Bibi Dong's voice remained gentle.
To the onlookers, she seemed perfectly normal.
But those directly facing her pressure—Chen Xin, Feng Bailong, and the others—couldn't help their expressions tightening.
From Bibi Dong as the source, an overwhelming tide of dark-purple Spirit Power swept out, entwined with threads of sinister divine aura, crushing toward them like the collapsing heavens.
It was a malevolent aura beyond anything mortal.
Blended with decay and death.
Enough to suffocate even seasoned Title Douluo.
...
On the peak of the Divine Mountain—
The atmosphere was heavy.
The Worship Hall elders stood in solemn silence.
Even Glowing Feather Douluo, usually lively, stopped swinging on the suspended swing.
The Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo, strode forward. Staring at the heaven-shaking evil aura surging from Bibi Dong and the celestial phenomena it stirred, he said gravely:
"Bibi Dong is about to become a god."
"What are we waiting for? Take action!"
Glowing Feather Douluo flipped his hand—an ice-crystal longbow condensed in his palm. His voice was slightly anxious:
"But Xue'er and that boy Zhexian are still down there!"
Golden Crocodile Douluo grabbed his wrist, his voice low and heavy:
"Do you think the Grand Worship is unaware of what's happening below?"
"With him present, Xue'er will be safe."
"I'm here this time for Li Zhexian. The Grand Worship wishes to see him."
"Hm?"
The moment those words were spoken—
All the Worship Elders grew solemn.
...
At that moment, down in Spirit City—
Just as the Rakshasa-tainted Spirit Power was about to sweep across the seats of the Upper Three Sects—
Qian Renxue let out a cold snort. Light-attributed Spirit Power flowed into her palm, and she was about to step forward.
But the next moment—
Li Zhexian gently held her hand and stepped out first, blocking the pressure for everyone behind him.
He lifted his gaze toward Bibi Dong upon the throne.
She seemed transformed into a towering, infinite shadow of ghostly purple, radiating suffocating evil.
A soft radiance of glazed light appeared over Li Zhexian's body—pure and cleansing.
The instant the purple Rakshasa power and miasma of decay touched him—
they dissolved like frost beneath the sun, unable to advance even an inch.
This was the body of flawless purity—
the form even pure-blooded dragons yearned to attain.
Ning Fengzhi, Feng Bailong, and Yu Yuanzhen each placed a hand upon Li Zhexian's shoulder at the same time.
Their voices were calm, yet each word struck like metal:
"We only hope Your Majesty the Pope remembers the reason for proclaiming an empire today. If war is brought to the continent… even if my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Can is declining, we will still protect our homeland."
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan as well."
"The Wind Sword Sect shares the same resolve."
The words of the three Sect Masters resounded across the plaza.
The atmosphere froze.
The aura of the Spirit Master army grew increasingly fierce, faint howls already echoing through the air.
And at that exact moment—
Bibi Dong raised a hand and pressed down lightly.
The Spirit Power tempest stopped instantly.
"As expected of the Upper Three Sects. Your resolve is admirable. This Pope… is quite pleased."
"Half a month from now, this Pope shall hold the coronation ceremony in Spirit City and invites all Spirit Masters to witness the grand event."
Perhaps because of the large number of people present, or perhaps because she considered it not the right time to start a war with the Upper Three Sects, Bibi Dong did not act.
Li Zhexian prepared to leave with Ning Fengzhi and the others—
But his ear twitched slightly.
His expression shifted, and he spoke to Feng Bailong, Dugu Bo, and the rest:
"Senior, please wait a moment. There's something I must handle."
"Zhexian, what matter could be so important?"
Ning Fengzhi frowned:
"Bibi Dong is extremely dangerous. Unless absolutely necessary, we should leave as soon as possible."
Li Zhexian looked toward Qian Renxue, his voice low:
"It's the one on Divine Mountain…"
"…who wishes to see me."
