Her Martial Soul Avatar had automatically dissipated, and the eight Spider Spear retracted into her body, leaving only eight barely perceptible cracks on the clothes on her back.
Her face was paler than usual, and her breathing was somewhat erratic, but her deep, abyss-like eyes still burned with a light that made people afraid to look directly at her.
Bibi Dong raised her hand to wipe away the blood that had spilled from the corner of her mouth; the dark red stain on her fingertips was particularly striking under the moonlight.
An unprecedented chill appeared on that exquisitely handsome face.
Her gaze did not immediately turn to the direction Xiao Yan had fled.
Although the bluish-white streak of light was rapidly moving away on the horizon, almost disappearing below the horizon, it glanced at the location of the Elder Hall Spirit Hall.
Qian Daoliu did not make a move.
Throughout the entire battle, the old man stood at the entrance of the Elder Hall, his hands behind his back, as if watching a play that had nothing to do with him.
Bibi Dong certainly knew that Qian Daoliu had his reasons for not taking action.
But she also knew that Qian Daoliu was watching her.
Therefore, she cannot pursue him.
She must remain in Spirit City to stabilize the situation.
But Xiao Yan must be brought back.
That kid only left for a year and he brought back such terrifying power. What if he were given another year? Two years?
At that point, he probably won't just run away; he'll come knocking on our door.
This threat must be nipped in the bud.
His secrets must also be known to her.
After only a moment's hesitation, Bibi Dong made her decision.
She waved her hand, and two dense clusters of Soul Power flew out from her palms, flowing into Yue Guan and Gui Mei's bodies respectively.
The Soul Power had a warm, pale golden luster; it was the pure power that Bibi Dong had condensed with her own cultivation.
After the Soul Power entered their bodies, Yue Guan and Gui Mei's originally pale faces became much rosier at a visible speed, and the erosion of the wind attribute Dou Qi in their bodies was also temporarily suppressed.
"Go after them. Find them alive or dead."
Bibi Dong's voice was as cold as a Han Feng blowing from the Far North Ice Plains, leaving no room for negotiation.
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the two faces, her tone now carrying an undeniable air of command.
"He must have been exhausted after unleashing that sword strike, and now is when he is at his weakest."
The secret he possesses must remain with the Spirit Hall.
"Yes, Your His Holiness the Pope!"
Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance.
Although the two looked disheveled, a fire ignited in their eyes at the same time.
Aside from the Great Sumeru Hammer attack by Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao, this was the first time the two of them had suffered such a great loss.
Three Titled Douluo joined forces to set up a defense, yet they were forced into this situation by a Soul Emperor.
Their Martial Soul Avatar has been shattered; if word gets out, where will they put their faces?
Moreover, they all witnessed firsthand the power contained within Xiao Yan's stone.
A Soul Emperor, relying on a single strike sealed by a powerful figure from another world, was able to force three Titled Douluo to such a state.
If they could obtain the secret within Xiao Yan —that strange wind-attribute power, that method capable of traversing two worlds—then...
How terrifyingly powerful would their strength become?
Thinking of this, both Yue Guan and Gui Mei's breathing became heavier involuntarily.
That was greed from the depths of the soul, a thirst for power, and a yearning for a higher realm.
Although they were already Titled Douluo, standing at the top of the pyramid on the Douluo Continent, they knew better than anyone else.
There are differences even among Titled Douluo.
The gap between them and Bibi Dong was an insurmountable chasm.
The secret within Xiao Yan might just be the key to overcoming that insurmountable barrier.
Without further hesitation, the two nodded in agreement and sped off simultaneously.
A golden light flashed beneath Yue Guan's feet, and he transformed into a golden shooting star, speeding after Xiao Yan in the direction he had left.
The Gui Mei figure blurred in place for a moment, then turned into a wisp of black smoke and dissipated into the air, reappearing dozens of feet away the next moment.
The two, one in the light and one in the shadows, one fast and one unpredictable, were like two sharp arrows locked on their prey, chasing after the bluish-white streak of light that was about to disappear into the horizon.
Meanwhile, in Spirit City, the resident elders and personnel of various forces had already been alarmed by this sudden change.
The fear instilled by the giant azure sword that had traversed the sky had not yet dissipated from their hearts.
The envoy of the Heaven Dou Empire stationed in Spirit City stood on the roof of the post station, looking up at the gradually subsiding energy ripples in the sky. His face was ashen, and his legs were still trembling.
His deputy was in an even worse state, slumped on the roof, his fingers still trembling violently as he gripped the chimney.
The spies of the Star Luo Empire, on the other hand, appeared to be more professional.
They activated their communication Soul Tool immediately after the shockwave ended, transmitting the news back to their home country as quickly as possible.
