Douluo Continent: The Eternal Order of the Azure Sky.

When the time comes, he will definitely carve the words "Jing Hongchen doesn't know the value" on every single Zhuge Divine Crossbow, hehe.

……

Several days later, at dawn.

As the first rays of dawn painted the eastern sky, a solemn and wondrous scene unfolded on the wide streets of Mingdu.

Soldiers, fully clad in standard silver armor, formed two straight lines stretching outwards from the entrance of the Mingyue Hotel, seemingly without end. This designated passageway was completely cordoned off, and civilians were instructed to stay at least thirty meters away and not approach.

Compared to the previous tournament hosted by the Star Luo Empire, Mingdu, as the most powerful city on the continent, clearly possessed superior capacity and control. Mobilizing a large army to maintain order was imperative. The human wall alone, connecting the city to the outskirts of the arena, required over 20,000 elite troops.

A chilling atmosphere permeated the long street.

The issue of the competition format didn't cause any real trouble; the Sun Moon Empire's official statement effectively silenced all protests.

With the development of soul tools, future battles will be contests for air supremacy. As young elites, if they cannot excel in this area, what makes them worthy of being called elites?

Ultimately, with the various sects and academies unable to unite in resisting, the new competition is about to begin.

Teams of contestants filed out of the Mingyue Hotel. However, neither Zhang Lexuan, Xu Jiujiu, nor Meng Hongchen could find the figure they cared about most in the crowd.

Kong Tianxu remained unhurried, standing alone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window on the top floor of the hotel, looking down at the ant-like flow of people below.

Today, instead of his signature plain white robe, he wore a similar style of close-fitting clothing to Xu Tianzhen and the others.

The main body of the robe is still a warm and striking white, but it is embroidered with the unique and mysterious emblem of the Holy Spirit Church in gold thread.

"Is everything ready?" Kong Tianxu turned his head and looked at Yu Mengdi and Ye Guyi, who were standing on his left and right respectively.

Both angelic maidens wore magnificent golden dresses, seemingly woven from gold thread. The style was pure and elegant, without excessive ornamentation, yet it perfectly highlighted the nobility and holiness derived from their martial spirits.

perfect.

Kong Tianxu clapped his hands in satisfaction, and enveloped in a beam of starlight, Ye Guyi, Xu Tianzhen, and the others vanished instantly.

His gaze, as if piercing through space, continued to follow the trajectory of each team's march, gazing into the distance.

The competition venue is located in the suburbs east of Mingdu.

At this moment, this once deserted countryside is now teeming with people. More than 30,000 soldiers are doing their best to maintain order, and the dark mass of onlookers stretches to the horizon.

The competition platform was even more imposing. It was ten meters high and estimated to be over 120 meters in diameter. The entire platform seemed to be constructed from a single, massive piece of metal, gleaming with a cold, hard luster in the sunlight.

Most strangely, there is a distinct groove around the arena, from which a huge, transparent, slightly yellowish light curtain rises straight into the sky, its top invisible when looking up.

The amount of soul power required to support an energy barrier of this scale is terrifying.

Moreover, the difference from the previous tournament is evident simply from the light screen right next to the arena. At least now, there won't be a situation where knocking the opponent off the stage constitutes a victory; a complete defeat is required.

Besides the arena, extending outwards from it, every hundred meters there is a ring of enormous soul-guided screens supported by tall frames. Each screen is over twenty square meters in size, stretching all the way to the western suburbs of Mingdu.

In the distance, escorted by rows of royal soul masters dressed in golden uniforms, the luxurious dragon carriage, pulled by thirty-two divine horned-scaled horses, slowly came to a stop in front of the dais.

"It is indeed a rare and magnificent sight."

Xu Tianran sat upright in his wheelchair, looking around at the crowd chanting "Long live the Regent and the Regent's Consort," and sighed softly at Ju Zi, who was gently pushing him and his chair onto the lifting platform.

