Peerless Douluo, Qian Daoliu

One month later.

Spirit City, Elder Hall.

This was the largest building within Pope Hall, and it represented the seat of Spirit Hall's greatest power.

Inside the towering domed building, a spacious hall lay just beyond the entrance. The open dome was nearly thirty meters high, with three floors around it, each containing ten rooms.

Except under highly unusual circumstances, the requirement for residing here was Soul Power above Level 90 and strength at least equal to that of a Titled Douluo.

This was the true seat of Spirit Hall's highest authority. Even the Pope was subject to its control.

Elder Hall was quiet at the moment, but it was far from empty. On the contrary, it was filled with people.

At the innermost end of the hall stood a statue ten meters tall, its entire body gleaming gold. Three pairs of wings spread behind it, and in its hand it held a great golden sword aloft, pointing straight at the heavens.

A person stood quietly before the statue, his back to the entrance as he gazed up at the solid-gold figure.

From behind, he appeared to be a tall man, though not a muscular one. He wore a plain gray robe, and his long black hair hung loose down his back, neatly combed.

Standing there, he gave off a peculiar impression. It was as if he and the Six-Winged Angel statue were one and the same, with no distinction between them.

The sunlight streaming into the hall through the huge windows around him converged on him alone, despite the plainness of his clothing.

Yet simply standing there, he gave others the urge to bow down and worship him.

Four men stood behind him.

All four wore golden robes, each embroidered with a different pattern. The patterns were stitched in silver thread and represented their respective Martial Souls.

Golden robes and silver embroidery marked them as the worships of Spirit Hall's Elder Hall.

Spirit Hall had built itself up over many years, and its deep foundations were beyond the reach of any Soul Master sect. It had more than ten elders at the Titled Douluo level, and the strongest among them were the worships of Elder Hall.

Every worship in Spirit Hall had been promoted from among the elders of Elder Hall, and each possessed power far surpassing the Pope's.

The one who could stand before them was naturally the Great Enshrined at the pinnacle of Spirit Hall's power, Qian Daoliu.

Bang, bang, bang! A knock sounded on Elder Hall's heavy doors, breaking the silence in the hall.

The elder standing closest to Qian Daoliu stepped forward and said, "Great Enshrined, the Pope and the others should be here."

Qian Daoliu turned his head and said calmly, "Let them in."

His voice was not loud, but it carried throughout the entire hall and beyond its doors.

With a creak, the doors of Elder Hall opened. Qian Xunji, dressed in the Pope's robes, walked slowly into the hall with a large group following behind him.

The Pope's two guardian Douluo, the brothers Qian Jun and Jiang Mo; the brothers Yue Guan and Gui Mei; and the newly appointed Titled Douluo, "Flame Douluo" Jun Kuang.

Every one of them was a Titled Douluo, and according to Spirit Hall's rules, they were all elders of Elder Hall.

Two more special individuals followed them into the hall: Spirit Hall's saintess, Bibi Dong, and its genius, Jun Yan.

"Greetings, Great Enshrined!" Everyone bowed except Qian Xunji, whose position was below that of the five worships.

"Rise." Qian Daoliu's voice was perfectly calm.

Everyone straightened up, except Qian Jun and Jiang Mo, who fell directly to their knees. "We brothers have failed the Great Enshrined. Not only did we fail to bring Sea God Island under our command, we also lost men and two Titled Douluo. We ask the Great Enshrined to punish us!"

Hearing this, Yue Guan and Gui Mei, who had just stood straight, hurriedly dropped to their knees behind Qian Jun and Jiang Mo with a smack.

Qian Daoliu's face was expressionless as he said calmly, "The Pope ordered the expedition to Sea God Island. Even if mistakes were made, it is for him to decide how to punish you. Why are you kneeling to me?"

At those words, Qian Xunji's expression turned ugly.

What's that supposed to mean? So it was all my bad decision, then!

Without raising his head, Qian Jun Douluo said directly to Qian Xunji, "We have committed a grave mistake. Please punish us, Your Holiness."

To punish them or not to punish them-that was the question.

Qian Xunji began to fret. Though they were father and son, he and Qian Daoliu were not particularly close, and in recent years, the conflict between them had grown even more intense.

In the eyes of everyone else in Spirit Hall, Pope Qian Xunji was a genius of his generation. But Qian Daoliu was a genius himself, and one of the three great Peerless Douluo on the Douluo Continent. Qian Xunji simply could not measure up to his father.

Qian Daoliu thought his son was inadequate and wanted him to obediently carry on the Angel Martial Soul, but Qian Xunji refused to accept that and would not listen to his old man.

