The following morning.
Just as dawn was breaking, Lin Mo finished dealing with everything and then came to the mansion with Dugu Bo, where they met Yue Guan, who had been waiting there for a long time.
Yue Guan was still dressed in white. After seeing Lin Mo come out, he nodded slightly and said, "Since everything is ready, let's set off."
Dugu Bo walked to Lin Mo's side and whispered, "Kid, relax. With me here, you won't suffer any losses."
Lin Mo nodded. "Thank you for your trouble, senior."
Without saying another word, the three immediately set off from the Dugu Manor. After leaving Heaven Dou City, they headed towards Spirit City.
As Titled Douluo, Yue Guan and Dugu Bo were naturally extremely fast, but Lin Mo was currently only Soul King.
Even with two Titled Douluo leading the way, and considering Lin Mo's physical limitations, the three of them traveled much slower than when they were traveling alone.
Traveling in such a hurry, they naturally arrived much later than Qian Renxue, who had set off earlier.
Two days later, in Spirit City.
Unlike regular cities, Spirit City is not quadrilateral, but hexagonal.
The city wall is extremely majestic, standing eighty meters high and over thirty meters thick.
The soldiers patrolling the city wall wore the uniforms of the Spirit Hall and exuded a calm demeanor; they were clearly all Soul Master.
Upon entering the city, the streets are wide and clean, and the buildings on both sides are orderly and well-organized.
Dugu Bo looked around, a hint of emotion in his eyes. "It's been quite a few years since I've been here."
At this point, he pointed towards the city center. "See those two buildings?"
Lin Mo looked in the direction he was pointing.
In the center of Spirit City, there are two particularly eye-catching buildings.
The most magnificent of the buildings, a columned dome structure halfway up the mountain, is covered with a special golden material.
The other one is located atop a hill. It is much smaller than the Pope Hall. The two are somewhat similar in structure, but the latter is as white as jade and is far less conspicuous than the Pope Hall.
"That golden building is the Pope Hall, and it's our destination," Dugu Bo said. "The smaller white building above it is the Douluo Hall."
At this point, Dugu Bo's voice carried a hint of nostalgia, " The Douluo Hall is where Titled Douluo are bestowed their titles."
"Back when I broke through to Level 90, I also came here to receive the title of 'Poison'."
Lin Mo listened quietly.
" The Pope Hall and the Douluo Hall have two different functions," Dugu Bo continued. " The Pope Hall is where the Spirit Hall handles daily affairs and issues orders."
The Douluo Hall is more symbolic, enshrining the memorial tablets of deceased Titled Douluo.
However, the Pope Hall also contains an Elder Hall, Elder Hall members are all Titled Douluo with cultivation Level 90 or higher.
At this point, Dugu Bo suddenly patted Lin Mo on the shoulder, his tone serious. "You have extraordinary talent, kid. You'll definitely have a chance to enter the Douluo Hall in the future."
Before Lin Mo could speak, Yue Guan, who was standing to the side, was already visibly impatient. " Old Poison, we can talk about these old matters later."
His Holiness the Pope has been waiting in the palace for some time; let us not keep him waiting any longer.
Dugu Bo glanced at him, snorted, and didn't say anything more.
The three quickened their pace and headed towards the Pope Hall.
Yue Guan led the two directly towards the main hall.
Guards in golden armor stood on either side of the palace gate. Upon seeing Yue Guan, they bowed respectfully and then pushed open the heavy palace gate.
The council chamber was brightly lit. The high dome was inlaid with colorful glass, and sunlight shone through the glass, casting dappled shadows on the floor.
At the far end of the hall stood a large Pope throne.
At this moment, a woman sat on the throne.
She wore a magnificent black robe with gold trim, Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown, and held a jeweled scepter.
It was none other Bibi Dong, the current Pope of the Spirit Hall.
Beside her stood a man dressed in black. The man was completely shrouded in a black robe, his face obscured, revealing only a pair of deep, dark eyes.
It was none other than Ghost Douluo Gui Mei.
To Lin Mo's surprise, there were two other people in the hall besides them.
The person with golden hair and golden eyes, and an exquisitely beautiful face, was none other than Qian Renxue, whom he had met once before.
However, at this moment she did not disguise herself as Xue Qinghe, but appeared in her true form, wearing a simple Platinum dress, with a noble and otherworldly temperament.
The other person was an old man with white hair and beard, making it impossible to tell his exact age. He wore a golden robe with intricate patterns embroidered in silver thread.
Lin Mo's heart stirred slightly.
