Yang Chang'an and Niu Wenchuan followed the guards onward. Before long, they reached the foot of Angel God Mountain.
The clearing at the foot of the mountain was wide and empty, with hardly anyone around. Only a handful of youths about their age stood scattered across it, their faces taut with both nervousness and excitement.
Yang Chang'an glanced around, then pulled Niu Wenchuan into an inconspicuous corner and quietly waited for the others to arrive.
His gaze kept sweeping his surroundings. He knew perfectly well that every youth standing here today was a promising talent Spirit Hall had carefully selected from across the land, specifically to rival the geniuses in the Papal Hall's Purple Glory Training Camp.
Before long, the clearing gradually filled with people.
Groups of guards arrived with one youth after another. They were all about the same age as Yang Chang'an and Niu Wenchuan, and each faintly radiated the distinctive Soul Power fluctuations of a Soul Master. Though not particularly strong, those fluctuations were remarkably pure.
Yang Chang'an discreetly studied them, unable to suppress his inward amazement.
"What an enormous investment. Spirit City really does deserve its reputation as the holy land of the Soul Master World. Its foundations are terrifying!" Yang Chang'an glanced at the children. This was after the Papal Hall had already selected a batch for the Purple Glory Training Camp; otherwise, there would have been even more.
Moreover, the situation was as clear as a mirror in his mind. Since the Worship Hall intended to train them to counterbalance the Purple Glory Training Camp's geniuses, not a single youth here could have had Innate Soul Power below rank seven. In any other faction, they would have been geniuses their families treasured and pampered like precious jewels.
While Yang Chang'an was quietly observing them, a sudden series of orderly footsteps came from higher up Angel God Mountain.
Everyone instinctively looked up.
Four figures slowly descended the sacred mountain: two boys and two girls, all slightly older than the youths below.
The moment those four appeared, the atmosphere changed.
Each wore extraordinarily lavish clothing made from fabric that was clearly anything but ordinary. Their bearing was exceptional, poised and dignified. At a glance, they were privileged heirs who had received the finest education, on an entirely different level from many of those present.
Yang Chang'an's gaze sharpened instantly as he stared at their clothing.
He did not recognize the other patterns, but he identified the designs on the two girls' clothes at once.
One had a two-winged angel embroidered on her clothing, while the other bore a golden crocodile.
Such emblems were not embroidered at random. On the Douluo Continent, an emblem was a family's most distinctive mark, and only direct descendants could wear it.
Yang Chang'an's heart gave a violent thump.
A golden crocodile! That was the family emblem of Golden Crocodile Douluo, Spirit Hall's Second Worship. The girl wearing it had to be his direct descendant!
As for the girl with the angel pattern, her embroidered angel wasn't a Six-Winged Angel, so she was probably from a collateral branch of the Angel Clan. But even a collateral descendant held a status ordinary people couldn't begin to compare with!
And those two boys beside them? Did it even need thinking about, when they could walk alongside two girls with such formidable backgrounds? They had to be blood descendants of the other Worships.
Yang Chang'an's heart instantly grew heavy.
With the Worship Hall's own descendants here, this competition against the Purple Glory Training Camp would truly be a spectacle.
The other youths present were no fools either. Seeing the four newcomers' bearing and clothing, they all instinctively drew back a little.
Just then, an incomparably powerful surge of Soul Power descended from above!
It enveloped every youth in the clearing in an instant. They felt as though an invisible hand had pinned them down, making even breathing difficult.
Everyone abruptly turned to look.
A lean, tall middle-aged man in blue-green robes had appeared before them without anyone noticing when.
His face was expressionless, his eyes as calm as a deep pool. Yet the mere presence of this man brought utter silence to the clearing.
Most of the youths did not recognize the middle-aged man in blue-green. Their hearts tightened with nerves, unsure who this powerful figure who had suddenly appeared could be.
But in the next instant, the four youths who had just descended the mountain stepped forward together and bowed deeply to him, their voices filled with respect:
"Greetings, Third Offering!"
The Third Offering?!
The instant that title rang out, everyone froze in shock, eyes wide and faces full of disbelief!
A Worship? They were Spirit Hall's highest fighting power, the legendary Peak Douluos, great figures who stood at the very summit of the entire world of Soul Masters!
They had only arrived at the Worship Hall today and hadn't even entered its gates, yet they were already meeting a genuine Peak Douluo?!
