Douluo V: Daily Intelligence - I Want All of Tang San's Opportunities

Su Yuntao went up to the stands, and Kundera smiled and led him to a middle-aged man wearing the official robes of the Spirit Hall:

"Come, Viscount Su, let me introduce you. This is Hall Master Chen of the Barak City Spirit Branch Hall, a level 63 Soul Emperor. He has been the Hall Master of the Barak Spirit Branch Hall for more than ten years. Sometimes his words are more effective than mine as the King."

Hall Master Chen was slender and had a kind face. Upon hearing Kundera's introduction, he smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Your Majesty, I dare not accept such a statement. You are the pillar of the Barak Kingdom."

Kundera chuckled and then turned to Hall Master Chen to introduce Su Yuntao:

"This is Su Yuntao, the newly appointed viscount of our Barak Kingdom. Don't be fooled by his current Soul Master level; in terms of strength, he's probably not much weaker than you or me. This time, I recommend him as the third referee besides the two of us."

Su Yuntao quickly waved his hand:

"Your Majesty, please don't flatter me. How can my abilities compare to yours and Lord Chen's?"

Palace Master Chen burst into laughter and patted Su Yuntao on the shoulder:

"Viscount Su, you don't know, His Majesty Kundera has praised you a lot outside. I've heard it so many times lately. But don't be modest. I've heard about your battle against the ten-thousand-year-old soul beast in Barak City. To be able to kill a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast head-on, your strength is indeed no less than ours."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone suddenly taking on a hint of curiosity:

"By the way, I heard you were previously a branch hall master of our Spirit Hall?"

Su Yuntao nodded:

"I used to be a branch temple master in Notting City for a while. It's a remote little town, nothing like what you have here."

He was telling the truth. A remote branch temple like Notting City and a royal branch temple like Barak City were indeed not on the same level. In the Spirit Hall system of the Heaven Dou Empire, Hall Master Chen's position was only one level lower than the Hall Master of the Heaven Dou Holy Temple, and slightly higher than the previous white-robed bishop Salas.

Hall Master Chen's enthusiasm clearly increased further, and he waved his hand:

"What's there to compare or not compare? We're all from the Spirit Hall, there's no distinction between us."

He was about to continue when Kundera's expression darkened, and his tone carried a subtle reminder:

"Palace Master Chen, you can't say that. Although Yun Tao was previously a member of your Spirit Hall, he is now a viscount of my Barak Kingdom. How did he become a member of the Spirit Hall in your mouth?"

The smile on Hall Master Chen's face froze slightly, but he quickly changed the subject:

"Your Majesty is right, I spoke too quickly, but given this past relationship, you can't deny it, can you?"

Kundera's lips twitched slightly, but he didn't respond directly. Instead, he changed the subject:

"Speaking of this matter, I have to speak up for Yun Tao. Yun Tao worked in your Spirit Hall for so many years, working hard from a junior deacon to a branch hall master, and what happened? A white-robed bishop just cut off his job with a few words."

He picked up his teacup and took a sip, his tone still as relaxed as if he were chatting casually:

"Logically speaking, someone who can become a branch hall master in a place like Notting City and kill a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast in front of Barak City should be treated like a treasure wherever he is. But in your Spirit Hall, he is suppressed by his own people. If he hadn't stepped out on his own, a talent like him would have been buried in your Spirit Hall for who knows how many years."

After he finished speaking, he put down his teacup and smiled at Hall Master Chen:

"Palace Master Chen, do you think what I said makes sense?"

Hall Master Chen paused slightly in his teacup. The smile on his face did not disappear, but it was noticeably more subdued than before.

He put down his teacup, his tone still polite, but his wording was a bit more cautious than before:

"Your Majesty is right. The Spirit Hall, like the two great empires, does have internal factional struggles. I've heard a little about Salas, but Viscount Su is already making great strides in the Barak Kingdom, so it can be considered a blessing in disguise."

Kundera seemed to have anticipated that he wouldn't respond, and didn't press the matter further, simply smiling:

"That's true. At least in my area, no one would block his path because of personal grudges."

After he finished speaking, he picked up his teacup and took another sip, then shifted his gaze from Hall Master Chen's face to the direction of the arena.

Su Yuntao stood between the two, holding his teacup without saying a word, but he had listened carefully to Kundera's words.

He knew very well that the Barak Kingdom was originally opposed to the Spirit Hall faction within the Heaven Dou Empire. Kundera and Hall Master Chen had been polite on the surface, but when it came to specific issues, the contradictions between the two were exposed.

If possible, he wouldn't want to stand against the Barak Kingdom, but unfortunately, his registration for the Chosen One Ceremony itself involved the conflict between the Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire. With a sigh, Su Yuntao put down his teacup and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to both sides:

"Your Majesty, Palace Master Chen, there is something I must inform you in advance. I am afraid I will not be able to serve as a judge this time, as I have also signed up to participate in the Heavenly Selection Ceremony myself."

Kundera's expression immediately darkened further. He looked at Su Yuntao, his tone clearly showing his confusion:

"You signed up? What made you decide to participate in the Chosen One Ceremony?"

Hall Master Chen's reaction was completely different; his eyes lit up, and his tone was filled with obvious surprise:

"You're going to participate too? Great! Participating in the competition is wonderful!"

He turned to look at Kundera:

"Your Majesty, although Viscount Su has signed up for the competition, it doesn't prevent him from being a referee. He only plays a few matches, and we are all there when he takes the field. I think your suggestion to let him be a referee is very good."

Upon hearing this, Kundera's expression darkened further.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Su Yuntao immediately explained:

"Your Majesty, entering the Spirit Hall has always been my father's dying wish. However, when I was in the Notting branch of the Spirit Hall, Bishop Salas deliberately suppressed me, which prevented me from advancing further. Now that the Chosen One Ceremony has this opportunity, I want to give it a try and fulfill my father's last wish."

Kundera's expression softened somewhat. He glanced at Su Yuntao, then at the smiling Palace Master Chen beside him, and remained silent for a moment before speaking again:

"Since it's your father's wish, I won't stop you. But remember, even if the Spirit Hall doesn't give you a chance, the gates of my Barak Kingdom will always be open to you. Go ahead and participate, and come back whenever you want after you're done."

He emphasized the words "The Spirit Hall won't give you a chance." Hall Master Chen, who was standing to the side holding a teacup, did not respond, but the smile on his lips was noticeably less pronounced than before.

Su Yuntao saw the expressions on both of their faces, but didn't say anything more. He simply picked up his teacup again, took a sip, and turned his gaze toward the arena, waiting for the match to begin.