Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo stared fixedly at the nine Soul Rings beneath Xu Feng's feet, shock written across their faces.
"Nine... nine Soul Rings?!" they both cried, their breathing faltering.
This man actually had nine Soul Rings!
Didn't that mean he was at least level 91, had entered the ranks of Titled Douluo, and become one of the mighty figures at the very peak of the continent's pyramid?
They were stunned. The slightest trace of contempt vanished from their eyes as they looked at Xu Feng, replaced by wariness and solemnity.
They had seen plenty of Titled Douluo. After all, the two of them were renowned veterans among Titled Douluo themselves, having made names for themselves long ago and earned formidable reputations.
But what shocked them was that the man before them appeared to be only in his twenties.
To become a Titled Douluo so young—such talent was unbelievable.
"Are you an ordinary Titled Douluo?" Chrysanthemum Douluo asked tentatively. Beside him, Ghost Douluo pricked up his ears, eager to hear the man's true level.
If he was only an ordinary Titled Douluo, the two of them could still easily handle him by joining forces.
If he dared make trouble at Spirit Hall, he had better be prepared to pay the price.
"Think bigger. Guess higher," Xu Feng said calmly. The fluctuations of his Soul Power pressed down on the surrounding void, sending faint ripples through it.
"A Super Douluo?" Chrysanthemum Douluo exclaimed, inwardly declaring it impossible.
Titled Douluo had levels too: levels 91 to 94 were ordinary Titled Douluo, levels 95 to 98 were Super Douluo, and above them stood the legendary level 99 Limit Douluo of the continent!
"Think even bigger," Xu Feng said.
"A Limit Douluo?!" Chrysanthemum Douluo was utterly stunned. He sensed an incomparably powerful, overwhelmingly oppressive fluctuation of Soul Power from the man before him.
He had only ever sensed such vast Soul Power fluctuations, bearing down with the weight of a mountain, from the Great Enshrined, who was one of the exceedingly rare Limit Douluo in the world.
The oppressive Soul Power made his heart pound and his scalp prickle. He was on the verge of being unable to withstand it, and he sensed a grave threat to his life. If the other man attacked, he would probably perish on the spot!
Ghost Douluo, standing beside him, was dumbfounded too.
"That's right," Xu Feng said, his expression calm.
What?!
A Limit Douluo?!
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had been brimming with aggression just moments ago, looking ready to fight at the slightest disagreement.
After all, as veteran Titled Douluo, they were not people just anyone could offend.
But now their bluster instantly wilted, and their eyes cleared.
Were Limit Douluo so cheap that one could just pop up out of nowhere?
They had only come out to teach someone who had offended Spirit Hall a lesson, so how had a Limit Douluo appeared?
Did their luck have to be this miserable?
"Hiss!"
"What is going on?"
"This kid looks like he's only in his twenties, yet he's already reached level 99 and become a Limit Douluo, enough to rival Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined?"
"Even if he started cultivating in the womb, he couldn't possibly be this fast, could he?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were horrified, their faces filled with shock and their eyes wide as they stared fixedly at the nine Soul Rings beneath Xu Feng's feet. They looked utterly incredulous, and their breathing grew rapid.
They couldn't believe it, but the nine Soul Rings beneath his feet and the powerful fluctuations of his Soul Power couldn't be faked.
When had such a monstrous genius appeared on the continent, and how had he escaped Spirit Hall's intelligence network?
Sea God Island. Right, Sea God Island.
They had just heard that the monster before them came from Sea God Island.
But where was Sea God Island?
Spirit Hall had never heard of a faction called Sea God Island before, either.
According to this timeline, Sea God Island had yet to emerge into the world, and Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen had yet to set foot on it and fight Bo Saixi. Naturally, Sea God Island had not been revealed to the world, and Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had never heard of it.
"Old Ghost, pinch me and see if I'm dreaming," Chrysanthemum Douluo said to Ghost Douluo beside him, rubbing his eyes.
"You're not dreaming. That man really is a level 99 Limit Douluo." The black mist around Ghost Douluo had long since stopped moving and was on the verge of dispersing.
The man's Soul Rings were actually purple! Purple! Purple! Black! Black! Black! Red! Red! Red!
His very first Soul Ring had exceeded the theoretical limit of what a Soul Master could absorb.
How terrifying.
This was unbelievable.
The two men stared fixedly at the nine Soul Rings beneath Xu Feng's feet, then examined his youthful face, looking back and forth many times.
To break through to level 99 and become a Limit Douluo at such a young age was terrifying. What exactly was the background of this Sea God Island, that it could nurture such a monster? Could its foundations be even deeper than Spirit Hall's?
