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With a plan in mind, Yu Xiaogang didn't rush to act immediately.
There were still more than ten days before the participating teams arrived in Spirit City. He had to wait until Jin E Douluo relaxed his guard before approaching Bibi Dong again if he wanted to get what he needed.
Time flew by. After receiving a letter from Spirit City, Yu Yuanzhen immediately took it seriously.
"Xiaogang went to the Pope's Palace alone?" Looking at the contents of the letter, Yu Yuanzhen muttered under his breath.
More than twenty years ago, when Yu Xiaogang was close to Bibi Dong, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family had envisioned using the power of the Spirit Hall to change the sect's situation.
However, their plans hadn't been implemented yet when Yu Xiaogang and Bibi Dong lost contact.
It was quite a regrettable outcome.
If Yu Xiaogang could rekindle the feelings they once shared, it would greatly benefit the family.
But after all these years, would Bibi Dong still remember their past relationship?
Yu Yuanzhen set down the letter and remained silent for a long while before finally giving a response.
---
Inside Spirit City
As the arrival of the participating teams drew near, Yu Xiaogang couldn't hold back any longer and headed to the Pope's Palace once again.
Learning from his previous experience, he chose a different entrance to the Pope's Palace this time.
At the foot of the mountain, as expected, he was stopped again. "Halt! The Pope has decreed that no one is allowed near the Pope's Palace."
The guards here didn't recognize Yu Xiaogang and assumed he was just a citizen trying his luck at the Pope's Palace.
Yu Xiaogang stood tall, took out the Pope's Token from his soul tool, and casually tossed it to the guard. Then, with his hands clasped behind his back, he exuded an air of arrogance.
The guard was intimidated by his demeanor and, upon seeing the Pope's Token, quickly knelt on one knee and respectfully returned the token. "Forgive me for not recognizing Elder's presence. Please forgive this subordinate's offense."
Satisfied, Yu Xiaogang retrieved the token and began walking toward the mountain.
"Elder, please wait," the guard quickly called out.
Yu Xiaogang felt displeased and retorted, "What? Do you intend to stop me?"
The guard hurriedly explained, "Elder, the Pope has been extremely busy with official duties lately and cannot receive visitors. Please follow me to the side hall and wait for the Pope's summons."
Yu Xiaogang didn't refuse.
It was normal for Bibi Dong, as the Pope of the Spirit Hall, to be occupied with numerous official duties.
On the way, he suddenly asked, "Is Elder Jin E at the Spirit Hall today?"
If Jin E Douluo was inside the Spirit Hall, he would need to see Bibi Dong as soon as possible.
The guard replied, "Elder, Second Worship left early this morning. If you're looking for him, you'll have to wait."
A faint smile unconsciously appeared on Yu Xiaogang's lips.
Without Jin E Douluo's interference, there would be no obstacles in his meeting with Bibi Dong.
The cultivation method for dual martial souls would practically fall into his hands!
Meanwhile, another guard delivered the news to the Pope's Palace.
Bibi Dong put down the document she was reading, raised her head, and asked, "Elder? Which elder wishes to see me?"
The guard responded, "Your Holiness, I've never seen this elder before, but the Pope's Token he possesses is genuine. I suspect he might be one of the honorary elders of the hall."
Bibi Dong asked, "What does he look like?"
Among the honorary elders of the Spirit Hall, the most famous were the three sect leaders of the Upper Three Sects. Additionally, individuals who had made special contributions to the Spirit Hall but weren't Title Douluo-level soul masters were also granted honorary elder status.
The guard replied, "He's wearing a black robe, appears to be over fifty, and has a distinctive flat-top haircut."
Upon hearing the words "flat-top haircut," Bibi Dong immediately guessed the visitor's identity and sneered involuntarily. "No need to guess—it's Yu Xiaogang, Elder Yu."
The guard didn't catch the sarcasm in her tone. Confirming Yu Xiaogang's identity, the guard suggested, "Your Holiness, shall I make arrangements…"
"No need to see him," Bibi Dong waved dismissively, turning her attention back to the document in her hands. "Treat him well. If he can't wait, send him away. Remember, don't tell him I refused to see him!"
The guard acknowledged the order and took his leave.
Working in the Pope's Palace, handling such small matters was naturally within their capabilities.
