Ten dazzling streaks of light descended from the heavens, carrying the supreme majesty and will of the Divine Realm as they crashed down upon Douluo Continent.
The Divine Realm had made its move.
The ten God Officials split into three groups and streaked across the sky like meteors, rushing toward Sea God Island, Spirit Hall's Worship Hall, and Slaughter City.
Sea God Island, Sea God Hall.
Bo Saixi stood before the Sea God Statue, holding the Golden Scepter. Her sea-blue hair fluttered gently in the ocean breeze.
Her expression was as calm as still water, but deep in her eyes lurked a trace of panic.
She had sensed the commotion caused by the ten God Officials' arrival long ago.
What was bound to come had finally arrived.
"Bo Saixi, High Priestess of Sea God Island, welcomes the divine envoys." She bowed slightly.
The God Official at the head wore silver divine armor. His face was stern, his gaze sharp as lightning. "Bo Saixi, the Divine Realm has issued an order. You are to report everything you know about the Sky Screen truthfully. In particular, the identity and origins of that 'Brother Cao,' as well as the details of everyone who appeared on the rankings."
Bo Saixi lowered her eyes, her thoughts racing.
Brother Cao...
The man she had spoken with countless times in the Dream Space, the mysterious presence who had let her learn of her future fate.
But she couldn't tell them!
"Honored divine envoy," Bo Saixi said, raising her head, her voice calm, "after the Sky Screen appeared, communication between Sea God Island and the Divine Realm was cut off. My knowledge is limited. Those who appeared on the rankings are all exceptionally talented young people. As for that 'Brother Cao'... I've never met him, and I don't know his true identity."
The God Official stared at her for a long while, as if judging whether her words were true.
Bo Saixi's expression didn't change. She met his scrutinizing gaze without flinching.
"Very well," the God Official said, withdrawing his gaze. "In that case, lead us to Ye Family Fortress. The top-ranked person came from there. We may find some clues."
Bo Saixi bowed slightly. "As you command."
Ye Lingling... the top-ranked person...
That girl was probably in for a great deal of trouble.
Spirit Hall, Worship Hall.
Qian Daoliu stood before the Angel God Statue, watching the three streaks of light descend from the sky. He sighed inwardly.
"Qian Daoliu, Great Enshrined of the Angel God, welcomes the divine envoys." He bowed slightly.
The leading God Official wore golden divine armor, and the faint silhouette of six wings appeared behind him. He was a God Official of the Angel God's line. "Qian Daoliu, the Divine Realm has issued an order. You are to report everything you know about the Sky Screen truthfully. In particular, everything about that Brother Cao and your granddaughter, Qian Renxue."
Qian Daoliu's heart tightened.
Xue'er... His granddaughter knew that Brother Cao. If the Divine Realm learned the truth...
"Honored divine envoy," Qian Daoliu said, raising his head, his expression unchanged, "after the Sky Screen appeared, communication between Spirit Hall and the Divine Realm was cut off. My knowledge is limited. As for Xue'er... she said she had cultivated the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique in her dreams, but she doesn't know any specific information about Brother Cao."
The God Official frowned slightly. "You're saying you don't know that Brother Cao's identity?"
Qian Daoliu shook his head. "I don't."
The God Official stared at him for a long while, but in the end, he didn't press further. "Very well. Lead us to Ye Family Fortress."
"As you command."
Slaughter City.
This sinful city, shrouded in blood and slaughter, welcomed four uninvited guests that day.
Four dazzling streaks of light descended from the heavens, carrying the supreme majesty of the Divine Realm. In an instant, they dispersed the blood mist that had shrouded the place for over a thousand years.
Countless fallen ones trembled beneath the divine light, kneeling on the ground and daring not to raise their heads.
But the God Officials were focused only on the figure deep within Slaughter City: Tang Chen.
The former master of the Clear Sky Sect, a Level 99 Limit Douluo, and an unparalleled expert as renowned as Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi.
Now, however, the Nine-Headed Bat King had possessed him, reducing him to a walking corpse.
The leading God Official wore dark-red divine armor, his gaze as bright as a torch. "Nine-Headed Bat, you've got some nerve, possessing someone undergoing a God Trial!"
He struck out with one palm. A streak of blood-red divine light shot into Tang Chen's body!
"Gah!!!"
A shrill howl rang out from within Tang Chen!
A black phantom with nine heads was forcibly torn from Tang Chen's body by the divine light. It struggled and wailed wildly within the light, then finally turned into a wisp of black smoke and vanished without a trace.
Tang Chen's eyes, cloudy for countless years, suddenly cleared.
He looked down at his hands, feeling the mighty Soul Power he hadn't sensed in so long, and tears streamed down his face.
"I... I'm back..."
The God Official said indifferently, "Tang Chen, the Nine-Headed Bat possessed you for many years. We saved you. Now, we need you to do something."
Tang Chen looked up, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Please give the order, honored divine envoy. I would gladly die to carry it out!"
"Take us to Ye Family Fortress. The top-ranked person came from there. We need to find clues about that 'Brother Cao.'"
Tang Chen nodded without hesitation. "As you command!"
Five figures rose into the air and sped toward Ye Family Fortress.
Ye Family Fortress.
When the three groups gathered outside the fortress, they saw an ancient castle shrouded in a golden barrier.
The barrier wasn't an ordinary defensive formation. Countless fine golden patterns wove together to form it, like an inverted golden bowl protecting the entire Ye Family Fortress.
It was the Kun-Kun Defensive Array, the reward Ye Lingling had received from the Sky Screen.
The ten God Officials stood before the formation, with Qian Daoliu, Bo Saixi, and Tang Chen—the three Limit Douluo—behind them. Their dozen or so powerful auras gathered together, enough to make any faction tremble.
The leading God Official frowned and looked at Qian Daoliu and the other two. "This formation is extraordinary. You three, test it first."
Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi exchanged a glance. They both saw a trace of helpless reluctance in each other's eyes.
They didn't want to come, much less make a move, but with the God Officials before them, they had no choice.
Tang Chen, however, volunteered, stepping forward with a bold stride. "I'll test the strength of this formation first!"
Qian Daoliu waved a hand and stepped forward before him. "I'll go first."
He took a deep breath and struck out with one palm!
A golden Angel Holy Light, carrying vast Soul Power, slammed into the golden barrier!
"Vooom!!!"
The barrier shuddered slightly, ripples spreading across it.
But what left everyone utterly dumbfounded was that the ripples spread out, forming the huge, lifelike phantom of... a chicken on the surface of the barrier!
The chicken phantom held its head high and spread its wings, dancing gracefully across the barrier with a pose so elegant it was downright outrageous!
Even more absurdly, a loud crowing rang out from within the barrier. "Cock-a-doodle-doo...!!!"
The entire scene fell silent.
What kind of defensive formation was this?
Hit it, and a chicken popped out to dance?
And it even crowed?
Qian Daoliu's face darkened.
Seeing this, Tang Chen burst into laughter. "Qian Daoliu, Qian Daoliu! After all these years, you haven't improved one bit! You can't even break a chicken formation! Watch me!"
He strode forward, and the Clear Sky Hammer rapidly grew enormous! All nine Soul Rings lit up as he unleashed his full strength!
"Boom!!!"
An attack several times stronger than Qian Daoliu's crashed into the barrier!
The barrier shook violently, its ripples surging more fiercely!
Then, an even bigger, fatter, more vigorous chicken phantom danced across the barrier!
"Cock-a-doodle-doo...!!!"
The crowing was even louder than before!
Tang Chen's face instantly turned the color of pig liver.
"What... what kind of lousy formation is this!" he roared.