Chapter 269: The Council of the Soul Hunt
Inside the Pope's Hall, Bibi Dong sat on her throne, wielding her Pope's scepter. Her imposing aura commanded respect, exuding an unspoken authority. Her cold, regal beauty made it difficult for anyone to meet her gaze.
Two rows of the Spirit Hall's elite filled the chamber below—a gathering of six Titled Douluos, Platinum Bishops, and Red-Robed Bishops, all mighty figures known across the continent. At the head of another line stood the Golden Generation: Hu Liena, Evilmoon, and Yan. The Death Valley trials had toughened them, infusing them with a subtle yet unmistakable aura of danger. Gone was their youthful exuberance, replaced with a contained, mature strength.
Observing this transformation, the Platinum and Red-Robed Bishops exchanged approving nods. The Spirit Hall's future seemed secure in the hands of such capable young successors. Even Bibi Dong allowed a fleeting glimmer of approval in her gaze. She was particularly pleased with Hu Liena; her performance in Death Valley had been nothing short of spectacular. Yet Bibi Dong knew all too well that her current strength would still fall short in the inferno of the Slaughter City, where she herself had once faced untold horrors.
The trio stood resolutely, their eyes filled with respect for the Pope. Their ordeal had tempered them, hardening their resolve to surpass their past selves. The sting of defeat at Dai Yao's hands had fueled their determination over the past year, with Elder Yue Guan frequently reminding them of his achievements to spur them on.
Emerging from Death Valley, their first desire was to challenge Dai Yao anew. Yet Bibi Dong had summoned them here to discuss a matter that would shape the continent's future. Growing impatient from the wait, Yue Guan finally ventured to speak in a respectful murmur.
"Your Majesty, everyone has arrived. Shall we begin the meeting?"
Bibi Dong's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. Her slender fingers tapped rhythmically on her scepter, the sound echoing across the silent hall. She replied with a single word, her tone deliberate: "Wait."
The one they awaited had yet to arrive.
Though Bibi Dong offered no explanation, none dared to voice any complaint. Over the years, her rule over the Pope's Hall had turned it into an unyielding force, one where even the Douluo under Great Enshrined Qian Daoliu's influence—Serpent Spear Douluo and Thorn Dolphin Douluo—would not oppose her commands.
At last, the doors to the Pope's Hall slowly swung open. Heads turned, eyes fixed on the two figures at the entrance. Recognizing Ferdinand and the young Dai Yao at his side, several attendees raised an eyebrow in quiet disapproval.
While Dai Yao was talented, his lingering ties to the Star Luo Imperial Family and his connections to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect left doubts about his suitability to attend a council focused on taking down the Seven Treasure Clan. But they buried their reservations, for it was evident that Dai Yao was here at Bibi Dong's invitation.
The silent scrutiny of the hall's powerful figures bore down on him like a crushing weight. Dai Yao felt his breath catch but maintained a calm demeanor as he took his place behind the Golden Generation. Ferdinand, sensing the tension, started to speak but caught Bibi Dong's stern gaze and remained silent.
"Everyone is present now," Bibi Dong announced with a smile, her tapping fingers now still. "Let the Council of the Soul Hunt commence."
"Elder Yue Guan, begin."
Yue Guan, the Chrysanthemum Douluo, stepped forward, bowing respectfully. His soft, lilting voice resounded through the hall:
"The Soul Hunt will target soul master factions hostile to the Spirit Hall, particularly those led by the Clear Sky Clan, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is openly aligned with the Heaven Dou Empire, while the Blue Lightning Clan has embedded its heirs within the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, establishing dubious ties with the empire."
"With the Clear Sky Clan secluded from the world, our primary objectives are the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Blue Lightning Clan. With these two clans destroyed and the four lower sects under our control, the Spirit Hall will face no opposition in the soul master world."
"Our purpose here today is to establish a strategy: the personnel and resources needed, and the details of how we will bring down these two clans. Please, speak freely."
A brief silence followed his words, which Hu Liena soon broke. Taking a step forward, she spoke in a clear voice:
"The Blue Lightning Clan has only one Titled Douluo. However, as the continent's foremost beast spirit, their power is not to be underestimated. Two elders and forty Contra-level soul masters should be sufficient to ensure their downfall."
She hesitated as her gaze passed over Dai Yao, her expression shifting momentarily before she continued, "As for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, they have both the Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, along with the unparalleled support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Four Titled Douluos and eighty Contra-level masters will be required to guarantee their defeat."
