Ma Hongjun in the Top Ten?! Wishful Thinking!

With a sharp whoosh, Bibi Dong sprang to her feet from the throne!

The movement was so sudden that her luxurious robes swayed, and her stunning long legs wrapped in black silk traced a seductive shimmer beneath the lamplight in the tent.

Her phoenix eyes were fixed on the words on the Heavenly Screen, her exquisite face filled with astonishment.

"The Golden Crocodile King... is only ranked twentieth?"

Bibi Dong's voice carried a tremor that even she herself had not noticed.

This had completely exceeded her expectations.

She knew full well the strength of those old men in the Worship Hall.

Golden Crocodile Douluo's Golden Crocodile King Spirit was absolutely one of the continent's most supreme spirits.

Yet now, it had become the one at the bottom of the list.

"Teacher..."

Standing at her side, Hu Liena covered her red lips, her beautiful eyes full of shock and doubt.

"Th-this means that above the Golden Crocodile King, there are at least nineteen even more powerful spirits?"

"How is that possible? Where could the continent possibly have so many unheard-of powerhouses?"

Hu Liena's words plunged the tent into dead silence.

Bibi Dong did not answer. Her beautiful phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, glimmering with a profound light.

Silence.

A long silence.

Were there truly so many unknown powerful spirits hidden across the continent?

Who, exactly, was controlling this ranking?

Thought after thought flashed rapidly through her mind.

After a long while, the shock on Bibi Dong's face slowly faded, replaced by an even fiercer ambition and resolve.

She sat back down on her throne. This time, however, her posture was far more upright, and she radiated the supreme majesty belonging to the Pope.

"Nana."

She spoke calmly.

"Pass down my orders."

Hu Liena immediately bowed. "Please give your instructions, Teacher."

A faint smile touched Bibi Dong's lips, but her voice carried an unyielding will.

"Anyone who can make it onto this Spirit Ranking, regardless of who they are, their background, or their allegiance, is a supreme genius of this era."

"Such talents must serve my Spirit Hall Empire!"

"No matter the cost, do everything possible to recruit and befriend them!"

Her gaze turned toward the sky once more, as though she wished to pierce that curtain of gold.

"As for Golden Crocodile Douluo, who has just broken through..."

"We must also find a way to bring him completely under our command."

"He will be an important cornerstone in my great undertaking to unify the continent."

Elsewhere, outside Jialing Pass.

Before the Heaven Dou Empire's army, the Shrek group and Master Yu Xiaogang likewise gazed up at the vast God List in the sky, every face frozen in deep shock.

"The Golden Crocodile King... is only ranked twentieth?"

A violent tremor appeared in Dai Mubai's sinister eyes, and he could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

"How... how is that possible?!"

Yu Xiaogang's expression was grave. He pushed up the glasses on his nose, his eyes beneath the lenses glinting with thought.

He said in a deep voice:

"In terms of quality, the Golden Crocodile King Spirit is absolutely superior to the inherited spirit of my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."

"Its explosive power and defense are both among the very best in the entire Beast Spirit system."

"Such a powerful spirit is merely at the bottom of the ranking..."

He did not finish his sentence, but everyone present understood what he meant.

The depths of this ranking were unfathomable!

Dai Mubai clenched his fists, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

"That's right. The Golden Crocodile King is a true top-tier Beast Spirit. In terms of pure offense and defense, it is not inferior to my Evil-Eyed White Tiger in the slightest."

His tone was heavy, carrying a trace of frustration.

Zhu Zhuqing, who had always been quiet, parted her red lips at this moment, her voice carrying a faint sigh.

Her stunning figure, outlined by her tight black leather outfit, tensed slightly, its curves breathtaking.

"Even for a senior like Golden Crocodile Douluo, his spirit can only rank twentieth."

"Even if my Hell Spirit Cat is fortunate enough to make the list, I fear... it would only be near the very bottom, or perhaps... it would not even be qualified to appear on it."

Her words made everyone's hearts sink further.

Ning Rongrong's lovely little face was also filled with uncertainty and alarm.

Her flowing aqua-blue dress made her skin seem like snow, giving her an elegant and noble air.

"The Golden Crocodile King is only twentieth... Then where would my father's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda and my Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda rank?"

No one could answer that question.

Tang San, who had been observing the Heavenly Screen all along, slowly spoke and broke the silence.

"The situation is far more complicated than we imagined."

"This Spirit Ranking may disrupt the entire continent."

His handsome face was tightly furrowed. A violet-gold light flickered deep within his eyes, as though he were deducing something.

Xiao Wu leaned gently against him, her soft, boneless delicate body carrying a faint fragrance.

Her slender, long legs wrapped in pink silk stockings were straight and well-proportioned, flawless beyond comparison. As she rose onto her toes, they became even more breathtaking.

She lifted her exquisite little face to Tang San, her bright eyes brimming with trust.

"Third Brother, no matter what happens, I believe you'll definitely be number one!"

The girl's clear voice carried unwavering conviction, causing Tang San's tightly furrowed brows to ease slightly.

Meanwhile, after his initial shock, Ma Hongjun's face reignited with confidence.

He puffed out his chest and chuckled.

"What's there to fear!"

"No matter how deep these waters are, they can't drown Fatty's Phoenix Fire!"

"The Golden Crocodile King may be powerful, but it is ultimately only a Mortal Beast. My Ten-Headed Fire Phoenix is a Divine Bird Spirit comparable to Ultimate Fire!"

Ma Hongjun's voice brimmed with confidence as he raised his fingers to indicate a number.

"I dare say my spirit will definitely secure a spot in the top ten!"

"Maybe... even the top five isn't out of the question!"

His bold declaration slightly eased the heavy mood among the Shrek group, and they all turned their gazes toward him.

Just as his words fell.

Rumble!

The golden Heavenly Screen above the nine heavens burst forth with light once again, several times more dazzling than when the Golden Crocodile King had appeared!

Endless golden radiance gathered. This time, what appeared within the image was no longer a savage giant beast, but an incomparably gorgeous, incomparably noble... Divine Bird Spirit!

It soared above the nine heavens, its body bathed in blazing seven-colored divine flames.

Every feather seemed to be formed from the purest flame-glazed crystal, shimmering with flowing light, dazzling to the extreme.

Most eye-catching of all, atop its long neck grew no fewer than ten heads!

Each head bore a different expression. Some cried out in piercing song, some glared in fury, and some closed their eyes in feigned slumber... Yet without exception, they all exuded a terrifying aura capable of incinerating the heavens and purifying all things!