"It's all thanks to Your Highness's great fortune and the people's support," Orange whispered in his ear as she leaned down.

Seeing the cheers erupting from the crowd as he appeared, Xu Tianran's mood improved even more.

But why isn't that kid here?

Xu Tianran's gaze quickly swept across the players' rest area, but he didn't see the figure that he was most interested in. He leaned back, seemingly deep in thought.

Orange slowly stepped forward and came to the soul-guided megaphone that had been prepared in advance.

"quiet."

A deep, aged voice, seemingly imbued with boundless majesty, suddenly resounded throughout the entire venue.

In that instant, hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians felt as if the light had dimmed, as if dark clouds were pressing down on them, making it hard to breathe. All the noise and discussion ceased abruptly under this invisible pressure. The once bustling and noisy field became deathly silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

One man's power silences ten thousand.

"Dark Holy Dragon, Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao!"

The Shrek Academy members were all horrified, and Huo Yuhao blurted out.

To others, the voice might be unfamiliar, but to the Shrek members who had personally experienced its terror, the aged and oppressive voice was unforgettable.

It was the owner of this voice who caused Elder Xuan considerable trouble back then.

At this moment, Ju Zi cleared her throat, and her melodious voice, amplified by the soul tool, clearly resounded throughout the entire venue.

However, just as she finished reading the brief opening remarks according to the procedure and was about to announce the next item, Xu Tianran smiled and gently raised his hand to stop her.

"Orange, I'll say it, and you repeat it."

Ju Zi paused for a moment, then nodded obediently and turned the amplifying soul guide slightly toward Xu Tianran.

Xu Tianran's gaze slowly swept across the entire venue, lingering for a moment, especially in the area where the Three Kingdoms sects and academies had gathered. Only then did he slowly speak, his voice carrying far and wide through the mouth of the orange.

Chapter 273 Step by Step Feathers Fall from the Sky (Part 2)

"According to the tradition of previous years, the first battle of the competition should have been kicked off by the previous champion, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy."

As soon as Xu Tianran finished speaking, a chorus of calls for Kong Tianxu immediately erupted from the crowd in the Sun Moon Empire section of the stands.

He paused at just the right moment, a look of regret and remorse appearing on his face.

"Unfortunately, today I must inform the thousands of citizens of the Sun Moon Empire, as well as the distinguished guests who have come from afar, of a regrettable matter."

"Kong Tianxu, the Prince of Tianxu, the illustrious sage of the Sun Moon Empire, and personally bestowed the title of Supreme Dragon by my father, the Emperor, will no longer be competing in this tournament as a student of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy."

The entire room fell silent for a moment, as if all sound had been sucked out.

Immediately, a huge uproar and incredulous discussions erupted like a lit powder keg, sweeping across the entire arena.

Not only the people of Sun and Moon, but also the audience from the original Three Kingdoms region, the contestants from various teams, and even the countless people watching the live broadcast through the Soul Guidance Screens scattered across the continent, were all stunned.

"What?! His Highness doesn't represent us, Sun and Moon?"

"How is this possible! He's our Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy's strongest ace!"

"What exactly happened? Internal conflict? Or... some unforeseen event we don't know about?"

……

The intense reaction from the crowd below even exceeded Xu Tianran's expectations. Even the several high-ranking officials of the empire standing beside him couldn't help but change color slightly, exchanging surprised and uncertain glances.

Xu Tianran's smile froze for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Everyone, please be patient! Prince Tianxu is not withdrawing from this competition. He will simply be representing another team, competing against all of you talented young people!"

Ok?

The audience was stunned again. This sudden and unexpected turn of events left them bewildered. The initial disappointment and confusion were replaced by an even stronger sense of curiosity.

Why participate in the competition if you don't represent the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy?

Which team did he join? What kind of team could make him give up the honor of representing the empire's highest institution of learning?

