It Seems You Recognize This Seat

Spirit Hall Plaza.

"BOOM—!!"

A series of heavy impacts suddenly rang out, startling every Spirit Hall disciple in the plaza into turning their heads.

When they saw the several figures flying out, everyone froze.

Several figures had crashed miserably onto the bluestone pavement in the center of the plaza.

Six of them had tattered clothes, weak auras, and blood at the corners of their mouths.

In front of them, Bibi Dong's papal robes were covered in dust, her hair disheveled. Her stunning face was terrifyingly cold as she slowly rose from the ground.

"Gasp! Wh-what is going on?"

"Her Holiness the Pope and the elders... were they sent flying out of the Papal Palace?"

"Am I seeing things? Isn't that Elder Chrysanthemum and Elder Ghost? And Elder Pufferfish! I know them... but how did they end up so miserable?"

Whispers spread through the plaza like a tide.

Every disciple wore an expression of utter disbelief, staring at one another.

In all their lives, this was the first time they had seen Her Holiness the Pope and the Titled Douluo elders in such a sorry state.

Most importantly, this was inside Spirit City!

Just what had happened to leave several of the continent's pinnacle figures in such a wretched condition?

"Stop talking!"

A quick-witted deacon hurriedly lowered his voice and rebuked them, his expression extremely grave.

"Can't you see that Her Holiness the Pope and the elders have all activated their spirit rings?"

"Something huge must have happened!"

Hearing this, everyone immediately fell silent and looked toward the center of the plaza, their eyes filled with curiosity and fear.

At this moment.

The six Titled Douluo elders who had been sent flying had all regained their footing. Their faces were grim as iron as they stared fixedly toward the Papal Palace, as though facing a great enemy.

The spirit power around them faintly stirred.

Yet none of them dared take even half a step forward again.

Bibi Dong stood at the forefront. The phantom of the Death Spider Emperor slowly emerged behind her, and her nine spirit rings lit up once more. Yet her expression was even colder than before.

She stared fixedly at the entrance of the Papal Palace, shock and fury churning in her eyes, along with a trace of apprehension that even she herself had failed to notice.

She wanted to say something, to harshly rebuke that arrogant youth, but when the words reached her lips, she could not utter them.

Just then!

"BANG—!!"

Another figure suddenly flew out through the broken wall of the Papal Palace and smashed heavily into the bluestone pavement at the center of the plaza, leaving a shallow crater in the hard stone.

When everyone looked closely, they immediately sucked in a breath of cold air!

It was none other than Snake Spear Douluo!

At this moment, his face was white as paper, a large section of his chest caved in. His aura was so weak it was nearly imperceptible, and he lay motionless on the ground.

Perhaps sensing the impact of hitting the ground.

"PFFT—!"

He suddenly woke, opening his mouth as if to say something, but only spat out a huge mouthful of blood. His head tilted to one side, and he fainted again.

The entire plaza fell silent!

A pin drop could be heard!

Everyone froze where they stood.

Snake Spear Douluo!

He was a veteran Titled Douluo of the Elder Hall, a level ninety-two power-attack Battle Spirit Master, renowned throughout Spirit Hall!

Yet now, he had been thrown out of the Papal Palace, gravely wounded and on the verge of death!

"Gasp—!"

Someone's sharp intake of breath broke the dead silence.

"Someone actually... actually gravely wounded a Spirit Hall elder inside Spirit Hall!?"

"Just who is this person? How dare they attack inside the Papal Palace!"

"Even Her Holiness the Pope and seven elders were beaten out! Just how strong is that person?"

"The heavens... are changing!!!"

The discussion erupted once more.

This time, every voice was thick with fear and disbelief.

How had Spirit Hall, which had stood for thousands of years, ever suffered such humiliation?

Someone had openly fought inside the Papal Palace, injured an elder, and even driven out the Pope and all the titled Douluo!

Bibi Dong looked at Snake Spear Douluo, unconscious on the ground. The chill on her icy face grew heavier and heavier.

She slowly tightened her grip around the papal scepter in her hand, her nails digging deeply into her palm as scarlet blood dripped through her fingers.

At last, she raised her head and stared fixedly in the direction of the Papal Palace, grinding her teeth as she spat out that name word by word.

"Qin... Zheng!!"

The instant those two words fell!

"Crack—!!"

A sharp sound like shattering space suddenly rang out across heaven and earth!

A blinding red light violently burst forth above Spirit Hall!

Within the red light, space cracked inch by inch like a mirror. Countless tiny spatial fragments danced through the air, emitting terrifying spatial turbulence.

The next second!

Under the horrified gazes of countless people, a vertical eye like that of an ancient dragon suddenly emerged from the crimson rift in space!

The golden vertical pupil was cold and indifferent, purple-gold dragon patterns flowing deep within it.

With merely a single sweep of its gaze, the very air throughout Spirit City seemed to freeze.

Everyone felt an icy chill spread through their bodies, as though they had been targeted by an ancient dragon. Even breathing became difficult.

The dragon eye vanished in an instant.

What appeared next was darkness!

Boundless, endless darkness!

It continuously poured out from the spatial rift, spilling in every direction like a tide and instantly blotting out the sky above the entire Spirit City!

The sunlight was completely devoured, and heaven and earth sank into absolute darkness.

All color vanished!

The world fell into utter silence.

Everyone looked up at the darkness covering the heavens, their bodies trembling as even their souls quivered.

What kind of power was this?

It could actually devour every trace of light between heaven and earth!

Bibi Dong's pupils abruptly contracted. All color drained from her stunning face, and the hand gripping her scepter trembled slightly.

She could clearly sense that within that darkness lay a terrifying power she had no ability to resist.

As though... it was not a power any human could possess!

Just as everyone was stunned by the boundless darkness—

"Tap."

A soft footstep slowly sounded from within the spatial rift.

It was not loud, yet it exploded beside everyone's ears like thunder.

One step.

Then another.

A tall, upright figure slowly emerged from the boundless darkness.

His black robes snapped in the wind, his ink-black hair flew wildly, and his impossibly handsome face showed neither joy nor sorrow.

Only those deep, pitch-black eyes gazed indifferently down upon the living beings below.

With every step he took, ripples spread through the void. Invisible waves of soul power surged outward like tides, lingering for a long while.

It was as though all heaven and earth bowed beneath his feet.

Qin Zheng!

He had come.

From high above, his gaze lightly swept over Bibi Dong's pale face. A faint, mocking curve touched his lips.

"It seems you recognize me."

His calm voice drifted down from the heavens, carrying a trace of amusement.

"Then why didn't you recognize me earlier, in the Papal Palace?"