---
As an "elder" of the Spirit Hall, Yu Xiaogang enjoyed top-tier treatment in the side hall.
All kinds of rare delicacies and fine wines were presented to him without restraint, as if they were free.
He hadn't brought much money with him, and the cost of living in Spirit City wasn't low. He hadn't eaten well these past few days.
Seeing so much food, Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but swallow some saliva.
"All of this… is for me?"
The attendant responded, "Elder, you are a meritorious person of the Spirit Hall. These delicacies are what you deserve."
A normal person impersonating an elder would feel ashamed upon hearing such words. But Yu Xiaogang didn't care and instead felt it was only natural.
Possessing the Pope's Token, he already considered himself an elder of the Spirit Hall.
Elsewhere.
News of this elder appearing in the Spirit Hall quickly reached the Worship Hall.
Jin E Douluo had gone out on business early, and Qian Daoliu couldn't personally intervene, so he arranged, "Fifth Worship, entertain him properly. I don't want to hear about him meeting with Bibi Dong again."
Fifth Elder Guang Ling Douluo grinned widely, showing off his teeth, and happily accepted the task.
Yu Xiaogang, currently enjoying the feast in the side hall, was unaware of this development.
At this moment, he rubbed his stomach and let out a satisfied burp.
"Where's the bathroom?"
After eating and drinking to his heart's content, how could he not relieve himself?
The attendant bowed and replied, "Apologies, Elder, but there are no bathrooms in the sacred grounds of the Pope's Palace."
Yu Xiaogang suddenly remembered—he was on Pope's Mountain, where there indeed were no bathrooms.
"I'll go down the mountain to take care of it. You clean up here," he said, preparing to leave.
The attendant reminded him, "Elder, many people are waiting to meet with the Pope. If you leave now, when you return, you'll have to start queuing again. Currently, you're in a favorable position, but if you leave, you'll end up at the back of the line."
Yu Xiaogang felt displeased and said sternly, "As an elder of the Spirit Hall, don't I have the right to meet with the Pope first? I have important matters to report. If delayed, you'll bear the consequences."
The attendant remained unmoved. "I apologize, but everyone here today has important matters to report. With the finals of the Soul Master Tournament about to begin, the Pope has urgent official duties to attend to. Elder, please wait patiently."
Was Bibi Dong deliberately shirking her responsibilities?
While feeling irritated, Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but think—
As a competent leader, upon hearing of important matters, she should have sent someone to summon him.
Using the excuse of being busy with official duties to avoid seeing him clearly showed laziness.
Of course, Yu Xiaogang didn't know that Bibi Dong simply didn't want to see him. Other elders with urgent matters could enter the Pope's Palace directly without needing permission.
After some thought, Yu Xiaogang decided to stay.
His condition could hold out for a while longer. He estimated that Bibi Dong would summon him soon.
Not long after, a commotion arose outside the side hall.
"Whose child dares to act so brazenly on Pope's Mountain?"
Yu Xiaogang stuck his head out of the hall and saw a lavishly dressed boy, about ten years old, playing with a bow and arrow in his hands.
The arrows shot from the boy's hand almost hit their marks perfectly, striking all the targets placed far away.
Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but praise, "Excellent archery!"
The boy followed the sound and spotted him. "Old man, what did you just say?"
Yu Xiaogang slowly approached.
The boy's talent was impressive, and Yu Xiaogang immediately felt a fondness for him, deciding to use this opportunity to offer some guidance.
"Kid, is your martial soul also a bow? This distance to the target is at least fifty steps."
The boy eyed him suspiciously. "Who are you? Do I know you?"
As he spoke, Yu Xiaogang took out the Pope's Token from his soul tool. "I am an elder of the Spirit Hall. Here's my token. I've done extensive research on soul master theory. How about letting me guide your cultivation?"
The boy took the token and examined it carefully, ignoring his words.
"Elder, may I ask your surname?" the boy suddenly asked.
Yu Xiaogang didn't think much of it and smiled, saying, "My surname is Yu. Call me Elder Yu. What do you say? Are you willing to listen to my theories?"
The boy didn't respond but instead clapped his hands behind him. "Come out, everyone. Someone pretending to be an elder of the Spirit Hall has been caught red-handed!"
Yu Xiaogang's mind buzzed.
Before he could speak, hidden guards immediately rushed out, and two of them quickly restrained him.
