Boom—!
The once-hazy clouds thundered apart to either side, revealing a golden projection as clear as a mirror.
Within the image, a turbulent blue ocean filled their vision, and deep within that vast sea...
The outline of an incomparably enormous landmass appeared clearly before everyone.
Accompanied by the resounding, solemn voice of the Great Dao, the first line of brilliant golden ranking text thundered across the sky screen:
[Douluo Plane Continental Overall Strength Rankings—5th Place!] [Listed Name: Heaven Dou Continent!] [Continental Overview: Located deep in the eastern seas of Douluo Star, with vast territory and a mild, humid climate. Currently in a largely undeveloped wilderness state, nurturing immense primeval forests and mineral resources, with exceedingly abundant natural soul power... As it will become the land where descendants of the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family establish a nation along the future course of destiny, it will be named Heaven Dou Continent.]
"What?! Heaven Dou Continent?!"
Inside the great hall of the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial palace.
Xue Ye had been seated high upon his dragon throne, his expression solemn.
The instant he heard the words "Heaven Dou," he sprang to his feet!
His movement was so violent that the beaded curtain on his imperial crown swayed wildly, clattering in a rapid succession of crisp sounds!
"Hahahaha! Good! Wonderful!"
Xue Ye clapped his hands and laughed, his face flushed, his voice trembling violently with excitement:
"Heaven's will has manifested! This is an unsurpassed auspicious omen for a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations!"
"Did you see that?! My ministers! Did you see that?!"
"The sky screen is ranking the strength of the great continents, and the first one announced is the Heaven Dou Continent of our Heaven Dou Empire!
What does that mean? It means that, in Heaven's eyes, this entire Douluo Plane is already in our Heaven Dou Empire's grasp!
Even the supreme will of Heaven has named this entire landmass after our empire!"
To Xue Ye, this was plainly Heaven's prophecy—the Heaven Dou Empire would surely crush Spirit Hall, annex the Star Luo Empire, and unite the world!
Below him in the hall, Prince Xue Xing and the imperial ministers were also beaming with joy. They bowed and knelt, crying out in unison:
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Felicitations, Your Majesty!"
"Heaven Dou shall unite the world and endure for all eternity! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"
However, before the cheers of Heaven Dou's ruler and ministers could fully spread—
The image on the sky screen suddenly zoomed in, presenting an exceptionally clear panoramic close-up of that so-called "Heaven Dou Continent"!
The view plunged downward with a roar!
In the image, boundless ancient trees blotted out the sky, while enormous wild beasts roared and prowled through the mountain forests.
The rivers were clear, but no people lived along them. Everywhere lay scenes of savage, primeval wilderness.
Across the entire continent, forget the magnificent Heaven Dou City—there was not even a single human village or the slightest trace of civilization!
It was plainly nothing but an undeveloped wilderness of beasts!
In an instant, the cheers in Heaven Dou's great hall cut off abruptly.
Xue Ye's flushed old face froze, leaving him rigid on the spot.
He pointed at the sky, his mouth hanging wide open and his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. For a long while, he could not force out a single word!
"This... how is this possible?!"
Prince Xue Xing's legs went weak with fright, and he let out a horrified cry:
"Why are there nothing but beasts up there?! Where is our Heaven Dou City?! Where is the million-strong army of our empire, with its ten-thousand-year legacy?!"
Plummeting from the clouds of "uniting the world" straight into the mud, Xue Ye felt his blood surge.
Stars swam before his eyes, and he collapsed onto the dragon throne as though struck by a devastating blow, his face ashen.
Just as the entire hall descended into bewildered chaos, an elegant figure standing near the front pondered briefly, then slowly stepped forward.
He was the sect master whose sect had recently suffered a crushing blow during the "soul hunting operation," nearly being annihilated.
Yet he still served as Heaven Dou's state preceptor: Ning Fengzhi, sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Fengzhi lightly stroked his long beard and gave an almost imperceptible sigh before bowing and speaking gently:
"Your Majesty, please do not harm your imperial health. Hear your servant out!"
"In my humble opinion, concern has clouded everyone's judgment!
The 'Heaven Dou Continent' in this sky-screen projection likely does not refer to the continent beneath our feet!
Rather, it is an entirely new continent across the boundless ocean, one we have yet to discover!
These so-called continental overall strength rankings may truly compare different continents, rather than powers on a single continent!"
The moment Ning Fengzhi said this, the clamor in the hall fell silent.
Xue Ye and all his ministers widened their eyes!
And as Ning Fengzhi arrived at this realization, so too did the leaders of many other powers.
Spirit Hall's Bibi Dong, Bo Saixi and Tang San on Sea God Island, and the leaders of the great sects all thought of this possibility!
In an instant, everyone in Douluo was stunned!
Beyond the Douluo Continent beneath their feet... other continents truly existed in this world?!
The sky screen certainly knew how to fan the flames, seemingly intent on magnifying this plane-wide spectacle to the utmost.
While revealing Heaven Dou Continent, it casually added a split-screen view of the ruler and ministers losing their composure inside the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, broadcasting them live in one corner!
Meanwhile, far to the south of Douluo Continent, inside the Star Luo Empire's imperial palace.
Watching this dramatic scene in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace through the sky-screen projection, the Star Luo Emperor, Dai Tianfeng, could not help slapping his desk and laughing, his tigerlike eyes brimming with mockery and delight:
"Hahahaha! That old fool Xue Ye was laughing so arrogantly just now. He probably thought he really had united the world!"
"And what did he get? Nothing but a wretched wilderness island without a single person on it! He's killing me!"
Yet after his laughter subsided, Dai Tianfeng looked at the natural spiritual energy over Heaven Dou Continent in the image, so dense it seemed almost ready to condense into mist.
