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Feeling the energy emanating from the distance, Lin Yongming suppressed the soul power within his body, his other hand involuntarily clenching tightly.
"That was an extraordinary sword strike, but Qian Daoliu is even stronger. I believe that one day, I will reach that level," Lin Yongming thought to himself. At this moment, his desire to witness the pinnacle of what a soul master could achieve burned more intensely than ever before.
"Father used his ninth soul skill, yet Qian Daoliu only needed his eighth soul skill to match him. Is the gap between each level of soul power above the Title Douluo realm really that vast?"
The Sword Douluo, who was more concerned about the outcome of this battle than anyone else, was shocked. He hadn't expected Qian Daoliu to only use his eighth soul skill to counter his father's Seven Kill Profound Meaning combined with his ninth soul skill.
"My father's strength is unmatched, especially in the air. Aerial combat is the advantage of our Six-Winged Angel martial soul," Qian Xunji, who was only a 92nd-ranked Title Douluo, knew that the difference between each level above 96th rank was exponentially greater.
In truth, most Title Douluo who reached the 97th rank were already at their peak. To advance to the 98th rank required special opportunities or a deep understanding of their martial soul. Reaching the 99th rank was even more difficult.
Unless, like Qian Daoliu, one had the legacy left by their ancestors, it was nearly impossible to reach the 99th rank.
Another Supreme Douluo, Tang Chen, was someone who had achieved a profound understanding of his martial soul. It was this deep comprehension that allowed him to create techniques perfectly suited to his martial soul, techniques that were even stronger than those granted by his soul rings.
In the distance, Qian Daoliu looked at the Sword Douluo, who had a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth, and spoke with ease. "Sword Douluo, I must admit that your Seven Kill Sword is indeed a top-tier martial soul. You've even comprehended the profound meaning of your martial soul. However, it's a pity that the Seven Kill Sword has nine kills, and you've only comprehended seven."
"Let me tell you this: compared to Tang Chen of the Clear Sky Sect, your understanding of your martial soul is still lacking. Even if you were a 98th-ranked Title Douluo, you would still lose. The difference between each level above the 96th rank is like the difference between heaven and earth. To put it simply, the current me could handle four 97th-ranked Super Douluo at once."
The Sword Douluo smiled, his teeth stained red with blood, and said, "I see. Thank you for enlightening me."
"Good that you understand. Domain Skill—Angel's Radiance!" Qian Daoliu nodded and then spoke in a low voice.
The angel that had descended into the domain suddenly radiated a blinding light, like a sun. Even those watching from the city walls felt the searing heat and instinctively closed their eyes.
To everyone else, it seemed as though the sun in the sky had dimmed in comparison. But the light came and went quickly.
"It's over," Qian Xunji said, watching from a distance, knowing the outcome.
"It's been a long time since I've seen the Grand Elder take action. Seeing this power again makes me shiver," the Chrysanthemum Douluo thought to himself, realizing that if he were near them, he would have been vaporized instantly.
With a loud boom, the massive sword energy that the Sword Douluro had launched at Qian Daoliu shattered into several pieces.
The Sword Douluro himself spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward, crashing into a large boulder, which shattered upon impact.
"What a pity for such a powerful soul master," Qian Daoliu said calmly, shaking his head. With a flash of golden light, he disappeared.
"Father!" the Sword Douluro shouted, summoning his Seven Kill Sword and rushing to his father's side.
When he reached his father, he saw that the upper half of his body was bare, his pants torn to shreds. What was even more shocking were the numerous cracks in his skin, especially on his chest, which looked as though it had been scorched by flames.
The Sword Douluro, Chen Xin, immediately supported Chen Jianjun's back, lifting him slightly. The dazed Sword Douluro's eyes gradually cleared.
"I'm fine. I have no regrets fighting such a powerful opponent," the Sword Douluro said with a weak smile, coughing up blood.
"Uncle Chen, don't speak. Let me heal you. Seven Treasure True Body!" Ning Fengzhi's father, who had also arrived, released his martial soul to heal the Sword Douluro.
In a short time, the cracks in the Sword Douluro's skin began to heal.
"It's no use. My most severe injury is from the backlash of my Seven Kill Profound Meaning. I only have half an hour left at most."
"Xin'er, listen. I need to tell you about the difference in soul power above the 96th rank." The Sword Douluro then shared the insights he had gained from Qian Daoliu with his son.
"Remember this: above the 96th rank, it's no longer just about accumulating soul power. It's about comprehending your martial soul. And don't seek revenge on Qian Daoliu for my sake. This was my choice, and I have no regrets," the Sword Douluro said, warning his son not to seek vengeance.
