Participating in the selection of the Upper Three Sects was no child's game.
If one's strength was too lacking, yet they still forced themselves to compete, the only outcome would be ridicule from across the entire continent.
Thus, every faction that registered for the tournament was a top-tier power with at least an 89th-rank Spirit Douluo among their ranks.
To ensure fairness, the selection followed the same format as the qualifiers for the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament—a point-based system.
Each faction would send forth their strongest Spirit Masters to battle in rotation. Every victory earned one point. When the matches ended, the top three in points would become the new Upper Three Sects.
Under Spirit Hall's arrangements, the factions each dispatched their chosen representatives:
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan sent Sword Douluo Chen Xin.
The Nine-Hearted Begonia Clan sent Ling Zhantian.
The Creation Temple sent Dugu Bo.
The Sacred Dragon Clan sent Tuoba Xi.
The Elephant Armored Sect sent Hu Yan Zhen.
The Dragon Snake Clan sent the pair known as the Unrivaled Dragon Serpent.
Unlike the Academy Tournament, the Upper and Lower Sects Selection had no strict requirements on age or total numbers. The only rule was parity in participants.
In other words, if a faction had only sent one representative but faced a faction with two, they were allowed to add another Spirit Master to balance the numbers.
Because of this, the Unrivaled Dragon Serpent entering the ring together did not violate the rules.
With the destruction of both the Clear Sky Clan and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the original Upper Three Sects had been reduced to just the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
On the surface, aside from Spirit Hall's own, there were very few known Titled Douluo still active on the continent. Apart from Chen Xin and Gu Rong, the only one in the open was Dugu Bo.
This raised hopes in both Hu Yan Zhen and the Dragon Serpent pair that they might seize one of the remaining Upper Three Sect seats.
But once the matches began, they discovered to their dismay that both Ling Zhantian and Tuoba Xi were in fact Titled Douluo as well.
In that instant, their aspirations were dashed.
After all, the difference between a Spirit Douluo and a Titled Douluo was like a chasm. Fearing injury that might compromise their chances in the Lower Four Sects selection to follow, both Hu Yan Zhen and the Dragon Serpent pair wisely chose to withdraw.
Thus, the contenders for the Upper Three Sect positions were reduced to four: the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Creation Temple, Nine-Hearted Begonia Clan, and Sacred Dragon Clan.
Over the next several days of fierce competition, the results quickly became clear.
With Ye Yu's support, Dugu Bo had already broken through to Limit Douluo and even absorbed the 990,000-year Demon Whale King's Torso Bone. His might completely overwhelmed his opponents.
He crushed Sword Douluo, Tuoba Xi, and Ling Zhantian in succession, securing the top position without suspense.
Second place went to Ling Zhantian.
Although Sword Douluo had now advanced past rank 96, Ling Zhantian had a complete set of Spirit Bones—including several hundred-thousand-year pieces. Against that, Chen Xin simply couldn't prevail.
And so, the final standings of the new Upper Three Sects were announced:
Creation Temple
Nine-Hearted Begonia Clan
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan
Following this, the Lower Four Sects Selection Tournament began.
After many days of competition, the results were decided:
Ice Phoenix Sect (formerly the Skywater Clan)
Fire Dragon Sect (formerly the One-horned Fire Tyrant Dragon Clan)
Black Tortoise Sect (formerly the Xuanwu Turtle Clan)
Sacred Dragon Sect (formerly the White Armored Earth Dragon Clan)
With the new Upper Three and Lower Four Sects established, Spirit Hall immediately proclaimed the results to the entire continent.
According to Ye Yu's designs, the spark for something greater had already been set in motion.
In the city of Servi, they had witnessed a starving beggar child fighting wild dogs for scraps of food. That tragic sight etched itself into everyone's hearts—a vivid reminder of the fragility of life, and of the cruelty of war.
If such misery was not to be repeated, then the wars must end. The continent had to be unified.
With subtle backing from the Heaven Dou Empire, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and Spirit Hall, the tale of that beggar child spread like wildfire across the land.
The newly recognized Upper Three and Lower Four Sects jointly submitted memorials, invoking the child's tragedy to denounce the horrors of war.
They pleaded with the new Emperor of Heaven Dou—Xue Qinghe, famed for his gentleness, refinement, and benevolence—to set aside old grudges with Spirit Hall, to seek cooperation and reconciliation, and to unite the continent.
In this vision, the Heaven Dou Empire would govern the mundane realm, while Spirit Hall would oversee the Spirit Master world.
Would that not be ideal?
Yet both Emperor Xue Qinghe and Bibi Dong, the Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall, feigned hesitation, offering no response.
But as the story spread from city to village, countless common folk were moved to tears.
Never had they imagined that the exalted Spirit Masters would ever care for the lives of insignificant commoners like themselves.
At the urging of "those close at hand," letters began to pour forth—ordinary citizens from across the continent writing appeals to both the Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit Hall.
They begged the two powers to unite, to end the ceaseless strife of Douluo Continent, and to bring them true peace.
For the first joint petition of the Upper Three and Lower Four Sects, both Heaven Dou and Spirit Hall remained silent.
At the second, countless commoners themselves submitted letters, pleading for unity and peace.
This time, both Heaven Dou and Spirit Hall finally responded, saying:
"We… what virtue and ability do we possess, to bear such a burden? To unify the continent is no simple task. Should war engulf the land, the suffering would be immeasurable."
But the people's voices rose all the louder in reply:
"Without enduring the storm, how can one see the rainbow? Better a short pain than endless pain!"
If true peace required the fires of war, then let this generation bear the suffering—so that their descendants would not have to.
Finally, under the leadership of the Upper Three and Lower Four Sects, representatives of the Spirit Masters marched alongside commoners representatives to both the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace and Spirit City.
There, outside the palace gates and the Pope's Palace, they knelt as one, crying out for Heaven Dou and Spirit Hall to put aside their enmity and unite the continent at last.
After three such massive petitions, the saying held true: , "Good things come in threes."
This time, Qian Renxue—disguised as Xue Qinghe—and Bibi Dong themselves emerged from their halls.
They stepped out to meet the masses, their faces a mixture of emotion and helplessness.
"You have truly given me/this Pope a lot of trouble!"
Watching the grand scene unfold outside the Heaven Dou palace, Ye Yu stood quietly beside Qian Renxue, lips curling faintly.
The prelude was finished.
Now, the true drama was about to begin.