Ninth Place, Level 98? (Revised)

The joy brought by her increase in strength was diluted quite a bit by that "eleventh place" ranking.

She looked up at the sky, her gaze sharp as an eagle's. "Even this old woman can only rank eleventh... The road ahead is perilous. Children, you must work even harder."

Just as the entire continent was buzzing over Elder Song's failure to enter the Top Ten, and all kinds of guesses and unease about the Top Ten filled the air—

The Golden Ranking's light gathered once more.

That vast voice carried a heart-pounding majesty as it slowly announced:

[Douluo Continent Human Spirit Master Power Ranking, Tenth Place: Lin Huiqun!]

"What?!"

This time, cries of shock rang out from every corner of the continent at the same time, filled with absolute disbelief!

Inside Shrek Academy's Sea God's Pavilion.

An old woman in a plain white robe slowly opened her eyes.

Her face was thin and refined, but her eyes were as deep as an ancient well. Faint fluctuations of soul power lingered around her.

"Elder Lin, it's you!"

Yan Shaozhe cried out in delight.

Lin Huiqun, one of Shrek Academy's elder veterans.

A Level 97 Assault System Super Douluo. She normally lived in seclusion and rarely involved herself in academy affairs; in truth, only a few high-ranking members within the academy knew her true strength.

The tenth line of the Golden Ranking.

It was shrouded in a platinum light that was as warm as jade, yet faintly edged with sharpness.

Lin Huiqun's phantom appeared. She held a simple, ancient wooden staff, and her body radiated a vast aura of life and a keen, cutting edge.

[Name: Lin Huiqun]

[Affiliation: Shrek Academy (Elder Veteran)]

[Martial Soul: Azure Jade Staff]

[Soul Power Level: Level 97 Assault System Titled Douluo]

[Title: Azure Jade]

[Combat Power Assessment: The Azure Jade Staff martial soul is a top-tier plant-type Tool Martial Soul, possessing both the enduring vitality of life and the hard sharpness of jade. Her soul power is rich and immense, and her control over life power has reached perfection. She integrates offense and defense, and is especially skilled in prolonged battles and area control. She once fought three Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts alone in the Extreme North without being defeated, has guarded Shrek Academy for over a hundred years, has experienced countless battles both large and small, and has an illustrious combat record. Comprehensive Assessment: ranked tenth.]

[Reward: Soul Power Increased by One Level, all Spirit Ring Lifespans increased by five thousand years, awarded Azure Jade Domain, one random Eighty Thousand Year Soul Bone!]

Inside Sea God's Pavilion.

After a brief silence, waves of delighted cheers erupted.

"Wonderful! Elder Lin entered the Top Ten!"

Xian Lin'er said excitedly.

Xuan Zi also breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, clapping his hands. "Elder Lin is simply too low-key. I knew her strength couldn't possibly stop there."

Mu En nodded slightly, a trace of relief flashing through his eyes. "Huiqun's strength is indeed worthy of this position. With her in the Top Ten, Shrek has finally preserved a bit of face."

However, this joy did not last long.

The Golden Ranking's light gathered once more, and that vast voice carried a heart-pounding majesty as it slowly announced:

[Douluo Continent Human Spirit Master Power Ranking, Ninth Place: Zhongli Wu!]

The atmosphere that had only just eased froze solid once again!

Holy Spirit Cult Headquarters.

Zhongli Wu, who had originally still worn a somewhat mocking and expectant expression, had the smile on his face instantly stiffen.

In its place came astonishment and a gloominess he could barely conceal.

"Ninth?"

His low voice carried a trace of suppressed anger.

The ninth line of the Golden Ranking.

It was shrouded in a shadowy color even deeper than before, as if it could swallow even light itself.

Zhongli Wu's phantom appeared, and the death god aura emanating from him was even more solid, incomparably evil.

[Name: Zhongli Wu]

[Affiliation: Holy Spirit Cult (Cult Master)]

[Martial Soul: Death God Puppet]

[Soul Power Level: Level 98 Assault System Titled Douluo]

[Title: Death God]

[Combat Power Assessment: The Death God Puppet martial soul is one of the most wicked things in the world. It can control Death Qi, vengeful spirits, and puppets, making it strange and unpredictable, with peerless might. His soul power is cold and vast, and his control over evil power has reached consummate mastery. He is the strongest member of the Holy Spirit Cult aside from the Supreme Cult Master. He has planned and participated in multiple large-scale massacres, and the living beings who have died at his hands are beyond count. He is one of the most dangerous Evil Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent. Comprehensive Assessment: ranked ninth.]

[Reward: soul power compressed by onefold, all Spirit Ring Lifespans increased by six thousand years, Death God Domain fully perfected, one random Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone!]

If Lin Huiqun ranking tenth had offered people a small measure of comfort, then Zhongli Wu, the Holy Spirit Cult's cult master, the Level 98 Death Douluo, ranking only ninth shattered it completely.

This still overturned everything everyone thought they knew!

"N-Ninth?"

Inside Sea God's Pavilion at Shrek Academy.

