Bright sunlight spilled across the earth. Under its illumination, the Pope Palace appeared even more magnificent and golden, as if it were the dwelling of immortals.
In front of the Pope Palace, two rows of Hall Guardian Knights stretched from the palace gates all the way to the foot of the mountain. Their bright silver armor and heavy knight swords made the entire Pope Mountain appear even more majestic.
The eliminated sects had not left; they were permitted to watch the final day of battles. If the reshuffling of the top soul master powers in the world lacked even a single spectator, it would have lost much of its enjoyment.
The Wind Sword Sect, Rock Antelope Sect, and Sparrow Bee Sect masters looked at the seven sects gathered before the Pope Palace with great envy. They originally should have had a chance, but because their luck was just a little bit off and their group placement was poor, they had failed. Their hearts were bitter, but there was no help for it; the results could not be changed. Only the winners were qualified to step onto this plaza in front of the Pope Palace; as losers, they could only be reduced to onlookers.
Early in the morning, the seven sects that had entered the final ranking tournament had already appeared before the Pope Palace, waiting quietly. Everyone stood silently on the plaza, awaiting the arrival of this final moment.
The plaza in front of the Pope Palace was no smaller in area than the competition stages used previously. The square plaza floor was paved with special stones; if one looked closely, one could see that those stones carried a faint, lustrous glow. Although they were not true jade, they were certainly incomparable to ordinary rock.
Among the seven sects, except for Yun Ming, everyone was more or less nervous. The re-selection of the seven sects only happened once every few decades, and the rankings would remain for a long time! Everyone wanted to strive for the best position possible. Although the Upper Three Sects and Lower Four Sects still had an essential difference due to the Title Douluo, there was still fighting to be done within the same tier.
After everyone had waited for a short while, the Martial Soul Hall side finally made their appearance.
A team emerged from the side door of the Pope Palace. A total of twelve Cardinals, whose status was second only to the Platinum Bishops, walked over slowly. They walked all the way to the front of the Pope Palace and stood in two lines, six on each side.
The leader shouted loudly, "Pope Your Majesty has arrived."
"Long live, long live, long live." Three shouts, like a landslide or a tsunami, echoed throughout the entire Martial Soul City.
That was not just the sound of the Hall Guardian Knights lined up on Pope Mountain, but also the cry of all the soul masters within Martial Soul City who were not allowed to approach the mountain. To them, the Pope was their highest faith!
The massive palace doors slowly opened, and the six emblems on the two doors gradually drifted off-center.
Everyone's gaze involuntarily converged toward the direction where the doors were opening.
Wearing a brilliant golden gown from head to toe, a purple-gold crown on her head, and holding a Scepter, Bibi Dong, with a solemn expression, was the first to walk out of the Pope Palace. Her entire being had a surreal quality, appearing infinitely tall.
No one even paid attention to her stunningly beautiful face. At this moment, she represented only the dignity of a generation of Popes of the Martial Soul Hall and the highest power in the Soul Master World, which moved the hearts of everyone present more than her beauty.
The brilliant golden gown was perfectly fitted, the gorgeous dress shimmering with treasure light, adorned with over a hundred red, blue, and gold gemstones. The purple-gold crown on her head radiated ten thousand rays of light, and all the brilliance at this moment was concentrated solely on her.
All those belonging to the Martial Soul Hall knelt on one knee at this moment, "Greetings, Pope Corona."
The atmosphere in this instant was indescribable. Some young people who had come out with their families to see the world could not help but feel an urge to prostrate themselves amidst the shouts coming from all directions.
Those present were all powerhouses; even when meeting the Pope, there was no need to kneel, so naturally, no special incident like the one with Shrek Academy occurred again. Bibi Dong waved the Scepter in her hand slightly.
"Rise."
A faint smile appeared on her face as her gaze swept from left to right across all seven sects that had finally arrived here.
"You are all the pillars and foundations of the soul master world. Today, you have gathered in Martial Soul City for the sake of the seven sects' reputation; this is fate, and also a test. I will not say any more superfluous words, everyone."
Bibi Dong's expression turned serious as she continued.
"Fight! Family glory, leaving your name in history—everything rests on this day. Use the martial souls you are so proud of to achieve your family's lofty dreams!"
