Rules Outweigh Privilege! Salas, Nuoding City Does Not Welcome You!

Ning Fengzhi's breathing remained rapid. As he watched that thousand-year Thunder Tyrannosaurus being used as a "power bank," he felt as though his worldview from the past few decades had been ground into the dirt and repeatedly trampled.

The gap between killing the goose to get the eggs and sustainable development was so vast that even he, the richest man on the continent, felt a sense of despair.

"I understand... I understand completely!" A light never before seen erupted in Ning Fengzhi's eyes. He bowed deeply to Qin Feng, his attitude respectful to the extreme. "Boss Qin! No... Master! From today on, I, Ning Fengzhi, am your most loyal mine manager! Wherever you point, I shall dig!"

Qin Feng was noncommittal toward this sudden change in address, merely nodding faintly.

Just then, the internal communicator Qin Feng had "gifted" to Ning Fengzhi suddenly emitted the cold, robotic voice of a guard.

"Report, Boss. A message from the city gate."

"Martial Soul Hall, Platinum Bishop Salas, accompanied by the other two members of the Golden Generation, has arrived outside Nuoding City."

"Their convoy is attempting to force entry into the city."

"They have been intercepted by our gate guards."

As the words fell, the air on the fifth underground level stagnated instantly.

Ning Fengzhi's expression shifted. Platinum Bishop Salas! That was the highest-ranking official of Martial Soul Hall in the Heaven Dou Empire, a man of immense power whom even Emperor Xue Ye would treat with a degree of deference!

He had actually been stopped outside Nuoding City?

Ning Fengzhi instinctively looked at Qin Feng, only to find that the young man's face held no trace of surprise; instead, he looked as if he had just heard some trivial, unimportant matter.

"Understood." Qin Feng replied to the air before turning to Ning Fengzhi. "Manager, your task is heavy. Set off now. In three days, I want to see the first batch of Vibranium ore appearing on the conveyor belt here."

Ning Fengzhi felt a chill in his heart. Daring not to ask any more questions, he bowed respectfully and, taking Sword and Bone Douluo along with a completely dazed Ning Rongrong, hurried into the elevator.

He only wanted to complete the task as quickly as possible, terrified that his value in the eyes of this new "master" might be less than that of the lizard currently generating electricity.

Nuoding City, East Gate.

The dilapidated wooden gate of the past had long since been dismantled, replaced by a massive gate made of heavy alloy, standing fifteen meters tall. On either side of the gate stood two newly constructed sentry turrets, their pitch-black muzzles like dormant beasts overlooking the only path into the city.

In front of the gate, a magnificent convoy pulled by eight spirited "Dragon-Patterned Horses" had been forcibly intercepted.

In front of the convoy, two "Tyrant Guards," over two meters tall and encased in silver-gray Power Armor, stood like iron towers, blocking the way without moving an inch.

The strange, black tubular weapons in their hands were emitting a dangerous aura.

"Presumptuous! Do you know whose convoy this is?!"

A knight in the standard armor of Martial Soul Hall, a Spirit Emperor with over sixty levels of spirit power, spurred his horse forward and shouted sternly. The long spear in his hand pointed toward the guards' helmets. "You dare to block the carriage of Platinum Bishop Salas? Do you have a death wish?!"

The pressure of a Spirit Emperor erupted; ordinary people would have already knelt to beg for mercy.

However, the Power Armor of the two guards merely flashed with an imperceptible blue light, completely absorbing the pressure.

The red eyepiece on one guard's helmet flickered, and a cold, synthesized mechanical voice rang out through an external loudspeaker, clearly reaching the entire convoy.

"Warning: According to Article 1 of the Nuoding City Safety Management Regulations, no unit or individual may release spirit power pressure within the city without permission."

"For the first violation, a verbal warning is issued. For a repeat violation, mandatory measures will be taken."

The Spirit Emperor knight was stunned on the spot.

The dozens of Martial Soul Hall knights behind him also looked at each other in confusion.

Nuoding City Safety Management Regulations? What kind of nonsense was this?

Since when did Nuoding City have such laws? And that tone—it wasn't a warning, it was clearly a threat!

