Just half an hour ago, he was still the high and mighty successor of the Sea God, a prodigy on the Golden List, with his father, Haotian Douluo, backing him up, and the Shrek Seven Devils following him through thick and thin.
But now.
My father is dead.
My older brother is dead.
My brother ran away.
Even the teacher he regarded as his pillar of support was now lying paralyzed in urine like a useless piece of trash.
Why?
Why did it turn out like this?
Tang San's heart was filled with resentment, but he wanted to die even more.
Death would end everything, freeing me from facing all this cruelty.
He attempted to bite his tongue and commit suicide, trying to detonate the soul power within his body.
However, the oppressive force pressing down on him was too strong, so strong that it not only imprisoned his body but also locked up every trace of soul power flowing within him.
He has difficulty even blinking, let alone committing suicide.
Qianyu's figure slowly descended from the sky and stopped three feet above Tang San.
He looked down at the former protagonist, his eyes still calm, without a trace of the joy of a victor.
Because this was never a close battle, but a one-sided crushing defeat.
"Want to die?"
Qianyu's clear and cold voice reached Tang San's ears.
"Dying is too easy."
"I will let you live."
"Let you watch with your own eyes as all your so-called pride, your so-called glory, and your laughable Tang Clan dream shatter one by one before your eyes."
"This is the greatest blessing I can bestow upon you."
The wind carried a heavy, bloody stench, lingering over the shattered land before Jialing Pass.
Dai Mubai's headless corpse lay quietly to one side, its warm blood still seeping into the surroundings, eventually pooling into small, dark red puddles.
Tang San lay on the ground, half his face buried in the soil, his other eye fixed on the golden sky.
Even in this extreme despair and grief, the golden list hanging in the sky showed no sign of stopping.
It was like a sophisticated soul guide device with a pre-programmed sequence of events, cold and ruthless, completely indifferent to the life and death of the ants below.
A magnificent golden light shone forth.
Huge ancient seal characters slowly emerged on the scroll.
[Fourth place on the Celestial Golden List.]
Without any unnecessary embellishment, just these few words made everyone present's hearts clench.
Even Tang San, who was ranked ninth in the previous rankings, was already a god.
What kind of terrifying scene must the fourth place be?
The scroll slowly unfolds.
This time, there was no earth-shattering explosion, nor was there a massive battle.
The scene depicts a lush, primeval forest.
The trees were so tall that they far exceeded people's imagination, and each leaf shimmered with a faint glow of life.
Starry Sky Forest.
Many Soul Masters present recognized this place at a glance. It was a forbidden area for all Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent, and also the last paradise for Soul Beasts.
The scene zoomed in rapidly, passing through layers of mist, and arrived directly at the deepest core of the Star Dou Great Forest.
There is a lake of life there, as large as a giant gemstone.
And on the lakeside, a figure stood.
It was a young girl.
She had long silver hair, but the strands were not ordinary silver-white; rather, they were like flowing mercury, reflecting a rainbow of colors in the sunlight, and reaching all the way to her ankles.
Her skin was as white as snow, even more translucent than the purest mutton fat jade in the world. Her purple eyes were so clear that they seemed to reflect all things in the world, yet as deep as the endless starry sky.
She stood there quietly, without releasing any soul power or displaying any martial spirit.
But the surrounding space was slightly distorted.
That's because the elements in the air are cheering.
The fury of fire, the gentleness of water, the agility of wind, the weight of earth, the holiness of light, the profundity of darkness, and even the most mysterious element of space.
The seven elements, like the most loyal subjects, leaped and spun joyfully around their monarch, forming visible bands of colored light.
roar--!
A deep dragon roar came from the screen.
Behind the girl, an indescribably huge phantom slowly emerged.
It was a giant silver dragon.
The dragon's wings spread wide, seemingly able to blot out the entire sky. Profound runes shimmered on its silver scales, each scale containing power sufficient to destroy the heavens and the earth.
Silver Dragon King.
Although no one had ever seen this being, the moment they saw the phantom, those two words naturally came to mind for everyone.
The camera zooms out.
A breathtaking scene unfolded.
At the girl's feet, around the lake of life.
