At that moment, neither continent would concede to the other.
The Soul Masters of both continents were staring at the Holy Spirit Continent's reveal section.
One side waited for the other's Soul Masters to make the rankings so they could hold their heads high; the other waited for a True Dragon to appear and deliver another crushing blow.
The atmosphere bristled with drawn swords and taut bows. Beneath the Heavenly Screen, no one spoke another word.
But-
There was another power watching in secret.
The Divine Realm.
Meanwhile, in the Divine Realm.
The appearance of the Heavenly Screen had affected more than just the two continents. Even the deities of the Divine Realm had discovered this strange change.
Reports passed up through the ranks and soon reached the Asura God.
At that moment, within the temple in the deepest reaches of the Divine Realm.
The Sea God and the Asura God were quietly watching the Heavenly Screen's revelations through an ancient water mirror.
In truth, they had little concern for the Douluo Continent.
Everything on that continent lay within the Divine Realm's control and rules.
A few Titled Douluos making the rankings amounted to nothing more than a handful of captive flames flickering. They could not burn their way into the heavens.
But the Holy Spirit Continent...
Both gods' expressions grew graver.
The things the Heavenly Screen had revealed.
Godslaying Soul Tools, two-million-year Soul Beasts.
Those had taken them somewhat by surprise.
What truly concerned them, however, was the Heavenly Screen itself.
Its power far surpassed any power they possessed as gods.
In other words, the Heavenly Screen could not possibly fabricate anything.
Every word it revealed was true.
After a long silence, the Asura God spoke first, his voice low.
"Soul Tools could conceivably emerge as the Soul Masters' technology develops."
"But how could Two-Million-Year Soul Beasts exist in this plane?"
"Even if they did, there is no way we would fail to sense them."
"Yet we have indeed sensed nothing."
The Sea God's brows knitted tightly as he continued.
"That is not all."
"The Martial Souls on the Douluo Continent certainly cannot be called weak."
"Yet the Holy Spirit Continent's Soul Masters dared to mock them like that..."
"Where exactly does their confidence come from?"
"Could their Soul Masters be extraordinary as well?"
"Could they... truly develop along several paths at once?"
The Asura God slowly shook his head, lightly tapping a knuckle against his divine throne's armrest.
"I do not know."
"This continent is far too mysterious."
"Someone-can obscure the rules we impose upon Soul Beasts."
As those words fell, deathly silence settled before the water mirror.
Throughout all the ages, this was the first time a god had spoken of their rules being obscured.
Only after a long while did the Sea God emerge from that deathly silence and speak in a somber voice.
"To guard against anything that might threaten us."
"Let us intervene in the lower realm and probe it with our divine power."
The Asura God nodded slowly, then glanced at the water mirror. A flicker of wariness crossed his eyes that even a god could not conceal.
"Indeed... it is time to take some measures!"
As his words fell, the Sea God's pupils suddenly contracted, and he cried out involuntarily.
"Look! A Soul Master from the Holy Spirit Continent has made the rankings!"
The Asura God snapped his gaze toward it, his pupils shrinking sharply.
"How is that possible?!"
"Holy Spirit... how could there be gods..."
[Holy Spirit Continent section] [Seventeenth strongest: Ao Che] [Martial Soul: Azure Tide Sacred Dragon] [Affiliation: Imperial Abyss Hall · Hall Master] [Cultivation: First-Level God] [Bloodline: Inherited the blood of Dragon God Hamo, then underwent refinement through seven strands of the Holy Spirit God King's divine power. Twice evolved, passed down for one hundred thousand years, and refined with every generation! This blood has transcended the ranks of dragon blood and ascended to the pinnacle of True Dragon bloodlines-the only one in this age, the only one in all eternity!] [Abilities: Azure Tide Sacred Dragon, Lord of the Abyssal Sea, commanding all the Azure Waves beneath heaven!] [With a single dragon roar, abysses open and seas rise. Wherever his voice reaches, rivers surge backward, flowing against their courses toward the sky!] [Where his dragon body passes, the vast seas give way. Hundreds of millions of tons of water follow his will, condensing into walls or transforming into blades that blanket the heavens and earth!] [Where his tail sweeps, even the deep seas along the continent's shores must retreat three leagues. All the boundless Azure Waves become his weapons!] [He also possesses an innate dragon majesty, commanding awe without anger. Those of the same rank lose their nerve before battle even begins; all beasts gaze upon his scales as though paying homage to their sovereign!] [Signature divine skill: Azure Waves Dragon Roar · Abyss Shakes the Ninefold Heavens] [Introduction: Master of the Imperial Abyss Hall, the pinnacle of the Holy Spirit Continent's dragon Martial Soul lineage. The man is like an abyss, the dragon like a sea-an abyss without a bottom, a sea without a shore!] [Reward: Super Divine Artifact · Abyss-Suppressing Dragon Spear!] [When the spear emerges, a dragon's cry rings out of its own accord. Wherever its tip points, the vast seas give way. A single thrust can pierce mountains and seas, seal and sever rivers!] [It can also become one with his Martial Soul, the Azure Tide Sacred Dragon. The spear is the dragon, and the dragon is the spear. When man, spear, and dragon unite as one, a single thrust strikes fear into every god!]
