Though she grumbled, Qian Renxue had to admit that the man before her possessed a unique charm in his calm, unruffled manner.
That composure—the kind that didn't change even with Mount Tai collapsing before him—wasn't something an ordinary person his age could fake.
"But tell me, do you think the tenth place could be one of those big fellows in the Royal Hunting Park of the Heaven Dou Empire?"
Qian Renxue suddenly asked, struck by a thought.
Long Yun shook his head, smiling warmly at her.
"The Royal Hunting Park? Those things they keep penned up there are, at best, pets."
"Every single Soul Beast on the Heavenly Dao Gold Ranking is an unrivaled Ferocious Beast that holds sway over its territory."
He raised a hand and pointed into the distance, toward the Star Dou Great Forest.
"True terror lies dormant in that most ancient forest."
Qian Renxue followed his finger with her gaze, and a sense of awe rose within her.
Indeed, on the vast Douluo Continent, humans might hold the dominant position.
But those ancient beings hidden deep in the mountains and forests were the most ancient masters of this land.
At that moment, the golden light in the Sky Screen had gathered to its peak.
It blazed like a scorching sun overhead, so dazzling that people could barely keep their eyes open.
At the heart of that blinding radiance, the outline of a colossal phantom was slowly taking shape.
A vast aura, accompanied by a low beastly roar, crossed millions of miles and resounded in the heart of every living creature.
The first spot on the Golden Ranking—the tenth place—was about to be revealed!
Gu Yuena tilted her slender neck back, her silver hair dancing wildly in the wind.
Di Tian and the other Ferocious Beasts held their breaths.
In Spirit City, Bibi Dong gripped her scepter tightly.
Everyone waited for that name to appear.
Meanwhile, in a corner of Heaven Dou City, Long Yun simply drank cup after cup, his gaze calm as he watched the golden light.
Tens of thousands of years flashed through his mind.
He wondered how many of those old friends he once knew would have their names on the ranking.
"What a rare bit of excitement."
He murmured softly, but his voice was soon drowned out by the even more frenzied cheers outside the tavern.
Qian Renxue couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but instinctively edged closer to him.
"Hey, you still haven't answered my earlier question."
The young woman was clearly still hung up on his age.
"How long have you been alive?"
Long Yun turned his head and looked into those clear, limpid eyes. A trace of world-weariness flickered through his gaze and vanished.
"A very, very long time. So long that I've nearly forgotten what I looked like at the beginning."
This time, Qian Renxue didn't argue or laugh.
For some reason, looking at the man's calm gaze gave her a strange feeling.
Maybe everything he'd said just now was true.
The two of them silently met each other's eyes until the phantom in the Sky Screen became solid.
The Sky Screen shifted, and winds rose as clouds churned.
Everyone stared into the sky, waiting to see the true appearance of the tenth-place Soul Beast.
Star Dou Great Forest.
Deep in the core region, in Xiong Jun's territory.
Ancient trees towered overhead, their dense boughs blocking out the sun. A Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear as huge as a mountain sat cross-legged atop a boulder.
He waved his terrifying claws, powerful enough to tear through the void, and bragged to the Soul Beasts below, spraying spittle everywhere.
"Back in the day, one swipe from me would've left even that old dragon Di Tian wounded!"
Xiong Jun bared his jaws, laughing wildly.
"If he hadn't run so fast, I'd have beaten him flat! The boss of the Star Dou Great Forest would've been someone else long ago!"
Hearing his bold claims, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears of lesser bloodlines and the other Soul Beasts below gazed at him with admiration.
They all lay prone on the ground, showering him with thunderous flattery.
"Lord Xiong Jun is invincible under heaven!"
"With the Sky Screen appearing this time, you're sure to claim first place among the Top Ten Soul Beasts!"
"Who else could deserve that top spot but you?"
Xiong Jun was basking in their praise, but the instant he heard the words "first place," panic flashed across his coarse, bear-like face.
He hurriedly reached out a massive paw and clamped it over the mouth of one of his underlings.
"Don't go blurting out the truth!"
He cautiously glanced toward the abyss beneath the Lake of Life and lowered his voice.
"The Sovereign is still awake. I wouldn't dare claim first place. But..."
Xiong Jun puffed out his chest and proudly thumped his sturdy pectorals, producing a dull boom.
"With the Sovereign and that old dragon around, I won't compete for the top two spots. But I've got the top five locked down!"
As soon as the words left his mouth,
the golden Sky Screen high above burst into dazzling light.
Vast heavenly might swept across the entire Star Dou Great Forest as golden characters slowly gathered among the clouds.
[10th Place on the Soul Beast Ranking: Xiong Jun]
The territory, which had been clamorous just a moment before, fell into deathly silence. Even the sound of drifting leaves was clearly audible.
The underlings looked at one another, their eyes wide.
Xiong Jun, who had just been boasting that he was guaranteed a top-five spot, felt the muscles in his face twitch.
He sprang to his feet and smashed the boulder beneath him with a single slap, sending stone chips flying.
"Unforgivable!"
Xiong Jun roared at the sky, his voice shattering several towering trees around him.
"How could I possibly be ranked only tenth!"
Meanwhile, in Spirit City.
Inside the Pope Palace, Bibi Dong stared intently at the Golden Ranking in the night sky.
A look of surprise appeared on her peerlessly beautiful face.
"Xiong Jun?"
She murmured softly, knitting her brows.
"What kind of Soul Beast is that? I've combed through every ancient text and record in Spirit Hall. How have I never heard of this name?"
As the person closest to the Divine Realm, Bibi Dong considered herself thoroughly familiar with the continent's high-ranked Soul Beasts.
Yet the first name revealed by the Sky Screen was utterly unfamiliar to her.
Heaven Dou City, Soul Fighting Tavern.
The tavern had already erupted in commotion. Everyone was passionately debating the caliber of the Top Ten Soul Beasts.
"If you ask me, those two overlords of the Star Dou Great Forest definitely have to be on the list!"
"Obviously! The Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python are both hundred-thousand-year beings with top-tier bloodlines!"
"Those two monsters should claim at least two of the top five spots!"
The tavern patrons argued until their faces were flushed, their words full of reverence for the two kings of the forest.
At a table in the corner, Long Yun lifted his cup and took a small sip. His eyes remained completely unruffled.
"Those two are nothing but gatekeepers. They don't stand a chance."
His voice wasn't loud, but it stood out amid the noisy tavern.
Across from him, Qian Renxue blinked, her long legs crossed elegantly.
The hem of her skirt lifted slightly, revealing a glimpse of a fair, slender calf that radiated captivating allure.
She rested her chin in both hands, her lively eyes fixed on Long Yun.
Together with the innate aura of the Holy Angel about her, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Then who do you think will rank higher?"
Qian Renxue was brimming with curiosity.
Before you continue