Early the next morning.
The sky was just beginning to brighten. Ye Han had wrapped up all matters at hand before stepping out of the manor with Dugu Bo, instantly spotting Yue Guan waiting outside.
Yue Guan was still clad in pristine white robes. Catching sight of Ye Han emerging, he gave a slight nod. "Since you're all set, let's get moving."
Dugu Bo strode to Ye Han's side, lowering his voice in a cautionary tone, "Relax, kid. With me around, nobody's going to take advantage of you."
Ye Han nodded. "Sorry for the trouble, Senior."
Without further ado, the three of them set off, leaving the Dugu Manor behind.
Once clear of Heaven Dou City, the group made a beeline straight toward Spirit City.
Both Yue Guan and Dugu Bo were Titled Douluo whose traveling speed was exceptionally fast, yet Ye Han was currently only a Soul King.
Even with two Titled Douluo escorting him along the way, they had to account for the limits of Ye Han's physical endurance, making their traveling pace significantly slower than if they were journeying alone.
Two days later, Spirit City.
Unlike ordinary cities built in a square shape, the entire city was laid out in a hexagonal design.
The city walls rose majestically, towering a full eighty meters high, with a wall thickness exceeding thirty meters.
The soldiers patrolling back and forth atop the ramparts all wore uniform Spirit Hall armor, their presences steady and every single one of them a Soul Master.
Stepping into the city, the streets were wide and clean, the houses lining both sides neatly arranged.
Dugu Bo looked around, a trace of sentimentality welling up in the depths of his eyes. "It's been quite a few years since I last came here."
As he spoke, he raised a hand to point toward the center of the city. "See those two buildings?"
Ye Han followed the direction of his finger.
Right in the center of Spirit City stood two particularly eye-catching structures.
The one halfway up the mountain was the most magnificent, its pillars supporting a dome with the outer layer wrapped in a special golden material.
The other sat atop the hill, its scale much smaller than the Papal Palace, and while their structures were similar, this one was entirely pristine white like jade, lacking the dazzling brilliance of the Papal Palace.
"That golden main hall is the Papal Palace, and also where we're heading today," Dugu Bo explained. "The smaller white hall up above is the Douluo Hall."
At this, Dugu Bo's tone took on a touch of nostalgia. "Douluo Hall is where Titled Douluo are bestowed their titles. Back when I broke through to Level 90, I also came here to receive the title 'Poison'."
Ye Han listened quietly.
"The Papal Palace and Douluo Hall serve completely different purposes," Dugu Bo continued. "The Papal Palace is where Spirit Hall handles all kinds of affairs and issues commands. Douluo Hall... holds more of a symbolic meaning; inside are enshrined the spirit tablets of past deceased Titled Douluo. Besides, there is also the Elder Hall within the Papal Palace. The people inside the Elder Hall all possess cultivation levels above Level 90, and every single one of them is a Titled Douluo."
With those words, Dugu Bo suddenly patted Ye Han's shoulder, his expression solemn. "You have extraordinary talent, kid. Someday you'll definitely have the chance to step into Douluo Hall."
Before Ye Han could reply, Yue Guan at the side was already showing clear signs of impatience. "Old Poison, we can talk about these old times later. His Holiness the Pope has already been waiting in the hall for quite a while, so don't keep His Holiness waiting."
Dugu Bo glanced at him sideways, let out a huff, and dropped the idle chatter.
The three quickened their pace, heading toward the Papal Palace.
Yue Guan led the two of them straight toward the main hall.
Guards clad in golden armor stood on either side of the hall doors. Seeing Yue Guan, they bowed in unison, then reached out to push open the heavy hall doors.
The interior of the council hall was brightly lit.
The high dome was inlaid with colorful stained glass, sunlight filtering through the glass to cast mottled, multicolored light and shadows across the floor.
At the very back of the hall rested a wide papal throne.
Seated upon the throne was a woman.
She wore a luxurious black-and-gold embroidered long robe, a Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown upon her head, and held a gemstone-inlaid scepter in her hand.
It was none other than the current pope of Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong.
