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Spirit City.
Today, the sheer number of Spirit Masters gathered in Spirit City far surpassed even the crowd from five years ago during the finals of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament. The ongoing integration of the Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit Hall had turned Spirit City into a booming hub of activity, but the primary draw today was the selection of the Ten Great Knights for the now-illustrious Sanctuary.
Every Spirit Master competing for a seat among the "Knights of the Royal Hall" was a star in their own right across the Douluo Continent. Even the strongest students from many high-ranking academies only barely managed to qualify for the rank of a standard Knight. From this, one could imagine just what kind of monstrous, heaven-defying geniuses the Reserve Knights and the Ten Great Knights truly were.
After several days of preliminary trials, eight of the Ten Great Knights had already been determined: Hu Liena, Yan, Xie Yue, Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, Feng Xiaotian, Yu Tianheng, and Shui Bing'er. Meanwhile, Ye Lengleng, Ning Rongrong, Huo Wu, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Oslo, Yu Feng, Huo Wushuang, and Shui Yue'er had been named Reserve Title Knights.
As for why only eight Title Knights had been selected instead of ten, the reason was simple: two spots were reserved. Those slots belonged to the Hall Master of the Sanctuary, Ye Lan, and the Vice-Hall Master, Qian Renxue.
No one raised a single objection to this arrangement. After all, Ye Lan's recent exploits—infiltrating the Star Luo Imperial City to "slay an Emperor" and wiping out the Clear Sky Sect—were still fresh in everyone's minds. As for Qian Renxue, her promotion to Spirit Douluo years ago and the manifestation of a hundred-meter-tall Angelic miracle had left the world in a state of reverent awe.
"Brother, when do you think my idol will show up?" Huo Wu asked Huo Wushuang, her face etched with a mix of anticipation and worry.
"How should I know? There are tens of thousands of spectators here waiting for the Hall Master to make his entrance," Huo Wushuang replied helplessly.
Looking at Shui Bing'er on the stage, Huo Wu's expression shifted to one of regret. She muttered, "Damn it, Shui Bing'er beat me to it again. My Fire Shadow spirit won't fully awaken until I reach the Titled Douluo realm!"
"Don't worry, sister," Huo Wushuang consoled her. "With your talent, it's only a matter of time before you join the ranks of the Ten Great Knights."
Elsewhere, a beautiful scene unfolded as a girl in a white dress leaned toward a girl in blue. "Sister Lengleng, why haven't we seen Sister Xue or our idol yet? Do you think they had a fight?"
"Calm down, Rongrong. They wouldn't miss a day this important. I heard from Chen Xiang that Xiao Xue went to see Ye Lan last night, though neither of them has been seen since this morning." A trace of longing flickered in Ye Lengleng's deep blue eyes.
"Look! Look!! He's here!!" Ning Rongrong suddenly jumped up, waving her hand frantically toward the stage.
As Ye Lan stepped out, Ye Lengleng noticed the look on his face. A flash of concern crossed her eyes. Did something really happen between him and Sister Xue?
The moment Ye Lan appeared, the entire stadium erupted. The spectators, there to witness the "Knight Selection Grand Assembly," shouted his title in a deafening, rhythmic roar.
"Azure Emperor!" "Azure Emperor!"
Ye Lan walked to the center of the massive obsidian arena. He scanned the eight "Great Knights" standing there; they were exactly who he had expected. When he saw Hu Liena, Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, and Shui Bing'er waving at him, he managed a strained smile.
Zhu Zhuqing, sensing his mood through that slight micro-expression, whispered worriedly, "Sister Yan, what's wrong with Teacher?"
"Don't worry too much, Zhuqing. We'll go find him after the ceremony is over," Dugu Yan replied.
"Hall Master! I formally request a duel with you! Let me see for myself the gap between me and the 'Peerless Generation!'" Yan stepped forward, slamming his right fist against his chest in a solemn salute.
"Yan!!!" Xie Yue shouted, internally cursing his friend. You dimwit! Can't you see the Hall Master is in a bad mood?
Hu Liena also glanced at Yan with a helpless sigh before signaling to Ye Lan, silently asking him to go easy on the hothead. Yu Tianheng and Feng Xiaotian shared a knowing smirk. Someone actually wants to challenge the Hall Master one-on-one? He's literally asking for a beating.