"Father, I understand," the Sword Douluro said solemnly.
"Good. Take me home," the Sword Douluro said with a relieved smile.
"Yes, Father!" The Sword Douluro picked up his father and flew away on his sword.
"It's over. I didn't expect Qian Daoliu to not even use his ninth soul skill," Lin Yongming thought to himself.
"This is the power of a human powerhouse. Even if Da Ming and Er Ming joined forces, they might not be his match," Xiao Rou and the Blue Silver Emperor thought simultaneously.
"Ah Yin, Xiao Rou, what do you think?" Lin Yongming asked the two.
"He's incredibly strong, unimaginably so. Especially the Grand Elder of the Spirit Hall. At that last moment, it was as if he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the sun. The brilliance of his light made the sun itself pale in comparison," the Blue Silver Emperor said with awe.
"Indeed. He's truly a Supreme Douluo. Perhaps what we saw was only a fraction of his power," Xiao Rou agreed.
"The 99th-ranked Supreme Douluo is not just the goal of ordinary soul masters but the lifelong pursuit of Title Douluo as well," Bibi Dong chimed in.
"Is that so?" Lin Yongming, who hadn't seen the golden light, only felt the immense soul power gathering around Qian Daoliu before it exploded outward in all directions.
As the group was reflecting on the battle, Qian Xunji approached. "Dong'er, Lin Yongming, we still have matters to discuss. Return to the Pope's Hall."
"Yes, Your Holiness!" Lin Yongming and Bibi Dong nodded.
Lin Yongming followed Qian Xunji and the others back to the Spirit Hall, accompanied by Chen Wu and the other five.
Once again, they stood in the solemn and majestic Pope's Hall.
"Greetings, Your Holiness," Lin Yongming and the others bowed to Qian Xunji.
The Blue Silver Emperor and Xiao Rou did not enter.
"Rise. Congratulations on upholding the honor of the Spirit Hall," Qian Xunji nodded.
"Your Holiness is too kind."
"Dong'er, and the rest of you, you've all worked hard. The ten-thousand-year soul bone and the 200,000 gold soul coins will be distributed among the seven of you. Let's handle the distribution first," Qian Xunji said to Bibi Dong.
"Understood, Teacher," Bibi Dong nodded, then turned to face Lin Yongming and the others.
"This ten-thousand-year soul bone is fire-attribute. Among us, Wang Yu is the most suitable to absorb it. Therefore, I will allocate the soul bone to him. Does anyone have any objections?" Bibi Dong said, holding up the soul bone.
"None," Lin Yongming and the others replied.
"Wang Yu, the soul bone is yours. I hope that in the days to come, you will continue to contribute to the Spirit Hall," Bibi Dong said solemnly as she handed the soul bone to Wang Yu.
Wang Yu's hands trembled as he accepted the soul bone. "Thank you, Your Holiness. Thank you, Holy Maiden. And thank you, my teammates!"
"Congratulations, big bear."
"Congratulations!" The others nodded and offered their blessings.
"As for the 200,000 gold soul coins," Bibi Dong continued, "the six of us will each receive 30,000, while Wang Yu, who received the soul bone, will get 20,000. Does that sound fair?"
"No problem."
Bibi Dong then distributed the gold coins, handing bags of gold soul coins to Lin Yongming and the others.
It was clear that Wang Yu was the biggest winner, having received both a soul bone and 20,000 gold soul coins.
"Teacher, we've finished the distribution," Bibi Dong said, turning back to Qian Xunji.
"Well done," Qian Xunji nodded, then raised his voice slightly as he addressed Lin Yongming. "Lin Yongming."
"Your Holiness!" Lin Yongming stepped forward.
"I promised you that if you led the team to victory in the Continental Elite Tournament, I would award you an honor—the Purple Record Medal—and the position of a sub-temple bishop, along with an additional 100,000 gold soul coins."
"You are the youngest recipient of the Purple Record Medal in the history of the Spirit Hall," Qian Xunji said, standing up. In his hands were three items: a purple medal with the emblem of the Six-Winged Angel, a gold card, and a written certificate confirming Lin Yongming's position as a sub-temple bishop.
The three items, enveloped in soul power, flew from the podium to Lin Yongming, who received them solemnly.
"Thank you, Your Holiness!" Lin Yongming knelt on one knee respectfully.
"Why is he the youngest recipient of the Purple Record Medal? Didn't the vice-captain say he was 21 years old?" Chen Wu whispered in confusion.
"Lin Yongming awakened his martial soul six years ago and joined the Spirit Hall five years ago. He helped the Holy Maiden eliminate a fallen soul master and was awarded the Yellow Record Medal. Now, six years later, at the age of 12, he is a 53rd-ranked Soul King. Do any of you have objections?" Qian Xunji explained.
