As Yang Podi took step after step into Spirit City, his expression grew more solemn and dignified than ever before.
He had always held a deep respect for Spirit City and regarded it with great importance, especially when it came to Qian Daoliu. In Yang Podi's eyes, Qian Daoliu was even more formidable than Bo Saixi.
Based on his previous encounters with Qian Daoliu, Bo Saixi, and Tang Chen—the three legendary Limit Douluo of their time—Yang Podi had drawn some conclusions. If none of them used divine power, Tang Chen was likely the strongest in terms of pure combat ability. However, Qian Daoliu was the most respectable and, at the same time, the most difficult opponent to deal with.
Theoretically, their strengths were quite close. Tang Chen was known as invincible on land, but he had weaknesses in speed and aerial combat. Bo Saixi was unrivaled in the ocean, yet her Sea God martial soul could only unleash its full power when near the sea. Meanwhile, Qian Daoliu, despite being hailed as the supreme master of the skies, had never truly demonstrated the full advantage of his domain.
What made Qian Daoliu particularly noteworthy were his actions—he could be considered the true gravedigger of Spirit Hall. In the original story, many viewed Qian Daoliu as a coward. However, after multiple interactions with him, Yang Podi felt that he was more of a pitiful man than anything else.
Qian Daoliu had loved Bo Saixi for half his life, yet he could never have her. Due to his so-called promise, he refrained from striking against the Clear Sky Clan, ultimately allowing them to survive. This decision proved disastrous for Spirit Hall. Additionally, he was indecisive when it came to his son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter—he watched as his son was tragically killed and as mother and daughter turned against each other, yet he never intervened, except for his final act of self-sacrifice.
Spirit City was known as the sacred land of the spirit master world, having accumulated an immeasurable amount of faith power over the years—far more than anyone could imagine. Otherwise, there was no way Qian Renxue could have ascended to godhood so quickly.
After entering Spirit City, Yang Podi retrieved an invitation card, flicked it into the distance with a casual wave of his hand, and then quietly checked into an inn to rest.
Inside the Douluo Palace, Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and the six great elders all sensed the message and immediately gathered before Qian Daoliu.
Qian Daoliu held the invitation card in his hand, his expression far more serious than usual.
The contents of the invitation were simple—only one sentence:
"Three days from now, atop Spirit City, I challenge you to a battle!"
Everyone who saw the invitation was filled with shock and fury. No one had expected Yang Podi to have the audacity to challenge Qian Daoliu, and within Spirit City itself, no less. Such a thing had not happened in over a century—not even Tang Chen had chosen to battle Qian Daoliu within these sacred walls.
Upon seeing the challenge letter, Qian Renxue's face twisted in anger. "Grandfather! What is the meaning of this? Is Yang Podi out of his mind? His arrogance knows no bounds! I'll go deal with him right now!"
Qian Daoliu responded in a calm but firm voice, "Xue'er, calm yourself. Yang Podi is not someone who acts without reason. He must have another purpose for this challenge."
The six great elders all voiced their opinions, declaring that Yang Podi was disrespecting the Angelic Legacy and must be suppressed immediately. Meanwhile, Bibi Dong remained silent, standing apart from the group.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Yang Podi had spent the entire time in deep meditation, conserving his strength for the upcoming decisive battle.
That morning, as the first light of dawn stretched across the sky, Yang Podi began making his way toward the Douluo Palace—the chosen battlefield for his challenge.
Surprisingly, no one attempted to stop him along the way. Upon reaching the Douluo Palace, he found that all of the Spirit Empire's elders and worshippers were present. It was a rare sight to see them all gathered in one place, and their expressions were grim. Even Bibi Dong, who rarely showed her emotions, had a rare dark look on her face.
Qian Daoliu, standing in the center of the palace, appeared more majestic and solemn than ever before. He was clad in a gilded suit of armor, the Angelic Sword strapped to his back, his presence exuding an overwhelming divine aura. His momentum had reached its absolute peak.
Qian Daoliu slowly spoke, "You have arrived. Can you tell me why you are challenging me?"
Yang Podi kept his eyes tightly shut, then suddenly opened them. A look of boundless yearning flashed within them. "To challenge the strongest person on the Douluo Continent. To reach an even higher level."
At this moment, Yang Podi began to understand the true purpose of the Asura God's trial. To become a god—especially to become the Asura God—one must continuously challenge stronger opponents and cultivate an invincible will. The path to godhood was one of solitude, but it was also a road to absolute supremacy, especially for the Asura God, the embodiment of slaughter.
Qian Daoliu seemed to comprehend something. A faint smile appeared on his face as he nodded. "That is not bad. I have spent my life pursuing godhood in vain. Now, to witness the rise of a god firsthand is not such a bad thing."
"I am the High Priest of the Angel Clan, the embodiment of our ten-thousand-year legacy and glory. I accept your challenge. I can die, but I must not lose!"
As Qian Daoliu's words fell, a colossal six-winged angel martial soul manifested behind him, accompanied by a set of spirit rings—eight black, one red.
Yang Podi's expression became solemn as well. In an instant, the Breaking Soul Spear appeared in his hands, and his own spirit rings emerged—five black, four red.
Even though everyone present had already known about Yang Podi's spirit ring configuration, witnessing it firsthand once again sent shivers down their spines.
Yang Podi took the initiative, gripping the Breaking Soul Spear with both hands and thrusting it forward. The attack seemed simple, yet it carried an indescribable destructive force. A piercing sound rang through the air, as if it were shattering everything in its path, mixed with faint echoes of a tiger's roar and a dragon's cry.
Qian Daoliu did not retreat. The enormous six-winged angel behind him seemed to blot out the sky, and a gigantic fist came crashing down, attempting to block Yang Podi's spear.
With just a single exchange, Yang Podi had already broken through Qian Daoliu's attack and even shattered the spirit power around his hand. Qian Daoliu himself was forced back five meters.
Qian Daoliu suddenly let out a hearty laugh. "Good! Very good! In such a short time, you have grown even stronger!"
Yang Podi, however, remained deadly serious. "Senior Qian Daoliu, you should bring out the Angelic Sacred Sword as soon as possible. Relying only on spirit power and your Six-Winged Angel martial soul will not be enough to defeat me."
"You are right, little friend," Qian Daoliu acknowledged. "In terms of weapon martial soul mastery, you have already surpassed Tang Chen by far. My bare hands alone are no match for you. Not to mention, your Breaking Soul Spear has been tempered countless times—it is now comparable to a divine weapon."
With that, Qian Daoliu drew the Angelic Sacred Sword and slashed forward. A golden sword aura erupted, seemingly capable of cleaving the heavens and earth in two. In terms of pure swordsmanship, this attack likely surpassed even Sword Douluo. Moreover, the golden light surrounding it was clearly a fusion of divine power and sword energy.
Yang Podi, upon seeing this, gripped his spear tightly and thrust it forward with full force. A golden spear light shot out from the Breaking Soul Spear's blade, carrying an aura that seemed capable of piercing through all things.
Sword aura and spear light collided. It was not merely an exchange of techniques, but a clash of two divine forces. The very space around them trembled with sounds of tearing and distortion.
The massive plaza beneath them, originally the largest in Spirit City, began to collapse. The crisscrossing sword energy and spear light had carved deep chasms into the ground, forming a massive crater.