*tap* Xuan Yan, clad in a pristine white robe embroidered with golden linings, walked through the hall.
Bibi Dong was walking beside him as she had an indifferent gaze.
They soon reached the Elder Hall, and the door creaked open as they entered in.
As they stepped inside, the chamber grew eerily silent.
Inside, a magnificent oval-shaped table occupied the center of the vast chamber, surrounded by ten high-backed seats, each belonging to one of the esteemed Worship Elders.
The moment his striking white hair and golden eyes came into full view a subtle shock rippled across the faces of the elders.
Qian Daoliu, seated at the far end of the table, looked at Xuan Yan intently.
Though his expression remained indifferent, his sharp gaze betrayed his curiosity.
He had already heard from Qian Renxue about this young prodigy, but seeing him in person was different.
Huh?
Suddenly a suffocating aura suddenly pressed onto Xuan Yan.
It was Qian Daoliu himself, exerting a mere fraction of his strength to test the boy.
The other elders quickly noticed this silent provocation and turned their eyes toward Xuan Yan, intrigued by how he would respond.
Yet, to their collective surprise, the boy did not flinch.
His expression remained calm, utterly unaffected by the pressure.
His golden eyes met Qian Daoliu's without a hint of fear.
From the side, Crocodile Douluo let out a low chuckle as his deep voice broke the silence. "Hoho, our Holy Son here is quite amusing."
Qian Daoliu, however, remained stoic "It is still not decided that he will be the Holy Son."
Crocodile Douluo simply nodded, rubbing his chin with interest. "True, true. But one cannot deny that this child is exceptional. To be this composed at such a young age… I can see great potential in him."
Qian Daoliu's gaze did not waver "Potential alone is not enough."
Both Xuan Yan and Bibi Dong took their seats across the table.
Qian Doliu's gaze flickered to Xuan Yan 'So this is that little brat my granddaughter has been entranced with... she won't shut her mouth, always talking about him.'
With a faint nod, he spoke "Xuan Yan, I have heard much about you from my granddaughter,"
"She speaks highly of you, but words and admiration are not enough. Strength, talent, and wisdom... these are what determine one's worth in this world."
Xuan Yan met his gaze, "I understand, Elder Qian Daoliu,"
"In this world, power dictates everything. I would not be here if I were not capable."
His words, though polite, carried confidence... not arrogance, but certainty.
It was as if he were stating an undeniable fact.
The elders exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued even further.
Crocodile Douluo chuckled again, leaning slightly forward. "Boy Yan, it is rare for someone as young as you to sit in this hall. Spirit Hall does not recognize just anyone. Your existence itself is intriguing, and I must say, your demeanor is impressive. Not many can sit before us without even a hint of nervousness."
Even Qian Daoliu's lips twitched slightly, though he quickly concealed it.
Bibi Dong, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. "There is no need to test Yan'er with mere words. His actions and achievements will speak for him. I did not bring him here to seek your approval... I brought him here because he deserves to be the Holy Son."
"Yan'er is the monstrous genius of this era. No one is equal to him in looks, talents and power in the whole mainland. His talent is even superior to Xue'er. You must have heard about his terrifying twin martial spirits and his combat power."
The air in the room shifted slightly at her words.
There was an underlying challenge in her tone, but no one dared to openly refute her.
As the Supreme Pontiff, her authority was second only to Qian Daoliu himself, and she had never been one to waste words.
The hall was silent for a brief moment before Qian Daoliu finally spoke again.
"Tell me, Xuan Yan, Wwat do you think of Spirit Hall?"
Xuan Yan, who had been listening patiently, raised an eyebrow slightly at the unexpected question.
He knew that Qian Daoliu was testing him, not just for strength but for intelligence and perception as well.
He leaned back slightly in his chair, as he answered, "Spirit Hall is the single greatest force in this world. No empire, no sect, no clan can rival its influence."
"It is the foundation upon which the balance of the continent rests. Whether others acknowledge it or not, it is a power that dictates the future."
The elders exchanged brief glances. His words were straightforward, but they carried weight.
Qian Daoliu nodded slowly. "And do you believe in its purpose?"
Xuan Yan's golden eyes flickered for a moment before he replied, "Belief is irrelevant. What matters is reality."
"Spirit Hall's strength shapes the world. Ideals alone are not enough—power enforces them. In the end, belief follows strength, not the other way around."
A faint smirk played at the corner of Crocodile Douluo's lips. "This boy certainly has an interesting way of thinking."
Qian Daoliu remained silent, observing him carefully.
The other elders, too, seemed intrigued by his response.
Bibi Dong smiled in her heart proudly clearly unsurprised by his words.
She indeed taught him some stuff, but Xuan Yan himself had that demeanor of a Born Emperor. She knew he was destined for greatness.
After a moment, Qian Daoliu spoke again. "You understand power well for someone so young. But understanding is not enough. Power must be demonstrated."
Then, suddenly—
Boom!
A crushing pressure descended upon Xuan Yan.
Unlike Qian Daoliu's earlier test, this one was aggressive like a direct challenge.
The very air around them trembled as the aura of a powerful Titled Douluo surged toward him.
Xuan Yan's golden eyes narrowed slightly as he turned his gaze to Crocodile Douluo.
The elder chuckled, "Boy Yan, I want to see the full extent of your power."
Xuan Yan glanced at Bibi Dong. She met his gaze and gave a small nod of approval.
"Sure."
Both he and Crocodile Douluo stood up, stepping away from the table to an open space within the great hall.
The other elders watched closely, intrigued to see how this young prodigy would fare against one of their own.
Crocodile Douluo exuded his aura, his spirit pressure pressing onto Xuan Yan's body.
He started light—Soul Ancestor level
Level 40.
No reaction....
he increased it.
45
47
49
Still, Xuan Yan stood there, completely unaffected.
His expression did not change in the slightest.
His white robes swayed gently, but his posture remained relaxed.
The hall fell into stunned silence.
This child… he's enduring the pressure of a Soul King without even releasing his martial spirit?
Crocodile Douluo's amusement grew. "Interesting," he murmured before raising the pressure.
54
55
58
This time, Xuan Yan felt it slightly.
The force pushing down on his body became noticeable, though not overwhelming.
And finally it reached level 60.
Now, the pressure was that of a Spirit Emperor. Finally, Xuan Yan reacted... by releasing his spirit rings.
The moment he did, the hall was filled with an eerie silence.
Three black rings descended around his body, pulsating with immense energy.
The elders were taken aback to see the black rings around him.
"A… thousand-year first ring? No... three ten-thousand-year spirit rings?"
Even Qian Daoliu's usually indifferent expression faltered.
Crocodile Douluo stared at him, momentarily speechless.
Xuan Yan has told Qian Renxue not to tell about his spirit rings to Qian Daoliu.
The pressure increased again.
63
64
65
At this level, Xuan Yan felt his body become slightly numb.
He summoned his Ea and slammed it onto the ground.
72
74
75
The pressure increased again and Xuan Yan felt his transcendent physique screaming as his skin and flesh slowly began to crush.
Bibi Dong stood up from her seat in concern; however, Xuan Yan waved his hand at her to remain calm.
And the Crocodile Douluo increased the pressure...
A cold glint passed through Bibi Dong's eyes as she glanced at Crocodile Douluo "If Yan'er received any backlash because of this so-called testing his strength..."
"The Eder Hall will pay the price..."
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I hope you gus liked this chapter!