Seeing that everyone's appetite had been whetted to its limit, Xu Tianran finally revealed a smile that seemed to come from the heart, and couldn't help but say aloud:

"Prince Tianxu has rendered outstanding service to our Sun and Moon Empire, and his talent and strength serve as a model for the younger generation of the empire. To recognize his achievements,—"

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping across the entire area before finally settling on the rest area of ​​the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy:

"I have decided to exceptionally promote Prince Tianxu's new team to the first match!"

"I wonder, as the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy team originally scheduled to play the first match, are you willing to give up?"

Countless gazes instantly focused on Xiao Hongchen.

Xiao Hongchen's lips twitched almost imperceptibly; he was already cursing under his breath.

These two elder brothers are the future emperor and the future number one person of the Sun and Moon Sect. He can't afford to offend either of them!

A thousand horses galloped through his heart, but Xiao Hongchen quickly composed a polite smile, bowed deeply towards the podium, and spoke with a passionate and stirring voice that resonated far and wide:

"We will obey Your Highness's decree! It is an honor for our Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy to relinquish the first battle glory for Prince Tianxu!"

"Excellent!" Xu Tianran clapped his hands and laughed heartily, his voice resounding through the sky. "In that case, let us welcome Prince Tianxu and his team with the utmost anticipation as they make their glorious entrance!"

"Prince Tianxu, please respond to the love and calls of your subjects!"

Kong Tianxu, do you think that by letting the Holy Spirit Cult choose an inconspicuous time to make its debut, you can deceive people?

I will insist on placing you in the most dazzling and eye-catching position in the first battle! Let hundreds of thousands of eyes across the continent, and hundreds of millions of viewers in front of their screens, see clearly what kind of demons and monsters you, the supreme dragon of the empire, truly represent!

Xu Tianran sneered inwardly.

You rat in the gutter, come out and bask in the sunshine I've prepared for you!

"Since His Highness the Regent has extended such a warm invitation, wouldn't it be extremely ungrateful of me to refuse?"

Just as the entire audience was eagerly awaiting the moment, a clear voice pierced through all the noise and resounded throughout the entire competition venue.

This voice was different from Long Xiaoyao's majestic and domineering presence, which he used to suppress the entire field with his Limit Douluo cultivation, and it was also different from the clear and pleasant sound that Ju Zi conveyed through top-notch soul guidance amplification technology. Yet, it seemed to resonate in everyone's heart, bringing them unparalleled tranquility and clarity.

Kong Tianxu?!

Xu Tianran's smile froze instantly, and a shadow of gloom flashed deep in his eyes.

As Kong Tianxu spoke, the originally clear sky suddenly became even brighter.

It was like a vast galaxy bursting its banks and cascading down from the top of the sky!

A dazzling and brilliant light began to flow from the depths of the sky without warning, enveloping the airspace directly above the competition stage. The light swirled and condensed, forming a golden auspicious cloud imbued with a sacred aura.

Within the clouds, faint golden rays could be seen flowing and pattering slowly, like living things, resembling the wings of a messenger from heaven in ancient legends, unfurling amidst the mist.

The next moment, golden auspicious clouds slowly dispersed from both sides.

The first thing that catches the eye of countless people is the angel.

A true angel.

Two enormous, divine figures, their bodies seemingly sculpted from the purest gold, silently appeared in the clouds. They possessed holy countenances beyond mortal imagination, their eyes lowered, their expressions both compassionate and majestic.

Each of their four magnificent golden wings fluttered slowly, and with each gentle flap, countless tiny golden specks of light fell like a dreamlike and sacred rain of light.

They did not fully reveal their faces, but rather partially concealed them with their wings, adding to their mystery and nobility. The two angels slowly stretched out their hands, their ten fingers touching in a strange gesture in front of their chests, as if they were holding their hearts.

Immediately afterwards, two clear, solemn female voices, seemingly capable of cleansing the soul, merged into one, resounding throughout heaven and earth: