Reactions from All Sides

What happened at the Spirit Pagoda's core high-level meeting was not made public.

After all, the Qiangu Family was one of the Spirit Pagoda's core families.

Family scandals were not to be aired in public. However fiercely the Spirit Pagoda fought internally was their own business, but they still had to show consideration for one another before outsiders.

If word spread that the Spirit Pagoda was internally divided, it would affect the entire Spirit Pagoda.

These Spirit Pagoda families would naturally be affected to some extent as well.

Qiangu Dieting was an old fellow too.

As a quasi-god-level powerhouse, even after using Four-Word Battle Armor, he had failed to suppress another quasi-god who had not used Four-Word Battle Armor.

If this news truly spread across the continent and became post-meal gossip among countless soul masters, he would lose all face.

Leng Hanyuan had merely used the Qiangu Family as a tool to establish the Phoenix Family's authority and rise to prominence. He had no intention of completely falling out with them.

Thus, he tacitly allowed the Qiangu Family to suppress the news.

But there were no secrets in this world.

This was especially true among the major top-tier powers.

As the force that controlled soul spirits, the most important resource in a world where Soul Beasts were becoming increasingly scarce, the Spirit Pagoda had always drawn considerable attention.

Countless eyes from the various major powers were fixed on the Spirit Pagoda.

Naturally, the enormous changes among the Spirit Pagoda's upper ranks caught the attention of the leaders of every major power.

Shrek Academy, Sea God Pavilion.

The handsome young man in black robes looked at the Communication Soul Device in his hand.

His body stood as straight as a pine, his aura restrained, like a sharp spear.

The information transmitted through the Communication Soul Device was precisely about Leng Hanyuan's performance at the Spirit Pagoda's high-level meeting.

Yun Ming, the Sky-Propping Douluo known as the continent's strongest man, frowned with a headache.

"Ming, what's wrong?"

A voice as gentle as water rang out.

Slender, fair fingers rested upon Yun Ming's forehead, gently massaging the space between his brows.

The woman wore a long white dress that perfectly accentuated her curvaceous figure.

Her temperament was holy and refreshing, carrying an indescribable sense of affinity.

She was none other than the continent's number one healing-type soul master.

The owner of the Prayer Angel martial soul, Holy Spirit Douluo Ya Li.

"Did something happen at the Spirit Pagoda?"

Ya Li could only think of the Spirit Pagoda as something that could make Yun Ming react like this.

"Mm."

Yun Ming had no intention of hiding anything from Ya Li. He nodded and answered softly.

He handed over the Communication Soul Device in his hand.

"A mysterious quasi-god appeared in the Spirit Pagoda's Phoenix Family."

"They say he is their family's ancestor, who has awakened for some unknown reason."

"He even fought that old fellow Qiangu Dieting at the Spirit Pagoda's high-level meeting and suppressed Qiangu Dieting, who was empowered by Four-Word Battle Armor, without using Four-Word Battle Armor himself."

Yun Ming did not truly regard Qiangu Dieting as a threat.

They were both quasi-gods, but the gap between Qiangu Dieting and him was still considerable.

However, if he had to face Qiangu Dieting empowered by Four-Word Battle Armor without using Four-Word Battle Armor himself, Yun Ming truly did not have much confidence.

After all, the amplification Four-Word Battle Armor could bring a soul master was simply too enormous.

Calling it earth-shattering would not be an exaggeration.

In other words, that mysterious ancestor of the Phoenix Family might not be weaker than him.

The more Yun Ming thought about it, the more his head hurt.

Over the years, the Spirit Pagoda had controlled the crucial technology of soul spirits amid the broader reality of gradually dwindling Soul Beasts.

Its development speed had already been terrifying.

It had become one of the Federation's behemoth powers.

And now, it had gained another quasi-god among its high-level combat forces, one who was likely no weaker than Yun Ming himself.

Although the Spirit Pagoda had been founded by Spirit Ice Douluo, a graduate of Shrek Academy,

Shrek Academy and the Spirit Pagoda did not get along.

The Spirit Pagoda even regarded Shrek Academy as an obstacle in its path of development.

Therefore, the emergence of another quasi-god who was likely no weaker than him was by no means good news for Shrek Academy as a whole.

As the master of Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion, how could Yun Ming not be worried?

Seeing Yun Ming's reaction, Ya Li instinctively comforted him.

"Perhaps it is not entirely bad news."

"After all, judging from the intelligence, that mysterious quasi-god and the Qiangu Family do not seem to get along."

"Perhaps the Phoenix Family clashing with the Qiangu Family could benefit us."

"It is not that simple." Yun Ming sighed softly.

If only that were true.

"Although the Qiangu Family and the Phoenix Family are competitors, they both understand the situation."

"The competition is an internal matter, but it cannot affect the Spirit Pagoda's overall development."

"Only by making the cake bigger can both families obtain greater benefits."

"Thus, there may be small conflicts, but it is almost impossible to expect a major clash between them."

"The fact that what happened at the Spirit Pagoda's high-level meeting has not spread outside is enough to prove this."

"That mysterious quasi-god of the Phoenix Family merely saw the Qiangu Family as a tool to establish his authority. He has no intention of completely breaking with them."

Yun Ming saw the situation clearly and analyzed the exact relationship between the Phoenix Family and the Qiangu Family with sound reasoning.

After reading the intelligence in her hands, the exceptionally clever Holy Spirit Douluo naturally understood this as well.

She stopped trying to comfort him, silently lowered her head, and sighed softly.

"Have someone investigate that mysterious quasi-god further..."

"Mm."

Yun Ming had no clue about Leng Hanyuan's appearance. He could only gather as much information about Leng Hanyuan as possible and make preparations.

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

Shrek Academy was not the only one to react this way.

After learning of Leng Hanyuan, the Tang Sect, which likewise did not have a good relationship with the Spirit Pagoda, also felt a shadow fall over its heart.

Amorous Douluo Zang Xin lay in a chair, gazing at the sky as he let out a somewhat exaggerated wail.

"Ah, where did the Spirit Pagoda dig up another mysterious quasi-god?!"

"Are they going to leave anyone else alive?"

"Cao Dezhi, I miss you so much!"

The Federation.

The Federation Chairman looked at the intelligence in his hand, his gaze deep and distant.

After a long silence, he picked up a desk phone and made a call.

"Make arrangements for a visit to the Phoenix Family."

Different reactions caused by Leng Hanyuan also appeared within the War God Temple and the major military forces.

There was wariness, there was astonishment...

But without question, this suddenly appearing quasi-god ancestor had completely overturned the continent's existing balance of power.

Everyone had no choice but to alter their attitude toward the Spirit Pagoda and the Phoenix Family to some degree.

Openly or secretly, they all began taking various measures directed at Leng Hanyuan.

Some sought to win him over, while others tested him...

For a time, the Phoenix Family became the focus of attention for the continent's upper-echelon powers.