Golden Crocodile: Qian Daoliu's Father, the Former Pope Qian Yu, Revealed?!

The Ranking Screen trembled. The fifth place had appeared!

[Top Ten Peak Soul Masters: Fifth Place]

The scene suddenly changed.

On the Ranking Screen, a burly old man stood with his hands behind his back.

He abruptly opened his eyes, shooting two beams of golden light from them.

"Roar!"

A deafening roar echoed between heaven and earth.

Behind the old man, the phantom of a giant golden crocodile condensed out of thin air. Its violent Soul Power fluctuations nearly spilled out of the screen.

Golden Crocodile King possession!

Immediately afterward, dazzling Soul Rings rose in circles from beneath his feet:

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!

Nine Soul Rings shone against one another. The last blood-red hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring in particular radiated a heart-pounding pressure.

The Ranking Screen's narration sounded at just the right moment, its voice ancient and majestic:

[Golden Crocodile Douluo.]

[Wuhun Hall's Second Consecration, a core combat force of the Consecration Hall.]

[Over one hundred and fifty years old, he has witnessed three generations of Wuhun Hall's succession. He is currently the second oldest and second highest in seniority on the Douluo Continent.]

[Soul Power Rank: Rank 98 Super Douluo.]

[Martial Soul: Super assault-type beast Martial Soul—Golden Crocodile King.

With this Martial Soul, both his strength and defense have reached their pinnacle. Among those of the same rank, his power is unrivaled.]

Inside the Consecration Hall.

Golden Crocodile Douluo looked at himself on the Ranking Screen, and a proud smile appeared on his aged face.

"This old man actually ranked fifth.

It seems this Ranking Screen has some discernment after all."

"Congratulations, Second Brother!"

Male Lion Douluo burst into hearty laughter and clapped in delight.

"A Rank 98 Super Douluo, plus a hundred-thousand-year ninth Soul Ring!

Other than Eldest Brother, how many people in this world could possibly be Second Brother's match?"

Light Feather Douluo also leaned closer and said with a grin,

"Exactly.

Even if that woman from the Papal Hall just broke through to Rank 99, her foundation and seniority are nowhere near Second Brother's.

Once the Ranking Screen grants Second Brother his reward, he might even break through directly to become a Rank 99 Limit Douluo!"

Qian Daoliu looked at Golden Crocodile, and there was a trace of satisfaction in his eyes as well. He nodded.

"Second Brother, you have labored for Wuhun Hall your entire life. You truly deserve this fifth place.

Let us see what sort of opportunity the Ranking Screen grants you."

Golden Crocodile Douluo drew a deep breath, anticipation gleaming in his eyes.

"If I can use this chance to glimpse the mysteries of Rank 99, then this old man's life will have no regrets."

Inside the Papal Hall.

Bibi Dong sat high upon the pope's throne. Looking at Golden Crocodile Douluo on the Ranking Screen, a cold curve rose at the corner of her lips.

"Golden Crocodile... Hmph."

Bibi Dong sneered and lightly tapped her scepter with her fingertips.

"An old fool who has lived for over one hundred and fifty years, yet he is only Rank 98.

Half an hour ago, I might have still feared you somewhat.

But now..."

Bibi Dong slightly raised her hand, and a strand of incomparably pure Rank 99 Limit Douluo pressure pulsed in her palm.

"I have already reached the limit. You old bones can only wait to die in the Consecration Hall."

Yue Guan stood to the side, carefully offering a flattering smile.

"Your Holiness's divine might is unmatched!

Golden Crocodile may be powerful, but before you, a Limit Douluo with Twin Martial Souls, he is nothing more than dry bones in a grave."

Gui Mei also lowered his head in agreement.

"That is right. So long as the Grand Consecration Qian Daoliu does not intervene, no one in the Consecration Hall can stand against Your Holiness."

Sunset Forest.

Jia Lin looked at the giant golden crocodile on the Ranking Screen and curled her lips in distaste.

"That Martial Soul is really ugly.

Dad, that old crocodile is already over one hundred and fifty, yet he is only Rank 98. He is not even as strong as that Bibi Dong from before, so why is he ranked fifth?"

