Chapter 82: Useful to Me

...

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall, including Pope Bibi Dong, was shocked.

A Level 35 Soul Elder single-handedly killed a squad? And it was a squad with Soul King-level members from the Soul Palace? How was this possible?

The entire hall fell silent.

"Are you sure about what you just said?"

Pope Bibi Dong's authoritative voice broke the silence as he coldly asked his subordinate.

"Absolutely true. If it weren't for the astonishing nature of this incident, I wouldn't have brought it up."

Bibi Dong fell silent, his heartstrings trembling at the situation. It was truly shocking that a Soul Elder had the power to kill a squad with a Soul King. 

"Your Holiness, there's something else." The middle-aged man reported again.

"Speak!"

"This... Zhang Yi, he is only a Rank 3 Soul Elder, but he possesses two thousand-year soul rings."

This statement was like a thunderbolt that struck everyone's hearts, even more explosive and stimulating than the previous news.

"Is this true?"

Bibi Dong's expression turned grave, and he asked in a deep voice. She could accept the previous incident to some extent, but this was something she couldn't remain calm about.

It was widely recognized that the best configuration of soul rings for a soul master was yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black. This person broke that limitation with only two soul rings. What about in the future? A fourth soul ring after ten thousand years?

It should be known that the limit for a soul master's second soul ring absorption was a little over seven hundred years. Beyond that, the body couldn't bear it and would explode under the violent soul power.

While the Spirit Hall had tried to let someone absorb soul rings beyond the time limit, the results were always the same – death or disability. None had succeeded.

"Your Holiness, this is true. When he registered as a soul master in the Suotuo Soul Main Hall, he showed his soul rings."

"Registered in the Soul Hall?"

Bibi Dong noticed the flaw in this statement. If this person really was a genius from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, why would he register in the Soul Hall? Showing his talent would make him a target for the Soul Hall.

If he truly was a genius from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he shouldn't have done something so foolish. Or could it be that he wasn't really from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?

Bibi Dong instantly thought of these questions, feeling puzzled in her heart as she looked at her subordinate below, asking, "How do you know he is from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?"

"Th-this..."

Bibi Dong's question made the middle-aged man embarrassed. Indeed, he had no way to prove it. That person had told his subordinate, Ouyou, that he was a disciple of the Sword Douluo, but how could they simply believe his words?

No, he had to come up with an explanation to make it sound plausible.

Cold sweat dripped from the middle-aged man's forehead as he rapidly pondered and organized his thoughts.

"Your Holiness, this person was tested by an elder when he registered in the Suotuo Soul Main Hall, and the elder wanted to recruit him into our Soul Hall. But he instead claimed to be a disciple of the Sword Douluo, so the elder had to give up. Moreover, this person's strength is extremely powerful, far surpassing his peers. His sword skills are profound and extraordinary. I speculate that he is not an ordinary civilian soul master, but rather someone cultivated by a powerful force. Among all the forces, besides the Sword Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, there are hardly any experts adept in using swords. Therefore, it is highly probable that this person is a disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."

This person quickly said a long paragraph, explaining his speculation all at once, anxiously awaiting Bibi Dong's judgement.

Hearing this, Bibi Dong nodded. This reason made her convinced.

At this moment, a red-robed bishop stood up from the crowd and respectfully said to Pope Bibi Dong, "Your Holiness, if this person is truly as monstrous as Bishop Bonin described, if he is not useful to our Soul Hall, it would be best to eliminate him as soon as possible. Otherwise, letting him grow may produce another figure like Clear Sky Douluo, or perhaps, even more terrifying than Clear Sky Douluo."

Haotian.

Upon hearing this name, a trace of unhappiness flashed across Bibi Dong's eyes, only to vanish in an instant. This person had brought disgrace to the Spirit Hall, and she certainly remembered.

However, useful to me...

Bibi Dong's eyes brightened, showing an inexplicable meaning as her lips curled up slightly, exuding a charm that intoxicated people.

"I will consider this matter myself, so you don't need to interfere, understand?" Bibi Dong cast her authoritative gaze over the people below and spoke.

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

"Since there's nothing else, the meeting is over. You may all leave!"

"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison, then quietly and orderly left the conference hall of the Pope's palace.

After everyone left, only Pope Bibi Dong and the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall, Hu Liena, remained seated in the hall.

Pope Bibi Dong couldn't help but look at his disciple Hu Liena, noticing her bewildered expression and the incredulous look in her eyes.

Has she been struck by this?

"Na'er, how do you think you compare to this Zhang Yi?" Bibi Dong asked calmly.

Hearing this, Hu Liena was momentarily stunned, then replied with a bitter expression, "Your disciple is inferior to him."

"In what way are you inferior?"

"Although I am stronger than him in soul power at the same age, I admit that I can't accomplish what he did, killing a squad with a Soul King alone. And now that I am eighteen years old, my strength is at the forty-ninth level of the Spirit Ancestor rank. With this strength, I can fight against and defeat a squad like that, just like him. However, he is still a Soul Ellder, able to achieve what I can only do at the peak Spirit Ancestor level. I cannot surpass him."

Hu Liena answered Bibi Dong, but she only admitted that her talent was inferior to his. Regarding strength, she believed that she could be on par with him. However, this realization was quite shameful. After all, there was a huge difference in cultivation level between them.

Her tone revealed a tinge of unwillingness, but there was nothing she could do. She was already one of the strongest disciples of the Spirit Hall at her age, which made her proud. But hearing that someone her age was even more powerful, and from outside the Spirit Hall, the proud her couldn't help but feel a bit disheartened.

"It seems you know yourself well, Na'er." Bibi Dong said, quite satisfied with her disciple's answer. It was good that she recognized her own strengths. The worst thing was to know but be unwilling to admit it, which would be self-conceit rather than confidence. In that case, she would have to reconsider whether her disciple was suitable for the position of Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall.

Hearing her master say this, Hu Liena couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"But don't be disheartened. Your talent is extremely high, and you shouldn't doubt that. Don't underestimate yourself because of this incident. The road ahead is long, and who knows who will persevere till the end? It might be you?" Bibi Dong imparted her teachings to her disciple.

"Master, do you want to kill this person?" Hu Liena asked when she heard Bibi Dong talk like this.

"Why should I kill him?" Bibi Dong shook her head. Although this person had great talent, it still wasn't enough to make her attach great importance to him. Good talent was good, but until that talent was transformed into strength, even the most potent talent was nothing more than an illusion, unable to withstand a single blow.

"Besides, letting such a person grow isn't it more interesting?" Bibi Dong chuckled.

"But he is from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Won't letting him grow bring trouble to our Spirit Hall?" Hu Liena couldn't understand her master's words.

Bibi Dong calmly replied, "Do we have any deep grudges against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?"

Hu Liena was momentarily stunned, then thought it over, "Our Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan do not have any grievances."

"Since we don't have any deep grudges, why can't we use him for the Spirit Hall?" Bibi Dong looked at her disciple Hu Liena and asked back.

This made Hu Liena unsure how to reply. Although the Spirit Hall currently had no grievances with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, their ambition to dominate the entire continent was known by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Since they aimed to rule the continent, they would inevitably clash with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan sooner or later.

As the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall, Hu Liena naturally knew that the Spirit Hall's strength surpassed that of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. If a war broke out, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would surely be defeated. But could they make the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan submit to the Spirit Hall with their arrogance?

Looking at her beautiful and delicate face, Bibi Dong smiled. She stood up from her seat, and her majestic voice echoed in the hall.

"Elder Chrysanthemum, Elder Ghost, come out!"