Her strength was no less than his, yet under the oppressive momentum, she felt constrained at every turn.
Bibi Dong understood that Tang Hao possessed an indomitable will—no matter the enemy, he would face them with a single hammer strike.
By constantly viewing Tang Hao as her imaginary rival, she had already placed herself at a disadvantage.
However, she also held advantages Tang Hao lacked—her Twin Soul Spirits granted her an inexhaustible supply of Soul Power.
Moreover, her Death Spider Emperor Martial Soul's Ninth Soul Skill, Undying Body, ensured no one could kill her.
Thus, Bibi Dong remained unafraid.
The battle between them was fierce, with continuous explosions echoing.
Yet Tang Hao's mention of "Soul Bone" had been overheard by the crowd, sending imaginations running wild.
Tang Hao's wife had been a 100,000-Year Soul Beast—did that mean her 100,000-Year Soul Bone had truly been taken by Spirit Hall?
Dugu Feng's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he was gloating.
The greatest treasures were all in his possession!
Even the grass seed A Yin had transformed into was still nourishing his Core Pearl with energy.
While others focused on the Soul Bone, what truly shocked them was Bibi Dong's strength.
Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo all wore grave expressions.
Bibi Dong was not particularly old—in the eyes of Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, she was practically a junior.
Even Ning Fengzhi, who appeared youthful, was actually older than her.
Yet Bibi Dong was able to trade blows evenly with Tang Hao.
Who was Tang Hao? The Haotian Douluo who had shaken the world over a decade ago.
Bibi Dong's strength was genuinely astonishing to them.
Meanwhile, at the foot of the mountains.
Five towering figures, each over two meters tall, stood side by side.
At the center was a broad-shouldered, rugged-faced middle-aged man whose mere presence marked him as the leader.
He was Tang Xiao, the current sect master of Clear Sky Sect.
Tang Xiao's piercing eyes burned intently as he strained to sense the battle at the center.
Flanking him were four white-haired elders.
Among them were Qingyang Douluo and Ranyang Douluo.
The other two were the third elder, Dongyang Douluo, and the fourth elder, Haoyang Douluo.
These were Clear Sky Sect's five Titled Douluos.
"Do you still wish to lift the sect's seclusion now?" Tang Xiao asked calmly.
The four elders exchanged uneasy glances.
"Sect Master, spare us the reproach," Qingyang Douluo, the second elder, said with a bitter smile. "Spirit Hall's strength exceeds our expectations. Even their new Pope, Bibi Dong, is terrifyingly powerful!"
The other three elders remained silent, brows furrowed.
They had assumed Bibi Dong's ascension as Pope—a woman, no less—was merely a stopgap measure by Qiandao Liu after Qian Xunji's sudden death.
But now they realized this new Pope was formidable.
"When the previous sect master decided to seal our gates to appease Spirit Hall's wrath, our clansmen resented it—that's understandable.
But as the sect's decision-makers, we cannot lead our sect to ruin.
I know you resent my younger brother, but you cannot deny his strength.
Bibi Dong has fought him this long without defeat. Add to that the numerous Titled auras surrounding us, not to mention Spirit Hall's still-unseen Consecrators... If Clear Sky Sect emerges now, we face certain annihilation!"
Tang Xiao spoke with grave seriousness.
"Yes, Sect Master!"
The four elders no longer dared mention lifting the seclusion.
"Sect Master, we cannot let the person who has been spreading rumors about our Clear Sky Sect's strength behind our backs continue to roam free.
This individual deliberately incited conflict between us and the Spirit Hall—truly malicious in intent.
In the coming years, our clansmen will struggle to obtain Spirit Rings!"
The Second Elder's long eyebrows trembled with anger.
Tang Xiao frowned and said, "I believe Sect Master Ning is also keeping an eye on the mastermind behind this."
He had heard Tang Hao's words earlier—that A Yin and the Soul Bone were missing.
He trusted his younger brother wouldn't lie.
The one who took A Yin and the Soul Bone must be the same person—or the same faction—behind the spreading rumors.
He racked his brain but couldn't think of any faction with such immense power, capable of precisely locating where his brother had hidden the Soul Bone.
He would have to meet with Tang Hao later and have a proper discussion.
Little brother, it's not that I won't help you—the continent's situation is too volatile now. One misstep, and our entire sect could be destroyed.
Tang Xiao sighed.
"The Clear Sky Sect still has five Titled Douluo. If they were to act together, even the Spirit Hall wouldn't stand a chance.
The Spirit Hall has been strutting around Heaven Dou City these days—how I wish the Clear Sky Sect would drive them out!"
Dugu Feng sighed dramatically, pretending to pin his hopes on the Clear Sky Sect.
In truth, he was thinking that the sect's ability to turtle up was impressive.
No one's even died yet—far from my expectations. The Clear Sky Sect is too cowardly.
Even when Tang Hao and Bibi Dong fought a life-and-death battle outside their gates, the Clear Sky Sect didn't dare intervene.
Suddenly, Dugu Feng considered another possibility.
Was Bibi Dong holding back her Titled Douluo subordinates to lure them out?
Does she have another objective?
I can't underestimate her.
The Hall of Worship's elders might be lying in ambush nearby!
After Qian Renxue's failed coup in Heaven Dou City and her return to Spirit City, Qiandao Liu had once told her that even within the Hall of Worship, some elders supported Bibi Dong.
Old Snake, who knew Dugu Feng well, thought to himself, Young Master, you just want the Clear Sky Sect's Titled Douluo and the Spirit Hall to annihilate each other, don't you?
As everyone harbored their own thoughts—
Another collision erupted at the center of the battlefield.
The massive hammer in the sky vanished abruptly.
"Bibi Dong, just you wait! The debt the Spirit Hall owes me—I'll collect every last bit of it!"
Tang Hao fled.
Burdened by old injuries, he couldn't prolong the fight. After delivering his threat, he simply ran.
At the heart of the battlefield—
Amidst intense violet light, Bibi Dong was in her Martial Soul Avatar state, her appearance grotesque.
The skin of her upper body was encased in violet armor, even her face covered by a chitinous mask.
Beyond her two main eyes, four smaller ones gleamed beneath them.
Her lower half was even more exaggerated—her abdomen had transformed into a massive spherical body.
Eight thick, elongated legs sprouted from it, each covered in dense green fur and oozing revolting mucus.
Bibi Dong's Martial Soul Avatar had manifested with terrifying completeness, resembling a colossal venomous spider.
For Beast Martial Souls, the more thorough the transformation, the greater the Bloodline Power.
Bibi Dong's Death Spider Emperor Martial Soul had even granted her an undying Soul Skill—proof of its overwhelming might.
Her eight spider legs gradually retracted as she resumed her dignified Pope's demeanor.
She loathed revealing this repulsive form before others.
Moments later, the grotesque visage vanished.
Bibi Dong was clad in a resplendent golden gown, holding a jeweled scepter nearly two meters long, transforming into the noble and peerless Pope.
Her deep, enigmatic gaze swept across the mountain ranges.
She murmured to herself, "Tang Xiao, Tang Hao, you act so brazenly now—do you think I'm like Qiandao Liu?
Do you believe I won't storm your mountain gates as well?
Good, it's perfect that you think this way.
I hope you continue to hold onto such thoughts!
Now you believe I can do nothing against you—precisely the illusion I want you to harbor!"
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