Tang San's voice squeezed out through clenched teeth. He could not accept this reality.
He had just been riding high because his Divine Weapon had made the ranking, yet in the blink of an eye, another weapon had ruthlessly crushed it beneath itself!
However, when his gaze fell upon the words "Super Divine Artifact," he felt as if struck by lightning. His pupils suddenly contracted.
"What?! The Silver Dragon Spear... is a Super Divine Artifact?!"
The moment those words left his mouth, everyone from Shrek sucked in a cold breath again.
A Super Divine Artifact!
That was an existence above Divine Weapons!
Although Tang San's Sea God Trident had evolved, it was only a Half-step Super Divine Artifact. There remained an insurmountable gulf between it and a true Super Divine Artifact!
The flames of jealousy burned fiercely within everyone's hearts.
How could this Gu Yuena possess so many treasures?
Why did she deserve them?!
Yu Xiaogang was trembling with rage. The resentment and envy in his heart nearly burst through the heavens.
"I, Yu Xiaogang, am a peerless genius who has devoted my entire life to researching Martial Soul theory, yet I do not even possess a decent Divine Weapon!"
"Why does this Gu Yuena deserve it?!"
He stared fixedly at the Sky Screen, his eyes bloodshot. Then, as though he had thought of something, an unhealthy fanaticism appeared on his face.
"But it doesn't matter!"
"I still believe that my Martial Soul theory must be an Exotic Treasure! There are still three spots left on the Ranking List, which means my theory is very likely to enter the top three!"
"The rewards for the top three will definitely be far more generous than this Silver Dragon Spear!"
As Dai Mubai listened to Yu Xiaogang muttering to himself, the corner of his mouth twitched. In the end, he said nothing and turned toward Tang San.
"Third Brother, Master, everything is ready. Can we begin the assault on Jialing Pass?"
Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the jealousy in his heart and resuming his steady demeanor as the "Master." He nodded.
"That's right. Everything is ready."
Tang San also withdrew his gaze from the Sky Screen, transforming all his shock and unwillingness into overwhelming fighting intent and killing aura.
He raised the Sea God Trident high in his hand, its blade pointing directly at the seductive yet imposing figure atop Jialing Pass's walls.
An enraged roar exploded like thunder, sweeping across the entire battlefield!
"Bibi Dong, get out here and die!"
Tang San's roar, infused with divine power, rolled in like thunder from the nine heavens and instantly spread throughout Jialing Pass.
Above the city walls, battle cries shook the heavens. The radiance of Soul Skills and the whistles of crossbow bolts tearing through the air intertwined into a symphony of death.
Yet this tumult could not penetrate the solemn Worship Hall standing in the rear.
Inside the hall, there was utter silence.
Qian Renxue stood quietly in the center of the vast main hall, raising her head to gaze at the sky beyond the hall, illuminated by the golden Sky Screen.
"The Silver Dragon Spear?!"
Her voice was soft, echoing within the hall where she stood alone.
"Who exactly is this Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena?"
Qian Renxue's brows furrowed slightly.
The Tears of the Silver Dragon King in sixth place had already surprised her.
Now, the fourth-place treasure was actually still Gu Yuena's.
"What... it's even a Super Divine Artifact?"
When she saw the clearly marked rank of "Super Divine Artifact" on the Sky Screen, even as the Angel God, her heart skipped a beat.
She wore magnificent, elaborate golden divine armor. Beneath the hem of her battle skirt were two slender jade legs, their perfect contours outlined by golden threads, straight and brimming with strength.
Holy radiance enveloped her, making her appear like a flawless golden statue—noble and sacred.
Yet at this moment, this Goddess's face was filled with shock.
Her Angel Holy Sword had been inherited from the Angel God. It was a true Divine Weapon, yet it ranked only seventh on the Exotic Treasures Ranking.
Meanwhile, this Silver Dragon Spear stood proudly in fourth place.
The gap between them spoke for itself.
"What I find most incomprehensible is..."
Qian Renxue's beautiful golden eyes glimmered with deep confusion.
"A true Super Divine Artifact actually... only ranks fourth!"
Then what kind of earth-shattering existences were the three Exotic Treasures ahead of it?
Her gaze slowly shifted away from the Sky Screen and settled upon the Ancient Long Sword quietly embedded in the stone seat atop the altar before her.
The Taichu Sword.
The sword her master, Lu Ming, had left behind.
It appeared utterly ordinary. No divine light flowed around it, nor did it emit any overwhelming pressure. It was like a piece of common iron whose every edge had been worn away by time.
For the first time, a trace of doubt surfaced in Qian Renxue's heart.
"Can this sword Master left behind... truly be an Exotic Treasure?"
She murmured to herself.
After all, only the final three spots remained on the Exotic Treasures Ranking.
Even a Super Divine Artifact could only rank fourth.
Could this sword truly be more powerful than the Silver Dragon Spear, whose Divine Might overshadowed all else?
Qian Renxue did not know.
She held an almost blind trust in her master, but the facts presented by the Heavenly Dao Golden Ranking were fiercely shaking her faith.
Just then, a flurry of urgent footsteps came from outside the hall, interrupting her thoughts.
Golden Crocodile Douluo's tall figure appeared at the entrance. He dropped to one knee, his voice heavy and urgent.
"Young Master! Tang San has led the Heaven Dou Army in launching their final offensive!"
"The fighting on the city walls is extremely intense!"
Qian Renxue took a deep breath and suppressed every distracting thought and doubt in her heart.
She turned around and faced the Taichu Sword once more.
She straightened her golden battle skirt, her expression solemn, and respectfully bowed to the ancient sword.
