule the entire continent outright.

Honestly, if Tang San had not appeared in the original story, Spirit Hall would have succeeded.

But if Spirit Hall succeeded, the Douluo Continent would be doomed along with it.

The reason was its current Pope, Bibi Dong.

Spirit Hall's other leaders wanted to unify the continent. Bibi Dong wanted to destroy it.

None of them could have imagined she was such a madwoman, ready to drag them all down to hell with her.

"By the way, Master Yang."

"Besides the well-known Spirit Hall and Upper Three Sects, do you think there are any Soul Master forces on the Douluo Continent that can stand alongside them?"

Dai Xuanyu raised the question as though it followed naturally from their discussion.

Yang Wudi froze.

Then he shook his head. "Your Highness, you've stumped me."

"There are countless Soul Master forces on the Douluo Continent, but I truly can't think of one that compares to Spirit Hall or the Upper Three Sects."

Yang Wudi hated Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect with a passion.

Even so, he had to admit that no other Soul Master force in the world could match them.

It seems only a handful of people in the Star Luo Imperial Family and Spirit Hall know the Star Crown Sect exists.

If the emblems were meant to represent only the Upper Three Sects and Spirit Hall, there would have been no reason to include the Star Crown Sect.

Spirit Hall definitely did this deliberately.

Putting Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo on the Pope Token looked like an honor, but it gave them nothing. Instead, it thrust them into the spotlight.

Dai Xuanyu turned it over in his mind. Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had joined the Elder Hall only within the past decade. At last, he was certain.

"Master Yang, I had hoped to study Pharmacology under you, but this unexpected mission means I must go to Heaven Dou Imperial City."

"I may be unable to study under you for quite some time."

"So I have a favor to ask. Would you write down your knowledge of Pharmacology in a book, so I can continue studying it while I'm in Heaven Dou Imperial City?"

At last, Dai Xuanyu revealed why he had come to Yang Wudi.

If the book Yang Wudi gave him contained descriptions of Immortal Herbs, so much the better.

If not, that was fine too. He would simply keep learning Pharmacology.

In any case, he was not going to win over Poison Douluo and reach the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well the moment he arrived in Heaven Dou Imperial City.