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Chapter 158: Not Lived in Vain.
Inside the Pontiff's Palace.
Within the solemn Grand Hall, a woman was seated upon the throne.
She wore a luxurious black robe inlaid with gold patterns, a Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown on her head, and held a scepter about two meters long, inlaid with countless gems. Her fair skin and nearly perfect countenance made her appear exceptionally unique. Especially the intangible nobility and sacredness exuding from her made one feel the urge to prostrate themselves in worship.
She was astonishingly beautiful—noble, elegant, and serene; all sorts of beautiful words seemed to apply to this woman. Although she was over fifty years old, time had not left the slightest trace on her.
And this dignified and luxurious woman was precisely the current Pontiff of Spirit Hall—Bibi Dong.
At this moment, below the throne, a black-robed person was kneeling on one knee, head bowed low, having seemingly just finished reporting intelligence.
"Lord of White Cloud City... Sea God Successor..." Ripples stirred in Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes. She felt a sense of apprehension regarding these two. At the same time, she was struck by how vast the world truly was.
Previously, she had thought that possessing twin martial souls and a god's inheritance, with her strength reaching Rank 98 and nearing the level of a Limit Douluo, made her a rarity in the world.
As a result, in recent years, experts of this level had emerged one after another. First, there was the Lord of White Cloud City with his twin martial souls, who became a Limit Douluo at a mere twenty-six years old; he was almost guaranteed to achieve godhood in the future! Next was the Sea Soul Master Neptune, who gained the Sea God's approval and was virtually the preordained Sea God. Finally, there was Medicine King Sun Zhongjing, who created his own soul rings—a world-shaking feat. Bibi Dong wouldn't even be surprised if he created his own divine seat and achieved godhood at any time.
This world had become increasingly incomprehensible to her.
Furthermore, Bibi Dong felt that the experts hidden in the shadows were likely not limited to just these three. Take Medicine King Sun Zhongjing, for example—an old man who had traveled the continent, practicing medicine everywhere. Before the video was exposed, who would have thought this ordinary-looking old man was actually a Limit Douluo at the peak of the Soul Master world? Especially since his soul rings were condensed by himself. It was simply mind-boggling!
Even someone as arrogant as Bibi Dong had to admit she was far inferior to such a prodigy who broke the rules of Soul Masters. If she didn't achieve godhood soon, her long-plotted plan would undoubtedly face immense resistance if she wished to carry it out!
"A time of many troubles..."
Bibi Dong sighed. If she could, she would have wished to achieve godhood as soon as possible. But alas, the divine trials were not something that could be cleared immediately just by wanting to. Especially the final hurdle from Rank 98 to Rank 99 to become a Limit Douluo; it was not something one could break through just by having enough soul power. It also required a type of epiphany; only by achieving comprehension could one break through.
"Forget it, I'll just go join the fun."
She thought of the Sea God's inheritance that Neptune possessed, and her curiosity about the battle between the two was piqued. She mused that by observing their fight, she might be able to determine the gap in their strength. Moreover, by observing the combat of Limit Douluos, she might gain an epiphany and break through the final hurdle.
Furthermore, being able to observe the battle between these two future gods in advance would also allow her to roughly estimate how powerful they would be after achieving godhood.
If she herself were to achieve godhood, could she defeat them? Could she suppress these two?
These were all things Bibi Dong urgently wanted to know.
Many other experts shared Bibi Dong's thoughts. For example, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, and even the Clear Sky Sect, which had been reclusive for a long time, also decided to join the fun. They wanted to see for themselves just how large the gap was between them and the experts at the pinnacle of the Soul Master world.
The scheduled duel had attracted almost all of the top Soul Masters on the continent.
Ten days later.
The chosen location for their duel was a place surrounded by a mountain range several thousand li from White Cloud City.
This place was originally rarely visited, but ever since the news of the duel spread ten days ago, many people had arrived in advance, preparing to act as spectators.
Now that ten days had passed, it would be an exaggeration to say the place was packed, but a great many people had certainly gathered here. A conservative estimate put the number at tens of thousands.
Most of these people were Soul Masters. After receiving the news from various parts of the continent, they had rushed here day and night, just to witness the clash between peak experts.
At this moment, the morning sun was just rising.
The sky was just beginning to brighten. A wisp of the morning sun's radiance gradually expanded, slowly bringing light to the world.
"Today is the day of the duel."
"I'm so excited!"
"I wonder when the duel will begin."
"To be able to witness the battle between two Peerless Douluo, I feel that my life won't have been lived in vain after today."
"Indeed."
"I can brag about this for a lifetime..."
The tens of thousands of people present were mostly dispersed, gathering in groups of two or three, discussing in low voices.