Once their shock passed, everyone came to their senses and bowed together, their voices perfectly united:
"Greetings, Third Offering!"
Azure Luan Douluo swept a brief glance over them and nodded lightly, his voice calm:
"Rise."
Only after everyone had straightened did he slowly speak. "My title is Azure Luan. From today onward, I will personally oversee all of your training."
His words left the clearing silent, before irrepressible excitement erupted.
Yang Chang'an felt the same excitement, but he no longer looked directly at Azure Luan Douluo. He privately surmised that this man must have been one of the three great Worships whose names had never been given in the original story.
Azure Luan Douluo continued, "As long as your performance is good enough, as long as you distinguish yourselves among this group, you can earn the right to cultivate within the Worship Hall!"
Enter the Worship Hall directly?!
At those words, every youth's breathing quickened dramatically, and their eyes burned red with excitement!
For children of Spirit Hall's subordinate factions like them, entering the Worship Hall was something they would not dare imagine even in their dreams. It meant the best resources, the best teachers, and the brightest future!
The temptation was simply too great!
Everyone's heart pounded wildly. They wished they could demonstrate their abilities that very instant.
But Azure Luan Douluo suddenly changed tack, his tone turning sharp.
"However, I only want ten people."
Ten people?!
The clearing instantly became so quiet that a falling pin could have been heard.
The excitement vanished from every face, replaced by tension and wariness as they instinctively looked at the peers beside them.
There were at least a hundred youths here, yet only ten places!
One in ten!
From that moment onward, everyone present was a rival!
No friends, no companions-only enemies!
Azure Luan Douluo scanned the crowd expressionlessly, taking in every reaction, then said evenly:
"Now, go collect your dormitory number tags over there immediately. Find your dormitories, put your things in order, and return here at once to assemble. Anyone who moves too slowly will be disqualified outright."
"Yes!"
Everyone answered in unison. A moment later, they all raced like mad toward the rows of newly built wooden cabins nearby.
The four descendants of the Worships were no exception, rushing off with the crowd.
Yang Chang'an grabbed Niu Wenchuan and ran as well. The two were lucky: they soon received their number tags and had actually been assigned to the same dormitory.
When they pushed open the dormitory door and entered, two boys were already making their beds inside.
Seeing Yang Chang'an and Niu Wenchuan enter, both immediately stopped what they were doing. Polite smiles touched their faces, though with a hint of insincerity. They were clearly the sort who excelled at socializing.
One boy, with dazzling short blond hair, approached first and introduced himself, his tone carrying pride he could not conceal.
"Hello, I'm Vincent. My grandfather is Adrian, the Platinum Bishop of Star Luo City. My Martial Soul is the Flying Axe."
A Platinum Bishop!
That was no lowly position. Within Spirit Hall's hierarchy, Platinum Bishops ranked just below Elders. They were truly regional overlords, figures who could cover the sky with one hand.
After speaking, Vincent lifted his chin slightly, clearly waiting for the two to look shocked and fawn over him.
The other boy seemed much shyer. Thin and apparently introverted, he said softly, "I'm Han Yun. My Martial Soul is the Shaking Gold Rope."
Hearing the name Shaking Gold Rope, Yang Chang'an could not help giving Han Yun a few extra looks.
Although he knew this Shaking Gold Rope was not the treasure from legend, he still felt a certain fond familiarity.
"Yang Chang'an. My Martial Soul is the Soul Breaking Spear."
"Niu Wenchuan. My Martial Soul is the Armored Giant Rhinoceros."
The Soul Breaking Spear?
The Armored Giant Rhinoceros?!
Hearing those two Martial Soul names, Vincent and Han Yun both looked shocked.
Weren't those the inherited Martial Souls of the Breaking Clan and the Defense Clan, two of the Four Single-Attribute Clans? Why had they suddenly appeared in Spirit City, and even entered the Worship Hall's training camp?
The two exchanged a glance, each seeing confusion in the other's eyes.
However, neither Yang Chang'an nor Niu Wenchuan offered any further explanation.
The Yang Family and the Niu Family had always kept a low profile in Spirit City, living in seclusion and rarely venturing out. With Spirit Hall deliberately concealing news of them as well, very few people knew about the two families.
Seeing that neither intended to say more, Vincent and Han Yun had no desire to invite a snub.
Still, even without Yang Chang'an and Niu Wenchuan explaining, they could guess a thing or two. People from backgrounds like theirs did not yet merit their regard.
Even if their talent was decent.