Spirit City, a residence
Yu Xiaogang lay on the bed, his face pale, while several Shrek teachers and students stood around him.
Flender frowned deeply. "How did this happen?"
Liu Erlong's pretty face flushed red with anger, and she shouted, "Did that woman bully you? I'll go avenge you!"
"No... it wasn't her. It was a young man named Lin Chen," Yu Xiaogang said weakly. "I heard from the people in Spirit City that they got married."
"Lin Chen?!" Liu Erlong's brows drew tightly together, and her pretty face turned icy. "We understand. Get some rest."
"Xiao San, come out with me, all of you!"
The Shrek Seven Devils followed her into the courtyard.
Liu Erlong folded her arms, squeezing a deep valley into her cleavage. Her pretty face was icy as she said, "You must win the championship in the finals this time. If you run into that young man named Lin Chen, remember to avenge your teacher!"
A fierce glint flashed through Tang San's eyes. "Grandmaster is my teacher, and he treats me like his own son. Rest assured, Teacher Liu. I'll defeat Spirit Hall and avenge my teacher!"
Xiao Wu linked arms with her. "Mom, don't worry. We'll definitely win."
Liu Erlong stroked Xiao Wu's pretty face, and only then did her icy expression soften a little. "All right, I'm counting on you in a few days~"
The Pope's Palace
Bibi Dong asked softly, "Husband, what do you think?"
"There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests!" Lin Chen analyzed the situation using what he knew from his previous life. "Nana was right. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has close ties to the Clear Sky Sect and the Heaven Dou Empire."
"As long as we offer them substantial benefits, we won't have to worry about them not being tempted!"
Hu Liena froze for a moment, her heart pounding. He called me Nana. How can he call me Nana when Teacher is still here?!
Ghost Douluo explained, "Your Majesty, we've made them offers several times before. His Holiness the Pope not only promised them substantial benefits, but also offered them two additional elder seats in Spirit Hall. Even so, they refused."
Lin Chen said calmly, "That's because there's no trust between you. If they joined Spirit Hall, it would mean a complete break with the Clear Sky Sect and the two empires. They're also worried that Spirit Hall will settle accounts with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect afterward, so they haven't dared to agree."
Bibi Dong asked, "Then what should we do?"
"Simple. Give Ning Fengzhi a pill to settle his nerves. Doesn't he have a daughter? We can send a male disciple with status and strength to marry her and bring her over~" The corners of Lin Chen's mouth rose slightly.
"With the bonds of marriage, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will have no choice but to tie itself to Spirit Hall's war chariot. More importantly, they'll be able to put their minds at ease."
"But we need to be the ones to propose it. Otherwise, Ning Fengzhi won't easily tear up all pretense with the Clear Sky Sect and the Heaven Dou Empire."
He had to have strength and status!
Did Spirit Hall have a male disciple like that?
Ning Fengzhi's daughter was said to be exceptionally gifted, having reached the Soul Ancestor realm before she was sixteen!
If that was true, only Yan and Xie Yue of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation were barely talented enough to be worthy of Ning Rongrong. But the problem was that they were just ordinary disciples, with no backing whatsoever in Spirit Hall.
As for the disciples who had elders or worshippers backing them in Spirit Hall, they were either too weak or too old. Some were even old enough to be Ning Rongrong's father.
Was there no suitable candidate in Spirit Hall?
No, there was one more!
Bibi Dong, Hu Liena, and the two elders all turned as one to look at Lin Chen, who was lounging around beside them.
Hm?
Lin Chen was taken aback. "Why are you all looking at me? I washed my face when I got up this morning!"
Bibi Dong frowned slightly. At the thought of Lin Chen being intimate with another woman, she actually felt a little uncomfortable. "We'll discuss this another time. The Soul Master Academy finals are in three days. I intend to open Spirit Gathering Mountain once more."
Like Death Canyon, Spirit Gathering Mountain was a secret cultivation ground of Spirit Hall. The former could increase Soul Power, while the latter could hone abilities and provide suitable Soul Rings.