Shui Bing'er's gaze never left Ye Lan. Her heart rate accelerated. She hadn't seen much of her idol while she was focused on practicing the "Limit Soul Power Attachment Method" these past few years. She wanted to know just how strong he had become. Could she still catch up to him?
Ye Lan looked at Yan and nodded. "I accept. Are you ready?"
Suppressing his excitement, Yan shouted, "Hall Master, I am ready!! Yan! Spirit: Lord of Flames!! Level 68 Power Attack System Battle Spirit Master!!!"
Just as Yan's body erupted with intense orange light for his spirit possession, he suddenly saw Ye Lan's pupils flash with an "Orange-Gold" light. In that split second, Yan felt as though he were being stared down by a thousand-meter-long Flame Dragon King.
Thud!
Yan fell flat on his face, unconscious.
Xie Yue, Yu Tianheng, and Feng Xiaotian watched in horror. Their scalps felt numb. Had the gap between them and Ye Lan grown to such an absurd degree? He didn't even move!
Hu Liena licked her lips and blew a playful kiss toward Ye Lan. That's my junior. She was still waiting for the relationship between Ye Lan and Qian Renxue to progress further; that way, she could find her own opening to make a move.
Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan laughed. "Teacher has gotten stronger again! It's a pity I didn't get to see how he fought in the Star Luo Imperial City."
Dugu Yan leaned in. "Zhuqing, tell me everything that happened that day!"
Zhuqing thought of the scenes from that day, her face turning red as she began to stammer. Dugu Yan immediately started tickling her. "Aha! You're definitely hiding something from me. You're telling me everything when we get back!"
Shui Bing'er's eyes were full of stars. So this is his true strength. No wonder he could snatch Zhuqing back from the Star Luo Emperor. If only he had been the one to save me that day...
The crowd went wild. What was more shocking than seeing a genius Soul Emperor get one-shotted? The strength of the Spirit Hall's Holy Son made the fight look staged; he had won with a single glance.
"Azure Emperor is invincible!" "Azure Emperor is invincible!"
After the unconscious Yan was carried off by the staff, Ye Lan personally awarded the other seven knights their medals and sets of platinum-colored full-body armor. Yan's set was given to Xie Yue for safekeeping.
Once the ceremony concluded, Ye Lan stood alone on the stage, waiting for Xiao Xue. He took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to face her. Suddenly, a golden angelic phantom streaked across the distant sky, drawing everyone's attention.
Through his "Golden Dragon Pupils," Ye Lan saw the surrounding soul power being violently sucked toward that angelic figure. A second Soul Core? Has Xiao Xue already condensed the Yin-Yang Balanced Dual Soul Cores?
A Soul Core provided a massive boost to combat power. It was only because he had condensed the "Ultimate Life Soul Core" that he had the stamina to wipe out the entire Clear Sky Sect. A "Yin-Yang Balanced" setup was even more terrifying, typically something only a Rank 98 or 99 Limit Douluo could achieve. This meant Xiao Xue had become a living battery for hundred-thousand-year soul skills.
Why condense them today? Is she really going to fight me seriously?
Countless Spirit Masters watched in awe as the massive phantom shrank rapidly. A golden meteor then hurtled toward the arena.
BOOM!!
The sonic boom caused nearby buildings to tremble. As the dust settled, a six-winged, blonde angel hovered in the air, her snow-white wings flapping gently. Her golden eyes, calm as autumn water, stared down at Ye Lan in the center of the obsidian stage.
The crowd finally realized: the Young Lady of Spirit Hall had reached the Titled Douluo realm! Her ability to fly unassisted was proof enough. The realization sent chills down everyone's spines. A new record had been set—the youngest Titled Douluo in history.
A twenty-nine-year-old Titled Douluo!
Hu Liena clenched her fists, cursing inwardly. That freak. Ever since she came back from Heaven Dou, her cultivation speed has been unstoppable. She's just as fast as my junior!
Yu Tianheng and the others were stunned. Was this the same Xiao Xue they knew? A Titled Douluo in just a few years? The audience was reaching a fever pitch. The main event was finally here: Ye Lan versus a Titled Douluo!
Only Ye Lengleng frowned. She could sense that the atmosphere between the two was completely wrong.
"Xiao Xue," Ye Lan said, taking a deep breath.
Qian Renxue looked down at the radiant figure below. Her pupils flickered with emotion for a fraction of a second before turning cold. "Qian Renxue. Spirit: Six-Winged Angel. Rank 91 Battle Douluo. Title: Angel."
