62: Chapter 62 Reactions from All Parties
The news of the total annihilation of three Spirit Hall Spirit Master Legions and the fall of the three accompanying Titled Douluo was like a World-shattering thunderclap. Within just three days, it centered on Spirit City and swept across the entire Douluo Continent.
At first, some people scoffed, treating it as a rumor spread by those with ulterior motives.
Three full Spirit Master Legions, three hundred elite Spirit Masters, and three Titled Douluo overseeing them—how could they be wiped out overnight without even sending a complete distress signal?
Who would believe such a thing?
Titled Douluo are existences at the pinnacle of the continent's Spirit Masters; each is a major figure capable of deterring an entire region. Even if they were outmatched, it would be impossible for them to fail to escape. Even thinking with one's backside, it seemed impossible.
But when Spirit Hall released an official announcement, not only confirming the truth of the news and publishing the names of the three fallen Titled Douluo, but even attaching rubbings of dragon claw marks from the scene and samples of the lingering, terrifying dragon pressure, the entire continent instantly fell into a dead silence.
There was no expected schadenfreude, no Sects secretly gloating at Spirit Hall's misfortune. Even the two great Empires and the Upper Three Sects, who were always at odds with Spirit Hall, didn't feel the slightest bit of relief. Instead, it was replaced by bone-deep panic and unprecedented vigilance.
As the number one power on the Douluo Continent, it was impossible for Spirit Hall to joke about such matters.
In the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial palace, Emperor Xue Ye slammed the secret report in his hand onto the imperial desk. The precious red sandalwood desk instantly developed a fine crack. His face was pale, and even his voice trembled uncontrollably: "Three Titled Douluo?! All fallen in a single night?!"
Standing below was Ning Fengzhi, dressed in a moon-white robe. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in his hand no longer rotated with its usual composure. His normally gentle face was now filled with an indelible solemnity.
He sighed softly, his voice low and nearly stifled: "Your Majesty, the news is absolutely true. The three fallen Elders were veteran Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall's Elder Palace. Although they were usually low-profile and rarely went out, each possessed a rank of ninety-three to ninety-four. They were by no means ordinary."
"You should understand what this means, Your Majesty."
Ning Fengzhi's brow was tightly furrowed: "Even an ordinary Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast might not be guaranteed to win one-on-one against a Titled Douluo, let alone killing three at once and leaving them no chance to call for help. The strength of this black dragon has long surpassed our understanding of Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beasts. It is a true Vicious Beast that has lived for hundreds of thousands of years, perhaps even touching the threshold of the legendary Divine-Grade."
Emperor Xue Ye slumped back onto his dragon throne, cold sweat already soaking his dragon robe embroidered with golden dragons.
He understood the weight of these words better than anyone. Back then, the human traitor Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao had single-handedly heavily injured three of Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo and killed a veteran Angel Enshrinement, turning the entire continent upside down. But Tang Hao was, after all, just one person.
But this time was different.
Behind a Vicious Beast capable of easily slaying three Titled Douluo was the entire Star Dou Great Forest and the ancient Dragon Clan that had disappeared for ten thousand years. Their target had never been just Spirit Hall, but the entire human Spirit Master World.
"Regarding the matter with Tang Hao back then, we could watch from the sidelines, but this time..."
Ning Fengzhi looked up at Emperor Xue Ye, his tone filled with unprecedented seriousness: "We have no way out. Once the Dragon Clan truly awakens and billions of Spirit Beasts return, no Empire or Sect will be able to remain unscathed."
The same shock and panic also completely exploded in the Star Luo Empire's imperial palace.
The Star Luo Emperor, known for his iron-blooded nature, crushed the jade cup in his hand the moment he finished reading the secret report. Crimson wine mixed with blood dripped onto the floor.
He immediately issued the highest level of combat readiness orders: increase border troops by thirty percent across the board, put all Spirit Master Legions on first-degree alert, and simultaneously close all official soul-hunting passages from the Star Luo Empire to the Star Dou Great Forest. Any Spirit Master was strictly forbidden from entering the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest, with violators to be charged with treason.
The Star Luo Empire was adjacent to the Star Dou Great Forest. Once a large-scale Spirit Beast riot occurred, the first to be hit would be the Star Luo Empire's borders.
They knew better than anyone that an existence capable of casually slaying three Titled Douluo, once enraged, would make the Star Luo Empire's border defenses unable to hold for even half a month.
Among the Upper Three Sects, the one with the most intense reaction was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, which was founded on a Beast Spirit.
As the continent's number one Beast Spirit Sect, they were the most sensitive to the aura and power of the Dragon Clan. The moment the Sect Master, Sect Master Yu Yuanzhen, saw the rubbing of the dragon claw mark, the lightning around him instantly spiraled out of control, crackling as it split the hard bluestone floor into a dense web of cracks.
"This is no ordinary dragon-type Spirit Beast; this is a direct Bloodline of the ancient Dragon Clan!"
Sect Master Yu Yuanzhen slammed the table, his voice filled with horror: "An ordinary hundred-thousand-year dragon-type Spirit Beast could never have such terrifying pressure, let alone silently slaying three Titled Douluo! This is definitely a Vicious Beast that has lived for hundreds of thousands of years, a True Dragon King!"
Yes, even more of a True Dragon than their True Dragon Spirits.
In the face of a real dragon, the "True Dragons" they boasted of were nothing more than little snakes.
"Clan Head, now is not the time to investigate its origins!"
An Elder below spoke with a pale face: "Three of Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo were gone just like that. This black dragon's strength has likely infinitely surpassed... surpassed War God Rank... bah... surpassed the Limit Douluo, an existence infinitely close to rank one hundred. Once he leads the Spirit Beasts of Star Dou to cause trouble, our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, which possesses True Dragon Spirits, will likely be the first to bear the brunt!"
Sect Master Yu Yuanzhen took a deep breath, suppressing the horror in his heart, and immediately issued a death order: "Immediately recall all clan disciples training outside; the entire clan is to enter the highest state of combat readiness! At the same time, send out all scouts to monitor the movements of the Star Dou Great Forest twenty-four hours a day. Report any stirrings immediately!"
Even the Clear Sky Sect was completely thrown into an uproar by this news.
Tang Xiao looked at the secret report in his hand, his brow furrowed into the shape of the character 'river'. He spoke solemnly to the Elders beside him: "I didn't expect that besides Grandfather, Qian Daoliu, and Bo Saixi, such a terrifying existence still existed on the continent. Slaying three Titled Douluo at once without even a distress signal being sent... this level of strength, even my... Grandfather in his prime definitely couldn't have achieved it."
"Sect Master, what do we do now?"
An Elder looked at him: "Spirit Hall has already sent a message, wanting to unite the major Sects to jointly deal with the Spirit Beast crisis in Star Dou. Should we respond?"
Tang Xiao remained silent for a long time before finally shaking his head slowly: "Let's stay put for now. We must not easily involve ourselves in this storm again."
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