Dai Mubai looked at the three stunning young women who had suddenly appeared. The contempt in his eyes had not faded; if anything, it had grown even stronger.
"Hmph. Three little girls who don't know when to quit."
"Your talents may be impressive, but in the face of absolute strength, numbers mean nothing."
"I'm a Level 95 Titled Douluo!"
"White Tiger Douluo!"
Dai Mubai let out a loud shout, and nine Soul Rings abruptly rose beneath his feet.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!
That bright-red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring radiated a terrifying pressure that made it hard to breathe, instantly enveloping the entire street.
The surrounding houses creaked under the strain, their roof tiles cracking and tumbling down.
"Do you see?"
"This is the difference between us!"
Dai Mubai spread his arms, savoring the terror in the eyes of those around him. The thrill of holding life and death in his hands enthralled him.
Yu Xiaogang rode up beside Dai Mubai.
Looking at the four women across from him, he adopted the earnest air of an elder offering advice:
"Shui Bing'er, Dugu Yan, you're all rare talents."
"Why throw away your bright futures for a Venti who neglects state affairs and a Godwind City that's on the verge of destruction?"
"I'm the Heaven Dou Empire's Imperial Preceptor, and I was once a member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
"My disciple, Tang San, is also the successor of Lord Sea God. He's already a god-level powerhouse!"
"If you surrender and join us now, I can plead with His Majesty to spare your lives. I can even arrange important positions for you in the Heaven Dou Empire."
"This is your last chance."
Yu Xiaogang's voice wasn't loud, but it carried the haughty air of someone granting a favor from on high.
In his view, once he invoked Tang San's name, there was nothing in the world he couldn't settle.
A god-level powerhouse.
Those four words were enough to crush anyone's will to resist.
And yet.
The four women did not panic and fall to their knees as he had imagined.
On the contrary.
Dugu Yan looked at him as if he were an idiot.
"Yu Xiaogang, do you have no shame?"
Dugu Yan pointed at the civilians trembling beneath the soldiers' whips, then at the pools of blood on the ground that had yet to dry:
"This is the justice you talk about?"
"This is the last chance you're offering?"
"If joining you means becoming beasts who burn, kill, and plunder, then I, Dugu Yan, would rather die!"
Beside her, Shui Yue'er was so furious that her pretty face flushed red. She couldn't help spitting out:
"Pah!"
"What Grandmaster? He's just a sanctimonious hypocrite!"
"You bring a bunch of bandits to steal from people, then make it sound so righteous. You're disgusting!"
Each of those words cracked across Yu Xiaogang's face like a resounding slap.
His stiff face instantly turned liver-red, and the corners of his eyes twitched uncontrollably.
All his life, he had hated people questioning his theories and his character.
"Stubborn fools!"
"Since you're looking for death, don't blame me!"
Yu Xiaogang flushed with anger and waved his hand:
"Mubai, attack!"
"Don't hold back. Take them all down!"
Dai Mubai had long since grown impatient.
He licked his lips, bloodlust flashing in his eyes:
"Don't worry, Grandmaster."
"I'll teach them how to spell the word 'regret'!"
Before his words had even faded.
Dai Mubai shot forward, kicking up a gust of wind.
His enormous White Tiger claws, wrapped in golden Soul Power, struck mercilessly toward the slender neck of Shui Bing'er, who stood at the very front.
A cruel hand raised against a beauty!
At that very moment.
The Sky Curtain above the firmament trembled once more!
Golden light burst apart, and a new ranking appeared before the world.
[Fourth on the Power Ranking: Tang Sect!]
Those large characters were like a binding spell. Dai Mubai, who was about to strike a killing blow, abruptly froze.
He instinctively looked up.
It wasn't just him. Everyone present—including Yu Xiaogang and the four women preparing to fight to the death—was drawn to it.
The image shifted.
Gone were the ice and snow of the Far North. In their place appeared a grand estate in Heaven Dou City.
High walls and sprawling courtyards, bristling with hidden mechanisms.
Countless disciples in fitted training clothes practiced with Hidden Weapons: Godly Zhuge Crossbows, Pear Blossom Needles in Rainstorm, Peacock Plumes...
At the very center of the image.
A blue-clad figure stood with his hands behind his back.
The Sea God Trident stood at his side, Eight Spider Lances rose behind him.
Blue hair fell over his shoulders, divine light swirling around him.
It was Tang San!
[Tang Sect: The foremost sect of Hidden Weapons under heaven!]
[Leader: Tang San!]
[Key Members: Shrek Seven Devils, Speed Clan, Strength Clan, Defense Clan, Breaking Clan!]
[Overall Strength: Ranked fourth on the Power Ranking!]
The back hills of Godwind City.
Venti had been lying on a tree branch, holding a bright red apple and preparing to take a bite.
At the sight of the ranking on the Sky Curtain, he paused.
"Fourth?"
"Seems about right."
He bit into the apple with a crisp crunch and chewed with relish.
Tang San did have a bit of luck on his side.
But when it came to foundations, to the kind of power capable of shaking the continent to its core, the Tang Sect was still too green.
After all, it was a rising power.
Without Tang San, the Tang Sect would be no more than a second-rate sect.
"Though..."
Venti swallowed the fruit in his mouth, his brows drawing together slightly.
His emerald eyes, usually as clear as water, now rippled with unease.
He sniffed gently.
The wind.
It had changed.
The breeze, once fresh and clean, now carried a nauseating stench of blood, along with a murky, loathsome aura of greed and savagery.
It came from inside the city.
"Honestly."
"There goes my lovely mood for wine."
Venti sighed and casually set the half-eaten apple on the branch.
"If this wind is making people uncomfortable..."
"Then let's make it..."
"Stop."
Before the words had even faded.
The green figure on the branch had already turned into a breeze and vanished into thin air.
Outside Heaven Dou City, in the army's camp.
The Shrek group, however, didn't look pleased. Each of them looked as if they'd swallowed a fly.
"What?!"
"Only fourth?!"
Ma Hongjun's small eyes widened. Pointing at the Sky Curtain, he shouted so loudly that spittle flew:
"Is this some kind of mistake?"
"Third Brother's the Sea God! He's got a divine weapon, too!"
"With the rest of us, plus all those Hidden Weapons, how could we possibly rank only fourth?"
"Is this rotten ranking broken? Can we even trust it?"
Oscar also looked unconvinced, stroking the stubble on his chin:
"Exactly."
"Even an old, outdated power like the Clear Sky Sect can rank sixth, and the Far North, where birds don't even shit, comes in fifth."
"Our Tang Sect is thriving, riding high. We should at least be in the top three!"
"First place wouldn't even be out of the question!"