At the peak of the towering sacred mountain, before the gates of the Hall of Worship—which occupied nearly three-quarters of the summit and stretched across an immense area—the surroundings had already been meticulously prepared. The scene was even more majestic and solemn than usual.
Standing there now, in addition to the eight High Priests, were the other Titled Elders, as well as a few special individuals such as Hu Liena and Qiangu Yunying.
Among the Titled Elders present were Dugu Bo, Qiangu Yuan, Yuan Qiqi, Yue Guan, Gui Mei, Demon Bear, Ghost Leopard, and others.
Tuoba Xi and Hu Yan Zhen were also there.
As Sect Masters of sects affiliated with Spirit Hall and Rank 89 Spirit Douluo, their presence served both as goodwill and as a warning. With so many Titled Douluo gathered here, the message was obvious—anyone harboring ulterior motives would face unimaginable consequences.
Yin Zhang walked forward step by step toward Qian Daoliu, carefully maintaining the dignity of his ceremonial robes.
Qian Daoliu held a scepter that symbolized the authority of the Supreme Pontiff. This was not Bibi Dong's scepter; instead, it was adorned with intricate golden patterns, exuding magnificence and nobility.
"Yin Zhang," Qian Daoliu said solemnly, "from this day onward, you are the Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall. Accept the scepter in your hand, wear the crown upon your head, and bear the fate of Spirit Hall upon your shoulders."
His heart was filled with emotion.
The last time he had personally presided over a coronation had been more than thirty years ago—when his son, Qian Xunji, was honored as a Titled Douluo. Later, Qian Xunji had perished, and Bibi Dong had risen to power.
Although Qian Daoliu had not opposed her and had even supported her from the shadows, he had never stood openly at her side. As a result, Bibi Dong became the only Supreme Pontiff in the history of Spirit Hall to ascend without a formal coronation.
And she would also be the last.
Because Yin Zhang had arrived.
Yin Zhang would be the final Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall—and the first Supreme Pontiff of the Spirit Empire.
"I will not fail the High Priest's expectations," Yin Zhang said firmly as he accepted the scepter.
From this moment on, Yin Zhang officially became the Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall.
---
Time passed swiftly.
In the blink of an eye, a full month had gone by since Yin Zhang's ascension.
"Your Majesty, Supreme Pontiff," a tall man reported respectfully outside the Supreme Pontiff Palace. "The Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe, has sent an envoy with a letter."
This man was Zhou Hua—a middle-aged Spirit Master with excellent potential, whom Yin Zhang had noticed after taking office. He had a high chance of eventually reaching the Titled Douluo realm.
Zhou Hua, Spirit: Chain of Death, Rank 78 Attack-Type Spirit Saint.
Yin Zhang nodded lightly.
"Let him in. I want to see how this letter is written."
Although Yin Zhang suspected that Xue Qinghe's letter likely concerned pledging the Heaven Dou Empire's allegiance to Spirit Hall, he did not allow himself to jump to conclusions.
After all, unexpected matters could still arise.
Recently, Yin Zhang had learned that Tang Hao had appeared within Heaven Dou territory, destroying Spirit Hall branch halls one after another. His movements were erratic, making him impossible to track down.
A month earlier, during Yin Zhang's coronation, Tang Hao had also appeared in Spirit City. Yin Zhang had been aware of it, but because Spirit City was packed with civilians and guests at the time, he had chosen not to act in order to ensure the ceremony's safety.
That decision had allowed Tang Hao to escape—and begin wreaking havoc across the continent.
"Speaking of which," Yin Zhang mused inwardly, "if Tang Hao returns to the Heaven Dou Empire and goes back to Nuoding City, only to discover that Xiao Wu has already been taken by me… what kind of expression would he make?"
The thought made him smirk faintly.
In Nuoding City, after taking Xiao Wu and Blazing Flame, Yin Zhang had made no effort to conceal his identity. Anyone investigating the appearance of a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring could easily trace it back to him.
As for Tang San, that boy could only watch helplessly as Xiao Wu was taken—utterly powerless. His hatred toward Yin Zhang had long since become bone-deep.
Once Tang Hao was dealt with, Tang San would naturally be next.
Yin Zhang rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He remembered that he had previously instructed Qian Renxue to send him the Heaven Dou Empire's national treasure—the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
"So this must be it," he thought.
The envoy was soon ushered in.
Yin Zhang waved his hand, signaling the guards and Zhou Hua to withdraw.
As soon as the man entered, he knelt on both knees.
"Your Majesty, Supreme Pontiff," he said respectfully. "I am a guard assigned by the High Priest to protect the Young Miss. She instructed me to deliver this letter, as well as the item you requested, which is stored within this storage spirit tool. She also hopes that Your Majesty will dispatch a great army to take over the Empire tomorrow."
Yin Zhang nodded slightly.
He had been preparing for this moment ever since his ascension. Now, everything was finally falling into place.
"Very well. You may withdraw," Yin Zhang said calmly, using his spirit power to retrieve the storage spirit tool from the man's hands.
Once the envoy left, the massive doors of the Supreme Pontiff Palace slowly closed.
Only then did Yin Zhang examine the item in his hand.
It was a bracelet-shaped storage spirit tool, smooth and jade-like, exquisitely crafted.
But his attention was not on the tool itself.
Inside lay a thin envelope—which he glanced at briefly before setting aside.
Instead, his gaze fixed upon another item resting quietly within.
The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
This was an extraordinary treasure.
In the original timeline, Tang San had relied on it to initiate the Sea God's Nine Trials, obtaining four powerful abilities right from the start and dominating the oceans with his companions.
If possible, Yin Zhang had also considered refining the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud to strengthen himself.
However, that thought was immediately interrupted.
A familiar system prompt appeared.
---
[System Notification]
The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud contains the Divine Thought left behind by the Sea God before his ascension.
If the host refines it, they may gain the Sea God's favor and initiate the Sea God's Legacy.
If the host does not require it, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud may be given to Hu Liena. There is a high probability that she will obtain the Sea God's recognition and successfully refine it.
Option 1: Give the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud to Hu Liena
Reward: Level 100 Godhood Card ×1
Option 2: Keep it for personal use
Reward: Chinese Anime Lottery ×1
---
Yin Zhang froze.
A Level 100 Godhood Card?
Was it really what he thought it was?
He immediately selected the card to view its details.
---
[Level 100 Godhood Card]
After use by a Level 99 Limit Douluo, the user will instantly break through the boundary between mortals and gods, ascend to Level 100 Godhood, and obtain growth potential.
---
After reading the description, Yin Zhang's heart surged with joy.
With this card, becoming a god was practically guaranteed.
Although he would still need to establish and stabilize his own God Position, the most crucial step—breaking through the mortal boundary—would already be complete.
A future as a true Deity was now firmly within reach.