The finalists are announced

Within the consciousness space, Tang Hao scrambled and rolled, struggling to survive the jaws of the Soul Beasts. A Silver Moon Wolf lunged at him, chaotic elemental energy clinging to its body.

Tang Hao rolled sideways, then hurriedly attacked with his Sleeve Arrow.

His son Tang San had personally strapped this small crossbow onto him, and under the current circumstances, it really was a tremendous help.

"Hmph, that useless Little San. Heh, he actually got eliminated so early. Still, these little gadgets of his really are useful. The brat still has some value for now, or I would have stopped bothering with him long ago."

Dodging another Geodog's snapping jaws, Tang Hao flung several Hidden Weapons backhanded. However, he was not proficient in Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers, and the Hidden Weapons he launched often flew crookedly, with only one or two carrying much force.

"These clever little tricks aren't my own strength, and I always have to clean up afterward. What a hassle."

Fortunately, relying on his unpracticed Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track footwork and his barely initiated Purple Demon Eye, Tang Hao managed to hold on against the Soul Beasts, despite one perilous close call after another.

"These strange things Little San taught me really are useful. I should have him teach me more when I get back. Still, Little San has such delicate skin, just like his mother."

In the blink of an eye, another Soul Beast attacked. Tang Hao had no time to think further and immediately spun around, retaliating with his Sleeve Arrow. Only when he truly could not dodge did he bring out the Clear Sky Hammer to deliver a vicious blow.

However, the Clear Sky Hammer was tremendously draining. Although everyone was now without Soul Power, the Clear Sky Hammer still rapidly depleted his stamina.

By the time Tang Hao finally killed all one hundred Soul Beasts, this Sky Curtain Competition had reached its end.

[This round narrowed ten thousand contestants down to ten. The ranking matches will begin tomorrow and will be broadcast live across the entire continent. Contestants, please prepare yourselves.]

Images of ten people now appeared in the sky curtain above, along with their names and brief introductions:

[Blacksmith Lou Gao]

[Poison Douluo Dugu Bo]

[Stink to High Heaven Yu Xiaogang]

[Wreathed in Karmic Fire Ma Hongjun]

[Peerless Prodigy Ning Rongrong]

[Sky War God Qian Renxue]

[Heaven-Defying Luck Oscar]

[Strongest Attack Tang Hao]

[Ultimate Charm Hu Liena]

Looking at the list on the sky curtain, Tang Hao sneered. "Just a few rotten fish and stinking shrimp. Even a blacksmith made the list. First place is mine for certain."

Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun had long since been brought into the Papal Hall. Bibi Dong stared fixedly at him, her eyes bloodshot.

She simply could not accept that she actually had to give herself to this sleazy fat man.

Ma Hongjun, however, could not have cared less. He already had a death-exemption token, so he was naturally brimming with confidence:

"Your Holiness, what did you call me here for? Couldn't hold back your thirst and wanted me to take care of it? Still, I really didn't expect Your Holiness's willpower to amount to so little. You couldn't even measure up to a fatso like me."

Bibi Dong secretly gritted her teeth. "Damn you, you fat pig. Don't think you have me in your pocket. I can make you suffer at any moment."

"Oh? How does Your Holiness intend to make me suffer? Whipping me with instruments of torture? Those don't seem to do much to me."

Bibi Dong sneered. "Did you know that a Soul Master can actually be crippled?"

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Spirit Hall possesses a method to collapse and disperse a Soul Master's Soul Power. Or, to go one step further, we can completely destroy a Soul Master's Martial Soul."

Ma Hongjun's expression grew grave. "You're bluffing."

Bibi Dong chuckled softly. "Whether I'm bluffing is for you to judge. After all these years of development, Spirit Hall has reserves beyond your imagination."

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Ma Hongjun's cheek. A shattered Martial Soul-that was something he had never imagined.

If his Martial Soul truly was completely annihilated, what use would it be even if he could remain alive forever? At that point, he would probably never get ahead for the rest of his life.

