Chapter 167: An Honorary Elder? What a Joke

Chapter 167: An Honorary Elder? What a Joke

"Stop!"

The referee's cold voice interrupted the clash of soul power between Liu Erlong and Xiao Yu. "This is a competition, not a place for your recklessness. If this happens again, both academies will be disqualified from the tournament and permanently banned from setting foot in Spirit City!"

Seeing the two withdraw their soul power, the referee announced the result: "Third round of the individual match—Shrek Academy versus Nine Stars Academy. Nine Stars Academy wins. Shrek Academy, please send your next participant."

"No need!"

Yu Xiaogang didn't dare provoke Xiao Yu, knowing full well that Xiao Yu wouldn't hesitate to act against him. However, he wasn't afraid to act arrogantly toward the referee, believing his former relationship with the Pope, Bibi Dong, would protect him.

With his hands clasped behind his back, Yu Xiaogang gazed past the Pope's Palace and fixed his eyes on the Douluo Hall beyond, adopting an air of a worldly master. "Shrek Academy forfeits and voluntarily enters the losers' bracket to compete with Spirit Hall Academy for the final slot in the championship."

Boom!

Before Yu Xiaogang could finish speaking, a wave of overwhelming power surged toward him, suffocating and oppressive.

Thud!

A mere Spirit Grandmaster at Rank 29, Yu Xiaogang was utterly incapable of withstanding this pressure. He dropped to his knees under its weight.

The one who acted was not Xiao Yu, but Qian Renxue. Her expression was icy, her face like a frost-covered statue as she glared at Yu Xiaogang. "Yu Xiaogang, you once served in Spirit Hall. You should know its rules. Who gave you the audacity to disrespect the ancestors of the Douluo Hall?"

The Douluo Hall was distinct from the Worship Hall and Pope's Palace. It served as Spirit Hall's hall of honor.

Inside the Douluo Hall stood the sacred tablets of all titled Douluo who had served Spirit Hall over the centuries. Beneath those tablets lay the remains of these extraordinary individuals, each one a towering figure of their time, a pillar of their clans or sects.

Even individuals as distinguished as Qian Daoliu and Bibi Dong were expected to show the utmost respect before the Douluo Hall. Yu Xiaogang's arrogant posture—hands behind his back and head held high—was an egregious insult in the eyes of Spirit Hall's members.

Not just Qian Renxue, but also Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan glared at him with fury in their eyes.

Qian Renxue's oppressive power continued to bear down. Yu Xiaogang, already on his knees, struggled to breathe, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"You're courting death!"

Liu Erlong shouted angrily, releasing her soul power to shield Yu Xiaogang and prevent Qian Renxue from outright crushing him.

"Enough! Stop this immediately!"

Bibi Dong slammed her armrest and stood, her sharp voice echoing through the hall. "You've repeatedly resorted to violence before the Pope's Palace. Do you have no regard for the dignity of Spirit Hall?"

Most would have backed down in the face of the Pope's authority, but Qian Renxue was unfazed. "Your Holiness, Yu Xiaogang publicly disrespected the ancestors enshrined in the Douluo Hall. As a member of Spirit Hall, he should be severely punished for his insolence. Or perhaps the Pope intends to shield him?"

Bibi Dong's face froze for a moment as she forced herself to defend her former lover. "Yu Xiaogang has been away from Spirit Hall for nearly 20 years. It's only natural that he's unfamiliar with its rules. Furthermore, he is an Honorary Elder of Spirit Hall. Even if he has committed an offense, it should be handled by the Elder Hall, not by you acting on your own!"

Honorary Elder of Spirit Hall!

Bibi Dong's declaration stunned everyone. Spirit Hall's Elders held immense prestige. While Honorary Elders didn't wield as much power as full Elders, their titles were not handed out lightly. To become an Honorary Elder, one had to be a figure of great renown, like Sword Douluo Chen Xin, who sat beside Ning Fengzhi.

Yet, anyone with soul power above Rank 60 could tell Yu Xiaogang's level was no higher than Rank 30. How could someone so weak share a title with figures like Sword Douluo?

If anyone else claimed to be from Spirit Hall's Elder Hall, they'd be laughed out of the room. But these words came from Bibi Dong, the nominal ruler of Spirit Hall. Who would dare question her?

Actually, someone would—her dutiful daughter, Qian Renxue!

Qian Renxue let out a disdainful snort. "An Honorary Elder? Your Holiness, since when did Yu Xiaogang become an Honorary Elder of Spirit Hall? How come I was never informed?"

Bibi Dong shot her dutiful daughter a glare. "What, do I have to report everything to you now?"

"Your Holiness, as the Pope, you naturally have the authority to manage all Spirit Hall affairs. However, some matters extend beyond Spirit Hall itself," Qian Renxue countered sharply.

Xiao Yu stepped forward, standing beside Qian Renxue. "The position of Honorary Elder in Spirit Hall commands immense prestige across the entire continent. Everyone here knows what that honor entails. How can a mere Rank 29 Spirit Grandmaster deserve such a title? Perhaps Your Holiness should ask Sword Douluo here if he'd be willing to equate himself with such a waste!"

On the Douluo Continent, strength was paramount. Though Xiao Yu and Qian Renxue's words openly defied the Pope, their talent and potential were undeniable, leaving no one to doubt that they were destined for the peak of the continent.

Geniuses, after all, often carried an air of arrogance.

If someone like Yu Xiaogang, who had never surpassed Rank 30 in his life, acted the same way, those who revered Spirit Hall as a sacred institution wouldn't hesitate to send him to his grave in atonement.

As Bibi Dong watched Qian Renxue and Xiao Yu standing shoulder to shoulder, her face darkened. Her sharp gaze carried the weight of a ruler's authority, oppressive and razor-sharp. Even Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, standing at her side, felt a chill in their hearts. Ning Fengzhi, whose strength was stuck at Rank 79, could only retreat several steps, seeking refuge under the protection of Sword Douluo.

Yet, Xiao Yu and Qian Renxue showed no trace of fear, their gazes locked on Bibi Dong without the slightest sign of backing down.

"Very well. Very well!"

Bibi Dong laughed coldly, but her voice carried unmistakable fury, and a murderous intent began to simmer in her heart.

Sensing that the situation was about to spiral out of control, Qian Daoliu, watching from the shadows, knew it was time to intervene. If he didn't step forward, Spirit Hall would become a laughingstock for their enemies.

Boom!

In an instant, Qian Daoliu's overwhelming aura erupted, and a golden light materialized above the Pope's Palace, forming an illusory figure. The sheer pressure of his presence instantly extinguished the killing intent emanating from Bibi Dong.

"Qian Daoliu!"

Though Qian Daoliu himself didn't appear, Sword Douluo Chen Xin immediately recognized him. His father, Dust Seer, had suffered a devastating defeat at Qian Daoliu's hands, leaving him with unhealable injuries that led to his untimely death not long after.

Qian Daoliu's voice, filled with authority and majesty, resonated throughout the plaza. "Since Spirit Hall Academy and Shrek Academy have both conceded, let the morning's individual matches end here. All three academies, disperse from the grounds.

"As for Yu Xiaogang, how can a mere Spirit Grandmaster bear the honor of being Spirit Hall's Honorary Elder? His elder token is to be revoked immediately. Furthermore, his disrespect toward the Douluo Hall is an unforgivable offense. However, considering his prolonged absence from Spirit Hall and his ignorance of its rules, he will be spared from execution. Instead, he is to be expelled from Spirit City and forbidden from ever setting foot here again!"

(End of Chapter)

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