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Beyond the God Realm, beneath the endless starry sky, Qian Renhan soared upward with twelve wings unfurled behind him, flying endlessly toward the unknown darkness above. He had no idea how long he had been flying—but he knew one thing clearly: the God Realm lay above the Douluo Star. He had ascended there when he first became a god, and according to Destruction and Life, there might be an even higher realm above the God Realm's skies.
He didn't know how much time had passed when a wave of frustration began to rise in his heart. Just then, he suddenly crashed into an invisible barrier. A terrifying pressure bore down on him from all directions, sealing off his spiritual power and divine strength. As he tried to summon his Asura Sword, detonate his spirit rings, and tear through the oppressive force, a sound like bubbles popping echoed in his ears.
His vision suddenly cleared. Light flooded his eyes.
After what felt like an eternity in the cold void of space, Qian Renhan instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes. He looked down—and saw a vast expanse of lush greenery, endless mountain ranges stretching to the horizon.
In the next instant, Qian Renhan felt as if he were being restrained by the natural laws of this world, just like when he first arrived in the God Realm and was suppressed by its core. Both of his martial souls, along with all twenty of his spirit rings, were forcibly expelled from his body. Strangely, he didn't feel the slightest discomfort during the process.
The twenty spirit rings shattered one after another. Their massive energy surged into Qian Renhan's body, which immediately began to swell with power. His aura soared. His meridians throbbed in pain.
"What's going on? Are these soul rings breaking due to this world's laws?" Qian Renhan frowned. He quickly found a secluded spot deep in the forest below, sat down cross-legged, and began circulating the Heavenly Nether Art to channel and absorb the immense energy released from the destroyed spirit rings.
Spirit rings were a product of the Douluo World, and for someone who had already become a god, their practical use had become a burden. They restricted the full potential of a soul master. Take Qian Renhan's fifth spirit ability, Dark Demon Sword, for example—it had broken three times. Yet, spirit rings were also absurdly powerful in some respects. A 100,000-year ring could triple the strength of a soul skill, and a million-year ring? Unheard-of power boosts. No other world could offer such amplification.
That this world rejected such mechanisms made perfect sense.
One month later, Qian Renhan opened his eyes. After absorbing the colossal energy from the twenty destroyed rings, he felt like he had broken through two full realms of power. It was no different than the sensation he'd felt going from Rank 20 to Rank 99.
This wasn't because Qian Renhan was actively compressing his power, but rather a product of this world's suppression. As he ran the Heavenly Nether Art, divine power was constantly expelled from his body and replaced by this realm's native energy. Eventually, under the influence of the world's laws, his internal energy automatically underwent a round of condensation and refinement.
"What kind of world is this…?"
Qian Renhan rose to his feet and let out a long sigh. Right now, he knew absolutely nothing about this place—its power structure, its people, or even where he stood in the hierarchy. He had no backing, no allies, and no advantages like he did in the Douluo Continent. He couldn't act recklessly. First, he needed to understand this world.
As the saying goes, the strongest in the lower realm is often trash in the upper realm. But the Douluo World was a bit of a special case. The God Realm wasn't an original plane—it was artificially constructed. Technically, it didn't count as a true independent dimension. So even a Rank 100 divine officer was bottom-tier here.
However, Qian Renhan had pushed himself to the God Realm's limits with external help. His strength now should far surpass the so-called "bottom-tier trash."
Adjusting to the world's energy, Qian Renhan soon discovered that he could still fly without relying on his fallen angel wings. Deciding to keep a low profile, he refrained from using his martial soul. After all, no matter how flawed the Douluo system was, it did have its treasures—like external soul bones, which could grow alongside their user. Such artifacts should still hold value in any world.
Just then, a beast's angry roar echoed through a nearby forest. Several weak energy signatures stirred, immediately drawing Qian Renhan's attention—he was still wandering aimlessly like a headless fly.
He quickly descended into a low, damp valley. Below, five figures dressed in differently colored robes—but bearing the same insignia on their chests—were besieging a massive lion. The beast, equivalent to a 10,000-year soul beast from the Douluo Star, was covered in wounds, its eyes bloodshot, spewing fire at its attackers.
"Be careful, everyone!" the squad leader shouted. "This beast's fangs are incredibly tough—perfect for crafting high-grade weapons. Its fire-attribute magic core is also rare for a Tier 3 creature. Kill it and we'll be well rewarded by the sect!"
Just as he finished speaking, Qian Renhan—who had already confirmed that their strength was far below his—casually raised a finger. A stream of black energy shot out like a spear, piercing the lion's skull and instantly killing it.
The sudden turn of events left the five disciples frozen in place. They turned toward the direction the black energy had come from—and when they saw Qian Renhan floating mid-air, their expressions changed dramatically.
One of the younger female disciples trembled and gasped, "He's walking on air… Is this… is this one of the legendary Dou Zong experts? Am I dreaming?"
"All hail, Senior!" they cried in unison.
The eldest of the five disciples quickly stepped forward and cupped his fists respectfully. The other four followed suit without hesitation, their bodies trembling slightly with awe.
Qian Renhan's mind worked quickly. With his hands behind his back, he deliberately spoke in an aged, raspy voice:
"This old man has been secluded in cultivation for many years. The outside world must have changed greatly. Tell me, juniors—what has become of it?"
One of the disciples immediately stepped forward, still bowing.
"This junior is Yun Ya of the Yunlan Sect. I would be honored to answer, Senior."
Yun Ya cleared his throat and began:
"Senior, the current ruling power is the Jia Ma Empire. The empire was founded years ago after it defeated the previous imperial forces and unified the region under one banner."
"So, this really is the Dou Qi Continent…"
Qian Renhan muttered inwardly. A faint sense of relief washed over him. Since it was the Dou Qi Continent, things would be far more manageable. Yunlan Sect still existed, which meant that his "fellow villager" Xiao Huohuo—Xiao Yan—was still developing. While Xiao Yan might not be of much use to him now, Yao Chen definitely was. That man was a living legend, the publicly acknowledged number one alchemist of the continent—his knowledge would be a priceless resource.
Maintaining his act, Qian Renhan asked again,
"I see… This old man once had some dealings with your Yunlan Sect's former leader, Yun Shan. Tell me—how is Sect Master Yun these days?"
Hearing that, Yun Ya's eyes widened with even deeper respect.
"Replying to Senior—our former Sect Master Yun Shan entered death seclusion over a decade ago in hopes of breaking through to the Dou Zong realm. We have not heard any word from him since."
"Which direction is the Jia Ma Sacred City?"
The moment Qian Renhan heard Yun Shan was still in seclusion, he knew that the "Three-Year Promise" had not yet taken place. There was no time to waste. He needed to head to the Jia Ma Empire, get his hands on a map, and find Wu Tan City—or maybe even locate Yao Xiao (Yao Chen's alias) directly in Jia Ma Sacred City.
When it came to Xiao Yan's character, Qian Renhan believed that any decent person would want a friend like him—loyal, fierce, and unshakable. Even more so when that person was a fellow hometown boy.
It wasn't long before Qian Renhan arrived at a massive city—its towering walls rivaled the defensive fortresses of the Douluo Continent, even surpassing Jialing Pass. The streets buzzed with life, the scale and prosperity of the city dwarfing even Heaven Dou City. On the enormous stone gate were carved four imposing characters:
Jia Ma Sacred City.
(End of Chapter)