He completely failed to notice that as his Soul Power surged violently, the tiny thorns on the Wooden Vine were silently absorbing his Soul Power.
Every struggle he made was like "feeding" the Wooden Vine.
After a moment, Zhang Hao's struggles gradually weakened, and his face turned from flushed to pale.
The Soul Power within his body was visibly draining away, causing even the phantom of the Blazing Sun Bird behind him to dim slightly.
"You... your Martial Soul..."
Zhang Hao panted heavily, finally realizing something was wrong, his gaze toward the Wooden Vine filled with disbelief.
Below the stage, Hu Sanpang's mouth hung open as he murmured:
"My heavens... Zhang Hao is actually trapped..."
The surrounding students erupted into chatter, their looks toward Su Yu completely transformed.
"Yay! I knew it, Brother Su Yu is the best!"
Hu Liena rushed onto the stage and hugged Su Yu, her small face full of excitement.
Holding Hu Liena's hand, Su Yu looked down at Zhang Hao who was still gritting his teeth and glaring:
"Want to try again?"
Feeling his nearly depleted Soul Power, Zhang Hao finally deflated, turning his head away and muttering:
"I... I admit defeat..."
Hearing these words, Su Yu slowly retracted the Wooden Vine.
Freed from the restraints, Zhang Hao staggered before steadying himself against the edge of the stage.
His gaze toward Su Yu was complex - filled with unwillingness, shame, and anger, but none of the previous contempt remained.
"I lost this time! Next time! Next time I'll definitely win back!"
Su Yu didn't say anything more, taking Hu Liena's hand and turning to leave the stage.
A month passed quickly, and Hu Liena had successfully broken through to level 10.
Though Su Yu remained at level 10, nourished by the Elementary Sage Body and top-tier Martial Soul resources, his physical strength far surpassed that of Soul Masters his age.
Inside the Papal Hall—
Bi Bidong sat on her throne, her gaze falling on the two figures below the steps, clear approval in her eyes as she slowly nodded:
"Excellent. Making such progress in just one month hasn't wasted the resources poured into you. Today, I'll take you to obtain your Soul Rings!"
"Your Holiness the Pope!" Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan stepped forward and bowed.
"Your schedule is busy. Perhaps my subordinate and Old Ghost should escort the two young masters?"
Bi Bidong raised her hand, stopping him: "No need. We're not going to Star Dou Great Forest this time, only to the Soul Beast Forest near Martial Soul Holy City. It won't take much time."
Her tone was calm but carried undeniable authority.
Hearing this, Yue Guan said no more, respectfully responding:
"As you wish, Your Holiness the Pope."
Su Yu and Hu Liena exchanged glances, both seeing excitement and anticipation in each other's eyes.
Hu Liena couldn't help stepping forward, her small face beaming: "Thank you, teacher!"
Su Yu also bowed: "Thank you, teacher."
Seeing their shining eyes, the corners of Bi Bidong's mouth curved almost imperceptibly:
"Let's depart when you're ready. Though the Soul Beast Forest isn't as dangerous as Star Dou Great Forest, Soul Beasts are unpredictable. Remember not to leave my sight without permission."
"Yes!"
The two children responded in unison.
Moments later, Bi Bidong in a purple dress led Su Yu and Hu Liena out of the Papal Hall.
Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei had already prepared the carriage and quickly bowed when they saw the three emerge.
"You two remain here to handle affairs," Bi Bidong said calmly.
"As you command."
The carriage slowly departed from Spirit Hall, its wheels rumbling rhythmically over the bluestone pavement.
Inside the compartment, soft velvet cushions lined the seats, and the air carried a faint scent of incense.
Hu Liena secretly lifted a corner of the window curtain, watching the rapidly receding street scenes outside, her small face filled with novelty.
She let the curtain fall back into place and nestled obediently beside Bi Bidong, tilting her head up to ask:
"Teacher, what attribute Soul Ring do you think I should obtain?"
Bi Bidong glanced down at her, gently stroking her hair as she replied in a warm yet measured tone:
"Nana, your Demon Fox Martial Soul is quite special. Generally, there are two directions you could choose."
"One is to absorb a fire-attribute Soul Ring. Then your primary means of attack would revolve around Fox Fire—agile flames with burning power, possessing considerable explosive force."
"The other option is to absorb a mental-type Soul Ring. Later, you could use spiritual power to perform control-type soul skills, disrupting your opponents' minds or even manipulating their actions."
As she spoke, she looked at Hu Liena with a guiding expression:
"These two directions each have their emphasis: fire attributes lean toward attack, while mental types focus on control. Nana, which one appeals to you more?"
Hu Liena furrowed her small brow, pondering seriously.
She shook her head slightly, seeming indecisive, and whispered:
"Fox Fire sounds powerful, but mental control seems impressive too... Teacher, which one would suit me better?"
Bi Bidong chuckled softly and tapped her forehead with a fingertip:
"There's no definitively 'better' choice—only what you prefer more. Follow your heart. Whichever you choose, I'll help you find the most suitable Soul Beast."
Hu Liena's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously. "Then I'll think about it more! Once we reach the Soul Beast Forest and see the Soul Beasts, I might have an answer!"
Bi Bidong pinched her nose playfully. "You clever little thing!"
Bi Bidong's gaze then fell upon Su Yu, who sat across from her. The boy deliberately maintained his distance from her.
There was at least a two-seat gap between them.
If the carriage hadn't been spacious, she suspected Su Yu might have chosen to sit outside.
Although she generally felt disgust toward men, after a month of interaction, she found herself not feeling that way toward Su Yu.
The main reason was that Bi Bidong was also a mother. Though she verbally expressed disdain for Qian Renxue, in her heart, she still held some maternal love.
But Qian Renxue was complicated—every time she saw her, she was reminded of the scum who had violated her. Bi Bidong couldn't overcome that psychological barrier.
Fortunately, Su Yu and Hu Liena were around Qian Renxue's age, so she poured all the love she had for Qian Renxue into them.
She sighed softly inwardly and patted the empty space beside her:
"Xiao Yu, come sit here."
Su Yu was taken aback, looking up with a hint of confusion in his eyes:
"Huh? Teacher?"
"Come sit beside me." Bi Bidong's tone softened. "There are some things I'd like to discuss with you."
Su Yu hesitated for a moment before carefully rising and moving to sit next to Bi Bidong.
He still maintained a half-fist's distance, sitting upright with his back straight as if facing some solemn examination.
Noticing his reserved demeanor, a faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered in Bi Bidong's eyes as she began:
"I heard about what happened at the academy this past month—defeating Zhang Hao. Well done."
"You neither became arrogant because of your Innate Full Soul Power, nor did you slack off due to the unique nature of your Martial Soul. That is commendable."