The Bell Toll of a New Era

Outside Spirit City.

Spirit Hall had spent half a month hastily constructing an enormous open-air venue.

The massive round conference table at the center was filled with people. Every person seated there was an influential figure on Douluo Continent.

Pope Bibi Dong sat upright to the left of the seat of honor. Her brilliant golden gown shimmered beneath the candlelight, while her face beneath the Nine-Curve Purple-Gold Crown was calm as still water.

Behind her stood Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, two level ninety-five Super Douluo.

To the right of the seat of honor sat the seven worshippers in order. Qian Daoliu sat at the very front, his hands tucked into his sleeves as his tranquil gaze swept across everyone present. Golden Crocodile Douluo sat beside him, his heavily muscled body filling his chair, his eyes gleaming like those of a crocodile.

Further down sat the two princes of the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire. The Heaven Dou prince was a plump middle-aged man with a friendly expression, while the Star Luo prince was a burly old man whose gaze was sharp as an eagle's.

Then came Spirit Hall's red-robed bishops, more than a dozen elderly men in crimson robes, every one of them a Soul Sage-level powerhouse.

After them were the sect masters and elders of the major sects.

Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, one of the upper three sects, had come in person. He sat there with a jade ruyi in hand and a smile on his face. At his side stood Bone Douluo Gu Rong and Sword Douluo Chen Xin, like two towering deities.

Huyan Zhen, Sect Master of the Elephant Armor Sect, was built like a small mountain. Even seated, he stood a head taller than everyone else.

Yu Luomian, Second Elder of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, was a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse. His expression was stern, and faint lightning flickered around him.

The sect masters and elders of the Wind Sword Sect, Fire Leopard Sect, Saint Dragon Sect, and Mystic Ice Sect sat in succession.

Only the Clear Sky Sect's seat was empty.

"They're still hiding." Someone muttered softly, drawing several quiet chuckles.

Qian Daoliu gave a light cough.

The entire venue fell silent.

"I have gathered you all here today," Qian Daoliu began. His voice was not loud, yet it reached every person's ears clearly. "To announce an important matter."

He paused and swept his gaze across everyone present.

"I will not waste words. Let us get straight to the point."

"Huo Yuhao."

As soon as the words fell, the side door of the hall opened, and a figure walked in.

Huo Yuhao.

The fourteen-year-old boy wore Spirit Hall's standard white robes, with a Six-Winged Angel embroidered in gold thread over his left chest. He had short black hair, deep blue eyes, a calm face, and steady footsteps. He showed no trace of stage fright.

He walked into the open space at the center of the conference table, stopped, and gave everyone present a slight bow.

"Great Worshipper," he said.

Qian Daoliu nodded.

"Show everyone those things of yours."

Huo Yuhao answered and took a storage Soul Guidance Device from his robes, giving it a light shake.

Three items appeared on the table.

One was a fist-sized metal sphere, its surface carved with intricate patterns.

One was a black metal tube as thick as a thigh, with faint lightning flowing across its surface.

The last was a palm-sized metal disk set with seven gemstones of different colors.

"What are these?" Ning Fengzhi was the first to speak, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"Soul Guidance Devices," Huo Yuhao said.

He picked up the metal sphere.

"A Level 6 High-Explosive Soul Guidance Shell."

He pointed toward a barren mountain in the distance.

"Please watch."

He took out a silver-white metal launcher, loaded the metal sphere into it, aimed at the barren mountain, poured in soul power, and pulled the trigger.

With a faint sound, the metal sphere traced an arc through the air and landed halfway up the mountain.

Boom!

A deafening explosion rang out.

A huge gap was blasted directly into the mountainside. Fragments of stone flew everywhere, smoke and dust billowed, and the entire mountain trembled. When the dust settled, everyone could clearly see that one-third of the mountain had been blown away.

The entire venue fell silent.

Ning Fengzhi abruptly rose to his feet, his eyes wide.

"This..."

Before he could finish, Huo Yuhao had already picked up the metal tube.

"A Level 6 Thunder Heavy Cannon."

He hoisted the metal tube onto his shoulder, aimed at the mountain, and injected soul power.

Boom!

A thick bolt of lightning burst from the muzzle, tearing through the air with world-destroying force before slamming into the mountain.

This time, the entire mountain was blown apart.

Broken stones scattered in every direction like rain, while smoke and dust blotted out the sky. As the haze thinned slightly, everyone saw that the mountain was gone.

Only a pile of rubble remained.

The venue fell into deathly silence.

Huo Yuhao lowered the metal tube and picked up the metal disk.

"A Level 6 Soul Guidance Barrier."