The meaning of the golden robe in the Spirit Hall had already been explained to him by Dugu Bo during their journey. It was a garment worn only by Worship Douluo with a cultivation Level 95 or above in the Elder Hall.
He hadn't expected Qian Renxue to appear in person, especially in her true form, and he certainly hadn't expected another Worship Douluo to be present.
Yue Guan stepped forward and bowed. "Your Majesty, Lin Mo has been brought here."
After speaking, he turned to the old man in the golden robe and respectfully said, " Second Worship."
Upon hearing Yue Guan's address, Lin Mo immediately recognized the identity of the golden-robed elder.
The Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo, possesses a cultivation level of Level 98 and the top-tier Beast Martial Soul, the Golden Crocodile King. Among the Elders of the Spirit Hall, his status is second only to the Great Enshrined, Qian Daoliu.
Golden Crocodile Douluo nodded slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on Lin Mo.
Bibi Dong's gaze also fell on Lin Mo, her eyes calm.
Just then, Qian Renxue suddenly chuckled softly.
She took two steps forward, standing in front of Lin Mo, a playful smile in her golden eyes, "What, it hasn't been that long since we last met, and you don't recognize me anymore?"
The voice was clear and crisp, with a hint of teasing.
These words surprised everyone present.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance, both of them looking puzzled.
Dugu Bo frowned slightly, looked at Lin Mo, and asked in a low voice, "When did you see her?"
Lin Mo's mind raced, but his face displayed just the right amount of embarrassment.
He looked at Qian Renxue, coughed lightly, and said, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Lin Mo, I'm twelve years old, and I'm a student at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
" Sister Xue, it's been a long time."
Qian Renxue's smile deepened, but a dangerous glint flashed in her golden eyes. "Aren't you eighteen years old and named Mo Ling?"
His tone carried a hint of gritted teeth.
Lin Mo scratched his head, his expression calm. "When you're traveling the martial world, your identity is something you give yourself, so you always have to be careful."
He spoke with such confidence and without batting an eye.
Qian Renxue stared at him for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing, "Fine, I won't hold it against you this time."
The conversation between the two made the atmosphere in the hall suddenly become subtle.
Dugu Bo leaned close to Lin Mo's ear and asked in a low voice, "When exactly did you see her? How come I don't know?"
Lin Mo said frankly, "I encountered him last time when Soul Hunting in the Star Dou Great Forest."
This Sister Xue is very kind; she even gave me a Sun Insect King Soul Beast with a cultivation level of 30,000 years.
That is, the Soul Beast that provided me with my Fifth Soul Ring.
Upon hearing this, Dugu Bo nodded thoughtfully.
He never expected Lin Mo to have this kind of encounter.
Although the girl's exact identity is unclear, it's evident from her appearance that she holds an extremely high position within the Spirit Hall.
Thinking of this, Dugu Bo felt somewhat relieved.
This means that Lin Mo's trip will be much less risky.
Golden Crocodile Douluo's gaze remained fixed on Lin Mo, but he remained calm and did not speak.
Yue Guan coughed lightly, breaking the brief silence.
He turned to Lin Mo and reminded him, " Lin Mo, this is His Holiness the Pope."
Lin Mo understood, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully. "Junior Lin Mo greets His Holiness the Pope."
Bibi Dong nodded slightly, her voice calm. "No need for formalities."
She sized up Lin Mo, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before she slowly spoke, " Lin Mo, the reason I had Yue Guan invite you here is to ask you something."
Lin Mo looked up and met her gaze. "Your Majesty, please speak."
Bibi Dong, wielding her scepter, slowly rose from her throne, looking down at Lin Mo. "You are only twelve years old, yet you have already broken through to the Soul King realm, and your Fourth Soul Ring is already ten thousand years old. Such a cultivation speed is unparalleled in the history of the continent."
She paused, her tone becoming serious, "I want to know the reason why you were able to cultivate so quickly."
If the method can be replicated, it will be of great help to all Soul Master in the world.
At that time, you will not only have made great contributions to the Spirit Hall, but you will also be remembered in history and revered by future generations of Soul Master!
These words sounded exceptionally grand and righteous, and were filled with an air of self-righteousness.
Upon hearing this, Lin Mo fell silent for a moment. He detected a hint of hypocrisy and insincerity in Bibi Dong's extremely eloquent words.
If Bibi Dong's purpose was truly that simple, why would she have sent Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan to Heaven Dou City in person, using such a forceful approach to "invite" her here?