Facing Ning Fengzhi's intervention, and after hearing his calm and well-reasoned words, Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong could only sigh inwardly, their expressions complex. Neither of them made any further move to stop Ye Yu or to defend Ning Rongrong.
They weren't unaware, of course, that letting Ning Rongrong develop such an unrestrained, willful personality would be a terrible mistake in the long run.
But as cultivators who had devoted their lives to the path of strength…
Both Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo had no direct heirs. Although they each had younger relatives within their clans, neither could help but feel a deeper affection for Ning Rongrong, whom they had watched grow up with their own eyes.
And yet, they were both growing old.
Would the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect still hold its lofty status within the soul master world once they were gone?
That was a difficult question.
After all, among this generation of the sect's battle-type soul masters, neither of them had found a single disciple with the potential to become a Titled Douluo.
And if Rongrong were to continue acting like a lawless little tyrant…
After they passed away, it might really lead to disaster.
In that case, having Ye Yu teach her a lesson was perhaps not a bad thing.
Still, as two old-timers, they couldn't help but feel a little irritated.
But when they remembered that Ye Yu had the support of Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo…
And that he was now a business partner of the sect…
And most importantly—that he showed true potential to one day become a Titled Douluo…
They decided: Fine. Let it go—for now.
Meanwhile, in Spirit City—within the resplendent Hall of the Pope…
"Reporting to Your Holiness—I've investigated why Her Highness requested the Piercing Soul Spear Manual and the Longyuan Blacksteel Spear."
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan knelt before Pope Bibi Dong, his handsome and androgynous face full of reverence.
"Speak,"
came Bibi Dong's cold reply.
She sat regally upon the Pope's throne, dressed in a magnificent dark purple ceremonial robe, her figure tall and voluptuous. Her fair skin glowed like jade, and her long light-purple hair cascaded beneath a dazzling nine-spiraled golden crown. In one hand, she held the jeweled Pope's Scepter, a symbol of absolute authority.
Though her beauty was breathtaking, her elegant, mature features bore only a chilling aloofness.
"Yes, Your Holiness!"
Yue Guan bowed again.
"According to my findings, Her Highness made the request because she's recruited an exceptionally talented young soul master in Heaven Dou City."
"This genius's name is Ye Yu. Reportedly, his martial soul was originally just Blue Silver Grass, with only innate rank 1 soul power."
"But he managed to discover a method to evolve his martial soul. So far, it has undergone two evolutions."
"And although he's only fourteen years old, his current cultivation has already reached the Soul Elder realm."
"He once singlehandedly defeated over a dozen soul masters of the Soul Master and Grand Soul Master levels. He also crushed Yu Tianheng, one of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Twin Stars."
"Her Highness places great importance on him."
"Because this genius wanted a divine spear and a spear technique, she wrote to the Hall to request the Longyuan Blacksteel Spear and the Piercing Soul Spear Manual."
Yue Guan finished with respectful precision.
"She values him that much?"
A sneer crept onto Bibi Dong's red lips.
"After all these years away from Spirit City, she's never written back to me. But now, just because of some boy, she's willing to make a formal request?"
Despite her sneer, a subtle glimmer of complicated emotion flickered in Bibi Dong's amber eyes.
A moment later, she furrowed her brows and turned serious again.
"Elder Chrysanthemum—are you certain this Ye Yu has really found a method to evolve his martial soul?"
"And that he managed to evolve his Blue Silver Grass, with only rank 1 innate soul power, twice, to such a level?"
"I am certain."
Yue Guan responded firmly.
"I sent men to investigate Ye Yu's background in Nuoding City. When he first awakened his martial soul, it was indeed basic Blue Silver Grass with rank 1 soul power."
"But based on his performance at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, his martial soul has already become a unique vine that looks like translucent blue crystal. It's clearly undergone evolution."
"A vine that looks like crystal…"
Bibi Dong repeated the phrase to herself. Something clicked in her mind, and she confirmed internally—it was indeed an evolved form.
But this only made her feel more troubled and incredulous.
After all, in terms of origin and background, this Ye Yu was even less than Yu Xiaogang.
So how was it that he managed to evolve his martial soul…
But Xiaogang, despite all his years at Spirit City, never could?
Could Xiaogang… actually be less talented than a commoner child?
Bibi Dong's expression grew tense.
And with that dangerous thought… came panic.
She forcefully silenced her spiraling doubt, frantically convincing herself otherwise:
"No, Bibi Dong!"
"Xiaogang is the most brilliant soul master of his generation! He's the one who proposed the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls and the Soul Ring Absorption Limit Theory!"
"Those contributions alone prove his genius and selfless heart!"
"You cannot question him—not the man you love!"
"He didn't fail to evolve his martial soul because he was lacking—it must be because his martial soul, Sanpao, is a mutated type. Not like Ye Yu's Blue Silver Grass, which is common and stable."
She desperately clung to the image of Yu Xiaogang as a peerless theoretical genius.
Because if the man she had once betrayed the Spirit Hall for, the man she once chose to elope with, turned out to be nothing more than a sham, a fraud, or even a waste...
Then what had all her sacrifice been for?
What would that make her?
Still, Bibi Dong couldn't help but wonder—if Ye Yu truly possessed such a gift for martial soul theory, perhaps she could forcefully bring him to Spirit Hall, and have him research a method to evolve Xiaogang's martial soul.
If he succeeded…
Then maybe…
Maybe she could earn Xiaogang's forgiveness.
Maybe they could live together again, in peace.
Maybe… she could let go of her hatred and her plans for revenge.
The mere thought of that possibility left Bibi Dong emotionally shaken.
To be with Xiaogang once more, to live out a happy life—she might even abandon her vengeance, her scheme to destroy the Spirit Hall, the Qian Clan, and the world itself.
But then reality struck.
If even a genius like Xiaogang couldn't evolve Sanpao…
Could this Ye Yu really succeed?
Moreover—wasn't Ye Yu now aligned with that child?
If she tried to abduct Ye Yu and that child learned of it—he would never allow it.
Her amber eyes darkened.
And when Yue Guan added that Ye Yu had now joined the Dugu Clan, and had the Poison Douluo Dugu Bo behind him…
After some thought, Bibi Dong ultimately suppressed her impulse to capture Ye Yu by force.
"Too complicated," she thought.
"Too much risk."
"Let's observe him… for now."