The civil and military officials in Dragon Cang Palace froze at the sight of the great, divinely radiant words on the sky screen, then erupted in cries of astonishment.
"Supreme Rankings? Exposing forbidden existences?!"
"Isn't that talking about us? Our Longcang Empire commands a million soldiers, possesses the most advanced soul guidance technology and armies of ferocious beasts, and His Majesty's power is unfathomable!"
"First place will definitely belong to our Dragon Cang Continent!"
"Exactly! The Douluo Continent, the Sun Moon Continent—compared to us, they're nothing but primitive, backward lands!"
As he listened to his officials' excited discussions below, Ye Canghai remained immovable on his dragon throne, though the corner of his mouth twitched despite himself.
He stared fixedly at the sky screen above, utterly numb.
"No, seriously, bro? You're really doing this to me? Fuck!"
I lay low for a whole million years! I finally managed to disguise myself as a continent, form an ecosystem, and even establish an empire!
All I wanted was some peace and quiet, to keep those bastards in the Divine Realm from bothering me while I made my push toward Supreme God King!
And now you fucking spring this sky-screen exposé on me?
Aren't you just picking a fight? If you expose my greatest secret—
The Longcang Continent is actually a living Divine King Crocodile!
Wouldn't all his years of effort come to nothing? Wouldn't those lofty God Kings discover him and stop him from attaining the supreme rank among God Kings?
Sky screen, you've got some fat fucking nerve!
Ye Canghai wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead. For the first time, he understood what it meant for "the heavens to collapse and the earth to split apart"!
High above the heavens, rosy light filled the sky. An immense, boundless pressure spread out, yet carried no killing intent.
Even so, it left every powerful being in this world, and even the lofty gods of the Divine Realm, unable to summon the slightest thought of resistance.
Above the firmament, the sky screen rippled, and lines of text appeared:
[These rankings are a manifestation of the Douluo Plane Will. Beyond all laws, absolutely impartial!] [The first edition of the rankings officially begins—] [Ranking: Continental Comprehensive Strength Ranking of the Douluo Plane!] [Assessment criteria: territory, population, civilization, peak combat strength, underlying reserves, and fortune!]
"Douluo Plane rankings?"
"The Heavenly Dao Will is publishing the rankings itself? And there are rewards for breaking through to godhood?!"
The appearance of these few lines sent the entire Douluo Plane into an unprecedented upheaval!
On the Douluo Continent, inside Spirit Hall's Pope's Palace.
Dressed in a magnificent purple gown and crown, Bibi Dong held the supreme Pope's Scepter as she gazed at the boundless sky screen.
Her usually cold, stern face was now filled with shock.
"Divine-Level Rewards? The Heavenly Dao Will? Could existences beyond the divine level truly exist in this world?"
Not long before, the Soul Hunting Operation she had personally orchestrated had concluded, dealing devastating blows to the once-flourishing Upper Three Sects.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had been slaughtered and exterminated, while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had lost more than half its elite members and been forced to cower in Heaven Dou City to survive.
Striking while the iron was hot, Bibi Dong had also forcefully organized a new selection of the Seven Great Sects, bringing the Lower Four Sects under her control.
Spirit Hall's power had now reached its highest point in thousands of years. It was sharpening its blades, ready at any moment to raise its banner, proclaim imperial rule, and establish the Spirit Hall Empire!
The sky screen's sudden appearance gave Bibi Dong a vague sense of foreboding. Her great undertaking of unification might now face unexpected complications.
As Bibi Dong pondered, two voices broke the silence of the Pope's Palace.
"Your Holiness!"
Space trembled as Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo appeared, bowed low, and called out in unison:
"This sky screen is extraordinary. Its phenomena encompass the continent. We went to investigate, but discovered that even Titled Douluos like us could not draw the slightest bit closer in the face of this divine might!"
Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes narrowed at their report. She turned and fixed her gaze on the words "Continental Comprehensive Strength Ranking" on the sky screen.
Now largely convinced of the sky screen's authenticity, she began weighing the so-called Divine-Level Rewards.
"What do they mean by directly ranking the continents' comprehensive strength? Hmph, such grandiose words!
"Surely it's just a ranking of the many factions on this continent?
"Could there possibly be a second continent in the Douluo Plane capable of standing alongside the Douluo Continent?"
In Bibi Dong's view, ranking the continents' comprehensive strength was, in essence, simply ranking the major factions on the Douluo Continent.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has been destroyed, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is barely clinging to life, and the Clear Sky Sect remains in seclusion. None can withstand even a single clash with Spirit Hall!
"And the Two Great Empires can only rely on mortal armies. Their twilight has come! Who would dare reach for first place besides Spirit Hall?"
Bibi Dong slowly rose, her aura surging and ambition blazing in her eyes.
"Convey my papal decree. Put the entire city on alert!"
"Once the sky screen declares Spirit Hall first on the continent, I will harness this supreme heavenly might!
"We will formally tear up the treaty, establish the Spirit Hall Empire, and unite the world!"
"Yes!" Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo replied with bowed heads.
Meanwhile, in the Worship Hall on the mountain behind.
Inside the hall, a burly old man abruptly opened his eyes. He was Spirit Hall's Second Worship, the rank-98 Super Douluo, Golden Crocodile Douluo.
"Elder brother!" Golden Crocodile Douluo turned toward the blond elder Qian Daoliu, who stood beneath the Angel God Statue, and spoke gravely.
