The white towers of Spirit City rose above the horizon like blades of marble piercing the sky.
Unlike the chaotic cities scattered across the continent, this place possessed an unusual order.
Wide avenues radiated outward from the central cathedral.Stone plazas were lined with statues of angels whose wings stretched toward the heavens.
Faith.
Power.
Authority.
Everything here revolved around a single force:
Spirit Hall.
Spirit Masters moved through the streets in white and gold robes, their insignias marking their ranks within the vast organization. Ordinary citizens walked carefully among them, showing instinctive respect whenever a Spirit Hall official passed.
Above the city, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth flowed in steady currents.
It was a place built for cultivation.
A place where power gathered.
And today—
That power stirred.
At the southern gate of the city, a lone young man walked calmly through the entrance.
No escort.
No disguise.
No attempt to conceal his presence.
The moment Lin Huang stepped across the threshold of Spirit City, the spiritual energy around him shifted.
Not violently.
But undeniably.
A faint pressure spread outward from his body.
The wind slowed.
The ambient spiritual energy trembled.
Several Spirit Masters standing near the gate suddenly frowned.
"…Do you feel that?" one of them muttered.
Another turned his head.
His gaze landed on Lin Huang.
The young man appeared ordinary at first glance—dressed simply, walking with relaxed steps.
But something about him felt… wrong.
The spiritual energy around him behaved strangely.
It flowed toward him.
Not aggressively.
Almost as if the world itself recognized his presence.
Perched casually on his shoulder,Tushan Honghongstretched one of her ten tails lazily.
Her golden eyes scanned the city with open curiosity.
"So this is the famous Spirit City."
Her voice was soft, yet perfectly audible to Lin Huang.
"Not bad."
Lin Huang glanced around the streets.
Tall cathedrals.
Training halls.
Patrol squads of Spirit Hall knights moving in disciplined formations.
The organization's influence could be felt everywhere.
"It's well organized," he said calmly.
Honghong smirked.
"That's a boring way to say it."
She leaned slightly forward, sniffing the air like a fox testing unfamiliar territory.
"Lots of strong people though."
Lin Huang nodded faintly.
"Yes."
The density of powerful Spirit Masters here was far beyond what most cities could support.
After all, this was the headquarters of the most powerful organization on the continent.
But as he walked deeper into the city, the reaction around him slowly intensified.
Several Spirit Masters along the street began glancing in his direction.
A few even stopped walking entirely.
It was difficult to explain.
The pressure surrounding Lin Huang was not hostile.
Yet standing near him felt strangely oppressive.
The closer someone was to him, the clearer the sensation became.
Like standing before something vast.
Something immeasurably deep.
A Spirit Hall knight near the plaza suddenly stiffened.
"…What is that aura?"
Another guard looked toward Lin Huang, eyes narrowing slightly.
The young man hadn't even released his martial spirit.
Yet the surrounding spiritual energy reacted as though he were the center of the world.
Honghong chuckled quietly.
"You're attracting attention again."
Lin Huang shrugged lightly.
"That was inevitable."
He had no intention of hiding his presence.
Not here.
Not in the heart of Spirit Hall.
Honghong flicked one of her tails playfully.
"You came here to pick a fight with the strongest people of this era."
She tilted her head.
"Of course people are going to stare."
Lin Huang smiled faintly.
"That's not the only reason."
Honghong's ears twitched slightly.
"Oh?"
But before she could ask more—
A sudden shift in the air spread across the city.
The spiritual energy around them tightened.
Not from Lin Huang.
But from somewhere far above.
Deep within the central cathedral of Spirit City.
Someone had noticed his arrival.
Deep within the towering cathedral at the center ofSpirit City, silence reigned.
The massive hall of the Papal Palace was lit by rows of pale golden flames. Their light reflected off polished marble floors and the towering statues of angels that guarded the chamber like silent sentinels.
At the end of the hall, seated upon an elevated throne of white stone, was the ruler of theSpirit Hall.
Bibi Dong.
Her eyes were closed.
Not asleep.
Meditating.
The spiritual energy within the palace flowed calmly around her, drawn naturally toward the Pope of Spirit Hall. Her aura was cold and steady, like a blade hidden beneath silk.
