Qian Renxue's Top Three?! Angel Martial Soul Evolution! Gu Nian Preaches!

One hundred thousand years!

And more!

The final surge of incomparably pure energy poured into the phantom of that pitch-black Clear Sky Hammer.

Dense lightning runes began to emerge across the hammer's formerly plain, unadorned surface.

Crackle—

Strands of Purple-Gold electric arcs began to dance across the hammer, radiating a heart-palpitating Destructive Aura.

The Clear Sky Hammer had gained Thunder Force!

The immense energy instantly flooded through every limb and bone.

Tang San, who had been battered and cursing furiously just moments ago, stood frozen as he felt the explosive growth of power within him, felt the qualitative transformation of his martial soul and soul bone.

All his anger, unwillingness, and humiliation were washed away by overwhelming ecstasy in that instant.

He suddenly grinned.

"Heh..."

"Hehehe..."

"Hehehehehe..."

Paired with his charred face and hair standing straight on end, that smile looked incomparably bizarre.

He truly looked somewhat like he had been struck stupid by lightning.

Tang San's manic laughter rang clearly across the entire Douluo Continent through the Sky Screen.

That charred face, that hair standing on end, and that bizarre smile were all reflected in everyone's eyes as well.

Sunset Forest.

Beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

"Pfft—"

A snicker broke the tranquility of the place.

The one laughing was the owner of this place, Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo.

Pointing at Tang San's comical appearance on the Sky Screen, he laughed so hard that he doubled over, tears nearly spilling from his eyes.

"Hahahaha! Retribution! What tremendous retribution!"

"Struck by lightning! And struck twice at that! Excellent! Simply marvelous!"

Laughing until he could barely catch his breath, Dugu Bo pointed at Tang San on the Sky Screen and said to Gu Nian beside him.

"Gu Nian, did you see that? This is that ungrateful little thief! He wanted to empty out my place back then, and now he's suffering heavenly punishment!"

He felt incomparably satisfied.

When the Sky Screen had previously exposed Tang San's looting of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he had nearly exploded with rage.

Now that he saw Tang San in such a sorry state, more than half the resentment in his heart had finally been vented.

A faint smile appeared on Gu Nian's face as well.

He was somewhat surprised too.

He had not expected this Golden Ranking to be so uncompromising, not giving Tang San even a shred of face.

Tang San had just been boasting about how he would definitely become a god in the future, only for a bolt of Purple-Gold Divine Lightning to immediately put him in his place.

That was honestly rather satisfying to watch.

Still, Gu Nian also noticed the rewards that followed.

"Setting that aside, these rewards are indeed extremely generous."

Looking at the two God-Bestowed Soul Rings that had appeared out of thin air on Tang San's body, as well as the Eight Spider Lances and Clear Sky Hammer whose auras had surged dramatically, Gu Nian gave his calm assessment.

For Tang San, this was practically an epic-level boost.

The Blue Silver Emperor martial soul already possessed enormous potential. With another God-Bestowed Soul Ring, his future was limitless.

The Clear Sky Hammer, the Number One Tool Martial Soul Under Heaven, had not only gained a God-Bestowed Soul Ring, but also acquired Thunder Force. Its offensive power would undoubtedly soar.

On top of that, there were the Eight Spider Lances, an External Soul Bone that had evolved to the one-hundred-thousand-year level.

Martial soul, soul rings, soul bone—he had received all three.

"And this is only fourth place..."

Gu Nian stroked his chin, a trace of interest flashing through his eyes.

"Then how generous will the rewards for the top three be?"

He was genuinely rather curious about that.

However, his attention soon shifted away from the Sky Screen.

All the turmoil in the outside world was ultimately nothing more than passing clouds.

Right now, Ah Yin was what mattered most.

Gu Nian's gaze fell upon the core spring of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

There, a massive and exquisite Blue Silver Emperor floated silently.

Every one of her leaves shimmered with dazzling Blue-Gold Light. An immense amount of Life Aura continuously gathered around her, compressing and sublimating.

Ah Yin's Martial Soul Evolution had reached its most critical moment.

Gu Nian had no mind to spare for anything happening outside. He guarded her with his full attention, ensuring nothing could go wrong.

Just then.

Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of a figure sitting in the corner.

Xue Qinghe.

No, rather, Qian Renxue.

At some point, she had actually sat down cross-legged, her eyes tightly shut as she entered a mysterious state of meditation.

What made Gu Nian look twice was that—

Faint yet incomparably pure and sacred golden light was subtly radiating from her body.

That light carried a nobility and majesty that stood above the mortal world.

Gu Nian raised an eyebrow slightly.

Was she... having an epiphany?

What was going on?

I'm here explaining the ultimate principles of life and nature to Ah Yin, helping her reshape her Martial Soul and achieve Origin Unification.

Yet this Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul wielder listened from the sidelines and somehow began evolving her Martial Soul too?

Gu Nian did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Good grief, her talent really was something else!

She was just an auditor, yet she had nearly overtaken them on the curve.

Spirit Hall.

Within the Papal Palace.

Bibi Dong sat upon the magnificent throne, expressionlessly watching everything on the Sky Screen.

When she saw Tang San struck by lightning, a trace of satisfaction flashed through her beautiful eyes.

When she saw Tang San receive such generous rewards, she curled her lips in disdain.

"God-Bestowed Soul Ring, Thunder Force..."

"Power piled up through external means will ultimately be nothing but a castle in the air."

Bibi Dong gave her assessment indifferently.

From beginning to end, she had never truly regarded Tang San as a threat.

He was merely a junior with some clever tricks and a vicious nature.

If Tang Hao had not been standing behind him, she could have crushed him with a casual flick of her hand.

However...

Bibi Dong slowly withdrew her gaze from the Sky Screen and sank into thought.

Tang San possessed Twin Martial Souls, carried the Tang Sect's secret arts, and was deeply calculating—yet someone like him was only ranked fourth.

Then who could be ranked ahead of him?

A thought abruptly surfaced in her heart without warning.

Wait!

My Xue Er...

Bibi Dong's pupils suddenly contracted.

Since the Golden Ranking announced tenth place until now, Qian Renxue's name seemed not to have appeared at all!

How was that possible?

Stormy waves rose in Bibi Dong's heart.

No one understood her daughter better than she did.

What Qian Renxue possessed was a god-tier Martial Soul—the Six-Winged Angel!

It was the most supreme Martial Soul in the history of Douluo Continent, without equal!

Her talent was even greater than Bibi Dong's own Twin Martial Souls!

Since childhood, she had been sent to the Heaven Dou Empire, disguised as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, patiently enduring and lying low as she plotted to seize an entire nation.

Such temperament, such perseverance, such talent...

How could she possibly be absent from the rankings?

Unless...

A possibility so startling that even Bibi Dong felt her mind tremble surfaced in her thoughts.

Unless Qian Renxue ranked among the top three!

She had surpassed Tang San!

Perhaps even... surpassed her own mother!

That realization made Bibi Dong unconsciously tighten her grip on the scepter.

Her knuckles turned faintly white from the excessive force.