"Who do you think you are to arrest me? I'm an elder of the Spirit Hall!" Yu Xiaogang struggled desperately.
Unfortunately, with only twenty-nine levels of soul power, how could he break free from the grasp of a Soul Sage?
The boy waved the Pope's Token in his hand. "Yu Xiaogang, stop pretending. This token is clearly one issued to honorary elders of the Hao Tian Sect. If I'm not mistaken, this token should belong to Tang Hao. Now it's in your possession—care to explain?"
"You…" Yu Xiaogang was momentarily speechless.
Tang Hao had warned him that someone in the Spirit Hall could identify the markings on the Pope's Token and told him to use it cautiously.
In his eagerness to see Bibi Dong, he had completely disregarded that warning. Only now, after being caught, did he realize his mistake.
But how could a child easily spot the marking that even Tang Hao couldn't find?
Yu Xiaogang recalled something Bibi Dong had once said: "The fifth worshipof the Shrine of Offerings is a child who never grows up."
His eyes widened in shock. "You… you're Fifth Worship Guang Ling Douluo!"
The boy made a face. "You guessed correctly, but sorry, no reward for you."
"Yu Xiaogang, I advise you to confess your problems thoroughly once you're in the dungeon. It'll save you from physical suffering."
With that, the guards escorted Yu Xiaogang down the mountain.
Yu Xiaogang struggled desperately.
He knew very well what the Spirit Hall's dungeon was like.
Even Title Douluo-level experts captured and held there for several months would become obedient.
How could his weak bones withstand the torture of the dungeon?
Piercing screams echoed throughout Pope's Mountain.
---
Inside the Pope's Palace, Bibi Dong, who was handling official duties, glanced toward the window. "What happened?"
"The Pope's humble servant reports—the fifth worshipGuang Ling suppressed Yu Xiaogang and threw him into the dungeon. Shall I proceed?"
Bibi Dong waved her hand. "As long as Yu Xiaogang isn't killed, other matters are irrelevant."
---
The commotion of Yu Xiaogang being thrown into the dungeon was significant.
The streets in front of the Pope's Palace were packed with onlookers.
Seeing Yu Xiaogang's appearance, many pointed and whispered, "Isn't this the old man from a few days ago? Didn't he soil himself then? Why has he angered the Pope today?"
Coming down from Pope's Mountain, people instinctively assumed that Yu Xiaogang had offended the Pope.
After all, in the hearts of all soul masters, the Pope was a supreme existence. Even ordinary people respected the Pope deeply!
(Author's note: Spirit City allowed ordinary people to enter. In Chapter 400 of the original work, it was mentioned that during the Soul Master Tournament, the Spirit Hall issued a decree prohibiting non-soul masters from entering the city.)
For a moment, public sentiment flared, and many bystanders hurled fruits, vegetables, and eggs from their baskets at Yu Xiaogang.
Even the guards escorting him were caught in the crossfire.
Amidst the crowd, the restaurant owner sighed.
He seemed to have anticipated this outcome.
However, as the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's master, even if Yu Xiaogang was thrown into the dungeon, his life wouldn't be in danger.
Whether he could be released depended on negotiations between the two powerful factions.
Without wasting time, he quickly wrote down Yu Xiaogang's ordeal in a letter and sent it back to the family overnight.
---
The Spirit Hall's dungeon wasn't located above ground but underground.
This place was perpetually devoid of sunlight. Even the most physically robust individuals, after being imprisoned here for a year or half, would become abnormally thin.
When Yu Xiaogang was escorted in, the chilling air around him silenced his cries.
Upon seeing the newcomer, the warden sneered, "Name!"
"Yu… Yu Xiaogang," he swallowed nervously.
The figure before him seemed born of darkness itself.
The warden's skin was deathly pale, devoid of any color; his expression was gloomy, and his behavior strange, clearly not resembling a normal person.
The warden licked the corner of his mouth. "Yu Xiaogang, I vaguely remember you. Twenty years ago, you were a famous Master Yu in Spirit City. How did you end up in such a sorry state today?"
Yu Xiaogang recognized this warden. He knew the man's martial soul was a bat, and this kind of environment in the dungeon was ideal for soul masters of such martial souls.
Moreover, this warden was ruthless in his actions. Falling into his hands rarely ended well.
Whether out of fear or simply unable to hold it, a foul smell began emanating from Yu Xiaogang's pants.
