An hour passed quietly.
Thunder Leopard was the first to step into the main hall. His footsteps were steady and rhythmic, as if he were stepping on invisible war drums, displaying the composure and certainty of one who had completed a mission. After meditating, most of the Soul Power he had consumed during the previous battle had recovered. Faint, tiny arcs of electricity danced around his body—the natural pressure emitted by his Thunder Tiger Martial Soul, silently speaking of his power.
Half a step behind him followed three Spirit Emperor powerhouses, each with a different appearance but all exuding powerful auras—they had once been city lords holding sway over their respective territories; now, fate had brought them here.
Long Ziyun, City Lord of Ice Wolf City, stood tall like a pine tree, his face as cold as ice. His ice-blue combat outfit seemed to still carry the unique chill of Ice Wolf City. His sharp gaze, like a falcon, scanned every detail of the main hall with calm composure. Deep within his pupils, which belonged to the Heavenly Wing Tyrannosaurus Rex, intertwined a primal craving for power and a cautious weighing of his new destination.
Yan Luo, City Lord of Savage City, looked like a typical hero of the North. His build was as sturdy as a mountain, and knotted muscles bulged beneath his bronze-colored skin, making it seem as if the weight of the earth accompanied his every step. His personality was straightforward; at this moment, his face carried a touch of simple honesty and undisguised curiosity. Unlike the deep-thinking Long Ziyun, he felt more of the ease of "whatever comes, we will accept it."
The Savage Ape Martial Soul he possessed granted him not only peerless strength and defense but seemed to have also shaped his straightforward disposition.
Among the three, the one with the most complex expression was Wind Blows Snow. A trace of imperceptible paleness still lingered on his face—the mark of internal injuries that had not yet healed after he had forcefully withstood the Peak strike of Thunder Leopard.
His originally sinister and cunning eyes were now much more restrained, replaced by a complex emotion that was hard to describe—there was palpitation, stemming from a deep realization of Thunder Leopard's absolute strength; there was annoyance, aimed at his own previous misjudgment; but more than that, it was the caution of having to re-examine his own positioning after being shocked by a larger, more terrifying power, and perhaps... hidden beneath that caution, lay a secret anticipation that even he himself did not want to delve into.
The cold, sinister aura belonging to his Blue Poison Beast Martial Soul was also deliberately suppressed to its lowest point at this moment.
Thunder Leopard's gaze was like lightning, instantly locking onto the petite figure sitting on the throne adorned with coral and pearls at the end of the main hall.
Without any hesitation, he stepped forward three paces, clasped his fists, and knelt on one knee. His movements were clean and efficient, carrying a soldier-like precision. His resonant voice echoed in the main hall, filled with heartfelt respect:
"Pope, Thunder Leopard has successfully fulfilled the mission! I have successfully brought Long Ziyun, City Lord of Ice Wolf City, Yan Luo, City Lord of Savage City, and Wind Blows Snow, City Lord of Beiming City, to pay their respects!"
This voice was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, clearly reaching the ears of the three people behind him, and causing them to simultaneously focus their gazes on the existence on the throne—the supreme leader of the Axis Cult, the rumored Incarnation of the Water God, Furina.
The first impression was enough to send ripples of shock and disbelief through all three of them simultaneously.
She was truly an overly young girl. She looked to be only fourteen or fifteen years old, with skin so fair it was almost transparent, and features as exquisite as a doll carved by a Grandmaster who had poured all his heart and soul into it. A head of silver-white and blue-streaked hair was combed into a gorgeous and elegant hairstyle. Those azure eyes were like the purest alpine lakes; as they flickered, they carried a distant, almost transcendent air.
She wore a blue and white dress with a complex, highly artistic design, with layers of ruffles like surging waves. Overall, she looked more like a princess who should be carefully kept in a deep palace castle, ignorant of the world's affairs, rather than a religious leader capable of stirring up the winds and clouds, making powerhouses like Thunder Leopard willing to bow down.
However, when they focused their perception slightly, that slight contempt born from her extremely young appearance melted away instantly like snow under the sun.
The Soul Power fluctuations faintly emanating from that petite body had actually reached the Soul Ancestor Rank! A Soul Grandmaster of such an age, combined with the twin spirits that Thunder Leopard had mentioned... her talent was indeed terrifying enough to rival, or perhaps even surpass, the geniuses of Shrek Academy who were known as monsters.
One must know that for the three of them to achieve the Spirit Emperor realm, every single one of them had gone through decades of hard cultivation, supplemented by Medicinal Pills and Opportunities, to reach where they were today. And this young girl, having only just started, had already revealed such prominence.
But this was not what shocked them the most.
When they entered, the Water God Special Envoy named Neuvillette, who was handling official business in the side hall, had emitted energy fluctuations that were like an abyss or the sea, unfathomable and far exceeding an ordinary Titled Douluo; at the very least, he was a terrifying existence at the level of a Super Douluo! With such a powerhouse sitting in town to assist, even if this Pope's own Rank was still shallow, it was enough to rampage across the Star Luo Empire.
