Investigation from Bibi Dong

Spirit City, Pope's Palace.

Inside the grand and towering hall, candlelight burned brightly. Gold and splendor dazzled the eye, while an imposing, solemn atmosphere filled every inch of the air.

Upon the seat of honor, a figure sat upright on the elevated platform.

She was a woman dressed in a luxurious purple-gold robe and wearing a Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown. In her hand, she held a scepter nearly two meters long and inlaid with countless gemstones. Her bearing was noble, her features cold and breathtaking, and her pair of purple eyes were like an abyss that no one dared look directly into.

She was none other than Bibi Dong, the current master of Spirit Hall and the Pope who shook the entire continent.

"What did you say? A 100,000-Year Soul Beast with three heads?" Bibi Dong slowly spoke, her voice as cold as frost and filled with disbelief.

"Yes, Teacher." Hu Liena stood in the hall and respectfully nodded. A trace of shock still lingered in her tone.

Bibi Dong narrowed her purple eyes slightly but did not speak.

Just then, Chrysanthemum Douluo quietly stepped forward and said, "His Eminence the Pope, in my opinion, that Soul Beast's strength... is definitely more than 100,000 years."

"Its strength far surpasses that of the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python. But strangely, I have looked through Spirit Hall's records on Soul Beasts, and there seems to be no mention of anything like it."

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong let out a cold snort and slightly raised her purple eyes. She said indifferently, "The Star Dou Great Forest is vast, stretching thousands of miles in every direction. There are far too many regions that humans have never set foot in. The existence of Soul Beasts undiscovered by Spirit Hall is perfectly normal."

As she spoke, a cold smile curled at the corners of her lips, and a chill flashed through her eyes.

"However... this is good news."

"Once I have my hands free, I can personally lead people into the Star Dou Great Forest to investigate."

"If this Soul Beast is truly, as you said, far stronger than the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python..."

"Then hunting it and using its Soul Ring for my Second Spirit would be ideal."

Hu Liena pondered for a moment before stepping forward and speaking again.

"Teacher, there is one more matter I must report."

"Besides encountering that three-headed Soul Beast on this trip, we also met a Soul Master whose Martial Soul was Blue Silver Grass. If he had not stayed calm in the critical moment and promptly directed us, I and the others might never have broken through the encirclement of that group of Soul Beasts."

At this point, a trace of confusion and solemnity entered Hu Liena's voice.

"Blue Silver Grass is considered a Waste Spirit, yet he managed to cultivate it to that level. That is truly rare. He could control Blue Silver Grass to instantly heal our injuries, and his recovery ability was far superior to Xu Yu's. He was definitely no ordinary Support-Type Spirit Master."

"Judging from his Spirit Power Fluctuation... his strength should be around Level Thirty."

"Teacher, a genius Soul Master with both such talent and ability would be an enormous aid in your unification of the entire continent if he could be recruited by Spirit Hall."

After Hu Liena finished speaking, silence descended over the hall.

Bibi Dong's brows furrowed slightly. She slowly rose, lightly tapping the floor twice with the Scepter in her hand. The dull echoes rang out as her purple eyes stared ahead. In a low voice, she said, "Blue Silver Grass Spirit?"

"Blue Silver Grass..."

It seemed she had thought of something. A complicated emotion flashed through her eyes, but in the next moment, they returned to their usual coldness and majesty. She said no more.

Immediately afterward, Bibi Dong turned to look at Ghost Douluo beside her and said solemnly, "Gui Mei."

"I am here." Ghost Douluo respectfully stepped forward and knelt on one knee.

Bibi Dong's voice was icy, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Immediately investigate every Soul Master on the continent whose Martial Soul awakened as Blue Silver Grass and who possesses Innate Soul Power within the past fifteen years."

"Pay particular attention to those whose cultivation speed has clearly accelerated abnormally in recent years."

"No matter where they are or what their family background is... I want all their information."

"Yes, His Eminence the Pope." Ghost Douluo lowered his head and nodded.

After speaking, his figure flashed, and he silently disappeared from the center of the hall.

Bibi Dong gazed into the empty depths of the hall, her purple eyes unfathomable. She murmured to herself, "Blue Silver Grass... Blue Silver Grass... could it be?"