Hu Liena's assessment closely matched the original blueprint, setting the council's planning into motion. The hall came alive as bishops voiced ideas, refining the strategy's finer points. Soon, they began to envision a Spirit Hall free of opposition, and excitement spread among the council, particularly among the older bishops, whose flushed faces reflected their fervor.
Yet Dai Yao listened in growing dread. He had no attachment to the fate of the Blue Lightning Clan, but the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was different. He held close ties with them, not least his bond with Ning Rongrong. It had been Sword Douluo who had saved him from Tang Hao a year ago—not the Spirit Hall. Though he didn't consider himself honor-bound to repay such a debt, he couldn't idly stand by while the clan faced annihilation.
Fortunately, he had spent the past year preparing a plan to prevent the Soul Hunt from ever taking place.
Glancing around at the eager faces of the bishops, Dai Yao felt a suffocating weight settle on him. He was about to stand against these powerful figures, and regardless of success, his future would forever be altered.
Suddenly, a realization struck him, and he looked up at Bibi Dong seated atop the high platform. She returned his gaze with a knowing smile that sent a chill down his spine.
"Could this entire situation have been orchestrated by her? What is she plotting?" he thought.
But now was not the time for hesitation. Once the council adjourned, any chance to stop the Soul Hunt would be lost. Summoning his resolve, he prepared to step forward when a large, firm hand clamped down on his arm.
He turned to see Ferdinand, who shook his head subtly.
Ferdinand knew precisely what Dai Yao intended and the risks involved. In the presence of the Spirit Hall's highest-ranking leaders, speaking up for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would mark him as unreliable in their eyes. One wrong word could ruin his future.
But Ferdinand had underestimated Dai Yao's determination. With a strength that surprised him, Dai Yao pried his hand free. Ferdinand considered intervening again, but the resolve in Dai Yao's eyes stopped him.
Dai Yao nodded slightly at Ferdinand and then strode forward, his voice ringing out:
"May I speak, esteemed council members?"
In an instant, the previously lively atmosphere fell silent. The bishops, who had just been enthusiastically discussing strategies, turned their intense gazes on Dai Yao. Their eyes now scrutinized him sharply, piercing him like blades.
Under their watchful stares, Dai Yao felt an intense pressure he had never experienced before—far heavier than the brief wave of tension he'd felt upon entering the room. In front of him were seven Titled Douluo and countless Soul Douluo, each a formidable authority within the Spirit Hall. The intensity of this combined aura blanked his mind for a moment.
"Dai Yao, what do you want to say?" Yue Guan asked, his delicate yet piercing voice especially jarring in the silence.
After taking a deep breath to steady himself, Dai Yao clasped his hands respectfully and began, "Your Majesty the Pope, elders, esteemed bishops—have any of you perhaps forgotten a certain sect?"
Hu Liena's eyes flickered, and she spoke up, "You mean the Clear Sky Clan?"
"Precisely," Dai Yao nodded firmly.
The Thorn Dolphin Elder crossed his arms, chuckling dismissively, "Kid, the Clear Sky Clan has already been driven into hiding by us. They're no longer a threat. Your concerns are naive."
Dai Yao remained calm and continued, "May I ask how well the Elder understands the descendants of the Clear Sky Clan?"
Thorn Dolphin Douluo faltered, unsure of what Dai Yao intended.
Not waiting for a reply, Dai Yao continued quickly, "Everyone here is aware that the Clear Sky Clan once stood as our Spirit Hall's strongest adversary. Their descendants are known for their pride and resolute spirit. Now, imagine a clan like that, one we forced into seclusion. What would they do?"
"Surely, they would bide their time, bearing their grudge and training rigorously, hoping for the chance to restore their honor someday."
"The Clear Sky Clan has been hidden away for nearly twenty years. Back then, they had only the Skyroar Douluo, but after twenty years, who knows what their strength is now?"
Dai Yao's words reverberated across the hall, stirring murmurs among the assembly. Several perceptive bishops began to seriously consider his point.
In his previous life, Dai Yao had often wondered why the Spirit Hall's Soul Hunt wiped out the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and devastated the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, yet had done nothing to address the once-powerful Clear Sky Clan. In time, the clan had produced seven Titled Douluo. With Tang Hao, that was eight! Was the Spirit Hall really so arrogant?
Or was it merely the influence of the plot that protected Tang San's future faction, allowing the Clear Sky Clan to be treated as a non-threat?