The guards escorting him quickly covered their noses, casting disdainful glances at him.
The warden chuckled darkly. "Since you're here, consider this your new home. Throw him into Cell Three of the Heaven Ward and prepare for interrogation later."
"No, please don't!" Yu Xiaogang pleaded desperately.
He knew well that those in the Heaven Ward cells were the most dangerous criminals—all powerful soul masters.
If a Soul Grandmaster like him were thrown in there, the outcome was predictable.
Perhaps unable to accept reality, Yu Xiaogang fainted from overwhelming emotions.
---
Meanwhile, the Tiandou Empire's participating team was traveling through a large canyon.
Ning Tianchen, sitting in the carriage, sensed the change in wind speed and immediately pulled back the curtain to observe the surroundings outside.
The swirling sandstorm rushed into the carriage.
Ning Rongrong coughed a few times and grabbed Ning Tianchen's hand. "Tianchen, the sandstorm is choking me!"
Ning Tianchen lowered the curtain, but his expression grew troubled.
"Boss, what's wrong?" Chen Huayu couldn't help but ask.
"This is a large canyon," Ning Tianchen replied.
In the original timeline, assassins sent by Bibi Dong ambushed the participating teams here.
Yu Xiaogang going to Spirit City alone wouldn't change anything. The Spirit Hall's ambush was still highly likely to happen.
"What's the big deal? We've passed through five or six canyons on our journey," Chen Huayu dismissed it.
Feng Xiaotian frowned. "This one is different. I can feel how fast the wind is moving, indicating that this canyon is extremely narrow. Moreover, the surrounding cliffs are high, making it perfect for an ambush."
Oscar shrugged. "We're part of a thousand-person convoy. Who would dare attack us? Not to mention, the teachers from various participating academies are no pushovers."
Ordinary bandits or robbers indeed wouldn't dare target such a group.
But the attackers this time belonged to the Spirit Hall, the largest force of soul masters on the continent.
Ning Tianchen cautioned, "It's always better to be cautious. I'll get out and check. If everything's fine, I'll return after we pass through the canyon."
"I'll go with you," Feng Xiaotian followed him out of the carriage.
Ke Jie and Sun Buyu's carriages were nearby.
Seeing the two step out, Ke Jie curiously asked, "Can't sit still?"
Ning Tianchen replied, "Just stretching my legs and keeping an eye on the surroundings."
"Keeping an eye?" Ke Jie glanced at the towering cliffs on either side and nodded. "At this height, even a falling rock could kill someone. If someone sets an ambush here, we could suffer heavy losses."
As if on cue, a boulder rolled down from the cliff behind them.
Ke Jie immediately leaped out of the carriage, shielding everyone.
The impact of the boulder hitting the ground was immense, and the canyon's acoustics amplified the reverberations, startling everyone.
The horses panicked, pulling the carriages in chaotic directions.
For a moment, the scene descended into chaos.
Ning Tianchen leaped onto the carriage and yanked the reins, finally bringing the horses to a stop.
The Seven Treasures Team members didn't dare linger and quickly disembarked.
Oscar slapped himself twice. "Damn it, I shouldn't have run my mouth!"
"Teacher, what's the damage?" Ning Tianchen quickly asked.
The royal knights around them drew their swords, their eyes warily scanning the cliffs above.
Ke Jie surveyed the situation and quickly assessed it. "The boulder killed many royal knights. Additionally, Shrek Academy at the rear of the convoy has been cut off by the boulder."
At this point, he understood.
This ambush was clearly designed to target Shrek Academy (especially Tang San).
Other teams' participants and teachers likely wouldn't face mortal danger.
"Everyone, be careful! Someone's coming down!" Sun Buyu warned, quickly preparing for battle.
Though his soul power level was that of a high-level Soul King, his combat ability was far inferior to Ning Tianchen and Feng Xiaotian.
Even so, Sun Buyu fulfilled his duty as a teacher, protecting the students behind him.
Ning Tianchen summoned his Seven Kill Sword martial soul and rallied loudly, "Brothers and sisters, this is a real-life battle! Do you have confidence?"
"Yes!" the Seven Treasures Academy members shouted in unison, activating their martial souls.
Emotions were contagious. The participants from other academies quickly steadied their nerves and loudly responded to Ning Tianchen's call.
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