Testing the Worship Hall's Pressure: Three Breaths Without Kneeling! The Demon Emperor Forces Back the Golden Lion King!

The next day.

The atmosphere outside the Pope Palace was even colder than the day before.

Early in the morning, Spirit Hall experts had already filled both sides of the hall.

The Pope Palace's people stood on the left.

The Elder Palace's people stood on the right.

The Worship Hall's people had yet to arrive, but an invisible pressure had already settled over everyone's hearts.

Di Yao stood in the center of the hall, his expression calm.

He had not slept long the previous night.

Most of his time had been spent recalling the pressure brought by the Death Spider Emperor.

The pressure of a Title Douluo was truly terrifying.

With his current body, it was simply impossible for him to confront it head-on.

But he had also confirmed something.

The status of Demon Emperor Di Jun truly could affect high-level Beast Spirits.

It was not complete suppression.

It was instinctive hesitation.

Even an instant was enough.

In future battles, an instant could often decide life and death.

Bibi Dong sat in the seat of honor, her expression indifferent.

She did not speak to Di Yao.

Di Yao did not take the initiative to speak either.

Both of them knew that today's event was no ordinary test.

This was the Worship Hall testing his limits.

It was also Spirit Hall's first internal struggle centered around Di Yao.

If Di Yao appeared weak.

Then he would be divided up, investigated, and controlled.

If Di Yao held firm.

Then from today onward, he would have the right to make Spirit Hall truly invest in him.

Heavy footsteps sounded outside the hall doors.

One step after another.

Like a massive beast trampling across stone slabs.

Soon, a burly middle-aged man entered the hall.

He wore a white robe embroidered with platinum patterns from the Worship Hall. His shoulders were broad, and his gaze was domineering.

The moment he entered, a powerful aura of a beast king surged forward.

Di Yao's eyes shifted slightly.

A Beast Spirit.

And a very powerful one.

The middle-aged man gave Bibi Dong a slight bow, though there was little respect in it.

"Greetings, Your Holiness the Pope."

Bibi Dong said calmly, "The Worship Hall sent you?"

The middle-aged man replied in a deep voice, "Jin Lie, Spirit Douluo under the third seat of the Worship Hall."

"My Spirit is the Golden Lion King."

Quite a few people in the hall changed expressions slightly.

The Golden Lion King Spirit was one of the top Beast Spirits.

A Power Attack System Spirit.

Its presence was fierce and tyrannical.

It was especially skilled at using the pressure of a beast king to intimidate its opponents.

Sending someone like this to test Di Yao made the intent clear enough.

The Worship Hall did not merely want to see Di Yao's endurance.

They also wanted to prove that this so-called Demon Emperor suppression could not surpass a truly high-level beast king.

Jin Lie looked at Di Yao.

There was none of the gentleness one would show a child in his eyes.

Only scrutiny and pressure.

"So it's you?"

Di Yao raised his head.

"It is."

Jin Lie said coldly, "I heard that once your Spirit appears, Spirit Masters with Beast Spirits all have to kneel?"

"The weak ones will kneel," Di Yao said.

Jin Lie's gaze darkened.

"Then do you think I'm weak?"

Di Yao looked at him.

"That depends on whether you kneel."

The hall instantly fell silent.

Yue Guan nearly laughed out loud, but forcibly held it back.

A flicker of surprise also passed through Gui Mei's eyes.

This kid truly was not afraid of death.

Jin Lie's expression turned cold.

"What a sharp tongue."

"I hope your bones are as hard as your mouth."

He turned to Bibi Dong.

"Your Holiness the Pope, the Worship Hall's intentions are simple."

"A god-level Spirit this dangerous must be confirmed as controllable."

"If he cannot even withstand basic pressure, then no matter how great his talent is, he is merely a hidden danger that could backfire on Spirit Hall."

Bibi Dong did not stop him immediately.

She merely looked at Di Yao.

"You decide."

The moment those words fell, Di Yao understood.

Bibi Dong would not shield him.

At least, not from the very beginning.

She wanted to see whether he could cross this threshold himself.

Di Yao felt no resentment.

Instead, he became even calmer.

Resources gained through another person's protection could not be held securely.

Only value earned through his own strength would make others afraid to take it away lightly.

He stepped forward.

"How will we test it?"

A trace of surprise flashed through Jin Lie's eyes.

"Very simple."

"Three breaths."

"I will release the pressure of the Golden Lion King."

"If you kneel, it will prove that your Spirit still requires joint supervision from the Worship Hall."

"If you endure it, the Worship Hall will not interfere with your cultivation for now."

Di Yao asked, "Only for now?"

Jin Lie sneered. "Kid, what else do you want?"

