The continent trembled, and the major powers made their plans!

Two full days had passed since the earth-shaking battle between Leng Yaozhu and Qian Daoliu above Heaven Dou City.

Yet the battle's aftermath had not subsided. Instead, it had become a superstorm sweeping across the entire Douluo Continent.

Every top power worthy of the name was plunged into shock and panic.

Qian Daoliu, the former Pope of Spirit Hall, its Arbitration Elder, the Peerless Douluo hailed as "invincible in the skies," was still alive!

Not only had he reappeared, but something even more chilling had happened.

This godlike Level 99 Limit Douluo had suffered a crushing defeat in Heaven Dou City.

The Heavenly Phoenix Douluo who had appeared out of nowhere had driven him back, sending him fleeing in disgrace!

The news struck like a massive bomb, blasting the major powers' intelligence networks to pieces.

Of course, some people wondered.

Hadn't Qian Daoliu been the one who pursued Tang Hao back then?

Why had the world only learned today that this old monster was still alive?

The answer was cruel.

That earth-shaking incident in which Tang Hao had gravely wounded the previous Pope—

Aside from Spirit Hall's inner circle and Tang Hao himself, no one outside had any way of knowing the full story.

Even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, fellow members of the Upper Three Sects—

Had only picked up a few scattered, inconsequential scraps.

Now, Qian Daoliu's forceful return—

Had sent an exceedingly dangerous signal to the entire continent.

Spirit Hall's ultimate trump card, powerful enough to suppress the whole world, still hung over everyone's heads.

And who could guarantee that Spirit Hall's unfathomable reserves did not conceal an even more terrifying trump card?

But the one who truly left the major powers unable to eat or sleep, feeling thorns digging into their backs, was the woman still sitting calmly in Heaven Dou City.

Heavenly Phoenix Douluo, Leng Yaozhu!

Though she was in Heaven Dou City, that did not mean she served the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

According to every power's intelligence network—

This unfathomably powerful woman had no sect behind her and no attachments.

She acted entirely as she pleased, and there was no pattern to when she struck.

That was the most despair-inducing "nuclear deterrent" of all.

No weaknesses. No reservations.

The leaders of the major powers lay awake at night.

They feared that this formidable lady might wake up in a bad mood one day and casually unleash a sea of fire, reducing their century-old foundations to ashes.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, council hall.

The atmosphere was suffocatingly oppressive.

"Qian Daoliu has reappeared... Now things really have become difficult."

Ning Fengzhi stared fixedly at the urgent, confidential report from Heaven Dou City in his hand.

His usually gentle, refined face was now etched with exhaustion.

He painfully rubbed his throbbing brow, his voice steeped in helplessness.

The situation had slipped completely beyond his control.

Ning Fengzhi had always fancied himself the man moving the pieces in the great game of the world.

With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's wealth and the deterrence of two Titled Douluos, he had maneuvered among the major powers with ease.

And what had come of it?

Two godlike powerhouses had descended straight from the heavens.

They had not merely stepped outside the chessboard—they had kicked the entire board to pieces.

In an instant, he, the "chess player," had become a clown with no game left to play!

Only now did he truly see just how unfathomably deep the waters of the Douluo Continent ran.

Before such absolute power, capable of destroying heaven and earth—

How could the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, whose direct descendants were all support types, preserve itself amid the approaching tide of chaos?

"Perhaps... finding someone new to break this deadlock is our only way to survive."

Ning Fengzhi's gaze flickered, fixing firmly on the words "Heavenly Phoenix Douluo" in the report.

Could this peerless powerhouse, with no backing yet capable of repelling Qian Daoliu, be the remedy that saved the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?

But even he placed an enormous question mark over that idea.

Bargaining with a tiger for its skin—one careless move could doom them beyond redemption.

Meanwhile, Sword Douluo Chen Xin, who had stood silently to one side, heard the name "Qian Daoliu."

