Heaven's Will Has Always Been Hard to Fathom! When Man Unleashes Killing Intent, Heaven and Earth Are Overturned!

Torches burned along the two towering walls of reliefs flanking the hall, illuminating the entire chamber in brilliant splendor.

The reliefs depicted vivid scenes of the Angel God walking among mortals.

At the very center of the hall stood an Angel God Statue painstakingly carved from white jade, graceful and elegant, sacred and solemn.

Without wings spread behind her, the Angel God stood barefoot, her palms joined before her chest, her gaze compassionate and serene.

Spirit Hall was divided into the Papal Hall, Sacred Halls, Main Halls, Sub-Halls, and branches.

The Papal Hall stood in Spirit City, where the Angel God manifested in a six-winged form.

There were only two Sacred Halls, situated in the capitals of the Two Great Empires, and the Angel God enshrined there had four wings.

Only the largest cities, such as Barak City, were entitled to host Main Halls, where the Angel God manifested in a two-winged form.

Suotuo City was a medium-sized city that housed a Sub-Hall, where the Angel God manifested in her human form.

Branches had no divine statues, only awakening altars.

The Sea God had attained godhood through the faith of the oceans, while the Angel God had attained godhood through the faith of the land.

As the most recent being on the Douluo Continent to attain godhood on land, the Angel God wielded tremendous influence across the entire continent.

That was precisely why Spirit Hall Branches could be found throughout the Douluo Continent.

This was not merely a symbol of strength, but an extension of influence.

The present Spirit Hall bore the profound legacy left behind by a deity.

It could be said that, without that sordid business between Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong, even a mediocre pope could have led Spirit Hall to become the ruler of the Douluo Continent sooner or later-until the next time dragons and serpents rose, and the world changed masters.

That was why letting romance rot your brain was never a good idea!

In the early days of the Douluo Continent, Spirit Hall's transcendent status and supreme authority had long since been branded into everyone's bones.

Yu Xiaogang and the others knelt prostrate on the floor, not daring to act out in the slightest as they awaited judgment.

Even their soul power had been sealed. Unable to summon so much as a trace, they were lambs awaiting slaughter.

The Red-Robed Cardinal exchanged a glance with Xue Qinghe and Bai Yukai.

Then he announced the verdict.

"Spirit Hall's judgment is as follows. The three students, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar, though of poor character, have not directly committed any evil deeds. All their faults stem from Shrek Academy's failure to educate them, and thus they will not be held criminally responsible.

They will be confined for three days as punishment."

Oscar, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun breathed sighs of relief. Ma Hongjun, whose disposition was especially deplorable, positively beamed, as though he had received a grand pardon.

They had no attention to spare for anyone else's feelings.

"Shao Xin and Lu Qibin are hired teachers and do not directly participate in Shrek Academy's administration. Though they bear some fault, their culpability is minor, and they will therefore receive lighter punishments: a fine of two hundred Gold Soul Coins and seven days of confinement."

"Li Yusong directly participated in collecting registration fees and knowingly played a material role in obtaining those fees through fraud. Given the severity of his actions, he will be banished to Slaughter City, never to leave for the rest of his life."

Thud!

Li Yusong collapsed on the spot.

His face was bleak, utterly ashen.

Slaughter City was a place one could enter but never leave, an abyss of desire and sin. With his old arms and legs, he probably would not survive there for long.

"Zhao Wuji, ten years ago, in the southwestern region of the Star Dou Great Forest, you brutally murdered a soul hunting team of seven to seize a soul beast. You were subsequently declared wanted, but escaped with severe injuries after being surrounded by sixteen Red-Robed Cardinals.

Now you have taken the position of vice dean at Shrek, bringing misery upon the region. Your character is vile, your nature cruel and bloodthirsty, and the evidence is conclusive. You are sentenced to death! The sentence will be carried out tomorrow!"

Zhao Wuji, his face deathly pale, said nothing.

He had suffered serious injuries in yesterday's battle and had already accepted reality and abandoned resistance.

"Flender, you founded Shrek Academy without registering it with any official authority, making it an illegally established private academy. Effective immediately, the name Shrek Academy is abolished and may no longer be used.

Furthermore, as the dean of an academy, you took the lead in defrauding students of their money. Your teaching was morally corrupt, your sense of right and wrong twisted. You are utterly unworthy of being a teacher!

Seven days from now, you will be executed in Suotuo City's Central Square, to set the record straight!"

"No-no, that's not right! It wasn't like that! I founded the academy to nurture talent for the empire! I never led my students astray!"

Flender argued loudly.

Founding Shrek Academy and nurturing monstrous prodigies had been his lifelong dream.

That alone was something he would never allow anyone to tarnish!

Not even someone from Spirit Hall!

"Oh? If you wanted to nurture talent for the empire, why didn't you officially register your academy?"

"If you wanted to nurture talent, why did you make a twisted sense of right and wrong the foundation of your teaching?"

"If you wanted to nurture talent, why did you profit by squeezing registration fees out of applicants?"

"Answer me, Flender!"

The Red-Robed Cardinal's tone grew harsher with every question.

By the last, he was roaring.

His voice shook the entire hall, leaving it humming with echoes that lingered long afterward.

Ghk-!

Flender's Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes wide.

