Crimson Mother!

A figure entered the hall and knelt on one knee in the narrow beam of light, facing the throne ahead.

"Your Holiness the Pope!"

"Miss Ah Yin has been escorted away safely!"

The newcomer was none other than Yue Guan.

During Qian Xunji's battle with Qian Daoliu, Qian Xunji had been forced to compromise to protect Ah Yin. Afterward, he had arranged for Yue Guan to escort her away.

"Did she leave any message for you?"

A raspy voice came from the darkness.

Hesitation appeared on Yue Guan's face before he spoke.

"No, Your Holiness!"

"Good. You may leave."

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

The hall's doors closed again, and the entire papal hall once more fell into darkness.

Inside the hall where Qian Daoliu resided, he faced the gigantic statue of the Six-Winged Angel, his brow clouded with sorrow that would not lift.

Although he had sent Ah Yin away, something seemed to have gone wrong with Xun'er too.

After what had happened, he did not know whether Xun'er was still qualified to begin the divine trials!

When will my Qian Family's lineage be able to make Angel's Glory shine once more?

The scene shifted, and two days passed.

On the platform outside the papal hall, figures crowded together. Soul Masters from all directions had gathered for this grand ceremony.

Under the gaze of the multitude, Qian Xunji, Pope of Spirit Hall, stepped out from the crowd in his papal robes.

"Welcome, everyone, to Spirit Hall's Saintess Ceremony. Since the very founding of Spirit Hall..."

After a speech, Qian Xunji announced loudly,

"Today, I appoint Bibi Dong as the Saintess of Spirit Hall, to carry forward virtue and together promote the flourishing of Soul Masters!"

Several ceremonial salutes thundered, and the celebration officially began.

The various sects came forward one after another to offer congratulations and gifts.

After the formalities came the main event of the day.

The Soul Master tournament!

Spirit Hall had set up ten arenas, and every Soul Master present could participate. A victor who defended an arena for ten consecutive matches would qualify for the finals.

The prizes Spirit Hall offered for the finals were three Soul Bones: a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, a Five-Thousand-Year Soul Bone, and a Thousand-Year Soul Bone, to be awarded to the top three finalists respectively.

Soul Bones were incredibly scarce, yet Spirit Hall had produced three at once. That was also why so many Soul Masters had hurried to attend the Saintess Ceremony.

If they performed well in the tournament, they might not only obtain a Soul Bone but also catch Spirit Hall's eye and soar into the heavens from then on.

The Soul Masters in the arenas fought until their heads broke and blood flowed in their struggle for the Soul Bones, but Qian Xunji seemed rather uninterested in the main seat. Beside him sat Bibi Dong, who had just been appointed Saintess.

The little girl watched the dazzling Soul Skills and all manner of Martial Soul Avatars in the arenas, her wide eyes unblinking.

"Teacher, will I be as powerful as them someday?"

Just as Qian Xunji was lost in thought, a clear child's voice came from beside him.

Qian Xunji turned to see the disciple he had taken in not long ago looking at him with eyes full of anticipation.

"Xiao Dong, there's no need to envy them. Your future achievements will far surpass theirs!"

"Really, Teacher?"

Bibi Dong's expression immediately filled with delight.

"Mm! In three years at most, you'll surpass many of the people here!"

Qian Xunji replied calmly.

"Teacher, I'll definitely work hard at cultivation!"

Bibi Dong raised her little fist and spoke with a serious expression.

When the tournament ended, Soul Masters from sects took the Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone and the Five-Thousand-Year Soul Bone. Only one Soul Master of common birth obtained the final Thousand-Year Soul Bone.

As he had hoped, this commoner Soul Master also caught Spirit Hall's attention and was subsequently recruited.

The crow flew and the rabbit ran, and a month had passed since Spirit Hall's Saintess Ceremony.

That day, Qian Xunji was teaching Bibi Dong to cultivate when Yue Guan strode quickly over.

"Your Holiness! We've found traces of that group of black-robed people again in a remote area!"

"Xiao Dong, practice on your own."

"Yes, Teacher!"

"Come to the papal hall and give me a detailed report!"

Qian Xunji and Yue Guan went to the papal hall.

Qian Xunji swept his robes aside, slowly sat down, and spoke to Yue Guan before him.

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

"According to the report, one of our Soul Masters went to that mountain village to help the children of the proper age awaken their Martial Souls, but when he arrived, he found that the little village had already been destroyed."

"A strange eyeball pattern had been left in the village!"

Qian Xunji frowned after hearing him out.

"What? You didn't catch that group of black-robed people?"

"No, Your Holiness!"

"It seems to me that this group of black-robed people has been performing some kind of ritual. Could it be connected to some evil cultivation method?"

Qian Xunji recalled the evil eyeball pattern he had sensed when he saved Bibi Dong, and his heart grew heavy.

For ten thousand years, evil Soul Masters had vanished without a trace under Spirit Hall's suppression and preventive measures.

But now evil Soul Masters like these black-robed people seemed to have formed an organization. This was an open provocation against Spirit Hall.

"Inform the two great empires and have them conduct strict screenings within their borders."

"At the same time, order all Martial Soul Sub-Halls and branch halls to do everything they can to track down the black-robed people, and pay particular attention to any activity in Slaughter City!"

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

Half a month later, Spirit Hall found traces of the black-robed people and captured two of them, who were escorted to Spirit City.

Inside Spirit City's prison, Qian Xunji walked toward its depths.

The cells on either side held villains and Fallen Soul Masters captured from various places. After trial, most of the Fallen Soul Masters would be sent to Slaughter City.

That was the true land of evil and depravity.

As he went deeper, the screams grew clearer, until he reached the torture chamber at the very end.

Two gaunt men with sunken eyes, their bodies covered in all manner of runes and radiating an evil presence, were being viciously flogged with specially made whips.

"Your Holiness the Pope!"

At the sight of Qian Xunji, everyone dropped to one knee and paid their respects.

"Have you gotten anything out of them?"

Qian Xunji asked evenly.

"Reporting to Your Holiness, these two Fallen Soul Masters have tight mouths. We can't pry them open at all!"

"But they've kept muttering one name."

A Soul Master answered.

"What name?"

"They've been shouting something about 'my lord, the Crimson Mother; sacrifice your own soul and gain eternal life.'"

Qian Xunji frowned slightly after hearing this.

There was no need to guess: the Crimson Mother was certainly some evil thing, but he had never heard of her before.

"Damn Spirit Hall! When my lord descends, every one of you will become my lord's blood food!"

One of the men suddenly roared.

"Damn thing, you still dare shout and yell!"

A Soul Master beside him began lashing the man viciously with a spiked whip.

"Ah! Ah!"

"My lord, the Crimson Mother, ah! Sacrifice your own soul and gain eternal life! Ah!"

Screams immediately rang throughout the torture chamber.

Qian Xunji swept a cold gaze over the two men. Looking at the tadpole-like runes on their bodies, he thought of Bibi Dong.

"Go and tell the Saintess to come here and see me!"

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

A Soul Master took the order and left!