The representatives of the Seven Great Sects stationed in Spirit City were ashen-faced, their hearts filled with turbulent emotions.
They are different from others.
They are top experts from various sects, including many Soul Douluo- level beings, whose perception of power is far more acute than that of ordinary people.
It was this keen awareness that made them understand better than anyone else just how terrifying that sword strike was.
They witnessed firsthand the simultaneous release of the three Martial Soul Avatar in mid-air, and saw the golden flower shield shatter, the Gui Ying body torn apart by sword energy, and the Death Spider Emperor's eight Spider Spear break apart inch by inch.
The scene was beyond their entire understanding of "battle".
One man, one sword, forced back three Titled Douluo.
When did such a powerful figure appear in the Douluo Continent?
This has never happened before in the records of the major sects.
Neither Tang Hao of the Clear Sky Sect nor Bibi Dong of the Spirit Hall could have unleashed such a terrifying attack when they were twenty years old.
This cannot be explained by "genius" alone; there must be some kind of power behind it that they are unaware of.
Everyone realized the seriousness of the matter.
The news spread from Spirit City to all corners of the Douluo Continent in an instant.
Countless communication Soul Tool were activated simultaneously, countless carrier pigeons were released, and countless spies began their journey through the night.
Within three days, news of the attack on Spirit City by a mysterious powerful figure and the destruction of the Pope's Palace will spread throughout the entire continent.
The chain reaction triggered by this is enough to change the political landscape of the entire continent.
In the Elder Hall, beneath the statue of the Six-Winged Angel.
Qian Daoliu remained seated, cross-legged on the futon.
After witnessing the earth-shattering collision at the temple entrance, he slowly strolled back and sat down again at the feet of the Angel God Statue.
His movements were slow, each step exuding a calm and steady quality honed by the passage of time.
His breathing remained even and deep, as if what had just happened was merely a minor incident.
But his inner world was far from as calm as it appeared.
Those cloudy eyes, however, had become incredibly sharp.
That sharpness wasn't something he deliberately displayed; rather, it surfaced instinctively as Qian Daoliu recalled certain long-forgotten events.
He has lived for too long, long enough to witness the rise and fall of countless powerful figures on this continent.
But he had only seen a scene like today in one other person.
The man who single-handedly fought against the entire Spirit Hall back then, Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao.
Even Tang Hao, at just over twenty years old, could not possibly possess such power.
The azure sword light that stretched across the sky still seemed to be reflected in Qian Daoliu's eyes.
That wasn't Soul Power, nor Soul Skill, nor any kind of power belonging to the Douluo Continent that he knew of.
He realized the power came from another world much earlier than anyone else.
Because he is the guardian of the Angel God, his understanding of the power of this world is far deeper than anyone else's.
That's why he was able to accurately determine that the power contained in that sword energy was fundamentally different from the power system of the Douluo Continent.
Qian Daoliu tapped his fingers lightly on his knee, his wrinkled, aged face expressionless.
However, Qian Daoliu did not expect that Xiao Yan's attack would actually be able to injure Bibi Dong.
When the sound of the eight Spider Spear snapping inch by inch was heard, Qian Daoliu's fingers paused for a moment on his knee.
In that instant, a very complex emotion flashed in his eyes.
Seeing Bibi Dong send the two Titled Douluo, Chrysanthemum and Ghost, to pursue Xiao Yan, while she herself returned to the ruins of the Pope's Palace, a complex look flashed in Qian Daoliu's eyes.
He knew why Bibi Dong didn't pursue him personally...
Can those two people catch up?
Qian Daoliu silently typed a question mark in his mind.
The speed that young man displayed had reached an extremely terrifying level.
Even Gui Mei, the fastest person in the Spirit Hall, might not be able to surpass him in pure speed.
Moreover, since that young man dared to come back and unleash such a devastating attack in Spirit City, it means he must have prepared a way out for himself.
Kiku and Kiyo's pursuit this time is unlikely to be very successful.
But these are no longer his concerns.
Qian Daoliu finally sighed, closed his eyes again, and returned to the Angel God Statue.
The sigh was very soft, lingering only for a brief moment in the empty Elder Hall before being carried away by the wind.
He sat cross-legged again, placed his hands on his knees, and his breathing gradually returned to its previous long and steady rhythm.
It was as if the thrilling battle just now was merely a minor disturbance to him, one that he didn't need to get involved in.
The statue of the Six-Winged Angel still stands quietly in the center of the temple, its face both compassionate and solemn.
Sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows of the dome, casting dappled shadows on the sculpture's wings.
P. S. I hope the quantity will make up for some of the flaws (thank you so much!).