At that very moment.
The golden Sky Screen above suddenly trembled.
Streaks of radiance converged toward its center from its edges.
Gu Yuena raised her eyes.
Di Tian and the many Ferocious Beasts also looked skyward at the same time.
The images that had surrounded Bibi Dong vanished completely.
The name in tenth place on the Powerhouse Ranking turned into golden motes of light and fell beneath the ranking.
A sky full of scrolling comments appeared once more.
[The tenth-place rewards have all been distributed!]
[Ninth place on the Powerhouse Ranking is about to be announced!]
[If even Bibi Dong could only rank tenth, who could possibly be ahead of her?]
[A Level 99 Peerless Douluo, or a God-Level powerhouse hidden on the continent?]
[I'm more interested in what rewards ninth place will receive!]
[A Million-Year Soul Ring and a divine artifact were already terrifying enough. The ninth-place rewards will only be stronger!]
[Hurry up and announce it! I can't wait anymore!]
Across the Douluo Continent.
Countless people stopped their discussions and looked up at the sky again.
At the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Fengzhi stood before the council hall, Jade Staff in hand.
Chen Xin and Gu Rong stood on either side of him.
All three were waiting for ninth place to appear.
In Spirit City.
Before the Papal Palace.
Bibi Dong had already put away the Million-Year Soul Ring bestowed by the Heavenly Dao.
She held the Rakshasa Demon Halberd in her hand, its dark purple Divine Runes slowly flowing.
She raised her head to look at the Sky Screen.
Anyone who could rank ahead of her would certainly be no ordinary Peerless Douluo.
Inside the Worship Hall.
Qian Daoliu stood with his hands behind his back, his long golden robes trailing over the steps.
Golden Crocodile Douluo and the others stood behind him, likewise never taking their eyes away.
A moment later.
The mighty voice of the Heavenly Dao resounded across the continent.
[Douluo Continent Powerhouse Ranking.]
[Ninth place revealed.]
Golden radiance intertwined at the center of the Sky Screen.
An enormous Black Clear Sky Hammer slowly emerged from the light.
Ancient patterns covered the hammer.
An oppressive weight descended from the sky.
Many Soul Masters with lower cultivation turned pale, their legs growing weak.
Behind the Black Clear Sky Hammer, a tall figure gradually came into focus.
His long hair hung loose behind his shoulders, his build was burly, and his features carried the imposing air of someone who had long stood at the pinnacle.
Golden words appeared next.
[Ninth place on the Powerhouse Ranking.]
[Clear Sky Sect, Tang Chen.]
[Martial Soul: Clear Sky Hammer.]
[Soul Power: Level 99 Peerless Douluo.]
The entire continent fell silent for a moment.
The next instant, scrolling comments covered the Sky Screen.
[Tang Chen?]
[He's actually still alive!]
[That's the previous generation's Clear Sky Douluo!]
[The strongest Soul Master in the history of the Clear Sky Sect!]
[Legend has it that he swept across the continent with a single Clear Sky Hammer and never suffered defeat on land!]
[Invincible on Land, Peerless Douluo Tang Chen!]
[Someone like him only ranked ninth?]
[Bibi Dong has temporarily fallen to Level 98, but Tang Chen is a genuine Level 99!]
[The Clear Sky Sect has hidden its cards far too well!]
[If Tang Chen returns, will Spirit Hall still dare to suppress the Clear Sky Sect?]
At the Clear Sky Sect.
Tang Xiao stared at the name on the Sky Screen, his body instantly going rigid.
Several elders also froze where they stood.
After a brief silence, the area before the sect gates erupted.
"Lord Tang Chen is still alive!"
"It really is Lord Tang Chen!"
"I knew it! There was no way he would die!"
The seventh elder strode up to the stone railing, no longer able to conceal the joy on his face.
"A Level 99 Peerless Douluo!"
"As long as Lord Tang Chen returns, will the Clear Sky Sect still need to fear Spirit Hall?"
The second elder nodded repeatedly.
"The sect is saved!"
"Our Clear Sky Sect has finally lived to see this day!"
The tension that had gripped Tang Xiao's expression for years also eased at that moment.
