Founding Ceremony

Hearing Golden Crocodile's answer, Qian Qiyun sighed. "Golden Crocodile makes a decent fighter, but if you want him to come up with a plan, you can forget it."

Qian Qiyun then instructed Golden Crocodile Douluo, "Go ask the Great Enshrined what he thinks."

Golden Crocodile Douluo nodded at Qian Qiyun's order, turned, and headed for the Worship Hall.

Meanwhile, inside the Worship Hall.

A venerable old man sat at the head of the hall, radiating a warm, holy presence.

He was Qian Yuan, the current Great Enshrined of the Worship Hall, high priest of the Angel God, the previous Angel Douluo, and a Level 99 Limit Douluo!

Three other enshrined elders sat beside him: the Level 98 Second Worship, Golden Blade Douluo, whose Martial Soul was the Golden Beast-Slaying Blade!

The Level 96 Third Offering, Coiling Dragon Douluo, whose Martial Soul was the Coiling Dragon Staff!

And the Level 96 Fourth Offering, Gale Douluo, whose Martial Soul was the Three-Headed Gale Demon Wolf!

Qian Yuan opened his eyes when Golden Crocodile Douluo arrived.

Golden Crocodile Douluo came straight to the point. "Great Enshrined, His Holiness the Pope sent me about the Clear Sky Sect..."

He then told Qian Yuan everything the Clear Sky Sect had stirred up across the continent lately.

Once Qian Yuan had heard the whole story, he said to Golden Crocodile, "I understand. Go back and tell Qiyun that the Worship Hall supports every decision the Pope makes."

With that, Qian Yuan closed his eyes and resumed his cultivation.

After Golden Crocodile relayed the Great Enshrined's stance to Qian Qiyun, Qian Qiyun pondered for a moment.

Then he told Golden Crocodile, "When the Clear Sky Sect holds its founding ceremony in a few days, take a few gifts over. Announce something while you're there, too. Tell all the sect masters that Spirit Hall will select the three strongest sects as the Upper Three Sects, then choose four slightly weaker sects as the Lower Four Sects."

Golden Crocodile nodded to show he understood Qian Qiyun's orders.

The scene shifted to the Clear Sky Sect.

Sect Master Tang Yue sat on the newly built Sect Master's Throne.

Eight seats had been arranged around him.

Four belonged to the Clear Sky Sect's elders on the left.

The other four belonged to the heads of the Four Single-Attribute Families on the right.

Seated at the head, Tang Yue said, "Elders, clan heads, the new Clear Sky Sect has been built. It's time to hold our founding ceremony. I called you here today to discuss the date and which powers we should invite."

Tang Xing was the first to answer Tang Yue's question. "Big Brother, you're the sect master. Of course you should decide."

Once First Elder Tang Xing had spoken, the others chimed in. "Exactly. We'll leave it to you, Sect Master."

Seeing that the other elders and clan heads all felt the same way.

Tang Yue said, "I'd like to hold the founding ceremony on the first day of next month. We'll invite Spirit Hall, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Wind Sword Sect, the Fire Leopard Sect, and others, along with the Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Imperial Family."

The others exchanged glances, then nodded in agreement. "A sound plan, Sect Master. We'll follow your instructions."

They all seemed content to leave everything to him.

Tang Yue nodded with satisfaction and continued, "I also want every power to bring its talented young people to compete against our Clear Sky Team."

At that, the others could no longer sit still.

"Sect Master, you must think this through!" Second Elder Tang Song urged. "Our young talents are still too young. It's not wise to reveal them yet."

Tang Song had barely finished speaking when Yang Sheng, head of the Breaking Clan, shot back, "Bullshit! Our Clear Sky Sect's young sect master is invincible! No one at his level can match him. Besides, the sect master has broken through. Even Spirit Hall's Pope would struggle to gain the slightest advantage against him. With all of us and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect backing him, what is there to worry about?"

The heads of the Four Single-Attribute Families nodded at Yang Sheng's words.

Third Elder Tang Shuo said, "Second Brother, we don't need to worry so much. A genius emerging from the Clear Sky Sect is good news for the other sects, too. Spirit Hall has stood alone at the top for nearly a thousand years, and the other sects have been itching to test themselves against it. Our genius gives them the perfect chance to probe Spirit Hall. Rather than plot against him, they'll protect him."

Tang Song thought over Tang Shuo's explanation, but couldn't make sense of it. In the end, he gave up trying.

He sat back down and sulked.

Seeing that the others agreed, Tang Yue said, "Since we're all in agreement, it's settled. We'll hold the founding ceremony on the first day of next month and invite the various powers to bring their young talents for a match against us."

As he spoke, Tang Yue handed each person an envelope.

He told each of them which power to deliver it to.

Seeing the envelopes Tang Yue had prepared in advance, Tang Xing grumbled, "Hey, Big Brother, if you'd already decided, why call us here to discuss it?"

Tang Yue rapped Tang Xing on the head.

"Because it makes me look democratic."

Tang Xing stuck out his tongue, then turned into a streak of light and sped toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to deliver the invitation.

The other elders also became streaks of light and set off to deliver invitations to the various sects.

Time flew. In the blink of an eye, it was the first day of the next month.

The sect masters had arrived at the Clear Sky Sect early, bringing their young talents with them.

When Ning Zi saw Ning Quan, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she hurried over to him in delight.

"Second Uncle, look!"

As she spoke, Ning Zi summoned her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Ning Quan smiled when he saw her run over. "Ah Zi, you've grown quite a bit in these past few months."

Then Ning Quan looked at her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

One glance was enough to hold his gaze.

"One, two, three... eight? Nine! Nine tiers!"

Seeing that Ning Zi's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Ning Quan gripped her arm and asked with trembling lips,

"Ah Zi, how did you do it?"

Ning Zi stuck out her tongue playfully. "It's all thanks to Brother Chen! But I can't tell you exactly what happened. Ask him yourself, Second Uncle."

Ning Quan's regret ran so deep he could have kicked himself.

He couldn't help thinking, If only I'd sent my daughter! Wait, I don't have a daughter. My son would've done! Even if I had to cut it off! If nothing else, I could've gone myself!

Just as Ning Quan was drowning in regret, something suddenly occurred to him.