But then—
Her eyes opened.
A faint ripple passed through the air.
The surrounding spiritual energy trembled.
"…What?"
Her gaze slowly shifted toward the distant city gates.
Something had changed.
It was subtle.
Yet unmistakable.
A presence had entered Spirit City.
Not an ordinary presence.
Not even the pressure of a powerful Spirit Douluo.
This aura carried something else.
Something… deeper.
The spiritual energy of the city itself seemed to respond to it.
Like waves adjusting to the gravity of a celestial body.
Bibi Dong's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Strange."
Few people could enter Spirit City without her sensing them.
But this presence had not tried to hide.
It had simply walked in.
And the moment it did—
The spiritual energy of the entire city shifted.
Her spiritual perception expanded instantly, spreading through the city like an invisible net.
Within seconds she found the source.
A young man walking calmly through one of the central plazas.
Her first reaction was disbelief.
"…Young."
Too young.
Yet the aura surrounding him felt impossibly deep.
Her attention sharpened.
That was when she noticed something else.
Something sitting on his shoulder.
A fox.
More precisely—
Tushan Honghong.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
"…A spirit?"
No.
Not quite.
Her perception focused more carefully.
The creature possessed spiritual fluctuations similar to a martial spirit.
Yet it was far more stable.
More… alive.
Her mind instinctively recalled an old memory.
A young man from years ago.
Yu Xiaogang.
His strange martial spirit.
Luo Sanpao.
An external martial spirit mutation.
But what she was seeing now was fundamentally different.
Luo Sanpao had been weak.
Unstable.
A mutation born from flawed bloodlines.
The fox sitting on this young man's shoulder radiated confidence.
Power.
Intelligence.
It even moved independently, scanning the city with visible curiosity.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…Interesting."
Back in the plaza, Honghong suddenly twitched her ears.
She glanced toward the towering cathedral at the center of the city.
Then smirked.
"Well."
She flicked her tail.
"We've been noticed."
Lin Huang continued walking calmly.
"I assumed as much."
Honghong tilted her head.
"She's watching you."
Lin Huang's steps didn't slow.
"The Pope?"
Honghong nodded.
"Yes."
Lin Huang chuckled softly.
"That was quicker than expected."
Inside the Papal Palace, Bibi Dong rose slowly from her throne.
The faint rustle of her robes echoed softly through the vast hall.
Standing beside the throne, several Spirit Hall elders immediately bowed.
"Your Holiness?"
But Bibi Dong ignored them.
Her eyes remained fixed in the direction of the plaza.
The young man had not released a martial spirit.
Yet the spiritual energy around him behaved like a tide responding to a gravitational pull.
Even stranger—
His aura carried an unusual calm.
Not arrogance.
Not hostility.
Just quiet certainty.
She took a single step forward.
Then another.
Her voice was calm.
"Prepare the square."
The elders looked confused.
"Your Holiness?"
Bibi Dong's eyes remained cold.
"A guest has arrived."
High above the city, the spiritual pressure of the Pope of Spirit Hall slowly descended toward the plaza where Lin Huang walked.
And for the first time since entering Spirit City—
Lin Huang stopped walking.
He lifted his head slightly.
Feeling the approaching presence.
Then smiled faintly.
"…Right on time."
The pressure arrived before she did.
A vast, cold spiritual force descended from the direction of the central cathedral, spreading across the plaza like a silent storm.
Spirit Masters nearby immediately reacted.
Several knights ofSpirit Hallstraightened instinctively.
Others lowered their heads.
The citizens in the surrounding streets quickly stepped aside.
No announcement was needed.
Everyone in Spirit City recognized that pressure.
The Pope had arrived.
Moments later, a figure appeared at the edge of the plaza.
Bibi Dong walked forward calmly.
Her long black robes flowed behind her, embroidered with silver patterns resembling spider webs and angelic wings. Her presence was cold, dignified, and suffocating all at once.
Every step she took seemed to carry authority.
Spirit Hall guards immediately knelt.
"Your Holiness."
Bibi Dong didn't acknowledge them.