"Master above."
"The battle is urgent. Your disciple shall take her leave first."
As her words fell, she straightened. In that instant, all the confusion and doubt in her eyes faded, replaced by the majesty and resolve of the Angel God.
She turned and stepped forward, her golden form becoming a streak of light that vanished from the entrance of the Worship Hall.
The Extreme North Land was frozen for ten thousand years.
The flames and clamor of Jialing Pass seemed forever unable to reach this pure white sanctuary.
Within a grand palace of ice crystal, two peerless beauties stood side by side, both gazing up at the golden Sky Screen that stretched across heaven and earth.
The woman on the left wore a snow-white dress. Her silver-white hair cascaded to her ankles like a waterfall, and her face was peerlessly beautiful, her aura ethereal as though she were not a creature of this mortal world.
She sat quietly upon an ice sculpture throne, her snow-white legs elegantly crossed. Her skirt slipped down, revealing a stretch of crystal-clear calf as flawless as jade, breathtakingly beautiful.
She was the ruler of the Extreme North Land, Snow Empress.
Standing beside her was a woman in a long emerald-green dress, with a voluptuous figure and captivating curves.
A dark green scorpion tail braid fell from the back of her head, exuding a wild allure.
She stood barefoot on the icy ground, yet felt not the slightest chill.
The Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, Ice Empress.
"Master... Master has made the ranking again!"
Ice Empress's emerald-green eyes were filled with excitement and worship.
Snow Empress said nothing, merely watched in silence. Yet her ice-blue eyes shone with the same pride and delight.
Their Master, Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena, was the supreme existence in their hearts.
"Heavens! The Dragon God's Heart, an eight-level increase in Soul Power, and... the Spirit Beast Heavenly Tribulation Life-Saving Method!"
Ice Empress looked at the reward description on the Sky Screen and could not help crying out. Her voice trembled faintly with excitement.
"Such... such generous rewards!"
Any one of these rewards was enough to drive the entire Soul Beast world mad.
Snow Empress's gaze, however, remained fixed upon the final two rewards.
"The Dragon God's Heart... and the Spirit Beast Heavenly Tribulation Life-Saving Method."
Her voice was as clear and cold as an icy spring, yet it carried a hint of gravity.
"The Dragon God's Heart is the Dragon Clan's supreme sacred relic, the source essence of the Dragon God's power. Once Master obtains it, her strength will surely soar again."
"But this Spirit Beast Heavenly Tribulation Life-Saving Method is the truly incredible treasure."
Ice Empress looked at her in confusion.
"Xue'er, is this cultivation method really that special?"
Snow Empress nodded. Her ice-blue eyes revealed a trace of remembrance for the past and reverence for the future.
"For us Soul Beasts, every hundred thousand years of cultivation brings a Heavenly Tribulation."
"It is a rule from the God Realm, a sword hanging above the heads of every powerful Soul Beast."
"Those who survive the tribulation gain another hundred thousand years of life, and their strength greatly increases."
"But if they fail..."
Snow Empress paused, her voice lowering slightly.
"Their souls scatter and vanish. They disappear completely from this world, without even the chance to reincarnate and cultivate anew."
At those words, Ice Empress's delicate body trembled slightly. Clearly, she had thought of that terrifying outcome.
Snow Empress continued, "Yet this Spirit Beast Heavenly Tribulation Life-Saving Method can condense a strand of origin divine power to protect the Divine Soul from destruction when one fails the tribulation..."
"This means it breaks the rules established by the God Realm!"
"It can allow us Soul Beasts to preserve our lives once beneath the Heavenly Tribulation! What a heaven-defying method!"
After hearing Snow Empress's explanation, Ice Empress's eyes instantly lit up, and her pretty face flushed red with excitement.
She eagerly grabbed Snow Empress's arm, her body swaying slightly from excitement.
"With Master's kindness and compassion, once she obtains such a cultivation method, she will surely distribute it to our Soul Beast Clan!"
"Doesn't that mean... we can cultivate this method as well?"
"If that is the case, we will no longer face mortal danger when undergoing tribulations!"
Snow Empress looked at Ice Empress's hopeful face. A heartfelt smile appeared on her usually cold features, like ice and snow melting for the first time, stunningly beautiful.
"Yes..."
She spoke softly, looking toward the distant south as if her gaze had crossed endless space and reached the direction of the Star Dou Great Forest.
"My seven-hundred-thousand-year Heavenly Tribulation will arrive soon as well."
"If we can cultivate this method, then you and I will truly have nothing to fear from the tribulation."
At that moment, the shadow that had weighed upon the hearts of the two rulers of the Extreme North for hundreds of thousands of years seemed to show signs of dispersing because of those few lines on the Sky Screen.
They felt ever greater reverence and gratitude toward their Master, far away in the Star Dou Great Forest.
After thinking for a moment, Ice Empress said, "Fourth place on the Golden Ranking is already this precious. What could possibly rank among the top three?"
"Does Douluo Continent truly possess so many Super Divine Artifacts?"
Snow Empress nodded slowly. Her clear beautiful eyes fixed on the Golden Ranking. "Then we will wait for the Sky Screen to reveal them."
"Let us see whether the top three of this Exotic Treasures Ranking deserve their places, who they belong to, and how precious they are!"
Ice Empress smiled. "Now that you mention it, Snow Sister, I'm even more eager to see them. And that man who could make Master shed tears—will he appear on the later Golden Rankings?"
Regret appeared in Snow Empress's eyes. Her flawless, slender legs radiated a captivating charm.
"Most likely, he has already died of old age. It is already a great blessing that Master can see him through the Golden Ranking."
Before you continue