Holy Son's Coronation, Ten Thousand Submit

"Dong—dong—dong—"

At dawn, solemn bells echoed over Spirit City.

On the white jade plaza before the Pope Palace, banners blotted out the sky, and a murderous aura soared into the heavens.

Tens of thousands of elite Soul Masters stood in orderly ranks, their presence magnificent and imposing.

Upon the elevated platform, Pope Bibi Dong stood at the center with her scepter in hand, while Qian Daoliu, the Grand Worshipper, stood beside her in golden robes.

These two peerless powerhouses, who had always been at odds, now stood side by side for the first time in history.

This undoubtedly sent a signal to the entire continent: because of the Holy Son about to be crowned, the Pope Palace and Worship Hall had become one.

"Holy Son, enter—"

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan's resounding voice rang across the entire venue.

Qian Renyuan, clad in a luxurious dark-gold robe, slowly approached under the escort of a group of Cardinals.

There was not the slightest trace of stage fright on his youthful face, as one would expect from a six-year-old child.

Facing the gazes of tens of thousands of Soul Masters, his steps remained steady. Like a king born to rule, he walked step by step toward the platform of power.

Bibi Dong looked at Qian Renyuan before her, her eyes full of affection. She personally lifted a violet-gold crown and gently placed it upon his head.

Then, with a turn of her wrist, a token engraved with the symbols of six top-tier martial souls appeared in her palm. She solemnly handed it to Qian Renyuan.

"This is the Pope Token!"

Bibi Dong suddenly turned, her beautiful yet oppressive eyes sweeping over the entire crowd. Her cold, domineering voice spread throughout Spirit City under the surge of Soul Power:

"From this day forth, Qian Renyuan shall be the sole Holy Son of Spirit Hall. Holding this token is equivalent to my personal presence."

"All Spirit Branch Halls across the continent shall be subject to the Holy Son's unconditional command. He possesses the absolute authority to execute first and report afterward."

"Whoever dares defy him defies me. Even if they flee to the ends of the earth, Spirit Hall will surely execute them."

The entire venue was shaken by those words, and a wave of murmurs followed.

Execute first and report afterward. Command the Branch Halls at will.

What Holy Son was this? He was clearly a living King Yama holding the power of life and death.

Yet the matter was far from over.

Qian Daoliu stepped forward, his voice likewise spreading across the venue through Soul Power. "Seventh Worshipper of the Worship Hall, Jiangmo, where are you?!"

Boom!

The void shattered with a thunderous crash, and an old man with a Coiling Dragon Staff in hand and wild red hair stepped through the air.

The terrifying pressure of a level ninety-six Super Douluo flashed by, nearly suffocating the tens of thousands of Soul Masters below. Then he landed before Qian Daoliu.

"Your subordinate is here!"

Qian Daoliu pointed to Qian Renyuan beside him and declared, "From today onward, you will be the Holy Son's personal protector. If the Holy Son loses even a single hair, I will hold you accountable!"

Jiangmo Douluo lowered his head, a trace of astonishment and unwillingness flashing through his eyes. Yet before the Grand Worshipper's decree, he could only grit his teeth and accept. "...Understood!"

At those words, the tens of thousands of Soul Masters in the plaza below collectively sucked in a breath.

Jiangmo Douluo was a level ninety-six Super Douluo. No matter which empire he visited, even the imperial family would have to kneel and welcome him. Yet he had now been assigned as a bodyguard to a six-year-old child?

"Greetings, Your Highness the Holy Son!!"

No one knew who took the lead, but tens of thousands of Soul Masters throughout the plaza dropped to one knee in unison. Immediately afterward, the elders and bishops also bowed in salute.

The frenzied shouts, like a mountain roar and tsunami, nearly overturned the heavens.

Qian Renyuan stood atop the platform, idly turning the weighty Pope Token in his hand as he looked down at the dark mass of ten thousand people kneeling below.

The corner of his lips slowly curved into an almost imperceptible smile.

The taste of power was indeed addictive.

After the coronation ceremony, in the rear hall of the Pope Palace.

"Going to Notting City in Fasino Province for training?"

Bibi Dong had just dismissed everyone around her when she heard Qian Renyuan's request. Her exquisite face was filled with astonishment. "Yuan'er, you've only just awakened your martial soul. Mother has already prepared the highest-grade spirit-gathering array and training grounds for you. Why go to a remote, impoverished backwater like Notting City?"

Qian Renyuan did not act cute to seek Bibi Dong's approval. He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calm as he looked at her.

"Mother, flowers grown in a greenhouse cannot withstand wind and rain. Spirit City's resources may be the finest under heaven, but I cannot see the real Douluo Continent here."

Qian Renyuan's voice was childish, but his tone carried a maturity far beyond his age. "If I am to become Spirit Hall's future master, I cannot merely sit in the Pope Palace and listen to reports. Notting City lies on the border. There are the lowest-ranking Soul Masters and the truest world of the common people. If I do not understand what the bottom of this world looks like, how can I control such a vast force in the future?"

At that point, Qian Renyuan paused. A trace of dominance flashed through his dark eyes. "Besides, what I want is not merely to control Spirit Hall. In the future, I want the flags of Spirit Hall to be the only ones flying over the two great empires and even the entire continent!"

Bibi Dong's heart shook violently. Looking at Qian Renyuan's mind, so far beyond that of his peers, she felt countless reluctances in her heart. In the end, they could only turn into a helpless sigh, while her eyes brimmed with pride.

"Good! As expected of Bibi Dong's son! Since Yuan'er has such ambitions, Mother will not stop you."

Bibi Dong stroked his head, then her gaze turned cold. "I will immediately issue orders for every Spirit Branch Hall along the route to cooperate with you fully. Whoever dares neglect their duty will be severely punished!"

Half an hour later.

A luxurious carriage drawn by four scaled horses with dragon bloodlines rolled grandly out of Spirit City's gates under the escort of a group of elite knights.

The carriage interior was extravagantly furnished. Qian Renyuan reclined against a soft seat upholstered with soul beast fur, casually reading intelligence reports on Notting City with a calm expression.

Across from him sat Jiangmo Douluo, his arms folded and eyes closed.

A dignified level ninety-six Super Douluo could now only sit in the corner of the carriage like a guard.

He had been ordered by his elder brother, Qian Daoliu, to protect Qian Renyuan, so naturally he did not dare act recklessly. Still, being made to waste his time on a childish game in some remote little city left him with a pent-up frustration.

At last, Jiangmo Douluo, who had remained silent all this time, opened his eyes.

Looking at the six-year-old child before him, he ultimately could not hold back and spoke in a deep voice:

"Your Highness the Holy Son, this old man has been ordered by the Grand Worshipper to ensure your safety. But if you truly wish to train, you should go to the capitals of the two great empires or the outskirts of Star Dou Forest."

Jiangmo Douluo paused, his tone inevitably carrying a trace of a Super Douluo's pride. "Going to a country place like Notting City, where even a Soul Elder is rarely seen, seems like nothing more than playing in the mud. Wouldn't that be far too great a waste of your god-level talent?"

Qian Renyuan's fingers paused slightly as he flipped through the reports, and he slowly closed the dossier in his hand.

He raised his eyes and casually glanced at Jiangmo Douluo.

Though he was merely a six-year-old child, in that instant, Jiangmo Douluo felt as if an ancient ferocious beast had fixed its gaze upon him, and his heart inexplicably trembled.

"Elder Jiangmo." Qian Renyuan's voice was not loud, yet it carried an authority that could not be defied. "You are following me to be an obedient blade, not to tell me how to do things."