Chapter-16: Within Martial Soul Hall!

Su Yuntao before heading out for a long journey to Martial Soul City with hall master Mathew's signature sends a Letter of Eminence to Martial Soul Hall's Pope Palace.

(The Letter of Eminence is actually a authority provided to all high ranking soul masters of Martial Soul Hall by the Pope palace with a warning that misuse of the letter can result in death if the factor for which the letter is not very important or grave.)

3 days later,

"Your humble servant greets you, your highness Supreme Pontiff." a man wearing hoodie and emanating dark aura greets bowing down.

"Rise! what is it?" asks the cold and charismatic beauty sitting on a throne, yup she is Bibi Dong.

"Your holiness, it's a Letter of Eminence." replies the dark man.

Upon hearing it the calmness of Bibi Dong breaks as she asks, "What is it about?"

"It's from Hall Master of Martial Soul Sub-hall located in the Nuoding City from Balak Kingdom and the content only specifies that a man named Su Yuntao an overseer of Martial Soul Sub-hall is bringing an object of importance which will have great impact for martial soul hall and doesn't wishes others to take advantage of it allowing only you, the supreme pontiff to read at first." 

"I see. So be it however Old Ghost, do prepare for wasting my time and a Letter of Eminence." orders Bibi Dong coldly. The dark and shady man is no other than Martial Soul Hall's Ghost Douluo, a Lv.95 Super Douluo.

While they excuse themselves and Bibi Dong continues her work she stretching her body tired from doing all the paper work glances at the Letter of Eminence and thinks to herself curiously, "What kind of important thing it could it be? Better my time not be wasted." As cold and ruthless thoughts come to her mind and she starts to calm herself upon feeling the bizarre and unbelievable thoughts she harboured just for some mere issues. She sighs feeling the raging and turbulent state of her mind.

After 3 more weeks of journey Su Yuntao finally reaches Martial Soul City and without any delay rushes to Martial Soul Hall. After a bit of checking and confirming his identity Su Yuntao was allowed to enter Martial Soul Hall and as he moved towards Pope palace, the palace guard asks for confirmation once again stopping him, "Halt!" the head guard guarding the palace asks, "State you name and the reason of your presence?" in an harsh and commanding tone.

Su Yuntao nervously replies, "Greetings to head palace guard. I am here on behalf of Nuoding City's Sub- Hall on the absolute occasion of Letter of Eminence." as he sees the badge of Head palace guard and Spirit Douluo's badge.

"Are you speaking truth young deacon?" this time the head guard asks with a serious tone as the occasion of Letter of eminence is serious.

"Then wait for a bit I will confirm. If it's true you'll be allowed to proceed or else you get ready to be punished." The head continues when Su Yuntao nods his head.

The heard guard then sends a message via sound transmission (which is taught to the highest ranking officers of Martial Soul Hall) to Elder Ghost Douluo who confirms it and then turning to throne he says to the cold faced Bibi Dong, "Your highness Supreme Pontiff, the deacon from Martial Soul Sub-Hall of Nuoding City has arrived and is waiting for you permission to enter." As he bows his head. 

"Let him come." Bibi Dong replies coldly waving her hand gracefully.

"Let him come." Ghost Douluo repeats the words transmitting to head palace guard who then allows Su Yuntao to enter.

Even though Su Yuntao tries to keep his composure he cannot stop being amazed by the wondrous beauty of the Pope's Papal Palace. Upon seeing him act like that some of the guards can't help but sneer only to be scolded by the head guard.

He then stands in front of the throne with Bibi Dong the current Pope of Martial Soul Hall is sitting with a cold expression. As soon as he reaches at the designated location he gets on his knees and then greets, "Greetings your holiness. I, Deacon Su Yuntao from Nuoding City's Martial Soul Sub-Hall, greet her holiness, Supreme Pontiff." As he bows his head too.

"Rise" Bibi Dong's cold voice rings out and so does Su Yuntao gets up only to feel chills from the cold gaze of Bibi Dong who then asks, "Su Yuntao, right?"

"Yes, your highness." Su Yuntao replies obediently nodding his head. Bibi Dong then continues, "For use of letter of eminence, is it so important?"

"Yes, your highness." Su Yuntao continues nodding.

"So without wasting any time, I would like you to show me the thing that has been the reason for all this." Bibi Dong speaks with a majestic and commanding tome.

"Yes, your highness. Rather than me explaining it would be better if you appraise it yourself your highness." replies Su Yuntao nervously keeping his eye off looking at ground.

