It felt as though something had blocked her chest, leaving it tight and unable to make a sound.
She had thought he would be happy, but he was not.
But what exactly had Bibi Dong done for things to take such an unforeseen turn...
Xue Qinghe did not understand. He looked toward Snake Lance and Pufferfish, and a trace of displeasure rose on his face when he saw them hesitate to speak.
Snake Lance Douluo fell silent for a moment before finally saying shakily, "Your Highness, they say Bibi Dong murdered the previous pope, Qian Xunji, back then. Now the secret has come to light."
His words fell.
As though his entire body had been frozen in place, disbelief surfaced in Xue Qinghe's deep eyes.
His mind went completely blank, and a sudden terror seemed to clutch his heart tightly.
It left Xue Qinghe struggling to catch his breath.
"Impossible. No matter how wicked that woman is, she shouldn't have done something like that..."
Muttering to himself, Xue Qinghe began trembling uncontrollably, as though fate had toyed with him.
But if it was false...
Why would the Worship Hall have handled the matter with such thunderous speed?
Removing the pope from power was by no means a decision that could be made casually.
Struggling repeatedly within, Xue Qinghe felt increasingly dizzy and heavy-headed, and he closed his eyes heavily.
He no longer knew when he would have the courage to open them again.
Meanwhile.
Inside Spirit City.
A man dressed in black, sporting a neatly trimmed crew cut, had already arrived at his destination early.
It was none other than the great "Grandmaster," Yu Xiaogang.
His purpose in coming here was simply to meet Pope Bibi Dong, both to ask about the bottleneck in developing Twin Martial Souls and, more importantly, to sound out a path to safety for his beloved disciple under Spirit Hall's threat.
Only...
It was only after Yu Xiaogang arrived that he discovered Spirit Hall's sky had changed in the space of a single day!
"What did you say?"
"Pope Bibi Dong was taken down by the combined efforts of the Six Great Enshrined. She's locked in the forbidden prison now."
"Impossible! She's the all-powerful pope! Who in Spirit Hall could touch her!"
Seething with anger, Yu Xiaogang seized the collar of the old man who had kindly warned him, nearly killing him.
"Are you out of your mind?"
The old man broke free and hurried away after speaking, afraid that if he stayed a moment longer, the lunatic before him would strangle him to death.
He cursed as he went.
Anyone who didn't know better would think the pope was your ex-girlfriend. What the hell are you getting so worked up for?
Yu Xiaogang, meanwhile, stood rooted to the spot for a long while.
Everything had happened too quickly, too suddenly.
He clutched the Pope Token in his hand, unable to speak for a moment.
"Bibi Dong has been deposed..."
Those words echoed repeatedly through Yu Xiaogang's mind. His thoughts seemed to plunge into an icy river, his limbs powerless and his head growing somewhat muddled.
Had the woman who once stood at the very pinnacle of Spirit Hall really fallen from power and become a prisoner just like that?
He suddenly remembered many years ago, when she had still been young, when she had still smiled, when she had still waited for him beneath the moon.
Yu Xiaogang closed his eyes briefly.
When he opened them again, his gaze had changed.
He strode toward Spirit Hall, his steps swift, as though afraid he would waver the moment he stopped.
At that moment.
In the square outside Spirit Hall, two ranks of Spirit Hall knights stood with forbidding armor and eyes like blades.
Ignoring everything, Yu Xiaogang walked straight over.
"Stop."
The knight in charge raised a hand to block him, his tone icy. "These are restricted Spirit Hall grounds. Unauthorized persons may not enter."
Without speaking, Yu Xiaogang took the Pope Token from his robes and held it before his chest.
The golden token reflected a dazzling light beneath the sun. It was the symbol of Spirit Hall's highest authority-the Pope Token.
The lead knight's pupils contracted slightly, and he hesitated. "You are...?"
"Yu Xiaogang."
He gave his name. "I want to see Bibi Dong."
The knight's expression shifted. "Bibi Dong is a serious offender. No one is permitted to visit her."
"I know."
Yu Xiaogang looked over the knight's shoulder toward the tightly shut gates.
"But I have the Pope Token."
The knight was silent for a moment before shaking his head nonetheless. "No. But please wait a moment. I'll report your request immediately."
Yu Xiaogang said nothing more.
He simply stood there, waiting.
The knight hurried into the palace in a fluster.
Soon.
The news reached the Pope's Palace.
The knight jogged into the Pope's Palace and knelt below the steps, keeping his voice extremely low.
"Your Holiness, the man outside is named Yu Xiaogang. He holds the previous pope's token and wishes to see... to see that woman."
The hall was dimly lit. Qian Chenming reclined against his throne, his fingertips tapping lightly against the armrest, producing a series of dull sounds.
"Yu Xiaogang?"
He smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes.
"How amusing. This Gangzi really doesn't know how high the heavens are or how deep the earth runs."
He brought the former pope's token to force his way into the current pope's palace?
The more Qian Chenming thought about it, the less he knew whether to laugh or cry.
Then Qian Chenming slowly rose, the hem of his robes sweeping over the steps. He walked up to the knight, bent down, and gave him a few quiet instructions.
The knight froze briefly, then nodded and quickly withdrew.
In the square outside the palace gates, Yu Xiaogang was still standing where he had been.
He held his hands behind his back, his manner haughty.
He thought that with this Pope Token alone, entering Spirit Hall should pose little difficulty.
Only...
This wait was far too long.
Was that knight a snail? Even reporting a message took him forever.
Beneath the blazing sun, Yu Xiaogang began sweating profusely, and displeasure stirred in his heart.
He immediately ordered several knights to bring him a stool to sit on and even demanded something to shade him from the sun.
Under Yu Xiaogang's overbearing tyranny, the knights simmered with resentment, but outwardly they could only comply with his demands.
A long stretch of time passed like this.
So long that the midday sun slanted westward, so long that the knights patrolling the square changed shifts twice.
At last, the palace gates opened.
The knight from earlier emerged, only now he carried a large, conspicuous sign.
Seeing this.
Yu Xiaogang hurriedly stood and straightened his collar.
"Well? May I, the Grandmaster, enter now?"
The knight said nothing. He swept a cold glance over Yu Xiaogang, merely planted the sign beside the palace gates, then stepped back twice and stood at attention like the others.
Yu Xiaogang looked up.
A single line was written on the sign, its lettering neat and its paint fresh:
"Yu Xiaogang and dogs are forbidden entry!"
The square fell silent for an instant.
The wind still blew, yet the sign did not budge.
Yu Xiaogang stared at the words, his eyes narrowing slightly as his face immediately began to twitch.
Several muffled snickers came from behind him. A few knights turned their faces away, their shoulders shaking faintly.
They had received professional training, after all, and ordinarily would not laugh.
At that moment.
Yu Xiaogang did not move.
He slowly withdrew his gaze and looked down at the Pope Token in his hand, then clenched his fists.
In an instant.
The anger compressed deep in his heart erupted. As his Down syndrome flared up, Yu Xiaogang's eyes turned bloodshot, and he panted like an ox.
"Outrageous! How dare you people of Spirit Hall humiliate me like this!"
Before you continue