Chapter 18: The Pope's Arrival
"Level 97... no, it's already very close to level 98."
At that moment, all the powerful Titled Douluos and above in Spirit City could clearly feel the tremendous pressure. In the Pope's Palace, one of the guards looked toward the Elder's Hall with a horrified expression. "Your Holiness, that's..."
Another guard swallowed hard. "No mistake, that Soul power fluctuation..."
"It seems one of the Elders has broken through, though I'm not sure who it was—Uncle Guang Ling, Uncle Jiang Jun, or Uncle Jian Long. My guess is Uncle Guang Ling; he was the first among the three to reach level 96." Qian Xunji, who possessed the Angel Set's head Soul bone and was a Titled Douluo, had an extraordinary mental power. He quickly judged the strength of the Soul power fluctuation; it had definitely reached level 97.
He hadn't been born when his father and the Second Elder broke through to level 97, but he could vividly remember the breakthroughs of the Third and Fourth Elders. The scene unfolding was exactly like that—no, even more powerful. Although the Elders held power that could challenge the Pope, they were loyal to the Spirit Hall and the Angel lineage. The stronger the Elders became, the stronger the foundation of the Spirit Hall, and the more secure Qian Xunji's position as Pope.
"Haha, come on, both of you go and congratulate them." Sensing the unique aura of a level 97 Titled Douluo, Qian Xunji believed an Elder had made a breakthrough. He laughed and strode out of the Pope's Palace. His two guards exchanged wry smiles and followed closely behind, their eyes filled with both envy and awe. With such a solid foundation, there was no fear for the Spirit Hall's prosperity or strength. Nor was there any doubt that Qian Xunji would one day rule the world. They knew the "ambitions" of their Pope; he sought not just the Spirit Hall and the two empires, but the entire continent.
In the Elder Hall, the Elders also believed that one of their own had reached level 97, but having received orders from the Grand Elder, they refrained from offering their congratulations. For those below the Titled Douluo level, the fluctuation of Soul power was incomprehensible, making it impossible for them to judge its true strength.
In the Elder Hall, Chrysanthemum and Ghost were stunned, staring blankly at the tall man in red, not daring to breathe. The six Elders, led by Qian Daoliu, observed him with curiosity.
Third Elder Azure Luan Douluo smiled softly. "Not bad for a Martial Soul fusion skill. For a Soul King of just over 50 to fuse with Jiang Mo Douluo and reach such a level, even I feel pressured. It seems I've struck gold."
"Indeed," agreed Second Elder Golden Crocodile Douluo. "Even I felt a little threatened. When Qin Xuan is promoted to a Titled Douluo, this Martial Soul fusion skill could potentially reach the level of the Grand Elder."
"Perhaps even beyond that," Qian Daoliu added meaningfully. He glanced at Chrysanthemum and Ghost and said in a deep voice, "I don't want a word of today's event to leave this room."
"Do you both understand?" Qian Daoliu narrowed his eyes, his tone dangerous.
Chrysanthemum and Ghost swallowed hard. Chrysanthemum hesitated before asking, "Grand Elder, if His Holiness the Pope inquires, should we remain silent?"
"I will handle the Pope," Qian Daoliu replied after a pause, considering his son's dignity.
"Understood," they responded respectfully, standing aside with their clothes soaked in sweat. They kept their heads bowed, not daring to move since the Grand Elder had not dismissed them.
"Demon, how do you feel now?" Qian Daoliu softened his expression as he approached the man in red with the other Elders.
"Well, I feel like I could take down a 100,000-year-old Soul Beast with one punch. So, not bad." The man in red, holding a spear in his left hand and clenching his right fist, responded with Qin Xuan's voice.
"Is that... Qin Xuan?" Qian Daoliu and the other Elders were shocked. They hadn't expected Qin Xuan to be in control of the Martial Soul fusion. This meant that Jiang Mo, a level 96 Super Douluo, had been bested by a mere Soul King in the battle for dominance within the fusion.
At that moment, the voice of the Guardian Knight outside the hall announced, "Grand Elder, His Holiness the Pope and his two personal guards are here." Qian Daoliu glanced toward the entrance but said nothing. He turned to Qin Xuan and instructed, "Xuan'er, cancel the Martial Soul fusion skill."
Qian Daoliu now affectionately referred to him as "Xuan'er," a term usually reserved for his closest teachers.
"Oh," Qin Xuan responded lightly. With a flash of white light, the man in red vanished, and Qin Xuan and Elder Jiang Long returned to their original forms. The difference was clear. Qin Xuan remained calm and composed, but Elder Jiang Long blushed with shame. Despite being a level 96 attack-type Titled Douluo with the powerful Coiling Dragon Staff, he had lost to his own disciple, a mere Soul King. The embarrassment was overwhelming; he wished he could crawl into a hole.
As for the other Elders—Golden Crocodile, Azure Luan, Mighty Lion, Guang Ling, and Qianjun—they watched Jiang Mo's predicament with amusement, barely containing their laughter. Normally, they maintained their lofty demeanor, but it was clear that if Qin Xuan and the Pope hadn't been present, they might have burst out laughing. However, their mirth wouldn't last much longer.
"Let them in," Qian Daoliu ordered, turning toward the gate of the Elder Hall.
Qin Xuan stood quietly beside Chrysanthemum and Ghost, while Qianjun, with a bitter expression, joined his brother Jiang Mo, both tightly gripping their Coiling Dragon Staff. This was why the two brothers could fight together, even rivaling peak level 98 Douluos.