After enough of this back and forth, their relationship as father and son deteriorated.

The attempt to bring Sea God Island under their command had been a move by Qian Xunji to increase his prestige. Unfortunately, he had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it. Not only had he failed to achieve his goal, but his prestige would also suffer a severe blow.

Qian Xunji remained silent, and no one present dared to speak. Once again, the hall fell silent.

After a long while, Qian Daoliu finally broke the silence. "Your Holiness, I wonder how you intend to punish them. Why not make your decision here in Elder Hall, so that we worships can bear witness?"

"As the saying goes, the law must take human circumstances into account. This operation failed not because the elders fought poorly, but because the enemy was too powerful. Even so, they cannot go unpunished. Let the two elders reflect on their mistakes in seclusion for three years!"

"Thank you, Your Holiness." Qian Jun and Jiang Mo could hardly conceal their excitement as they thanked him.

In truth, the moment Qian Daoliu handed the authority to punish them to Qian Xunji, they knew they were safe. They were utterly loyal to the Great Enshrined, and the Pope would surely hesitate to smash the rat for fear of breaking the vase.

Having let the two off, Qian Xunji turned to Ju and Gui behind them.

"I also know what Elder Ju and Ghost Elder did on Sea God Island. They used their Martial Soul Fusion Skill to trap the enemy and withdrew from battle only after exhausting their Soul Power. Afterward, they gathered the remnants of our defeated forces and preserved Spirit Hall's strength. From the look of it, the two elders are not only free of fault, but deserving of credit.

"Spirit Hall has always been clear in its rewards and punishments. The two elders have served diligently in the Enforcement Corps for many years. Now that Elders Qian Jun and Jiang Mo must reflect on their mistakes in seclusion, let the two of you take charge of the Enforcement Corps!"

Six Titled Douluo had gone to Sea God Island, and two had died, both of them Qian Xunji's trusted aides. When the news reached Spirit Hall, his heart had ached so badly that he could scarcely breathe.

Fortunately, Spirit Hall had gained three more Titled Douluo. If he could bring them under his command, he could still recoup some of his losses.

At his words, Yue Guan and Gui Mei's faces lit up with delighted surprise. "Thank you, Your Holiness."

Qian Daoliu added, "The failure of this operation was a tremendous blow to Spirit Hall. Besides punishing these few, we must also make proper arrangements for the families of the other Soul Masters who sacrificed their lives. These are all matters the Pope must attend to."

Qian Xunji answered obediently, "You are absolutely right, Great Enshrined. I will remember."

"You must remember this lesson. The next time you have an idea, think three times before you act," Qian Daoliu admonished.

"Yes!"

Having finished his admonishment, Qian Daoliu began sending them away.

"The Pope presumably has other matters to attend to, so I will not keep you in Elder Hall."

Qian Xunji cupped his hands toward Qian Daoliu, then turned and left Elder Hall. The others were just preparing to follow.

Qian Daoliu spoke again. "Elder Jun Kuang, Saintess, Jun Yan, the three of you stay a moment."

A trace of surprise appeared in Jun Kuang's eyes, but he obediently stayed behind.

Bibi Dong and Jun Yan were not surprised in the least. It was on the Great Enshrined's orders that the two of them had been allowed into Elder Hall before receiving their titles, so it was almost certain he would keep them behind to talk.

Qian Xunji looked back, glanced thoughtfully at Jun Kuang, then at Jun Yan, before turning away and leaving.

After the others left, Qian Daoliu closed his eyes without a word.

Soon, the hall was quiet again.

This time, the elder beside Qian Daoliu broke the silence. "If I remember correctly, Your Highness, you have Twin Martial Souls?"

Before they came to Elder Hall, Jun Kuang had already introduced the five worships to Jun Yan.

The oldest of them was the Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo. He was extremely old, senior even to Qian Daoliu, and a Level 98 Peak Douluo.

"Yes," Bibi Dong answered obediently.

"Twin Martial Souls have tremendous potential, especially if one waits until becoming a Titled Douluo before adding Soul Rings to the Second Martial Soul. But no one with Twin Martial Souls has yet managed to bring out that potential. I hope you can be the first, Saintess."

"Thank you for your kind words, Worship!" Bibi Dong bowed.

Golden Crocodile Douluo continued, "I believe that boy Yu Yuanzhen's son is also in Spirit City?"

"Yes. His name is Yu Xiaogang," Bibi Dong answered.

"I've also heard that although he was born into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, his talent is abysmal. Are you close to him, Saintess?"

