Enthronement of the Holy Son!

Three days later, Spirit City, the square before the Papal Palace.

The entire square had been swept spotless. A dark gold carpet roughly thirty feet wide lay across the white stone ground, stretching from the main gates of the Papal Palace to the foot of the raised platform in the center of the square.

The platform was built from solid blocks of azure goldstone, its surface more than ten feet above the ground. Relief carvings of the Six-Winged Angel adorned its edges, gleaming with a calm luster beneath the morning light.

The square was packed with people on both sides.

At the front stood Spirit Hall's upper ranks.

The various Titled Douluo and Super Douluo elders stood in rows to the left and right, dressed in dark robes representing their status. The badges on their chests glinted in different colors under the sunlight.

Behind them stood deacons in purple, black, and red, arranged by rank. The sea of people stretched from the foot of the platform all the way to the stone railings at the edge of the square.

Beyond the railings, many low-ranking members and Spirit City residents who had come upon hearing the news were packed together, a dense sea of heads.

Qian Shengyuan stood at the center of the platform. Today, he wore formal papal robes, a white robe with dark gold trim reaching down to his feet, with a cloak embroidered with the Six-Winged Angel emblem draped over his shoulders.

He held a short staff in his left hand. A fist-sized white soul tool crystal was set into its tip, emitting a gentle, steady glow.

Li Long waited on the first step beneath the platform.

He wore a brand-new white deacon's ceremonial uniform today, a golden belt fastened around his waist and a fresh badge pinned to his chest.

It had a silver base edged in gold, with a simplified Six-Winged Angel design cast in its center. Two words were engraved beneath it: Holy Son.

When this badge had been delivered to him three days ago, he had weighed it in his hand. It was even heavier than the golden token.

Its silver base was forged from a millennium cold-iron alloy, while the gold edge bore patterns infused with Titled Douluo-level soul power. The badge itself was a miniature soul tool, capable of releasing a short-lived shield when its wearer was in danger.

Qian Shengyuan's gaze swept over the entire crowd before he slowly spoke.

His voice, carried outward by soul power, clearly covered the entire square.

"Today, Spirit Hall establishes its thirteenth-generation Holy Son."

After the brief opening, he turned toward the foot of the platform and raised his voice slightly. "Li Long, take the stage."

Li Long took a deep breath and stepped onto the stairs.

Every step was steady and heavy as he followed the center line of the dark gold carpet toward the platform.

The gazes of the Titled Douluo elders standing in formation on both sides fell on him in unison. Some were appraising, some curious, and several held undisguised approval.

He reached the center of the platform, standing beside Qian Shengyuan, then turned to face the crowd.

Qian Shengyuan raised his short staff. The white crystal atop it suddenly blazed with light, which spread outward like ripples and swept over the heads of everyone in the square.

At the same time, Qian Shengyuan's voice rang out again. "Li Long, born of the Notting City branch hall. Ten and a half years old. Soul power rank thirty-four. Three-ring Soul Elder. First soul ring: five hundred years. Second soul ring: one thousand years. Third soul ring: six thousand five hundred years. All three soul rings have surpassed the limits of their respective ranks. Today, he is established as Spirit Hall's Holy Son, entitled to all authority and resources of the Holy Son rank."

The square fell silent for a moment.

Then, clear gasps rose from the crowd.

A three-ring Soul Elder. Rank thirty-four. A six-thousand-five-hundred-year third soul ring.

Those facts combined were enough for any soul master to understand exactly what level of existence the youth standing on the platform represented.

Qian Shengyuan did not give the crowd much time to process it before continuing. "According to the ancient rites for the investiture of Spirit Hall's Holy Son, the Holy Son must accept challenges from those of the same realm, proving through strength that he is qualified for his rank. Anyone of the same realm may take the stage and try today."

The instant those words fell, a clear stir swept through the crowd below.

A challenge from those of the same realm meant that any three-ring Soul Elder could take the stage and fight Li Long.

According to the ancient investiture rites, there was no limit to the number of challengers, and it would continue until no one else stepped forward.

This was not only a test of the Holy Son's strength, but also a public display of power for Spirit Hall's younger generation.

A Titled Douluo elder muttered from the formation, "A challenge from the same realm... who could possibly beat him?"

"Exactly. With his configuration, he's invincible among those of the same realm. Even the Young Lord might not be his match. Unfortunately, the Young Lord is in deep seclusion within Angel God Mountain and did not attend this investiture ceremony. Besides, the Young Lord's soul power rank surpassed that of a Soul Elder long ago."