Di Yao said evenly, "If I endure it, the Worship Hall gives me information on a beast king-type soul beast."

"It must be at least a thousand years old."

"And its bloodline must be no lower than the standard of a top Beast Spirit."

Jin Lie froze.

Quite a few people in the hall froze as well.

At a time like this, he still dared to demand something?

Jin Lie laughed in fury.

"What gives you the right?"

Di Yao said, "The fact that you want me to kneel."

"If you want to watch a show, buy a ticket."

Yue Guan finally could not hold back a quiet laugh.

The corner of Bibi Dong's lips also moved almost imperceptibly.

Jin Lie's face turned Tie Qing.

"Fine!"

"As long as you can endure three breaths, the Worship Hall will give you the information."

"But what if you kneel?"

Di Yao's gaze remained calm.

"Then it proves that I'm not strong enough yet."

"But it does not prove that you can control me."

Jin Lie roared, "Arrogant!"

As his voice fell.

Golden light surged behind him.

An incomparably massive phantom of the Golden Lion King crashed into existence within the Pope Palace.

Its mane was like fire.

Its pupils were like gold.

With a low roar, fine cracks actually spread across the hall floor.

The pressure of a Spirit Douluo instantly bore down on Di Yao.

Boom!

Di Yao's body jolted violently.

His bones let out faint creaks under the unbearable weight.

The stone slabs beneath his feet cracked.

A metallic sweetness surged into his throat.

He forcibly swallowed it back down.

The first breath!

The Golden Lion King's pressure was incomparably tyrannical.

It was not mere Soul Power pressure.

It carried the crushing dominance of a beast king over the weak.

Di Yao felt as though a mountain were pressing down on him.

His knees began to grow heavy.

His shoulders sank slightly.

But he did not kneel.

Dark gold light shone behind him.

The Dharma Image of Demon Emperor Di Jun slowly emerged.

Jin Lie's gaze sharpened.

"You still dare resist?"

The pressure increased by another thirty percent.

The second breath!

Di Yao's knees bent.

Several people from the Worship Hall revealed cold smiles at the sight.

But in the next instant, Dark Gold Flame ignited beneath Di Yao's feet.

His bent knees slowly forced themselves back up.

He did not rise easily.

He raised himself inch by inch while forcibly resisting the pressure of a Spirit Douluo.

His bones creaked.

His flesh trembled.

A streak of blood finally spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Yet his eyes only grew brighter.

The Demon Emperor Manifestation opened its golden eyes.

It looked down from on high at the Golden Lion King.

In that instant, the Golden Lion King phantom actually let out a low growl.

It was not a roar of rage.

It sounded more like irritation.

And instinctive resistance.

Jin Lie's expression changed.

He felt it most clearly.

His Golden Lion King martial soul was actually resisting the continued suppression of Di Yao.

It was not because his Soul Power was insufficient.

It was because his martial soul's instincts were hesitating.

Why?

On what grounds?

He was a Spirit Douluo!

And Di Yao was merely a child without a spirit ring!

The third breath!

Anger surged within Jin Lie as he forcibly pushed his pressure to its utmost limit.

The Golden Lion King opened its mouth and roared.

The terrifying shockwave sent Di Yao's robes fluttering wildly.

The Great Sun Golden Wheel behind Di Yao shook violently, and a fine crack actually appeared along its edge.

Crack!

Dark gold fragments of light scattered through the air.

Di Yao's body swayed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Yet he still did not kneel.

Not only did he not kneel.

He even raised his head and smiled at the Golden Lion King Manifestation.

That smile was cold.

And arrogant.

"Beast King?"

"Before the Demon Emperor, are you worthy of calling yourself a king?"

Boom!

Behind the Demon Emperor Manifestation, the phantom of the Three-Legged Golden Crow suddenly spread its wings.

Dark gold flames swept through the great hall.

The Golden Lion King martial soul phantom instinctively retreated half a step.

Half a step!

It was not much.

But it was enough for everyone to see clearly.

On the Worship Hall's side, several experts' expressions instantly darkened.

A sharp gleam flared in Yue Guan's eyes.

Gui Mei said softly, "It's done."

The three breaths had passed.

Di Yao stood where he was, blood at the corner of his lips and his face pale.

But his back remained straight.

Jin Lie's expression had turned incomparably ugly.

He withdrew his martial soul and glared fiercely at Di Yao.

"You..."

Di Yao raised a hand and wiped away the blood from his mouth.

"The information."

Veins bulged on Jin Lie's forehead.

Di Yao continued, "The Worship Hall's people won't go back on their word, will they?"

The great hall was terrifyingly silent.

This was not merely enduring the pressure.

This was slapping the Worship Hall across the face in front of everyone.

A Golden Lion King at the Spirit Douluo level had failed to make ringless Di Yao kneel.

