Knights descend upon Douluo Continent; death awaits if they do not fight.

Spirit Hall - Papal Palace.

Bibi Dong sat on the throne, her fingers lightly tapping the armrest.

The elders below were still gossiping, but she was no longer listening.

That live stream—that young man sitting on the mountain of corpses—those eyes—

She thought of herself.

Thinking back to those days and nights locked in the secret room, to what that person did to her, and to everything she did to survive, to become stronger, and to seek revenge.

Did that young man also crawl out of that kind of hell?

No.

That's even more terrifying.

At least she had hatred to keep her alive.

Where is that young man?

She saw nothing in his eyes.

There was no hatred, no fear, no desire, no hope.

It's empty.

After slaughtering everything, all that's left is emptiness.

"Your Holiness the Pope?" Ghost Leopard Douluo's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Bibi Dong raised her eyes: "Speak."

"That world of knights...shouldn't we be preparing for it?"

"What are you preparing?" Bibi Dong asked casually.

"What if I get selected..."

"So what if I've been chosen?" Bibi Dong stood up, walked to the window, and turned her back to the crowd. "That world is nothing more than another form of slaughterhouse. Do you think the elites of our Spirit Hall are afraid of killing?"

Her voice was calm and authoritative, putting everyone present at ease.

"Pass down the order—everything as usual. Continue with the tasks that need to be carried out. As for that world of knights…"

She paused for a moment.

"Just keep an eye on it."

No one saw her fingers tighten slightly when her back was to everyone.

Because she remembered another question—

What if the person sitting on the throne were to descend in person?

---

Meanwhile, in the offering hall.

Unlike the bustling Papal Palace, the Sanctuary was deathly silent.

Six figures sat cross-legged deep within the main hall, their auras as deep and boundless as the ocean.

The Golden Crocodile Douluo at the forefront slowly opened his eyes, and two beams of light flashed and disappeared in the darkness.

What do you think?

silence.

After a long silence, a deep voice rang out: "That world... is not simple."

"Nonsense," another voice scoffed. "Do you need to tell me?"

"I mean—" the voice paused, "that rule is higher than ours."

The hall fell silent once again.

They are taller than them.

They are titled Douluo, beings standing at the pinnacle of this world.

What does it mean to be taller than them?

"What about the Grand Master?" someone asked.

Golden Crocodile Douluo shook his head: "He's in the Angel Temple. Just a moment ago, I sensed his aura... fluctuate slightly."

Everyone fell silent again.

Qian Daoliu—a level 99 peerless Douluo, the spokesperson of the Angel God—is his aura fluctuating?

What does that mean?

"Just wait and see." Golden Crocodile Douluo closed his eyes: "We won't do anything until the Grand Elder speaks."

"What if I'm selected..."

"If you're chosen, then fight." Golden Crocodile Douluo's voice was terrifyingly calm: "Live and come back. Die, and that's it."

He opened his eyes and looked at the unseen sky above the main hall.

"If Huang Fei could survive, why can't we?"

...

Temple of Angels.

Qian Daoliu stood motionless before the enormous angel statue.

He just made his move.

It was just a wisp of divine thought, wanting to explore the depths of that knightly world.

Then--

His divine sense vanished.

It wasn't blocked, it wasn't bounced off.

It disappeared.

It's as if that world doesn't exist in this space-time at all.

It was as if his divine thoughts had never been sent out.

"Rules..." he murmured to himself, "Rules higher than those of God..."

He remembered the young man sitting on the mountain of corpses.

Those eyes.

There was something familiar in those eyes.

That's the look in someone who's slain their way through hell.

He has also killed countless people.

But he never killed his way through hell.

And that young man did it.

"My Lord Angel..." He looked up at the enormous angel statue, "Can...you see that world?"

The statue remained silent.

The entire temple was shrouded in eternal silence.

......

Heavenly Dou Empire - Imperial Palace

Emperor Xueye sat on the dragon throne, his face gloomy.

The ministers below were arguing amongst themselves.

"Your Majesty, that world of knights hangs overhead; monsters could descend at any moment. We must strengthen our defenses!"

"Strengthen defenses? How? The rules say anyone can be selected, what if the guard is chosen?"

"Then let's choose more guards! Someone will survive!"

"Are you crazy? Sending our soldiers to their deaths?"

That's enough.

Emperor Xueye's voice wasn't loud, but it silenced everyone.

He slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night sky outside.

"Pass down the order—all cities and towns, strengthen vigilance. If any signs of an impending descent are detected, evacuate the population immediately."

"yes!"

"Also—" he paused for a moment, "send someone to Shrek Academy and invite Mr. Yu Xiaogang over."

"Yu Xiaogang? That good-for-nothing..." someone blurted out, then realized their mistake and quickly shut up.

The Snow Night Emperor did not turn around.

"He's not useless; he's the one who understands the rules best."

That former good-for-nothing may now be the person the entire empire needs most.

Because the rules of that knight world need to be studied.

Yu Xiaogang is the person who is best at studying the rules.

......

"What a horrific massacre..."

"I hope it doesn't ruin my plans."

Inside the Crown Prince's residence, Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, looked up at the horizon and murmured to herself.

She has been faking it and lying in wait for so many years.

It was all for the purpose of taking over the Heaven Dou Empire.

This was the key to the Spirit Hall establishing an empire and completely controlling the entire continent.

.....

Star Luo Empire - Imperial Palace.

Emperor Xingluo sat in the council hall, listening to the reports from the generals below.

"Your Majesty, the border troops have been placed on alert."

"What about the defenses of the capital?"

"Strengthened. All city gates have been reinforced with additional Soul Masters. The gates will be closed immediately should there be any signs of an impending descent."

Emperor Xingluo nodded and looked at a young man beside him.

Dai Mubai stood there, dressed in military uniform, exuding an imposing aura.

Five years have passed, and he has become a level 63 Soul Emperor, the youngest general in the Star Luo Empire.

"Mu Bai, what do you think?"

Dai Mubai remained silent for a while.

"That world..." he said slowly, "is terrifying."

Emperor Xingluo raised an eyebrow slightly.

His son, who was usually fearless, was the one who could elicit the word "terrifying" from him.

"But being terrifying doesn't mean being invincible." Dai Mubai raised his head, his eyes burning with fighting spirit: "I cultivated for five years, from Soul Master to Soul Emperor. Give me another five years, and I can reach Soul Douluo. That Huang Fei only managed to kill his way through that world. If I can kill my way through, I won't be any worse than him."

Emperor Xingluo looked at his son, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.

"Alright. Then continue your cultivation. Fight when it's time to fight, and battle when it's time to fight. As for that world—"

He stood up and walked to the window.

"If it doesn't come, we don't care. But if it dares to come—"

His gaze pierced through the night sky, as if looking at a world suspended in the void.

"Our Star Luo Empire's iron cavalry will teach it what battle is."

Dai Mubai remained silent.

But then he remembered the scene from that live stream.

The knights' battles, the horrors of the monsters, and the man sitting atop the mountain of corpses—

His fighting spirit is genuine.

But his fear was also real.

He was simply using his fighting spirit to suppress his fear.

.....