"These people were just weaklings. It looked like they weren't the real defensive force."
Phoenix King said this.
"This Soul Ancestor started out as an outer gate guard. He didn't look particularly strong, so there was probably no need to fear the strength of this assassin sect."
Soul Ancestor: Soul Power level 40–49, a mid-level Soul Master.
In many small cities and small clans, Soul Ancestors already counted as "experts," but within first-rate factions, they were merely ordinary fighting power.
For example, Shrek Academy's students in the later stages of the original story commonly graduated at the Soul Ancestor or Soul King level. But those were "students," not "gate guards."
What level were the gate guards of a first-rate faction?
Take the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Clear Sky Sect, and Spirit Hall—first-rate factions with Titled Douluo—as examples:
Their outer gate guards were usually at least Soul Kings, level 50 or above, and some even started at Soul Emperor level, 60 or above.
The reason was simple: gate guards did more than watch the entrance. They also had to keep watch, intercept assassins, and handle sudden conflicts. If they were too weak, they simply couldn't hold the fort.
Even the threshold for Tang Sect's outer disciples in the later period was high, let alone great sects guarded by Titled Douluo.
There was also the matter of numbers. Within a first-rate faction, Soul Ancestor cultivation might only amount to the level of an outer disciple, or even the best among the servants.
They needed deterrence. If someone in their forties stood guard at the main gate, outsiders would immediately know the faction was weak, damaging the sect's prestige.
There were also security concerns. The enemies of Titled Douluo were often powerful figures themselves, so