And inside the Pope Palace.
Bibi Dong stared at the Silver Dragon Spear, her face darkening to the extreme.
"Sixth place..."
"It's actually ranked above the Vision?"
She had thought that the forty-nine Visions were already impossibly powerful. She never expected that this single Silver Dragon Spear would rank even higher.
"Qian Daoliu once said that a great terror lurked in the depths of Star Dou Forest."
"Looks like this must be Gu Yuena."
Qian Renxue was also standing in the hall. Her exquisite face was etched with solemnity.
"Mother, if Tang San and Gu Yuena join forces..."
"Then our Spirit Hall Empire will have no chance of winning."
That was what worried them most.
The enemy of one's enemy was a friend.
If Tang San tried to win over the Soul Beast forces in Star Dou Forest to deal with Spirit Hall, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Bibi Dong took a deep breath, forcing down her agitation.
"He won't."
"I know that hypocrite Tang San better than you do."
"He thinks of himself as the embodiment of justice. How could he ever ally himself with Soul Beasts?"
"More than worrying about them joining forces, I'm worried..."
Bibi Dong left the rest unsaid, but Qian Renxue understood what she meant.
She was worried that Gu Yuena might come out on her own and, at this critical juncture, throw a wrench into things, making the already turbulent waters across the continent even murkier.
While the various forces were caught up in their own thoughts, the rewards were announced on the Sky Curtain.
[In consideration of the Silver Dragon Spear holder's noble bloodline and the artifact's extraordinary quality, it ranks sixth on the Rare Treasure Ranking!]
[A reward is hereby bestowed!]
[Reward One: The Silver Dragon Spear's quality will advance! It will be upgraded to the Bright Silver Divine Dragon Spear!]
[Reward Two: The holder will receive the Dragon God Heart!]
Rumble—
The Sky Curtain shook.
A blinding silver light streaked down like a meteor, falling into the Core Circle of Star Dou Forest.
In the image, the spear that had originally been silver-white now shimmered with flowing divine light. Its shaft had become even more crystalline, as if it had been forged from pure, condensed light.
But what shocked everyone even more was the so-called "Dragon God Heart."
It was a heart-shaped crystal radiating a nine-colored glow.
It slowly merged into its holder's body.
The next moment.
Roar—!!!
A dragon's cry powerful enough to shatter the heavens erupted from the depths of Star Dou Forest.
At that instant, every Soul Beast across Douluo Continent fell prostrate, trembling as they bowed in worship toward that direction.
It was a sovereign's suppression, felt deep in the soul.
In the Core Circle of Star Dou Forest, beside Life Lake.
Silver-haired, violet-eyed Gu Yuena felt the Dragon God Heart beating powerfully inside her. Her usually cool face now revealed an excitement she could barely conceal.
"Dragon God Heart..."
"It really did help me get it back."
She could feel her long-unhealed injuries recovering at an astonishing rate, nourished by this nine-colored divine power.
Not only that, but the half of the Dragon God's divine core she had lost seemed to be gradually restored as well.
What did this mean?
It meant she had hope of returning to her peak—and even advancing further, restoring the glory the Dragon God had once possessed!
Gu Yuena gripped the evolved Bright Silver Divine Dragon Spear tightly, feeling its peerless power. Her heart swelled with ambition.
"Sky Curtain... you certainly have a way with things."
But after her excitement passed, Gu Yuena gazed at the Golden Ranking in the sky, her brows drawing together slightly.
"Still..."
"With a treasure like this and my own strength, I've only ranked sixth?"
"What kind of monsters are the five above me?"
She wasn't convinced.
The Silver Dragon Spear had already been the embryo of a Super Divine Artifact. Now that it had evolved, it was more than a match for the finest divine artifacts in the Divine Realm.
And it still couldn't break into the top five?
There had to be something fishy about this ranking.
Meanwhile.
In Godwind City, on the roof of a tavern.
Venti held a bottle of Apple Cider and sprawled carelessly across the tiles, one leg crossed over the other.
A breeze swept by, stirring his black braid.
Watching Gu Yuena's imperious dragon might on the Sky Curtain, he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Oh, my."
"That little dragon sure is lucky."
"They even gave her the Dragon God Heart. Now those old fogeys in the Divine Realm are probably about to lose their minds."
Venti tipped his head back and took a swig. His face was full of the delight of someone who loved watching the world burn.
After spending so long in this world, seeing the Sky Curtain throw the fated course of events into complete disarray was its own kind of fun.
"Let it all fall apart."
"The more chaotic, the more fun."
"Following the script would be so boring, wouldn't it?"
Venti raised his cup to the air, as if toasting an old friend no one else could see.
"But speaking of which..."
"I'll have to be careful not to crash and burn later on, too."
Though he said he'd be careful, his emerald-green eyes held not a trace of worry. They were full of laughter instead.
The Sky Curtain paid no heed to the crowd's shock and confusion. The Golden Ranking began to scroll again.
This time, the color of the entire sky changed in an instant.
If the earlier blue had been lively and the silver noble,
then what appeared before everyone now was an endless tide of blood and slaughter.
Dark red light stained the clouds. A thick, nauseating stench of blood seemed to seep through the image and straight into everyone's nostrils.
Amid that surging sea of blood, a giant sword slowly rose.
Its blade was broad and heavy, its entire surface a dark red, covered in strange demonic patterns.
It had no scabbard, because no scabbard in the world could contain such terrifying killing intent.
Just one glance was enough to make it feel as though the baleful aura on the blade would suck in one's soul and tear it to pieces.
[Number Five on the Rare Treasure Ranking: Asura Demon Sword!]
At that moment, Tang San, standing atop Jialing Pass, shuddered.
The light of the Sea God Trident in his hand instantly dimmed. In its place, the blood-red sword-shaped demonic mark between his brows suddenly blazed to life.
It was the mark of Asura God's inheritance.
The Golden Ranking's characters looked as though they had been forged in blood.
[Type: Super Divine Artifact / Sword of Judgment]
[Holder: Tang San]
[Introduction: The sword of Asura God, one of the Divine Realm's five great enforcers. It rules over slaughter and judgment and is one of the Divine Realm's most powerful offensive artifacts. The wielder may enforce the laws of Heaven, slay gods and demons, and break through anything!]
In the image, a blood-red figure wielded the giant sword. With one sweep, he cleaved the stars in two.
"Asura Demon Sword..."
Inside the Pope Palace, Bibi Dong slumped in her chair, her face as pale as paper.
As a successor to a godhood inheritance herself, she knew exactly what Asura God represented.
A God King!
A supreme being who stood above the First-Level Gods!
Before Asura God, Rakshasa God was like a mouse before a cat—utterly incapable of fighting back.
"How could this be..."
"How could Tang San have that sword?"