As for high-level Soul Masters like Bibi Dong, they remained hidden in the shadows, observing quietly.
Everyone present was waiting, waiting for today's protagonists to appear.
Time passed, bit by bit.
As the sun rose higher, the surrounding crowd grew gradually impatient.
"It's almost noon, why aren't they here yet?"
"Surely we don't have to wait until night, right?"
"Don't rush, let's just wait a bit longer."
"Looking at the time, they should be here soon."
"We've waited for almost ten days, what's a little more time..."
Many people discussed this in low voices. Although their individual voices weren't loud, the combined sound from so many people became a buzz, more disruptive than a bustling market. It shattered the tranquility of the mountain range.
After a while longer, the sun in the sky had reached its zenith.
The surrounding air had also become stiflingly hot, causing many people to sweat profusely, as if they were being roasted over a furnace.
But at this very moment, the people present suddenly noticed that at some point, a patch of black had appeared in the blue sky and white clouds. This black patch expanded rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, the once clear sky was covered by dark clouds, creating the ominous feeling of an impending storm.
A gust of damp, cold wind blew past, causing many to shiver inexplicably.
"Strange, what's with this damn weather?"
"It was scorching hot just a moment ago, and now it's going to rain?"
"These dark clouds feel so strange. How did they gather so quickly?"
"The temperature dropped way too fast, didn't it?"
"Huh? Something's not right!"
"These dark clouds, could it be..."
Many people present were confused, while many others keenly sensed something, their faces revealing expressions of shock.
As for the truly high-level Soul Masters hidden in the shadows, feeling the rapid change in the surrounding temperature and looking at the oppressive dark clouds that obscured the sky, their expressions all turned solemn.
Because they could sense that this sudden arrival of gloomy, rainy weather was definitely not natural.
And since it wasn't natural, it could only be man-made.
Just what level of cultivation was required to control the weather to such an exaggerated extent?
Bibi Dong's expression was solemn as she looked up at the sky. She knew this sudden change in the weather was definitely the work of one of the two combatants.
Directly manipulating the weather... this was already a power within the domain of the gods!
"Rumble!!!"
Within the thick dark clouds, streaks of lightning flashed, illuminating the entire sky!
Immediately following was a torrential downpour!
The tens of thousands of Soul Masters present were instantly drenched like drowned chickens.
"They're here!"
Bibi Dong's expression stirred.
(end of chapter)
Inside the Pontiff's Palace.
Within the solemn Grand Hall, a woman was seated upon the throne.
She wore a luxurious black robe inlaid with gold patterns, a Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown on her head, and held a scepter about two meters long, inlaid with countless gems. Her fair skin and nearly perfect countenance made her appear exceptionally unique. Especially the intangible nobility and sacredness exuding from her made one feel the urge to prostrate themselves in worship.
She was astonishingly beautiful—noble, elegant, and serene; all sorts of beautiful words seemed to apply to this woman. Although she was over fifty years old, time had not left the slightest trace on her.
And this dignified and luxurious woman was precisely the current Pontiff of Spirit Hall—Bibi Dong.
At this moment, below the throne, a black-robed person was kneeling on one knee, head bowed low, having seemingly just finished reporting intelligence.
"Lord of White Cloud City... Sea God Successor..." Ripples stirred in Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes. She felt a sense of apprehension regarding these two. At the same time, she was struck by how vast the world truly was.
Previously, she had thought that possessing twin martial souls and a god's inheritance, with her strength reaching Rank 98 and nearing the level of a Limit Douluo, made her a rarity in the world.
As a result, in recent years, experts of this level had emerged one after another. First, there was the Lord of White Cloud City with his twin martial souls, who became a Limit Douluo at a mere twenty-six years old; he was almost guaranteed to achieve godhood in the future! Next was the Sea Soul Master Neptune, who gained the Sea God's approval and was virtually the preordained Sea God. Finally, there was Medicine King Sun Zhongjing, who created his own soul rings—a world-shaking feat. Bibi Dong wouldn't even be surprised if he created his own divine seat and achieved godhood at any time.
This world had become increasingly incomprehensible to her.
Furthermore, Bibi Dong felt that the experts hidden in the shadows were likely not limited to just these three. Take Medicine King Sun Zhongjing, for example—an old man who had traveled the continent, practicing medicine everywhere. Before the video was exposed, who would have thought this ordinary-looking old man was actually a Limit Douluo at the peak of the Soul Master world? Especially since his soul rings were condensed by himself. It was simply mind-boggling!
Even someone as arrogant as Bibi Dong had to admit she was far inferior to such a prodigy who broke the rules of Soul Masters. If she didn't achieve godhood soon, her long-plotted plan would undoubtedly face immense resistance if she wished to carry it out!