"A bunch of tin cans, refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit!"

The Spirit Emperor knight, having lost face in public, was incensed. His spirit rings lit up instantly, his "Explosive Fire Lion" martial soul manifested, and the long spear in his hand ignited with raging flames as he prepared to strike.

"Stop!"

A dignified command rang out from the most magnificent carriage in the center.

The curtain was lifted by a white-gloved hand, and an elderly man with a slightly plump figure, an arrogant expression, and a white robe with gold trim slowly stepped out.

It was Salas.

Behind him followed a young man and woman; the man was handsome, the woman cold and beautiful. They were Xie Yue and Yan, the remaining members of the Golden Generation. They had come under the Pope's orders to search for the missing Hu Liena.

"A bunch of gatekeepers, why get angry with them?"

Salas's gaze swept over the two guards, a trace of contempt flashing in his eyes.

Although he was curious about this strange armor, he did not believe that in the face of absolute power, these things could stir up any trouble.

He straightened his robes, took a few steps forward, and announced in a tone that brooked no argument:

"Martial Soul Hall, Platinum Bishop, Salas."

"By order of the Pope, I have come to Nuoding City on official business."

"Open the gate."

The simple words contained an unquestionable majesty.

In his view, after announcing his name, the other party should have knelt in fear and trembling before opening the gate to welcome him.

However, a scene he never expected occurred.

The guard did not kneel; instead, it took a step forward. The armor plating on its arm slid open, extending a small scanning probe, and a red beam swept over Salas from head to toe.

"Beep—"

"Identity information unrecognized. No record of this individual in the database."

The synthesized mechanical voice rang out again, colder than before.

"Please present your identification documents. If you do not have valid credentials, please proceed to the 'Temporary Resident Registration Office' on the west side of the city gate to process your entry."

The entire world seemed to fall silent at that moment.

The arrogant expression on Salas's face froze instantly.

The muscles on the faces of Xie Yue and Yan twitched.

The dozens of Martial Soul Hall knights behind them widened their eyes, doubting they had heard correctly.

Identification?

Process entry paperwork?

Asking a dignified Platinum Bishop of Martial Soul Hall to go and apply for a temporary residence permit alongside those commoners?

"What... did you say?" Salas asked, enunciating every word, his voice laced with suppressed fury.

"Please present your identification documents." The guard repeated itself emotionlessly, while the black tubular weapon in its hand tilted slightly, aiming its muzzle at Salas's chest.

"Insolent!!"

"You're courting death!!"

Xie Yue and Yan roared simultaneously, their soul power erupting as they prepared to charge.

"Boom! Boom!"

The sentry turrets on both sides of the city gate rotated at that exact moment, their massive barrels locking onto the two men. A threat of death, purer and colder than the killing intent of a Titled Douluo, instantly enveloped them.

The two men felt as if they had been doused with a bucket of ice water, stopping dead in their tracks as cold sweat instantly soaked their backs.

Salas's face was so dark it looked like it could drip water.

He stared daggers at the hunk of scrap metal that dared to point a weapon at him, squeezing a few words through his teeth: "This face of mine is the best identification in the entire Heaven Dou Empire!"

"Identity verification failed." The guard's response was simple and lethal. "Warning: target's emotions are agitated, and soul power is fluctuating abnormally. Please retreat immediately, or you will be considered a violent intruder and be eliminated."

Eliminated!

Salas was trembling with rage. He had traversed the continent for decades; never had he suffered such a humiliating insult!

Just as he was about to lose control of his temper and order an all-out assault:

"Zzz—"

A nondescript loudspeaker on the city wall suddenly crackled with static.

Immediately after, the voice of Qin Feng, carrying a hint of laziness and mockery, echoed throughout the area inside and outside the city gate.

"Bishop Salas, is it? Why so much fire in your belly?"

"You've come a long way; you must be exhausted."

"However, since you've arrived on my turf, you must follow my rules."

Qin Feng's voice paused.

"Go over there and get your paperwork done first. Otherwise, my surveillance system will flag you as an illegal immigrant."