Her gaze remained fixed on a single person.
Lin Huang.
The plaza had grown unnaturally quiet.
Two presences faced each other across the stone pavement.
One was the Pope of Spirit Hall.
The other was a young man no one in the city recognized.
Honghong stretched lazily on Lin Huang's shoulder.
Tushan Honghong flicked one of her ten tails.
"So this is the famous Pope."
Lin Huang didn't answer.
His eyes were calmly studying the woman approaching him.
Up close, the aura surrounding her was even more intense.
Soul power.
Spiritual pressure.
And something darker hidden beneath it.
Hatred.
Pain.
A chaotic storm buried deep within her spirit.
Bibi Dong stopped several meters away.
Her gaze moved slowly over Lin Huang.
Then upward.
Toward Honghong.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Interesting."
Honghong returned the stare without hesitation.
"What?"
Bibi Dong's voice was calm.
"You are not a normal spirit."
Honghong smirked.
"Well, obviously."
She leaned slightly forward on Lin Huang's shoulder.
"I'm special."
Lin Huang sighed quietly.
"That didn't help."
Bibi Dong ignored the exchange.
Her attention remained focused on Honghong.
The spiritual fluctuations coming from the fox were extremely unusual.
They resembled the resonance of a martial spirit.
Yet they were far more stable.
More independent.
Her mind briefly recalled the strange mutation ofYu Xiaogang.
Luo Sanpao.
But that creature had been weak.
Broken.
A flawed mutation.
What she was seeing now was something entirely different.
The fox possessed intelligence.
Confidence.
Even arrogance.
Her gaze slowly returned to Lin Huang.
"…Who are you?"
The question carried both curiosity and authority.
The plaza remained silent.
Lin Huang met her gaze calmly.
"A traveler."
Honghong snorted.
"Liar."
Lin Huang ignored her.
Bibi Dong's eyes remained cold.
"A traveler does not walk into Spirit City releasing pressure strong enough to disturb the entire city."
Lin Huang shrugged slightly.
"That wasn't intentional."
Honghong tilted her head.
"That's technically true."
Bibi Dong studied him carefully.
The young man looked far too calm.
Too confident.
And far too young for the depth of power she could sense from him.
Her spiritual perception probed deeper.
But something strange happened.
The closer her perception moved toward him—
The more difficult it became to understand what she was sensing.
His aura seemed… layered.
Like several different systems of power existing at once.
Soul power.
Spiritual energy.
Something else.
Something unfamiliar.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…You're hiding something."
Lin Huang smiled faintly.
"Aren't we all?"
The air between them grew heavier.
Several Spirit Hall knights nearby instinctively stepped back.
Honghong flicked her tail again.
"Well."
She looked between them.
"This is getting tense."
Bibi Dong's voice grew colder.
"You entered the territory of Spirit Hall without permission."
Her spiritual pressure slowly intensified.
"And now you stand before the Pope."
She took one step forward.
The stone beneath her feet cracked slightly under the pressure of her aura.
"Explain yourself."
Lin Huang tilted his head slightly.
Then chuckled softly.
"I came to see something."
Bibi Dong's gaze sharpened.
"What?"
Lin Huang's eyes met hers directly.
"The strength of Spirit Hall."
Silence fell across the plaza.
For a moment, even the wind seemed to stop.
Then Bibi Dong smiled.
But the expression carried no warmth.
"…How arrogant."
Her soul power exploded outward.
Dark purple light surged around her body.
Spirit rings appeared one by one.
The oppressive aura of a top-tier Title Douluo filled the plaza.
Honghong's ears twitched.
"Oh."
She looked up at Lin Huang.
"You really did come here to start a fight."
Lin Huang sighed quietly.
"…It seems that way."
And in the next instant—
Bibi Dong moved.
The moment Bibi Dong moved, the air itself seemed to tear.
Her figure vanished from where she stood.
A heartbeat later, a violent surge of soul power erupted in front of Lin Huang.
Dark purple energy exploded outward as a massive web of spiritual threads spread through the plaza like a living net.
Spider silk.
But not ordinary silk.
Each strand carried terrifying corrosive power capable of melting stone and spiritual defenses alike.
