From the third gate, two figures — one dressed in black, one in white — slowly stepped forward.
The girl in black had a slim figure, her slender waist almost small enough to wrap a hand around. Her facial features weren't stunning, but she exuded a cold, aloof charm, as if no one but the boy beside her dared to come close.
Black hair framed her face, and atop her head were two faintly visible cat ears, sending countless men's imaginations running wild. Behind her, a long, black tail gently swayed — a detail that made her even more captivating.
The figure in white was powerfully built, veins faintly bulging on his forearms. His clothing and hair were both snow-white, and what drew the most attention was his pair of heterochromatic eyes — a striking contrast sure to captivate countless youthful hearts.
The fourth gate, however, remained closed. No one emerged. The Twin Holy Sect Master glanced toward it but didn't dwell on it for long.
"Rongrong, Little Ao — come over here!"
The Twin Holy Sect Master waved Ning Rongrong and Oscar over.
The people who emerged from the second and third gates all turned toward the old man, smiles blooming on their faces, like old friends reunited.
Then came a brief pause.
The three of them looked at one another… and burst out in even brighter smiles.
"Fatty?!"
"Boss Dai?!"
The familiar voices caused Ning Rongrong and Oscar to turn around. Their faces lit up with surprise and recognition.
"Boss Dai?"
So it was — the bonds of the Seven Devils of Shrek resurfacing here and now, in the most unexpected of places.
The Twin Holy Sect Master cleared his throat and said with urgency:
"I never imagined you children knew each other!"
"It seems the age of the Divine Sects' prosperity is finally upon us!"
"Now, listen to me. We don't have much time, so I'll explain briefly."
"Today's ritual is divided into two parts."
"First step: With the soul power of twenty-eight Titled Douluo, we will push all five of you into the realm of Titled Douluo yourselves!"
"Although you won't have spirit rings, it's enough to elevate you to Level 90 — this is the most critical stage. You must endure it!"
"If you can't... your souls will scatter and perish."
"Second step: We will sacrifice the entire population of Hanhai City — one million people — and harness their resentment and life force to propel you all to Level 95, making you Super Douluo… or even Peak Douluo!"
"This second step can be forfeited. With your talent, reaching this level is only a matter of time anyway."
The old man smiled at Ning Rongrong and Oscar after finishing his explanation.
But in truth, there were things he didn't say out loud.
Using the soul power of twenty-eight Titled Douluo to elevate five people to the Titled Douluo realm?
That was pure fantasy.
The real driving force behind this "miraculous ascension" was the life and soul power of a single Limit Douluo, sacrificed willingly. The twenty-eight Titled Douluo were merely a ritual catalyst.
At the altar's center, a small platform slowly rose.
The five chosen ascendants stepped onto it.
The Twin Holy Sect Master reclined in his rocking chair, watching them with a peaceful smile, motioning for them to prepare.
Moments later—
A blood-red glow slowly enveloped the altar, and soul power from the twenty-eight Titled Douluo began pouring out like a flood.
The old man stepped into the formation's heart.
His soul power began to dissipate. All six soul bones on his body turned to ash.
Had Qian Renfeng been watching this, he would've been shocked by the man's soul ring colors:
Four of them were blood-red!
Though they lacked divine aura — more like artificially enhanced rings through forbidden techniques — it still spoke to the man's extraordinary power.
"It's starting, children."
For an evil soul master to willingly sacrifice his own life to help others… was unheard of.
Unless it was for someone they deeply loved, no evil soul master would ever do such a thing.
Neither did the Twin Holy Sect Master — not until now.
If this moment had come ten years earlier, he would've never allowed a ritual like this to happen.
But his time was nearly up.
Even if he did nothing, he would only have three months left to live.
And the dream of avenging his brother, killed before his very eyes, was slipping further away every day.
He could not forget. And he would not forgive.
If he could no longer claim vengeance himself…
Then he would create a future that could.
As the light flickered and scattered—
The soul power within the five chosen individuals rose like elevators, rapidly soaring upward.
Moments later—
One of the Titled Douluo seated on the outer formation collapsed like a dried corpse, still sitting upright in a meditative posture.
Among the crowd—
Only Qian Renfeng had his eyes open.
He glanced at the corpse and shook his head slightly.
This formation didn't merely use the Titled Douluos' soul power — it quietly drained their life force as well.
To the untrained eye, all the seating cushions looked identical.
But in truth, those used by Titled Douluo under Level 95 emitted a faint red glow, signaling they were sacrificial seats.
Someone was secretly controlling the formation, and the lower-level Douluo were the ones paying the price.
Qian Renfeng extended his spiritual sense toward the Coiling Dragon Staff brothers, cloaking them protectively.
To him, only they mattered. The rest? He wished they'd just die off.
After checking their condition, Qian Renfeng calmly closed his eyes again, waiting.
Upon the altar—
The five ascendants' soul power surged like an ocean tide.
In an instant, they all reached Level 90 — the threshold of a Titled Douluo.
This was what they meant by "ascension in a single day."
Dai Mubai was the first to break through to Level 90.
He let out a long, satisfied breath.
Becoming a Titled Douluo felt… incredible.
His soul power was the highest among the five. His physical strength and endurance were unmatched. It was no surprise he advanced first.
"Who would've thought…"
"That the Seven Devils would one day join a faction I once scoffed at — an evil soul master sect."
"But this method of advancement is leagues faster than traditional soul master cultivation."
"If not for the need for sacrifices… this would be quite an effective shortcut."
Dai Mubai clenched his powerful fists.
Had he not been defeated back then, in the blink of an eye, perhaps he never would've taken this path.
The higher his cultivation climbed, the more he understood the unfathomable strength of that person from the past.
Still…
He looked up at the glowing chandelier hanging from the ceiling, silently vowing to himself:
"Even as a Titled Douluo, I still haven't caught up to him…"
"But maybe… if I reach Super Douluo…"