Before anyone had time to catch their breath, the Heavenly Screen continued its revelations.
[Holy Spirit Continent section] [Sixteenth strongest: Jun Mowen] [Martial Soul: Azure Nether Heaven-Slaying Sword, weapon Martial Soul] [Affiliation: Heaven-Slaying Pavilion · Pavilion Master] [Cultivation: First-Level God] [Abilities: When the Azure Nether Heaven-Slaying Sword leaves its sheath, stars fall like rain!] [With one swing, its sword light soars into the azure heavens and returns bearing plucked stars. Wherever that light passes, stars fall at its call, becoming a fiery rain of meteors pouring down upon the mortal world!] [Where its edge points, the river of stars gives way. Beneath this sword, sun, moon, and stars can all be cleaved!] [The sword's master, Jun Mowen, rules the Heaven-Slaying Pavilion, which hangs above the ninefold heavens. All his life, he has practiced only one sword stroke: raise his head, draw his sword, cleave the heavens.] [Signature divine skill: Heaven-Slaying Form] [Once this sword stroke is unleashed, every star overhead falls! With stars as arrows and heaven as the bow, a single Heaven-Slaying Form can annihilate a city!] [Introduction: Master of the Heaven-Slaying Pavilion. He never competes with others in swordsmanship, asking only one question: does your sword dare to cleave the heavens?] [Reward: Super Divine Artifact · Nameless!] [The Swordforging Ancestor's final forging of his lifetime. On the day the sword was completed, the Ancestor lifted his brush to name it, only to discover that its might was such that not a single word in the world was worthy of it.] [Thus, he cast aside his brush and named it: Nameless.] [When Nameless leaves its sheath, ten thousand swords bow and the laws retreat. The greatest sword beneath heaven: Nameless.]
At that moment, two pillars of light from the Heavenly Screen descended from the Nine Heavens upon the Heaven-Slaying Pavilion and the Imperial Abyss Hall!
Atop the Stargazing Platform at the highest point of the Heaven-Slaying Pavilion.
Jun Mowen sat cross-legged, his Martial Soul, the Azure Nether Heaven-Slaying Sword, resting across his palm.
The Heavenly Screen's pillar of light descended, enveloping the Stargazing Platform-
Deep within the light, a sword slowly descended.
This sword had no edge, no sheath, and no inscription.
Its blade reflected no light and cast no shadow, as though even the Heavenly Screen's golden radiance would be swallowed upon touching it.
Jun Mowen raised his hand.
His five fingers closed around the hilt.
Humm-!
A sword's cry rang from deep within the blade, clear as a crane's call, soaring straight into the Nine Heavens!
The Azure Nether Heaven-Slaying Sword in his palm began trembling at the same time, as though meeting an old friend, as though encountering its king.
The instant the two swords touched, a thin line was silently sliced through the night sky around the Stargazing Platform.
A gash had been cut into the heavens.
Jun Mowen held the new sword, its weight pressing heavily against his palm. The faintest trace of a smile flickered in his eyes.
"...A fine sword."
"Worthy of being drawn by me."
Meanwhile, at the Imperial Abyss Hall.
Ao Che was still standing before the hall's entrance.
The Heavenly Screen's pillar of light descended directly before the entrance. From deep within it, a long spear tore through the air and dropped!
The entire shaft was a deep azure blue, with dragon patterns winding from its tip to its end. At the tassel, dragon scales rattled in the wind.
Boom!
The instant the spear landed in Ao Che's palm, the abyssal sea behind the hall erupted into a furious boil!
Countless water dragons surged from the abyss, circling the entrance and paying homage to their new king. The spear's soul and the dragon's soul drew together through his bloodline, becoming one seamless whole!
Spear in hand, Ao Che went to the abyssal sea behind the hall.
Within it were all the Soul Beasts raised by their Imperial Abyss Hall-water dragons possessing True Dragon bloodlines.
Then he casually swept his spear.
Whoosh!
The abyssal sea split down the middle, revealing a straight waterway whose depths could not be seen.
With the power of a single spear stroke, the sea itself gave way.
"A fine spear."
"It can hold the abyss in check!"
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