"Then present it. Elder Ghost, please!" Bibi Dong says gesturing Old Ghost Douluo to bring the item. Ghost Douluo as commanded goes to Su Yuntao who takes out a small Jade box (also provided by Shen Long) from his spirit ring and hands it over to Elder Ghost.

Elder Ghost opens the box to see a book which is giving off the smell of being freshly written a title on front: 'Meridian Sutra & Some Concoctions'.

Upon looking at it Elder Ghost frowned and releasing his aura locking Su Yuntao as target he asks coldly, "What is this? Is this freshly written book a treasure? An item of importance? Answer me." Making Su Yuntao unable to breathe, suffocating under the pressure but he still tries to say something and seeing him still trying hard Bibi Dong orders, "Elder Ghost, retract your aura or else he may die before explanation." and as soon as the word gets out he instantly takes back his aura allowing Su Yuntao to be able to breathe a bit and as he gasps for air he speaks, "Please your holiness, read it at least before punishing this lowly one." Upon hearing the plead Bibi Dong orders Elder Ghost to read the contents. And as Elder Ghost starts reading the contents he starts getting shocked up and the more he reads more his expression changes filled with shock, excitement and so.

Upon seeing the expressions of Ghost Douluo Bibi Dong and some other elders present their start getting curious and so Bibi Dong's cold voice is heard, "Elder Ghost, what are the contents that you cannot even sustain your excitement." 

Elder Ghost bows and says, "Please your highness, you may read it to understand it better." and then passes the book respectfully to her. It becomes same for Bibi Dong too as she looks more and more excited with her cold face showing traces of excitement which she hides quickly and then looking at Su Yuntao she asks, "Su Yuntao from Nuoding city's Sub-Hall, right? You will now be promoted to rank of hall master of Balak Kingdom's Lord Hall with your allowance increased to 15,000 gold per month with the resources provided equal to a Platinum Bishop." As soon as she says that uproar takes place among elders however none of them able to do anything against the pope.

Looking at the reluctant faces of all the elders she uses some technique transmitting some of knowledge from the book to mind of elders while Crysthanium Douluo gets info from Ghost Douluo. All the elders and others look at Su Yuntao with shock for his luck.

Su Yuntao speaks nervously, "Your highness, Supreme Pontiff, I wish to speak about something. Is it okay?" 

"Proceed." says Bibi Dong.

"This little one doesn't wish for the positions but just some support for the Sub-hall in Nuoding City with increment in salary and resources of everyone there." Says Su Yuntao nervously and humbly.

"Hmmm. Really?" asks Elder Ghost confused of why such as insignificant wish and not to mention rejecting greater present from the pope.

Seeing the reluctant, nervous and complex expression of Su Yuntao Bibi Dong sighs and says, "Granted but from your looks it should be that you wish to say more, so continue." As her cold tone rings out.

Su Yuntao taking deep breath says, "Thank you for her highness to give an opportunity for a little on like me to speak. What I wish to say is that this is actually an inherent family technique passed down in Shen Long's family and he is a 7-years-old boy with mutated martial soul and innate one soul power but actually cultivated to Lv.10 in just a year via the training and the concoctions which he refined himself. We have been friends with his family for long time and later on after coming back from Star Dou Forest and registering himself as legit Soul Master he said that we can contribute this technique to Martial Soul Hall but not to all, only to at first let you know about it."

Hearing that all of them remain shocked. How is it possible for a soul scholar with innate soul power lv.1 to reach Lv.10 within just a year. But upon learning about the miracles of the techniques they believed it. 

Bibi Dong than asks, "So why are you telling me this?"

"Because I don't wish to take someone else's limelight not to mention when the person is Shen Long, the boy even though pampered by his grandparents is kind hearted and helps every one as well shows respects to his seniors and elders like a noble person." Su Yuntao goes on praising Shen Long and then upon realizing his words scratches his head nervously.

Bibi Dong continues her cold stance making him feel more fearful and then her cold voice rings out, "I see. So have you not approached him for joining Marial Soul Hall?"

Nervously Su Yuntao replies, "I did try senior but at the time of awakening his soul power was lv.1 and he himself said that he wants to wander the world and enjoy among his peers so that he won't regret living a life worth living instead of staying in some place working hard to get power and rise in ranking. So, he said he neither would join Martial Soul Hall nor any royalty but fight to protect his family and people around him." Solemnly.

Hearing this most of the people feel embarrassed while Bibi Dong's face shows some softness only to be instantly replaced by coldness as she says, "So be it. Then what did he wish for this technique?"