Bibi Dong immediately sensed trouble and did not answer at once.

But Golden Crocodile Douluo paid no mind to whether she answered. He said directly, "I'm an old man who speaks plainly. Spirit Hall has spent enormous resources raising you. Have you never thought about how you should repay it? Over the years, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's stance has gradually become clear. In the end, you are not people walking the same path. Saintess, you must not lead yourself astray."

"Thank you for the reminder, Worship," Bibi Dong said, her heart full of apprehension.

Golden Crocodile Douluo nodded. "I have given you my warning. You may leave, Saintess."

Bibi Dong bowed to Qian Daoliu before turning and leaving.

The doors of Elder Hall closed once more, and only then did Qian Daoliu open his eyes.

Jun Yan saw a flash of golden light in Qian Daoliu's eyes, though he could not tell whether it was an illusion.

"Jun Yan, you've reached the Soul Saint level?" Qian Daoliu asked.

"Yes," Jun Yan said with a nod.

A faint layer of golden light suddenly appeared around Qian Daoliu, radiating boundless majesty and holiness, just like the Six-Winged Angel statue behind him.

Then a surge of overwhelming pressure burst outward from his body, covering the entire hall in an instant.

Jun Yan felt a powerful pressure strike him head-on and sweep over his entire body.

Bang-

In the blink of an eye, Jun Yan was forced down onto one knee. He braced his right hand against the floor, veins bulging along his arm, and only barely kept his left knee from touching down.

But his action made the pressure even stronger.

Suddenly, seven Soul Rings emerged from Jun Yan's body, rising and falling around him, greatly reducing the pressure on him.

"Interesting," Qian Daoliu said in praise. Then his expression turned cold.

Hum-

A sound seemed to ring beside Jun Yan's ear. The pressure on him abruptly increased again, and a cracking sound seemed to come from his arm, but he stubbornly refused to kneel.

"Great Enshrined, please show mercy." Jun Kuang's heavy voice sounded beside him.

Jun Yan quickly turned his head and saw that Jun Kuang had already been forced to bend over. Clearly, Qian Daoliu's pressure had not spared him.

"Hmm?"

Seeing Jun Yan turn his head, Qian Daoliu frowned, and the pressure on Jun Yan rose another notch.

By now, Jun Yan had fully released his Martial Soul, Wood Release.

No, Wood Release was no longer a fitting name for it. Sage Body-perhaps that was what Jun Yan should call it, just as the Rinnegan was Sage Eyes.

A rich green light surged from Jun Yan, steadily weakening Qian Daoliu's majesty.

"What rich life energy!"

The four worships besides Qian Daoliu were utterly astonished. Not even they possessed life energy of this caliber.

"Not bad."

Though he said it was not bad, and approval shone in his eyes,

six wings glowing gold suddenly appeared behind Qian Daoliu. Even the worships beside him now felt the invisible pressure.

Thud-

Even Jun Kuang, a Titled Douluo, could not withstand the pressure. He dropped to one knee, looking as disheveled as Jun Yan.

But to everyone's surprise, even under such pressure, Jun Yan continued to hold on.

"Wooo-"

Suddenly, a huge blue great white shark made of energy emerged from Jun Yan's left leg and lunged at Qian Daoliu.

The pressure on Jun Yan lessened dramatically in an instant. He pushed hard against the floor with his right hand and actually stood up.

"Good!"

Qian Daoliu shouted sharply and withdrew his pressure. "I never expected Spirit Hall to have a genius like you."

His face was full of smiles. "If I'm not mistaken, there's a Soul Bone in your left leg, isn't there?"

"Yes." Jun Yan nodded.

"Were you the one who killed that hundred-thousand-year-old Demon Soul Great White Shark in the end?"

"Yes." Jun Yan nodded again. Now that things had come to this, he could no longer hide it.

"How did you kill it?"

"The Demon Soul Great White Shark was badly injured by the elders, and I took advantage of the opportunity. I couldn't absorb its Soul Ring, but the Soul Bone was still useful."

"What a pity," Qian Daoliu said with some regret.

Listening to their questions and answers, the other five had faces full of question marks.

Wait, how did you manage that?! That was a hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Beast, and all you have to say is a simple "yes"?

Unlike the four worships, Jun Kuang was so excited that he was almost trembling.

Jun Kuang knew that Jun Yan had Twin Martial Souls. Perhaps that Soul Ring had not been wasted, but had become a Soul Ring for Jun Yan's Second Martial Soul.

Given Qian Daoliu's strength, it was almost impossible to hide everything from him, so the protagonist had revealed some of his trump cards.