His grandfather was still alive.
That mattered more than any other news.
But when Tang Xiao looked at the ranking again, his brows furrowed once more.
"Ninth place?"
The joy on the elders' faces also faded somewhat.
The seventh elder was the first to speak.
"Impossible."
"How could Lord Tang Chen only be ninth?"
"If Pope Bibi Dong could rank tenth, Lord Tang Chen should at least be in the top three!"
Another elder immediately agreed.
"Exactly."
"Lord Tang Chen once strode unhindered across the continent. Even Qian Daoliu was no match for him."
"Could the Powerhouse Ranking have made a mistake?"
Tang Xiao gazed at the golden Sky Screen.
"Grandfather once told me himself."
"When he fought Qian Daoliu, he was the one who ultimately won."
"Qian Daoliu possesses the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul and can also draw upon Angel Divine Power."
"Even so, he still lost to Grandfather."
Tang Xiao paused for a moment.
"With Grandfather's strength, he shouldn't rank only ninth."
The elders before the sect gates all nodded.
Tang Chen was known as Invincible on Land.
He had earned that title through battle after battle.
If even Tang Chen could only rank ninth, who could the eight people ahead of him be?
The seventh elder looked at the Sky Screen, still unable to accept this ranking.
"The Heavenly Dao Ranking must have overlooked something."
"Lord Tang Chen's true strength is certainly worth more than ninth place!"
In Spirit City.
Inside the Worship Hall.
Joy immediately appeared on the faces of several enshrined elders when they saw Tang Chen's ranking.
Demon Subduing Douluo said with a laugh:
"Tang Chen only ranked ninth."
"From the looks of it, our Spirit Hall's Angel Douluo is stronger after all."
Qian Jun Douluo looked at Qian Daoliu.
"The Great Enshrined has yet to appear on the ranking."
"There must be a place for the Great Enshrined among the top eight."
Golden Crocodile Douluo stroked his beard.
"Tang Chen is called Invincible on Land."
"While the Great Enshrined is Invincible in the Sky."
"Now that Tang Chen is only ninth, the Great Enshrined's ranking is certain to be higher."
The other enshrined elders all nodded.
Seeing that Tang Chen was still alive had initially stirred some worry in their hearts.
But Tang Chen only ranked ninth.
That worry soon faded.
Before the Papal Palace.
Bibi Dong watched Tang Chen on the Sky Screen.
She was no stranger to the history between Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen.
Both were Peerless Douluo of the previous era.
They were rivals, and they had also once traveled to Sea God Island together.
More importantly, Tang Chen had indeed defeated Qian Daoliu.
"Tang Chen only ranked ninth."
"What's the reason?"
Bibi Dong held the Rakshasa Demon Halberd in her slender hand.
If the ranking was based purely on peak combat strength, Tang Chen should not have appeared in this position.
Unless something was wrong with Tang Chen's current condition.
Deep inside the Worship Hall.
Qian Daoliu looked at the figure he had not seen for many years, his gaze growing complicated.
"Tang Chen."
"To think you're still alive."
In their battle back then, Qian Daoliu had indeed lost.
He acknowledged that Tang Chen was stronger than him.
After losing to Tang Chen, he had never used any excuse to absolve himself.
But Tang Chen had once sworn an oath.
He would never return to the Clear Sky Sect without becoming a god.
Now, after so many years, Tang Chen was still a Level 99 Peerless Douluo.
His position on the ranking was only ninth, at that.
Qian Daoliu shook his head gently.
"What exactly have you been through all these years?"
In Slaughter City.
Inside a dark palace.
Blood-red light passed between the stone pillars.
The King of Slaughter sat on his throne, his scarlet cloak trailing on the floor.
He raised his head to look at the name on the Sky Screen, and his eyes suddenly regained a moment of clarity.
"Tang Chen..."
As he uttered that name, memories long sealed in the depths of his mind surfaced one after another.
The Clear Sky Sect.
Qian Daoliu.
Bo Saixi.
Sea God Island.
The Asura God Trial.
Scene after scene flashed through his consciousness.
Before you continue