Lan Yu reclined in a vine chair and explained calmly,

"Bibi Dong ranked sixth because she bears the Rakshasa God Trial, and divine power has suppressed her strength.

In terms of destructive power at her peak, she naturally surpasses Golden Crocodile.

However, Golden Crocodile has lived long enough, and the Golden Crocodile King Martial Soul has virtually no weaknesses in strength or defense.

Rank 98 Soul Power, combined with that hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring, is enough for him to firmly hold fifth place."

"That makes sense."

Jia Lin nodded in agreement, then leaned closer to Lan Yu and blinked her big eyes curiously.

"Dad, what kind of reward do you think the Ranking Screen will give this little crocodile?

If it raises his rank too, wouldn't Wuhun Hall have three Rank 99s?"

Lan Yu smiled faintly as he watched golden auspicious clouds begin gathering above the Ranking Screen.

"Just watch. The Ranking Screen's rewards have never disappointed.

However, if Wuhun Hall's three Rank 99s turn against each other, the drama on this continent will become even more interesting."

The golden auspicious clouds above the Ranking Screen suddenly churned violently. The image rippled like water, and time seemed to begin racing backward at that moment.

[Time reversal. Return to more than a hundred years ago.]

[At that time, the vast majority of Soul Masters of the present era had yet to be born. The forebears of the Upper Three Sects were in their prime,

and Wuhun Hall was still under the rule of the previous generation's pope.]

The image froze inside an ancient awakening hall.

A little boy of only six stood at the center of the awakening formation.

As light blazed forth, the phantom of a mighty golden giant crocodile emerged behind him with a roar.

The crystal ball bloomed with dazzling light, completely filled to the brim.

[At six years old, he awakened the super beast Martial Soul Golden Crocodile King, with innate full Soul Power!]

[Such talent alarmed Wuhun Hall's leader at the time:

the previous pope, Qian Yu.]

In the image, a burly middle-aged man with a stern face slowly entered the hall.

He wore a brilliant golden pope's robe. Behind him, the faint phantom of a Six-Winged Angel appeared, while endless majesty and dominance shone from his gaze.

He bent down and extended a hand toward the six-year-old Golden Crocodile.

Inside the Consecration Hall.

"Boom!"

Qian Daoliu was struck as if by lightning. He suddenly took a step forward, staring fixedly at the imposing middle-aged man on the Ranking Screen.

His state of mind, which had not wavered for ten thousand years, completely collapsed at that instant. His eyes immediately reddened with tears.

"Father..."

Qian Daoliu's voice trembled slightly, filled with boundless longing and sorrow.

Qian Yu was his biological father, Wuhun Hall's previous pope.

Several decades had passed since his father's death, so long that he had nearly forgotten what his father had looked like in his youth.

Yet he had never expected to see his father's face and hear his voice again on the Ranking Screen today.

Golden Crocodile Douluo was also stunned. Looking at that familiar figure in the image, he let out a long sigh, his eyes filled with the weariness of time.

"Teacher... So much time has already passed.

If Teacher had not taken me in and carefully taught me back then, I could never have cultivated to Rank 98."

Male Lion Douluo watched the scene and spoke quietly.

"So Second Brother was the former pope's personal disciple back then.

No wonder the Grand Consecration and Second Brother are as close as brothers. In terms of seniority and affection, no one can compare."

Light Feather Douluo also put away his usual playful smile and said solemnly,

"The former pope's bearing back then truly surpassed all under heaven.

No wonder he could nurture peerless experts like the Grand Consecration and Second Brother."

Qian Daoliu closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and calmed his turbulent emotions.

He turned to Golden Crocodile Douluo and spoke warmly.

"Second Brother, Father said back then that you possessed great talent and would one day become Wuhun Hall's pillar holding up the heavens.

Over these years, you have not disappointed his expectations."

Golden Crocodile Douluo cupped his hands and replied in a deep voice,

"You overpraise me, Eldest Brother.

Protecting Wuhun Hall and safeguarding the Qian Clan's legacy have been this old man's unchanging oath throughout his life."