"What... 12 years old! He's only 12?" Chen Wu's eyes widened as he stared at Lin Yongming, his voice echoing through the spacious Pope's Hall.
"Vice-captain, are you even human?" Dong Xiaofang looked at Lin Yongming in shock.
"Vice-captain, you kept this from us for so long," the others also looked at Lin Yongming in amazement.
"I didn't want to discourage you all, so I intentionally said I was 21 instead of 12," Lin Yongming shrugged.
"Damn, a 12-year-old like this... Now I really feel discouraged."
"Since you didn't know, it's fine. From now on, when you're out in the world, Lin Yongming, you should be careful about revealing your true age. It's better to say you're older," Qian Xunji said, also somewhat astonished by Lin Yongming's talent. He recalled that he hadn't even reached the Title Douluo level at the age of 12.
"Yes, I will heed Your Holiness's advice," Lin Yongming nodded.
"Good. As for the five of you, once you break through to the Soul King level, you can report to the Spirit Hall's Elite Department," Qian Xunji said to Chen Wu and the others.
"Thank you, Your Holiness," Chen Wu said on behalf of the group.
"You may leave now," Qian Xunji waved his hand, dismissing the five.
Chen Wu and the others left the Pope's Hall, leaving only Lin Yongming and Bibi Dong.
"Bibi Dong, Lin Yongming, there are still many fallen soul masters hiding in the shadows across the continent. Your mission is to travel the continent together, seek out these fallen soul masters, and either eliminate them or capture them. This mission will last three years," Qian Xunji said solemnly.
"One of you holds the Holy Maiden's Token, and the other holds the Purple Record Medal. If you encounter fallen soul masters, you can summon the Spirit Hall's Knight Corps and local bishops from nearby cities," Qian Xunji explained.
"Three years!" Lin Yongming was taken aback.
"This is for your future. One of you is the Holy Maiden, my sole successor, destined to take over the position of Pope. The other, Lin Yongming, with your talent, I believe reaching the 98th-ranked Super Douluo level will not be difficult for you. You might even reach the 99th-ranked Supreme Douluo level. Therefore, you are a strong candidate for the position of Grand Elder of the Judgment Hall, overseeing the Elder Council. Currently, the Grand Elder is my father."
"Thus, one of you is the future Pope, and the other is the future Grand Elder of the Spirit Hall. You must support each other and grow together."
"This mission is to help you gain experience and increase your prestige within the Spirit Hall. When the time comes for you to take your positions, it will be easier, as you are the future of the Spirit Hall," Qian Xunji said, walking down from the podium to stand before them.
"Your Holiness, I understand," Lin Yongming said solemnly.
"Teacher, I understand as well," Bibi Dong nodded.
"Good. With your combined strength, ordinary Soul Emperors will not be a match for you. Even if you face a Soul Sage, you should be able to escape if you cannot win."
"Therefore, I will not send anyone to accompany you on this mission. Since you've been training hard for the Continental Elite Tournament, take a month to rest. During this time, the two of you should study the continental map and plan your route," Qian Xunji said, returning to his throne.
"Yes, Your Holiness!" Lin Yongming and Bibi Dong nodded in unison.
"You may leave," Qian Xunji waved his hand.
Lin Yongming and Bibi Dong walked out of the Pope's Hall side by side, eventually reaching the main entrance.
"Xiao Ming, you're finally out. I saw Chen Wu and the others leave earlier and was worried something had happened inside," the Blue Silver Emperor, who had been waiting anxiously, approached and sighed in relief.
"Nothing happened. Let's talk back at the hotel," Lin Yongming patted the Blue Silver Emperor's hand.
"Holy Maiden, there's no need to see us off. You should rest as well. After we take Xiao Rou back, we'll return to the Spirit Hall to find you," Lin Yongming said, turning to Bibi Dong.
"Alright. Don't forget what the teacher said," Bibi Dong nodded, reminding him.
"Of course!" Lin Yongming nodded, then left the Spirit Hall.
"Hey, Xiao Ming, what agreement do you two have? What's going on? Tell me," the Blue Silver Emperor caught up to him.
"Ah Yin, it's a long story. Let's talk back at the hotel," Lin Yongming replied.
"You're being so mysterious. I'm dying of curiosity," the Blue Silver Emperor said impatiently.
"Ah Yin, don't be so impatient. Maybe it's not convenient to talk about it outside," Xiao Rou said helplessly.
"Fine, let's go to the hotel then. Hurry up."
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 232 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 60 power stones I will publish the next chapter.