Her tone was not particularly high-pitched, but perhaps because she had voiced the inner thoughts of everyone present, Yun Ming clearly felt that the emotions of those around him seemed more agitated. Even the usually calm and steady Ning Fengzhi could not remain unaffected.
Bibi Dong observed the expressions of the crowd and was very satisfied. Although the young man Yun Ming was unexpectedly calm, it did not matter. She went straight to the point.
"The selection method for this seven sects ranking tournament is: a melee."
"Each sect will send three people, twenty-one in total from the seven sects, in a no-rules free-for-all. The later a sect is fully eliminated, the higher their ranking. The one left standing at the end will be the new Number One Sect Under Heaven!"
Once this rule was announced, some were happy and some were worried. The weak were delighted that they could group up, while some individual powerhouses had objections. Yu Yuanzhen glanced at the Breaking Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect side, then looked at the alliance of the lower-ranked sects that had formed in an instant, feeling a headache. He had a bad relationship with one side, and he looked down on the other. After all, what kind of trash were the Fat Elephant, Fire Leopard, Black Tiger, and Earth Dragon? How could they stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon!
Yu Yuanzhen immediately raised a challenge.
"Pope Corona, is this rule not a bit of a joke? The Seven Sects Grand Competition should still be handled with caution."
To translate Yu Yuanzhen's meaning: the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had no allies to rely on, so it was unfair!
Bibi Dong swept a glance at the situation below and generally understood the reason. She did not care for the biological father of her old lover; after all, he was also a deadbeat father. She replied as follows.
"The goal of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is surely to compete for the title of Number One Under Heaven! Since it is the Number One Under Heaven, how could it be affected by a selection method? That shouldn't be the case."
"This is what I believe. What does Sect Master Yu think?"
Yu Yuanzhen: "..."
Bibi Dong had already put him on a pedestal; what else could he think? If he said, 'If the rules aren't changed, I won't be able to take the Number One spot,' or if he said, 'My goal isn't the Number One spot,' his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan could not afford to lose that much face.
Yu Yuanzhen glanced at the other sects watching and feigned composure.
"Your Majesty is right; it was this sect master who was narrow-minded."
Having said that, he shut his mouth.
Seeing that Yu Yuanzhen had stopped speaking and that no one else had any objections, Bibi Dong gave the order.
"I declare, the Seven Sects Ranking Tournament, officially begins!"
Afterward, the Chrysanthemum Ghost Two Douluo from the Martial Soul Hall appeared to serve as referees, and everyone from each sect, except for the participants, retreated to the spectator area.
Yang Wutian looked at Yun Ming and said.
"Ming Er, the rules have changed. We should still proceed according to the normal plan!"
Yun Ming smiled slightly.
"Fifth Grand Uncle, don't worry. Just proceed as usual; the situation will not change in the slightest."
"But..."
Yang Wutian still wanted to say something, but he was stopped in advance by Yang Wudi.
"Fifth, no need to say more. Trust Ming Er!"
Yang Wutian looked at his older brother, then turned to see the calm and composed expression on Yun Ming's face. The unease in his heart slowly dissipated, and he spoke heroically.
"Fine! Ming Er, then today's matters are entrusted to you."
Yun Ming looked at Yang Wutian and said earnestly.
"I will certainly not fail your expectations!"
The two old men nodded and retreated along with the other clansmen.
Seeing that his clansmen had left, Yun Ming addressed Yue Guan.
"Soul Break Sect, preparations complete. Combatant: Yun Ming."
The crowd present was in an uproar upon seeing that the Breaking Clan had left only Yun Ming on the stage.
Bibi Dong in front of the Pope Palace, the members of other sects, the referees Yue Guan and Ghost, and even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, who were on good terms with the Breaking Clan, were all shocked. They had not expected to see such a crazy scene today.
Dugu Bo looked at the Yang Wutian and Yang Wudi brothers who had come to his side and exclaimed.
"What are you doing? Don't you want to win?"
If even Dugu Bo, who was on good terms with the Breaking Clan, felt this way, it went without saying for the others.
"Of course we want to win, and we want to win beautifully!" Yang Wutian replied.
