Cheers erupted from the crowd. Some felt disappointed, others were overjoyed—the outcome was unexpected. No one had anticipated Su Ming's true strength to be this overwhelming. And what puzzled everyone was the oppressive aura of destruction that Su Ming exuded alongside his Wood Element Martial Spirit.
Before they could ponder further, the red-robed cardinal announced the final result, sounding a bit dejected: "The match is over. The Heaven Dou team wins!"
After his announcement, all eyes shifted to Bibi Dong.
Her cool voice rang out: "Heaven Dou team, please step forward. Congratulations on winning the championship. The three soul bones are yours; you may decide how to distribute them."
With a wave of Bibi Dong's hand, the three soul bones appeared in front of Su Ming. The other six team members visibly lit up with interest.
Before Su Ming could speak, Xiao Wu jumped in, "I'll pass—none of these soul bones suit me."
Su Ming nodded. None of the bones were quite right for her, and she wasn't yet ready to absorb one anyway. Otherwise, the Wisdom Skull, which boosts mental power, might have been a good fit for her.
"I already have a soul bone Su Ming gave me, so I'll pass too," Ye Lingling said calmly.
"I'll skip it too," Dugu Yan added. "These bones aren't quite right for me either."
With everyone passing on the soul bones, Su Ming firmly declared, "Alright, I'll handle the distribution, and for anyone who doesn't receive one, I'll find ways to make it up to you later."
"Zhuqing, this 30,000-year-old Swift Wind Left Leg Bone is most suitable for you. Your speed is already impressive, and with this soul bone, it'll be a great boost."
Zhu Zhuqing took the soul bone with a pleased smile. A 30,000-year-old soul bone was indeed exceptional.
"Rongrong," Su Ming continued, "this Wisdom Skull would suit you best. With your mental power aptitude, absorbing this soul bone will enhance your control over your mental abilities."
Surprised, Ning Rongrong looked at him, shaking her head. "Su Ming, this Wisdom Skull would be better for you. You contributed the most to our victory—I don't deserve it."
Although the skull was tempting, especially being a high-quality 60,000-year-old bone, she knew that without Su Ming, they wouldn't have won. She felt uneasy accepting it.
Before she could say more, Su Ming said firmly, "Rongrong, my strength is already quite high. Right now, it's more crucial for you to grow. Once you absorb this bone, your spirit power might even reach level 50. Didn't you say you wanted to improve quickly so you could find a suitable mental-type spirit beast?"
With a blush, Rongrong finally accepted, recognizing the truth in his words.
Su Ming then turned his attention to the last bone, a fiery right arm bone. He hesitated, as none of them seemed particularly suited for it.
Seeing his dilemma, his teammates said, "Su Ming, why don't you hold onto it for now? We can exchange it for something more suitable down the line."
He nodded, pocketing the soul bone for future use.
Meanwhile, Shi Mo and the other team members had no complaints. They knew their contributions had been minor, and, though envious, they understood they didn't deserve a share of the reward.
With the distribution done, Bibi Dong stepped down, addressing Su Ming directly: "Su Ming, your talent and strength are exceptional. I, on behalf of the Spirit Hall, formally invite you to join us. Any reasonable request you have will be met."
The crowd murmured, surprised but not entirely shocked by Bibi Dong's offer. Su Ming's strength was remarkable, after all—it made sense that Spirit Hall would seek to recruit him.
However, the Heaven Dou team members, especially Feng and the others, grew anxious, fearing Su Ming might actually accept. What would they tell the empire upon returning to Heaven Dou City?
"Su Ming, please…" Feng and the others began, trying to dissuade him.
Raising a hand, Su Ming quieted them, then turned to Bibi Dong with a smile. "Your Majesty the Pope, are you saying any request of mine will be met?"
Everyone: … Wait, that expression of his seems a bit… odd.
Unperturbed, Bibi Dong replied, "Yes, as long as it's not too excessive. Spirit Hall is even willing to provide a full set of soul bones, each of at least 50,000 years."
The crowd buzzed with astonishment. Spirit Hall's generosity toward Su Ming was remarkable.
Feng and his teammates paled, understanding the magnitude of such an offer. A complete set of 50,000-year-old soul bones was practically priceless. They knew that, if presented with such a deal, they would've agreed instantly—what was an empire compared to securing their personal growth?
Su Ming glanced at the girls, his answer already clear in his mind. However, if Spirit Hall wanted him to join, he intended to demand more—real authority.