"A time of many troubles..."
Bibi Dong sighed. If she could, she would have wished to achieve godhood as soon as possible. But alas, the divine trials were not something that could be cleared immediately just by wanting to. Especially the final hurdle from Rank 98 to Rank 99 to become a Limit Douluo; it was not something one could break through just by having enough soul power. It also required a type of epiphany; only by achieving comprehension could one break through.
"Forget it, I'll just go join the fun."
She thought of the Sea God's inheritance that Neptune possessed, and her curiosity about the battle between the two was piqued. She mused that by observing their fight, she might be able to determine the gap in their strength. Moreover, by observing the combat of Limit Douluos, she might gain an epiphany and break through the final hurdle.
Furthermore, being able to observe the battle between these two future gods in advance would also allow her to roughly estimate how powerful they would be after achieving godhood.
If she herself were to achieve godhood, could she defeat them? Could she suppress these two?
These were all things Bibi Dong urgently wanted to know.
Many other experts shared Bibi Dong's thoughts. For example, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, and even the Clear Sky Sect, which had been reclusive for a long time, also decided to join the fun. They wanted to see for themselves just how large the gap was between them and the experts at the pinnacle of the Soul Master world.
The scheduled duel had attracted almost all of the top Soul Masters on the continent.
Ten days later.
The chosen location for their duel was a place surrounded by a mountain range several thousand li from White Cloud City.
This place was originally rarely visited, but ever since the news of the duel spread ten days ago, many people had arrived in advance, preparing to act as spectators.
Now that ten days had passed, it would be an exaggeration to say the place was packed, but a great many people had certainly gathered here. A conservative estimate put the number at tens of thousands.
Most of these people were Soul Masters. After receiving the news from various parts of the continent, they had rushed here day and night, just to witness the clash between peak experts.
At this moment, the morning sun was just rising.
The sky was just beginning to brighten. A wisp of the morning sun's radiance gradually expanded, slowly bringing light to the world.
"Today is the day of the duel."
"I'm so excited!"
"I wonder when the duel will begin."
"To be able to witness the battle between two Peerless Douluo, I feel that my life won't have been lived in vain after today."
"Indeed."
"I can brag about this for a lifetime..."
The tens of thousands of people present were mostly dispersed, gathering in groups of two or three, discussing in low voices.
As for high-level Soul Masters like Bibi Dong, they remained hidden in the shadows, observing quietly.
Everyone present was waiting, waiting for today's protagonists to appear.
Time passed, bit by bit.
As the sun rose higher, the surrounding crowd grew gradually impatient.
"It's almost noon, why aren't they here yet?"
"Surely we don't have to wait until night, right?"
"Don't rush, let's just wait a bit longer."
"Looking at the time, they should be here soon."
"We've waited for almost ten days, what's a little more time..."
Many people discussed this in low voices. Although their individual voices weren't loud, the combined sound from so many people became a buzz, more disruptive than a bustling market. It shattered the tranquility of the mountain range.
After a while longer, the sun in the sky had reached its zenith.
The surrounding air had also become stiflingly hot, causing many people to sweat profusely, as if they were being roasted over a furnace.
But at this very moment, the people present suddenly noticed that at some point, a patch of black had appeared in the blue sky and white clouds. This black patch expanded rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, the once clear sky was covered by dark clouds, creating the ominous feeling of an impending storm.
A gust of damp, cold wind blew past, causing many to shiver inexplicably.
"Strange, what's with this damn weather?"
"It was scorching hot just a moment ago, and now it's going to rain?"
"These dark clouds feel so strange. How did they gather so quickly?"
"The temperature dropped way too fast, didn't it?"
"Huh? Something's not right!"
"These dark clouds, could it be..."
Many people present were confused, while many others keenly sensed something, their faces revealing expressions of shock.
As for the truly high-level Soul Masters hidden in the shadows, feeling the rapid change in the surrounding temperature and looking at the oppressive dark clouds that obscured the sky, their expressions all turned solemn.
Because they could sense that this sudden arrival of gloomy, rainy weather was definitely not natural.
And since it wasn't natural, it could only be man-made.
Just what level of cultivation was required to control the weather to such an exaggerated extent?
Bibi Dong's expression was solemn as she looked up at the sky. She knew this sudden change in the weather was definitely the work of one of the two combatants.
Directly manipulating the weather... this was already a power within the domain of the gods!
"Rumble!!!"
Within the thick dark clouds, streaks of lightning flashed, illuminating the entire sky!
Immediately following was a torrential downpour!
The tens of thousands of Soul Masters present were instantly drenched like drowned chickens.
"They're here!"
Bibi Dong's expression stirred.
(end of chapter)
