Three days later.
Spirit City, one of the most prosperous and imposing cities on the Douluo Continent. As the headquarters of Spirit Hall, every inch of this city was steeped in an air of power and strength. Its towering walls were built entirely from white megaliths, carved with all kinds of Martial Soul designs that symbolized Spirit Hall's dominion over Spirit Masters across the land.
At the city gates, two squads of Spirit Masters in gleaming silver armor stood ramrod straight. Each radiated a formidable pulse of Soul Power, and even the weakest among them was a Soul Ancestor. Passersby and merchants lowered their voices and quickened their steps as they passed through the gates, afraid of attracting the guards' attention.
At that moment, a slender figure dressed in white was strolling toward the gates.
It was Yi Chen.
He had changed into a clean white robe, with a silver belt around his waist. His long, raven-black hair was casually tied behind his head, and a few loose strands hung over his forehead, making his already strikingly handsome face seem even more otherworldly. He walked with unhurried ease, his expression calm, as though he were merely a tourist here to sightsee rather than a madman come to challenge the most powerful force on the continent.
"Stop!"
A guard captain blocked his way, sized him up, and said sternly, "To enter the city, you must show identification or state your business."
Yi Chen stopped and gave him a casual glance.
Just one glance.
The guard captain suddenly felt as though an ancient Ferocious Beast had fixed its gaze on him. Cold sweat drenched his back, and his legs began to tremble uncontrollably. He opened his mouth to speak, only to find his throat clamped shut by an invisible hand. He couldn't utter a single word.
"I'm here to see someone." Yi Chen withdrew his gaze, his tone calm. "Your Spirit Hall's Pope, Bibi Dong."
At those words, every guard present froze.
Here to see His Holiness the Pope?
And he'd called her by name?
Did this kid have a death wish?!
"How dare you!" another guard barked. "You think you can address His Holiness the Pope by name? Men, seize him—"
Before he could finish, a terrifying pressure descended!
BOOM—!!!
At that instant, all of Spirit City shook violently!
The guards at the city gates felt as if a mountain had dropped from the sky and crushed down on their shoulders. Their knees buckled, and they all dropped to the ground in unison, unable even to lift their heads. The people in the streets staggered and fell, staring in terror toward the source of the pressure.
It was a shudder from the depths of their souls!
It was a crushing of one life level by another!
Before this pressure, Soul Kings, Soul Emperors, Soul Saints... all of them were as insignificant as ants!
Within Spirit City, in a magnificent palace.
Bibi Dong was seated on the Papal Throne, leafing through a file. She wore an opulent black robe and a purple-gold crown. Her dignified, imposing features and the powerful aura of a ruler filled the room.
Suddenly, she lifted her head, her pupils contracting!
"What is this..."
She felt that pressure!
It was so powerful that even she, a level-97 Super Douluo, felt her heart seize!
"Who is it?!" Bibi Dong shot to her feet and flashed outside the palace, appearing in the plaza.
At the same time, several powerful auras erupted throughout Spirit Hall. Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, Demon Bear Douluo... one Titled Douluo after another flew in from all directions, gathering in the plaza. Every face was etched with shock and unease.
"Your Holiness!" Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan hurried to Bibi Dong's side, looking tense. "This pressure... is at least level 98! No, it might even be... level 99!"
"A level-99 Limit Douluo?!" Ghost Douluo Gui Mei exclaimed in disbelief. "Since when has such a person appeared on the continent?"
Bibi Dong didn't answer. Her gaze was locked on the city gates.
A figure in white was strolling toward them.
He wasn't walking quickly, but each step seemed to land on the pulse of heaven and earth. The air around him rippled with his stride, and even the light began to warp.
The moment he entered Spirit City, the entire city seemed to fall silent.
Everyone's gaze was drawn to him as if he were the center of the world.
Yi Chen stopped in the middle of the plaza. His calm gaze swept over the Titled Douluo before him, then came to rest on Bibi Dong.
"Pleased to meet you, Your Holiness." He inclined his head slightly, his tone neither servile nor arrogant. "I'm Yi Chen. I apologize for the unannounced visit; I hope you'll excuse me."
Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes, studying the young man before her.
He was far too young.
He looked no older than eighteen or nineteen, yet the unfathomable cultivation he possessed sent a chill through even her, a Super Douluo who had cultivated for decades. What's more, she could sense that he hadn't yet used his full strength. That pressure just now had been nothing more than a casual display.
"Who are you, and what business do you have with Spirit Hall?" Bibi Dong suppressed her shock and asked in a stern voice.
Yi Chen smiled faintly and got straight to the point. "I want to cooperate with Spirit Hall."
"Cooperate?" Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow. "On what?"
"Promoting a game." As he spoke, Yi Chen turned his palm over. A card shimmering with golden light appeared in his hand. "It's called... Teamfight Tactics."
The plaza fell silent.
The Titled Douluo exchanged glances, their expressions turning peculiar.
A game?
A level-99 Limit Douluo had come to Spirit Hall to propose a partnership to promote a game?
It sounded utterly ridiculous!
"Are you messing with us?" Demon Bear Douluo had a short temper and was the first to speak up. "A game? You think that's worth Spirit Hall getting involved?"
Yi Chen glanced at him but said nothing.
He simply raised a hand.
BZZT—
An invisible force instantly bound Demon Bear Douluo in place! The level-92 Titled Douluo stared in terror as he realized he couldn't even move a finger! The Soul Power in his body seemed frozen, refusing to obey him at all!
"H-How is this possible?!" Demon Bear Douluo's face went deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down his cheeks.
The other Titled Douluo saw what had happened and paled, instinctively taking a step back.
One move!
Just one move!
And he had subdued a Titled Douluo!
They hadn't even seen how he'd done it!
"Can we have a proper discussion now?" Yi Chen lowered his hand, his tone still calm, as though he'd just done something utterly insignificant.
Bibi Dong fell silent.
She studied Yi Chen intently for a long moment, then finally spoke. "What do you want?"
"It's simple." Yi Chen raised one finger. "I'll join Spirit Hall as an honorary elder. Spirit Hall will use its resources and channels to help me promote Teamfight Tactics. In return, I can offer Spirit Hall some... minor technical support."
"An honorary elder?" Bibi Dong's eyes flickered.
It wasn't an especially high-ranking position, but it wasn't low, either. An honorary elder held no real authority and took no part in Spirit Hall's day-to-day affairs, but enjoyed the same treatment and status as any other elder. For a powerhouse like Yi Chen, the title seemed more like a symbolic mark of cooperation.
"Are you sure?" Bibi Dong stared at him. "With your strength, you could easily do this on your own. Why come to Spirit Hall?"
Yi Chen smiled.
"Because I'm lazy."
"...What?"
"Because I'm lazy," Yi Chen repeated, spreading his hands. "Promoting it by myself would be too much trouble. I'd have to find people, advertise, organize tournaments... Just thinking about it gives me a headache. Spirit Hall already has the channels and connections. Why shouldn't I make use of them?"
That reason...
For a moment, Bibi Dong had no words.
A level-99 Limit Douluo had come to cooperate with Spirit Hall because he couldn't be bothered?
Who would believe that if they heard it?
And yet the man before her had said it with such conviction, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Besides," Yi Chen added, the corner of his mouth curling into a meaningful smile, "I believe Your Holiness is a clever woman. You should be able to tell that this game is worth far more than just being a 'game.'"
Bibi Dong was silent for a long while before finally speaking.
"Fine. I accept."
"Your Holiness?!" Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo cried out together, wanting to dissuade her.
Bibi Dong raised a hand to stop them, then met Yi Chen's gaze. "I'll give you the position of honorary elder. You may also call upon Spirit Hall's resources. But I have one condition."
"Go ahead."
"I want to see for myself what makes this 'Teamfight Tactics' of yours so special."
Yi Chen's smile deepened.
"No problem."
He held out his hand. A golden card appeared out of thin air between his fingertips, and he offered it to Bibi Dong.
"Your Holiness, please."