The ground beneath the threads hissed as the venomous energy touched it.
Honghong's ears twitched.
Tushan Honghong clicked her tongue.
"Well."
She leaned slightly to the side.
"She didn't waste time."
Lin Huang didn't move.
The web of venomous threads closed around him from every direction.
But just before the attack touched him—
His body shifted.
Not fast.
Not violently.
Simply… naturally.
As if the threads had always been meant to miss him.
The venomous web sliced through empty air.
Bibi Dong appeared behind him instantly.
Her palm struck forward with terrifying force, wrapped in dark soul power.
Lin Huang stepped aside again.
The attack smashed into the ground.
Stone shattered.
The plaza cracked under the impact.
Several Spirit Hall knights jumped back in alarm.
The fight had only just begun.
And already the shockwaves were spreading through the square.
Honghong leaned lazily against Lin Huang's shoulder.
"You're going to make her angrier if you keep dodging like that."
Lin Huang chuckled softly.
"That's the idea."
Another wave of spider silk shot forward.
This time it carried even more venomous pressure.
The threads twisted through the air like living blades.
Lin Huang raised a single hand.
A faint ripple of spiritual energy spread outward.
The approaching threads slowed.
Not stopped.
Just… slowed.
As if the world around them had grown heavier.
Bibi Dong's eyes sharpened.
"…Law?"
She pulled her hand back sharply.
The threads withdrew instantly.
The plaza had grown silent again.
But the tension in the air had doubled.
Bibi Dong studied Lin Huang carefully now.
The calm expression.
The effortless movement.
The strange power he had used to disrupt her attack.
Something about the situation irritated her.
Deeply.
Her voice turned cold.
"You came here to test Spirit Hall."
Lin Huang nodded calmly.
"Yes."
Her eyes narrowed.
"And you think you're qualified to do that?"
Lin Huang shrugged slightly.
"We're about to find out."
The faint smile on his face only made her angrier.
Dark energy surged around her again.
This time her aura grew far heavier.
More violent.
The ground beneath her feet cracked as her power expanded.
Lin Huang watched her quietly.
Then spoke.
"You fight with anger."
The sudden comment froze the atmosphere for a moment.
Bibi Dong's eyes flashed.
"…What?"
Lin Huang continued calmly.
"Your attacks are unstable."
"You're powerful."
"But your mind isn't."
Honghong blinked.
"Oh."
She looked between them.
"This is where he starts provoking people."
Bibi Dong's expression darkened instantly.
"You dare judge me?"
Her soul power surged again.
But Lin Huang didn't react.
Instead, he tilted his head slightly.
"Your pride blinds you."
The words landed like a blade.
The pressure in the plaza spiked instantly.
Bibi Dong's killing intent exploded outward.
"How arrogant."
Lin Huang continued speaking calmly, as if her rage meant nothing.
"You hold the highest position in Spirit Hall."
"And yet…"
He looked at her carefully.
"You act like someone running away."
Silence.
Even the Spirit Hall knights around the plaza froze.
Bibi Dong's eyes became dangerously cold.
"…Explain."
Lin Huang's voice remained steady.
"From Spirit Hall's perspective…"
"…your behavior could already be considered betrayal."
The words struck like thunder.
For a moment—
Bibi Dong didn't move.
Then the air exploded with killing intent.
"You…"
Her aura surged violently.
The plaza trembled under the pressure.
Honghong muttered quietly.
"…Yeah, that one hit."
But Lin Huang wasn't finished.
His gaze remained calm.
"You abandoned your responsibility."
"For a man from a rival faction."
Bibi Dong froze.
The rage in her eyes flickered.
Shock replaced it for a fraction of a second.
Lin Huang's next words cut even deeper.
"And that man abandoned you just as easily."
The plaza went completely silent.
For the first time since the fight began—
Bibi Dong stopped attacking.
Her eyes locked onto Lin Huang with terrifying intensity.
"…How do you know that?"
Lin Huang smiled faintly.
"I know many things."
The silence shattered instantly.
Her soul power erupted again.
But this time—
The attack was far more violent.
Far more emotional.