Another elder beside him slowly moved his lips.

The silence below the platform continued for several breaths.

Then someone moved.

A young man in fitted purple attire stepped out from the deacon formation. He looked to be in his early thirties, and the cultivation aura of a three-ring Soul Elder was clearly discernible.

He strode to the front of the platform, clasped his fists in salute, and declared loudly, "Song Yan of the Heaven Dou City branch hall, rank thirty-six Soul Elder. I ask the Holy Son for instruction."

Qian Shengyuan nodded slightly and stepped back several paces, yielding the center of the platform to the two of them.

After Song Yan took the stage, he summoned his martial soul.

It was a crimson battle saber, its blade marked with faint flame-like patterns.

He assumed his stance, and three soul rings rose beneath his feet: yellow, yellow, purple—the standard Soul Elder configuration.

Li Long stood opposite him and drew the Iron Rod from behind his waist with his right hand.

He did not immediately reveal his soul rings. He merely held the Iron Rod in its short staff form and calmly watched his opponent.

"Please."

Song Yan attacked first. His battle saber swept out horizontally, wrapped in flames. Its speed and power were quite good for a rank thirty-six Soul Elder.

Li Long shifted one step to the side, evading the blade's path as the Iron Rod rose in a diagonal sweep from below.

The tip of the rod struck precisely against the point on the back of the saber where Song Yan exerted force, deflecting his attack by half an inch.

Song Yan's wrist trembled slightly. Immediately afterward, his second slash came from the opposite direction, faster than the first.

Li Long did not retreat. He flipped the Iron Rod and blocked.

The two weapons collided with a sharp metallic ring, sparks flashing through the air and vanishing in an instant.

After three strikes, Song Yan's assault faltered. He realized he could not break through the rhythm of his opponent's defense.

After taking three strikes, Li Long had already figured out his opponent's fighting pattern.

The flaming battle saber followed a power-based explosive style. Its speed and agility were not particularly outstanding.

The instant the fourth slash came down, Li Long advanced instead of retreating. He braced the Iron Rod horizontally against the blade and shoved forward.

Song Yan was forced back two steps by the force, his balance wavering.

Li Long did not pursue. He withdrew the rod and stood still.

"My thanks," he said.

After steadying himself, Song Yan lowered his head to look at the spot where his feet had retreated two steps, then raised his eyes to Li Long. He was silent for two breaths before clasping his fists. "The Holy Son is formidable."

Then he turned and stepped down from the platform, clean and decisive.

Before the crowd could even begin discussing it, the second challenger had already taken the stage.

Then came the third, the fourth, and the fifth.

All were three-ring Soul Elders, with cultivation ranging from rank thirty-seven to rank thirty-nine.

Li Long faced them one by one. He did not use a single soul skill, relying only on basic staff techniques and physical strength.

The first match ended after five moves. The second lasted seven. The third was unable to push forward after being held back by a single rod strike and conceded defeat.

The fourth was a speed-type Soul Elder, nimble in his movements. He circled Li Long for more than a dozen breaths, but could never find an opening. In the end, after his stamina declined, Li Long swept his rod across his waist and knocked him out of the fighting area.

After the fifth challenger stepped down, the area before the platform remained quiet for a long time.

No sixth person stepped forward.

The entire square was silent.

The gazes fixed upon the youth on the platform had changed from initial appraisal into silent acknowledgment.

Qian Shengyuan returned to the center of the platform, swept his gaze across the crowd, and announced in a deep voice, "Holy Son Li Long has won all five challenges from those of the same realm. His rank as Holy Son is hereby confirmed."

His voice was not loud, yet every word was clearly delivered into the ears of everyone in the square.

The spies from various factions lurking around the outer edges of the audience wore different expressions. Some had flickering eyes, some impassively recorded everything at great speed in their minds, while others had already departed early to report to their respective factions.

"We pay our respects to the Holy Son!"

Everyone bowed in unison.

Li Long stood atop the platform and put away the Iron Rod.

Sunlight fell across his shoulders, making the Holy Son badge shine brightly.

From this day onward, the entire continent would know his name.

Looking at the scene below, his heart surged with emotion.

A man should be like this!

To pursue the peak of soul power! The peak of authority! The peak of status!

No one could resist such temptation!

Neither could he!

And he did not need to resist it, because he had worked and run from the very beginning in pursuit of these things!

Now, he had achieved it!