The next morning, at the Shrek Academy camp in the Heavenly Dou Royal Hunting Ground, the atmosphere was suffocatingly oppressive.
The simple courtyard was filled with the thick scent of medicinal herbs and a heavy air. Yu Xiaogang sat cross-legged on the bed in the main room, his face still pale and his internal injuries not yet healed, but his eyes held a trace of weary calm. Flender and Zhao Wuji stood guard beside him, their expressions grave. Liu Erlong sat nearby, her beautiful face filled with suppressed fury and humiliation, her aura weak, clearly suffering from serious internal injuries. Meanwhile, Tang San lay unconscious in the inner room, his entire body wrapped in bandages, his breathing faint, being cared for by Xiao Wu, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and others.
The crushing defeat of the previous day, Tang San's severe injuries, and the final icy warning from Marco's father, the Godly Spear Douluo, weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like massive boulders. What worried them even more was that the violation of the tournament rules—the use of poisoned hidden weapons and Liu Erlong's blatant attack on a contestant—would inevitably draw the thunderous wrath of the tournament committee.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Urgent and forceful knocks shattered the deathly silence, carrying an undeniable authority.
Flender and Yu Xiaogang exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes. What was coming had finally arrived.
Zhao Wuji stepped forward and opened the door curtain.
Outside stood a group of people. At their head was a man with a gaunt face, a hooked nose, and sinister eyes. He wore the distinctive red bishop's robe of the Spirit Hall, with an emblem representing the Soul Douluo level embroidered on his chest. This was none other than Salas, the Platinum Bishop of the Spirit Hall's Heaven Dou City branch! Behind him followed several Soul Saint-level experts with steady auras, dressed in Spirit Hall uniforms, along with several officials from the tournament committee. All wore serious expressions and unfriendly gazes.
"Bishop Salas, esteemed sirs, please come in," Flender took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm as he stepped aside. Seeing this, the fire in Liu Erlong's eyes burned brighter, but she was stopped by a look from Flender.
Salas snorted coldly and led his entourage inside in single file. His sharp gaze swept over everyone in the courtyard before finally settling on Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong, a cold smirk curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Shrek Academy: Dean Flender, instructors Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong, and student Tang San. During yesterday's Promotion Tournament match against Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team One, they violated the rules by using poisoned hidden weapons with intent to murder their opponent. Furthermore, instructor Liu Erlong openly defied tournament regulations by attacking a participating student. The circumstances are extremely egregious and the nature of the offense is severe! By order of the tournament committee, I have come to interrogate and thoroughly investigate this matter!" Salas's voice was icy, devoid of any emotion, like a pronouncement of judgment.
The Spirit Hall experts and committee officials behind him stepped forward, their auras intimidating.
Flender's heart sank, knowing this matter would be extremely difficult to resolve peacefully. He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Bishop Salas, esteemed sirs, yesterday's incident was truly a misunderstanding. Student Tang San used hidden weapons in a moment of desperation to protect himself. The items used were not highly toxic; they were merely intended to disrupt his opponent, with absolutely no intent to murder. As for Instructor Liu Erlong, she acted out of deep concern for her student in a moment of impulse; it was by no means a premeditated attack. We implore the Bishop to investigate clearly and, considering our unintentional mistakes, show leniency in your judgment."
"An unintentional mistake?" Salas sneered, his gaze sharp as a blade. "I have personally examined the hidden weapon used by Tang San. It contains a lethal poison that seals the throat upon contact with blood. If not for Marco's extraordinary skills, he would have already succumbed to the poison! This is ironclad evidence—what misunderstanding could there be? Liu Erlong, as an academy instructor and a Soul Saint, actually attempted to kill a student who hasn't even reached the level of a Soul Emperor! If not for the timely intervention of Godly Spear Douluo, the consequences would have been unimaginable! How dare you still argue that this was out of concern for your disciple? Clearly, you disregarded the tournament's strict rules and treated human life as worthless!"
His voice suddenly rose sharply as he declared sternly, "According to the tournament rules, Tang San of Shrek Academy is to be immediately disqualified, expelled from the tournament, and banned for life! His academy will have all its points deducted, its deposit forfeited, and its participation in the next three tournaments revoked! As for the instructor who attacked a participating student, her cultivation will be crippled, her instructor qualifications permanently revoked, and she will be handed over to the Soul Master Realm for judgment!"
Upon hearing this, the faces of the Shrek Academy members turned pale! Disqualification, forfeiture of the deposit, tournament bans, crippling cultivation—these penalties were practically pushing Shrek Academy to the brink of destruction! Especially crippling Liu Erlong's cultivation—that would be worse than killing her!
"Bullshit!" Liu Erlong could no longer restrain herself, leaping to her feet and glaring furiously at Salas. "Who are you to decide whether Tang San uses poison or not? Do the tournament rules forbid the use of poison?! Besides, that brat Marco beat my disciple half to death—what's wrong with me teaching him a lesson?! Should I just stand by and watch my disciple get beaten to death?!"
"Outrageous!" Salas's eyes flashed with cold light as a powerful Soul Power Imposing Aura erupted, pressing directly toward Liu Erlong. "A mere Soul Saint dares to disrespect me, the presiding bishop! The evidence is conclusive, yet you still dare to argue! Guards, seize Liu Erlong and cripple her cultivation! Expel everyone from Shrek Academy from the arena!"
"Let's see who dares!" Flender and Zhao Wuji unleashed their Soul Power, stepping in front of Liu Erlong. The atmosphere instantly became tense and hostile!
"Bishop Salas, please hold your actions."