Honghong sighed.
"Well."
She flicked her tail.
"You definitely made her angry now."
The silence in the plaza shattered.
The moment Lin Huang finished speaking, the soul power surroundingBibi Dongerupted like a storm.
Dark purple energy surged violently around her body.
Her spirit rings shone with blinding intensity as an overwhelming killing intent flooded the entire square.
Cracks spread through the marble beneath her feet.
The pressure alone forced several Spirit Hall knights nearby to retreat several steps.
The Pope's eyes burned with fury.
"…You dare."
Her voice trembled—not from fear.
But from rage.
Lin Huang stood calmly in front of her.
Unmoving.
Unshaken.
Honghong, perched comfortably on his shoulder, flicked one of her ten tails.
Tushan Honghong tilted her head.
"Oh, she's really angry now."
Lin Huang sighed quietly.
"That was inevitable."
Bibi Dong's gaze locked onto him like a blade.
"…How."
Her voice was low.
Dangerously calm.
"How do you know those things?"
The plaza had grown eerily silent.
Even the Spirit Hall guards were too tense to move.
Lin Huang looked at her with the same calm expression.
"I told you."
"I know many things."
The ambiguity of the answer only made her angrier.
Her soul power surged violently again.
Dark energy gathered around her hands like a poisonous storm.
"You think knowledge gives you the right to judge me?"
Lin Huang didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he simply observed her.
Carefully.
Then he spoke again.
"You misunderstand."
His voice was calm.
Almost gentle.
"I'm not judging you."
Bibi Dong's eyes narrowed.
"…Then what are you doing?"
Lin Huang answered without hesitation.
"I'm pointing out the truth."
The air grew heavier.
The rage inside Bibi Dong's aura intensified again.
But Lin Huang continued speaking.
"You're controlled by your own darkness."
"You let it guide your actions."
"You let it define who you are."
The words were calm.
But each one landed like a hammer.
Bibi Dong's aura trembled violently.
"…Silence."
Lin Huang didn't stop.
"If you continue like this…"
"…you'll never become truly strong."
Her soul power exploded again.
The ground beneath her feet shattered.
"Enough!"
Her figure vanished.
She appeared directly in front of Lin Huang in an instant.
Her hand shot forward, wrapped in terrifying soul power.
But before the strike could land—
Lin Huang moved.
Not away.
Forward.
His hand rose calmly.
And touched her forehead.
For a fraction of a second—
Nothing happened.
Then a soft light appeared.
Not soul power.
Not spirit energy.
Something deeper.
A quiet radiance filled with the calm authority of laws.
A mixture of light and soul.
The moment it touched her—
The violent storm inside Bibi Dong's mind faltered.
The rage.
The hatred.
The countless chaotic thoughts swirling within her consciousness suddenly slowed.
The noise inside her mind faded.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…What…?"
Lin Huang's voice spoke quietly.
Right in front of her.
"You are ruled by your dark thoughts…"
His gaze remained steady.
"…instead of ruling them."
For the first time since the battle began—
Bibi Dong hesitated.
The rage that had been consuming her thoughts suddenly weakened.
Not gone.
But quiet.
The storm inside her mind… stilled.
Lin Huang continued.
"If you want to become a goddess…"
His voice remained calm.
"…then judge darkness."
He lowered his hand slowly.
"Don't become it."
The plaza fell silent.
For several seconds—
No one moved.
Bibi Dong stood frozen where she was.
Her soul power had not disappeared.
But the violent instability that had fueled it moments ago had suddenly faded.
Fragments of memory surfaced within her mind.
Her past.
The betrayal.
The pain.
The hatred she had carried for years.
But for the first time—
She looked at those memories without the same overwhelming rage.
Her breathing slowed.
Honghong blinked.
"…Huh."
She tilted her head.
"That actually worked?"
Lin Huang stepped back calmly.
"For now."
The silence in the plaza lasted only a few seconds longer.
Then—
A new pressure descended.
Far heavier than anything that had appeared so far.
The spiritual energy of the entire city trembled.
Honghong's ears twitched instantly.
"Oh."
She looked toward the sky.
"…Now that one is strong."