Wind Blows Snow's feelings were particularly profound. When he felt that faint, yet seemingly crushing pressure from Neuvillette, the blood in his chest surged, and he almost triggered his internal injuries again. A sweetness rose in his throat, which he forcibly swallowed back down. His heart was already in turmoil, filled with a complex mix of emotions.
"That bastard Thunder Leopard...!" Wind Blows Snow almost cursed aloud in his heart, a strong sense of grievance and lingering fear seizing him. "If he had told me earlier that there was a Super Douluo sitting in the Axis Cult, why would I, Wind Blows Snow... why would I have been stupid enough to forcefully receive his sixth Spirit Ability in his amplified state?!"
He recalled the previous duel, where he had been full of calculations, thinking he could maneuver with his wits and the uniqueness of his Martial Soul, only to have it collapse instantly in the face of absolute power. Thinking back on it now, that performance was simply like a clown. In front of a Super Douluo, all his schemes and plots appeared so pale and ridiculous.
However, after the anger and grievance, a cold chill climbed up his spine, and then, it was replaced by a strange, almost resigned sense of relief. He glanced at Thunder Leopard, who was kneeling respectfully beside him, his feelings complex and hard to fathom.
"Perhaps... Thunder Leopard's approach was the right one." Wind Blows Snow mused to himself.
"Even if he had explicitly stated that the Axis Cult had a Super Douluo at the time, with my suspicious nature, without experiencing it personally, I might not have believed it entirely, and might even have thought he was bluffing. After all, who could easily believe that an emerging Sect, which only had some fame in one city, would have such a heaven-shaking giant behind it? Only by personally experiencing this pressure, which was both despair-inducing and hinted at hope, could someone like me, who wouldn't shed tears until seeing the coffin, truly recognize reality."
At this moment, all the luck, unwillingness, and unnecessary calculations in Wind Blows Snow's heart finally vanished completely. In the face of an absolute gap in strength, any opportunism was merely a futile struggle. Being able to attach himself to a force with a Super Douluo, for someone like him who had been misunderstood and whose development had been constrained everywhere due to the uniqueness of his Martial Soul, was not necessarily a... shortcut to a broader world.
Just as the three of them were surging with emotions and lost in thought, Furina on the throne spoke. Her voice was crisp and melodious, carrying the unique vitality of a young girl, yet it also contained a trace of the unquestionable majesty of a superior:
"You've worked hard, Thunder Leopard. Rise." Her gaze then turned to the three city lords, carrying a trace of just the right amount of curiosity, "And the three city lords, there is no need for such formalities."
Her gaze swept over the three with interest, finally landing back on Thunder Leopard: "Are these three the talents you mentioned before, who are willing to join my Axis Cult?"
Thunder Leopard stood up in response and took a step to the side, leaving the stage for the three city lords.
Long Ziyun took a deep breath, suppressed the waves in his heart, stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said in a deep voice: "I am Long Ziyun, City Lord of Ice Wolf City, Rank 67 attack system Spirit Emperor, Martial Soul, Heavenly Wing Tyrannosaurus Rex."
Yan Luo followed closely behind, his voice as loud as a bell, carrying the unique heroism of the North: "I am Yan Luo, City Lord of Savage City! Rank 65 attack system Spirit Emperor, my Martial Soul is the Savage Ape!" As he spoke, he subconsciously patted his sturdy, rock-like chest, making a dull thud.
"Savage Ape?!"
Furina, whose posture had still carried a bit of laziness and casualness, had her eyes widen abruptly the moment she heard those three words. Her petite body subconsciously leaned forward, her face filled with astonishment and a kind of... almost absurd bewilderment.
"What is going on? Savage Ape?! This style..." Furina's heart felt as if ten thousand horses were galloping, "Isn't this a character from the set next door? How did he cross over to the Douluo Continent? Could it be that he is also...?" She forcibly suppressed the impulse to directly ask "Where is your Black Iron Beast army?", and just used an extremely strange, inquisitive gaze to look Yan Luo up and down, trying to find a trace of a "fellow traveler" in his honest expression and burly figure.
Yan Luo felt uncomfortable under her undisguised scrutiny, and could not help but scratch his head, his bell-like eyes full of confusion.
Immediately after, Wind Blows Snow also stepped forward. He secretly adjusted his breathing, trying to make his voice sound steady and respectful: "I am Wind Blows Snow, City Lord of Beiming City, Rank 65 Control System Spirit Emperor, my Martial Soul... is the Blue Poison Beast."
"Pfft—cough, cough, cough!"
The flower tea that Furina had just picked up to calm her nerves, emitting a delicate floral fragrance, caused her to choke the moment the words "Blue Poison Beast" entered her ears. The tea almost sprayed out of her nose, and she coughed violently, even forcing out some physiological tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Pope!" Thunder Leopard immediately cast a concerned gaze.