I'm done pretending, I won't play anymore

"Martial Soul Hall really does put on quite the airs."

The sun was high in the sky, and Tang Zhen looked at the empty space in front of Jialing Pass, snorting with impatience.

"To make the lords of the entire continent wait here for one Qian Xunji—does he truly think himself a god? If he does not arrive soon, this Sect Master has no time to waste on him."

Star Luo Emperor Dai Tianfeng also furrowed his brows, just about to chime in, When suddenly, the aged Titled Douluo standing behind the Star Luo Empress abruptly snapped his eyes open, looking up at the firmament above Jialing Pass in disbelief.

"Your Majesty, take care! The one approaching is immensely powerful." The old man roared sternly, his nine soul rings erupting in an instant.

The hearts of everyone present tightened as they looked up in unison.

They saw the cloudless sky suddenly, without warning, stained with a dazzling yet inexplicably oppressive dark gold.

Immediately following, accompanied by a sacred, Sanskrit-like chant that made everyone's heart rhythmically pulse, the clouds above the firmament were torn asunder by a pair of invisible, giant hands!

"I have kept you all waiting."

A mellow, majestic, yet three-parts indifferent voice rolled down from the nine heavens.

In the eyes of every top powerhouse on the continent, which had shrunk to pinpricks, a Sacred Imperial Carriage pulled by six ten-thousand-year Light Unicorns wreathed in pure white holy fire stepped through the void, slowly crushing the air as it descended.

On either side of the carriage, Yue Guan and Gui Mei stood with cold, stern expressions.

And in front of the carriage, the two peak ninety-seventh-level Super Douluos, Qian Jun and Falling Devil, held their Coiling Dragon Staffs like two impassable gate guardians, radiating a monstrous, despair-inducing ferocity.

But these were not the most terrifying sights.

The most terrifying thing was the man lounging casually on the wide throne atop the carriage, and the gray-robed old man standing behind him with his hands clasped, eyes closed, not leaking even a sliver of soul power.

When Tang Zhen clearly saw the face of that gray-robed old man, his originally arrogant expression turned deathly pale, and his voice even trembled:

"Qian... Qian Daoliu? How has this old monster come out of seclusion?"

Qian Xunji sat on the throne, chin resting on one hand, his long, pale hair flying wildly in the gale. The [Original Sin Thorn Crown] atop his head, disguised to emit an aura of absolute defense, flickered faintly.

His deep, dark purple eyes swept down from on high across the various factions gathered on the walls of Jialing Pass, and the villainous smile at the corner of his mouth finally bloomed without restraint.

"Everyone is here, I see."

Qian Xunji slowly stood up, and twelve incredibly luxurious wings of light unfurled behind him, dyeing half the sky gold:

"Since you are all here, let us officially begin this table-flipping assembly!"

The pressure of a peak ninety-fifth-level Super Douluo, wrapped in the sacred and inviolable aura of an angel, slammed down hard onto the ramparts of Jialing Pass.

"Ninety... ninety-fifth level?"

On the city wall, the once-unassailable Clear Sky Sect Master Tang Zhen felt his pupils shrink to the size of needles:

"How is this possible! A year ago he had only just broken through to Titled Douluo; how could he have reached the realm of a Super Douluo in a mere year?"

It was not just Tang Zhen; Star Luo Emperor Dai Tianfeng, Ning Zhen of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the others felt their scalps go numb. Crossing several levels in a year—was he eating ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts for breakfast?

Watching the ghost-like expressions of the crowd below, the smile at the corner of Qian Xunji's mouth grew even gentler, his "compassionate Pope" persona perfectly maintained.

"Gentlemen, the scenery at Jialing Pass is quite nice today, so let us not waste time bickering."

Qian Xunji extended a finger and pointed casually at the most conspicuous person in the crowd, Tang Zhen, his tone as flat as if he were ordering a meal:

"Sect Master Tang, was it not you who had the most objections in your letter regarding this Seat's publication of the General Theory of Martial Souls? Your Clear Sky Sect has always believed that might makes right.

Come, step up and spar. If you win, I shall burn every copy; if you lose, then today's rules shall be dictated by my Martial Soul Hall."

Being called out in front of the entire continent's factions—especially in front of his two proud sons, Tang Xiao and Tang Hao—if Tang Zhen backed down now, the Clear Sky Sect's reputation as the number one sect under heaven would be utterly shattered at Jialing Pass.

"Arrogant! Do you truly think that because you have broken through to the ninety-fifth level, you can easily best this old man?"

Tang Zhen was furious. He kicked off the ground, his entire body soaring into the sky like a black meteor, hovering directly opposite Qian Xunji.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black! His standard, optimal soul ring configuration erupted, and a pitch-black Clear Sky Hammer as large as a water vat was gripped tightly in his hand, exploding with terrifying thunder and gale-force winds.

"Father, smash those bird feathers of his!" the young Tang Hao below shouted, his blood boiling as he clenched his fists.

"Heh, noisy blacksmith."

Qian Xunji sneered and elegantly raised his right hand.

Hum—

A hundred-zhang-tall phantom of a twelve-winged angel, radiating endless holy brilliance, rose up behind Qian Xunji.

However, what truly caused the brains of every powerhouse on the continent to crash, and even their breathing to cease entirely, were the soul rings slowly rising beneath his feet!

Red, red, red, red, black, black, black, black, red!

Four deep, abyss-like ten-thousand-year black rings, and five ten-thousand-year red rings radiating such monstrous, blinding blood-light that one could not look directly at them, pulsed up and down beneath him without restraint!

Four black! Five red!

The entire scene fell into dead silence.

This deathly stillness lasted for a full ten seconds, and then, the ramparts of Jialing Pass completely erupted!

"What am I seeing?! Four ten-thousand-year soul rings as a base? His first soul ring is ten-thousand-years?"

"He's mad, this must be an illusion! Five ten-thousand-year soul rings! Even if one killed every ten-thousand-year beast in the Star Dou Great Forest, one couldn't gather these! How could his physical body withstand such violent energy?"

The expensive folding fan in Ning Zhen's hand hit the ground with a "clatter," his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

Yu Yuanzhen's legs went weak; had it not been for the people beside him, this Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would have collapsed on the spot.

Is this even human?

This is an ultimate monster that defies every law of physics and spirit soul theory on the Douluo Continent!

Inside the Sacred Imperial Carriage hovering in mid-air, the Great Elder Qian Daoliu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly snapped them open.

Watching the four ink-black and five blood-red spirit rings beneath his son's feet, this level-99 Peerless Douluo trembled so violently with excitement that he accidentally plucked out a few strands of his own beard, yet he felt no pain at all.

"A miracle... this is a true miracle!"

Qian Daoliu's aged eyes were filled with tears of fanaticism and madness.