But at that moment...
The corner occupied by the Spirit Hall Team was much quieter than usual.
Hu Liena sat on a bench, her gaze resting not on the arena but on the back of her own hand.
Xie Yue leaned against the wall with his arms folded, his expression downcast.
Yan stood on the other side, clenching his fists before loosening them again.
The silence lasted a long time.
Only then did Hu Liena draw a deep breath, her fingertips tightening slightly:
"We have to win these grand finals, and we have to win decisively."
Then she raised her head, her gaze growing firm. "Only by winning the grand finals might we lessen some of Teacher's guilt."
Xie Yue looked at her and nodded without answering.
Although he outwardly agreed with his younger sister, inwardly, he felt it was very unrealistic.
Bibi Dong had murdered the previous pope, Qian Xunji.
That was not a sin that a few young people like them could make up for.
Still...
He did not undermine his sister's determination.
Yan, standing beside them, obligingly picked up the conversation. "Nana is right."
"This final isn't just about the championship. It's also about helping Teacher."
Yan spoke with a rare seriousness in his voice. "Nana, don't worry."
"In this battle, I'll make everyone remember the Spirit Hall Team's name."
As his words fell...
On the central arena platform...
Salas, Spirit Hall's Platinum Bishop, cleared his throat. His voice began spreading through his soul power, carrying across the entire arena.
"Everyone, the rules of the grand finals remain the same as in previous years: three elimination rounds, with each match decided in a single bout. Prohibited drugs are forbidden, and violators will be disqualified."
He paused, sweeping his gaze across the crowd, his tone suddenly becoming more solemn.
"But today is different from previous years. His Holiness the Pope of Spirit Hall will personally attend this opening ceremony to watch the competition."
The instant his words fell, an uproar swept through the stands.
The pope was attending in person? This was a first!
Although it had previously been announced that the pope would appear during these grand finals and even crown the eventual champions, that had all concerned the later stages of the grand finals.
But this time was different.
His Holiness the Pope had come for the opening ceremony alone.
With Spirit Hall undergoing a change of leadership, it was hard not to invite further speculation.
In the VIP seats, Ning Fengzhi's hand paused slightly around his teacup, his gaze shifting unobtrusively toward the passage leading to the raised dais opposite him.
Dugu Bo said quietly, "The pope is here in person? Good. Let this old man see just what sort of person he is."
At that moment, Ning Fengzhi leaned toward the person beside him. "Your Highness, since the pope has come in person, I'm afraid we must pay our respects."
Xue Qinghe did not reply. He merely nodded, his gaze sharpening slightly as he looked toward the end of the passage.
Tens of thousands of gazes converged at the same moment on the gilded doors high above as they slowly opened.
The doors opened.
Qian Chenming walked at the front.
He wore a white robe patterned with gold, its hem moving without a breeze.
Behind him, the Six Great Enshrined stood in a line, their soul power auras as deep as abysses and vast as seas, pressing down so heavily that people could scarcely breathe.
Farther behind, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo flanked him on either side, following like shadows.
The next moment...
Commoner soul masters, competitors, and even the distinguished guests from various nations in the VIP seats, including the Heaven Dou Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, all dropped to one knee and called out greetings to His Holiness the Pope in a display of reverence.
Such was the authority Spirit Hall now held across the continent.
Then the entire venue fell silent.
It was not a deliberately subdued silence, but a stillness in which even their breathing seemed to have been drawn away.
Qian Chenming walked to the center of the dais and stopped, casually sweeping his gaze over the people below.
In the competitors' preparation area, many young soul masters instinctively lowered their heads.
In Heaven Dou Royal Academy's preparation area, both Yu Tian Heng and Dugu Yan froze for a moment.
"So that's the new pope?"
"He's so young..."
"Look at those six behind him. Could they be the legendary enshrined, all of them Titled Douluos?"
Among the newly reorganized Godwind Academy team, Feng Xiaotian was utterly transfixed.
He had only heard of these Six Great Enshrined in legends. Supposedly, even Bibi Dong could not command them.
He had never expected that today, they would all appear alongside the new pope, Qian Chenming.
Then...
From his elevated position, Qian Chenming withdrew his gaze and raised a hand, pressing it down lightly.
The noise throughout the venue instantly subsided.
"Everyone." His voice was not loud, yet it reached every person's ears clearly. "For today's grand finals, Spirit Hall, as the host, asks only for fair competition."
He paused, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly:
"As for who takes the championship, let your abilities decide."
That simple sentence abruptly tightened the atmosphere in the competitors' preparation area.
Having finished speaking, Qian Chenming stepped back half a pace and sat in the seat of honor that had already been prepared.
The Six Great Enshrined stood to either side, with Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo behind him. The grandeur of the assembly was unmatched in Spirit Hall's past decade.
At that moment, Salas stepped forward on the arena platform below and resumed speaking. "Next, the representative of each team will come forward to draw lots and determine the first-round matchups!"
The atmosphere finally returned to the competition itself.
In the VIP seats...
Chen Xin narrowed his eyes and said quietly, "This pope is no ordinary man."
Gu Rong frowned. "In what way?"
Chen Xin shook his head without answering. His gaze rested on that platinum-colored figure, and he kept feeling an indescribable pressure emanating from him.
Dugu Bo, however, could not help muttering under his breath, "How could this lad be so young?"
He could scarcely imagine it.
Someone so young was, at the very least, a powerful soul master at the Titled Douluo level.
Otherwise, there was no way he could occupy that lofty papal throne.
"Spirit Hall truly does produce one talented person after another. I'm afraid even losing Bibi Dong would barely affect their overall strength."
Dugu Bo sighed with feeling.
Then he suddenly addressed those beside him. "Gentlemen, what level do you think His Holiness the Pope's cultivation has reached?"
Hearing this, Chen Xin fell silent for a moment before slowly shaking his head. "I can't see through him."
Those words carried immense weight coming from his mouth.
Hearing them, Ning Fengzhi felt towering waves surge through his heart.
Leaving his strength aside for the moment...
He had managed to bring the Six Great Enshrined, who usually lived in seclusion and rarely ventured out, along with him.
That was clearly the most extraordinary part.
Then Ning Fengzhi turned to the person beside him and asked respectfully, "Your Highness, what is the matter today? You've been distracted all this time."
As his words fell...
Xue Qinghe came back to himself and smiled faintly, with a trace of bitterness. "On this trip, it seems I've encountered far too many things I could never have anticipated."
Although he did not fully understand the specific meaning, Ning Fengzhi felt he grasped the gist and immediately offered reassurance:
"There's no need to worry, Your Highness. Things depend on human effort."
"Yes, Teacher, you're right."
Xue Qinghe replied, yet his expression subtly darkened.
Countless thoughts wandered through his mind, and at that moment, he could not calm down at all.
Turning his gaze toward the dais, he wanted only to return as soon as possible and get to the bottom of things.
Spirit Hall.
What exactly had happened there during these past days...?
Before you continue