And at its boundless mineral resources. Sour envy surged deep in his eyes, leaving him utterly covetous:
"Damn it... it may be a wilderness, but its natural spiritual energy is several times more abundant than ours!"
"Why did Heaven review it first? And why did it have to name it 'Heaven Dou'?!
Vast primeval forests, endless minerals... the sight makes me green with envy!
Why did it have to name it 'Heaven Dou'? I cannot accept this!"
Heaven was utterly impartial! The sky screen played no favorites either. Since it had broadcast the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, naturally, it did not leave out the Star Luo Imperial Palace.
Dai Tianfeng's mocking, sour expression was likewise broadcast to the entire plane from every angle!
Inside the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Xue Ye had recovered somewhat.
Seeing the Star Luo Emperor's gloating expression in the projection, his beard shook with anger. He snorted, forcing a few retorts through clenched teeth:
"Hmph! The Star Luo Emperor should stop gloating!"
"That is still fertile land with vast territory and abundant spiritual energy! For Heaven to name this continent after our Heaven Dou is an unsurpassed honor for our empire!
What does your Star Luo Empire amount to? The sky screen hasn't mentioned so much as a single word about you! You're merely jealous!"
These face-saving words darkened Dai Tianfeng's expression. Across the sky screen, beneath the gaze of hundreds of millions, the two imperial palaces began quietly competing.
But no one could have expected—
Before Xue Ye could finish his stubborn bluster, and before Dai Tianfeng could snap back!
The purple-gold sky screen high above the heavens suddenly erupted with another mighty voice of the Great Dao that shook the cosmos!
Rumble—!
The radiant clouds hovering over Heaven Dou Continent surged violently.
A second line of dazzling golden text slammed imperiously into the sight of every living being across the plane:
[Douluo Plane Continental Overall Strength Rankings—4th Place!] [Listed Name: Star Luo Continent!] [Continental Overview: Located deep in the southwestern seas of Douluo Star, with a land area slightly larger than Heaven Dou Continent. Its mountains and rivers are majestic, its soul power concentration exceedingly high, and its mineral resources exceptionally abundant. It likewise remains in an undeveloped, primeval wilderness state... As it will be occupied by people of the Star Luo Empire along the future course of destiny, it will be named Star Luo Continent.]
The air fell deathly silent once again.
Xue Ye, who had been stubbornly blustering just moments ago, once again had his smile freeze completely on his face.
Inside the Star Luo Imperial Palace, Dai Tianfeng froze for a moment, then leaped straight from his dragon throne in excitement, bursting into wild laughter that pierced the clouds:
"Hahahaha! Good! Wonderful!"
"Xue Ye, you old fool! What was that you just said?! Say it again for me!"
Bracing himself against the imperial desk, Dai Tianfeng threw back his head and laughed, pointing at the sky screen with unbridled delight:
"My Star Luo Continent ranks fourth! One place higher than your Heaven Dou Continent!"
"More land than yours! More resources than yours! And a higher ranking! This is Heaven's will! Heaven favors Star Luo!"
Heaven Dou had suffered a merciless slap to the face. Xue Ye trembled violently with rage, left utterly speechless by the retort.
The Heaven Dou Imperial Palace's split-screen view vanished in abject embarrassment!
Only the jubilant cheers and wild laughter of the Star Luo Imperial Palace remained, echoing for a long time above the entire Douluo Plane!
While the emperors of the two great empires were quietly vying with each other, the sky screen abruptly changed once more, unleashing a vast divine miracle!
Hum—!
High above the heavens, endless purple-gold radiance suddenly gathered.
It transformed into a sweeping shower of sweet rain and dew, crossing boundless space.
Then poured thunderously onto those two distant, desolate continents!
[Ranking Rewards Issued: heavenly dao divine rain descends! The ecosystems of both continents will be reshaped, natural spiritual energy tripled, all plants revived, and rare treasures nurtured!]
Rumble!
Through the sky screen's live projection, hundreds of millions of beings on Douluo Continent witnessed a soul-shaking "miracle" with their own eyes!
Beneath the nourishing heavenly rain, the once-parched, yellow wilderness clothed itself in lush green at a speed visible to the naked eye!
Ten thousand ancient trees, each a thousand years old, sprang from the earth. Exotic flowers and rare herbs bloomed in the valleys, radiating a glow that refreshed the heart and soul;
Countless low-level soul beasts that had been sleeping deep within the mountain forests absorbed this immense spiritual energy.
Their soul power climbed steadily, and many hundred-year soul beasts even broke through on the spot to become thousand-year or ten-thousand-year beasts, their roars shaking the heavens!
"Heaven... heavenly rain?!"
"Merely fourth and fifth place, and they receive god-tier rewards that revive the spiritual energy of entire continents?!"
"My heavens! If we could cultivate on those two continents, wouldn't our cultivation speed increase severalfold?!"
The entire Douluo Continent erupted!
Every powerhouse in the soul master world, including those old monsters who lived in seclusion, began breathing heavily at that moment!
At his quarters in Heaven Dou City, Yu Xiaogang stared at the sky in disbelief, his eyes filled with incredulity:
"Beyond the Douluo Continent beneath our feet... other continents really exist in this world? And they possess such terrifying resources?"
Meanwhile, in Spirit City, on the raised platform outside the Pope's Hall.
Bibi Dong stared fixedly at the sky-screen image, her grip making the Pope's Scepter creak as burning ambition flashed in her beautiful eyes.
"Heaven Dou Continent? Star Luo Continent?"
Bibi Dong gave a cold laugh, her exquisite face revealing the confidence of someone who had seen through everything:
"I understand... I understand completely!"
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