At last, violent emotion surged through his eyes, ordinarily as still as an ancient well.

Hum—

A clear sword hum rang through the hall. Chen Xin's hand was actually trembling beyond his control.

Everything he knew about Qian Daoliu had come from his father, who had returned grievously wounded and near death, and ultimately died with regrets.

From that day onward, Chen Xin had carved one sentence into his very bones: below Level 99, all were mere ants in this world!

"Uncle Jian..." Ning Fengzhi drew a deep breath and abruptly rose, a gleam of resolve flashing in his eyes.

"I want to go to Heaven Dou City myself and meet this Heavenly Phoenix Douluo!"

"Very well." Chen Xin slowly closed his eyes, suppressing his surging sword intent, and nodded firmly.

He offered no words of dissuasion.

He knew perfectly well that meeting a powerhouse whose temperament they knew nothing about could very likely cost them their lives.

But that was his way of the sword—even through countless perils, even into an abyss or a sea of fire, he would advance with sword in hand and keep his sect master safe!

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Thunder Hall.

Boom!

A savage bolt of blue lightning exploded in Yu Yuanzhen's palm.

The confidential report from Heaven Dou City instantly turned to ash.

"Qian Daoliu is actually still alive... This is very bad."

"It seems it's time to swallow my pride and pay that old fox Ning Fengzhi a visit."

Yu Yuanzhen's brows were tightly knitted, lightning surging around him and betraying the profound turmoil within.

"But right now, there's another living calamity even more troublesome and deadly than Qian Daoliu!"

Gritting his teeth, Yu Yuanzhen looked toward Heaven Dou City.

The golden flames described in the report surfaced in his mind—flames that could burn the heavens and boil the seas.

The current state of the Upper Three Sects could only be called disastrous.

The Clear Sky Sect, once the greatest sect under heaven, had lost its old sect master, and Tang Hao had vanished after bringing a monstrous disaster upon them.

To avoid Spirit Hall's sharp edge, the new sect master, Tang Xiao—

Had actually sealed off the mountain and withdrawn with the entire sect.

They had even abandoned the Four Single-Attribute Clans that depended on them, leaving them to be slaughtered by Spirit Hall.

As for his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, it seemed imposing on every side.

In truth, he was its only Super Douluo, struggling alone to uphold its prestige.

As for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, though the Sword and Bone Titled Douluos stood guard over it—

Its direct descendants were all support types with no combat power.

Before monsters on the level of Qian Daoliu and the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo—

The foundations the Upper Three Sects took such pride in were as laughable as paper constructions.

The overall situation could scarcely have been more unfavorable for them!

While the continent's top powers racked their brains for survival, living each day in dread—

In the rear courtyard of Dugu Manor, Heaven Dou City.

In stark contrast to the panic outside, a strange, warm energy pulsed through the room here.

Their soul power intertwined and merged, bathing the entire room in a radiance like a divine realm.

Hum—

A powerful surge of soul power suddenly rippled from Qian Renxue's body, lifting her long golden hair.

"Level 39!"

Qian Renxue abruptly opened her eyes, her stunning golden gaze filled with irrepressible joy and astonishment.

After just three days of cultivating with Lu Xuan, she had actually broken through her bottleneck, advancing from Level 38 to Level 39!

Such rocket-fast cultivation speed was simply unheard of!

"Don't stop. Keep circulating the Great Heavenly Circuit. I feel like I'm about to break through too!"

Lu Xuan, seated opposite her, opened his eyes as well.

He gazed at Qian Renxue with blazing intensity.

Through their dual cultivation, their martial soul origins had formed an exceptionally perfect complement and resonance.

"Oh! All right!"

Qian Renxue nodded obediently, a lovely blush coloring her cheeks from the surging soul power.

Without the slightest hesitation, she closed her eyes again and pressed her fair, soft hands firmly against Lu Xuan's palms.

Their breathing gradually fell into sync, and their heartbeats slowly aligned.