Then, her soul rings flared: Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Blood Red, Blood Red.
Ye Lan felt his scalp tingle as he sensed her soul power. Her ninth ring was nearly five hundred thousand years old. Most absurdly, she was wearing the full hundred-thousand-year "Angelic Divine Raiment"—six pieces of hundred-thousand-year spirit bones—combined with her Dual Soul Cores and the "Spirit Possession Adaptation Method" he had taught her. Even against a Rank 98 Douluo, she would hold her own.
More importantly, he knew she hadn't possessed most of those bones yesterday. She had forced the fusion and the soul cores specifically for this duel.
Ye Lan's lip twitched. He couldn't believe she actually wanted to kill him. He sighed and announced, "Ye Lan. Spirit: Blue Silver Grass—Radiant Life. Rank 61 Life System Soul Emperor."
Yellow, Purple, Purple, Blood Red, Blood Red, Blood Red.
He triggered the second form of "Ancient Beast Touch"—the "Water Flame" mode. Eight blue jets of flame propelled him into the air. His three blood-red rings dazzled the crowd, finally confirming the rumors of his incredible talent.
As Ye Lan ascended, Qian Renxue's seventh ring glowed. Her Spirit Avatar descended! The Six-Winged Angel grew to sixty meters tall, its wingspan stretching over a hundred meters. The wings burned with a divine, golden flame that seemed capable of incinerating everything.
"Spirit Avatar—Light Form!!"
Her soul power instantly surged by 100%. More importantly, half of the Angel's body transitioned into a particle state of "Ultimate Light." Her speed doubled instantly. The Angel was already the fastest flight-type spirit, and at the Titled Douluo level, she was twice as fast as her peers. In this "Light Form," her speed was incomprehensible.
In an instant, the massive Angel appeared behind Ye Lan. Six giant, burning wings slammed into him. Through his "Accelerated Consciousness," Ye Lan tracked her trajectory perfectly. But he refused to believe she would actually hurt him.
BANG!!
Like a golden bird struck by a plane, Ye Lan was slammed directly into the obsidian arena floor. The audience gasped.
"Teacher!" "Idol!" "Ye Lan!"
Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, and the others watched in horror, terrified that he was seriously injured. Ning Rongrong grabbed Ye Lengleng's arm. "Sister Lengleng! What do we do?!"
"Don't worry," Ye Lengleng said. "I'm here. Besides, Sister Xue would never actually kill him."
As she spoke, the radiant angel in the sky summoned a golden longsword. The "Angelic Holy Sword" appeared, its heat so intense that the air hissed and warped as moisture evaporated. Her eighth ring flashed with a bloody light, and the sword began to glow with a radiance that turned all of Spirit City golden. She pointed the blade directly at the smoke-filled crater where Ye Lan lay.
Ning Rongrong's grip tightened. "Sister Lengleng... I think your judgment was off. She's getting serious!"
Ye Lan lay sprawled in the rubble. Through his "True Sight," he watched the descending holy light. A 200,000-year soul skill fired with her current soul power was equivalent to a strike from a Limit Douluo.
But he still didn't believe she would do it. He decided to "lay flat," staying perfectly still and waiting for the "Angel's Judgment."
In the sky, Qian Renxue continued to charge the sword's light. Looking at the man lying there refusing to move, she cursed internally. You bastard!!
When she could no longer hold the charge, she grit her teeth and swung the sword down! She wanted to see if he would really just sit there and take it. In her "Light Form," her control over light-attribute skills was absolute. If he really didn't dodge, she would have to cancel the skill mid-flight.
The intense golden beam shot toward the stage. Their golden eyes locked onto each other. In the slowed-down world of "Accelerated Consciousness," Ye Lan remained unmoved. He watched her every movement, certain she wouldn't kill him.
Dodge it! she screamed in her head. Aim to the side! he thought back.
Just as the beam was about to hit, Ye Lan saw a flash of genuine irritation in her eyes. He realized then that if he actually forced her into a corner where she had to cancel the attack, fixing their relationship would be even harder. Maybe letting her beat me up will help her vent?
Just as she was about to abort the skill, Ye Lan's body flared with emerald-gold light. A dark green phantom of the Black Tortoise erupted from him. Qian Renxue felt a wave of relief seeing him finally defend.
"Spirit of Xuanwu—Xuanwu!!"
