This Seat, the Qin Emperor, Qin Zheng!

Boom!

Those words struck Qian Daoliu's heart like a heavy hammer!

His expression shifted slightly. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

Yet when the words reached his lips, he could not force them out.

Because... Qin Zheng was telling the truth.

Back then, he had indeed chosen silence.

Out of guilt, and for the greater good of Spirit Hall, for the Angel God's inheritance.

He had tacitly allowed it all.

He had sacrificed Qian Renxue's childhood and freedom.

But this had been necessary.

Even if he were given another chance, he would still make the same choice.

Seeing him like this, the mockery at Qin Zheng's lips deepened.

"Earlier, Bibi Dong led Spirit Hall's many elders to suppress me."

"Where were you then?"

"Now, every last one of them has been suppressed by me."

"And only now have you come out."

He paused, and an icy glint flashed through his dark eyes.

"Young one of the Qian Family."

"Do you think..."

"They are easier to talk to than I am?"

"Or do you think I'm easy to bully?"

BOOM!!!

The instant his final words fell!

Buzz—!

An utterly terrifying pressure suddenly erupted from Qin Zheng's body!

Jet-black soul power surged wildly in all directions like an erupting volcano!

Wherever it swept, ripples spread through space itself!

The entire Spirit Hall plaza trembled faintly beneath that dreadful pressure!

The bluestone ground cracked inch by inch!

Qian Daoliu bore the brunt of it!

"Pfft—!"

He violently spat out a mouthful of blood, staggering back several steps!

His face instantly turned as pale as paper!

The soul power of a rank ninety-nine Limit Douluo was as fragile as an ant beneath this horrifying pressure!

Such terrifying power... Is this the peerless Douluo from two thousand years ago, the only one ever granted the title of Emperor?

Qian Daoliu's pupils contracted sharply. He was a rank ninety-nine Limit Douluo!

Across the entire Douluo Continent, beneath the gods, he dared claim himself invincible!

Yet under this pressure... he could not even stand steadily?!

At the center of the plaza.

Jet-black soul power roiled madly around Qin Zheng.

He looked ready to strike at the slightest disagreement.

Qian Daoliu stood opposite him, his face pale.

Yet he did not retreat even half a step.

He gritted his teeth and stared fixedly at Qin Zheng, as though he wanted to say something.

But just as he was about to speak!

Whoosh—!

Qin Zheng's figure suddenly vanished from where he stood!

"Not good!"

Qian Daoliu's pupils suddenly contracted, and he instinctively moved to summon his soul power in defense.

But it was already too late.

The next second!

"Bang—!"

A heavy impact suddenly rang out from the other side of the plaza!

Qian Daoliu abruptly turned to look!

At some unknown point, Qin Zheng had appeared beside the still-unconscious Snake Spear Douluo!

The young man stood tall and straight.

His black dragon robe fluttered in the wind, and his peerlessly handsome face showed neither joy nor sorrow.

His right foot was planted heavily on Snake Spear Douluo's chest!

The force was so great that it directly jolted Snake Spear Douluo awake from his unconsciousness!

"Urgh..."

Snake Spear Douluo let out a pained groan and slowly opened his eyes.

The moment he saw the person before him, his pupils shrank sharply!

"It... it's you!"

He instinctively tried to resist!

The soul power within his body surged wildly as he tried to push Qin Zheng's foot away!

But the moment he moved!

"Bang—!"

Qin Zheng applied the slightest bit of force with his foot!

"Pfft—!"

Snake Spear Douluo suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood!

His entire body was suppressed once more!

Waves of piercing pain came from his chest!

It felt as though his breastbone would be crushed beneath that foot in the next instant!

"Cough, cough..."

Snake Spear Douluo coughed violently, blood continuously spilling from the corners of his mouth.

His entire body felt dazed and heavy.

He was nearly too weak even to keep his eyes open.

Qin Zheng lowered his gaze to Snake Spear Douluo, who struggled painfully beneath his foot. Not the slightest ripple stirred in his dark eyes.

It was as if he were looking at an ant.

Before the angel statue.

Qian Daoliu's expression darkened slightly as he watched this scene.

Yet he still did not make a move.

Because he knew.

He was no match for Qin Zheng.

He did not even... possess the right to make the other party take him seriously.

And besides...

Bibi Dong and the six elders had been in the wrong from the start.

They had offended the Patriarch and were suppressed for it. They had only themselves to blame.

But...

Bibi Dong was, after all, the Pope of Spirit Hall.

The six elders were, after all, the core fighting strength of the Elder Hall.

If they were truly crippled just like this...

It would also be no small loss for Spirit Hall.

That was why he had steeled himself and come to plead on their behalf.

But now, it seemed...

It would not be easy.

At the center of the plaza.

Qin Zheng planted his foot on Snake Spear Douluo's chest and slowly raised his head to look at Qian Daoliu before the angel statue.

His pitch-black eyes held a trace of indifference and a trace of amusement.

"I would like to know."

His calm voice slowly rang out.

"If I refuse to release them."

"What can you possibly do to me?"

Boom!!

Those words were like a thunderclap from the Ninth Heaven, crashing viciously onto Qian Daoliu's head!

His expression changed. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But when the words reached his lips, he could not utter them.

What could he possibly do to the ancestor?

What could he possibly do?!

With the ancestor's strength, crushing him to death would be as easy as crushing an ant!

What could he do?!

There was nothing he could do!

Qian Daoliu fell silent.

He stood where he was, his expression conflicted, saying nothing.

Everyone in the square held their breath.

The atmosphere had become tense to the extreme.

Everyone's gazes swept back and forth between Qin Zheng and Qian Daoliu.

What would the Grand Worshipper do?

Would he grit his teeth and continue pleading, or... leave it at that?

And amid that tense silence.

Qin Zheng slowly withdrew his gaze.

He no longer looked at Qian Daoliu. Instead, he raised his head and swept his gaze across the densely packed Spirit Hall disciples, deacons, and guards in the square.

There was neither joy nor sorrow in his pitch-black eyes, only the detached indifference of one looking down upon all living beings.

"I know that you all have many questions in your hearts."

His calm voice was not loud, yet it clearly spread throughout all of Spirit City.

"You are curious about who I am."

"Curious about where I came from."

"Curious about what gives me the right to stand here."

He paused, and his tone suddenly sank.

"Then today, I will tell you."

"I am Qin Zheng."

"Two thousand years ago, I held authority over Spirit Hall's punishments."

"My title was Emperor."

"The world called me the Qin Emperor!"

Boom—!!!

Those words were like a thunderclap from the Ninth Heaven, crashing viciously onto everyone's heads!

The Qin Emperor?!

A title of Emperor?!

Two thousand years ago?!

My heavens!

A title of Emperor?!

Wasn't that far too arrogant?!

One had to know that on Douluo Continent, the titles of Title Douluo were never chosen carelessly.

They were generally based on one's martial soul or personal characteristics.

But the word "Emperor"...

That was the emperor of sovereign rulers!

Such a title was simply too overbearing!

"Gulp..."

Someone swallowed.

The sound was especially clear in the deathly silent plaza.

Then!

Like a chain reaction!

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

The sounds of people dropping to their knees rang out one after another!

Across the plaza.

Every Spirit Hall disciple, deacon, and guard fell neatly to their knees!

"Greetings, Ancestor Qin Emperor!"

"Long live the Ancestor!"

"Long live Spirit Hall!"

The thunderous cries echoed throughout all of Spirit City!

Every face was filled with fervor and reverence!