Seeing Dugu Bo's shocked expression, Yang Wudi recalled what Yun Ming had said the day they arrived in Martial Soul City. Feeling it was very fitting, he used it to respond to Dugu Bo.
"To use the words of my grandson Yun Ming:"
"To suppress the heroes of the world with the strength of one person alone—what could better interpret being Number One Under Heaven than this!"
"Hiss—"
The others standing around the two men couldn't help but gasp when they heard such domineering and earth-shattering words.
Dugu Bo was also astonished. He knew Yun Ming was strong—incredibly strong. More than one Title Douluo had died at his hands, and even a powerhouse like Tang Xiao had fallen to him. But the situation was different now!
There were three Super Douluo on the field with top-tier martial souls. Not to mention anything else, Chen Xin's combat power was not below Tang Xiao's. With Ning Fengzhi's support, his true combat power could definitely reach the level of a ninety-seventh rank, and that was a ninety-seventh rank with the Seven Kill Sword!
Additionally, there were twelve Soul Douluo from the Lower Four Sects, including five at the eighty-ninth rank. This was also a powerful force; if coordinated properly, they could even briefly resist the Sword Bone Pagoda trio. Finally, there was Yu Yuanzhen.
For the Breaking Clan to be so arrogant, it was inevitable that they would become the target of everyone's ire; they would certainly not turn a blind eye. By this calculation, for Yun Ming to win in the end, it would be no less difficult than defeating five Super Douluo. Even if Yun Ming's cultivation had surged, was this even possible?!!
Dugu Bo didn't know the answer to this question, nor did Yang Wudi or Yang Wutian, and not a single person present knew either.
Bibi Dong's expression was also becoming difficult to maintain. Her fair hand gripped the scepter tightly as she waited for what would follow. She didn't think Yun Ming was a fool; otherwise, how could he have snatched the Spirit Ring and Spirit Bone from her hands? So, was it possible he could actually do it?!! Bibi Dong couldn't believe it, because this was something she couldn't have done even when she had just become a Super Douluo.
On the other side, the six elders of the Worship Hall, excluding Qian Daoliu who was supervising the two goddesses' God Trial, were also plunged into doubt.
The Second Worship, Jin E, asked the Sixth and Seventh Offerings.
"Sixth, Seventh, you two have spent more time with that kid. Do you think it's possible?"
Subduing Demon Douluo scratched his head and shook it.
"I don't know. That kid is quite monstrous; I've never seen him use his full strength!"
Thousand Jun Douluo was silent for a moment, but he spoke up to support Yun Ming.
"This child, Yun Ming, is not someone who sits in a well looking at the sky. I fear he has something to rely on."
"."
There was no consensus on the Worship Hall's side either.
Back on the battlefield.
Yue Guan and Ghost looked at each other, seeing the shock in each other's eyes. However, they didn't intend to interfere; this was too interesting, so why would they step in? The Sword Bone Pagoda trio from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect were relatively calm; Sword Douluo was strong enough, and they feared no accidents.
It was just that Yu Yuanzhen and the people from the Lower Four Sects couldn't stand this silent contempt. Yu Yuanzhen looked at Yun Ming and spoke in the tone of a senior offering instruction.
"Kid, this sect acknowledges that your strength is decent, but do not underestimate the heroes of the world. You had better let your grandfather come down!"
Hu Yanzhen and Huo Bao also spoke up.
Huo Bao said with rage, his hair standing on end.
"Arrogant junior, to actually look down on us like this!"
Hu Yanzhen laughed loudly.
"Eh! Brother Huo is mistaken. This is the Soul Break Sect seeing that it isn't easy for us, so they are making way for us. We should be thanking them."
As he spoke, Hu Yanzhen bowed respectfully toward Yang Wudi on the spectator stand.
"Many thanks for your great kindness, Corona. If there is any task in the future, my Elephant Armor Sect will certainly not shirk our duty."
Once the leader spoke, the other two Soul Douluo of the Elephant Armor Sect also spoke in unison.
"Many thanks for your great kindness, Corona!" x2
Yang Wudi looked at Hu Yanzhen, whose posture was respectful on the surface but mocking in reality, and cold light flashed in his eyes. But before he could lash out, Bibi Dong spoke first.
