This spar naturally ended without a resolution when Gui Mei stepped in to stop it.
However, news that the Papal Hall had gained a genius with a thousand-year first soul ring quickly spread among Spirit Hall's higher-ups.
Almost everyone in the Elder Hall leaned toward Pope Bibi Dong, and they were all happy that she had found such a genius.
Over in the Worship Hall, however, apart from Old Qian, the other worshippers' attitudes became rather suggestive.
"Big Brother, I secretly went over for a look just now. That boy isn't even seven, yet his soul power is already at rank 17."
"Such talent really is terrifying beyond belief."
"With a thousand-year first soul ring on top of talent like that, in some respects, he even surpasses the young master back then."
Golden Crocodile Douluo spoke with a face full of shock.
Mighty Lion Douluo beside him looked equally puzzled.
"Second Brother, even if that boy used your Golden Crocodile Clan's body-tempering method, he still shouldn't have been able to obtain a thousand-year first soul ring, should he?"
"Could Bibi Dong possess a secret method for absorbing soul rings beyond one's limits?"
The worshippers discussed it all at once, finding it utterly inconceivable.
If that woman Bibi Dong had mastered such a method long ago, wouldn't she have sent it straight to that useless little crew cut?
Would Hu Liena's earlier soul ring configuration still have been so ordinary?
It seemed this was a secret method their Pope had only developed in recent years!
Clearly, when it came to reputation, Dongzi remained highly authoritative.
The worshippers soon guessed most of it.
Meanwhile, Old Qian sat steadily beneath the enormous Angel God Statue without uttering a word.
In this Angel Douluo's eyes, Jiang Huai's talent was certainly astonishing.
But without a divine inheritance, he would reach rank 99 at most, and that would be the end of it. He was nothing to fear.
Ultimately, how could a divine inheritance be so easily obtained?
"Second Brother, this is actually a good thing for our Spirit Hall."
"That boy Jiang Huai's White Tiger Martial Soul also possesses a rich light-attribute presence. Like our Spirit Hall's Angel Martial Soul, it represents light and justice."
"Xiao Xue will eventually inherit our divine lord's divine seat. Spirit Hall's legacy cannot be left without a successor."
At this point, Old Qian gave Golden Crocodile Douluo a meaningful glance and spoke softly.
"Besides, that girl Tianyao isn't much older than that boy Jiang Huai. They could spend more time together."
"The future belongs to their generation, after all."
At these words, Golden Crocodile Douluo slowly nodded in thought.
His granddaughter Tianyao's talent could be considered first-rate, but ultimately, she had only awakened the inferior Golden Crocodile Martial Soul, rather than inheriting his Golden Crocodile King.
Even with the Worship Hall's resources tilted in her favor, she would reach her limit if she was lucky enough to break through to Titled Douluo.
Going beyond rank 95 would be somewhat difficult.
"Big Brother, I'll give this careful consideration afterward."
Meanwhile, the scene shifted to the Nether Duke's Mansion in the Star Luo Imperial City.
No matter how unwilling Zhu Tiancai, the Nether Grand Duke, felt,
his second daughter Zhu Zhuqing becoming the consort of Third Prince Dai Mubai, and thus participating in the next Xuanwu Gate Tournament, was already set in stone.
At this moment, Empress Zhu Tiancai, First Prince Dai Weisi, and Third Prince Dai Mubai were all present in the spacious assembly hall.
Still adorably dim-witted, Zhu Zhuqing spotted the elder sister who usually doted on her most at first glance among the crowd. With a sweet, vacant expression, she rushed toward Zhu Zhuyun, hoping for a hug.
This time, however, the eldest sister who had always doted on her pushed her straight away, making tears instantly well up in her eyes.
Will of domination!
Activate!
"Foolish little sister, since you've completed your martial soul awakening, and your talent is so good..."
"From today onward, we sisters are competitors."
"Your big sister will give you some very thorough loving."
Little Zhu Zhuqing's eyes were filled with enormous confusion.
She truly did not understand what she had done wrong. Why had her sister suddenly started treating her like this?
Dai Weisi, standing beside them, thoroughly approved of Zhu Zhuyun's actions.
Besides, Zhu Zhuqing was already such a feast for the eyes at this young age. Once she grew up, she would surely be a proper little beauty.
His foolish younger brother could never handle a beauty like her.
In the future, perhaps...
The pleasures involved were not for outsiders to hear!
Dai Weisi immediately turned and spoke to Dai Mubai in a quiet, lingering tone.
"My foolish little brother, our struggle has begun too."
"Make sure you don't die young like our second brother."
"Your big brother is very much looking forward to the day you truly grow enough for me to take you seriously."
These words frightened Dai Mubai so badly that his delicate body trembled.
Damn it, what happened to my second brother really was that evil Dai Weisi's doing!
It looks like I'll have to speed up my plan to escape the Star Luo Empire!
Otherwise, who knows when I'll follow in my second brother's footsteps!
"Mubai, you all know the rules of our Star Luo Empire.
"From now on, Zhu Zhuqing will be your fiancée. Once she's a little older, the two of you should begin practicing your Martial Soul Fusion Skill."
"And Weisi, there's something you must remember too."
"There are things you may do in private, but the empire's public red lines must never be crossed."
Empress Zhu Tiancai spoke slowly.
Seeing such a sorrowful expression on her elder brother Zhu Tiancai's face, she, as his younger sister, had to follow the imperial family's rules, however unwilling she felt.
Ever since marrying into the Star Luo Imperial Family, she was no longer simply a member of the Nether Zhu Family. The imperial family's interests had to come first in everything.
Ultimately, Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi were both her dear sons. The palm and the back of the hand were both flesh.
Speaking of her own past, she was also the champion of the previous round of palace intrigue.
With things as they were, she could only make her elder brother and her birth family suffer a little more.
Yet just then...
A terrifying pressure suddenly appeared above the Nether Duke's Mansion.
The eyes of everyone present instantly cleared!
A Titled Douluo powerhouse!
They could not oppose this!
Bibi Dong's spiritual power instantly locked onto Zhu Zhuyun, whose pretty face had gone pale with fright. Raising her hand and closing her fingers, she seized the girl and pulled her over.
"Oh, quite a pretty girl."
Xiao Huai should like her very much, shouldn't he?
With that thought, Bibi Dong held Zhu Zhuyun's wrist and sent her soul power circulating through her body.
Fortunately, she was still untouched.
Otherwise, how could those withered flowers and broken willows be worthy of her exceptionally gifted disciple?