Nearby, in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's section.
Ning Fengzhi, the usually composed and refined sect leader, had stopped breathing. His eyes were fixed on the huge crater in the center of the arena.
High above, on Spirit Hall's towering platform.
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan's brow furrowed sharply as he sensed something amiss.
The mighty Titled Douluo blurred and soundlessly appeared beside Bibi Dong.
"Your Holiness..."
"He..."
Yue Guan had barely begun to speak.
Bibi Dong suddenly raised a hand.
Her slender, fair palm swept gently through the air, stopping Yue Guan from continuing his report.
Before the papal throne, Bibi Dong slowly closed her eyes.
The ruler of Spirit Hall drew a deep breath. Her chest rose and fell slightly, then she slowly exhaled.
When she opened her eyes again, not a trace of emotion showed in their depths.
Bibi Dong already knew the outcome.
With the insight and cultivation of a Titled Douluo, how could she fail to see the truth at the bottom of the crater?
But regardless of what she thought, and no matter how deeply the sudden turn of events had shaken her, Spirit Hall's dignity had to be preserved.
That was the line she could not cross as Pope.
Bibi Dong gripped her scepter and rose from the seat that represented supreme authority.
As the Pope stood, the murmurs from the stands vanished at once.
The entire arena fell utterly silent.
Bibi Dong gazed down at the arena, her voice still steady, without the slightest tremor.
"Admi—"
She had uttered only a single syllable.
Before she could finish.
Bibi Dong stopped.
Her gaze remained fixed on the center of the arena, without the slightest shift.
Something was moving.
It was not something the naked eye could easily see, but an extraordinarily subtle pulse of energy.
The air currents seemed to have been seized in an invisible hand, then forcibly dragged toward the center of the arena.
Every ripple flowed toward the same destination.
Toward the center of the crater where Gu Sheng lay.
Bibi Dong's pupils contracted slightly.
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan's face changed dramatically. His already fair complexion had gone deathly pale.
Black mist around Ghost Douluo Gui Mei roiled violently.
The agility-type Titled Douluo could not even control his legs. He took a stiff step backward.
"Your Holiness..."
"Soul Power..."
"Is gathering."
Yue Guan's voice trembled unmistakably.
The people on the high platform stared at the sky above the arena, their eyes filled with shock.
Soul Power in the surrounding space surged uncontrollably toward a single point.
First, a searing aura of fire rose through the air, bringing heat intense enough to melt stone in an instant.
Then came the gentle, flowing aura of water, taking shape as specks of light dancing in the air.
Frenzied winds tore at space.
The weighty earth carried the steadfastness of the land.
Every attribute in the world stirred to life.
All the elemental forces intertwined madly in midair, twisting around one another.
At the bottom of the crater, Gu Sheng's body was lifted by this enormous, invisible force.
He floated up, lying flat.
Before everyone's eyes, Gu Sheng rose into the air, three feet above the ground.
The vortex of Soul Power around him grew larger and larger.
It spun faster and faster.
Its powerful suction swept up nearby rubble and ground it into fine powder.
The enormous vortex continued to expand, soon covering half the arena.
And then—
Gu Sheng opened his tightly shut eyes.
There were no discernible pupils in his eye sockets, only pure, brilliant gold.
Like an ancient Ferocious Beast that had lain dormant for millions upon millions of years, he had awakened at last, opening his eyes to survey the world.
That supreme might, that contempt for all living things, became a tangible pressure.
His aura held no trace of violent aggression, yet it carried a sacred majesty that made people want to fall to their knees and worship.
Vast. Boundless.
Golden light flowed ceaselessly through Gu Sheng's eyes.
In midair, the currents holding him aloft gradually calmed.
As they faded, Gu Sheng's body slowly descended.
His feet landed steadily on the rubble-strewn stone slabs.
Gu Sheng stood still.
The devastating impact had already torn apart the dark robe covering his upper body.
Strips of cloth hung around his waist.
Gu Sheng's lean, powerful torso was left completely bare.
His well-defined muscles shimmered in the sunlight, not a single wound to be seen.
The young man in black raised his head slightly. His golden eyes calmly regarded the Shrek Seven Devils, who stood supporting one another.
The corners of his mouth lifted in a faint smile.
"You're pretty arrogant."
His clear voice drifted across the silent arena.
Not far away, Tang San braced both hands against the cracked ground.
His dust- and blood-stained arms were trembling uncontrollably.
His entire body shook violently with them. Summoning every last ounce of strength, Tang San tried to stand upright again.
At the sound of the voice, Tang San raised his head and met those golden eyes.
His pupils contracted sharply. His lips parted.
"No..."
"Impossible..."
Tang San's voice was hoarse. His teeth had bitten through his lip, and thin trails of blood seeped out.
That had been the unreserved fusion of seven people's Soul Power—the true Weapon Soul Avatar.
How could this monster be completely unharmed?
Gu Sheng paid no heed to Tang San's collapse.
A dazzling light suddenly blazed from his muscular chest.
A clear fissure appeared across it, and brilliant golden light surged out like floodwaters bursting through a breached dam.
Then—
A towering phantom slowly took shape behind him.
The phantom of Holy Spectrum Puni stood proudly.
Eight enormous golden wings of light burst open behind it.
Each wing seemed forged from solid gold, its surface flowing with ancient, profound patterns of light.
Every slow beat of the wings sent visible golden ripples through the air.
The entire arena was enveloped in an aura of supreme Sanctity.
It was holy light that purified all things—lofty, sacred, and inviolable.
Every trace of chaotic Soul Power lingering in the air, even the remnants of killing intent around Tang San, was instantly cleansed by this holy light.
Tang San's mind went blank.
Under this absolute divine pressure, he could not even summon the thought of resisting.
Gu Sheng looked at the stunned Shrek Seven Devils, his smile growing broader.
"Come to think of it—"
The golden light behind him grew brighter as he spoke.
"I should thank you."
Tang San stood rooted to the spot.
Horror filled his pale face. He could not understand what this person was talking about.
Gu Sheng took a step forward.
"Thank you..."
"For helping me break the seal."
Before you continue