High above Spirit City—
Another presence had awakened.
The pressure descending uponSpirit Citywas unlike anything that had appeared before.
It did not erupt violently like Bibi Dong's rage.
It did not spread like a storm.
Instead—
It descended slowly.
Inevitably.
Like the weight of heaven itself pressing upon the city.
The spiritual energy of the entire plaza grew heavy.
Several Spirit Hall knights instinctively knelt.
Others lowered their heads in reverence.
Even those who had been watching the battle from afar immediately understood.
Only one person in Spirit Hall possessed such overwhelming authority.
High above the plaza, space rippled faintly.
Then a figure appeared.
Qian Daoliu.
The man stood in the air calmly, dressed in long white robes adorned with golden angelic patterns. His silver hair flowed gently behind him, and his presence radiated a sacred pressure that filled the sky.
Unlike Bibi Dong's cold dominance, Qian Daoliu's aura felt like sunlight descending from above.
Majestic.
Absolute.
The Angel Douluo had arrived.
His gaze moved slowly across the plaza.
First toward Bibi Dong.
Then toward the young man standing calmly across from her.
His eyes lingered there.
For several seconds.
Silence filled the square.
Honghong leaned forward slightly on Lin Huang's shoulder.
Tushan Honghong squinted up at the sky.
"Oh."
She flicked one of her ten tails.
"That one's stronger."
Lin Huang nodded faintly.
"Yes."
Qian Daoliu slowly descended from the sky.
Each step he took through the air seemed to carry immense authority.
When he reached the ground, the spiritual pressure surrounding the plaza stabilized slightly.
His gaze moved between the two figures before him.
The Pope of Spirit Hall.
And the mysterious young man who had just fought her.
His voice was calm.
Deep.
"Young man."
His eyes studied Lin Huang carefully.
"You have disturbed Spirit City."
The statement was neither accusation nor threat.
Just a fact.
Lin Huang met his gaze calmly.
"That wasn't my intention."
Honghong muttered quietly.
"That's not entirely true."
Lin Huang ignored her.
Qian Daoliu's perception expanded subtly.
He examined Lin Huang carefully.
And what he sensed made his eyes narrow slightly.
Soul power.
Yes.
But that was only the surface.
Beneath it were other systems of energy.
Strange ones.
Spiritual energy.
Law resonance.
Something else entirely.
More alarming was the way the world itself seemed to react to the young man.
The surrounding spiritual energy subtly aligned itself with him.
As if nature itself recognized his authority.
Qian Daoliu's voice remained calm.
"You're not from Spirit Hall."
Lin Huang shook his head.
"No."
Qian Daoliu continued.
"You're not from any known faction."
Lin Huang smiled faintly.
"That's correct."
The Angel Douluo remained silent for several seconds.
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"…Then why are you here?"
Lin Huang answered honestly.
"To see something."
Qian Daoliu raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Lin Huang's eyes met his directly.
"The strength of Spirit Hall."
Silence returned to the plaza.
Honghong whispered quietly.
"…You really don't hold back, do you?"
Qian Daoliu's expression remained calm.
But the air around him grew slightly heavier.
"You wished to test Spirit Hall."
It was not a question.
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
Several Spirit Hall elders nearby stiffened.
But Qian Daoliu did not react angrily.
Instead—
He laughed.
A quiet, low laugh.
"Interesting."
His gaze sharpened again.
"If that is your wish…"
His aura slowly expanded.
Golden light shimmered faintly around him.
"…then test me."
The pressure of the Angel Douluo spread across the plaza.
Honghong's ears twitched excitedly.
"Oh."
She looked at Lin Huang.
"Now this one might actually be fun."
Lin Huang exhaled slowly.
Then smiled.
"…Finally."
The moment the golden aura of Qian Daoliu expanded across the plaza, the atmosphere of Spirit City changed completely.
This was no longer the chaotic fury of battle.
This was authority.
Absolute authority.
The sacred pressure of the Angel Douluo spread through the air like sunlight descending from the heavens.
Spirit Hall knights knelt instinctively.
Several elders watching from the distance felt their breathing grow heavy.