"On the Divine Mountain…"
Hearing this, Chen Xin, Feng Bailong, and the others all grew solemn.
They naturally understood who "the one on the Divine Mountain" referred to—the victor of the Heavenly Ridge Martial Tournament decades ago, the man hailed as 'Invincible of the Sky—Qian Daoliu.
"Zhexian, do you need us to accompany you?"
Even after witnessing Bibi Dong's terrifying state just now…
They still believed—
Qian Daoliu was in no way inferior to her.
Li Zhexian smiled.
"Rest assured, seniors. There's no danger."
"Zhexian, why would Grandpa suddenly want to see you?"
Qian Renxue unfurled her Angel Wings, carrying Li Zhexian as they glided through the sea of glowing clouds, flying toward the mountain peak hidden above.
Complex formations surrounded the Divine Mountain; without knowing the method to pass them, even a Titled Douluo would find it difficult to ascend.
"If even you don't know, then how would I?"
Li Zhexian shook his head with a laugh, then added,
"Probably something about you and me."
Qian Renxue's jade-like cheeks flushed.
She secretly peeked at him—her beautiful eyes filled with joy and nervousness—then said quickly:
"Zhexian, don't worry!"
"As long as I'm here, no one will make things hard for you!"
Li Zhexian laughed.
"That's not what concerns me."
"To be honest, I've long wanted to meet this… so-called 'Invincible of the Sky."
...
Before long—
The two reached the summit of the Divine Mountain.
From below, one could occasionally glimpse a corner of the Angel Temple through the shifting rainbow light.
But when the thousand-meter-tall Angel Statue and its golden temple fully revealed themselves before him—
even Li Zhexian felt a moment of awe.
"So this is the only place on the Douluo Continent with a complete god inheritance…"
"Zhexian boy, you've come?"
Several figures with abyss-like auras strode forward.
Glowing Feather Douluo rushed ahead, appearing before Li Zhexian, a bright grin on his handsome face.
Li Zhexian smiled knowingly.
Light flashed from his Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse—
And strange novelties from the mortal world piled up before Glowing Feather one after another, making his eyes light up again and again.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Good! Good boy! I'm growing more and more fond of you!"
With both arms full of trinkets, Glowing Feather Douluo was grinning ear to ear.
Qian Renxue stood beside Li Zhexian with a soft smile.
Just as he was about to formally greet the other five Worship Elders, Glowing Feather waved him off:
"Alright, alright, I'll handle the greetings for you!"
"Hurry to the temple. The Grand Worship has been waiting quite a while!"
Li Zhexian gave him a grateful smile, still cupping his hands politely toward the other five elders—
Then he followed Qian Renxue into the Angel Temple.
The radiant holy corridor was adorned with angel feathers.
Just stepping on the white jade tiles filled one's heart with warmth and tranquility.
Following Qian Renxue into the hall that housed the divine idol—
Li Zhexian immediately saw, at the end of the hall where a beam of sunlight fell,
a golden-haired, gray-robed figure sitting with his back to them.
The man's aura was completely withdrawn, as ordinary as a mortal.
Yet as he quietly sat within the light, even someone of Li Zhexian's current strength felt a moment of disorientation—
A second ago he was merely a silhouette;
a moment later he seemed to merge into the sunlight itself—mysterious beyond comprehension.
"Xue'er, go fetch the Radiant Tea for Grandpa."
Qian Renxue's brows furrowed lightly.
Instead, she tightened her grip on Li Zhexian's arm.
That ethereal voice sounded again, tinged with helplessness:
"Don't worry, child. Grandpa will not make things difficult for him."
"With you here, it will be inconvenient for me to speak with him."
Qian Renxue still did not move—
Until Li Zhexian gently shifted his arm.
Only then did she reluctantly leave the hall.
"Profound Sword Dao… a flawless body without impurity… the Spirit Rings of an Auspicious beast and a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast…"
"Young man, you are truly the peerless genius I have encountered only once in my lifetime."
...
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