"I was merely jesting just now," Chrysanthemum Douluo said, his tone much milder.
"I'll go inform His Holiness the Pope at once. Old Ghost, please attend to our honored guest here," he added.
His Holiness the Pope would surely be delighted to hear that a Limit Douluo in his twenties had come to visit. Perhaps, in his delight, he would even reward him with a rare Soul Bone.
Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Chrysanthemum Douluo flashed into Spirit Hall below.
Original story's timeline, the sky screen.
"What is going on? That man is actually a level 99 Limit Douluo?"
"I was just laughing at him for not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth, thinking he actually wanted a marriage alliance with Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden. Turns out I was the clown."
"A Limit Douluo in his twenties—I've never heard or seen anything like it."
"Martial Soul Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang: You've all been blinded by appearances. According to my theories developed through years of research, a Soul Master's first Soul Ring can be no older than 423 years, and the second no older than 764 years. This is supported by a wealth of data. The man's first and second Soul Rings on the sky screen are purple, so they have clearly exceeded the maximum theoretical values."
"Martial Soul Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang: Not to mention that his fourth Soul Ring is black, and his seventh and eighth Soul Rings are red. These too exceed the maximum theoretical values and defy convention."
"Martial Soul Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang: In my many years of experience, such a combination of Soul Rings is absolutely impossible. This man must be using some trick or possess a disguise Soul Skill that lets him make his inferior Soul Rings look like high-quality ones. He's merely trying to attract attention. The biggest flaw in his act is that no one in the world could possibly become a level 99 Limit Douluo in their twenties."
"Martial Soul Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang: Yet this fraud actually dares to openly visit Spirit Hall and seek a marriage alliance with its Holy Maiden. This is a desecration of the Holy Maiden, and it is unforgivable!"
Apparently wanting people to believe him, Yu Xiaogang went so far as to make a bold declaration: "Martial Soul Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang: This man is definitely a fraud. If he isn't, I'll eat it."
"Grandmaster, aren't you just trying to scam yourself a free meal?" someone teased.
"You—fine, fine, fine! Just wait and see the outcome," Yu Xiaogang said angrily.
Seeing someone on the sky screen disrespect his teacher, Tang San's eyes instantly turned icy. "You dare disrespect my teacher. You already have a way to die."
Bibi Dong sat upright on the papal throne. Seeing Xu Feng's nine Soul Rings, she was inwardly startled. "Nine Soul Rings, a Limit Douluo in his twenties? Interesting." A thoughtful look appeared on her breathtakingly beautiful face. "Could this man look young on the outside, but actually be an old monster who made his name long ago?"
She simply couldn't believe that someone had become a Limit Douluo so young.
If he really was that young, her own talent was utterly pathetic compared to his.
Inside the Worship Hall, the gaze of a tall, handsome middle-aged man was also drawn to the sky screen. When he heard that Xu Feng came from Sea God Island, his expression changed. His memories returned to the time he had ventured onto Sea God Island, and the figure of a noble woman standing proudly, sacred and unparalleled, appeared in his mind. "Sea God Island..." It was a lingering regret in his heart.
Why didn't I see this man on Sea God Island back then? Have Sea God Island's foundations already grown this powerful? he murmured inwardly, staring somewhat blankly at the nine Soul Rings.
On Sea God Island, Bo Saixi and the Seven Sacred Pillars were also somewhat taken aback. In the other timeline, our Sea God Island actually has such a monstrous figure? they wondered in surprise.
In the original story's timeline, the various major factions all turned their attention to the sky screen. Some were shocked, some watched the spectacle, and some were skeptical...
The view returned to Xu Feng's timeline.
Elder Ju entered the papal hall. Upon seeing the lofty figure on the papal throne, whose presence bore down with a weighty pressure, his expression turned respectful, and he hurriedly reported, "Your Holiness."
"Hmm? What is it?" Qian Xunji opened his half-closed eyes. Clad in a brilliant golden robe, he looked at Elder Ju. His sharply chiseled face was as still as an ancient well, betraying none of his emotions, like an abyss.
"It's the offender outside. He says he wants to see Your Holiness," Elder Ju said respectfully.
"Just a stink bug. Chase him away," Qian Xunji said calmly. "What? Do you need me to deal with him?" His tone was perfectly mild, yet it conveyed a pressure as heavy as a mountain, making Chrysanthemum Douluo's heart tremble.
Chrysanthemum Douluo stiffened. Not daring to let His Holiness the Pope doubt his ability to handle matters, he hurriedly explained.