But Spirit Gathering Mountain opened only once every three years, and the number of places was limited. Only a select few exceptionally gifted disciples were qualified to enter.
Only half a year had passed since it last opened, yet Bibi Dong was opening it again. It went without saying who it was for.
The three were a little startled. Ghost Douluo hurriedly said, "Your Holiness, Spirit Gathering Mountain opened only half a year ago. Its spiritual Qi probably hasn't fully replenished yet, and this goes against the rules. The Worship Hall will probably have something to say about it again."
Bibi Dong slowly rose and snorted coldly. "I am the Pope of Spirit Hall. I have the authority to decide when it opens. Pass down the order!"
"Yes."
An hour later, deep in the rear mountains
Dozens of Spirit Hall disciples gathered there under the leadership of Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo. Yan and Xie Yue were among them, though Yan was wrapped in white bandages from head to toe. His face was pale, and he looked to be in terrible shape. More importantly, the ones leading the group were not them, but Spirit Hall's previous Golden Generation.
There were a hundred places each time Spirit Gathering Mountain opened, but its spiritual Qi was insufficient now, so the two elders could only cut the number in half and focus on training disciples from the Pope's faction.
Tap, tap...
Just then, a handsome man and a charming woman slowly approached. Their arrival immediately caused a stir among the disciples. One was the husband of Spirit Hall's Pope, and the other was His Holiness the Pope's personal disciple and the most beautiful female disciple in Spirit Hall.
Swish! Swish!
"He's Lin Chen? I heard he has a red Soul Ring and took Yan down in a single move. Is that true?" asked a young man at the front who looked to be in his twenties.
His name was Zhao Yan, a golden disciple of Spirit Hall's previous generation. At just thirty years old, he was already a level sixty-eight Soul Emperor.
"Senior Brother, it's true. I was there at the time. Although he's only a Soul King, his Soul Power is no less abundant than a Soul Emperor's. A deacon said so himself."
The young man said with interest, "Oh? Is that so?"
The two walked straight to the front of the group, and all the disciples made way for them as they passed.
Hu Liena explained gently, "Spirit Gathering Mountain has nine levels in all. Successive popes have laid a Soul Power barrier over this place. The higher you go, the denser the spiritual Qi, but you also have to withstand greater gravitational pressure. This is also meant to temper the disciples."
Lin Chen nodded and said with a smile, "Mm, thank you for clearing that up, Nana."
Hu Liena's pretty face reddened, and she didn't dare meet his eyes. "Teacher instructed me to do this. You don't need to stand on ceremony with me, Your Majesty."
Lin Chen asked cheekily, "Then if Dong'er hadn't instructed you, would you have been close to me, Nana?"
Hearing that, Hu Liena lowered her head even further. Her pretty face was scarlet as she nodded. "Mm~"
Not far away
"Pfft..."
Seeing the two flirting, Yan was so furious that his internal injuries flared up, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Yan!"
"Yan, what's wrong?!"
"Quick, carry him back for treatment!"
Hm? What's going on?
Lin Chen looked at him in some confusion. "The secret realm is about to open. How did he suddenly get hurt?"
Hu Liena knew Yan's personality. She frowned slightly and explained, "Your Majesty, ignore him. He can't stand seeing others happy. He brought it on himself."
The corners of Lin Chen's mouth rose slightly. "Nana, don't keep calling me Your Majesty every other word. We're so close already. Call me something else."
"Then... Brother Lin Chen?" After saying it, Hu Liena quickly turned her head away in embarrassment, her bearing alluring and seductive.
Heavens, how could I call him Brother? He's two or three years younger than me!
No, wait. Teacher is much older than him, and didn't she marry him and call him Husband?
Mm, he shouldn't be angry, should he?
Lin Chen froze for a moment. Being called that by Hu Liena, this vixen, made his heart leap, and his large hand slipped around her slender waist of its own accord.
Thump!
Hu Liena's delicate body trembled and her heart pounded, but she didn't refuse him!
Not far away
"Pfft..."
Seeing Hu Liena nestled against Lin Chen's shoulder, Yan spat out another mouthful of blood, then passed out...