Even more humiliatingly, the Golden Lion King martial soul had retreated half a step.

Bibi Dong finally spoke.

Her voice was not loud, yet it was so cold that it sent chills through everyone's hearts.

"The test is over."

"From this day onward, Di Yao will be trained under the Pope Palace."

"No one is permitted to interfere."

Jin Lie's face turned ashen.

"Your Holiness, the Worship Hall still needs to discuss this matter..."

Bibi Dong's gaze turned cold.

"Chrysanthemum Douluo."

Yue Guan stepped forward with a smile.

"Here."

"Ghost Douluo."

Gui Mei's figure emerged from the shadows.

"Here."

Bibi Dong said blandly, "See them out."

Yue Guan's smile brightened.

"Lord Jin Lie, this way, please."

Gui Mei did not smile.

Yet the shadows beneath his feet had already coiled around the ground before Jin Lie.

Jin Lie looked at Bibi Dong, then at Di Yao.

There was anger in his eyes, but also wariness.

In the end, he gave a cold snort.

"The information will be delivered later."

"I hope you truly live long enough to use it."

Di Yao replied calmly, "That need not concern you."

Jin Lie flicked his sleeve and departed.

The people from the Worship Hall withdrew as well.

The oppressive atmosphere in the hall finally eased somewhat.

Di Yao's body swayed slightly.

Yue Guan instinctively wanted to reach out, but Di Yao avoided him.

He steadied himself.

Bibi Dong looked at him.

"Does it hurt?"

Di Yao said, "Yes."

"Do you regret it?"

"No."

A trace of satisfaction flashed through Bibi Dong's eyes.

"Why?"

Di Yao raised his head.

"If I kneel today, everyone will make me kneel in the future."

"If I stand firm today, then before they try to suppress me in the future, they'll have to consider the price first."

Looking at him, Bibi Dong suddenly felt that this child was not like fire.

He was more like a blade freshly drawn from the sun.

Scalding.

Dangerous.

Yet so sharp that one could not bear to discard him.

She slowly spoke.

"From today onward, you are granted the highest level of training authorization in the Pope Palace."

"The Library Pavilion will be partially opened to you."

"I will personally approve the Over-Limit Spirit Ring Protocol."

"Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo will protect you during your first spirit hunt."

Yue Guan smiled. "Rest assured, Your Holiness."

Gui Mei said quietly, "Nothing will go wrong."

Yet Di Yao did not look wildly overjoyed.

He merely asked one question.

"When will I obtain my First Soul Ring?"

The people in the great hall were stunned again.

He had just been pressured by a Spirit Douluo until he vomited blood.

He did not ask about his injuries.

He did not ask to rest.

The first thing he asked about was a spirit ring.

Bibi Dong stared at him, and the amusement in her eyes finally became more apparent.

"You won't recuperate?"

Di Yao said, "The injury will heal."

"Time will not wait."

Bibi Dong rose to her feet.

The Pope Scepter lightly tapped the floor.

"Good."

"Pass down the order."

"Prepare for the spirit hunt."

"Di Yao's First Soul Ring will be carried out according to the Millennium Limit Plan."

Yue Guan's eyes lit up.

Gui Mei raised his head as well.

Dark gold flames slowly ignited in Di Yao's eyes.

The millennium limit.

The First Soul Ring.

The first true step of Demon Emperor Di Jun's path as a soul master had finally arrived.

Outside the Pope Palace.

A young girl stood beneath the shadow of a corridor pillar, watching from afar the boy in the center of the hall who remained standing straight despite the blood at his lips.

She had golden hair and lively eyes, while a faint demonic fox aura stirred behind her.

Hu Liena frowned slightly.

"So this is the little monster Teacher has newly taken in?"

She had originally been unconvinced.

But the sight of him refusing to kneel through those three breaths had pierced her heart like a thorn.

As if sensing something, Di Yao raised his eyes toward the outside of the hall.

Their gazes collided across the distance.

Hu Liena instinctively lifted her chin, revealing a hint of pride.

Di Yao only glanced at her before withdrawing his gaze.

As though he had no interest.

Hu Liena's expression stiffened.

This guy!

He actually ignored her?

But Di Yao had already turned toward Bibi Dong.

"I want a Soul Beast Catalog in the hunting party."

"The more detailed, the better."

Bibi Dong said flatly, "Granted."

Di Yao nodded.

Dark Gold Firelight flickered in his eyes.

First Soul Ring.

He did not want an ordinary hundred-year one.

If he was going to get one, it had to be the ultimate soul ring most suited to Demon Emperor Di Jun.

From this day onward, every step he took would push forward at the limit.

Whoever blocked his path—

Would be burned to ashes.