Tianhun City's East Gate.
Three days had passed.
Quan Cangtian stood on the stone-paved road outside the city gate, his palm throbbing.
Dark Red Crystal.
Thump after thump.
It pulsed fiercely.
Quan Batian stood beside him, the Destruction Dragon Spear gripped in his hand.
The spear shaft was dark red, while its tip gleamed with golden light.
"They're here."
Quan Cangtian said nothing.
He had felt them.
The shops around the East Gate had all closed, the streets were deserted, and the residents had long since evacuated.
There was a scent in the air.
It was not the smell of blood.
It was another kind of scent.
The scent of the Dark Soul Cult.
The crystal in his palm pulsed even more fiercely.
His gene was responding.
Quan Cangtian looked ahead.
Figures emerged from the shadows on both sides of the street.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Six Titled Douluo.
At their head was a middle-aged man with a profound aura. Quan Cangtian could not sense the depths of his strength.
A Level 98 Super Douluo.
Beside him stood an old man whose aura was also powerful, though slightly weaker than the middle-aged man's.
A Level 97 Titled Douluo.
The four behind them were all above Level 96.
The middle-aged man spoke.
"Young Patriarch, the Pontifex has been waiting for you for a long time."
Quan Batian stepped forward, holding the Destruction Dragon Spear horizontally before him.
"Where is the Pontifex?"
The middle-aged man smiled.
"The Pontifex said that once you arrive, he will come."
Quan Cangtian felt the crystal in his palm pulsing violently.
It was almost about to burst free.
His gene was calling to him.
It was responding to the Dark Soul Cult.
Quan Batian.
"Cangtian, go."
Quan Cangtian did not move.
He stood where he was, watching the six Titled Douluo.
Quan Batian.
"Go!"
Quan Cangtian still did not move.
He could feel his gene calling to him.
That power surged within his palm, wanting to burst out, wanting to answer the Dark Soul Cult.
But he did not yield.
His conviction was clear.
He would not become anyone's pawn.
The crystal in his palm pulsed even more fiercely.
It hurt.
But he gritted his teeth and did not loosen his grip.
Quan Batian realized something was wrong.
"Cangtian!"
Quan Cangtian closed his eyes.
He was suppressing his gene.
Autonomous Adaptation was operating, Abundance Power was balancing it, and Death Qi was suppressing it.
But the gene was too powerful.
He could not suppress it.
Suddenly.
The Silver-White Star within the Path Rift flickered.
Quan Cangtian felt a new power circulating through his body.
It was not Destruction.
It was not Abundance.
It was Elation.
The power of the Path of Elation began to operate.
It resonated with the Miracle Trait.
He felt that he could call upon something now.
Taunt Miracle.
Probability Distortion Miracle.
Aha, the Star God of Elation, was watching him.
And found him interesting.
Quan Cangtian opened his eyes.
He spoke.
"You think I'm a pawn."
The six Titled Douluo looked at him.
Quan Cangtian.
"You're the real pawns."
The middle-aged man's expression changed.
"What did you say?"
Quan Cangtian.
"The Pontifex wants me. You are merely tools."
"He will not thank you."
"He will only discard you once he is done using you."
The middle-aged man flew into a rage.
"Insolence!"
He attacked.
A streak of dark red light shot from his palm, heading straight for Quan Cangtian.
Quan Batian blocked it, sweeping the Destruction Dragon Spear and knocking the beam aside.
Boom.
A crack exploded across the ground.
Quan Batian.
"Cangtian, why are you provoking them?!"
Quan Cangtian did not answer.
He felt the Taunt Miracle operating.
The enemy's anger was being converted into harm against themselves.
The middle-aged man's attacks became more frenzied, but his openings also multiplied.
Quan Batian seized the opportunity.
The Destruction Dragon Spear swept across, its tip cutting through the shoulders of two Titled Douluo.
Blood splattered.
The two Titled Douluo retreated.
But the middle-aged man and the old man continued attacking.