"This sky screen's power is extraordinarily mysterious. Could it truly be a miracle sent down from the Divine Realm?"
Qian Daoliu stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing the heavens as though he meant to see straight through the sky screen.
In response to Golden Crocodile Douluo's question, Qian Daoliu merely shook his head slightly and said:
"This doesn't seem like the work of those gods in the Divine Realm... This aura is countless times more ancient and vast than the divine power I sensed within the Angel God's inheritance!"
"If the sky screen speaks the truth, if it can truly bestow an opportunity to break through to godhood—"
A brilliant light burst from Qian Daoliu's eyes!
"Perhaps Spirit Hall can produce a true god without having to rely on a God Trial!"
On the vast ocean, along a beach on Sea God Island.
Several young men and women dressed in different colors looked up at the sky, their eyes filled with horror!
"San, look! The Heavenly Dao Will—this world actually has something like that? It's going to rank the strength of every continent in the entire plane?!"
Dai Mubai exclaimed, instinctively looking toward Tang San.
Standing at the front, the blue-haired Tang San had already activated his Purple Demon Eye, attempting to pierce that veil of rosy light.
Yet the instant his gaze touched the sky screen, a piercing pain shot through him. He stumbled back three steps and spat out a mouthful of blood, the purple light in his eyes dissipating at once.
"Third Brother! Are you all right?!" The others hurried to support Tang San.
"I'm fine..." Tang San wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, towering waves of shock once again rising in his heart.
Even with his current mastery of the Purple Demon Eye, he was not qualified to so much as glance at the sky screen. It was certainly beyond any ordinary level!
Tang San clenched his teeth, a trace of worry flashing through his eyes. Their group had finally overcome obstacle after obstacle to reach Sea God Island.
They had come to undertake the Sea God Trial and gain the strength to defeat Spirit Hall. Yet at this crucial moment, an unforeseen complication had arisen—the sky screen had appeared out of nowhere!
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has been destroyed, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has been badly wounded. If the sky screen truly judges strength, Spirit Hall will certainly rank near the top.
"If they receive rewards, will we still have any hope of revenge?"
Tang San voiced everyone's fears.
Just then, a noble, elegant figure appeared out of thin air on the beach.
With an exquisitely beautiful face and the Sea God Scepter in hand, she was none other than Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi!
"Greetings, Senior!" Tang San and the others hurriedly bowed.
Bo Saixi's expression was graver than ever before.
"Dispense with the formalities! This sky screen is likely a manifestation of the plane's will. Even Lord Sea God's divine power cannot interfere with it...!"
"Whether this is a blessing or a calamity, I cannot say. Once these rankings emerge, the entire order of Douluo may be overturned!"
The Clear Sky Sect, hidden deep within the mountains!
Inside the great hall, over a dozen gray-robed elders stood in formation, the atmosphere oppressive.
"Sect Master, what exactly is this sky screen? Could it be some scheme devised by Spirit Hall?!" one elder could not help asking loudly.
Standing at the forefront, Tang Xiao likewise wore a grave, worried expression.
"Spirit Hall probably doesn't possess such capabilities yet, but the sky screen's appearance at this moment is certainly startling!"
"Brother Hao and San have only just rejoined the sect. That child San is exceptionally gifted and possesses twin martial souls. He is our Clear Sky Sect's hope of returning to the world.
"Yet just at this moment, the sky screen descends to rank the strength of the entire plane and expose forbidden existences.
"Exposing our Clear Sky Sect's hidden reserves would be a minor matter, but if it affects San's cultivation on Sea God Island..."
Tang Xiao pressed his forehead and said in a low voice:
"Pass down the order first. Activate the sect's grand formation at full power. Everyone is to stand ready!"
"Let us see what secrets this sky screen will expose, and how great an impact it will have!"
Outside Heaven Dou City, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's temporary encampment.
Sect Master Ning Fengzhi leaned on a cane, his face pale and an unmistakable exhaustion lingering at the corners of his eyes.
Beside him, Sword Douluo Chen Xin had lost an arm, yet the Sword Intent around him had grown even sharper; Bone Douluo Gu Rong's expression was cold and stern.
"Sect Master," Bone Douluo said gravely, "those villains from Spirit Hall ambushed our sect. We cannot live beneath the same sky as them! If the sky screen truly bestows a Divine-Level Reward, we..."
"Uncle Gu, be patient."
Ning Fengzhi drew a deep breath, a gleam of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
"Though our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has suffered a great catastrophe, our foundations remain. We also have deep ties with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and Shrek Academy."
"If this sky screen can truly assess those foundations, perhaps... this will be our sect's only chance to find life in a desperate corner!"
Inside a side room at the encampment.
Yu Xiaogang sat on a chair, utterly despondent, with a furious Liu Erlong beside him.
The horrific sight of blood flowing in rivers through the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan still lingered before his eyes. Yu Xiaogang clenched his fists until they crackled.
Both their eyes burned with the fury of vengeance. "Spirit Hall! Bibi Dong! Once the sky screen reveals the truth, the whole continent will see your evil deeds!"
Across the entire Douluo Continent, every major faction harbored its own thoughts.
Yet neither the ambitious Bibi Dong nor the deeply worried Tang San and his companions
Could ever have imagined, even in their dreams,
That what they understood as "ranking the continents' strength" was not remotely on the same dimension as the concept in their minds!
Before you continue