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**
Three days later, within the Pope Hall in Spirit City—the very center of the continent—the high-ranking officials of Spirit Hall were gathered in force.
Numerous bishops and figures of authority stood within the hall.
Among them were over a dozen Cardinals who managed the various affairs of Spirit Hall, as well as two Platinum Bishops, including Yan Ying. These two powerhouses, both at the rank of eight-ring Soul Douluo, stood at the front of the crowd on either side.
Pope Bibi Dong, dressed in her ceremonial papal robes and holding her scepter, sat regally upon the primary throne at the highest point of the hall. The two Elders, Chrysanthemum and Ghost, stood flanking her.
The atmosphere was incredibly grand and solemn.
Suddenly, a temple guard clad in silver full-body armor entered the hall.
The intense fluctuations of soul power radiating from him identified him as a Soul King of at least Rank 50. Upon entering the hall, he did not venture deep inside. Instead, he knelt on one knee near the entrance and spoke respectfully, "Reporting to Her Holiness the Pope, they have arrived."
"Let them enter."
"Yes."
The temple guard replied respectfully and swiftly withdrew.
Soon, the sound of footsteps began to echo, growing clearer by the second. Four figures slowly walked in from outside the hall: Ling Xiao, Hu Liena, and the other two.
After several days of rest, they had all regained their composure, shedding the high-strung mental state they had maintained within the Mystic Trace Canyon.
Today was a momentous occasion for them.
Pope Bibi Dong was formally summoning them to the main hall. Simultaneously, this would be the day the four of them truly appeared before the high-ranking officials of Spirit Hall, stepping into their line of sight.
They would no longer be merely students within the academy.
Walking steadily into the hall and looking up at Pope Bibi Dong seated at the head, Ling Xiao's expression appeared calm, yet his eyes could not hide the excitement in his heart. He remembered when he first came to Spirit Hall as a six-year-old child who had just awakened his Martial Soul.
Now, after years of study and cultivation, at just fifteen years old, he had already become a four-ring Soul Ancestor. Furthermore, he was about to truly enter the public eye of Spirit Hall and the entire world of Soul Masters.
No matter how composed he usually was, how could he not feel a flicker of excitement and thrill?
"Greetings, Her Holiness the Pope," Ling Xiao, Hu Liena, and the others said in unison as they reached the front of the hall, bowing respectfully.
"No need for such ceremony," Bibi Dong said slowly with a faint smile as she looked down at the four young people.
She was very satisfied with the current Ling Xiao and his companions.
Though they were young, aside from their slightly youthful faces, their statures were already comparable to adults. Moreover, their cultivation and strength were extraordinary; they were battle-hardened and experienced.
To possess such cultivation and power at this age was certainly a result of their Martial Soul talent, but it was also inseparable from their hard work. After all, a Soul Master's strength is not determined solely by their cultivation level or the type of Martial Soul they possess.
The life-and-death trials within the Mystic Trace Canyon were not something just anyone could pass at a low rank.
"Congratulations. You have successfully passed the trials of the Mystic Trace Canyon and promoted your cultivation to the Soul Ancestor realm."
"Furthermore, Ling Xiao and Nana, both of you have broken through to the Soul Ancestor rank at the age of fifteen—a full year earlier than Xie Yue and Yan. You have broken the current records of the soul master world."
Bibi Dong spoke, her voice carrying an undisguised sense of appreciation and praise.
"The four of you are truly the Golden Generation of Spirit Hall. I hereby award you the Purple Record Medals."
"They represent the highest honor for the younger generation within Spirit Hall. With this medal, you may pass through any area of Spirit Hall that is not a restricted top-secret location without hindrance, and you may use it to request an audience with me."
"Accept them."
As soon as Bibi Dong finished speaking, an attendant approached the four of them carrying a brocade box.
Inside the box were four purple-gold medallions carved with the insignia of the Pope Hall.
Above the palace was the symbol of a Six-Winged Angel embracing it with open arms. This was indeed the Purple Record Medal—the highest honor for the youth of Spirit Hall and the ultimate dream of countless students in the Spirit Academy.
With light smiles, Ling Xiao and the others reached out and each took a Purple Record Medal.
Seeing that they had received their medals, Bibi Dong nodded and continued, "In addition to the Purple Record Medals, there is another reward for you."
"Oh? Another reward?" Ling Xiao couldn't help but feel surprised.
He hadn't expected anything else alongside the medals and wondered what it could be.
Following the Pope's signal, another attendant approached with a jade box.
When Ling Xiao and the others looked inside, they saw four exotic fruits, as red as fresh blood. They were not large—smaller even than a baby's fist—yet Ling Xiao could sense an extremely pure aura of fire-attribute energy radiating from them.
It was exceptionally abundant, but to his surprise, while the fire aura was concentrated and pure, it lacked the typical explosive volatility of the element, feeling quite peaceful instead.
"This is?"
This time, not only did Ling Xiao fail to recognize it, but Xie Yue and the other two were also stumped.
The four of them looked on with faces full of doubt.
However, while they failed to recognize the exotic fruit due to their youth and lack of experience, many of the bishop-level experts in the hall seemed to recognize it immediately. Their eyes betrayed hints of surprise and longing.
Platinum Bishop Yan Ying even smiled and nodded toward them in congratulation; clearly, she knew the origin and effects of this fruit.
"You youngsters should hurry and thank Her Holiness. This item is the Blood Bodhi, an extremely rare natural treasure," the Chrysanthemum Douluo, standing beside Bibi Dong, said with a smile.
"It is a fruit born from the blood of a Fire Qilin dripping onto the earth. It generally grows only in places of extreme heat, and its initial growth even requires irrigation by Qilin blood. You can imagine its preciousness."
High atop the platform, the Chrysanthemum Douluo continued his explanation: "While the Blood Bodhi appears to be a pure fire-attribute spirit fruit, it is not restricted to fire-attribute Soul Masters."
"As long as a Soul Master's attribute is not ice or water—which are completely antithetical to fire—anyone can consume it. This fruit is a sacred healing item, possessing miraculous effects for treating internal injuries."
"Beyond that, it has the effect of boosting one's cultivation. You four have been tempered in the Mystic Trace Canyon for a whole year, fighting no less than a thousand battles and sustaining countless injuries."
"Even if you carried healing medicines with you, they cannot compare to this Blood Bodhi. Taking it will not only completely eliminate any hidden internal injuries you may have overlooked, but the remaining medicinal power will also increase your cultivation."
Hearing the Chrysanthemum Douluo's explanation, Ling Xiao and the others were stunned by the meticulousness of Bibi Dong's arrangements. They hadn't expected her to have already prepared a perfect solution for even the potential threat of hidden injuries.
Ling Xiao felt a surge of warmth in his heart; it seemed his decision to join Spirit Hall back then had been a very wise one.
"Thank you, Her Holiness the Pope!"
After receiving the Blood Bodhi, the four of them bowed in gratitude.
"Though the four of you have now promoted to the Soul Ancestor realm and are clearly ahead of the other students in the academy, you must not become arrogant or complacent. In the future, you must cultivate even harder to make Spirit Hall stronger and more prosperous," Bibi Dong said solemnly, her words filled with encouragement.
She continued, "Although you have met the requirements for graduation, for now, return to the academy to continue your cultivation. Your graduation will be temporarily delayed; I have my own arrangements for you."
"Yes!"
**
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