He injected soul power, and all seven gemstones on the disk lit up at once. A translucent barrier spread out before him, forming in the blink of an eye into a massive shield three zhang in diameter that enveloped his entire body.

"Which senior would be willing to test it?" he asked.

A red-robed bishop stood up. He was a level seventy-two Soul Sage. He walked before the barrier and glanced at Huo Yuhao.

"At full strength?"

"At full strength."

The red-robed bishop took a deep breath. His fifth Soul Ring lit up, and he slammed a fist into the barrier.

Boom!

The barrier shook violently, and fine cracks spread over its surface. Yet it did not shatter.

The red-robed bishop froze for a moment, gritted his teeth, and lit up his seventh Soul Ring before throwing another punch.

Boom!

This punch carried more than ten times the force of the last. Yet the barrier merely shook more violently, its light dimming without breaking.

The red-robed bishop withdrew his fist and stared at his hand, then at the barrier, his face filled with disbelief.

"I used my full strength," he said.

Huo Yuhao nodded and put away the barrier.

"A Level 6 Soul Guidance Barrier can withstand a full-power strike from any Soul Sage below level seventy-five," he said.

The entire venue erupted.

"How is that possible?!"

"What exactly are these things?!"

"Soul Guidance Devices? We've never even heard of them!"

Ning Fengzhi went straight around the table and walked up to Huo Yuhao, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Young friend!" Even his voice trembled. "Did you make these things?"

Huo Yuhao nodded.

Ning Fengzhi's eyes shone so brightly that it was almost frightening.

As the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he understood the value of these things all too well. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was the continent's greatest support martial soul, but no matter how powerful a support martial soul was, it still needed companions to fight. If they had these things—

Countless scenes had already appeared in his mind.

Qian Daoliu gave a light cough.

"Everyone, quiet."

The venue fell silent once more.

"This is what I wished to discuss today," Qian Daoliu said. "Soul Guidance Devices are an entirely new kind of thing. Anyone can use them. So long as one possesses soul power, even support-type Soul Masters can wield combat strength no weaker than battle Soul Masters through these Soul Guidance Devices."

He paused.

"I propose that Spirit Hall establish a third hall—the Soul Tool Hall. Huo Yuhao will serve as its master and devote himself fully to developing and promoting Soul Guidance Devices."

The moment those words came out, everyone was shocked.

Huo Yuhao was stunned as well.

He had not known about this beforehand.

Qian Daoliu had never mentioned it to him.

Bibi Dong's gaze fell upon Huo Yuhao. A complicated glint flashed through her deep eyes. She said nothing, merely sitting there and watching quietly.

The seven worshippers exchanged looks. Golden Crocodile Douluo glanced at Qian Daoliu, then at Huo Yuhao, and nodded thoughtfully.

The two imperial princes looked at each other. Both saw shock—and vigilance—in the other's eyes.

The representatives of the seven great sects wore varying expressions. Ning Fengzhi's eyes were glowing, but most of the others, including Yu Luomian, looked disdainful.

"I object!"

A sharp voice rang out.

Everyone turned toward the speaker. It was Salas, Spirit Hall's Platinum Bishop.

He was a gaunt old man in white robes, with the emblem of a Platinum Bishop pinned to his chest. He was one of Spirit Hall's elder-generation figures, highly respected but also known for being conservative.

Some people exchanged glances, their eyes filled with mockery. They looked down on these things, but out of respect for Spirit Hall and Qian Daoliu, they had not dared to say so. Now, someone from Spirit Hall itself had stepped out to question them.

"Great Worshipper." Salas rose to his feet and bowed to Qian Daoliu. "This old man is not questioning your decision. It is simply that these Soul Guidance Devices—"

He glanced at the things on the table, his face full of disdain.

"They are nothing more than petty tricks."

Huo Yuhao's brow twitched slightly.

Salas continued, "Soul Masters should focus on cultivating their martial souls, increasing their soul power, and tempering their soul skills. That is the proper path! What are these crooked contraptions supposed to be? Are people supposed to hold lumps of iron while fighting in the future? Would they still be Soul Masters then?"

Several Spirit Hall bishops and sect representatives nodded in agreement.

"Bishop Salas is right."

"Soul Masters should act like Soul Masters."

"These things are merely external objects."

Qian Daoliu said nothing.

He merely glanced at Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao understood.

He reached into his storage Soul Guidance Device and took something out.

It was a cylindrical metal object, much larger than the Thunder Heavy Cannon from before. It was twice as thick and about half a person tall. Its surface was covered in dense runes, with faint light flowing across them.