At that moment, a gentle yet authoritative voice rang out. A figure in moon-white robes, accompanied by an elderly man with a gaunt frame, slowly walked into the courtyard. It was none other than the master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Ning Fengzhi, and the Guardian Douluo, Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
Seeing Ning Fengzhi, Salas frowned slightly, retracting some of his Imposing Aura, but his tone remained icy. "Master Ning, this is an internal matter of the tournament committee. Dealing with rule-breakers is only right and proper. What is the meaning of your intervention?"
Ning Fengzhi smiled faintly, stepping between the two sides. "Bishop Salas, please calm your anger. I am not here to interfere with tournament affairs. I merely believe there may be hidden circumstances in this matter, and hastily imposing penalties might be unjust. Whether Tang San's hidden weapon contains poison, and the nature of its toxicity, may require further careful examination. Although Instructor Liu Erlong's actions were inappropriate, her concern for her disciple is understandable, and no actual harm was caused. Could a lighter punishment be considered? After all, Shrek Academy has worked hard to nurture talent. It would be a pity to see it destroyed over this incident."
"Hmph! Master Ning, the tournament's strict rules cannot be bent for individuals!" Salas sneered. "Tang San's use of poison is backed by conclusive evidence! Liu Erlong's assault was witnessed by all! If such egregious behavior is not severely punished, how can we maintain fairness? How can we uphold the tournament's dignity? As the master of one of the Three Upper Schools, are you attempting to abuse your authority to shield those who have broken the rules?"
"Bishop Salas, you exaggerate." Ning Fengzhi's smile remained gentle, but his tone carried a note of unquestionable firmness. "Fengzhi is not shielding them, only believing the punishment is too severe. The rules of the tournament emphasize warning, not cutting off all paths. How about this: confiscate Shrek Academy's prize money for this tournament, deduct some points, ban Mentor Liu Erlong from competition for three years, and order her to reflect on her mistakes behind closed doors. As for Tang San, revoke his individual qualification for this tournament. Would that suffice? This way, we can both uphold the tournament's dignity and give them a chance to reform."
Salas's face darkened. With Ning Fengzhi stepping in, he had to show some respect, but this punishment was far from what he wanted. Just as he was about to argue, Yu Xiaogang, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke.
"Master Ning's kindness is appreciated by Xiaogang."
Yu Xiaogang slowly rose to his feet, his face still pale but his eyes unusually calm. He walked to Ning Fengzhi's side and, facing Salas, slowly retrieved an object from his robes, holding it high.
It was a palm-sized token, pitch black in color, neither metallic nor wooden. Carved upon it were six symbols: the Clear Sky Hammer, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, an Angel, a Chrysanthemum, and a Ghost Shadow. It was the very token symbolizing the highest authority of the Spirit Hall—the Pope's Decree!
"The Spirit Hall Elder's Decree is here!" Yu Xiaogang's voice was not loud, yet it exploded like thunder in the courtyard!
Salas and the Spirit Hall experts behind him underwent a drastic change in expression the moment they saw the token. Salas's pupils contracted, his gaze fixed intently on the token, his face shifting between shades of disbelief and anger. The Soul Saints behind him instinctively took half a step back, their faces filled with awe.
"Beholding the Pope's Decree is like beholding the Pope himself!" Yu Xiaogang declared solemnly, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority. "Bishop Salas, does this decree still hold power?"
Salas's face turned livid, his chest heaving violently. He stared fixedly at the Pope's Decree, then at Yu Xiaogang's expressionless face, then at the composed Ning Fengzhi beside him, and finally at the watchful Bone Douluo Gu Rong. He understood that today's matter would likely not proceed according to his wishes.
"Hmph!" Salas forced the syllable through gritted teeth. Taking a deep breath, he forcibly suppressed the fury and resentment in his heart and gave a slight bow toward the Pope's Decree. "Since the Pope's Decree is present, this bishop naturally must obey the Pope's command. This matter... this bishop will report truthfully to Her Holiness the Pope and await her judgment!"
With that, he no longer looked at the Shrek group, turned, and strode away, his sleeves billowing. The Spirit Hall experts and tournament committee officials he had brought exchanged uneasy glances before following him, leaving in a rather disheveled manner.
In the courtyard, only the members of Shrek Academy, along with Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo, remained.
The immediate crisis was averted, but no one felt relieved. The appearance of the Pope's Decree had indeed intimidated Salas, but it also thrust Shrek Academy into the eye of the storm. This token represented Bibidong's will. Salas would certainly not let this go; the matter would inevitably escalate to the Papal Hall.
"Thank you, Master Ning, for speaking out for justice." Flender let out a long sigh of relief and bowed deeply to Ning Fengzhi. If not for Ning Fengzhi's timely intervention to ease the tension and the pressure of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School he represented, Salas would likely not have backed down so easily.
"Dean Flender, there's no need for such formalities." Ning Fengzhi waved his hand, his gaze falling upon the Pope's Decree in Yu Xiaogang's hand. A flicker of complex, inscrutable emotion passed through his eyes, but he refrained from asking further, simply stating, "Salas is a man who holds grudges over the slightest offense. He will not let today's matter go easily. Shrek Academy must make preparations early. I have said all I need to say. Farewell."
With that, he nodded to Bone Douluo, and the two of them departed gracefully.
The courtyard fell silent once more. Flender, Zhao Wuji, and the others looked at Yu Xiaogang with complicated expressions. They knew Yu Xiaogang had a past with the Pope of the Spirit Hall, but they never imagined he actually possessed a Pope's Decree! The relationship behind this was likely deeper than they had thought.
Liu Erlong stared at Yu Xiaogang, her eyes filled with shock and... a trace of indescribable pain and anger. She fixed her gaze on him, her delicate frame trembling slightly, her voice hoarse:
"You... you're still in contact with her?! You still keep something from her?! Yu Xiaogang! Tell me, what exactly is going on between you and Bibidong?! Is this Pope's Decree given to you by her?!"
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