Standing at her side was a man in black, completely enveloped within a dark robe so his features were obscured, revealing only a pair of deep, gloomy eyes.
It was none other than Ghost Douluo Gui Mei.
To Ye Han's mild surprise, however, apart from those two, there were two other people in the chamber.
One of them had golden hair and golden pupils with peerless features, precisely Qian Renxue, whom he had crossed paths with once before.
Yet this time she was not disguised as Xue Qinghe, appearing instead in her true form wearing a minimalist white-and-gold long dress, her temperament noble and ethereal.
The other person was a white-haired elder whose hair and beard were completely snow-white, making his true age impossible to tell. He wore a golden robe, the fabric embroidered with intricate silver thread patterns.
A ripple stirred in Ye Han's heart.
During their journey, Dugu Bo had told him that only Enshrined Douluo from the Elder Hall with cultivation levels of Level 95 and above were qualified to wear Spirit Hall's golden robes.
He hadn't expected Qian Renxue to make a personal appearance, let alone in her true form, nor had he anticipated the presence of an Enshrined Douluo here.
Yue Guan stepped forward, bowing in salute. "Your Holiness, Ye Han has been brought here."
With that, he turned his gaze toward the golden-robed elder, his attitude respectful. "Second Worship."
Hearing Yue Guan's address, Ye Han immediately recognized who the elder was.
Second Worship Golden Crocodile Douluo, possessing Level 98 cultivation, whose martial soul was the top-tier Beast Martial Soul, the Golden Crocodile King.
Among all the enshrined figures of Spirit Hall, his status was second only to Great Enshrined Qian Daoliu.
Golden Crocodile Douluo gave a slight nod, his gaze fixed on Ye Han from start to finish.
Bibi Dong's line of sight also landed on Ye Han, her expression calm and unruffled.
Just then, Qian Renxue suddenly let out a soft laugh.
She stepped forward twice, halting right in front of Ye Han, a trace of playful amusement in her golden pupils. "What, it hasn't been long since we parted ways, and already you don't recognize me?"
Her voice was crisp, carrying a hint of teasing.
As soon as those words left her lips, everyone in the hall looked somewhat surprised.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged glances, confusion flashing in the depths of both men's eyes.
Dugu Bo furrowed his brows even deeper, leaning sideways to ask Ye Han in a low voice, "When on earth did you meet her?"
Ye Han's mind raced quickly while his face assumed a pitch-perfect look of embarrassment.
He looked toward Qian Renxue, offering a light cough as he spoke, "Let me introduce myself first. My name is Ye Han, twelve years old, a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
"Sister Snow, long time no see."
The smile on Qian Renxue's face deepened, yet a hint of danger quietly drifted through those golden pupils. "Weren't you eighteen, and named Shi Hao?"
Her words carried a faint undertone of grinding teeth.
Ye Han raised a hand to scratch his head, his demeanor poised. "When traveling out in the world, one's identity is chosen by oneself. Naturally, one has to keep some defenses in place."
He spoke with total frankness, his expression unswerving.
Qian Renxue stared at him for a moment before suddenly letting out a soft chuckle. "Fine then, I won't bicker with you this time."
This exchange between the two instantly made the atmosphere in the hall subtle.
Dugu Bo sidled up to Ye Han's ear, pressing him with questions in a hushed tone, "When exactly did you run into her? How come I didn't know a thing about it?"
Ye Han replied with a calm expression, "I ran into her last time when we were hunting soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest. Sister Snow is a very good person, and she even let a Sun King soul beast of over thirty thousand years go to me-the very one that helped me acquire my fourth soul ring."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo nodded thoughtfully.
He hadn't expected Ye Han to have such an encounter.
Though he wasn't clear on the young woman's true identity, he could tell from the current scene that her status within Spirit Hall was exceptionally high.
With that thought, Dugu Bo's mind eased slightly.
This also meant that the risks for Ye Han's trip here would be considerably smaller.
Golden Crocodile Douluo's gaze remained lingering on Ye Han, his expression still calm without a word spoken.
Yue Guan coughed lightly, breaking the brief silence.