Su Yuntao replies calmly, "Nothing just the wish that I asked for earlier was his wish and while staying within Nuoding city I got more and more attached to people there so I don't wish to serve in higher place as my cultivation base can only go up beyond Soul Emperor even with the technique in my entire lifetime." As he keeps bowing.

Seeing that many of the elders can't believe but respect him for being such diligent and loyal person. After that Bibi Dong also sighs and then says, "What about his family?"

Su Yuntao explains, "His family is like:

· Parents died after his birth

· Shen Long - 7 years old, Lv.10+ soul master

· Shen Shangdi (Grandpa)-65 years old, Lv.84 Spirit Douluo

· Feng Wudie (Grandma)-64 years old, Lv.84, Spirit Douluo

· Xiao Wu (Love)-7 years old, lv.19"

As soon as Su Yuntao finishes telling basic details all the people remain a bit shocked so Ghost Douluo asks, "How come we don't know of two spirit douluo? And lv.19 at 7 years of age, what kind of talent is this and what is this childhood love?"

Su Yuntao then explains from the start about miracle of the technique that the two elders succeeding in reaching lv.80 and also explains about their martial souls along with them getting soul ring from Star Dou forest when they headed for helping Shen Long getting his 1st soul ring seeming to be from Dragon-type rare one not available in their small forest jurisdiction. And even after becoming Spirit Douluo, both the elders wish to continue developing their home village and also protecting the surrounding places from evil soul masters.

And in case of Xiao Wu, he explains she was innate full soul power, she spent some months with them and later on both the kids got closer to each other and later fell in love with each other while her reason of being able to reach lv.19 seems to be related to her perfect 1st-soul-ring with age beyond limit according to what was explained to him as along with the cultivation technique storing some soul power before getting soul ring and her being gifted a soul bone that the elders had obtained in past but unsuitable for both of them and helped her refine it as one of a wedding gift from their family.

After the detailed explanation of half true and half made-up story of Shen Long that all the elders and Pope hear, Su Yuntao says, "All he said that he doesn't need any gift or if insist on giving something to him then just provide quota to all civilian and village student to attend Junior Soul master academy upon awakening with soul power for them to have a chance to grow and at least defend themselves."

Hearing this all the people remain dazed if they really are the words that a boy would say but under confirmation of Su Yuntao as he takes a Martial Soul oath shocking everyone they cannot help but praise the little boy for his wisdom and thoughts.

Bibi Dong today feels happy inwards for the sincere thoughts of the child and his grandparents also feeling jealous within that the boy is able to live with his love while she isn't but remains cold faced outside and so her cold voice rings out, "I hereby declare that all the children from be it civilians from village and from cities will be allowed free work student Quota in Junior Soul Master Academy throughout the continent if they awaken even Lv.1 Soul Power and if anyone disobeys this rule then they should be ready for consequences . Also the for benefitting our Martial Soul hall, I hereby declare that Nuoding City's Sub-hall promoted to Lord Hall but as the presenter wishes no. of working people will not be increased while the resources provided to them will be equivalent to half of Saint hall's. Also, Su Yuntao will be responsible for delivering two gifts for Shen Long and his sweetheart Xiao Wu under Elder Ghost's jurisdiction as he takes on his other duty to safely escort Su Yuntao to Nuoding City and relay my orders. Does anybody have any objection?"

Even if somebody had no one would speak knowing the frequent tempers of Bibi Dong nowadays and not to mention for the priceless 'Meridian Sutra' along with various 'Concoctions'. Of all Bibi Dong is most excited as one of the concoctions is 'Jade Mind Potion' which can help one soothe mind and clear thoughts and emotions. Also according to Crysthanium Douluo (After talking via voice transmission), it is very easy to be brewed as the materials that it requires is abundantly available to him.

After the meeting finishes Su Yuntao feels as if a very, very, very heavy weight has fallen off his heart as he feels new confidence in his life, and then as something comes to his mind, bowing down he says again, "When can I prepare to leave, your highness Supreme Pontiff?" with a bit of confidence.

Hearing which Bibi Dong coldly asks, "HO! You want to leave so early? Is something so important that you wish to leave the Papal Palace so fast? Or is it because of you think this place is not worth it?" and this makes Su Yuntao a bit more nervous as he starts sweating. 

And instantly he replies, "No, your highness, it's not anything like that but actually because of a small fest that will be going to take place in Star Village."

"Small Fest? What?" Bibi Dong voice jolts. 

After that Su Yuntao nervously starts explaining about the fest.

-->To Be Continued