Each of the Red-Robed Cardinal's words stabbed straight into his heart, leaving him momentarily speechless, unable to defend himself.

Yu Xiaogang assumed a solemn expression and spoke in a deep voice. "Allow me to say something fair, Your Eminence. Setting the facts aside, this brother of mine is actually an upright-"

"Shut up! What right do you have to plead for him? Do you think you're any better, Yu Xiaogang?"

"According to our investigation, you spent the past twenty years in Nuoding City using students as experimental subjects to test your ridiculous theories. How many students' futures did you ruin? Scum like you thinks he deserves to defend anyone?"

"I hear that, in your youth, the two of you were even hailed as members of the Golden Iron Triangle? You're jackals from the same den! Shameless degenerates!"

"But you're luckier than Flender. His Highness the Crown Prince has selected you to serve as a groom at the Crown Prince's Residence. From now on, you can slowly wash away your sins in its stables."

Yu Xiaogang's face turned livid, his lips trembling.

As a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and a renowned theoretical Grandmaster in the martial soul world, how could he accept such humiliation?!

Yu Xiaogang suddenly cried out.

"No! I'm a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! You can't treat me like this!"

"I-I-I want to see your pope! I want to see Bibi Dong! No matter what, Bibi Dong should help me! She owes me this! She owes me this!"

"I want to see Bibi Dong!"

Hearing Yu Xiaogang recklessly address the pope by name, the Red-Robed Cardinal flew into a rage.

Whoosh!

Dozens of thick green vines bound Yu Xiaogang and lashed his mouth, knocking out more than half his teeth.

Within moments, Yu Xiaogang's aged face was swollen beyond recognition and drenched in blood.

"Drag him away!"

The Red-Robed Cardinal snorted coldly and swept away with a flick of his sleeves.

Xue Qinghe looked down meaningfully at the utterly bedraggled Yu Xiaogang below.

To him, a living Yu Xiaogang was naturally more useful than a dead one.

Could holding Xiaogang hostage to command Bibi Dong work?

Trying wouldn't cost any Gold Soul Coins, anyway.

As it happened, I wanted to probe that woman's thoughts, too.

Who would have thought that coming to try recruiting the Blue Silver Twin Stars would yield such an unexpected harvest?

What a delight.

Xue Qinghe's eyes were deep and unreadable.

I'll have to repay that brother and sister properly.

I haven't seen him unleash his full strength yet. How intriguing.

That night, a woman wearing a black robe entered a side hall of Spirit Hall amid the Red-Robed Cardinal's eager welcome.

A short while later.

Clutching the wound on the left side of his chest, Zhao Wuji walked in, his face pale.

His gaze was icy as he stared at the black-robed figure.

"To think that a condemned man like me would get to meet someone as distinguished as you before his death."

"Anyone who can send a Red-Robed Cardinal running errands must have quite an extraordinary identity."

The black-robed woman turned around, golden hair falling to her waist. Beneath her hood, half of an incomparably beautiful face was faintly visible. Even that fleeting glimpse revealed a beauty beyond compare.

Her sacred, noble, inviolable bearing made her seem like the Angel God descended among mortals.

The corners of Qian Renxue's lips lifted slightly.

"Zhao Wuji, do you want to live?"

Like an old wolf on the brink of death, Zhao Wuji's eyes blazed with ferocity as he grinned savagely. "Even ants cling to life. Why wouldn't I?"

"But..." Zhao Wuji changed tack. "I'd like to ask for different terms."

"I'll do anything you ask. All I ask is that you spare Flender's life."

Qian Renxue was somewhat surprised. "Oh? Someone like you would actually sacrifice himself for another?"

Zhao Wuji was not angered in the slightest. He calmly shook his head.

"What could I accomplish by living on in this decaying, broken body?"

"Besides, whatever you want me to do must be extremely dangerous. I might never return."

"Under those circumstances, I might as well choose something certain."

Having lived to his age, Zhao Wuji was no fool. On the contrary, he understood his situation very clearly.

Besides, if he survived the mission, wouldn't he gain an extra life out of the bargain?

Only a deal like that would keep him from losing out.

"Clever. You truly are no ordinary man, having earned the title of Immovable Wisdom King in the soul master world."

Qian Renxue offered a word of praise.

"I can agree to your request."

"And what I want you to do is very simple."

Qian Renxue's tone shifted, becoming cold and unfeeling, like a lofty deity in the heavens.

"Help me kill the Blue Silver Twin Stars' Three Siblings. Whether you succeed or fail, I can promise to spare Flender's life."

At those words, the air in the hall seemed to freeze for a moment.

Zhao Wuji gave a low chuckle.

"Hahaha... Someone of your standing actually needs me to deal with three youngsters?"

"You're planning to use this gravely wounded, broken body of mine as their whetstone, aren't you?"

"Fine! What a grand scheme! What tremendous daring!"

Zhao Wuji threw his head back and laughed, but there was not the slightest mirth in his eyes-only endless venom and killing intent.

His coarse, hoarse voice sounded like a howl from the depths of hell.

With an eagle's stare, he fixed his eyes on the black-robed woman and said, stressing every word, "I will not disappoint you."

"I'll kill the Blue Silver Twin Stars' Three Siblings! Not! One! Will! Remain!"

Qian Renxue's eyes were as unfathomable as a deep pool.

No one could glimpse their bottom.

"Very good."