Countless powerful soul beasts were prostrate on the ground.
There are dark gold dinosaurs that are hundreds of meters long, a red king whose body is engulfed in crimson flames, and a red gold lion with three heads...
At the very front, a middle-aged man dressed in black with a cold expression was kneeling on one knee, his head bowed, showing absolute submission.
That was the Beast God Di Tian.
It is now recognized as the strongest ferocious beast in the Douluo Continent, a terrifying existence with 800,000 years of cultivation.
Yet this very overlord was now as humble as a servant before that silver-haired girl.
[Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena.]
[Lord of all Soul Beasts, Sovereign of the Elements.]
The large characters on the list of successful candidates slowly came to a stop.
At this moment, all the soul beasts on the continent seemed to sense something. Whether it was the icy plains of the far north or the corners of the Sunset Forest, all the soul beasts stopped moving at the same time.
They roared deafeningly towards the Starry Sky Forest.
That was a pilgrimage.
That is the highest respect for the monarch.
In front of Jialing Pass.
Tang San gasped for breath, the pain from the pressure on his chest making each breath feel like swallowing shards of glass.
But he couldn't care less about any of that.
His eyes were fixed on the girl in the picture who was worshipped by all the beasts.
That innate nobility, that composure in controlling the elements of heaven and earth, even through the light barrier, made him feel a tremor from the depths of his soul.
"The...fourth..."
Tang San's throat made a dry sound.
His heart was filled with bitterness and confusion.
He, Tang San, possessed twin martial souls, the inheritance of the Sea God, and the divine will of the Asura. He endured countless hardships before ascending to godhood.
He thought he was already at the pinnacle of this world, the undisputed protagonist.
However, on this list, he only ranked ninth.
And this Silver Dragon King, whom I've never heard of before, is ranked fourth.
Is the difference really that great?
If that's the case, then what kind of indescribable monsters would be ranked third, second, or even first?
"There are actually such powerful individuals in this world..."
Bibi Dong stood on the city wall of Jialing Pass.
Looking at Gu Yuena in the picture, she felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
She always believed herself to be the most powerful woman on this continent, the supreme pope of the Spirit Hall.
In pursuit of power, she did not hesitate to devour Qian Xunji and open the Rakshasa Secret Realm, transforming herself into a monster that was neither human nor ghost.
But now, looking at that silver-haired girl.
That pure beauty, that otherworldly divinity, that majesty that even the Beast God Emperor Tian would willingly kneel in worship.
Bibi Dong suddenly felt ridiculous.
Everything she pursued seemed worthless in the face of true power.
Just as everyone was immersed in the shock brought by Gu Yuena.
Standing in the void, Qianyu looked at the silver-haired girl in the scene, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
There was no surprise, nor any fear.
His eyes revealed a familiarity like seeing an old friend, even with a hint of doting.
"This girl's entourage is getting bigger and bigger."
Qianyu murmured to herself, her voice low, yet it was clearly heard by those around her in the deathly silence of the battlefield.
Before anyone could even process the meaning of those words, the others were left speechless.
Gu Yuena in the picture suddenly moved.
She was originally looking at the soul beasts below, but at this moment, as if she sensed something, she slowly raised her head.
Those purple eyes seemed to pierce through the scene, through time and space, looking directly at Qianyu above Jialing Pass.
Although separated by the golden list screen, everyone could see it clearly.
That high and mighty Silver Dragon King, like a god.
The moment I saw Chiyu.
A very faint, soft color appeared on her face, which was originally as cold and aloof as ice and snow.
Then.
She nodded slightly in Qianyu's direction.
boom!
This scene was like a bombshell, exploding in everyone's minds.
At and around Jialing Pass, countless people stared wide-eyed, their mouths agape enough to fit an egg.
Who is that?
That's the Silver Dragon King! The supreme ruler of all soul beasts! A being even the Beast God Di Tian must kneel before!
She was actually... greeting Qianyu?
Moreover, judging from his expression, he wasn't treating an enemy or a stranger at all; rather, it was more like... a subordinate meeting his superior, or an old friend reuniting.
"This...how is this possible?"