A cold voice broke through the murmur of discussion. One of the Red-Robed Bishops fixed his gaze on Dai Yao, sneering, "Kid, I think it's more likely that you're simply reluctant to see the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan destroyed. You're just using the Clear Sky Clan to divert our attention, aren't you?"
His words echoed the suspicion many felt. Dai Yao's ties to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan were hardly a secret, as they regarded him as a most honored guest.
Indeed, this was Dai Yao's aim, but he could hardly admit it directly. Glancing around, he replied with a faint smile, "I understand the concerns of the bishops and elders. But ask yourselves, if I truly had ulterior motives, wouldn't I have simply joined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?"
"What's more, the clan has a tradition of encouraging its soul masters to seek out powerful assault-type soul masters as their partners. Without boasting, given my talents, joining the clan would naturally make me a worthy match for Ning Fengzhi's daughter, making the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan essentially mine."
Many bishops nodded quietly. Dai Yao's reasoning was sound. If they were in Ning Fengzhi's position, they would undoubtedly consider pairing their daughter with such a prodigy.
Hearing this, the Red-Robed Bishop stiffened but insisted, "You still haven't answered the main question!"
Dai Yao sighed, a tinge of helplessness in his expression, and confessed, "There's more. Ning Fengzhi is no longer a seventy-ninth-level soul master. He has already added his eighth soul ring."
The hall fell silent, stunned as Dai Yao continued, "As I'm sure many here know, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda spirit has unique and unparalleled abilities when wielded by a Contra-level soul master."
His words struck the assembly like a thunderclap. They all understood too well what it meant for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to have a Contra-level soul master with that spirit. With Sword Douluo at level ninety-six and Bone Douluo at level ninety-five, sending only four elders against the Seven Treasure Clan would be far from sufficient. At least six Titled Douluo would be required to subdue the clan, and even then, the price would be steep.
Considering the assault on the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, where they'd need to dispatch two Titled Douluo, and the presence of the hundred-thousand-year soul beast spotted during the recent tournament—also requiring two Titled Douluo—the Spirit Hall lacked the resources to face so many threats simultaneously.
Frowning, Hu Liena asked, "Dai Yao, how do you know Ning Fengzhi has obtained an eighth soul ring?"
Dai Yao sighed deeply, looking remorseful as he confessed, "It was because of an herb I gifted to him that Ning Fengzhi's spirit evolved, allowing him to break through. That's why they regard me as their most valued guest."
"Of course, it was a unique herb; the Seven Treasure Clan won't be able to produce another soul master capable of breaking through its spirit's limits."
Several bishops fell silent. The one responsible for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's recent strength was standing before them—Dai Yao himself. His actions had inadvertently thrown the entire Soul Hunt into jeopardy. Voices of irritation and anger rose among the bishops, particularly those who spoke more directly, who now chastised Dai Yao openly. After over twenty years of restraint, it seemed the Spirit Hall's hard work might all go to waste due to his mistake.
However, some of the more astute bishops and elders were beginning to understand. It was becoming clear that destroying the Clear Sky Clan was not only a reasonable option but perhaps their only viable one. On the one hand, the Clear Sky Clan's reclusiveness meant their downfall could remain undisclosed, while an assault on the Blue Lightning Clan would likely alert the two empires to the Spirit Hall's ambitions.
Alternatively, they could continue to wait. With the Golden Generation and Dai Yao's talents, as long as they reached Titled Douluo status, no force on the continent would rival them.
The hall grew rowdy as the council members debated the issue. Bibi Dong's brow furrowed in displeasure. She had indeed planned to test Dai Yao, but she hadn't anticipated that he would genuinely obstruct the Soul Hunt, thwarting her intention to destroy the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Lifting her scepter slightly, she brought it down with a sharp crack that rang across the hall, her tone laced with annoyance:
"Silence!"
The Pope's Hall fell instantly quiet, the sudden hush so profound it felt as if the previous chaos had been a mere illusion.
"The Council on the Soul Hunt is adjourned for today. We will reconvene at a later date. You are dismissed. Dai Yao—stay behind."
Bibi Dong's tone was absolute.
Even those bishops who harbored resentment toward Dai Yao could only glare at him before reluctantly leaving. Ferdinand, sighing, gave Dai Yao's shoulder a light pat and murmured, "Take care."
Moments later, only Dai Yao and Bibi Dong remained in the vast hall.
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