Ye Lan gained three seconds of "Xuanwu Golden Body," tanking the golden beam head-on. Then, his five soul rings began to spin. Twenty-one "Blue Silver & Divine Titan" vines burst from the ground. The 600-meter-tall vines quickly surrounded the sixty-meter Angel, making her look like a bird in a cage.
Seeing Ye Lan go all out, Qian Renxue finally unleashed her full power. She knew how hard he was to kill. In a heartbeat, she was in front of him, her hundred-meter-long holy sword launching him into the sky.
"So fast!!!" Ye Lan was shocked. Her speed now completely eclipsed even the "Hell White Tiger." He was being toyed with.
The force of the sword threw him hundreds of meters up. Before he could even stabilize, she was behind him. The hairs on his neck stood up, sensing the danger. He couldn't even turn around before a massive force slammed into his back, sending him crashing toward his own giant vines.
His three-second invulnerability ended. Ye Lan activated "Titan Body," "Titanization," "Grow Fast," "Blue Silver Sublimation," and "Xuanwu Divine Body," transforming into a thirteen-meter-tall giant. However, even at this size, he was still tiny compared to the sixty-meter Angel.
Sensing his defense had stabilized, Qian Renxue's heart eased. Her ninth ring lit up. The massive Angel split from one into two, then four, then eight! Ye Lan swallowed hard. Xiao Xue, are you for real?
She gave him her answer instantly. "Angelic Domain—Expand!!"
The golden domain instantly locked Ye Lan in place, right in the center of the eight Angels. The domain boosted her stats by 30% and lowered his by 10%, but its most annoying feature was the "lock-on." No matter where he tried to move, he would be teleported back to the center.
He felt his soul power being purified and drained every second. Luckily, his "Ultimate Life Soul Core" allowed his recovery speed to barely keep pace with the drain.
Then, before the eyes of thousands, Ye Lan experienced a brutal, one-sided beatdown. Eight Angels surrounded him, attacking relentlessly. Every time a golden figure flashed, Ye Lan was sent flying. In just a few seconds, he was hit hundreds of times. The eight figures moved like golden lightning around him—it wasn't just a light show; every hit was a real, physical strike.
Ning Rongrong broke into a sweat. "Sister Lengleng, what did he do to make her this angry?!"
Qian Renxue kept a close eye on his vitals. Seeing his defense hold, she felt relieved, but it also felt like punching cotton. No matter how hard she hit him, he didn't fight back. He just floated there, letting her knock him around.
Ye Lan, though spinning wildly and feeling a bit nauseous, realized she wasn't using her full strength. If she were serious, his "Xuanwu Value" would have maxed out long ago. Looking at her face, which was twisted in a fake pout of rage, he found her quite cute and actually smiled at her.
"YE LAN!!!!"
Seeing that smile, Qian Renxue lost it. Is he flirting with me right now?! In a fit of pique, she slammed him back into the arena with a final sword strike and flew off into the distance.
Ye Lan lay in the crater, watching her go with a sense of loss.
The Spirit Hall referee, seeing the Young Lady fly away, quickly announced, "Vice-Hall Master Qian Renxue has forfeited! The Hall Master of the Sanctuary is the champion of the Knight Selection Tournament!"
"First Knight!! Life Knight, Ye Lan!!" "Second Knight!! Angel Knight, Qian Renxue!!" "Third Knight..."
The crowd cheered wildly. Although the fight had ended somewhat abruptly, everyone knew the two were a couple. No one expected them to actually try to kill each other. Given their status, no one dared call it a "fake" match; they just celebrated the sheer display of power. In the fans' eyes, even if Ye Lan was slightly weaker than Qian Renxue, they were essentially equals. After all, the man had destroyed the Clear Sky Sect.
As the cheers echoed, Ye Lengleng, Ning Rongrong, Dugu Yan, Zhu Zhuqing, Bai Chenxiang, Hu Liena, Shui Bing'er, and Huo Wu swarmed the stage.
Dugu Yan looked distressed. "How could she hit him so hard? Lengleng, check him quickly!"
Ye Lengleng didn't even wait for a response. She summoned a flurry of "Nine-Hearted Sacred Begonia" petals. As the fragrance filled the air and his bruises began to fade, Ye Lan stood up. "Don't worry, everyone. I'm fine."
"Teacher, what happened between you and Sister Xue?" Zhu Zhuqing asked softly.
Sensing their worried gazes, Ye Lan forced a smile. "Nothing much. Just a small misunderstanding."
(End of Chapter)