The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's council hall.
Ning Fengzhi stood before the window with his hands behind his back, an urgent report delivered by a communication Soul Tool held between his fingers, a deep furrow creasing his brow.
"Uncle Gu, Uncle Jian."
He turned, his gaze as still as a deep pool:
"Word has come from Shrek Academy. Shrek encountered an attack by a Titan Giant Ape in Sunset Forest. The Little Monsters had a fright, but fortunately, no one was seriously injured."
Bone Douluo Gu Rong's expression immediately changed:
"What about Rongrong? Is Rongrong all right?"
"Rest assured, Uncle Gu. Rongrong is completely unharmed."
Ning Fengzhi raised a hand reassuringly:
"It's just that... the sect's intelligence network has uncovered some interesting things about that shop."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin frowned slightly:
"That little shop that even made Shrek suffer a setback?"
"Precisely."
Ning Fengzhi slowly walked back to the seat of honor and sat down, tapping the armrest lightly with his fingertips:
"According to our intelligence, that little shop has something called a Game Pod, which allows Soul Masters to start cultivating again from scratch in another world."
"Moreover, they say that anyone who enters a Game Pod will gain Twin Martial Souls when they emerge!"
Gu Rong gently stroked his graying beard, curiosity rising in his eyes:
"Such a wondrous thing. I really would like to see it for myself."
Chen Xin shot him a sidelong glance, his tone carrying a teasing edge:
"Old Bones, have you gone senile in your old age? You actually believe such tales from the Arabian Nights?"
Gu Rong was about to argue when Ning Fengzhi raised a hand to gently stop them both, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
"Uncle Jian, sorry for the trouble, but please go to Shrek first and bring Rongrong back."
Chen Xin raised his eyebrows slightly:
"Fengzhi, wouldn't it be better if we first investigated that little shop to see what's real and what isn't, then brought Rongrong back?"
Ning Fengzhi slowly shook his head, his expression solemn.
"I have a premonition. Besides, Uncle Jian, you know perfectly well that our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Martial Soul has an inherent fatal flaw that is difficult to remedy. There's no harm in going there to take a gamble this time. It won't take much time."
At these words, Chen Xin's expression sobered, and he nodded solemnly.
As the words fell, sword light suddenly flashed. Sword Douluo had already ridden his sword away through the sky.
Meanwhile.
Three Titled Douluo flew over and landed outside the little shop.
The woman leading them wore a dark purple robe embroidered with gold patterns and a Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown. Her face was coldly beautiful beyond compare, and her phoenix eyes seemed to hold all the chill light of a starry night.
She stood there without the slightest trace of Soul Power leaking from her, yet the two Titled Douluo behind her unconsciously softened even their breathing.
Bibi Dong.
The Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall, a Level 98 Super Douluo.
"This is the place?"
Bibi Dong's voice was as cold and clear as icicles striking one another.
"Yes, Your Holiness."
Yue Guan answered cautiously:
"After Gui Mei and I personally tried those Game Pods that day, we did indeed awaken Twin Martial Souls."
Bibi Dong said nothing more. She raised a hand and opened the shop door with her Soul Power. A rush of cold air met her face as she slowly walked inside.
"Welcome."
Standing behind the counter, Lin Yue wore a composed smile.
Bibi Dong did not respond.
Her gaze passed over Lin Yue and settled on the rows of spacious-looking Game Pods inside the shop.
Through the pods, several figures could faintly be seen lying quietly within, their faces peaceful.
She walked over and bent down to gaze at the face of someone inside a pod. After observing for a moment, she gave a slight nod.
"Had you not demonstrated those Twin Martial Souls before me that day, I would never have believed such a miraculous thing existed in this world."
After a pause, Bibi Dong glanced back toward the counter. "Now that I've seen it with my own eyes, it seems you truly weren't deceiving me."
With that, she walked to the counter and scrutinized Lin Feng from above.
Her gaze was utterly calm, yet it carried an innate authority, like a monarch surveying her own domain.
In her eyes, all the powerful Soul Masters, all the factions, and all the opportunities on this continent would ultimately fall under her control.
"What is your name?" she asked.
Her tone was mild, yet carried an unquestionable air of scrutiny.
Something stirred in Lin Feng's heart, and he vaguely guessed a few things. His expression remained unchanged, however, as he replied:
"Lin Yue. You can just call me Boss Lin."
Bibi Dong nodded slightly, as though confirming some trivial matter, then spoke as if it were only natural:
"Very well. From now on, you will serve Spirit Hall. I will have someone deliver one million Gold Soul Coins to you each month. Nothing in this shop is to remain open to outsiders."
She spoke with breezy indifference, as though the price of one million Gold Soul Coins were already an immense favor.
Lin Feng fell silent.
Just as expected.
This madwoman who couldn't have the one she loved would ultimately still use every means to amass power and dominate the continent.
And then... destroy the entire Douluo Continent by any means necessary...
And so, he slowly shook his head.
Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow slightly.
She clearly had not anticipated such a response. Almost no one on the Douluo Continent could refuse a million offered in Spirit Hall's name. This seemingly ordinary young man before her had a greater appetite than she had imagined.
"Three million a month."
She raised her offer without hesitation, her tone still mild.
Without even a change in expression, Lin Yue shook his head in refusal once again.
Bibi Dong finally frowned.
"Young man."
Her voice grew colder:
"By coming here in person, I have already shown you every courtesy. Do you know what it means to refuse Spirit Hall's olive branch?"
The air inside the shop abruptly grew still. Yue Guan and Gui Mei stiffened their backs at the same time as an invisible pressure spread from the Supreme Pontiff, the Soul Power of a Level 98 Super Douluo surging silently.
Yet a smile curved Lin Yue's lips.
"Can you, Bibi Dong, represent all of Spirit Hall?"
Bibi Dong's gaze abruptly turned frosty. The gentleness in her eyes vanished completely, replaced by utter coldness and majesty.
A mere owner of some nameless little shop actually dared to defy her wishes time and again.
She remained silent for two breaths, suppressed her anger, and once again laid down a weighty bargaining chip, her tone carrying the last of her patience:
"Five million Gold Soul Coins a month. In addition, I will grant you one request. Anything, so long as it is within my power, I can agree to it."
"Well?"
Such terms were enough to send any Soul Master faction on the continent into a frenzy.
Yet Lin Yue could not even be bothered to raise his eyelids:
"I think I've made my position quite clear. If you have no other business, leave."
The hall was so quiet that a falling pin could have been heard.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei held their breath at the same time. They knew the Supreme Pontiff's temperament all too well. A refusal like this was practically trampling on her face.
The chill in Bibi Dong's eyes finally turned into tangible fury.
"Young man, I treated you with kind words, yet you refuse the wine of a toast only to drink the wine of punishment. Do you know that some prices in this world are beyond your ability to pay?"
Lin Yue smiled. "You're welcome to try."
Bibi Dong said no more. Soul Power instantly surged within her. She would make this fellow who knew neither the height of heaven nor the depth of earth understand exactly what the pressure of a Level 98 Super Douluo meant.
Yet.
Nothing happened.
Her right hand froze in midair. The Soul Power within her, vast as an ocean, had actually been forcibly cut off. Her Martial Soul lay as silent as a dead thing, giving not the slightest response no matter how she tried to stir it.
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