Another month later, the situation on the continent changed drastically.
The Spirit Hall announced to the outside world that, with its own territory combined with all the kingdoms and duchies originally belonging to the two empires that it had newly occupied, it was founding the Spirit Empire.
Pope Bibi Dong was proclaimed as the first Empress of the Spirit Empire, while Qian Renxue, the Angel Clan's sole heir of the current generation, was named the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Empire, and the first in line to inherit the imperial throne.
From this moment, the newly established Spirit Empire became the third empire on the continent, standing right between the two great empires, completely severing the connection between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire.
With all their affiliated kingdoms and duchies taken, originally the two great empires should have immediately sent troops to crusade against the Spirit Empire.
However, perhaps because the Spirit Hall — predecessor to the Spirit Empire — had already annihilated both the Clear Sky Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in succession, displaying overwhelming strength, the two empires were deeply cautious. Added to the possibility that they were not yet prepared for an all-out war, they did not immediately declare war against the Spirit Empire.
But what could be certain was that the two empires and the Spirit Empire would inevitably clash. The only question was whether it happened sooner or later.
After all, even if Heaven Dou and Star Luo did not unite to strike the Spirit Empire, once Bibi Dong finished consolidating it, she would surely set the war machine in motion to complete the great undertaking of unifying the continent.
At the same time, given that the Clear Sky Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan — both ranked among the three upper sects — had been destroyed one after another, the Spirit Empire also announced the appointment of a new set of Seven Great Sects, based on the current strength of the continent's major sects.
Note well: appointed, not reselected.
In the Spirit Empire's public proclamation, the newly appointed Seven Great Sects abolished the old division of "upper three" and "lower four." Ranked from highest to lowest, they were: the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Elephant Armored Sect, the Holy Dragon Sect, the Wind Sword Sect, the Black Tiger Sect, the Fire Leopard Sect, and the Wasp Sect.
Undoubtedly, aside from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the other six all pledged absolute allegiance to the Spirit Empire.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, formerly at best ranked second and at worst third, had finally been raised to the head of all sects under heaven?
In response, Ning Fengzhi, current sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, expressed strong resistance.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect publicly declared that while it was indeed a large sect within the continent's spirit master world, it did not need the Spirit Empire's appointment, nor did it recognize that the Fire Leopard Sect and Wasp Sect — who had never before entered the ranks of the Seven Great Sects — were worthy of being placed alongside them.
Of course, whether it was the establishment of the Spirit Empire or the appointment of the Seven Great Sects, these matters had nothing to do with the Elemental Sacred Academy. For them, it was just eating melons and watching the show with amusement.
That morning, on a mountain peak not far from the academy grounds, Muyang was condensing the fifth spirit ring of his Iceflame Saint Shadow Martial Soul.
As expected, after cultivating Solar Body Refinement for more than ten days and reaching the limit corresponding to his spirit power level, without daring to risk extreme operations, Muyang once again condensed a spirit ring for the Iceflame Saint Shadow Martial Soul — its fourth ring, again three hundred thousand years in age. His level did not immediately break through to level 90 quasi-Titled Douluo, but reached level 89 Spirit Douluo.
Helplessly, Muyang had to once again shift his focus to Solar Body Refinement. Only after raising his physical constitution further did he continue condensing the fifth spirit ring of the Iceflame Saint Shadow Martial Soul.
Fourth Soul Skill of the Iceflame Saint Shadow Martial Soul: Iceflame Ring.
The original secret art of Iceflame Ring had been derived by Muyang by borrowing concepts from Shui Bing'er's Repelling Ice Ring and Huo Wu's Repelling Fire Ring. It was a soul skill combining both offense and control.
Upon activation, it instantly formed a repulsive Iceflame Ring centered on himself, rapidly expanding outward. While dealing damage to all opponents within its range, it simultaneously repelled all enemies and all non-spiritual skills within its coverage.
Furthermore, Iceflame Ring was not limited to a horizontal release — it could be unleashed in any direction, at any angle. Its height and area of effect were not fixed either.
The smaller the height, the smaller the coverage — and the stronger the repulsive force generated. Conversely, the larger the height, the wider the coverage — but the weaker the repulsive force.
Half a day passed. As the sun tilted westward, with the fifth spirit ring of the Iceflame Saint Shadow Martial Soul settling into place, Muyang's spirit power level reached level 90 quasi-Titled Douluo.
Strictly speaking, he had surpassed level 90 by a significant margin, but because neither of his martial souls yet had a ninth spirit ring, the excess spirit power could not be manifested.
Looking at the Iceflame Saint Shadow Martial Soul's configuration — the first and second rings at one hundred ten thousand years, the third, fourth, and fifth rings all three hundred thousand years — a smile couldn't help but spread across Muyang's face.
Since awakening his martial soul, he had cultivated for twelve years. At last, he had reached level 90 quasi-Titled Douluo. With just one more ninth ring, he could become a Titled Douluo, a figure revered by thousands across the continent.
"Fifth Soul Skill — Iceflame Manifestation!"
"Roooaaar——"
In the next moment, his fifth spirit ring lit up around him. As his spirit power surged, a majestic dragon's roar rang out. From behind him, a lifelike, hundred-meter-long ice-blue divine dragon suddenly soared into the sky.
"Whoa… now that's some presence!"
Seeing the massive divine dragon rise behind him, Muyang couldn't help but click his tongue in awe.
Although the size of the Iceflame Dragon did not directly equate to its strength, Muyang could clearly tell that this Iceflame Dragon, condensed through the fifth soul skill Iceflame Manifestation, radiated an aura many times stronger than the secret-art version.
Indeed, a three-hundred-thousand-year fifth ring was no ornament.
Fifth Soul Skill: Iceflame Manifestation. Evolved from the secret art Iceflame Dragon, its effect was to manifest Iceflame lifeforms — whether dragon, phoenix, tiger, or any other creature with form.
The manifested Iceflame creature's attack methods were somewhat singular, its attribute fixed as Iceflame, and it could only exist one at a time — yet its strength was extremely formidable.
At the moment, Muyang had no amplification skills boosting him. Even so, this hundred-meter Iceflame Dragon he had manifested was undoubtedly above the level of Chrysanthemum and Ghost, both 95th-level Titled Douluo.
"Next… is achieving the Titled rank itself!"
Muttering to himself, Muyang retrieved from his soul tool storage bracelet the god-bestowed spirit ring he had reserved earlier.
"Uh~ wait, no… I should first make a trip to the Extreme North to complete my torso bone set before proceeding."
Just as he was about to attach the god-bestowed ninth ring to his Iceflame Immortal Jade Gingsing to advance to Titled Douluo, Muyang suddenly remembered a crucial point. He stopped what he was doing, then put the god-bestowed ring away again.
Though at present he could bear a ninth ring of considerable age, because the total ages of all the rings on his two martial souls were already extremely high, if he directly condensed the ninth ring now, its age might not be too low — but it certainly wouldn't be very high either.
Rather than settling now for a god-bestowed ninth ring likely only three or four hundred thousand years, it would be better to first complete his torso spirit bone set, then wait until his physique was significantly stronger, and afterward add the god-bestowed ring to become the first ever Food-type Titled Douluo in the continent's history!
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
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