Chapter 161: Moon Pavilion
I have added this story to my Patreon. You can support me and read the 60 latest and advanced Chapters there. It also fed and motivate me to write more Chapters!
Link: Patreon.com/AVRKingsTL
—------------------—
A few days later, in Spirit City, at the Hall of the Pope.
The morning sunlight streamed through the towering stained-glass windows, casting a kaleidoscope of colorful light and shadow upon the floor of the council hall.
The air was permeated with the faint scent of incense, instilling a sense of tranquility in the mind.
Inside the council hall, seven figures stood aligned on either side.
Atop the nine-step dais, the Papal Throne gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight.
Qian Renxue sat enthroned upon it.
Today, she did not wear her usual elaborate Papal ceremonial robes; instead, she was clad in a simple, elegant gown of white and gold. Her golden hair was gathered and secured by a delicate angelic diadem, lending her an aura that was at once majestic and refined.
At this moment, she sat with her beautiful legs crossed, her right hand propping up her cheek in a languid pose—yet, she exuded an innate air of absolute authority, as if she reigned supreme over all living beings.
Yue Guan stepped forward, executing a graceful, slight bow. His voice—effeminate yet respectful—asked, "Your Eminence, how shall these funds... be allocated?"
His tone carried a distinct note of anticipation.
Over the past few days, contributions from the various major factions had been steadily rolling in.
While the sums contributed by minor players—such as the Canghui Academy and the Exotic Beast Academy—were individually modest, their sheer collective volume amounted to a total exceeding seven million gold spirit coins.
On the side of the Sects, with Ning Fengzhi having taken the lead by contributing ten million, the other sects felt compelled to follow suit rather than offer paltry sums.
Each of the "Lower Four Sects" contributed between two and three million, and with various smaller and mid-sized sects joining in to show their support, the total from the Sects alone reached a staggering twenty million.
Finally, the two great Empires each contributed two and a half million—a gesture intended to accord the Spirit Hall its due respect.
All told—adding up every last contribution—the grand total amounted to thirty-two million gold spirit coins!
Thirty-two million!
One must understand that the currency exchange rate on the Douluo Continent was such that one gold spirit coin was equivalent to ten silver spirit coins, or one hundred copper spirit coins.
A single gold spirit coin was sufficient to cover the normal living expenses of an average family of three for several months.
What, then, did thirty-two million gold spirit coins truly represent?
It was a truly astronomical figure—a sum capable of driving anyone to madness!
Yue Guan gazed at Qian Renxue with a beaming smile, awaiting her instructions.
Qian Renxue’s fingertips tapped lightly against the armrest, producing a crisp, rhythmic tap-tap.
She spoke slowly, her voice cool and detached: "Elder Jiang’s suggestion is to allocate the vast majority of the funds toward military expansion, using the remainder to enlarge Spirit City and prepare the tournament venue."
She turned her gaze toward Yue Guan and the others: "What are your thoughts?"
Military expansion?
The seven of them exchanged glances, a flicker of understanding passing through their eyes.
Qian Renxue had issued orders previously for them to covertly recruit independent Spirit Masters—those unaffiliated with any major power—in order to establish the Spirit Hall’s very own Spirit Master Legion.
This would entail a colossal expenditure.
Spirit Masters’ stipends, equipment, training, logistics... which of these did not require money?
Yet, it was a task that absolutely had to be undertaken.
Although Spirit Hall possessed three Knight Legions, the majority of their members were Temple Guards, primarily tasked with defending Spirit City and the Papal Palace.
If they were truly to be deployed for warfare, their current numbers would be woefully insufficient.
Moreover, the members of these Knight Legions were largely orphans raised and trained by Spirit Hall since childhood; while their loyalty was absolute, their numbers were inherently limited.
To achieve genuine military expansion, they had no choice but to recruit independent Spirit Masters from the outside world.
And those independent Spirit Masters were a pragmatic lot—they pledged their allegiance to money, not to people.
Without a sufficient supply of Gold Spirit Coins, who would be willing to risk their life for you?
As for the expansion of Spirit City...
The seven of them exchanged another glance.
Compared to colossal metropolises like Heaven Dou City or Star Luo City, Spirit City was indeed significantly smaller—it did not even cover one-tenth of the surface area of Heaven Dou City.
However, for the time being, it was perfectly adequate.
This was because the current inhabitants of Spirit City consisted almost exclusively of Spirit Masters; there were no ordinary civilians.
Spirit Masters generally had modest requirements regarding living conditions; as long as they had a place to sleep, they were content.
Furthermore, Spirit Hall’s core institutions—the Papal Palace, the Hall of Elders, the Hall of Enshrinement, and the Knight Legions’ barracks—had already been completed, meaning there was no immediate need for large-scale construction in the short term.
A venue for the tournament, however, would certainly need to be built.
With the grand finals of the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament scheduled to take place in Spirit City, they certainly couldn’t expect the competing teams to simply fight out in an open field, could they?
Unless they chose to commandeer Spirit City’s existing Great Spirit Arena, they would have to construct a brand-new, proper arena specifically for the event.
Yet, compared to the costs associated with military expansion, the expense of building a tournament venue was a mere drop in the bucket.
Yue Guan stepped forward and spoke respectfully, "Your Eminence, we believe we can allocate twenty million gold spirit coins toward expanding our military forces."