Ning Rongrong huddled in the corner, watching this scene, feeling a chill run through her body.
She originally thought that Qianyu was just strong, an unparalleled expert.
But now it seems that Qianyu's background is far deeper than they imagined.
Even the Lord of Soul Beasts knows him and treats him with such courtesy.
So what kind of being are the Shrek Seven Devils fighting against?
Tang San lay on the ground, watching the two interacting from a distance, his eyes even more bloodshot.
despair.
A deeper despair washed over us like a tide.
He was still fantasizing that as long as he could survive and escape back to Poseidon Island, he might have a chance to make a comeback.
Perhaps we could unite with other powerful individuals, such as those on the Golden Ranking, to fight against Qianyu.
But reality was like a series of resounding slaps, hitting him hard across the face.
The powerful figures ahead of him all seemed to have some connection with Qianyu.
This is not a fair game at all.
This is a dead end that is destined to be lost.
Before everyone could process the shock brought by Gu Yuena, the scene in the sky changed again.
The originally cool and ethereal silver light gradually dissipated, and in its place was a magnificent and vast golden-red light.
This light was no longer the sacred light of purification, nor the sharp light of slaughter.
Rather, it is a profound, majestic, and awe-inspiring radiance, brimming with imperial majesty.
[Third place on the Celestial Golden List.]
As the rankings were announced, a solemn and majestic sound of bells and drums seemed to come from ancient times, echoing throughout the entire world.
The screen slowly lit up.
It was a palace complex of unparalleled magnificence.
With its red walls, yellow tiles, flying eaves, and bracket sets, the majestic palace stretches for hundreds of miles, resembling a golden dragon coiled on the earth.
On the square paved with white marble, banners blocked out the sun, and armored soldiers stood like a forest.
Tens of thousands of officials and envoys, dressed in various court robes, knelt on the ground in perfect unison.
And atop the highest steps, before the magnificent golden hall.
A figure stood with his hands behind his back.
It was a woman.
But unlike Gu Yuena's ethereal and otherworldly beauty, this woman's beauty carries an extreme sense of aggression and oppression.
She wore a crimson imperial robe embroidered with nine golden phoenixes, the long train of which spread out on the imperial steps. She wore a twelve-tassel crown, which obscured her phoenix eyes that could see through people's hearts.
Even if you can't see their face clearly, just that silhouette alone gives you an urge to worship them.
Her presence alone represented supreme power.
She stood there, and she was the center of the world.
"I am the mandate of Heaven."
A majestic female voice resounded through the golden list, echoing across the heavens.
The voice wasn't shrill, but it carried an unquestionable decisiveness, as if every word she uttered was a royal decree that had to be carried out.
The images flow.
The empress slowly raised her hand and waved her long sleeves.
In an instant, the entire scene changed dramatically.
"Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the whole land, all people are subjects of the king."
As these domineering words fell, enormous golden magic arrays appeared out of thin air across the endless territory in the scene.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Within the magic array, golden pillars of light shot into the sky, each containing terrifying energy enough to destroy a city.
Ultimate move β Life and death at your disposal.
It attacks the entire map, ignoring distance and defense.
Beneath that pillar of light, both rebels and demons were reduced to ashes.
This is the majesty of the Empress.
This is the ultimate form of imperial power.
Empress Wu Zetian.
[A supreme emperor throughout history, a glorious era.]
Seeing this name, seeing this scene.
On the top of Jialing Pass, Bibi Dong, who had been barely maintaining her papal dignity, finally couldn't help but sway slightly.
Her face turned deathly pale instantly.
As the founding empress of the Spirit Empire, Bibi Dong has always considered herself the first empress of this continent.
She established an empire and ruled over the Soul Masters; she felt she had achieved the ultimate femininity.
But.
Before this empress named Wu Zetian.
She suddenly felt like a little girl dressed in adult clothes playing house.
Look at their overwhelming momentum.
Look at their grand spectacle of all nations paying tribute.
Then look at your own newly established Martial Soul Empire, which still needs to rely on conspiracies and brute force to maintain itself.
Is this the difference?
Is this the difference between third place and fifteenth place?
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(End of chapter)