He turned toward Ye Han, offering a reminder, "Ye Han, this is His Holiness the Pope."
Understanding the hint, Ye Han stepped forward and bowed in salute. "Junior Ye Han pays respects to His Holiness the Pope."
Bibi Dong gave a slight nod, her voice level. "No need for formalities."
She sized Ye Han up, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before she slowly spoke. "Ye Han, this seat had Yue Guan invite you over from Heaven Dou City because there is something I wish to ask you."
Ye Han raised his eyes to meet her gaze. "Please go ahead, Your Holiness."
Holding her scepter, Bibi Dong slowly rose from her throne, looking down at Ye Han from above.
"You are only twelve years old, yet you have already broken through to a Soul King, with your fourth soul ring reaching the ten-thousand-year level. Such a cultivation speed is exceptionally rare throughout the entire history of the continent."
She paused, her tone growing solemn. "This seat wishes to figure out the reason behind your rapid cultivation progress. If this method can be replicated, it would be immensely beneficial to all soul masters across the continent. When that time comes, not only will you have rendered a great service to Spirit Hall, but you will also leave your name in history, revered by countless future generations of soul masters!"
The words were spoken with a righteous and lofty facade.
Ye Han remained silent for a moment after hearing them; beneath Bibi Dong's pretty rhetoric, he could detect a hint of hypocrisy rather than true sincerity.
If Bibi Dong's motive were truly so simple, why bother having Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan make a special trip to Heaven Dou City and "invite" him over in such a nearly coercive manner?
Hearing Bibi Dong's words, everyone in the hall fell silent.
Nobody truly believed this facade of fine rhetoric, especially Ye Han and Qian Renxue, who knew the real intention behind Bibi Dong summoning Ye Han.
Qian Renxue crossed her arms over her chest, her golden pupils narrowing slightly as a faint smile curved the corner of her mouth.
Ye Han stayed quiet for a moment, raising a hand to scratch his head with a look of genuine bewilderment.
"The reason for fast cultivation?" He repeated Bibi Dong's question, his tone laced with uncertainty. "My cultivation... isn't any different from ordinary soul masters, is it?"
"I just cultivated step by step, and naturally reached this realm."
With that, Ye Han looked up at Bibi Dong, countering with a question of his own, "Just what is it that Your Holiness wants to know?"
His eyes were clear and his demeanor candid, as though he truly wondered why she would ask about such a thing.
Bibi Dong watched Ye Han for a long time, took a deep breath, and switched to a more detailed question.
"Achieving the rank of Soul King at twelve, with your fourth soul ring already reaching ten thousand years. This seat wants to know how you pulled that off, and whether this kind of elevation method can be copied for others?"
Seeing this, Ye Han looked as though he let out a sigh of relief, his tone turning somewhat lighter. "So Your Holiness was asking about this."
"As for choosing a ten-thousand-year soul ring for the fourth ring..." Ye Han paused briefly, organizing his phrasing, "Before reaching the bottleneck of level forty, I obtained an herb from Senior Poison Douluo."
He turned to look at Yue Guan off to the side. "According to what Crown Chrysanthemum Douluo said, that herb was a celestial treasure, and its name is the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum."
Bibi Dong turned her gaze toward Yue Guan.
Yue Guan bowed slightly, confirming, "Your Holiness, what Ye Han said is true. He still retains the medicinal strength of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum within his body, giving him a solid foundation and resilient meridians."
Ye Han continued, "It was precisely because I consumed this celestial treasure that my physique was massively reinforced, and both my meridian resilience and physical foundation were greatly enhanced."
" Afterward, through repeated inspections and confirmations by Senior Poison Douluo and my teacher Ye Linyuan, I dared to attempt absorbing a soul ring that had just stepped into the ten-thousand-year tier when taking my fourth soul ring."
At this point, Ye Han swept a glance at Bibi Dong.
If he remembered correctly, this pope's fourth soul ring for her first martial soul was also of the ten-thousand-year tier.
If one looked solely at the configuration of the first five soul rings of her first martial soul, Bibi Dong's soul ring quality was even higher than his: yellow, purple, purple, black, black.
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