The joy on Xuan Zi's face had not fully faded before it froze again.

"That old ghost Zhongli Wu is at the peak of Level 98, and with that bizarre Death God Puppet Martial Soul of his, he's actually... actually only ninth?"

Yan Shaozhe sucked in a sharp breath. "Ahead of Elder Lin, there are still eight people... eight beings stronger than a Level 98 Death Douluo? This..."

Xian Lin'er's face went pale. "Since when did the continent hide this many monsters?"

Mu En slowly rose to his feet, the aura around him fluctuating uncontrollably, revealing the extreme unrest in his heart.

He had some estimate of Zhongli Wu's strength. It was absolutely among the very pinnacle of the continent.

But now, the Golden Ranking was telling him that such an existence could only rank ninth!

The Body Sect.

The muscles on Du Busi's face twitched. He suddenly slammed a hand down on the stone table beside him, and the table instantly turned to powder.

"Zhongli Wu... ninth? What kind of joke is this!"

"That old ghost's strength is absolutely not much inferior to mine! This ranking list..."

He had originally been thinking of joining forces with Shrek to wipe out the Holy Spirit Cult, but now it seemed the Holy Spirit Cult's top combat strength was likely far beyond their estimates.

If Zhongli Wu, ranked ninth, was already like this, then what about those ahead of him?

The Supreme Cult Master of the Holy Spirit Cult?

Or some other hidden ancient existences?

Golden Peng stood to the side as well, his expression extremely grave. "Sect Master, this..."

Du Busi raised a hand to cut him off, his gaze sharp as a falcon's. "The plan remains unchanged, but our attitude must be even more cautious! Tell Shrek that cooperation is possible, but they must show full sincerity and a detailed plan!"

The Clear Sky Sect.

Niu Tian and Titan looked at each other, both seeing horror in the other's eyes.

"Zhongli Wu... ninth..."

Niu Tian slowly uttered those words, feeling his throat grow a little dry. "Second Brother, we... may still have underestimated this world."

Titan let out a heavy, rough breath and said in a muffled voice, "Big Brother, this world really has changed! That old woman Lin from Shrek made it into the Top Ten, yet Zhongli Wu is only one place ahead of her..."

The Sun Moon Empire, the imperial palace.

Xu Tianran and Ju Zi looked at the ranking list and remained silent for a long time.

"Your Majesty..."

Ju Zi's voice was dry.

"Even someone like Zhongli Wu can only rank ninth... The existences in the top eight are probably already beyond what human strength can reach."

Xu Tianran gripped the armrests of his wheelchair tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

For the first time, he felt that his so-called imperial hegemony seemed so pale and powerless before such absolute individual might.

"Pass down my order... all Soul Tool research is to be given the highest priority, at any cost! Also... our contact with the Holy Spirit Cult is to be suspended and reassessed!"

The Holy Spirit Cult Headquarters.

There was complete Deathly Stillness.

The joy and arrogance that had arisen earlier because multiple enshrined members had entered the ranking were now replaced by an indescribable oppression.

Zhongli Wu felt the Soul Power inside him that had been compressed by the reward. His Soul Power had become even more condensed.

There was also the Death God Domain, now completely perfected and even more powerful than before, as well as that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone radiating terrifying spiritual fluctuations.

Yet there was not the slightest joy on his face, only boundless gloom.

"Ninth. I... actually only ranked ninth!"

He practically gritted his teeth as he said it.

The Death Qi around him surged uncontrollably, making the entire Secret Chamber feel like an ice cavern.

Feng Ling and the others were as silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to make a sound.

Even the cult master had only ranked ninth, then they...

Ye Xishui's face, hidden in the shadows, showed no expression. Only her faint voice rang out. "It is merely a ranking. Why care? Strength is the foundation."

Only her heart was just as unsettled.

Since when had Douluo Continent had so many experts above Level 98?

And Lin Huiqun of Shrek, who had kept such a low profile, had actually squeezed into the Top Ten as well. That was no good news.

Zhongli Wu's ranking undoubtedly cast a shadow over the hearts of every high-ranking member of the Holy Spirit Cult.

They had originally thought that, with the Holy Spirit Cult's foundation, they could at least occupy multiple spots near the top.

Now it seemed that the waters of this continent ran far deeper than they had imagined.

The ancient beings and peerless experts hidden in the dark were probably far beyond their estimates.

At that moment, all of Douluo Continent fell into an eerie silence.

All discussion, all speculation, seemed pale and powerless before the fact that "Lin Huiqun was tenth, and Zhongli Wu was ninth."

After announcing this earth-shattering ninth place, the golden ranking list once again sank into silence.

But this time, the pressure brought by that silence nearly suffocated everyone.

Eighth place!

Seventh place!

Sixth place...

And even that legendary first place!

Every rank that had yet to be revealed was like a Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.

It was also like a stairway leading to supreme power and mysteries, drawing countless gazes filled with greed, fear, and anticipation.

The structure of the continent was bound to undergo an earth-shaking transformation once this Top Ten ranking list was fully revealed!