Meanwhile, one of the red-robed cardinals murmured to another, "What's the shock about? From what I heard, this Yu Xiaogang already had his cultivation destroyed by the Pope herself. He's not even a twenty-ninth-level Grandmaster now; he's a total waste."
The other cardinal's mouth twitched slightly—he hadn't followed this matter closely and didn't realize the extent of Yu Xiaogang's fall. What gave this man any right to speak here?
Just then, Flender stepped in to shield Yu Xiaogang and said seriously, "Your Holiness, handling matters like this in front of so many people might not look very good."
But before Bibi Dong could respond, a nearby spirit master from the commoner crowd shouted, "What's wrong with it? Yu Xiaogang is nothing but a plagiarist and a thief! The Pope's mercy in not detaining him outright is already gracious!"
"Exactly, and that cardinal probably just wanted to give Yu Xiaogang a little warning, reminding him to respect the Pope. A true Grandmaster should have no issue enduring this level of spirit power pressure!"
Another voice chimed in, "Wait, does this mean Yu Xiaogang really is just a washed-up failure? No cultivation, and his theories were all plagiarized. Tsk tsk."
Flender was stunned to realize that nearly everyone here sided with Spirit Hall. Glancing sympathetically at Yu Xiaogang, he thought to himself that this was a case of "everyone kicking a man when he's down." He decided that once the competition ended, he'd let Yu Xiaogang lay low for a while—the public opinion was against him.
Yu Xiaogang, meanwhile, looked ashen as he spat another mouthful of blood. Recent events had hit him hard, and he was struggling to bear the weight.
At his side, Tang San's eyes showed "anger," making it appear to others as if he was standing up for his teacher, but he was making no actual moves in defense. Su Ming noticed this odd contrast—Tang San's expression was well-acted, but there was no corresponding action, and he began to sense something wasn't right.
Bibi Dong observed everything with a cold gaze. She could have neutralized the cardinal's spirit pressure but had chosen not to. Yu Xiaogang wasn't worth it. Let him suffer humiliation and die with bitterness in his heart! But now that the scene had dragged on enough, and Yu Xiaogang's question reflected everyone's curiosity, she tapped her scepter and calmly ordered, "Stand down."
The cardinal respectfully replied, "Yes, Your Holiness!" then quickly returned to his place, feeling relieved.
Bibi Dong smiled slightly at the crowd. "I assume everyone is curious about this new face on the Spirit Hall team?"
She continued, "She has always been on our roster as an alternate. Her age is within the competition requirements, so there is no rule violation. Any further questions?"
Flender gave a sly grin, adjusted his glasses, and asked, "Your Holiness, could you perhaps share a bit about this new team member's background? Since the finals consist of both individual and team matches, it's hard for us to prepare tactics without any knowledge of her."
"Flender, what nonsense are you talking about?" Zao Wou-Ki chimed in cheekily. "Spirit Hall hasn't broken any rules, and the new member's details will be announced when the referee introduces her. Sure, everyone's curious, but this isn't the time."
Zao Wou-Ki's words seemed supportive, but his real intention was to use the crowd's curiosity to pressure Spirit Hall.
Bibi Dong saw through Zao Wou-Ki's petty scheme instantly. She'd nearly forgotten about him due to his recent quiet behavior, but now he'd reminded her of his past crimes. If it weren't for Yu Xiaogang, she'd have sent Zao Wou-Ki to the Slaughter City long ago. Once the competition ended…hmph!
With a sweeping gaze over the crowd, Bibi Dong declared, "Since everyone's interested, I'll clarify. This new member is Qian Renxue, granddaughter of our Grand Worship Qian Daoliu, wielder of the Seraphim spirit, and an eighty-third-level Soul Douluo!"
"And," she added, "she is also my daughter."
Her words hit the crowd like a thunderbolt, especially Yu Xiaogang, whose face showed utter disbelief. He seemed to ask silently, Qian Daoliu's granddaughter? Then…Qian Renxue is Qian Xunji's daughter? Remembering the events from twenty years prior, Qian Renxue's identity became painfully clear—she was Bibi Dong's daughter!
For everyone else, the shock was over her power. Not only was she a Soul Douluo, but as Bibi Dong confirmed, she was under twenty-five, meeting the competition's age requirements. Such talent—no, such power—far exceeded most people present.
Tang San, now serious, gazed at Qian Renxue. No wonder she had such a divine aura. And just as he'd suspected, Qian Renxue was astonishingly strong. Her addition to the Spirit Hall team, alongside Hu Liena and Xie Yue's fusion technique, significantly lowered Thunder Academy's chances of victory.
Hu Liena and Xie Yue's fusion, Enchantment, could be countered by his Purple Demon Eyes, but Qian Renxue's overwhelming strength was almost certainly meant to counter Su Ming. Bibi Dong wouldn't have exposed her identity otherwise. This move would alert the two empires and major sects to her power. Tang San quickly grasped the far-reaching implications.
At that moment, a ripple briefly disturbed the space above, but it vanished almost instantly.
The rest of the crowd speculated about Bibi Dong's motives for revealing Qian Renxue's identity. They were sure there was more at play than simply a means to challenge Su Ming or uphold Spirit Hall's honor; there must be deeper intentions. However, with none of the top three sect leaders present, no one dared to probe further.