Ma Hongjun's face was grave, but Bibi Dong sneered. "You don't need to look at me like that. I'll tell you the truth. This method is top secret even within Spirit Hall, and I would have to pay a considerable price to accomplish it. Don't think you have me in your pocket. As long as you remain beneath me, I can keep you firmly in the palm of my hand. Now, I'm giving you a chance. Come here and remove this curse from me."

Ma Hongjun snorted. "I told you long ago that it's impossible. Once the curse is established, it absolutely cannot be lifted. If you don't believe me, try whatever methods you like. Not even a god can remove this power."

"What?" Bibi Dong stared at Ma Hongjun, her gaze cold and venomous.

Could Bibi Dong possibly not know whether a god could lift this curse? She herself was a Divine Test taker chosen by a god, and she could communicate with that god by paying a certain price.

She had already asked the god.

Bibi Dong raised her voice. "Then come here and help me ease this damned curse!"

Ma Hongjun sneered. "With pleasure."

The two once again practiced the moves in the Bhagavad Gita, but this time, Ma Hongjun's movements were even more unrestrained, and Bibi Dong let him do as he pleased.

Ma Hongjun guided Bibi Dong through one difficult Yoga pose after another. Bibi Dong felt her constantly restless body rapidly soothed, all her agitated emotions disappearing. The instinctive restlessness that had once troubled her swiftly vanished, and a rare smile of comfort appeared on her face.

Bibi Dong sighed with immense satisfaction. Her current physical condition was sheer enjoyment to her. Her mind was clear, and those endless intimate fantasies no longer appeared in her head.

Bang, bang, bang!

Bang, bang, bang!

A burst of urgent knocking came from outside the hall.

"Bastards! Didn't I say not to disturb me!"

A Temple Army soldier's voice came from outside the door. "Reporting to Your Holiness, we have found the theoretical Grandmaster, Yu Xiaogang."

Bibi Dong's movements instantly slowed. Thoughts also surged through Ma Hongjun's mind, but he immediately wrapped both arms around Bibi Dong's body and continued moving.

"Damn it, I have urgent business."

"What urgent business do you have that requires seeing that Yu Xiaogang? That man is nothing but a sanctimonious fraud. What's there to see?"

Anger suddenly appeared on Bibi Dong's face. "Aren't you getting far too insolent, daring to speak to me like that?"

"What? Even the sky curtain acknowledged that he's a stupid pig, but Your Holiness won't let anyone say so? Could Your Holiness be in love with that Yu Xiaogang?"

"Who I love is not for you to comment on!" Bibi Dong gave a direct order. "Invite Yu Xiaogang here. Treat him respectfully, understood?"

"Yes!" The Temple Army soldier outside accepted the order and left.

Ma Hongjun's Yoga movements grew increasingly wild.

"Stop, stop! Damn it, I said stop! Are you deaf?"

"Your Holiness, do you really want me to stop? You should know that we're practicing a cultivation method. If we suddenly stop, something very terrifying will happen."

"What terrifying thing?" Bibi Dong snorted. "I think it's just your vile male nature acting up, and you want to take liberties with me."

Ma Hongjun took a gentlemanly step back and made an inviting gesture. In an instant, red Karmic Fire blazed fiercely over Bibi Dong's body.

Bibi Dong immediately felt as though something was driving her body to create, to reproduce, and even to slaughter, to drink deeply of someone's blood.

"Damn it, how could this happen? Why is the reaction so strong this time?" Bibi Dong could not make out the red flames and merely assumed it was caused by stopping the cultivation method midway. "Ma Hongjun, I order you to come back and continue!"

"Your Holiness, you were the one who personally ordered me to stop just now."

"Now I'm telling you to continue."

"If I stop whenever you tell me to stop and continue whenever you tell me to continue, wouldn't that leave me with no dignity at all?"

Bibi Dong secretly gritted her teeth. "Damn it, I can barely suppress my urge to attack. Do you want to die at my hands?"

The earlier scenes of Soul Beasts tearing into one another flashed through Ma Hongjun's mind.

At the thought of those Soul Beasts being replaced by Bibi Dong, tearing into him with her strength as a Limit Douluo, she would probably swallow him whole, skin and bones, in an instant. Ma Hongjun shuddered, quickly stepped forward, and began taking back the red flames on Bibi Dong's body.