It held a sacred sword, its wings trembling faintly. Every feather seemed forged from the purest gold, radiating a warmth and majesty that made people want to prostrate themselves in worship.
The gloom and fear from before vanished, replaced by a reverence that came from deep within their blood.
Golden Crocodile Douluo, who had been brimming with killing intent and ready to charge toward the Papal Palace, stiffened abruptly at the sight of the golden light filling the sky.
The crimson in his eyes was forced back a little. He stopped in his tracks almost unconsciously and looked up.
The golden radiance gathered, transforming into line after line of large characters wreathed in sacred flames, branded across the vault of heaven:
[Top Ten Hidden Powerhouses, Fourth Place]
[Qian Daoliu]
[Identity: Grand Worship of the Worship Hall, Hall Master of Douluo Hall, Adjudicator Elder, Grand Priest of the Angel God]
[Martial Soul: Six-Winged Angel (God-Level Martial Soul)]
[Level: Level 99 Limit Douluo (Demigod)]
[Special State: Empowered by Angel Divine Power]
[Commentary:
Invincible in the sky, servant of the gods.
He was one of the three Peerless Douluo of this age. For over a century, he had guarded Spirit Hall, striking fear throughout the world.
Though he had not become a god, he was already beyond the mortal realm.
The glory of the Angel God flowed through his body, and he possessed the authority to command Angel Divine Power.
In his normal state, he was already a demigod, standing atop humanity.
If he burned his Angel Divine Power, he could even forcibly leap across the heavenly chasm for a short time, unleashing destructive might on the level of a "Quasi-God"!
He was the guardian of the Angel Clan, and the gatekeeper of that door leading to the Divine Realm...]
The scene shifted.
In the image, a handsome old man with white hair and beard stood with his hands behind his back, hovering ten thousand meters above the ground.
He made no unnecessary movements. He merely narrowed his eyes, and the Six-Winged Angel phantom behind him swung its sacred sword.
Boom—!
A golden sword beam a thousand meters long cut across the sky. The clouds parted in a clean line, and space fractured inch by inch before its power, as fragile as thin paper.
That was no Soul Skill, but a judgment imbued with "divinity"!
At that moment, Soul Masters across the entire continent fell silent once more.
If Bibi Dong's power had carried an air of evil and the uncanny, then what Qian Daoliu displayed was absolute domination and sacred inviolability.
Shrek Academy.
Flender took off his glasses and wiped them with a trembling hand. His voice was unbearably hoarse:
"N-Ninety-nine..."
"Demigod?
Quasi-God?
Is... is this even still a Soul Master?"
Yu Xiaogang stared fixedly at that name, his face ashen and his eyes filled with despair:
"Qian Daoliu... The legendary Grand Worship of Spirit Hall. So he really is still alive, and... he's actually this powerful."
"Commanding divine power... a Quasi-God's strength... This is beyond anything human strength can withstand!"
Tang San clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.
The Clear Sky Hammer he had always been proud of seemed so insignificant before power like this, power that was practically divine.
Could his great-grandfather Tang Chen really defeat someone like him?
Spirit Hall, before the Worship Hall.
Golden Crocodile Douluo stared at the Sky Screen's commentary. The fury that had boiled within him over Qian Xunji's death had to be forcibly suppressed when he saw the words "Grand Worship."
"Big brother..."
Golden Crocodile Douluo turned around and looked toward the enormous Angel God Statue deep inside the Worship Hall.
An old man in a plain gray robe was standing beneath the statue. No one knew when he had appeared.
With his back to everyone, he stood with his hands behind him. His aura was unfathomable, as though he had become one with the statue.
It was Qian Daoliu.
"Big brother! If what the Sky Screen says is true, then Bibi Dong killed Ji'er. We..."
Golden Crocodile Douluo was consumed by grief and indignation.
"I know."
Qian Daoliu's voice was terrifyingly calm, giving no hint of his feelings.
He slowly turned around. His golden eyes held neither grief over his son's death nor murderous intent toward Bibi Dong—only an indifference born of seeing through the ways of the world.
"Ji'er was weaker than his opponent. If he died, then he died."
"What?!"
The other worshippers were shocked. They could hardly believe those words had come from the Grand Worship.
Qian Daoliu raised his head, his gaze passing through the hall toward the Papal Palace, then turning to his own ranking on the Sky Screen. He said mildly:
"Though Bibi Dong killed Ji'er, she has now begun the Rakshasa God's trials, and her Twin Martial Souls have both reached their peak. Her strength is second only to mine."
"If Spirit Hall wants to unify the continent, it needs her power."
"Besides..."
For a moment, Qian Daoliu's gaze softened, as if he had thought of something:
"Xue'er is still undercover in the Heaven Dou Empire. For Xue'er's future, Spirit Hall... cannot descend into chaos right now."
Though his voice was old, it carried an unquestionable authority, instantly quieting the restless Worship Hall.
Only the deep helplessness hidden in his eyes remained beyond anyone's understanding.
He was the strongest Grand Worship, invincible in the sky.
But he was also the most tragic "gatekeeper."
His mission was not to become a god, but to burn himself away and pave the way for the Angel God's descendant...
A teahouse in Suotuo City.
"Invincible in the sky, with Quasi-God-level strength."
Gu Yuena looked at the imposing figure on the Sky Screen and gave a soft snort, her tone tinged with disdain:
"He's nothing but a false god borrowing divine power."
"A so-called Quasi-God is just an ant that has barely touched the edge of the rules. Before a true God King, one breath would be enough to blow him out."
Gu Yuan smiled and poured Gu Yuena another cup of tea:
"For us, of course, he's nothing special.
But for the human world as it stands, this really is the pinnacle of combat strength."
"Bibi Dong may have strange methods, but against the overwhelming pressure of divine power and the gap in their realms, she really can't beat Qian Daoliu yet."
"Still..."
Gu Yuan shifted his tone. Looking at the words "gatekeeper" on the Sky Screen, he wore a knowing expression:
"That description is spot-on."
"The Qian Family has served the Angel God for generations. In his generation, he was exceptionally gifted, but because he was the Grand Priest, he was destined never to become a god."
"His entire life was devoted to waiting for someone who could begin the Nine Trials of the Angel God, and then... sacrificing his own life to help them ascend to godhood."
Hearing this, Gu Yuena paused, then shook her head:
"Foolish faith."
"Humans always place their hopes in illusory gods, never realizing just how hypocritical those fellows in the Divine Realm are."
Gu Yuan took her hand and said softly:
"So we'll break these rules."
"Qian Daoliu is fourth, and Bibi Dong is fifth."
"Then the top three..."
Gu Yuan's gaze burned as he looked toward the Sky Screen.
"Besides those two old monsters, I'm afraid... the remaining one is me."
Just as the two were talking, the image on the Sky Screen trembled once more.
Qian Daoliu's golden figure slowly faded.
This time, there was no grand spectacle and no terrifying pressure.
The entire Sky Screen suddenly turned a deathly blood red.
It wasn't the red of flames, but the dark red of dried blood.
A killing aura surged toward the heavens. Even through the screen, it made people feel short of breath, as if they were standing amid a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
Line after line of characters, seemingly poured from blood and carrying a soul-shaking killing intent, slowly appeared:
[Top Ten Hidden Powerhouses, Third Place]
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