Douluo's Spiritual Pearl and Divine Sword

Then Teacher Qin, why don't you come to my Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan? Hongjun will come to the clan to train after graduation. You can guide him however you wish, even push him to his limits." To attract talent, Jun Tianlin did not hesitate to offer up Ma Hongjun.

After all, what Ma Hongjun lacked most was the unwavering determination to sacrifice everything for strength. Having a strict teacher to oversee his progress would only benefit him.

Qin Ming smiled and said "I will consider it!"

At Blazing Fire Academy, Huo Wu turned to her brother, Huo Wushuang "Brother, Ma Hongjun's explosive power seems even greater than your One-Horned Fire Tyrant Dragon. Wouldn't it be amazing if he were part of our academy? If the dragon and phoenix joined forces, we'd be invincible."

Huo Wushuang did not refute her words. He, too, recognized that his One-Horned Fire Tyrant Dragon was far inferior to the opponent's Fire Phoenix.

Meanwhile, at Tianshui Academy, Captain Shui Bing'er gazed toward Shrek's team and murmured "Fire Phoenix... How can he wield it so perfectly?"

Shui Bing'er possessed an Ice Phoenix martial soul comparable to Ma Hongjun's, but like him in the past, hers had a flaw. The difference was that this defect had no adverse effect on her physically—instead, her martial soul was too powerful. When fully unleashed, she lost control, easily causing irreversible damage. Being a kind-hearted girl, she always suppressed her strength below the seventh level. Her greatest wish was to master her Phoenix martial soul completely.

Among the spectators, Ning Fengzhi smiled. The two matches between the Emperor team and Shrek had undoubtedly showcased the future of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan. Whether it was Jun Tianlin, who had reached the Spirit King realm at a young age, Ma Hongjun with his explosive Fire Phoenix, or Oscar, a once-in-a-century genius in food-type spirits, they all proved the clan's formidable foundation.

Not to mention, his daughter Ning Rongrong and Bone Douluo's disciple, Gu Ran, had yet to make an appearance.

'Spirit Hall, your overall strength surpasses that of my Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, but your so-called golden generation may not dominate the younger generation for long. Jun Tianlin is already beyond reach, and the others will soon catch up' Ning Fengzhi thought confidently

As the day's competition concluded, everyone returned to their respective places. Jun Tianlin did not seek out Rongrong or the others. For now, they were opponents and should maintain some distance. He even hoped that when Rongrong faced him, she would give it her all.

Back at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, Jun Tianlin opened his door to find Xue Qinghe sitting comfortably at his desk, sipping tea.

This guy was becoming too at home here.

"Xiaotian, you're back. Congratulations on your victory."

"Brother Xue, you knew I won even though you didn't watch the match?" Jun Tianlin chuckled.

"I wanted to cheer for you, but my father attended the match, and I couldn't leave state affairs unattended. As the crown prince, I had to stay behind." Xue Qinghe sighed "Still, even without watching, I doubt anyone but the golden generation of Spirit Hall can challenge you. I heard your opponent today was Elephant Armor Academy, clearly sent to assess you. Hu Yanli was merely gathering intelligence."

"Exactly. No doubt, it's Spirit Hall's doing. They must be wary of me. Should I feel honored?" Jun Tianlin pulled up a chair, crossed his legs, leaned his arms on the table, and smiled at Xue Qinghe.

Ever since absorbing the million-year-old spiritual skull, Jun Tianlin could see through disguises effortlessly. Others saw Xue Qinghe but he saw Qian Renxue.

"You're getting careless. Sit properly. If Sword Douluo sees you like this, he might think I'm corrupting you and come after me." Qian Renxue straightened him up like an older sister

"What does it matter? We're alone. Master won't know. Besides, it's exhausting to maintain appearances in front of everyone. Can't I relax around my best brother, Xue?" Jun Tianlin stretched, completely at ease

In front of serious figures like Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi, Jun Tianlin always behaved properly. Among outsiders, he never revealed his true self. Only Ning Rongrong and Qian Renxue saw him like this.

"Fine, do as you please. I can never win against you." Qian Renxue sighed "Still, Xiaotian, the coming matches will only get tougher. You'll have to reveal more of your strength. Be cautious."

"Don't worry, I expected this. Besides, my friends and I joined this tournament to fight the strongest. This is exactly what I wanted." Jun Tianlin rubbed his hands together, confident

Seeing his enthusiasm, Qian Renxue relaxed but a lingering doubt surfaced "Xiaotian, Spirit Hall has targeted you repeatedly. Do you hate them? Many people oppose their tyranny now."

She needed to know. If one day her true identity was revealed, would Jun Tianlin hate her too?

Jun Tianlin shook his head "I don't hate Spirit Hall. In fact, I never saw them as evil."

"They provide free spirit awakenings for commoners, a great service to the continent. Their bad reputation stems from two major issues. First, the two empires actively smear them. Though Spirit Hall has powerful spirit masters, their numbers are far fewer than the empires. They can't compete in public opinion. Second, the current pope. While she is the strongest pope in history, her leadership is lacking. Corrupt figures like Saras and certain hall masters abuse their power, tarnishing Spirit Hall's name."

"Light and shadow coexist in this world, let alone in a massive entity like Spirit Hall. But light should outshine the shadows. What Spirit Hall needs is a wise and broad-minded pope to guide its future."

His words were meant for Qian Renxue. Some things must be reclaimed. The Pope's position was wasted on a madwoman like Bibi Dong.

If Qian Renxue ever took the throne, Jun Tianlin would support her—provided she protected his clan. If not, he would stand in her way.

Lost in thought, Qian Renxue didn't notice Jun Tianlin reclining on the bed "Forget it, it's none of our concern. I'm from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, and you're the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire. Why should we care about Spirit Hall?"

Then he sat up "Brother Xue, let's train with the Heavenly Snow power. The stronger you are before the finals, the better."

Qian Renxue smiled faintly "You're right. This has nothing to do with us. The most urgent matter is training." But inwardly, she vowed 'Xiaotian is right. If things continue like this, that woman will destroy Spirit Hall. The Pope's throne rightfully belongs to the Qian family. One day, I will reclaim it.'