"I want the title of Holy Son of Spirit Hall, along with real authority—second only to you, Your Holiness. If you agree to my conditions, I'll join Spirit Hall!" Su Ming spoke with a calmness that left everyone stunned.
"Wow, Su Ming really dared to make such a demand. Do you think the Pope will actually agree?" whispered a spectator.
"With Su Ming's power, his request isn't exactly unreasonable," commented another. "After all, Hu Liena is the Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall. Having both a Holy Son and a Holy Maiden isn't an issue."
"Are you kidding? Hu Liena is the Pope's direct disciple, so it's expected she holds that title. But Su Ming also wants his position to be second only to Bibi Dong—meaning even Qian Renxue, her own daughter, would be beneath him."
"You put it like that… and, well, Qian Renxue isn't as strong as Su Ming, so he'd technically be 'above her' anyway…"
The crowd's murmurs filled the arena, and even with attempts to keep voices down, the excitement grew too loud to stifle. Bibi Dong's grip tightened on her staff, her expression betraying a moment of surprise. Hu Liena and Qian Renxue stared wide-eyed at Su Ming, as if questioning whether he was serious.
After a deep breath, Bibi Dong spoke, "Alright, I agree. But don't get too happy just yet."
Su Ming responded, "Is there any other condition, Your Holiness?"
Bibi Dong replied, "I'll grant you the title of Holy Son with appropriate authority. However, the six soul bones I promised—each over 50,000 years—won't be given right away. You'll need to earn them through merit."
"Also, I want you as my disciple. Just as Hu Liena is my disciple and Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden, you'll be my student and our Holy Son."
Su Ming answered without hesitation, "No problem. I'll do justice to the role of Holy Son of Spirit Hall. As for the soul bones, without merit, even if you granted them, it would invite jealousy and discontent. Soul bones, after all, are second only to spirit rings in value."
Bibi Dong looked at him approvingly, noting his insight. Su Ming then formally bowed three times, accepting her as his master. With this relationship, he could navigate Spirit Hall with greater ease.
Meanwhile, Yu Feng and the others from Heaven Dou Empire looked dismayed, worried about how they would explain this back at the academy, or even to Emperor Xue Ye. Unable to hold back, Yu Feng pleaded, "Captain! You're from Heaven Dou Empire—how can you join Spirit Hall? Doesn't this betray the Empire that invested in you?"
Su Ming shook his head calmly, "Yu Feng, the Empire's nobility is corrupt. As a commoner, I've always felt out of place. As for the 'investment,' tell me—did the Empire ever grant me a soul bone, or help me acquire soul rings? Those cultivation environments were just standard for any high-level academy."
He continued, "I've already brought the Empire honor by winning this tournament. Consider it my parting gift. Take the tournament prize money and soul tools back with you as compensation."
The crowd seemed to recognize the fairness of Su Ming's words. He'd given Heaven Dou Empire all the honor they could ask for and even left behind rewards. What more could be expected?
With that settled, Su Ming discreetly signaled to Gui Mei and Ju Douluo.
Gui Mei stepped forward, turning to Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhu Zhuqing, would you like to join Spirit Hall? Your talent is outstanding. How would you feel about becoming my disciple?"
Without hesitation, Zhu Zhuqing bowed three times and respectfully said, "Disciple Zhu Zhuqing greets Master!"
Gui Mei's laughter filled the air. He then looked toward the Star Luo team, his voice chilling. "Zhu Zhuqing is now my disciple, so I hope your emperor thinks carefully."
Dai Weisi sighed in resignation, knowing that with both Su Ming and Zhu Zhuqing now tied to Spirit Hall, their kingdom would have no recourse.
Next, Ju Douluo approached Xiao Wu with a chrysanthemum in hand, his tone reverent. "Xiao Wu, would you consider becoming my disciple?"
The crowd watched in shock. Why was a titled Douluo, of all people, showing such respect to a Spirit King?
Xiao Wu, though surprised, glanced at Su Ming for guidance. When he nodded, she accepted, formally becoming Ju Douluo's disciple.
"Is this some kind of mass disciple-gathering event?" someone muttered.
Finally, Bibi Dong addressed the remaining members. "Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling—would you two consider joining Spirit Hall? With your talents, your potential could flourish here."
After exchanging a glance, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling nodded, saying in unison, "We're willing, but we're joining as individuals, separate from any ties to our grandfathers or teachers."
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