A Rank 99 Title Douluo had released his aura.
Even if only partially.
Honghong stretched lazily on Lin Huang's shoulder.
Tushan Honghong tilted her head as she observed the golden light.
"Ah."
Her golden eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"This one is serious."
Lin Huang took a slow breath.
Then stepped forward.
His aura rose quietly.
Not explosively.
But steadily.
The spiritual energy surrounding him began to shift again.
Wind stirred across the plaza.
The ground trembled faintly.
Qian Daoliu watched him closely.
The strange resonance surrounding Lin Huang intensified.
Soul power.
Spiritual force.
Law energy.
Multiple systems of power overlapping in ways that should not exist.
The Angel Douluo's eyes sharpened.
"…Interesting."
Lin Huang raised one hand slowly.
A faint black ripple formed around his fist.
Not darkness.
Not exactly.
Something deeper.
The air itself seemed to compress around it.
Honghong blinked.
"Oh."
Her ears perked up.
"You're using that already?"
Lin Huang's voice was calm.
"Just a greeting."
The black energy condensed further.
The pressure around the plaza suddenly grew heavy.
Several Spirit Hall elders felt their expressions change.
Something about that power was deeply abnormal.
Qian Daoliu's gaze sharpened instantly.
"…What technique is that?"
Lin Huang didn't answer.
Instead—
He moved.
The ground beneath his feet cracked.
His figure shot forward like a meteor.
The compressed black energy around his fist intensified violently.
"Kokusen."
The moment the attack moved—
The space around it distorted.
The air shattered outward in a violent shockwave.
Spirit Hall knights were forced to retreat instantly.
Even Bibi Dong's eyes widened slightly.
That attack carried a terrifying compression of power.
But Qian Daoliu did not retreat.
Golden light erupted around him instantly.
His spirit rings appeared one by one.
The majestic aura of the Angel Martial Spirit flooded the plaza.
His hand rose calmly.
Golden spiritual power gathered in front of him.
But instead of simply blocking—
He stepped forward.
At the same moment Lin Huang's attack arrived.
Qian Daoliu's arm moved like a spear.
A vast spear-like intent formed around his strike.
Not a physical weapon.
But pure martial will.
Honghong's eyes widened slightly.
"Oh."
"That one's interesting."
The two attacks collided.
For a brief moment—
Silence.
Then—
BOOM.
The collision exploded like a thunderclap.
Black compression energy and golden angelic power erupted violently.
The ground of the plaza shattered.
Stone fragments shot into the air.
A massive shockwave blasted outward, forcing everyone nearby to retreat.
High above the city, clouds split apart.
The sky itself trembled under the force of the clash.
When the dust cleared—
Both figures stood several meters apart.
Lin Huang slid back slightly.
Qian Daoliu stood calmly, golden light still surrounding him.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then—
Qian Daoliu laughed.
A deep, satisfied laugh.
"Good."
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
"I have not seen such a technique in decades."
His gaze locked onto Lin Huang again.
"You are holding back."
Lin Huang smiled faintly.
"As are you."
The Angel Douluo nodded slowly.
That answer alone confirmed what he had already sensed.
This young man had not used his full power.
Honghong flicked her tail proudly.
"Of course he hasn't."
She crossed her tiny arms.
"If he went all out this city would be gone."
Lin Huang sighed quietly.
"That's exaggerated."
Honghong shrugged.
"Only a little."
Qian Daoliu's gaze lingered on Lin Huang for a moment longer.
Then he asked calmly:
"…Who are you?"
Lin Huang thought about the question for a moment.
Then answered simply.
"A traveler."
Honghong groaned.
"You really need a better introduction."
The Angel Douluo chuckled softly.
But his eyes remained sharp.
"…A traveler strong enough to shake Spirit City."
Silence returned to the plaza once again.
Then Qian Daoliu spoke.
"Why did you come here?"
Lin Huang's answer came without hesitation.
"To see something."
Qian Daoliu's eyebrow rose slightly.
"What?"
Lin Huang glanced briefly toward Bibi Dong.
Then back to the Angel Douluo.
"The peak of this era."
Honghong smirked.
"And he wasn't disappointed."