Ares let out a thunderous roar, his entire being radiating a surging energy. The tip of his massive spear and the air around him began to glow faintly, gathering light bit by bit.
With the spear in hand, Ares charged forward like a raging storm, unleashing an aura so powerful it seemed to pierce the heavens.
"Wrath of Violence!"
In an instant, Ares dashed forward at incredible speed, his spear's destructive force merging with his spiritual energy as it shot toward the evil spirits.
The Wrath of Violence amplified Ares's attack power, creating widespread devastation and inflicting massive damage.
In just a moment, the entire group of evil spirits ahead was utterly annihilated, leaving not even a trace behind!
Jay's eyes lit up as he watched the scene unfold before him, marveling at the sheer power.
"Such incredible strength and devastating force—truly befitting the God of War," he remarked in awe.
"Master, the evil spirits have been eradicated," Ares said. "If you ever need me, you can communicate with me in your consciousness. The path ahead of you is still long, but before I go, I have a gift for you."
With those words, Ares's towering figure slowly faded into the air.
After a moment, Jay sighed and said,
"I have no idea what's going on in the Spirit Domain right now. It seems I'll need to take my time to understand it all."
As Jay was lost in thought, a voice suddenly sounded behind him.
"Did you eliminate the evil spirits here? I didn't expect you to awaken your Guardian Spirit so quickly. And it's not an ordinary one, either."
Hearing this, Jay turned around and frowned, asking,
"Who are you? Your voice… I heard it earlier at the convenience store. Was that you?"
The man chuckled and replied,
"That's right. I didn't expect you to awaken so quickly, and your spiritual power is already at the Initiated level."
Before Jay could respond, the man continued,
"My name is Bai Qiu. I'm a Spirit General from the Dragon King's Hall, serving Spirit City."
Jay stared at him for a moment, then asked,
"So, do you need something? What is Spirit City? Are there many factions in the Spirit Domain?"
Bai Qiu nodded and explained,
"This world is called the Spirit Domain. The street you're on is one of many within it. Each street has a protective barrier, and most Spirit Streets are overseen by a Spirit General to prevent evil spirits from causing trouble. To become a Spirit General, one must either awaken a Guardian Spirit or possess exceptional strength."
Bai Qiu chuckled and continued,
"Spirit City is the ruler of the Spirit Domain. It is governed by the Spirit Envoys and the Great Yutian. Spirit City boasts three major powerhouses: the Dragon King's Hall, the Western City Hall, and the Dream Realm City. Most of the Spirit Streets and Spirit Generals in the Spirit Domain fall under Spirit City's management."
Seeing Jay's silence, Bai Qiu asked,
"Why not join our Dragon King's Hall? As the possessor of a Divine Spirit, you'll likely become a target for others, and our Dragon King's Hall is worthy of your service."
Jay, sensing Bai Qiu's good intentions, replied,
"Thank you for the invitation, but I have no plans in that direction for now. My apologies."
Suddenly, a cold voice echoed from deeper in the street:
"Inviting you was an act of respect. You're just at the Initiated level. Even with a Divine Spirit, don't think you have the right to negotiate with us. Whether you want to or not, you will join us!"
The voice drew both men's attention. Bai Qiu frowned and asked coldly,
"What are you doing here?"
The man laughed loudly and said,
"I, Li Shuang, go wherever I please. What's it to you?"
Then, turning to Jay, he sneered,
"If you won't join me, I'll destroy you! Come forth, Li Guang!"
A towering figure several meters tall appeared behind Li Shuang. It was Li Guang, the legendary Flying General from the Western Han Dynasty of China.
Jay frowned and said to Li Shuang,
"Is this how your Dragon King's Hall and Spirit City treat people?"
"If you want a fight, I'll give you one!" Jay called out,
"Ares, someone wants to play with you!"
In the next moment, a violent aura surged forth as Ares's massive form appeared. Spiritual energy began to flow into his enormous frame, his overwhelming presence filling the air.
Li Shuang, who had been smug moments before, now frowned deeply at Ares.
"Why... why is his spiritual energy so vast? This power is only at the Initiated level? Impossible!"
Bai Qiu shouted,
"Li Shuang, apologize now! His Divine Spirit is not someone you can contend with!"
Li Shuang froze in place, his eyes dull, while Li Guang, standing behind him, was drenched in cold sweat.
"Li Shuang," Li Guang muttered, "I'm no match for that Guardian Spirit. It's far too overpowering."
In the Spirit Domain, Guardian Spirits are categorized into Mortal Spirits, Demonic Spirits, Beast Spirits, and Divine Spirits.
Divine Spirits are the most powerful, followed by Demonic and Beast Spirits.
Although Mortal Spirits are considered the weakest, some extraordinary ones can rival or even surpass Demonic and Divine Spirits.
Clearly, Li Shuang was not among them.
"Wait! I apologize! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have spoken harshly to you, nor should I have made things difficult for you or summoned my Guardian Spirit to trouble you."
Li Shuang quickly blurted out his apology at lightning speed.
Jay looked at them coldly and said,
"Get lost. I have no interest in your factions, whether it's Spirit City or the Dragon King's Hall. If I ever decide to align with a force, I'll create one myself. You'd best stay out of my way, or I can't guarantee what my Guardian Spirit might do."
He continued,
"You can send more people to trouble me, but you'd better make sure they have the strength to return alive."
With that, Jay turned and walked away.
Bai Qiu glared at Li Shuang and angrily shouted,
"This is all your fault! Now he has no goodwill toward the Dragon King's Hall! Do you even realize what a huge asset a Divine Spirit is?"
Li Shuang retorted with a sneer,
"What's there to fear? It's not like we don't already have Divine Spirits. When the time comes, we'll just send someone stronger to capture him! No matter how powerful a Divine Spirit is, it still depends on the capabilities and level of its host. Jay is only at the Initiated level—how could he possibly stand up to someone at the Peak of the Breakthrough level or even Transcendent level?"
In this world, spiritual power levels are divided into the following stages:
Lower String, Upper String, Initiated, Breakthrough, Transcendent, Yin-Yang, Abyssal, and Divine Entry.
Beyond Divine Entry are Demi-God and the legendary God Realm.
Each stage has subdivisions: Early Stage, Mid Stage, Late Stage, Complete Stage, and Peak Stage.
Bai Qiu, unwilling to argue further, dismissed Li Shuang and said,
"This is a new discovery. I'll report it to Xiang Cheng and Spirit City."
Then his figure disappeared into the shadows of Ghost Surge Street.