Quan Batian was held back.
The six Titled Douluo coordinated seamlessly, using a formation to surround Quan Batian.
Quan Batian was a level 99 Semi-God, and his strength overwhelmingly surpassed theirs.
But he could not break free.
Quan Cangtian stood on the outskirts.
The crystal in his palm was still pulsing.
He could feel his gene calling to him.
But he did not yield.
Suddenly.
Another aura appeared in the air.
It was profound.
So profound that it could not be detected.
A middle-aged man emerged from the shadows.
He looked ordinary.
He wore a gray robe, his face expressionless.
But Quan Cangtian could sense his aura.
It was very similar to the Envoy of Elation's.
But not entirely the same.
The Pontifex.
The Pontifex spoke.
"Young Patriarch, you interest me greatly."
Quan Cangtian.
"What do you want?"
The Pontifex.
"The gene within you belongs to me."
Quan Cangtian clenched his fist.
"No. It is mine."
The Pontifex smiled.
"Interesting."
He raised his hand.
A beam of black light shot toward Quan Cangtian.
It was fast.
So fast that Quan Cangtian had no time to dodge.
Quan Cangtian felt the Probability Distortion Miracle activate.
Fate was being twisted.
The Pontifex's attack veered off course.
The black light grazed Quan Cangtian's shoulder.
It did not hit him.
His clothes were burned through, leaving a bloody mark on his skin.
The Pontifex stopped.
He looked at Quan Cangtian.
"Interesting."
"You can twist fate."
Quan Cangtian did not respond.
He was gasping for breath.
Probability Distortion Miracle consumed a great deal of power.
Pontifex.
"You carry the power of Elation within you."
"Aha has taken an interest in you."
Quan Cangtian.
"So what?"
Pontifex.
"Nothing."
"But you still belong to me."
He raised his hand again.
This time, the black light was even denser.
Quan Batian let out a furious roar. The Destruction Dragon Spear swept across, knocking back the six Titled Douluo as he charged toward Quan Cangtian.
"Go!"
He grabbed Quan Cangtian by the shoulder and retreated.
The black light pursued them.
Quan Cangtian activated Probability Distortion Miracle once more.
The black light veered slightly.
It grazed Quan Batian's back.
Quan Batian let out a muffled groan, but he did not stop.
The two of them rushed out through the East Gate and fled toward the outskirts.
Pontifex did not pursue them.
He stood where he was, watching the direction in which they vanished.
Then he smiled.
"Young Patriarch, we will meet again."
Inn.
Quan Cangtian sat on the bed.
His palm faced upward.
The Dark Red Crystal was still pulsing.
But it pulsed more slowly now.
The resonance between the Path of Elation and the Miracle Trait was suppressing the gene.
It had suppressed it.
Quan Batian sat beside him. A wound ran across his back, slowly healing.
"What did you use just now?"
Quan Cangtian.
"The power of the Path of Elation."
"Taunt and Probability Distortion."
Quan Batian.
"You can use them now."
Quan Cangtian.
"Only a little."
"And the cost is enormous."
Quan Batian.
"What about the gene?"
Quan Cangtian looked at his palm.
The crystal pulsed very slowly.
"It has been suppressed."
"The resonance between Elation and the miracle."
"It can suppress it for one month."
Quan Batian.
"What happens after one month?"
Quan Cangtian.
"After one month, the gene will lose control again."
"Unless I grow stronger."
"Strong enough to control it completely."
Quan Batian said nothing.
He rose to his feet, walked to the window, and looked outside.
Night was drawing near.
"One month."
Quan Cangtian.
"Is that enough?"
Quan Batian.
"I don't know."
"But this is your only chance."
Quan Cangtian clenched his fist.
The crystal in his palm pulsed once.
Very faintly.
The Star God of Elation, Aha, was watching him.
He found him interesting.
Pontifex said the gene belonged to him.
The Envoy of Elation said he had to become stronger than Pontifex.
One month.
He needed to grow stronger.
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