The Dark Emperor, Looking Down Upon All Living Beings

"Rumble, rumble..."

Atop the volcano, lava was still churning.

The instant Golza's gaze locked onto Spirit Hall's flagship, utter panic swept through the crowd.

"What's going on? It's got its eyes on Spirit Hall's flagship! Is it about to attack?!"

"Does it mean to attack Spirit Hall? Don't forget, the Pope, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo are all there too!"

Everyone's heart leaped into their throat, their thoughts churning like rivers and seas.

Everyone remembered all too clearly how, before evolving, Golza had wiped out the entire Blazing Flame Sect with a single blast, leaving not even a scrap of bone behind.

Now it had swallowed the crystal core and completed its evolution. Its strength had multiplied several times over, putting it squarely at the three-hundred-thousand-year level.

If such a terrifying creature attacked Spirit Hall's flagship with all its might, the consequences were too dreadful to imagine.

Even if Bibi Dong, a Level 99 Limit Douluo, intervened personally, she might not be able to protect everyone. At the very least, she couldn't possibly save every last person.

On the deck of Spirit Hall's flagship, the tension suddenly reached its peak.

Bibi Dong's gaze sharpened. Violet-gold Soul Power circulated silently through her body, and the oppressive might of a Limit Douluo slowly spread as she went on full alert.

In that moment of danger, she instinctively stepped to the side, shielding Qian Lingye firmly behind her.

Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo and Spirit Hall's protectors all tensed in an instant, their Martial Souls poised for action. They stared fixedly at the dark figure atop the volcano, ready to risk their lives to protect their master at any moment.

But in the next second, none of the violent attacks everyone had expected came: no lava breath, no devastating shock wave.

Golza simply stood atop the volcano without moving.

It was still looking toward Spirit Hall's flagship, its gaze deep. There was neither killing intent nor malice in it. Rather than staring at an enemy, it seemed to be looking at a familiar presence.

Something was very wrong.

Everyone was dumbfounded. The clamor of discussion fell silent in an instant, replaced by utter bewilderment.

"Wait... it doesn't seem hostile?"

"Why? How could such a ferocious beast just stare at Spirit Hall without attacking?"

"Could it be... someone in Spirit Hall knows it? Or do they have a trump card that can restrain it?"

All sorts of guesses sprang up wildly among the various factions, throwing everyone into complete turmoil.

Even Bibi Dong, who had seen her share of grand spectacles, was full of confusion.

She could clearly feel that the gaze from atop the volcano had indeed settled on her ship.

But there was no killing intent or greed in that gaze. It was simply watching in silence.

Even so, she remained on guard. Qian Lingye, Hu Liena and the others were all here.

He did not fear Golza, but if Qian Lingye were caught in the crossfire, the price would not be worth it.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo circulated their Soul Power, ready to unleash the Two Extremes Stillness Domain at any moment.

Spirit Hall's twelve protectors formed up, and the spirit vessel's defensive formations were activated at full strength.

The lives of Qian Lingye, Hu Liena and the others mattered more than anything.

Even if they had to lay down their lives, they could not let Golza come even a fraction closer.

But no one noticed the faint, undetected smile hidden in Qian Lingye's eyes behind Bibi Dong.

He knew better than anyone that Golza had never been looking at Bibi Dong. From beginning to end, it had been looking at him behind her.

Golza was greeting him.

After their brief exchange of glances, the enormous dark figure atop the volcano finally moved.

Golza slowly turned its massive head, its scarlet eyes sweeping indifferently across the entire sky.

That was the gaze of one truly looking down upon all living beings. In its eyes, nothing under heaven was worth mentioning.

After swallowing the crystal core and completing its evolution, it was no longer merely a powerful wild Soul Beast.

The presence surrounding it had changed completely, taking on the bearing of an emperor who ruled over all things and suppressed all four directions.

In its eyes, the entire sky, the whole Star Dou Great Forest, and every expert on the continent were no different from ants or dust.

As that indifferent gaze swept over them, the people of the major factions felt their hearts jolt and instinctively retreated as one.

Countless sect masters and members of imperial families fell silent as cicadas in the cold. They even made a point of breathing more quietly, not daring to make the slightest move.

The lingering hopes, resentment and greed in their hearts were utterly shattered beneath that emperor-like pressure.

Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun and the others had long since gone deathly pale, their bodies rigid with tension. They no longer even had the courage to look up at the giant beast.

One crushing display after another, one shock after another, had long since shattered their pride.

Yu Xiaogang stared blankly at the dark figure atop the volcano, his expression numb.

During the earlier battle, he had made quite a few analyses and judgments about Golza.

But the overwhelming combat strength Golza displayed had broken through the limits of his understanding again and again.

Everything he had learned about Soul Beasts over a lifetime of study crumbled before this strange beast. He could no longer summon the slightest thought of interpreting it, reasoning about it or standing against it.

Tang San suffered the harshest psychological blow he had received since making his debut.

In the past, he had possessed Twin Martial Souls, the Mysterious Heaven Skill and the Purple Demon Eye. Fortuitous encounters had fallen into his lap along the way, and he had always carried a measure of pride and confidence.

No matter what Soul Beast or formidable enemy he faced, he had dared to contend with it, probe it and break through. Even when he couldn't win, he had always thought he could put up a fight and find a chance to turn the tables.

But now, looking at the giant beast that looked down upon all living beings, its presence bearing down on him, the last of Tang San's defiance and hope was crushed to pieces.

This gap simply could not be bridged by hard work, skill, tactics or talent.

All the trump cards he took pride in were as insignificant as specks of dust before this strange beast.

A sense of helplessness enveloped him. Tang San trembled slightly, the light fading from his eyes as, for the first time, he felt utterly insignificant and defeated.

High in the sky, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and countless other top factions were all silent.

A deathly hush spread through the crowd. No one dared say another needless word.

All that remained in everyone's hearts was pure awe and fear.

This strange beast had transcended the bounds of ordinary Soul Beasts. It was a dark emperor that walked the continent, one who could not be provoked or offended, only watched from afar and revered.

His objective achieved, a faint light flashed in Qian Lingye's eyes as he quietly gave an order in his heart.

Go.

Golza, atop the volcano, seemed to sense it immediately. Its indifferent eyes narrowed slightly, and its overwhelming might slowly withdrew.

Its mountain-sized body sprang into the air and plunged with a thunderous crash into the churning sea of magma, trailing lava and flames across the sky.

With a splash, the magma surged a few times, and the fiery light gradually dimmed.

From beginning to end, not one of the dozens, perhaps hundreds, of Titled Douluo and experts from across the continent in the sky dared to intervene.

After a long while, the magma finally settled completely, leaving only wisps of blue smoke rising from the crater.

The crowd remained silent. No one dared be the first to break the deathly hush.