At the same time, Heaven Dou City, Crown Prince's Mansion!

It was noon. Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves in the garden, scattering patches of light across the flagstone path and the blooming flowerbeds.

Deep in the garden,

a golden-haired youth was holding a silver watering pot and quietly watering a blooming Purple Orchid.

He was none other than Xue Qinghe, the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire.

Or rather, he was Qian Renxue, who had disguised herself as the Crown Prince.

Just as she slowly tilted the watering pot in her hand,

a shadow silently appeared behind her.

"Whoosh—"

"Young Master!"

The Black-Robed Man appeared like a shadow and quietly knelt on one knee, respectfully saluting.

"What is it?"

Qian Renxue seemed to have noticed him long ago. Her eyelids lowered, and her tone was calm.

The Black-Robed Man lowered his head and reported in a deep voice, "Young Master, the person you have been waiting for has arrived at Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

"I have already ordered people to secretly follow and observe him. We just received word that as soon as he arrived at the Academy, he beat Xue Beng thoroughly and caused some trouble."

Hearing this, Qian Renxue's watering motion paused slightly. A trace of amusement flashed through her eyes, and the corners of her lips rose faintly as she gave a cold laugh.

"Xue Beng?"

"Heh heh, if that Waste Spirit had not always hidden behind Prince Xue Xing and relied on that old fellow Dugu Bo to protect him, I would have sent him down to join his two older brothers long ago."

The Black-Robed Man said nothing, simply lowering his brows and waiting respectfully for the next order.

After a moment, Qian Renxue calmly withdrew her gaze and said softly, "Go tell Uncle She Long to secretly keep an eye on this savior of mine."

Having said that, she lowered her eyes again and gently raised the silver watering pot, pouring the last drop of clear water onto the flower beside her. The petals trembled, and the crystal droplets refracted a soft gleam beneath the sunlight.

"Yes." The Black-Robed Man lowered his head in acknowledgment.

As his voice fell, his figure suddenly trembled. As if swallowed by the night, his entire body vanished from the spot in an instant, as though he had never existed.

Qian Renxue remained standing where she was, gazing at the Purple Orchid she had just watered. A breeze brushed past, making the leaves tremble and sending a few droplets of water flying.

She slowly straightened, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips as she murmured to herself, "After all these years, you've finally come to Heaven Dou City."

Elsewhere, at Heaven Dou Royal Academy,

Sun Buyu pushed open the door of the Academy's Education Committee office and walked out. His expression was calm as he looked at Tang Chuan, who was waiting outside, and said, "I have already reported your matter to the Three Education Committee Members. They told me to take you directly to the leader of the Imperial Dou Team, have him assess you, and then decide whether you can stay."

"If they have time, they will also come personally to supervise the assessment later."

After saying this, Sun Buyu paused slightly and looked at Tang Chuan.

"Good." Tang Chuan nodded.

But then he changed the subject. A hint of profundity showed in his expression as he said, "However... before we go, I would like to make a request."

"Hm?" Sun Buyu frowned slightly and asked in confusion, "What request?"

Tang Chuan's gaze remained calm as he said indifferently, "I have met the people from the Imperial Dou Team once before."

"You just said that the Three Education Committee Members might come to supervise the assessment, so I want to wear a mask and temporarily conceal my identity. That way, they will not recognize me from the start and make it seem as though they are deliberately going easy on me."

"That way, no one will be able to use it against me when I join the Imperial Dou Team."

"Oh? You've met the people from the Imperial Dou Team?" Sun Buyu was slightly stunned. His expression shifted, and he looked at Tang Chuan with a half-smile.

"That would be for the best. After all, you did not enter through the Academy's formal assessment. If people learned that you already knew the people from the Imperial Dou Team, it would inevitably give rise to gossip behind your back."

"With this arrangement, no one will dare say anything about the Crown Prince behind his back."

Tang Chuan nodded without saying more. With a swipe of his hand, he took a black mask with golden patterns from the Soul Tool he carried. It was about the size of a palm and depicted a Ghost God.

He then slowly put the mask on his face.

With a soft click, the mask fitted against his features and instantly merged with Tang Chuan's bearing. His entire aura also changed imperceptibly at that moment.

The handsome, clear-featured youth became mysterious and unfathomable in the blink of an eye.