"The remaining twelve million gold spirit coins can be used to expand Spirit City and construct the tournament grounds."
Qian Renxue nodded. "Very well; let it be so."
Her fair, slender fingers continued to tap against the armrest when, suddenly, something occurred to her.
"Oh—one more thing. First, I want that wall in Spirit City—the one bearing the carving of the Clear Sky Hammer—torn down."
Upon hearing this, the seven elders exchanged slightly startled glances.
Spirit City was hexagonal in shape; adorning each of its six walls was a massive bas-relief symbolizing one of six powerful Martial Spirits: the Heavenly Chrysanthemum, the Ghost, the Seven-Kill Sword, the Clear Sky Hammer, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, and the Six-Winged Angel.
These carvings served as a symbol of the Spirit Hall’s respect for—and tolerance toward—the powerful Martial Spirits found throughout the entire continent.
And now, Qian Renxue wanted to tear down the Clear Sky Hammer carving?
A flicker of realization passed through the elders’ eyes.
Tang Hao had met his end at the hands of Jiang Bai, and even the Clear Sky Sect’s Spirit Bones had been offered up as prizes for the tournament; the relationship between the Clear Sky Sect and the Spirit Hall had completely shattered.
Indeed, keeping that Clear Sky Hammer up any longer would be entirely inappropriate.
"Understood!"
The seven elders responded in unison.
The Porcupinefish Douluo then asked, "In that case, Your Eminence... what Martial Spirit shall we carve in its place?"
Qian Renxue pondered for a moment, and in her mind’s eye, the image of that small, glazed pagoda—radiating with a shifting, nine-colored glow—suddenly appeared.
The corners of her lips curled upward slightly. "Carve a nine-story pagoda."
A nine-story pagoda?
Wasn’t that Jiang Bai’s Martial Spirit?
The seven elders exchanged glances, the realization dawning upon them.
This was a clear move to elevate Elder Jiang’s status to the very pinnacle.
"Furthermore, all those Elder Medals and Supreme Pontiff Medals—have them completely revamped as well!"
Qian Renxue waved her hand dismissively. "Cover all the associated costs using that twelve-million-coin fund for now. That is all."
"Understood!"
...
Meanwhile, in Heaven Dou City...
The Moon Pavilion.
It was a modest, five-story building situated within the bustling heart of Heaven Dou City—a structure considered remarkably tall, even by the standards of the city itself.
The first impression the entire small building gave off was one of refined elegance.
Its architectural style was rustic yet simple; the exterior walls were painted a soft, elegant ivory, and the doors and windows were carved with simple cloud motifs.
Devoid of excessive ornamentation, it nonetheless possessed a unique charm—a beauty distilled by the passage of time.
The plaque above the entrance bore just two simple characters: Yuexuan.
Few pedestrians were seen entering or leaving the establishment; however, it was evident that those who did frequent the place were individuals of either opulent attire or exceptional bearing.
Occasionally, a carriage would pull up to the entrance, and from it would alight either a noble lady or a young gentleman from a prominent family.
At this moment, a lavishly decorated carriage came to a halt before the doors of Yuexuan.
The curtains parted, and a tall, slender figure stepped out.
Xue Luochuan.
Today, he was clad in a brocade robe of moon-white, cinched at the waist by a jade belt and topped with a golden crown. His entire demeanor exuded a gentle refinement and an extraordinary air of distinction.
He glanced upward at the Yuexuan plaque, offered a faint smile, and stepped inside.
Within the main hall, the melodious strains of a zither drifted through the air.
Several luxuriously dressed young men were seated by the window, sipping tea, listening to the music, and conversing in hushed tones.
Upon seeing Xue Luochuan enter, they rose in unison to offer their salutations.
Xue Luochuan acknowledged them with a smiling nod, yet he did not break his stride; instead, he proceeded directly toward the staircase.
Upon reaching the third floor, the zither music grew even clearer.
The melody was fluid and lyrical—like the gentle trickling of a spring or the soft caress of a mountain breeze—instilling a profound sense of tranquility in all who heard it.
Xue Luochuan slowed his pace and approached the door of a private chamber, where he gave a gentle knock.
"Come in."
A clear, crisp voice—that of a young girl—rang out from within.
Xue Luochuan pushed the door open and entered.
The interior of the private chamber was appointed with exquisite taste. A landscape painting adorned the wall, a pot of fragrant orchids sat upon the table, and an ancient zither rested beside the window.
Seated beside the zither was a young girl.
She appeared to be no more than thirteen or fourteen years of age.
Her short, golden hair was trimmed with meticulous neatness, and she was clad in a long, silver court gown.
Her skin was as fair as snow, and she carried herself with a graceful, slender poise.
At that moment, she sat with her chin propped in her hands, gazing out the window with an air of utter listlessness.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, she turned her head; the moment she caught sight of Xue Luochuan, her eyes instantly lit up!
"Third Brother—!"
She sprang straight up from her chair, covering the distance in a few bounding strides as she rushed toward Xue Luochuan, throwing herself right into his arms!
"Third Brother~ You’re finally back!"
Xue Luochuan smiled as he caught her, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Ke’er, did you miss your Third Brother?"
"Of course I did!"
Xue Ke looked up, her large eyes sparkling brightly. "First Brother and Second Brother never come to keep me company; you really are the best, Third Brother~ Hehe~"