"Sect Master Hu, this is the sacred Seven Sects Grand Competition. Please be careful with your words."
Upon hearing this, Hu Yanzhen replied respectfully.
"Yes, Your Excellency Pope."
He then looked toward Yang Wudi and cupped his hands.
"Hu Yanzhen spoke without thinking just now and said the wrong thing. I hope Your Excellency will forgive me!"
Hu Yanzhen was no fool. If the situation weren't so unusual and he didn't have such strong backing, he would never have dared to provoke Yang Wudi, especially since the Breaking Clan was arguably the clan that countered them the most.
Yang Wudi watched this master and servant singing in harmony and felt a surge of anger, but given the occasion, he had no choice but to let it go.
"Heh~"
"It is fine. You will soon understand the intentions of my sect."
Upon hearing his grandfather's words and seeing the situation on the field, Yun Ming abandoned his original plan to keep a low profile and spoke to Yu Yuanzhen.
"Sect Master Yu, you have the ambition to be Number One Under Heaven, but you lack the capacity and vision of Number One Under Heaven. That is why you always say such laughable things on occasions like this."
"Number One Under Heaven? What does it mean to be Number One Under Heaven?"
"If you cannot defeat everyone, then you are not fit to stand at the peak!"
As for Hu Yanzhen, he looked down on him and couldn't be bothered to speak.
As his words fell, a supreme aura of invincibility and peerless dominance erupted from Yun Ming like a volcano that had been suppressed to its limit, crushing all living beings.
Bibi Dong, the seven Douluos present, the elders, and everyone else on the scene were all inexplicably panicked by the pressure of Yun Ming's formidable will. Even Bibi Dong, as a successor to a god, was no exception; this had nothing to do with cultivation, but was purely a gap in willpower.
Seemingly influenced by Yun Ming's heaven-shaking spirit, the clouds within a fifty-mile radius above the Pope Palace began to swirl rapidly, resembling a vortex or a thousand-foot Giant Dragon swimming endlessly, tossing and turning incessantly.
With a single thought, the wind and clouds shifted.
Bibi Dong watched this miraculous sight, feeling as though that massive white dragon was the manifestation of Yun Ming's will. He was no longer hiding in mediocrity, having shed his usual mask of kindness to release his truest self, truly beginning to reveal his claws and sharp edge to the world.
As the primary target of Yun Ming's focus, Yu Yuanzhen felt an aura identical to that of Tang Chen in his early years—no, even grander and more aloof. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead, and he trembled uncontrollably, unable to utter another word.
Yun Ming was somewhat disappointed by Yu Yuanzhen's performance; possessing a True Dragon martial soul but lacking the heart of a True Dragon, it was no wonder he could never break through. He turned his head to look at the blustering Hu Yanzhen, and seeing that his expression was slightly better but still much the same, he shook his head. A lackey is truly useless!
However, seeing this Junior treat him with such contempt, Hu Yanzhen's fear fueled a surge of rage. With no other thoughts left, he gritted his teeth and said.
"Brat, stop putting on an act! Let me see what kind of skills you actually have!"
Hu Yanzhen activated his Martial Soul Avatar. His somewhat loose fat rapidly tightened into exaggerated and terrifying muscles, and a layer of dark yellow keratin emerged on the surface of his skin, shimmering with a metallic luster that made him look inhuman. His nose simultaneously extended and lengthened, his upper lip curled back, and two tusks grew out a full foot long.
"Eee--"
He raised his elephant trunk to the sky and let out a long cry, snapping the crowd back to their senses and drawing back the curtain on this great battle.
"Thump, thump, thump."
Hu Yanzhen exerted force through his feet and charged wildly toward Yun Ming. Every step left a shallow pit half a meter in diameter, the earth groaned incessantly, and the distance between the two men rapidly closed.
In the blink of an eye, he was before Yun Ming. The dark yellow light on his fist—which was truly the size of a sandpot—condensed into something nearly physical. As he struck, it covered all the space in front of Yun Ming, as if it were a Divine Elephant Suppressing Demon.
"Brat, take this!"
Before the fist even arrived, the wild wind from the punch whipped Yun Ming's hair and clothes into a frenzy. Watching the fist draw ever closer, Yun Ming extended his left hand.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: DaoistReader