"A Level 6 Fixed Soul Guidance Artillery Shell," he said.

Salas froze for a moment, then let out a mocking laugh.

"What? Are you trying to frighten this old man with that?"

Huo Yuhao ignored him.

He called out loudly.

"Is there a defensive Soul Douluo-level powerhouse willing to test it?"

Huyan Zhen raised his brow and looked at Bibi Dong. Bibi Dong gave an imperceptible nod.

"This old man is willing to try." Huyan Zhen rose to his feet. "How will we test it?"

Huo Yuhao walked to the window and pointed toward another mountain in the distance.

"Please go there and activate your defensive soul skill."

Huyan Zhen paused, then laughed.

"Boy, do you really intend to bombard me?"

"Senior, it is necessary for the test," Huo Yuhao said.

Huyan Zhen laughed as he activated his martial soul and sprinted out. Moments later, he stood before that mountain, his Soul Rings lighting up as his already massive body expanded again. A gigantic Diamond Mammoth roared behind him, and diamond armor covered his body.

"Come on!" he shouted.

Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and hoisted the Fixed Soul Guidance Artillery Shell onto his shoulder.

He injected soul power.

Every rune on the artillery shell lit up, the blinding radiance making it impossible to look at directly.

He aimed at Huyan Zhen and pulled the trigger.

Boom!

Unexpectedly, an utterly inconspicuous metal sphere shot out from the artillery shell toward Huyan Zhen. With a thud, it landed on the ground not far from his feet. Huyan Zhen was taken aback and cast an inquisitive look over.

Seeing this, the people who had questioned it earlier wore mocking expressions. In their eyes, this thing was nothing but scrap metal. It looked intimidating when fired, but was completely useless.

Several breaths later, the metal sphere suddenly exploded. Golden light erupted forth, tearing through the air and the earth like a ferocious beast, as if it intended to devour heaven and earth itself.

Huyan Zhen's expression changed.

He had originally used only his fifth soul skill, Diamond Armor, but the instant he saw that golden light burst forth, he activated his Martial Soul True Body without hesitation.

An elephant's trumpeting roar rang out, shaking the very earth. In a flash of light, an incomparably gigantic Diamond Mammoth replaced Huyan Zhen's figure.

BOOM!!!

The massive explosion made Spirit City behind them tremble. Terrified cries from the soldiers rose from atop the city walls.

"Enemy attack!" someone shouted, striking the alarm bell.

The bell rang out, warning everyone that something extraordinary had arrived.

The deafening tolling dragged everyone back to reality from their shock.

Bibi Dong turned and glanced at a red-robed bishop. He immediately understood her meaning, nodded, activated his martial soul, spread the green wings on his back, and flew onto the city wall to calm the soldiers.

The smoke and dust dispersed.

The Diamond Mammoth Huyan Zhen had transformed into stood where he was, the diamond armor covering his body already greatly dimmed.

With a flash of light, the giant elephant vanished, and Huyan Zhen's burly figure reappeared. He stood there in a daze, staring at the enormous crater before him—ten zhang deep and a hundred zhang wide—unable to speak for a long while.

He raised his head and looked at Huo Yuhao.

His eyes were filled with shock.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Salas's face turned pale.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out.

Qian Daoliu rose to his feet.

His gaze swept over everyone present before finally settling on Salas.

"Bishop Salas." His voice was calm. "What did you just call it? Unorthodox tricks?"

Cold sweat beaded on Salas's forehead.

"Grand Priest, I..."

"Level 6 Fixed Soul Guidance Artillery Shell." Qian Daoliu cut him off. "Its power is equivalent to the full-force strike of a level seventy-nine Soul Sage. You saw it just now—it is enough to threaten the life of an ordinary Soul Douluo."

He looked at Salas, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

"Do you still object?"

Salas dropped to his knees with a thud.

"Grand Priest is wise! This old man... this old man was shortsighted and did not understand this item's power. I beg Grand Priest for forgiveness!"

Qian Daoliu ignored him.

He looked at the others.

"Does anyone else object?"

Not a sound could be heard throughout the venue.

Qian Daoliu nodded in satisfaction.

"Since that is the case, I hereby announce—"

He paused.

"The Third Hall of Spirit Hall, the Soul Tool Hall, is officially established."

"Hall Master: Huo Yuhao."

Huo Yuhao stood in the center of the Main Hall as sunlight streamed in through the shattered windows and fell upon him.

He looked at those shocked, awed, and complicated gazes without the slightest expression on his face.

Yet within his heart, a voice echoed.

Soul Tool Hall.

The beginning of a new era.

It begins today.